Bill proposed to offer anti-cyberbullying education programs

A South Korean lawmaker has proposed a revised bill aimed at promoting positive online messages and countering cyberbullying through education programs in schools and workplaces. Rep. Kim Su-min of the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party said she has drafted a proposal to amend the Framework Act on National Informatization in a way that would introduce “sunfull” (referring to positive comments) education programs at a press conference held at the National Assembly on Tuesday. “T

Oct. 30, 2019

[Herald Interview] Nine cups of tea with Ven. Myoudeok

Ven. Myoudeok cut quite a conspicuous figure at last week’s coffee and tea fair in Yangjae-dong, southern Seoul.  In her light-gray Buddhist robes, she sat among coffee and tea masters who had come from across the country to discuss the latest trends in brewing and blending. Her trade is the centuries-old tradition of Korean green tea. “I see a lot of confusion in our tea culture -- what makes good tea, how tea should be made and consumed,” the Buddhist nun said. “I

Oct. 25, 2019

Korean literature prize goes to Albanian writer

Albanian novelist Ismail Kadare is the winner of the 2019 Pak Kyong-ni Prize, in recognition of a lifetime of socially relevant writing that delves into the historical experiences of the Albanian people.The writer, 83, has been one of the most influential literary figures in Europe since his debut in the 1960s. In 2005 he became the first winner of the Man Booker International Prize for the full body of his work. He is also an often-mentioned nominee for the Nobel literature prize.  The Par

Oct. 23, 2019

Baseball legend shares 48 years on the diamond

A living legend of Korean baseball, Sun Dong-yeol released his autobiography Tuesday, sharing 48 years of life on the diamond. Sun, 56, is a former baseball player and manager, who made his professional debut in 1985 as a pitcher for the Korean Baseball Organization’s Kia Tigers in Gwangju. Later, he signed with the Chunichi Dragons of Japan on a four-year loan. He retired in Japan in 2000. He then returned to Korea and became the manager for the Kia Tigers and then the Samsung Lions. He l

Oct. 22, 2019

Sulli leaves behind 15-year entertainment career

Singer and actress Sulli, also known as Choi Jin-ri, was found dead Monday at her home outside Seoul. She was 25. 　Sulli entered the entertainment industry at just 10 years old, making her debut in 2004 in SBS drama “Ballad of Seodong.” In 2009, Sulli joined the highly competitive K-pop scene as a member of five-piece girl group f(x). She was 15 at the time. While she was the youngest of the act, she was also the tallest, leading fans to affectionately call her “Giant Baby

Oct. 14, 2019

[Update] Singer and actor Sulli found dead

Singer-actor Sulli, 25, was found dead Monday at a house in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Provice, police said.　Her manager found her dead on the second floor of the house at around 3:21 p.m. He visited the house as he had been unable to reach Sulli after their last phone call, which ended at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. 　Police are investigating the case, but suspect suicide. A suicide note had not been found as of late Monday afternoon.　“It seems that Choi was living alone at the house,”

Oct. 14, 2019

Famed skater Lee Sang-hwa, singer Kangnam get married

Former South Korean star speed skater Lee Sang-hwa and singer Kangnam tied the knot on Saturday, their management agencies said.    The two held the wedding at a hotel in Seoul, according to Lee's agency, Bonboo Entertainment, and Kangnam's management, Dmost Entertainment.     They first met on SBS' reality show "Law of the Jungle" in September last year and became a couple. They confirmed their relationship in March.    "We plan t

Oct. 12, 2019

Ku Hye-sun says she will stop writing about Ahn Jae-hyun

Ku Hye-sun said Friday she would stop writing posts about Ahn Jae-hyun on social media amid a monthslong online feud between the high-profile couple, who are in the middle of a divorce. Ku has been revealing their marital problems on social media, highlighting Ahn's faults. “It is really strange. He was not committed to our marriage, there were situations that made me doubt his fidelity, and he became violent when drunk ... yet people still think I am the one who made him go

Oct. 11, 2019

Philippine lawmakers join anti-cyberbullying campaign initiated in S. Korea

Twelve lawmakers from the House of Representatives of the Philippines signed an anti-cyberbullying pledge Wednesday at an event to raise public awareness about malicious comments and hate speech on the internet and social media. The event was part of the Sunfull Internet Peace Movement, initiated in 2007 in South Korea and led by Min Byoung-chul, a Hanyang University professor who serves as chairman of the Sunfull Foundation. Rep. Florida Robes, chairperson of the House Committee on People Parti

Oct. 4, 2019

[Herald Interview] ‘What is Korean is what is most global’

In 1965, a group of history majors from Ewha Womans University visited Sosu Seowon in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, a Confucian academy built in the 16th century during the Joseon era (1392-1910). The simple, relatively uneventful field trip ended up kicking off a series of events that saw nine of the “seowon” -- Korean neo-Confucian academies -- being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List over half a century later.“I was struck by the grace of the wooden buildings

Oct. 3, 2019

[Herald Interview] ‘Better working conditions for staff lead to better service’

The new general manager of Millennium Hilton Seoul was surprised by strong demand for staycations here. German-born Felix Busch, who joined the Hilton group 17 years ago, took the post here in August following stints in Edinburgh, London, Sydney and Nagoya, among others. “It is very popular for Koreans to escape for one night. Although they may live in Seoul, they check into a hotel in Seoul to have a night away from home. I think this is slightly unique to Seoul,” Busch told The Kor

Oct. 2, 2019

[Herald Interview] ‘The city of Seoul belongs to us’

Though dwellings are important, cities matter a great deal in determining people’s lifestyles. Delving into the notion, the 2019 Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism will take place from Saturday to Nov. 10 across Seoul. The second edition of the biennale is led by directors Lim Jae-yong and Francisco Sanin, with the participation of more than 180 institutions from 80 cities, including Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.  According to 58-year-old Lim, the 2019 e

Sept. 6, 2019

Famed skater Lee Sang-hwa, singer Kangnam to marry this year

Former South Korean star speed skater Lee Sang-hwa and singer Kangnam will tie the knot in the fall this year, their management agencies said Thursday.They will hold their wedding on Oct. 12 at a Seoul hotel, according to Lee's Bonboo Entertainment and Kangnam's Dmost Entertainment.They first met on SBS' reality show "Law of the Jungle" in September last year and became a couple. They confirmed their relationship in March. Lee, 30, is the most successful athlete in South Korean speed s

Aug. 29, 2019

[Herald Interview] YouTuber showcases power of ‘fair’ review of books

In Korea’s sluggish publishing industry, YouTubers are emerging as new power players through their personal book recommendations, which translate into real sales figures at both offline and online bookstores.As with other product placement deals on YouTube channels, however, book recommendations are rarely delivered free of charge. Publishers have to pay for such advertising. The question is, how much can you trust a YouTuber’s pitch for the book in question?For Pi Eugene, an up-and-

Aug. 28, 2019

At age of 100, philosopher says ‘I love; therefore I am’

Widely known as the “100-year-old philosopher,” professor Kim Hyung-seok recently published a collection of essays that delves into the meaning of life. Kim, 100 this year by Korean age, was born in 1920 in Pyongyang, which is now the capital of North Korea. He studied philosophy at Sophia University in Tokyo. After Korea’s liberation from Japan in 1945, he taught at a local middle and high school in Seoul and eventually joined Yonsei University. He is now a professor emeritus

Aug. 21, 2019

[Herald Interview] Four generations of family carry on Jeju’s brewing legacy

JEJU ISLAND -- In her family-run distillery in Seongeup, a small village at the foot of Hallasan on the volcanic island of Jeju, Kim Hee-sook does everything the old way. She crafts the island’s iconic spirits omegisul and gosorisul the same way her ancestors did, using only local ingredients -- glutinous millet, barley, water and homegrown nuruk, the fermentation starter. Traditional earthenware is used for brewing, distilling and aging the liquor. “This house used to have a straw t

Aug. 16, 2019

Cha University provides resource analysis service for SMEs in Gyeonggi Province

Cha University’s resources research center in northeastern Gyeonggi Province aims to help small and medium-sized companies use the region’s resources more efficiently to produce high-value goods.The northeastern part of the province, such as Pocheon and Dongducheon, have had difficulty commercializing natural resources and developing high-value-added businesses due to systemic weaknesses and a lack of technological infrastructure. The biotechnology industry in the area is around 10 t

Aug. 13, 2019

Gyeonggi Province launches campaigns to boost local tourism

Gyeonggi Province’s tourism body is launching a set of campaigns to overcome an upcoming slump in the regional tourism industry following Japan’s recent economic retaliation. The administration was one of the first governmental bodies to express support for the people’s boycott of Japan and take countermeasures to the Japanese government’s decision to remove South Korea from its whitelist of preferred trade partners earlier in July. Lee Jae-myung, governor of Gyeonggi Pro

Aug. 12, 2019

Nobel laureate Toni Morrison dead at 88

NEW YORK (AP) -- Nobel laureate Toni Morrison, a pioneer and reigning giant of modern literature whose imaginative power in "Beloved,'' "Sula'' and other works transformed American letters by dramatizing the pursuit of freedom within the boundaries of race, has died at age 88.Publisher Alfred A. Knopf announced that Morrison died Monday night at Montefiore Medical Center in New York after a brief illness."Toni Morrison passed away peacefully last night surrounded by family an

Aug. 7, 2019

[Herald Interview] Thriving as a freelancer in era of social media

Do you find it difficult to feel a sense of achievement and self-fulfillment at work? Are you considering a career switch to freelance work? If so, you might get some useful information from Seo Eu-ra, who has transformed herself from an office worker into a freelance translator, author and YouTuber. Seo, also known as Seo Merry on social media and YouTube, is gaining in recognition for her tips and guidance to Korean workers interested in exploring new opportunities beyond their current jobs.&n

July 26, 2019