[Herald Interview] Professor casts new light on Seoul Fortress Wall

For Song Inho, an architecture professor of the University of Seoul, the most propitious place in the capital is an area extending from the peak of Mount Inwang to its northern ridge. On the summit of the mountain behind the presidential office, he can get a clear aerial view of the ancient fortress wall that encircles Seoul.In the fortress wall, he also sees a thick layer of the 600-year history of the capital.Fascinated by the magnificent landscape, he wants to share the beauty of the cultural

Social AffairsJan. 20, 2012

[Herald Interview] ‘Songs just happen like acorns falling from a tree’

Irish musician Rice is Jan. 11 concert soldoutWith Guinness and Westlife among the very few Irish things that have made it to Korea, and the singer’s face rarely shown on TV, a fan of Irish singer Damien Rice may pride him/herself on being “a classy minority.” Minor fandom, however, is hardly a suitable term for a musician who sold out some 1,600 seats in just a few hours, despite modest promotion activities and relatively expensive tickets priced at 132,000 to 165,000 won (about $150).In an e-m

PerformanceJan. 2, 2012

[Herald Interview] Lawmaker seeks to turn ideas into reality for public

This is the fourth in a series of interviews with first-term lawmakers. ― Ed.Politics is about turning theory into policy and thus dreams into reality, says a biologist-turned-lawmaker.Rep. Bae Eun-hee, before joining the ruling Grand National Party in 2008 as a representative chosen by proportional representation, was chief executive officer of Regen Biotech, a biotechnology venture company.“I never thought of myself as a politician before I heard President Lee Myung-bak say that policies must

PoliticsDec. 30, 2011

[Herald Interview] Chinese young chairman plans to make golf World Cup success

HAIKOU, China -- The chief organizer of the World Cup of Golf believes the event’s popularity will take off in the years to come. “The World Cup is not as popular as other sports. For instance golf in China is only 25 years old. But it means there is a lot of room to grow,” said Ken Chu, chairman of Mission Hills Group.The biennial global competition started in 1954 in Canada with seven nations competing. In 1995, just a year after Mission Hills’ establishment, the Chinese golf club hosted the c

More SportsNov. 27, 2011

[Herald Interview] Not the same old Colombia

There is a new and positive feeling in the air at the Colombian Embassy, not only because of the Colombian president’s visit but also because of plans to heighten overall relations with Korea.The once-small embassy has doubled in size to welcome three new attaches who will work to promote science an

Foreign AffairsSept. 13, 2011

[Herald Interview] New start for figure skating

First foreign coach trains Korean national team for Sochi 2014It’s a Thursday morning in Taeneung, northern Seoul, and the 10 a.m. training session is well under way. A group of figure skaters are working out at the national ice skating rink. “Come on, let’s move,” their instructor Sergei Astashev u

More SportsSept. 13, 2011

[Herald Interview] Standards body keen on Korea’s smart grids

Korea’s growing technological prowess and the business community’s brisk participation in standardization works will help expand global markets for smart grids, executives of the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers’ Standards Association said.The standards body is a unit within the IEEE,

IndustrySept. 8, 2011

[Herald Interview] Pole vault legend Bubka praises Daegu Worlds

DAEGU -- Korea’s first ever World Championships in Athletics, which concluded on Sunday after nine days of competition, will provide a “bright future” for Korean athletics, according to athletics legend Sergey Bubka.In his pole vaulting career, Bubka won six Worlds titles, set 35 world records, and

Sept. 4, 2011

[Herald Interview] Thai convention and exhibition gateway to business in region

Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau organized a road show in the Seoul and Busan this week to promote the country’s trade shows as a preferred business platform in Southeast Asia.To make it more attractive, the TCEB has put in place supporting policies for Korean businesses attending such trad

Sept. 1, 2011

[Herald Interview] Mentor’s advice: Invest time, money, effort in self

Professor Kim Rando stresses discovering true potential and pursuing dreamsKim Rando, professor of consumer studies at Seoul National University, calls himself a consumer scientist.His current research focus is on the Chinese consumers, and he plans to publish a book on the subject next year. But Ki

PeopleAug. 17, 2011

[Herald Interview] Popular Christian band plans overseas tour

Contemporary Christian music band Markers, which has sold more than 100,000 albums since its 2007 debut in the Christian music market, is planning an overseas tour to provide English worship services later this year, the leader of the band said. The Korean CCM band was formed in 2003 for a “culture ministry” through which they help lay believers lead a “Christian cultural life” with easy-to-follow

CultureJune 29, 2011

[Herald Interview] Suede’s ‘Beautiful Ones’ to rock final stage at Jisan

British alternative rock band to play for first tims in Korea since reunionAs the U.K. rock group Suede had a strong presence in the Britpop movement in the 1990s, the disbanding of the act in 2003 was quite disappointing to alternative rock fans around the world.However, the band was reunited last year and is coming to Korea to hold their first here since the reunion. The act is to be on the fina

PerformanceJune 26, 2011

[Herald Interview] Col. Kim: A war hero, a great humanitarian

Korean-American professor tells story of man who transcended ethnic rivalryChang Tae-han, professor at University of California, Riverside, recalled his last visit to Colonel Kim Young-oak, a highly decorated Korean-American war hero, when he was already in a coma at a hospital in Los Angeles six years ago.“I told him that his biography, written in Korean, had just been published in Korea. He did

PeopleJune 23, 2011

[Herald Interview] OECD helps green growth, aid programs

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which provides advice and guidance to donor countries on aid programs to developing nations, is Korea’s key partner in formulating green growth strategies as well.The OECD’s Development Cooperation Directorate tracks aid performance of the OECD member nations, the volume and effectiveness of their aid programs, undertakes peer reviews, or

Social AffairsJune 21, 2011

[Herald Interview] Seoul shares bus network secrets with world cities

Seoul’s eco-friendly bus policy is good inspiration for green efforts by major cities throughout the world, a ranking official of the city government said.“Central governments talk a lot about climate change. But we in the cities are acting,” said Jeong Yon-chan, Seoul City’s assistant mayor of environmental protection headquarters, who attended the C40 Large Cities Climate Summit held in Sao Paul

Social AffairsJune 20, 2011

[Herald Interview] Acquity Group eyes partnership with top Korean firms

BEIJING ― Acquity Group is an unfamiliar name to Koreans, but it promises to fundamentally change the landscape of corporate Korea’s online marketing.Exclusive brands do not want their brand value diluted by uniformly stacking their goods on the anonymous virtual shelves of eBay or Amazon, according to George Lu, chairman of Acquity Group.Acquity Group is a U.S. company Lu founded in 2001 to speci

IndustryJune 19, 2011

[Herald Interview] IMF: Rate hikes should help tame stock volatilities

IMF, Finance Ministry split on focus of capital control measuresKorea should raise its policy rate faster to discourage volatile capital inflows into stocks and boost the effectiveness of capital barriers currently in place, Subir Lall, Internaional Monetary Fund's Mission Chief for Korea said.The head of the IMF delegation here assessed Korea’s capital flow management “effective,” but said more c

June 19, 2011

[Herald Interview] Cushman and Wakefield opens frontiers with cross-border retail

With real estate being an essential element in any business that requires stores or offices, the industry ties in to most conventional businesses.Real estate services provider Cushman and Wakefield Korea is taking that natural tie-in a step further.Since last year, the company has been supporting retailers to cross borders. “It’s split into two major sections. We’re helping to export Korean retail

IndustryJune 16, 2011

[Herald Interview] Long-Thibaud winners to stage duo recital

Pianist Lim, violinist Shin to play Saraste, Brahms and Ravel togetherPianist Lim Dong-hyek and violinist Shin Hyun-su, the only two Koreans to have topped the prestigious Long-Thibaud International Competition, will stage a flamboyant duo recital as part of the upcoming classical chamber music summer event, Ditto Festival.The triennial competition aims to discover talents in piano and violin and

PerformanceJune 16, 2011