Court upholds ruling against artist’s family over ‘fake’ painting

An appeals court upheld a ruling against the family of the late artist Chun Kyung-ja, who had sought damages from the state for declaring authentic a museum-held painting that Chun had disavowed as a fake. The Seoul Central District Court said Friday that Kim Jeong-hee, the complainant — a daughter of the late artist — did not present sufficient evidence to reverse an independent assessment secured by prosecutors in an earlier case, which found that the painting “Beautiful Woman” was by Chun. Ki

April 18, 2025

South Korea to help preserve Machu Picchu

South Korea will assist Peru with the preservation of Machu Picchu, an Inca-era stone citadel nestled in the eastern Andes Mountains in the South American country. The latest official development assistance project will start in 2026, with the Korea Heritage Service currently seeking interagency agreement as required by law before initiation. The state-run agency has been providing ODA to mainly countries in Asia, such as Laos and Cambodia, later expanding to Uzbekistan in 2020 and Egypt in 2023

April 18, 2025

Campaign to monitor travel destinations launched ahead of APEC summit

A 100-member team of South Korean nationals and other citizens has been launched by the state-run Korea Tourism Organization to improve travel in the country. The team is tasked with visiting multiple travel destinations nationwide and come up with suggestions to make each experience better. Gathering complaints and feedback from those who have already made visits will be part of the mission. The team started work this week, stopping at Gyeongju, the city in North Gyeongsang Province hosting thi

April 18, 2025

Festivals, sights across Korea

The cherry blossom festival on Nami Island in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, will run through April 20. It will feature trails, performances, craft shops, pedal boats and snack booths. Adult admission is 16,000 won. ITX runs from Cheongnyangni Station to Gapyeong Station. A 10-minute bus ride from there will take you to the dock that has a ferry to the island. Skylight Garden in Jangheung-gun, South Jeolla Province, is a place to check out all varieties of tulips. The garden is home to some 1,000

April 18, 2025

Weekend picks: Bojagi, budget bites, rooftop brews

For this week, The Korea Herald offers three spots — a traditional bojagi exhibition, a beloved student malatang joint and a scenic cafe — to enjoy simple pleasures in different forms. “Bojagi, Embracing Daily Life” is the kind of exhibition sparking contemplation on everyday household items, namely the traditional Korean wrapping cloth known as “bojagi.” The exhibition at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art looks through 98 pieces, brought together by the late Huh Dong-hwa, a Korean collector who ded

April 18, 2025

Jongmyo procession reservations to open Friday

Online reservations for a Joseon-era (1392-1910) ancestral rite ceremony combining royal music and dance at Jongmyo shrine in central Seoul on May 4 are scheduled to open Friday. Jongmyo Daeje, the ritual, began as a royal procession to honor Joseon kings and queens. It was held five times annually before being discontinued under Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule. Korea revived the practice in 1969, having since held it every year in early May. In 2001, UNESCO added the ritual to its list of intangi

April 17, 2025

Religious leaders urge solidarity ahead of Easter Sunday

Religious leaders in South Korea called for solidarity ahead of Easter Sunday to confront the unprecedented challenge posed by Yoon Suk Yeol’s Dec. 3 declaration of martial law that led to the former president's ouster. Seoul Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick said solidarity is slowly taking root in the face of deepening political confusion that has yet to be resolved. “What we need most now is hope and conviction, one that transcends this darkness,” Chung said in a statement. The National Counc

April 17, 2025

Two Korean sites named UNESCO Global Geoparks

Danyang-gun in North Chungcheong Province and the east coast of North Gyeongsang Province have been added to UNESCO’s list of Global Geoparks, a designation given for their geological heritage of international significance. The entire county of Danyang-gun will now be protected, including its 43 scenic areas of geological importance such as Dodamsambong, a peak comprising three rock pillars on the Namhan River. Valleys, caves, cliffs and rocks make up the rest of the scenic sites, according to t

April 14, 2025

Musical on Joseon queen to be staged at royal shrine

Reservations for a musical revisiting a ceremony from the Joseon era (1392-1910) to be staged at Jongmyo from April 26-30 are now open. “The Queen’s Story” focuses on Queen Inwon — the second wife of King Sukjong (1674-1720) — observing the ancestral rite at Jongmyo, the royal shrine where the tablets of Joseon kings and queens are enshrined, following her wedding ceremony. The visit to the shrine to pay respects to royal ancestors was the only state event in which women were allowed to particip

April 14, 2025

Gyeongbokgung royal library open for limited time

The royal library in Gyeongbokgung that served as King Gojong’s study during the Joseon era (1392-1910) is open to the public for a limited time. Those visiting Jibokjae, a complex built in 1891 with two annex buildings, may read any of the 1,700 books about Joseon history and its royal family available there. The royal library is believed to have housed about 40,000 books, according to the Korea Heritage Service, the state agency overseeing historic artifacts and sites. The collection, which in

April 13, 2025