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East Asia
[Korea Report] People enjoy autumn leaves ablaze with a variety of colors
Entering mid- November, temperature in Korea is getting lower. Before all the leaves fall and ready to enter winter, a trip to a mountain to witness the beauty of leaves turning red is too precious to miss. One of Korea’s most famous places to enjoy the red-leaves is in Naejangsan…
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East Asia
How to eliminate school violence
Nowadays, as living conditions are getting worse, more and more people are sadly taking their own lives. According to a recent report, Korea is at the top of the suicide rate list among OECD countries. Reasons behind their sad decisions may be diversified, but financial distress could be the main…
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East Asia
Teenage girls ready to lead K-pop
Park Ji-min and Baek Ye-rin are no different from other teenagers;15 years old, they brim with curiosity, are interested in fashion and love hanging out with friends. But their booming and powerful voices tell more about themselves. Park and Baek who are now a duo called 15& may well be…
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East Asia
My first marathon
Through a book on running by Haruki Murakami, the renowned Japanese writer and runner, I learned about running. As the title of his short autobiographic book “What I Talk About When I Talk About Running” implies, it’s about life and long-distance running. He shares with his readers the life lessons…
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East Asia
US silence on North Korea
With a record $6 billion in campaign money spent, the most expensive election in history has now come and gone. But throughout their respective campaigns, both President Obama and Governor Romney were disturbingly silent about one of the most urgent humanitarian and security emergencies the United States and the world…
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Dignity of first family
Despite new probe, many questions remain unanswered After a month-long investigation, special prosecutor Lee Kwang-bum announced Wednesday that his team will refer President Lee Myung-bak’s only son, Si-hyung, to the tax authorities for possible imposition of gift tax over a controversial project to build Lee’s retirement home. The junior Lee,…
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Chinese to get tourist visa faster
The Korean government plans to ease the process of issuing visas to Chinese tourists, making it a quicker more convenient procedure. The Presidential Council on National Competitiveness said Wednesday that the Korean government will expand online visa-issuance for Chinese medical tourists and expand no-visa entries for Chinese visitors. It expects…
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East Asia
FM optimistic about 6-way talks revival
Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan said Wednesday that countries involved in the stalled six-party negotiations over denuclearization in North Korea will likely seek to revive the talks during the current period of political transition. The forum has not convened since 2008 due to political and military tensions. But recent or upcoming…
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NK missile parts seized in Busan en route to Syria
North Korea tried to send missile components to Syria on a Chinese ship but the shipment was confiscated in the South Korean port of Busan earlier this year, according to reports Wednesday. The move would not only violate U.N. sanctions but also underscore concerns over the North’s proliferation activities and…
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East Asia
Unique election system is product of history
With just five free presidential elections under its belt, Korea is still a young democracy. The struggles experienced over free speech and citizen empowerment during the past decades as the nation detached itself from dictatorship have shaped a unique set of election laws and a system that is dependable but…
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