Country needs robust sharing culture to tackle growing welfare needsCharity leaders from here and the U.S. have called for a more structured, transparent and incentive-driven charity sector for Korea. Experts from America joined Korean social welfare leaders to call for a rethinking of the country’s philanthropic culture at the 1st International Conference on Sharing held in Seoul last week.Brian

TOKYO ― July will mark two milestones in America’s sometimes-tortured relations with Asia. One is the beginning of the end of the nearly decade-long struggle in Afghanistan ― the longest war in United States history ― as President Barack Obama announces the first troop withdrawals. The other is the 40th anniversary of Henry Kissinger’s secret mission to Beijing, a turning point in the Cold War and

Anthony Weiner, the disgraced New York congressman whose sins certainly don’t need to be spelled out again, has, we are told, checked himself into rehab. We can’t be sure exactly what kind, since his spokeswoman said only that he was seeking “professional treatment to focus on being a better husband and a healthier person.” That’s code, in a lot of people’s minds, for a sex-addiction program, like

BRUSSELS ― Two lessons have emerged from Europe’s financial crisis. First, there is no substitute for timely and coordinated action when the single currency is under pressure. Second, all eurozone countries are effectively in the same boat. If the boat springs a leak, everyone sinks.A quicker and more concerted response might have limited the fall-out from the crisis, and thus its cost. The Europe

NEW YORK (Yonhap News) ― Ban Ki-moon, who was reelected as United Nations secretary-general here Tuesday, has had his share of success in his first term, fending off critics in the process, but he has some work cut out for him over the next five years in his second tour of duty.A former South Korean foreign minister, Ban has so far successfully answered questions surrounding his leadership with hi

AMSTERDAM (AP) ― The Van Gogh Museum said Tuesday its experts now believe one of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings previously thought to be a self-portrait actually depicts his brother, Theo.If true, it would be the only known painting of Theo, although Vincent made several sketches of his brother, who supported him financially and was his lifelong confidant and friend.“People have often thought it was

American actor and practicing Tibetan Buddhist Richard Gere spoke out on the sufferings of Tibetans under Chinese occupation in Seoul, Wednesday.“I think it’s impossible to look at these photographs and not realize the extraordinary suffering of the Tibetan people,” Gere told reporters at a press conference promoting his Tibet-themed photo exhibition at Seoul Arts Center. “I think when you see the

Grammy Award-winning Parker Quartet to join ensemble Ditto in SeoulNow in its fifth season, the 2011 Ditto Festival’s theme will be French classical music including Debussy, Ravel and Faure. The audience will be able to enjoy a special duo recital by ensemble Ditto and another ensemble Parker Quartet, the festival’s artistic director said on Wednesday.All-male chamber ensemble Ditto, led by violis

Indie band hopes to start working on third album after summer concertsWhile idol group-centered K-pop has been heavily covered by the media, the Korean indie music scene has received relatively little attention. Seeking diversity of Korean music, The Korea Herald is running a series of interview articles shedding light on the Korean indie music scene. This is the second installment of the series.