First storm of hijacked ship shows shift to hardline responseThe government in Seoul has taken military action against the Somali pirates, which have targeted an increasing number of South Korean ships for ransom.Not only South Korean vessels are seized by pirates in the Arabian Sea. Many foreign freighter ships have been captured there for ransom.Somali pirates seized a Korean-flagged freighter a

Indian artists perform the classical Kuchipudi dance during a cultural event in Hyderabad, India. The Kuchipudi is a classical dance from the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. (AP-Yonhap)

Newly recruited soldiers of the People's Liberation Army take part in a training session in Yichun, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 21, 2011. Some 150 newly recruited soldiers took part in the training session despite the cold weather. Local temperature in Yichun reached minus 32 degrees centigrade on Friday. (Xinhua-Yonhap)

A maintenance worker planted an electricity pole in Woljeong-ri, Jeju Island in 2005. The next day, the pole was gone. Upon close inspection, he discovered that the pole had sunk into a deep hole with seemingly no bottom.That is how Yongcheon Cave was accidently revealed to the world, after lava from the volcanic eruption on Jeju Island made a series of lava caves, called “Geomun Oreum Lava Tube S

Illustrious Iraqi familyLate for Tea at the Deer Palace: The Lost Dreams of My Iraqi FamilyBy Tamara Chalabi(Harper, $27.99)In this sweeping, enchanting memoir, Tamara Chalabi pieces together her illustrious family’s history and exile from Iraq in an attempt to uncover her own, fractured identity.The author’s father, Ahmad Chalabi, is the character readers may be most curious to learn about; a key

In exile and wanderingDeep Blue NightBy Choe In-hoTranslated by Bruce and Ju-chan Fulton(Jimoondang, 5,000 won)Disillusioned by every aspect of his life, the protagonist, once a renowned writer, leaves Korea for Los Angeles. There, he runs into Jun-ho, a popular singer who escaped from Korea after being accused of smoking marijuana. The protagonist thinks Jun-ho is pathetic for not being able to s

He’s written more than 30 books, including the popular Easy Rawlins mysteries, science fiction, literary fiction and a novel for young adults. He’s been translated into 21 languages and won a host of honors, among them PEN America’s lifetime achievement award. He’s the author of essays, political monographs and several plays, one of which, “The Fall of Heaven,” is wowing audiences at the Repertory

For many, wine is nothing more than just a drink. But for actor Kam Wu-seong, it is the only alcoholic beverage he is allowed to drink, the main source of his literary inspiration, and special paint he uses for his art. Kam’s unique travelogue about Bordeaux, a historical French city famous for its wine and vineyards, has been published this month.The book, “Kam Wu-seong’s Little Note on Wine,” co

Grand Hyatt SeoulThe Grand Hilton SeoulThe hotel offers a range of special overnight packages for the Lunar New Year from Feb. 2-6. The four packages ― PEACE, CALM, MEMORY and FAMILY ― offer different choices and rates. The PEACE package, priced at 95,000 won offers a one-night stay in a deluxe room and complementary coffee or ginseng tea at the Atrium Cafe. The CALM package, 125,000 won, adds a b

Lotte Hotel Seoul said Thursday it had reopened its buffet restaurant La Seine at a new location on the first floor. The biggest change at the restaurant is that chefs take fresh ingredients on a moving cart, come to your table and cook in front of you while explaining about the cuisine in detail. The service is available for the “menu of the day” such as bone-in-rib eye steak and sushi. The upsca

For some reason or other, French cuisine ― outside of France, that is ― has come to be often associated with fine dining, an association which has its many perks, except, of course, when it comes to the bill. In truth, however, eating French is not synonymous with breaking the bank. Here are two excellent establishments that specialize in delicious and affordable French fare. La CeltiqueLocated in

 The Underwater Demolitaion Team prepares to enter the steering room of the Samho Jewelry on Friday. (ROK Navy) South Korea's defense minister official briefs on the raid of the Korean ship hijacked by Somali pirates on Friday. (Yonhap News)　All of the 21 crewmembers of a South Korean freighter seized by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean last Saturday were safely rescued by South Korean anti-pira