South Korea's military reported nine additional COVID-19 cases Saturday, bringing the total caseload among its personnel to 2,273. Among the new cases, a draftee of an Army unit in Yeoncheon, 62 kilometers north of Seoul, and another in Pocheon, 50 km northeast of Seoul, tested positive before and after their return to the units from vacation, respectively. An officer of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul contracted the virus after a family member was infected. The other cases include an of

Hangang Park is a crucial part of the recreational life of many of us living in Seoul, offering rare public open space for joggers, cyclists and couples on dates. When the sun goes down and evening approaches, the Banpo part of the park lights up in vivid colors that cast shimmering reflections on the Han River. Located at Banpo-dong in Seocho district, Banpo Hangang Park boasts three buildings that radiates in changing colors. Known together as “sebit,” which literally translates t

South Korea's new coronavirus cases rose above 4,000 with the numbers of deaths and critically ill patients hitting fresh record highs Saturday, deepening worries about the further spread of COVID-19 under a phased scheme for a gradual return to normal life. The country reported 4,068 new COVID-19 cases, including 4,045 local infections, raising the total caseload to 436,968, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The number was up 167 from 3,901 on Friday but down fro

South Korean stocks are likely to continue fluctuating in a tight range next week amid concerns about a rise in new coronavirus cases and the rising inflation pressure. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index closed at 2,936.44 points Friday, down 1.16 percent from 2,971.02 points a week ago. After a technical rebound on Monday, the key stock index lost for a fourth consecutive day Friday amid woes over rising inflation and a sharp spike in new virus cases. Investors took to the sid

The wife of late former President Chun Doo-hwan, widely criticized for the bloody crackdown on a 1980 pro-democracy uprising in the southwestern city of Gwangju, issued an apology on Saturday for the "pains and scars" inflicted during his presidency. Lee Soon-ja made the apology in the first such move by Chun's family, as the bereaved family was preparing to carry his coffin out of a hospital in Seoul. Chun died Tuesday at age 90 from chronic ailments. "On behalf of my husband

As the cold winter blast is expected to continue this weekend, how about checking out indie movies at the 47th Seoul Independent Film Festival at CGV Art House Apgujeong and CGV Apgujeong in Seoul. The film festival kicked off Thursday and will run through Dec 3. Those who missed the opening film “Sprinter,” directed by Choi Seung-yeon that premiered on Thursday, can catch it at 3:20 p.m., Sunday. The film centers around three track athletes -- Hyun-soo, Jun-seo and Jung-ho --who

In 2011, when a sprawling 29,492-square-meter, eight-story building opened its doors near Itaewon, Seoul’s vibrant nightlife district, not many could have imagined what was in store for Korea’s musical scene. Fast forward to a decade later, the building, Blue Square, has welcomed more than 10 million visitors coming to see 7,743 performances of 1,031 musicals, according to Interpark Group, which operates a major ticketing platform. Interpark built and runs the cultural complex, whi

Woodz, also known as Cho Seungyeon, will hold a concert in Seoul Dec. 11-12. 　 Under the theme “The Invisible City,” he said he will bring his fans to a mirage-like space that does not exist in reality but can be found everywhere. The live performance will be also streamed around the world. 　 He held his first concert -- dubbed “2020 Woodz: Not Just a Concert - W Box” -- online last year, and demonstrated his presence for 120 minutes. 　 He won the first place in a telev

The metaverse, a kind of virtual community that lets users interact in real-time, carries potential legal risks, and requires regulations to ensure platform operators protect their users from digital crimes, experts said Friday. “Since metaverse embodies the virtual world as almost exactly the same as the real world, there are concerns on severe privacy violations. It is highly possible that data on the users’ whereabouts, medical information and political affiliations could be lea

South Korean blockchain research company AMAXG has put up an ad on the Time Square billboard in New York, sharing its vision on metaverse and nonfungible tokens. The ad says, “AMAXG Group is in full support of technological innovation of metaverse in Korea.” AMAXG Group has recently announced it will expand its BizAuto Platform, a group of metaverse services platforms, consisting of three platforms -- BIZA-UVIT, BIZA-Metaversity and BIZA-CarnegieMall. It plans to add BIZA-Motors,