The Korea Herald

Seoul to celebrate British Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

May 2, 2012

The British Association of Seoul is to hold a charity ball on May 26. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Ball will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Itaewon from 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost 200,000 won for BASS members and 220,000 won for non-members, and include dinner and drinks. Music will be provided by Beatles tribute band the Magical Mystery Four.A raffle will offer prizes including an Adidas-sponsored team GB Olympic competitor issue tracksuit, designed by Stella McCartney. A Burberry bag, a Dunhil
Grand opening for women’s rights museum

May 2, 2012

The new War and Women’s Human Rights Museum is to hold its grand opening from 3-6 p.m. on May 5. The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan is opening the museum to alert the world to former Korean “comfort women’s ongoing fight for a proper apology from Japan for the sexual slavery imposed upon them during World War II.”Some estimates say that up to 200,000 women from Japan’s occupied territories, including Korea, were forced by the Japanese government to prov
Veteran of Serbian opposition movement addresses N.K. human rights seminar

May 2, 2012

Veterans of the movement to oust Slobodan Milosevic from power now travel the world teaching people how non-violent resistance can undermine dictatorships, including North Korea. One of them, Sinisa Sikman, came to Seoul last week to speak at a workshop on how the principles of non-violent struggle, and specific lessons from Eastern Europe, could be applied to the regime in the North. The workshop Sikman spoke at took place April 25 at the National Human Rights Commission of Korea in Seoul. Enti
Orphanage seeks volunteers for August

May 2, 2012

People from around the world are being invited to apply for a residential volunteer program at a Korean orphanage this summer.The volunteer program at Emmanuel Children’s Home is to run from this Aug. 5-14. The orphanage in the city of Gimcheon, in North Gyeongsang Province, is home to 120 children ranging from newborn babies to college students.Emmanuel is looking for volunteers aged between 18 and 40 years old to help the orphans learn English while also learning about Korean culture themselve
Thankful art show to help Angel House

May 2, 2012

An expat who was able to fly home to visit his bereaved mother thanks to the kindness of strangers is holding an art exhibition to honor their giving spirit. English teacher Rich Cornall will also donate funds raised at his new show in Seoul to Angel House center for disabled people. One day after arriving in Korea, Rich received the phone call of every expat’s nightmares ― his father was gravely ill. Just after he had flown from New York to take up an English-teaching job here, 63-year-old Rich
Scavenger hunt to help AIDS victims

Apr 25, 2012

A photo scavenger hunt is being held in Seoul to support African women and children affected by HIV/AIDS. The competition is being held to raise money for the Hillcrest AIDs Center in South Africa. Residents of the center in the country’s KwaZulu-Natal Province hand-craft little dolls that are now sold by volunteers around the world to support the facility. Entrance in The 4th Annual Little Travellers Photo Scavenger Hunt is 15,000 won per person ― which includes a Little Traveller doll and food
Priest awarded Gwangju rights prize

Apr 25, 2012

A Catholic priest has been awarded the 2012 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights. Mun Jeong-hyeon has been awarded the honor for resisting injustice and abuse of state power, while supporting socially disadvantaged people and engaging in various environmental and peace movements.The committee of the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights selected him for the award because of his commitment to peace and justice ranging from fighting for democracy in the 1970s and ‘80s, to protesting against a controversial nav
Women’s forum offers scholarships, prizes

Apr 25, 2012

Organizers of a women’s conference are inviting teams to compete to win $1,000 or a scholarship to a Korean university. The 1st World Congress of Global Partnership for Young Women and the 2nd Global Partnership Forum is to be hosted by Duksung Women’s University and Lotte Hotel this Aug. 10-13. The event will feature speeches and panels as well as eight partnership competitions with prizes. The contests will feature presentations from teams of three people, which may include one man. There will
5,000 to get together on two wheels

Apr 25, 2012

A bike parade to promote energy saving is to be held in Seoul on May 13. The Hi Seoul Bike Parade will start from Gwanghwamun Square at 7 a.m. and pass under seven Hangang River bridges before arriving at World Cup Peace Plaza at around 11 a.m. The first 5,000 people who register online by April 27 will be able to take part in the 21-kilometer cycle. Participants must be at least 10 years old and have their own bike and helmet. It costs 10,000 won to take part in the event organized by the Seoul
Itaewon bake sale to help rescued animals

Apr 25, 2012

Baked vegan goodies are to be sold in Seoul on Sunday at an event to raise cash for rescued animals in Korea. The bake sale at Scrooges Bar in Itaewon will run from 2-5 p.m. with a raffle also to be held. Items on sale will include chocolate chip cookies, lemon pound cake, cupcakes and brownies. The money raised will go to provide surgery and medication for cats taken in by the organizer from a rescue shelter.
Mannam volunteers to return to mountain

Apr 25, 2012

Volunteers braved Saturday’s rain to protect trees on Bukhan Mountain, where conservationists say 350,000 trees are dying from Oak Wilt disease. But the group will return to the national park in northern Seoul this Sunday to finish the task. Despite the wet weather, 350 people turned out to help at the mountain, which receives an average of five million visitors a year.Oak Wilt is a bacterial disease that causes leaf discoloration, wilt, defoliation and the death of affected trees. The disease i
Army recognizes Yongsan volunteers’ dedication

Apr 25, 2012

The winner of the U.S. Army Yongsan Garrison’s volunteer of the year award has put his giving spirit down to his family. Ned Stoll, who won the award at a ceremony last week at the army base in Seoul’s Itaewon area, explained how he had followed his mother’s efforts to help others.“My father died when I was 5 years old, leaving my mother to raise me and my younger sister. She led by example in helping the community and giving of her time and effort to help those in need,” he said to the audience
Seoulites to step out to say ‘We Love U’

Apr 25, 2012

Global foundation shows ‘mother’s love’ for climate change refugeesMore than 12,000 people are expected to walk through Seoul on May 13 to raise awareness of climate change refugees. The annual walkathon organized by the International We Love U Foundation will start at Olympic Park in Songpa-dong at 10 a.m. Ambassadors and organizations including Daejayon student environmental group is also set to participate in the walk that President Lee Myung-bak and other celebrities have joined in the past.
‘Comfort women’ museum to open in May

Apr 23, 2012

By Kirsty Taylor and Kim Young-wonA museum to highlight the plight of Korea’s “comfort women” is to open on May 5. The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan is opening the 2.3 billion won facility in Seoul. It aims to alert the world to the ongoing fight for a proper apology from Japan for the sexual slavery imposed upon other nations’ women during World War II.An estimated 50,000-200,000 women from Japan’s occupied territories, including Korea, were forced by
Charity volleyball tourney on Jeju beach

Apr 18, 2012

The Furey Foundation is to hold its seventh Jeju Island beach volleyball tournament weekend on May 19. The charitable group was set up in 2009 in memory of English teacher Nathan Furey, who died while living on the island in what is thought to have been a sudden case of encephalitis.The foundation has already raised more than 20 million won ($18,000), which has been donated to Nathan’s two sons’ post-secondary education, and also to low-income families on the island. Organizers are inviting peop