FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) ― Van Cliburn, the U.S. pianist whose triumph at a 1958 Moscow competition helped thaw the Cold War and launched a spectacular career that made him the rare classical musician to enjoy rock star status, has died. He was 78.Cliburn died early Wednesday at his Texas home surrounded by loved ones following a battle with bone cancer, said his publicist and longtime friend Mary Lou Falcone. The Grammy winner made what would be his last public appearance in September at the 50th

Since 2003, YÉOL, the Society for Korean Cultural Heritage has presented a monthly English seminar series that features prominent scholars, experts and intellectuals in the field of Korean art, culture and history to discuss new insights into Korean society. This year’s series will touch upon a wide range of subject areas including Korean architecture, music, art and more. The first lecture to kick off the series will be conducted by architect Hwang Doo-jin, who will discuss “Modernism in Asia”

A local scholar claimed Wednesday an official cap that belonged to King Sejong (1418-1450), inventor of Korea’s writing system Hangeul, has been found in South Korea more than 500 years after it was stolen by Japanese invaders.The discovery of the cap called “Ikseongwan,” if confirmed, is expected to provide a new milestone in the study of Korean history as a rare relic from the early years of the Joseon (1392-1910).As important as the hat itself are a few pages of old documents related to the w

Reopening on March 6, the German cultural institute aims to solidify ties between Korea, Germany

CAPE TOWN (AFP) ― The evacuation of injured British explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes from Antarctica got under way Wednesday after the veteran adventurer was forced to pull out of a marathon expedition because of frostbite.Fiennes was picked up in the early morning and headed for a Belgian station about 70 kilometers away after injuring his left hand at the weekend, his team said.The 68-year-old was part of a six-member team attempting the first winter crossing of the world’s coldest continent.“Afte

Columbia College Chicago has appointed a Korean-American as its president. According to the Chicago Tribune on Wednesday, Columbia’s board of trustees has named Kim Kwang-wu, a professor of music and the dean of design and arts school of Arizona State University, its 10th president and chief executive officer. Established in 1890, Columbia College Chicago is one of the largest private colleges of the arts in the U.S. It has about 11,000 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate courses.  K

Children and adolescents from about 10 countries will take part in a “peace walk” near Panmunjom, the truce village in the Demilitarized Zone, next month. Yonhap news agency reported Thursday, quoting Lee Kyung-tae, father of Jonathan Lee, a 15-year-old Korean American environmentalist from Washington, that the International Cooperation of Environmental Youth, founded by his son, would hold the Peace Walk and other events near the DMZ on March 21. The events are intended to appeal for peace on t

Animal advocates say they are looking for homes for six dozen cats seized from a California home that reeked of urine and litter. The Riverside Press-Enterprise said animal control officers with a warrant swept down on the home in Menifee in the Sun City area last Thursday."The smell was horrendous," officer Monique Middleton told the newspaper. Middleton works for the non-profit Animal Friends of the Valleys, which provides animal control services for Menifee.The officer said the home's owner,

Food allergies in children -- especially if multiple foods are involved -- may affect growth, U.S. researchers say. Study author Dr. Brian Vickery, a pediatric allergist and immunologist in Durham, N.C., and colleagues at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill reviewed the charts of children ages 1 month to 11 years who had visited outpatient clinics from 2007 to 2011. From the chart reviews, 245 food allergic children were identified. Height, weight and body mass index percentiles of t

Marriage is mentioned in more than 1,100 federal laws, same-sex marriage gets most headlines, but the unmarried are invisible, a U.S. non-profit group says.“The highly organized and vocal movement for same-sex marriage, has begun the process of garnering equal rights for a small constituency in this country,” Cindy Butler, executive director of Unmarried Equality, said in a statement.“While we support the right of anyone who wants to to get married, this movement reinforces the idea that marriag

UNESCO World Heritage candidate keeps authentic Joseon village atmosphere for 500 years

When MVL Hotel Kintex in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, opens its doors on March 20, it will be the area’s largest premium hotel.MVL Hotel Kintex is the second hotel to open after MVL Hotel Yeosu, the six-star deluxe hotel which served foreign VIPs attending the Yeosu Expo last year, earning the hotel its title as “the accommodation spot for stars.” MVL Hotel Kintex features 377 guest rooms, including 34 suites. The rooms are traditionally styled with a modern twist. The hotel also features a sauna,