The Korea Herald

Prince Harry says killed Taliban

PeopleJan 22, 2013

LONDON (AFP) ― Britain’s Prince Harry said he killed Taliban fighters during his stint as a helicopter gunner in Afghanistan, in comments that can be reported after he completed his tour of duty Monday.Harry, third in line to the throne, spent a 20-week posting flying scores of missions over the restive southern Helmand Province in an Apache attack chopper.The 28-year-old said Islamist insurgents were put “out of the game” and described life in Britain’s sprawling Camp Bastion base, where he sle
Auto CEO given honorary Pyongyang citizenship

PeopleJan 22, 2013

The head of inter-Korean automaker Pyeonghwa Motors said Tuesday that he was made an honorary citizen of Pyongyang late last year to reflect his contribution to North Korea’s development.In an interview with Yonhap News Agency, Park Sang-kwon said he received the citizenship at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in the North Korean capital on Dec. 18. Park has led the carmaker that started off as a joint venture between South Korea’s Tongil Group, run by the Unification Church, and North Korea. Producti
We Chul-whan elected bar association president

PeopleJan 22, 2013

Lawyer We Chul-whan has been elected president of the Korean Bar Association through the first ever direct election. The 55-year-old has been president of the Gyeonggi Central Bar Association for four years. He is the first provincial lawyer to represent the national association. Before him, it was customary for the president of the Seoul Bar Association to take up the presidency of the Korean Bar Association. The election committee for the national association said Tuesday that We was elected p
Attacked Bolshoi ballet chief ‘regaining sight’

PeopleJan 22, 2013

MOSCOW (AFP) ― Russian doctors said Monday that the Bolshoi ballet’s artistic director would regain sight in at least one eye following a brutal acid attack his coworkers blamed on infighting at the famed theatre.But Sergei Filin’s doctors added that a string of operations was required before they could determine whether one of Russia’s greatest recent performers could return to what may be the most influential job in dance.“The trend is generally positive,” the Moscow health service’s top eyesi
Overweight drivers at higher risk of death in accidents: study

HealthJan 22, 2013

Overweight people are more likely to die in a car accident than those who of normal weight, according to a study by researchers at University of California, Berkeley.The study was conducted on a total of 3,403 traffic accidents which involved 6,806 drivers, mostly men. The team divided the overweight people into three groups, “most obese with a BMI of 40, severely obese with a BMI index of 35 to 39.9 and obese with an index of 30 to 34.9.” Those with a BMI of 18 to 25 are considered healthy. The
Loneliness corrodes health

HealthJan 22, 2013

Loneliness boosts inflammation, which is linked to coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis and Alzheimer‘s disease, U.S. researchers suggest. Lead author Lisa Jaremka, a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research at Ohio State University, and colleagues found people who were more lonely showed signs of elevated latent herpes virus reactivation and produced more inflammation-related proteins in response to acute stress than people who felt more socially conne
[Photo] Ice and Snow Festival in China

TravelJan 22, 2013

The 14th Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in China‘s northern Heilongjiang Province is touted as the world’s biggest ice and snow festival. (UPI)<관련 한글 기사>[포토] 세계최대 '하얼빈 빙등제' 열려중국 북부 헤이롱지앙 지역에서 세계 최대규모의 하얼빈 빙등제가 열렸다. 올해 14회다. (코리아헤럴드)
Orange juice worst for teeth: report

HealthJan 21, 2013

Orange juice, lemonade and other acidic fruit juices increase the risk for tooth decay the most among mass-produced drinks, a study showed Monday.A research team at Seoul National University Hospital’s School of Dentistry studied the relationship between the level of acid and the possibility of tooth erosion with eight types of drinks, such as lemonade, soda, sports, drinks and kids’ beverages, for eight days.Orange juice had the worst effect of teeth erosion and decreased enamel hardness, the s
More Chinese-language guided tours added for visitors to Gyeongbokgung Palace

CultureJan 21, 2013

The government will provide Chinese group tourists visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace, a main royal palace in Seoul, a free additional Chinese-language guided tour starting next month to help them better understand Korean culture, officials said Monday.The Joseon (1392-1910) palace is one of the most-visited destinations in South Korea for Chinese tourists, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration that prepared the program.In addition to the existing free guided tour programs provided in Eng
From Handel to a rubber duck, Sydney Fest aims to please

CultureJan 21, 2013

SYDNEY (AFP) ― When Georg Friedrich Handel composed Semele in the 1740s, he could never have imagined it would be performed by opera singers in outrageous catwalk couture, including towering boots and sequinned kilts.But for Sydney Festival director Lieven Bertels, the combination of beautiful baroque music and billowing Vivienne Westwood gowns in the production of “Semele Walk” was a no-brainer for the Australian cultural fair.“When I saw “Semele Walk” when it was first performed at the Herrenh
Architecture trends at a glance

Arts&DesignJan 21, 2013

‘100 Architects of the Year 2012’ showcases works of best architects from around the world
Grandmother poet in Japan dies at 101

PeopleJan 21, 2013

TOKYO (AFP) ― Japanese poet Toyo Shibata, who started writing at the age of 92 and whose first anthology sold almost 1.6 million copies, died Sunday aged 101, her son said. Shibata died at a nursing home near her residence in Utsunomiya north of Tokyo, said her eldest son Kenichi Shibata. She had been in the home periodically since her health worsened last month.“Her death came really peacefully and without pain,” the 67-year-old son told AFP. “She kept writing poems until she was about 100. She
Strauss-Kahn paid hotel maid $1.5 million: report

PeopleJan 21, 2013

PARIS (AFP) ― Disgraced former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn paid a settlement of $1.5 million to the New York hotel maid who accused him of sexual assault, a French newspaper reported Sunday.Citing sources close to Strauss-Kahn, Le Journal du Dimanche said Nafissatou Diallo had received the payment under a confidential deal reached to settle her civil suit against him.The newspaper said Diallo went away with about 70 percent of the sum after paying her defense team.A judge announced the deal
Late Dokdo promoter to get honorary diploma

PeopleJan 21, 2013

A student of Seoul National University who died in a traffic accident while running to publicize Dokdo issues will be given an honorary diploma from the school. Seoul National University said Monday that it would confer an honorary diploma to the late Kim Do-gun, who died four years ago at the age of 20 as a member of Dokdo Racers. Dokdo Racers were a club of university students who succeeded Dokdo Riders. The previous group traveled around the world on motorcycles in 2006 to make Dokdo known to
‘26 Years’ producer wins special award

PeopleJan 21, 2013

Film producer Choi Yong-bae, who was in charge of last year’s highly political film “26 Years,” is receiving a special honor from the Korea Film Reporters Association (KOFRA).Choi has been selected as the “Person of the Year 2012” in the local film industry, for his film “26 Years,” whose production cost was paid by online crowdfunding. The film tells the story about five ordinary people who get together to draw up a plan to assassinate the former president Chun Doo-hwan, for the massacre of inn