The Korea Herald

Russia marks Putin’s 60th birthday

PeopleOct 8, 2012

MOSCOW (AFP) ― Russia’s President Vladimir Putin turned 60 on Sunday, the official retirement age in the country he has dominated for the past 12 years, as critics snickered that his image of an energetic, young macho leader no longer corresponds with his age.Putin flew to his native northwestern city of Saint Petersburg to spend the day with “friends and family”, according to his spokesman Dmitry Peskov.However his supporters went out of their way to wish him the best, and his birthday figured
Myanmar leader begins S. Korea visit

PeopleOct 8, 2012

Myanmar President Thein Sein arrived in South Korea on Monday for a three-day state visit that will focus on economic ties and include a tour of military-related companies.Thein Sein will hold talks Tuesday with his South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-Bak, the presidential office in Seoul said.In May, Lee became the first South Korean president to visit Myanmar since a North Korean attempt to assassinate one of his predecessors in Yangon almost three decades ago.Tuesday’s talks will cover coopera
James Bond’s Aston Martin sells for $389,000 in charity auction

PeopleOct 8, 2012

A 2008 Aston Martin V12 DBS used by Daniel Craig in “Quantum of Solace” sold Friday night for 241,250 pounds ($389,000) at a James Bond memorabilia auction.The car, estimated to sell for between 100,000 pounds and 150,000 pounds, was the most expensive of 11 lots being auctioned live by Christie’s International, London, in front of an invitation-only VIP audience of 600 people. It was bought by an unidentified bidder on the telephone.This six-liter Aston “plays a dramatic role in the opening seq
Customs office names first female branch heads

PeopleOct 8, 2012

Korea Customs Service appointed two female officials to head its local branches of Anyang and Daejeon. It is the first time the government agency has appointed women to the senior posts.KCS announced on Monday that it appointed Shim Gap-young, 53, and Kim Hyun-jeong, 35, each as customs directors of offices in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, and Daejeon Metropolitan City, respectively. Shim is a veteran who has worked in the field for 35 years, and Kim has shown impressive planning and analyzing ski
Murder charge filed in missing girl case

PeopleOct 8, 2012

April Jones (AP)A family friend was charged Saturday with killing a 5-year-old girl who vanished Monday from her home in Machynllet, Wales.April Jones was still missing five days after her disappearance, The Daily Telegraph reported. But Dyfed and Powys police are treating the investigation as a murder case.Mark Bridger, 46, was formally charged with murder, child abduction and perverting the cour
Kids tasting alcohol may not be good idea

HealthOct 8, 2012

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., (UPI) -- One-in-4 U.S. moms say young children tasting alcohol may discourage teen drinking, while 40 percent say banning alcohol may make it appealing, a study found. In addition to those who favored letting kids taste alcohol so it is no longer a “forbidden fruit,” and those who said banning alcohol only makes if more desirable, 22 percent of the 1,050 mothers inter
Skater Cho says tampering was ‘biggest mistake’

PeopleOct 7, 2012

KEARNS, Utah (AP) ― A U.S. speedskater, reigning national short-track champion Simon Cho, faces a disciplinary hearing after confessing Friday that he tampered with a Canadian rival’s skate at the 2011 World Team Championship.In a coaching scandal that is getting steadily messier, short track interim coach Jun Hyung Yeo was suspended Friday by the federation for failing to report that tampering. And the man at the center of the scandal, head coach Jae Su Chun, remains suspended and also could be
Asian art schools form body

PeopleOct 7, 2012

Heads of art schools from 15 countries in Asia on Saturday established a joint educational body to forge their ties and provide art training to students from less-privileged areas.The Korea National University of Arts announced that its president Park Jong-won was elected the first president of the Asian League of Institutes of the Arts which was established on the day. Members are representatives of art schools or arts scenes from Korea, China, Japan, Mongolia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Viet
Couples say they get closer on road trips

TravelOct 7, 2012

Almost all U.S. couples say they have taken a road trip together and 84 percent say the experience strengthened their relationship, a survey indicates.A survey of more than 1,000 U.S. couples by YourTango.com, a website on relationships, and the Ford Motor Co., found plenty of couples have a "back-seat driver" on board who "helps" the real driver negotiate the road:-- 32 percent tell the driver th
Grape seeds help heart health, delay aging

HealthOct 7, 2012

The grape seeds many disdainfully discard are humble little packages of powerful ingredients that possess multiple health benefits, a U.S. food expert says."The beneficial components of the grape seed are the proanthocyanidins. Studies conducted since the 1950s, have shown grape seeds to have a wide range of health benefits, most markedly for their role as a potent antioxidant and free radical sca
Cheesy ‘B-class culture’ sweeps Korea

CultureOct 5, 2012

From Psy to cult cartoons, subculture in full bloomThis man is no Prince Charming. He’s a rather chubby man with a sneaky grin and whose shirt buttons seem about to pop. He is attired in a full suit with dress shoes and stands next to a fancy car. His shades are too small to cover his eyes and he doesn’t mold all of his hair with pomade. He boasts that he can win any girl he likes and that he prefers women who understand class. But in reality, all he can do is hit on any girl while looking at th
Openness, respect for differences key to thriving subcultures

CultureOct 5, 2012

B-class culture has already established its own status in the West. Perhaps one of the best terms depicting the spirit is “kitsch,” a term derived from the German phrase “verk itschen (make it cheap).” Though the initial focus was strictly on the tight-budget aspect, it slowly came to be used to express mocking or refusing the major conventional high-class arts. The 1997 film “Austin Powers” was a phenomenal hit with the geeky, dorky and troublesome man in horn-rimmed glasses emerging as a “mojo
‘Energy drinks may harm kids’ health’

HealthOct 5, 2012

Having more than two energy drinks a day could cause health problems in children due to the high levels of caffeine, a report said Friday. In a study of 11 energy drinks currently on sale, the Korea Consumer Agency found that most of them carry high doses of caffeine but the beverage makers didn’t provide information about the amount of caffeine contained and their health risks.Only two of the 11 energy drinks ― Bacchus F and Glonsan D ― stated that they contain 30 milligrams of caffeine per bot
Seoul rises as beauty destination

CultureOct 5, 2012

Beauty salons, makeup classes draw foreign residents and travelers who want to try Korean celebrity styleDriven by the popularity of Korean pop music around the world, Korean beauty and style are becoming sought after by young women around the world. They buy Korean cosmetics and follow makeup routines on YouTube to emulate the sophisticated looks of Korean actresses or charismatic style of K-pop singers. An easy way for them to learn Korean beauty secrets is to follow makeup gurus on YouTube wh
Airlines set bag fee record in first half of year

TravelOct 5, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) ― U.S. airlines collected more than $1.7 billion in baggage fees during the first half of the year, the largest amount ever collected in that six-month period.Delta Air Lines Inc. once again claimed the title as the airline collecting the most in baggage fees: nearly $430 million from January through June. The slightly larger United Airlines ― part of United Continental Holdings Inc. ― followed with $351 million in bag fees, according to a report from the Bureau of Transportation s