NEW YORK (AP) ― Jill Biden, after years of teaching English to college and high school students, has written a book of her own.The wife of Vice President Joe Biden has completed a children’s story, “Don’t Forget, Nana, God Bless Our Troops,” told from the point of view of granddaughter Natalie Biden and a tribute to soldiers and their families. Biden, called Nana by her granddaughter, has met with many military families and said she thought of doing the book as she realized how many people did n

Thirteen key figures who contributed to the country’s first ever Winter Olympics were received the national Order of Merit during a special rally in PyeongChang, Gangwon Province, on Tuesday. Cho Yang-ho, the head of PyeongChang Bid Committee, and Korean Olympic Committee President Park Yong-sung received the first class of Order of Civil Merit of Mugunghwa.Korean figure star Kim Yu-na, who made the final presentation for PyeongChang in Durban, received a Moran medal, the second class Order of C

“Divided country” is the first thing that comes to mind at the mention of Korea, said 34 percent of foreign nationals surveyed by the Corea Image Communication Institute. “Samsung” came in second (23 percent), followed by “kimchi” (20 percent). CICI announced the results of the survey at the annual CICI Korea Image Awards gala event held on Tuesday at Grand Intercontinental Hotel’s Grand Ballroom in Samseong-dong, Seoul. The survey was conducted for about a month starting December last year via

NEW YORK (AP) -- Paula Deen, the Southern belle of butter and heavy cream, makes no apologies for waiting three years to disclose she has diabetes while continuing to dish up deep-fried cheesecake and other high-calorie, high-fat recipes on TV.  Paula Deen (AP)She said she isn't changing the co

Korea boosts its brand value across the globeFashionistas around the world may soon be adding a new city to their list of fashion capitals alongside Paris, New York, London and Milan.With its up-and-coming designers and beautiful celebrities Seoul is preparing to become the world’s next fashion and beauty destination.Greeting President Lee Myung-bak and his wife at the White House during the Seoul-Washington summit last year, first lady Michelle Obama was clad in a distinguished purple dress de

Richard M. Saul has taken office as the new general manager of JW Marriott Seoul.Saul, 48, a native of Melbourne, Australia, joined Marriott International in 1996 as executive assistant manager in charge of housekeeping, sales and marketing at Renaissance Inya Lake Hotel in Myanmar. In 1998, he was appointed general manager of the Renaissance Palm Garden Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, later serving as general manager of Melbourne Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott Surfers Paradise Resort Gold Coast, Renais

In an effort to revive its tourism sector following last year’s 3/11 disaster, the Japanese government is preparing to woo more Korean visitors, an official said on Tuesday.“Korean visitors are crucial to our tourism industry,” Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner Hiroshi Mizohata said at a news conference in Seoul.More than 2.4 million Koreans visited Japan in 2010, which accounted for 28.3 percent of the country’s foreign visitors. But the number dropped to nearly half that after the March 11 ear

Ven. Jaseung shares his plan for order’s 50th year anniversaryThe Jogye Order, Korea’s largest Buddhist sect, will focus on promoting harmony and peace this year, its 50th anniversary.“It’s easy to say the word ‘harmony,’” said Ven. Jaseung, president of the Jogye Order, at a press conference at the Center for Korean Buddhist History and Culture in Seoul on Tuesday. “But there is a saying that conflicts are unavoidable unless you live all alone by yourself. This is an important year for Korea, a

After his first performance in Korea on Tuesday, Norwegian singer-songwriter Bellman pondered why Scandinavian musicians often created such music. The musician, whose real name is Arne-J Rauan and who describes his sound as “floating, atmospheric pop music,” said the otherworldly quality associated with Scandinavian groups could be down to the weather in Northern Europe.  “In these countries, when it comes to the winter, it is dark all the time and people they are getting emotional. I think they

The Busan Foundation for International Activities is looking for lecturers for another round of World Cultural Classes.The classes are for people from overseas to introduce their nations and cultures.They will be required to teach one 90-minute class a week from Feb. 13-Apr. 20. Classes will take place between 1-8:30 p.m. on weekdays or 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturdays at the Busan Global Center. The exact timing will be agreed upon in partnership with the lecturers.Teachers should be computer lite

An expat from India is running an exhibition of photos she took in Korea on Geojedo in South Gyeongsang Province Sampa Guhamajumdar’s exhibition, “Colors of Korea,” was first shown in her home country last year and attracted TV and press attention.Excited by its success, she took her exhibition back to Korea.“I have been mesmerized by Korean natural beauty,” said Guhamajumdar, who has lived in Korea with her husband since 2005.The more than 70 photographs, which Guhamajumdar hopes might have hel