LOS ANGELES ― No place tells the story of modern aviation better than the skies over the desolate Mojave Desert surrounding Edwards Air Force Base.This is where a 24-year-old Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier flying a fat orange jet called the Bell X-1 in 1947, and where the sleek rocket-powered North American X-15 became the first airplane to reach outer space in 1963. The space shuttle made i

Snow festivals in Korea heavily depend on the weather and it seems that the Daegwallyeong Snow Festival will offer a full chance to enjoy white snow before the “kkotsaem chuwi,” or a cold snap in the flowering season, comes late February.Taking place for nine days from Saturday through Feb. 20 at Hoenggye-ri in Daegwallyeong-myeon in PyeongChang County, the festival will feature a variety of winte

Korean companies strive to foster English-speaking workforceKim Hyun-joo, an employee of Samsung Electronics’ marketing team, has fond memories of the 10 weeks she spent at Samsung’s foreign language institute, remembering the time as grueling but worthwhile. “Of course I can’t say I won’t need any more English training from now ever again, I can definitely say I’m good for now,” Kim told The Kore

HANOI (AP) ― Close your eyes in the streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter and you will experience two sensations. The first is the earsplitting cacophony of conversation, cars, clamor and chaos. The second is the realization that closing your eyes for very long in such a crowded place can be unwise, unless you enjoy being jostled, bumped, hustled, shouted at, or maybe even knocked down.Such is the Vietna

LAS VEGAS ― One of the hottest tickets in Las Vegas isn’t Cher or Celine, Blue Man Group or Cirque de Soleil. It’s a day trip to a gravel lot filled with scrap metal, miles from the Strip.There, on North Las Vegas Boulevard, surrounded by a chain-link fence, is the latest incarnation of the legendary Las Vegas neon “boneyard.” It’s the kind of place where great signs of long-gone casinos and bars,

Under the subconsciousnessThe Other Side of Dark RemembranceBy Lee Kyun-young(Jimoondang, 5,000 won)Unlike many other novels written on the Korean War (1950-1953), author Lee Kyun-young’s “The Other Side of Dark Remembrance” does not hold ideological conflicts of the two Koreas at its front.Instead, it follows the mundane life of an office worker with a low salary living in Seoul. The man had lost

Memoir of U.S.–Korea FTAKim Hyun-jong talks of U.S.―Korea FTABy Kim Hyun-jong(Hongsungsa, 19,000 won) Kim Hyun-jong is the former minister for trade in the late President Roh Moo-hyun administration. Being one of the central figures in the administration’s trade policy from 2003 to 2007, Kim initiated numerous free trade agreement (FTA) plans with Mexico, India, Canada, Singapore, MERCOSUR, EFTA,

Winning the National Book Critics Circle Award for one’s first published book promises a loyal readership and an eventual body of work that one can look back on with well-earned pride. That’s exactly what Ariel Sabar achieved with his first book, “My Father’s Paradise” (also deemed a “Best Nonfiction Book of 2008” by the Christian Science Monitor).Sabar wields his storytelling talent again in the

At the end of “Eat Pray Love,” Elizabeth Gilbert found herself, against all odds, in love again. This time, though, she was determined not to marry. It was the difficult collapse of her first marriage, after all, that sent her on the yearlong odyssey that resulted in that book (and, later, the blockbuster movie).But visa problems forced her hand. After 9/11, her Brazilian lover, “Felipe” (his real

Grand Hyatt SeoulThe hotel kicked off a series of events titled “The Wine Club” on Feb. 10. The events offer unlimited wine and a Spanish Tapas-style dinner buffet. The second event “Shiraz around the world” is to be held on March 3, followed by “Pinot Noir at its best” on May 12, “Summer Wines” on June 2, “Made for Japan” on Sept. 1 and “Big Reds” on Nov. 2. Entrance fee is 75,000 won per person

WALNUT CREEK, California ― It sits on the plate, looking like a perfectly cooked, sunny side-up egg ― except the yolk tastes like spiced carrots and the white is made from coconut milk, with a side of sodium alginate and calcium chloride.This edible trompe l’oeil is not some practical joke. The faux egg is a perfect example of molecular gastronomy, the esoteric culinary trend associated with such

There is almost no doubt that galbi, the Korean grilled beef or pork short ribs, is one of the most popular Korean cuisines.But a galbi outing can make you hesitate to go anywhere else afterward, because of the strong smoky odor that lingers on your clothes and hair.Rose Hill, a beef galbi and wine restaurant in southern Seoul, said it tries to differentiate itself from other galbi places by havin

Alan Heyman donates his collection of musical treasures to National Gugak CenterMost American musicians nominate the guitar, piano or drums as their favorite instrument. But 79-year-old Alan Heyman much prefers Korean conical oboes and the 12-stringed Korean gayageum, and has dedicated his life to learning all there is to know about traditional Korean music and dance. After more than 50 years of l

CHICAGO (AP) ― Many breast cancer patients can skip aggressive lymph node surgery without increasing their chances of a recurrence or death if their disease shows limited spread, according to a study that has prompted changes in practice.Under current guidelines, the often-debilitating surgery is done if the cancer has spread outside the breast to any lymph nodes.In the study, rates of survival an

Peter S. Kim, 53, president of Merck Research Laboratories, will become an honorary doctor of science at Pohang University of Science and Technology.POSTECH said Wednesday that it would award an honorary doctoral degree in science to Kim during the graduation ceremony on Friday. He will be the third honorary doctorate of science at the university. The second-generation Korean-American earned his B