Seoul on Wednesday confirmed two deaths from Middle East respiratory syndrome, while five more have been added to the list of infected patients in the country. As of Wednesday morning, the number of confirmed cases in Korea marked 30, surpassing Jordan as the country with the third most MERS cases in the world. Following the news, an elementary school near the hospital where one of the deceased patients had stayed announced that it is closing temporarily from Tuesday to Friday. According to the

University museum showcases 600 works that offer glimpse of Joseon scholars’ life

Although Dongdaemun and Namdaemun tend to dominate many lists of “must-see markets” in Seoul, small-scale markets that are equally full of history and character are scattered across the city. This is the seventh installment of a series introducing traditional local markets. ― Ed.A short stroll from the hustle and bustle of the glitzy mega shopping mall of Yeongdeungpo Times Square is a retail relief that couldn’t be more opposite of modern-day purchasing. Despite the vast number of traditional m

Health minister apologizes, launches TF team to contain deadly virus

South Korea reported one more confirmed case of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome on Saturday, raising the total number of people infected with the disease to 13.The latest infected person is the husband of the 12th confirmed patient, according to the Health Ministry. He was in the same hospital where the country's first MERS case was reported to take care of his ill wife. The ministry explained that the new patient does not seem to have contracted the disease from his wife but from Patient N

Chinese authorities on Friday confirmed that a South Korean traveler ― who was designated by authorities as a potential MERS patient ― had been infected with the virus, while two more cases were confirmed in Korea, sparking fears over the possibility of an epidemic.A 44-year-old Korean man, who arrived in China on Tuesday, has tested positive for the virus, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said. This brings the total number of MERS cases among Koreans to 10, although WHO regulations decree tha

Rail cruise in KoreaKorail Tourism Development is gearing up to promote its nationwide rail cruise called Haerang in an effort to attract more foreign tourists during the summer.The Haerang cruise express offers three-day and two-day tourism programs enabling travelers to see Korea’s beautiful landscapes while staying overnight in the train’s hotel-style rooms.It travels as far as Jeonju City in North Jeolla Province, where travelers can visit its famous hanok villages of traditional Korean home

Heal your soul with scenic beauty of Geirangerfjord

Ladies’ luxuries at Park Hyatt SeoulPark Hyatt Seoul is offering the “Women’s Experience Package” for female guests on vacation or business trips seeking to enjoy more personalized, exclusive services during their stay. The package includes a one-night stay in a luxurious guest room; one bottle of Veuve Cliquot champagne; a special gift set of Aesop hand cream, rose bubble bath, Evian mineral water and seasonal fruit; a late check-out time of 2 p.m.; a 30 percent discount on any spa treatment at

This mini gimbap uses minimal ingredients, which takes no effort to roll up. I used three ingredients here ― pickled radish, carrot and spinach. This gimbap is called ggoma gimbap because of its small size. Ggoma means a little one or little kid in Korean. It’s also known as mayak gimbap. Mayak means narcotics, so the name comes from this gimbap’s reputation for being addictive. It’s a specialty of Gwangjang Market, a bustling, crowded market in the center city of Seoul, where the merchants came

South Korea confirmed its sixth and seventh MERS cases Thursday, surpassing Iran as the country with the fifth-highest number of MERS cases in the world. The two newly confirmed cases are in a health care worker and a patient. Both had been at the same medical facility where the first confirmed patient was being treated prior to his diagnosis from May 15 to 17. The newly diagnosed patient was not even on the authorities’ monitoring list, as the 71-year-old did not share a hospital room with the

Food poisoning refers to infective or toxic conditions due to ingestion of foods contaminated with microorganisms, chemicals and natural toxins. More specifically, it refers to the ingestion of foods contaminated with live bacteria, or their toxins, causing diarrhea, abdominal pain and acute gastro-enteric symptoms.Approximately 80 percent of food poisoning is caused by bacteria and viruses, but other reasons include natural toxins from puffer fish, poisonous mushrooms and fungi. This is caused

Artist Jo incorporates traditional Korean stitching into making handbags, accessories