Musical festival to celebrate 70th Liberation DayThe Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will hold a musical festival in Seoul to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the country’s liberation from Japan’s imperial rule.The festival, to held Aug. 14 from 7:30-9 p.m. at Seoul Plaza, will stage musical performances from Korean stars including Lee Seung-cheol, Sistar and Insooni.Renowned art director Yoon Ki-churl will direct the live cultural festival, themed “Grand Journey and New Takeoff.”Yoon s

Korail launches city toursKorail, the state-run railway operator, has launched nationwide city tour programs.In partnership with regional administrative governments and the Korea Tourism Organization, the Rail City Tour program will enable tourists to take Korail’s trains to local provincial areas and then use regional tour buses for sightseeing and shopping.It will begin offering the tour in cities such as Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon, Ulsan, Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province and Jecheon

Beach-themed partyat W Hotel Seoul - WalkerhillW Hotel Seoul – Walkerhill is presenting the “Summer Escape Party,” a resort-themed summer party with music by local DJs, at the hotel’s stylish WooBar on Aug. 8. For the party, the bar will be filled with beach decorations including sunbeds, beach towels, parasols, surf boards, floating tubes and more. The dress code for the party is “beach attire.”A number of renowned local DJs will perform, including DJ Gio Vanhoutte, who is W Hotel Seoul’s music

Exterior view of the Kensington Jeju Hotel in Seogwipo, Jejudo Island. (Kensington Jeju Hotel)Nestled right in the mix of Jejudo Island’s most luxurious resorts -- Lotte, Shilla and the Hyatt -- is the newly established Kensington Jeju Hotel on the picturesque coast of Seogwipo. The nautical themed resort meets all the standards and quality services of its neighboring brands, however, with the property being relatively smaller, Kensington guests can bask in all its 4-star bliss in a more intimat

There’s nothing quite like a sandy beach and open ocean in the summer to wash away the fatigue of everyday stress. With long, stretching coastlines, Korea offers a variety of beaches for midsummer vacations, each with its own unique personality. The Korea Herald suggests some of the nation’s best beaches for relaxation, for crowded fun and for fun experiences.　Quiet seaside paradises　For those seeking a quieter, more relaxing summer getaway, the following are some of the country’s hidden seaside

Find the best of Korea’s beach and mountainside bliss

With about 70 percent of land in South Korea covered by mountainous regions, hiking is a familiar and accessible pastime for many Koreans.During the summer, Koreans often visit the mountains and spend time in the valleys and riverside to ward off the heat and escape from the daily grind. Here are several popular valleys to visit for the summer.　Achimgari Achimgari (Yonhap)Achimgari, a valley located on Mount Bangtaesan in Inje, Gangwon province, is famous for its trekking course.It has earned it

(123rf) As the summer sun takes its toll on the best of outdoorsman, some are turning to night hiking. Exploring the wilderness in the dark is a whole new experience that simulates all one’s senses, enthusiasts say, if one only follows key safety tips. Seoul’s Yangcheon-gu, the first district to launch an official nighttime trekking program in 2011, is holding a weekly group hiking program every Thursday evening until Aug. 27.Approximately 100 people sign up for the 2-hour excursion, said Kim Se

 The Incheon International Airport will hold cultural performances to help travelers beat the heat during this summer vacation season. The “Fantastic Summer Concert” will be held from July 28 to Aug. 2 at the airport’s Millennium Hall on the first floor of its passenger terminal. The concert, which is open to all visitors for free, will be held for about 90 minutes on July 28 at 10 p.m., and at 4 p.m. on July 29 through Aug. 2. 　K-pop stars including Lena Park will hold a live-stage concert. Als

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said that the Korean Pavilion at the Milan Expo saw more than 1 million visitors since it opened to the public in May.The ministry in partnership with the Korea Tourism Organization and Korean Air awarded a round-trip ticket from Milan to Incheon to the 1 millionth visitor, who came from Rome. The Korean Pavilion at Milan Expo (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)The ministry said that some 12,000 tourists have been visiting the Korean Pavilion a d

Air Busan has started offering direct flight services to the tourist island of Guam from Busan, making it the airliner’s 15th international route.The budget airliner will be offering Busan-Guam flights four days a week on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.Air Busan flight No. BX612 will take off from Busan at 10:15 p.m. and land in Guam in the Western Pacific at 3:10 in the morning the following day. Flight No. BX611 will leave the island at 4:10 a.m. and arrive in Busan at 7:10 a.m. on t

While South Korea’s Hangang River attracts millions of visitors to its cherry blossom festival in the spring and fireworks display in the fall every year, there are more festivities the river can offer in the summer.As this year’s Hangang River festival kicks off on July 17, the riverside will turn into a major playground for those seeking a respite from the scorching heat and a getaway from the day-to-day hustle.Hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government under the theme of “Hangang: A Midsumme

Free admission to royal palacesA number of royal palaces and historic sites in Seoul -- the Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung and Deoksugung palaces, Jongmyo Shrine and Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty -- will offer free admission during the month of July, courtesy of the Cultural Heritage Administration.The Gyeongbokgung Palace, located in Jongno-gu was originally built in 1395 when Seoul was appointed the capital of Joseon. Acknowledged as the largest and arguably the most beautiful of Seoul’s fiv

Despite July customarily being one of Seoul’s busiest holiday months, on a bright sunny Monday afternoon the city’s largest palace and tourist hot spot, Gyeongbukgung Palace, was virtually devoid of international tourists.Myeong-dong -- Seoul’s shopping mecca that is typically teeming with tourists -- and the duty-free shops in Lotte Department Store’s main branch are experiencing rare quiet months in the height of the summer season.Following the start of the peninsula’s Middle East respiratory