The Korea Herald

Blocks of old metal type found to be fake: forensic service

Oct 27, 2015

Seven blocks of movable metal type that could have been the world's oldest are fake, South Korean authorities said Tuesday.The seven were thought to have printed "Jeungdoga," a Buddhist song note from the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). If that were the case, the text from 1239 would have become the world's first document printed with movable metal type, replacing "Jikji," a Korean Buddhist scripture printed in 1377.The seven blocks, however, are "highly likely" to have been fabricated, the National
Renowned museum directors gather for forum in Yeongwol

Oct 26, 2015

Yeongwol International Museum Forum, one of the biggest academic events in the field of museum, will be held in the scenic county of Yeongwol, Gangwon Province. The third edition of the forum invites leaders of public museums in 34 countries, including Japan, Vietnam, Australia, China, Ethiopia and Uganda, to share their insights on this year’s theme “National Policy and Role of Museum in Society” from Oct. 28-30. The biennial forum, which began in 2011, is expected to be held annually with incr
First foreigner shortlisted for director of Seoul art museum

Oct 26, 2015

A former director of a Spanish art museum has become the first foreigner to be shortlisted to direct South Korea's National Museum of Contemporary Art, sources said Monday.Bartomeu Mari is one of three finalists for the position, the sources said. His identity has been under wraps since Oct. 13 when South Korea's culture minister revealed that a foreigner had made the shortlist.Mari directed the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art from 2008 to 2015 and currently serves as the president of the I
[Weekender] Web fiction sees renaissance

Oct 23, 2015

Online literature works captivate readers for a quick entertainment fix
The best of hallyu in 2 decades

Oct 20, 2015

Survey reveals top 5 acts in K-pop, drama and other fields of Korean Wave
[Weekender] Bicycle clubs build bridges for human relations

Oct 16, 2015

In today’s fast-paced and competitive society, it is quite a challenge to keep in touch with people we cherish. The rising popularity of bicycles has made bicycle clubs a potential solution for quenching our thirst for human affection by forming new relationships. Such clubs, which often offer a family-like atmosphere, come with the added benefit of staying fit and healthy at the same time. Since riding in groups requires strong teamwork at times, especially on rough routes, it is often said to
[Weekender] Cycling to work in need of systematic support

Oct 16, 2015

As the seasons turn and fall comes into full swing, the streets are seeing more office workers commuting on bicycles. 　A recent poll conducted by job searching portal www.career.co.kr showed that 30 percent of office workers from a randomly selected pool of 440 people commuted on bicycles. The benefit of daily exercise and cost-efficiency of the man-powered vehicle were cited as the two major reasons for cycling to work. Park’s shot of a fellow cyclist returning home from work　Civil servant Park
[Weekender] Peer pressure main cause of burgeoning bike thefts in Korea

Oct 16, 2015

As bikes become more popular, and pricey, bicycle-related crimes are also on the rise. 　 A few weeks ago, Lee Sung-jae, a 25-year-old university student, parked his bicycle on a public bike rack close to Seoul’s Wangsimni Station, safely padlocked. When he got back to the rack the next day, however, what he found was his precious bicycle completely knocked over and without the front wheel. 　 “I had to carry my bicycle without a wheel all the way back home that day,” he said.
Chrysanthemum flower festivals in the offing

Oct 15, 2015

A string of various regional events and festivals promoting the beauty of chrysanthemum flowers will be held across the country beginning next week. Children play with chrysanthemum flowers at Sanglim Park in Hamyang, South Gyeongsang Province. (Yonhap)Hampyeong Grand Chrysanthemum Festival in Hampyeong, South Jeolla Province, will kick off the country’s first chrysanthemum event on Oct. 23, going for 17 days at the Hampyeong Expo Park.The festival, which was launched in 2004, will have various
Buddha statue, circa 9th century Korea, found

Oct 15, 2015

A Buddha statue found at a temple site in Yangyang, Gangwon Province, on Wednesday. (Yonhap)A Buddha statue, presumed to date back to the ninth century, has been found in Korea in what archeologists say may be an important new discovery to understanding ancient Buddhist art. The gilt bronze statue, measuring over 50 centimeters in height, was discovered at a temple site in Yangyang, Gangwon Province, where a stone pagoda and other Buddhist relics had earlier been uncovered. “According to experts
Comic books and the joys of doing nothing

Oct 14, 2015

Comic book cafes rise as places to relax, read and be alone, together
Jeungdo -- heal and relax on the beautiful island of angels

Oct 14, 2015

JEUNGDO ISLAND, South Jeolla Province -- Walking in a forest of pine trees in a park that is shaped like the Korean Peninsula along a beach, visitors can instantly feel relaxed on this small island off the country’s southwestern coast.Jeungdo in Shinan, South Jeolla Province -- Asia’s first Cittaslow or “Slow City” -- is a quiet getaway island for those especially the elderly who seek to heal their body and soul from the daily hustle and bustle of big city life. The term Cittaslow comes from Ita
Miss World Brazil named PR ambassador for taekwondo

Oct 14, 2015

The 2015 Miss World Brazil has been named the goodwill ambassador of the World Taekwondo Federation, the body governing the traditional Korean martial art said Wednesday.Catharina Choi Nunes, who is half Korean, was appointed to the post at a ceremony attended by WTF President Choue Chung-won at the Brazilian Taekwondo Federation headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Tuesday, local time.Choi Nunes practices taekwondo in Sao Paolo and hopes to become a black-belt holder before the 2016 Rio O
Gwangju Design Biennale to open this week

Oct 12, 2015

Preparations for the Gwangju Design Biennale 2015 were fully under way as of Monday with the opening only a few days ahead. This year's design expo will be held from Oct. 15 through Nov. 13 showcasing some 3,000 items from 100 different countries around the world. It will take place at Biennale exhibition halls and the national Asia Culture Center in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, under the theme "Shinmyeong (Conviviality) with Design." The theme carries a message that a good design
Two Korean documentary heritage holdings inscribed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World

Oct 10, 2015

Two old and modern archive holdings of Korea were recognized as valuable documentary heritage by UNESCO on Saturday. The two Korean additions to the UNESCO Memory of the World are Confucian printing woodblocks of the Joseon era and the archives of the 1983 KBS special live broadcast “Finding Dispersed Families.” The decision was made at the three-day meeting of UNESCO’s International Advisory Committee that considered 87 nominations from 61 countries in Abu Dhabi from Oct. 4-6. One of the 64,22