Foreign residents in Korea can receive free 2012 desk calendars featuring Korean landscapes and cultural images by dialing 1330, a call center for non-Korean speakers, the Korea Tourism Organization said.Foreign residents can receive a calendar by calling the 1330 “TT Call Center” and leaving their names and addresses, KTO said. The 2012 KTO calendar carries works by four Korean photographers who traveled around the country to capture Korean traditional culture and its people. It is available in

The last remaining Siberian tigers living wild in Northeast China could disappear within decades, as poaching and illegal logging continue to take their toll, experts have warned.Research by Chinese authorities and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has discovered that the animal is already one of the planet’s most endangered species.In just the last 70 years, the estimated population of Siberian tigers, or Amur tigers, has plummeted from as many as 300 to just 18 to 22.“If the government fail

Creating one’s own ‘it-bag’ more popular among menWhile there are plenty of good things to say about leather crafting, the growing number of addicts of the hobby pick one above all others ― what you make is completely unique.“Regardless of the amount of money you pay for an expensive designer bag, someone else is bound to own the same one. I find pride in making something that only I can possess,” Kim Yu-ri, a blogger who started learning leather crafting four months ago, said.Although Korea is

A ‘great farewell’ to the Irish wonders’ 14 -year journey Westlife“Greatest Hits”(Sony Music)With boy bands appearing and disappearing at such speed these days, only Westlife -- the Irish wonders who have stayed with us for 14 faithful years -- could stretch the definition of greatest hits to its full potential.To the sadness of millions of fans all over the world, Westlife has announced the decision to disband with the release of their “new” and final album.Opening this final soiree with their

Korea must concentrate on the young generation, soft power and business-related vision in its future cultural promotion activities, experts at a Korea Culture and Information Service seminar said Thursday. The state-run organization held the seminar to mark its 40th anniversary, aiming to seek new ways to conduct its activities more effectively in the years to come.The seminar, titled “Reaching out constantly, Resounding globally,” was attended by dozens of experts and cultural figures from Kore

Experts to evaluate Korea’s overseas cultural promotion activities in seminar Over the past four decades, the Korea Culture and Information Service has grown into an organization with 24 overseas offices, promoting the nation’s culture and image all over the world.In time with its 40th anniversary on Dec. 31, the state-run organization will hold a seminar aimed at “seeking new answers” on how to conduct its activities more effectively. KOCIS was inaugurated as the Overseas Information Center und

Korea’s traditional martial arts taekkyeon, tightrope walking and ramie fabric weaving of the Hansan region have joined UNESCO’s intangible heritage list. UNESCO delegates, who are meeting Nov. 22-29 in Bali, Indonesia, gave the green light Monday to taekkyon, jultagi (tightrope walking) and Hansan mosijjagi (ramie fabric weaving). The three were among the six Korean traditions of the 49 submitted from across the world. UNESCO holds regular meetings to discuss which local traditions should be pr