Trees, or at least large plants similar to modern-day trees, have been around for hundreds of millions of years. As primary producers ― organisms that produce organic matter from inorganic compounds ― trees and plants in general have always been the primary food source in the food chain. With the rise of mankind trees came to have much more diverse uses. For man, trees became sources of construction materials and fuel, and of medicines, some of which are still in use today. One of the best-known

For Kim Myung-jeon, the chairman of Green Ranger, a nonprofit organization that helps young people take part in environmental campaigns, planting trees goes beyond wanting to provide people with fresher air.He considers it an educational practice that can help promote well-rounded citizens who will contribute to society in ways that truly matter.“It is ultimately the people who change the world,” Kim told The Korea Herald in an interview. “And guiding the youth so that they may grow up to become

Projects help secure stable timber supplies and carbon credits

More local producers make forays into overseas market

While Broadway is certainly no stranger to shows led by big-time Hollywood talent, the trend of Korean musicals casting K-pop stars has gotten to the point where it’s now almost routine in a large production. The inclusion of K-pop stars not only helps sell shows, it has become an almost unspoken policy that any non-Broadway musical that wants to hit it big should include a popular K-pop star in its cast.  Whether it’s Girls’ Generation’s Jessica in “Legally Blonde,” 2PM’s Jun.K and SHINee’s Key

‘La Roi Soleil,’ ‘Marie Antoinette,’ ‘Priscilla,’ ‘Once’ highlight the year’s calendar

CJ promotes Korean productions abroad with universal appeal

Renault Samsung Motors’ endeavors to go electric appear to be paying off. The company now expects to sell more than 4,000 units of its representative electric car, the SM3 Z.E., this year. “Electric cars will be the engines of growth leading the green growth of Korea,” said Francois Provost, chief executive of the company at the announcement of its EV production in October 2013. According to the carmaker, a total of 453 units of the nation’s first full-electric subcompact car left showrooms in 2

Kia Motors, an affiliate of Hyundai Motor, has debuted the full-electric version of its hot-selling Soul compact, joining the heated competition in the nation’s nascent EV market. Its Korean sales will start in April. The carmaker predicts that the Soul EV will go down in history as an important stepping stone for future development in the domestic market for electric cars, and eco-friendly vehicles in general.“The Soul EV is proudly Hyundai-Kia’s most recent masterpiece that integrates all of t

BMW is determined to revolutionize the future of electric cars with the i3, its first fully electric vehicle, amid signs of a market boom in Korea and globally.The BMW i3 enters the scene at a crucial time for the auto industry.Market analysts predict that following the trends of diesel cars and hybrids, electric cars too will one day become more conventional.As a result, BMW joined the race and built the first electric car for a luxury auto brand ― its significance being that the i3 was not bui

State support, climate, infrastructure of island ideal for global carmakers

Nostalgia for ’90s sparks retro culture boom

In a popular cartoon on the Internet, a man in his early 40s holds a floppy disk and asks a young boy, “Have you seen one of these before?” to which the boy exclaims, “Wow, you made a 3-D model of the save icon!”Poking fun at the generational gap between the youth of today and the middle-aged, the cartoon is a reminder of the inevitable differences in culture and shared memories between different generations.However, at a small bar-club in Hongdae ― decorated with shelves full of old LP records,

When 41-year-old housewife Kim Soo-yeon recalls the early 1990s, it is with dreamy eyes and a hint of excitement in her voice. Her hero, late singer Kim Kwang-seok still roamed the stage, job prospects were bright as Korea’s economy continued to grow, and she was ready to enjoy what the world had to offer. “Those were my golden days. Back then, I felt like I could achieve anything,” Kim said. By the time she finished college in the late 1990s, however, the Asian financial crisis had struck and s