Under the beaming sunlight, the coast of Geumneung-ri, Hallim-eup, Jeju Island seems to glow a turquoise blue. In the summer, colorful beach parasols dot the beaches of the island as visitors frolic in the cool, clear waters.  On cloudless days, the blue-green sea blends into the horizon, making for a scenic ocean view. (Photos: Yonhap)

Sport climbing was first introduced as a competing event at the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta and Palembang in Indonesia. It debuted as an official Olympic event at the ongoing Tokyo 2020. Sport climbing at the Tokyo Olympics features three disciplines: “Speed,” “Bouldering,” and “Lead.” In the Speed discipline, athletes compete to scurry to the top of a 15-meter artificial rock wall, set at an angle of 95 degrees, with safety ropes. In Bouldering, athl

Jirisan has long been revered by many South Koreans as one of three holy mountains alongside Geumgangsan and Hallasan. Hwaeomsa, the head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, is located at the southern foot of the mountain in South Jeolla Province. The temple is home to an array of national treasures, and visitors can also enjoy scenic views of the mountain.  Records say Yeongi, an Indian monk, established the temple in the 5th century, but the construction was not completed unti

Local governments in the Chungcheong region received approval from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Tuesday to participate in bidding to host the 2027 Summer World University Games. The ministry made the decision after reviewing proposals from the local governments of Sejong, Daejeon, and North and South Chungcheong provinces. During a review session, Jeon Jung-ae, director of culture, sports and tourism for North Chungcheong Province, outlined the local government’s visio

The sky in Seoul was graced by a double rainbow at early night on July 19 in Seoul. This picture was taken from the rooftop of the Korea Meteorological Administration.  The rainbow in the indigo sky mesmerized Seoulites on their way home from work.   People jog against the backdrop of the double rainbow near Mangwon in western Seoul.  The double rainbow is reflected in a puddle in Seoul in the image. The double rainbow arches over two statues called Dol hareubang, at a pa

Fifteen local startups have officially reached unicorn status, according to the Ministry of SME and Startups on Tuesday. The ministry said that three startups -- Zigbang, Dunamu, and Market Kurly -- have joined a select group of firms with a valuation exceeding $1 billion. Not all companies with high valuations are given the unicorn status. Unicorn companies should neither be listed on the stock exchange nor merged with another company. Coupang, for instance, was excluded from the group of loc

South Korean mountaineer Kim Hong-bin has become the first disabled person to successfully climb the 14 highest mountain peaks in the world -- without the use of his fingers. According to local alpine club Gwangju Alpine Federation on Monday, Kim conquered the summit of Broad Peak, the third peak of Pakistan’s Karakoram Range located in the northeastern part of Kashmir, on Sunday. This is an unprecedented accomplishment by Kim, making him the first disabled person and the world’s

Zinnia blossoms are capturing the hearts of visitors at the historic site in Aewol-eup on Jeju Island where 13th-century Korean resistance fighters struggled as hard as they could against Mongolian invaders. Though they were ultimately defeated, the Koreans never gave up. 　 Zinnia elegans, well known for their colorful red, pink and orange flowers, start blooming between June and October. The Korean name of the plant, “baek-il hong,” refers to red flowers that stay in bloom for 100

South Korean blockchain company AMAXG has recently taken steps to grow a platform business specializing in the metaverse and nonfungible tokens amid the rise of these virtual technologies. The metaverse refers to a collective virtual shared space. Extended reality is the foundation of the metaverse, as it makes diverse activities possible in the virtual world through virtual reality and augmented reality technology. AMAXG seeks to put the metaverse to practical use and commercialize virtual a

Visang Tax and Pharos Consulting signed a memorandum of understanding to work together to help taxpayers protect their rights by checking whether they have overpaid taxes, at a ceremony held in Seoul on Thursday. The agreement involves a measure called “claim for reassessment” and the two firms plan to run a one-stop service in which clients from conglomerates, small and medium-sized enterprises and small businesses reassess their tax payment to check whether there are any errors i

The deep blue sea stretching beyond the horizon combined with the sight of palm trees makes a splendid summer view.  Beaches on Jeju Island officially opened on July 1. Summer vacationers enjoy swimming at Hamdeok Beach in Jocheon-eup.  A huge banner requests visitors to comply with the safety rules at Woljeong Beach in Gujwa-eup. (Photos: Yonhap)

Seoul International Sourcing Fair 2021, a platform for discovering new business partners and carrying out business-to-business transactions through networking, is currently being held at Coex. With the environmental, social and governance sector gaining momentum, some 150 small and medium-sized enterprises and startups are displaying eco-friendly consumer goods in various categories, including gifts, living, beauty, smart devices and wellness.  Participants browse a variety of eco-friendl

“Meokbang” (also known as “mukbang”), a compound word for “eating” and “broadcast” in Korean, is a popular form of content found on video platforms such as Youtube, AfreecaTV, Twitch, and Kakao TV. Meokbang streamers show themselves consuming large platefuls of junk food while simultaneously interacting with viewers. Along with the rise of one-person households in the country, people have gotten in the habit of watching meokbang while eating alon