Kim Nam-seok, former vice minister of public administration and security, is expected to be appointed as a high-ranking public officer in the Republic of Uzbekistan. The Ministry of Public Administration and Security said last Friday that it and the Uzbekistan government are considering naming Kim as the vice chairman of the Central Asian nation’s Committee on Information and Communication Technologies. When the nomination is finally approved by the Uzbek government, Kim will be the first Korean

Hwang Soo-kwan, 67, a medical professor who was widely known as “Shinbaram (excitement) Professor,” died of blood poisoning Sunday. After having breathing difficulties, Hwang had had heart surgery on Dec. 12 at Gangnam Severance Hospital in southern Seoul.The medical school professor at Yonsei University in Seoul gained popularity for his positive character as he promoted “smile therapy” on several TV programs in the late 1990s.He also worked as a senior advisor for the ruling Saenuri Party in 2

Born to a impoverished family, Hong Ui-hyun gave up on studies after graduating from middle school. He happened to work at a musical instrument factory and soon fell in love with the elegant lines and beautiful sounds of violin, which helped the desperate boy to tide over many harsh years. Two decades later, Hong is now the owner of one of Korea’s leading string instrument makers and a devoted practitioner of the power of music for children who are poor, abandoned or suffering mental disorders.

Braving the freezing cold and safety concerns, thousands of young singles gathered at a recreational park in central Seoul to find their Mr. and Ms. Rights on Christmas Eve.Korea’s largest outdoor blind date called “Solo Battle” was held in Yeouido Park, though there were fewer-than-expected participants amid the chilly weather.  In the morning, the mercury hit minus 14 degrees Celsius, the lowest this winter. “I am looking forward to finding a date. I have a little hope that I can find the one

A 60-something man in a dark-brown checkered coat approached a Salvation Army officer manning a red kettle in Myeong-dong, a fashion and shopping district in Seoul on Sunday. The man put a white envelope in the red kettle, saying, “Please use it for the elderly in need.”He then took a taxi and disappeared.The Salvation Army Korea Territory later found a check of around 106 million won ($98,300) with a letter in the envelope while counting up donations. “My parents kept a sense of sharing, helped