Last week, President Joe Biden sent Congress his proposed defense budget for the next fiscal year: an $813 billion wish list, almost $60 billion more than he requested a year ago -- more military spending than any president, including Donald Trump, has requested since World War II. Once Congress approves the request -- and, in all likelihood, makes it bigger -- US defense spending will be larger in inflation-adjusted dollars than it was at the height of the Vietnam War or President Ronald Reaga

Just in time for spring and the downward slope of the omicron variant peak, two new theme parks opened in South Korea offering a bunch of new thrill rides and attractions. One in Busan is a Lotte World franchise and the other in Chuncheon, a city in the mountainous Gangwon Province, is part of the global Legoland chain. Here’s a quick look at the new amusement parks and their most anticipated attractions. 1. Lotte World Magic Forest (Busan) Lotte World Magic Forest opened to the publ

It’s national budget time in Washington, so the conversation on Capitol Hill is focused on numbers. But an important number is being overlooked, one that affects our ability to defend ourselves. At a time when threats abroad are growing, America’s ability to recruit the volunteers needed to fully staff its armed forces is on the wane. The 2023 defense budget request just released by the Biden administration reduces the size of the US Army by 12,000 soldiers. It isn’t that the

Each time a new presidential administration took office, promises surrounding information technology were repeatedly made in a bid to appeal to the public. The military regime and the Kim Young-sam administration’s pledges to foster an information and communications network were followed by the Kim Dae-jung administration’s policies to promote venture businesses. President Roh Moo-hyun envisioned the transition to an e-government, Lee Myung-bak outlined an IT convergence plan, Park

During the Japanese invasion of Korea from 1592 to 1598, many Korean potters and blacksmiths were forcibly taken to Japan, taking with them new pottery styles and cutting-edge technology to Japan. Many Korean potters, who worked as lowly tradesmen back home, found Japan a better home than Joseon, as they enjoyed upward social mobility, with some even entering the samurai class, which eventually became the highest ranking social caste of the Edo period (1603-1867) in Japan. When news of a bette

I live at Baengnyeonsa Temple in Gangjin, located on the southernmost coast of South Jeolla Province. Baengnyeonsa is renowned for its “Baengnyeon Practice Movement” and is also known as the “beautiful temple of tea and camellias.” The path from the temple’s main entrance gate to the temple compound is bordered on both sides by a grove of camellia trees. Camellias begin to flower sparsely in early November, flower all through the winter, and come to full bloom in

A veterinary clinic employee allegedly dumped the remains of dozens of animals at a mountain in Eumseong County in North Chungcheong Province, police said Thursday. Police summoned a veterinary hospital employee to investigate the charges of dumping about 70 dead dogs, including newborn puppies and skeletal remains, on a mountain in Geumwang-eup. An animal registration chip was found in one of the carcasses that contained medical records of the dog for the clinic where the suspect is emplo

2022년 4월 1일자 김대균의 영어산책 윤석열대통령 당선자 공약으로 토익 유효기간이 곧 바뀐다! 한국과 일본의 토익 비교 2020년기준  전 세계 TOEIC 시행 국가 중 우리나라의 평균성적은 683점(990점 만점)으로 성적 분석 대상 32개국 중 12위, 아시아 국가에서는 2위를 기록했다. 이는 2019년평균성적 678점 대비 5점 상승한 성적이다. 2021년은 더 올랐을 것으로 추정되지만 코로나 시기에 통계가 아직 나오지 않고 있다. 2020년 기준 한국 토익평균점은 683점 일본은 531점이다. 현재 한국의 토익 유효기간은 2년이다. 점수를 받은 후 2년이 지나면 그 점수는 무효가 되고 새로 공부를 해서 점수를 따야 한다. 그런데 일본은 다르다. 최근 2년 성적표만 재발급 받는 것은 한국과 같지만 받은 성적표는 10년전, 20년전 것이어도 토익점수로 기업체나 공기업들이 인정한다. 이것 때문에 한국 수험생들의 불만이 있었다. 2년은 참 짧은 기간이어서 결국

Koreans today enjoy digital comics via computers and smartphones, but if you miss printed comic books and the joy of turning the pages, consider visiting Graphic this weekend. Within a 20-minute walk from Itaewon Station Exit 2 or Station Exit 1 on Subway Line No. 6, Graphic offers a quiet, cozy place for comic book fans. The three-story building is filled with graphic novels, comic books and art books in both Korean and English. With tables and chairs of different sizes and styles, the visit

The solidarity on display at the recent NATO, US-EU, and G7 summits, as Russian President Vladimir Putin continued to wage war on Ukraine, revealed a rejuvenated West. The Atlantic democracies have responded to Russia’s invasion with impressive -- and somewhat unexpected -- unity as they arm Ukraine, reinforce NATO’s eastern flank, and sanction the Russian economy. Instead of turning away migrants, European Union member states are opening their doors to millions of Ukrainian refugee

Park Sang-young's queer coming-of-age tale “Love in the Big City” (translated by Anton Hur) is one of two Korean novels longlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize. Together with Bora Chung’s ”Cursed Bunny,“ Park‘s debut novel and first book to be translated into English highlights the diversity of contemporary Korean literature. Chung’s short story collection tackles a variety of styles and concepts, from surreal horror and dark fairytales to sci