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Thai politicians have failed the people yet again

ViewpointsDec 30, 2011

The annual rite in which Thailand’s parliamentary reporters give new nicknames to politicians is a tongue-in-cheek affair. Nonetheless, with the theme this year reflecting the overall poor performance of all politicians, the funny nickname event is not simply much ado about nothing.For instance, House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont has been given the nickname “Fake gavel from Dubai”, implying the connection with Thaksin. Somsak used to be known as a “gavel master” for his effective control over the
[Yuriko Koike] North Korea’s samurai rules

ViewpointsDec 30, 2011

TOKYO ― On Dec. 17, North Korea announced that its supreme “Dear Leader,” Kim Jong-il, had died in a train carrying him on one of the many inspection tours that he had taken since suffering a stroke in 2008 ― evidently part of the regime’s effort to eliminate concerns about his health. The Dear Leader’s death triggered a hereditary transfer of power, with the world’s attention focused not only on Kim Jong-il’s son and chosen successor, Kim Jong-un, but also on who will actually turn out to be th
Wedding and baby boom expected for ‘black dragon year’

CultureDec 30, 2011

Many couples and mothers-to-be believe 2012 will be luckyPlanning to wed sometime next winter, 27-year-old Jeon Hye-seong said that she would choose December 2012 rather than wait until 2013. “I heard that 2012 is supposed to be lucky, being the black dragon year. Given that I get to choose sometime in the winter, why not choose the lucky year?” said the bride-to-be. “Although, it seems that there are so many special years, like the golden pig year which passed a few years ago, that I sometimes
Slower pace of living trend to watch in 2012

CultureDec 30, 2011

Consumers likely to react to hyper speed, hyper connectivity by seeking slower paceThe year 2012 promises to be a tumultuous one, with general elections and a presidential election taking place within eight months of each other. The death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has introduced an additional element of uncertainty.While it would be difficult to predict the outcome of the elections or the state of South-North relations, many forecasts have been made concerning major trends that affect o
Korean athletes to watch in 2012

More sportsDec 30, 2011

One of the biggest events on the 2012 sports calendar is the Summer Olympics, which will run from July 27 through Aug. 12 in London. Hopes are high for Korea after it finished seventh in Beijing in 2008 with 13 gold medals. Korea is aiming for 13 gold medals in London to finish within the top ten again. With the games just months away, the country’s biggest sporting stars are making their final pitches, looking for career-defining performances on the biggest stage. Here are some of the top athle
Up-and-coming stars

More sportsDec 30, 2011

While many individual Olympic athletes are worth mentioning, so are some professionals who hope that 2012 will be the year they break through to the top levels of their chosen sports. Lee Dae-hoLee Dae-ho is regarded as one of the best-known baseball players in Korea. He had his best season with the Lotte Giants in 2010 with 44 home runs and 133 RBIs to win the MVP award. The 29-year-old signed a two-year deal worth $9 million with the Orix Buffaloes earlier this month, and will play in the Japa
Catching winter’s waves

TravelDec 30, 2011

Local surfers embrace ‘best time of year’POHANG, North Gyeongsang Province ― Now that we are in the deep of winter, most of us try to escape the winter chills, seeking the warmth of our homes. But for surfers in Korea this is the best time of the year to go to the beach.Many may raise their eyebrows if you say you are going to stand on a surfboard, waiting to be hit by waves, especially in these sub-zero temperatures.But the number of people surfing in our waters has increased significantly in
Calendar

TheaterDec 30, 2011

Exhibitions“Dreams of Atom”: Held as a part of the “International Cartoon & Art Festival 2011/12,” the exhibition showcases about 500 original drawings, paintings and publications of Japan’s legendary cartoonist Tezuka Osamu’s work including “Astro Boy,” “Jungle Emperor Leo” and “Sapphire Prince.” Other sections of the festival display works by several Korean and Japanese artists who pay homage to Osamu. The exhibition runs through April 1 at Goyang Aram Nuri’s Aram Art Museum and Gallery Nuri i
Box Office

FilmDec 30, 2011

Wonderful Radio (Korea)Opening Jan. 5Drama. Directed by Kwon Chil-in. Has-been star Jin-a (Lee Min-jung) works as a DJ for an unpopular radio show. Yet when the show’s new producer Jae-hyuk (Lee Jeong-jin) arrives, everything about the show is about to change. He wants to revise the show’s program without Jin-a’s consent. Jin-a, who isn’t quite ready to let go of her glory days, rebels against Jae-hyuk by pushing for a segment where listeners can choose the songs that are relevant to their perso
It’s Spielberg vs. Spielberg at the holiday box office

FilmDec 30, 2011

Steven Spielberg, arguably the most popular filmmaker of the 20th century, meets his match this week: Steven Spielberg. He will be opening two highly anticipated films just days apart. On Wednesday comes “The Adventures of Tintin,” based on the globally popular comics, mixing adventure, slapstick, mystery and humor in photorealistic 3D animation. “War Horse,” a poignant live-action drama about a farm animal that enters England’s World War I cavalry, arrives Sunday.Never before has Spielberg face
Renaissance Seoul Hotel offers ‘Lucky Fortune Cookie Event’

TravelDec 30, 2011

Renaissance Seoul Hotel’s Chinese restaurant, Kabin, presents lucky fortune cookies that include special prizes to all customers dining at the restaurant through Jan. 24. For the month of January, Kabin offers exclusive lunch and dinner sets from the Chengdu city in Sichuan. Using the freshest seafood and ingredients, chefs have prepared hot, spicy and highly addictive dishes. As a special year-end and New Year’s event, a lucky fortune cookie is given to all guests dining at Kabin. There are 100
Imperial Palace Boutique Hotel offers ‘3+1 Lunch Buffet’

TravelDec 30, 2011

Imperial Palace Boutique Hotel’s Cafe Amiga offers the “3+1 Lunch Buffet Promotion” through Feb. 29 for guests to celebrate the New Year at reasonable prices. The promotion offers a buffet for one for 9,900 won for any party of four dining in for the lunch buffet held from noon through 2:30 p.m. Guests are also welcome to make a special request to open the garden terrace for their private gatherings. Cafe Amiga is also offering the “Traditional European Beverages” event through Jan 31 with bever
Accor Ambassador to open 3 more business hotels in Korea

TravelDec 30, 2011

Accor Ambassador Hotel has recently signed agreements to open three additional franchises in Korea. Scheduled to open late February, Mercure Ambassador Gangnam is conveniently located next to Yeoksam Station on Line 2. The hotel will offer 288 comfortable guestrooms with a restaurant and bar, five meeting rooms and a spa to meet demands from business travelers as well as tourists. Ibis Ambassador Insadong is scheduled to open in May 2013 with 360 guestrooms. Located within Insadong’s cultural to
Tourism Malaysia & Shilla duty free shop host travel event

TravelDec 30, 2011

Tourism Malaysia Seoul and Shilla Duty Free Shop invite customers to their “Kota Kinabalu Travel Event” through Jan. 5. The two organizations are featuring this joint year-end event to offer tourists in Korea exquisite travel and shopping experiences. Anyone who purchases items totaling $500 or more at one of the four Shilla Duty Free Shops ― downtown Seoul, Incheon International Airport, Gimpo Airport and online ― during the event period can apply for a raffle. Two winners will win the “Kota Ki
Elephants race, play soccer in Nepal festival

TravelDec 30, 2011

CHITWAN, Nepal (AP) ― Soccer-playing elephants used all four feet and even their trunks trying to score goals. Racing pachyderm thundered to the finish line to the cheers of the crowds. And in the elephant beauty pageant, contestants sported nail polish on their not-so-dainty toes.It was all part of an elephant-themed festival in Nepal that wrapped up Wednesday. The three-day event was held to promote conservation awareness and lure foreign visitors to Nepal.The elephants were trained for weeks