Life in Seoul continues as usual, as if there were no military threats emanating from North Korea, a communist regime with 1.2 million active soldiers and formidable artilleries pointed at the South Korean capital, just a scant 50 kilometers from the border. Many say they have grown accustomed to the menacing words and provocative actions from their northern brethren, so much so that it feels like a regular part of everyday life here. (Yonhap)“We’re so used to hearing such news,” 32-year-old ban

“The hot and the cold are both so intense, put’em together, it just makes sense!” -- “In Summer,” “Frozen” OSTWithout fail, there is one place that becomes frantically busy when the summer season strikes, and increasingly busier with the rise in temperature -- the ice factory.　At the ice factory in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, run by food company Pulmuone, blocks of ice are inspected, cut up and shipped out to retailers. 　Orders doubled the usual amount in recent days, according to production ma

Cultural Night Walk in JeonjuCultural Night Walk in Jeonju, a program selected by the Cultural Heritage Administration in a competition, offers visitors the chance to walk through hundreds of traditional Korean houses in Jeonju Hanok Village under the moonlight.Highlights include a moonlight photography competition, traditional music, Jeonju traditional opera, a shadow orchestra and night views of Jeonju.The event is being held until Sept.13. Visit www.jeonju-night.kr for information in Korean,

South Korea and the US do not consider a war on the Korean Peninsula likely, despite rising tensions, Seoul’s National Security Council chief Chung Eui-yong revealed Thursday. According to the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, Chung revealed that the US does not consider war likely, in a meeting with the party’s Floor Leader Rep. Woo Won-shik and other lawmakers at the National Assembly.  National Security Council chief Chung Eui-yong speaks to reporters at the National Assembly on Thursday. Yon

The National Museum of China in Beijing is now the most-visited museum in the world, according to a report published by the Themed Entertainment Association and AECOM.The museum for Chinese history and the arts tops the list for the first time, receiving 7.55 million people in 2016. The report has charted global museum trends since 2012 by listing the best-attended museums worldwide and in different regions.Washington’s National Air and Space Museum ranked second. The Louvre claimed the third sp

About 100 kilometers southeast of Bangkok, in a remote coastal town called Bang Saen, the five foreign ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand got together in early August 1967 to negotiate an agreement that has now become an exemplary case of regional integration. In the background, the Vietnam War was in its 12th year, with the first half of the 1960s experiencing many of the war’s biggest battles. Also, the countries in this region had ideological differences

Ahn Cheol-soo, formerly the People’s Party leader and presidential candidate, announced Thursday he would run for the leadership of the crisis-hit centrist party, just three weeks after he said he would “take a step back from politics.” With Ahn’s announcement, the race becomes a three-way contest, with four-term Rep. Chung Dong-yong and six-term Rep. Chun Jung-bae having already announced their bids.  Ahn Cheol-soo announces his bid for People`s Party leadership at the party`s office in Seoul o

Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Mong-koo was the top earner among leaders of family-controlled conglomerates last year in South Korea, data showed Thursday.The Economic Reform Research Institute said in its analysis of executives’ annual paychecks that Chung earned 9.3 billion won ($8.25 million) from Hyundai Mobis and Hyundai Motor, two core operating units under Hyundai Motor Group. Chung has topped the list for the third consecutive year, the report said. Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Mong-koo (Y

South Korea’s green car market grew 23.7 percent on-year in the first half of the year, led by domestic brands’ electric vehicles and hybrids from Japanese carmakers.According to data compiled by the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association and Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association, 40,978 eco-friendly vehicles were sold here from January to June.  (Yonhap)Though still small in number, the growth of green cars was considered fast. In contrast, the number of cars across all ty

China’s biggest network equipment manufacturer Huawei will supply core equipment for the telecommunications systems of Seoul’s major underground railways, sources said Thursday. Hyundai Information Technology, a Korean provider of Huawei-made network equipment, won a bid to supply the telecommunications equipment with a bid price of 6.97 billion won ($6.19 million). The bid was opened by Seoul Metro through the Korea ON-Line E-Procurement System and closed on July 20.  (Yonhap)Korea’s major mobi

When Ahn Seung-hwa started her career in volunteer management as chief program manager of South Cheungcheong Volunteer Center in 1999, she had no office or budget to run. “Me and two other colleagues literally started from scratch,” Ahn recalled in a recent interview with The Korea Herald.  Ahn Seung-hwa, CEO of Seoul Volunteer Center, speaks during an interview with The Korea Herald in her office in Seoul. (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)The center was among several community-level facilities t