South Koreans headed to the polls Saturday on the second and last day of early voting for next week's nationwide local elections and parliamentary by-elections as the ruling and main opposition parties made last-minute pitches for support. The first-day turnout reached 10.18 percent, which was higher than 8.77 percent in the 2018 local elections. Of the 44.3 million eligible voters, 4.5 million ...

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Saturday he will try to find a new nominee after a former official reportedly tipped as the head of government policy coordination showed his intent not to accept the nomination. "This is a decision he made feeling pressure as discussions were under way. So I hope the people will respect it," Han told Yonhap News Agency by phone. "We'll swiftly begin (the process...

Gwangan Bridge Famous for its colorful nighttime view, Gwangan Bridge has become an iconic Busan landmark after being featured in countless films and TV dramas. The bridge has caught the attention of many directors as a set for thrilling car chases. But if you want to enjoy the bridge to the fullest, Gwangalli Beach is the ideal place to visit. After listening to music performed by local arti...

“Omakase” is a traditional Japanese dining style where guests leave their menu choices up to a chef. Literally meaning “I will leave it to you” in Japanese, omakase in Korea usually refers to a high-end dining experience at a Japanese restaurant’s sushi counter. The chef prepares one piece of fish at a time and introduces its name and origin. Recently, non-sushi items, from tempura, coffee and p...

The following prayer was offered to the spirits of the ancestors: “On this beautiful occasion, please experience a number of ceremonial dishes which have been prepared with a longing heart while adhering to proper guidance.” Reflecting the practice of ancestor worship, a number of visual clues were observed during the annual Jongmyo rite which are evident in Hanja writing. For example, a Hanja...

Recognizing the differences in natural abilities, he emphasized the importance of placing people in the right position, from beggars to bureaucrats, in his appeal as follows: “If a hawk catches a pheasant, a chicken announces dawn, a horse pulls a cart, and a cat catches a mouse, all four animals show useful tricks. If hawks were to announce the dawn, they would not be as good as chickens, and i...

Located in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Geungnaksa is a quiet, beautiful place. Surrounded by Gubongsan and a small creek running beside the temple compound, the temple looks well situated, even to someone who doesn’t know geomancy. The Ven. Yeogeo is well known to the general public as a teacher of temple food. Emphasizing the value of seasonal ingredients, she creates different dishes every seas...

Leeum Museum of Art has announced artist Cha Jea-min as the winner of “Artspectrum 2022,” the museum’s biennial exhibition that aims to introduce emerging young artists. The exhibition has been a gateway for many Korean artists who enjoy international renown today. The museum’s first exhibition of the year presented eight emerging Korean artists from different fields of art -- video artist Cha J...

The labor union for the Seoul subway said Saturday it reached an agreement with the Seoul city government to extend public transportation operations past midnight, two years after they were scaled back due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unionized workers of Seoul Metro, the operator of the Seoul subway system, said operation hours will be extended from midnight to 1 a.m. on weekdays starting as early...

The ruling and main opposition parties agreed Saturday to cancel the National Assembly plenary session initially expected to be held later in the day to deal with an extra budget bill. The ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party tentatively agreed to hold the session at 7:30 p.m. Sunday instead. The PPP and the DP have been at loggerheads for weeks over the size of th...

Former rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon-jae will tie the knot with a non-celebrity in August, her agency said Saturday. Next Euphoria said the would-be bridegroom is nine years older than her and they will have a private wedding at an undisclosed place to be attended by only family members and friends. Son was one of the country's most visible athletes during her career. She took fifth place at the 20...

North Korea's daily new suspected COVID-19 cases dropped below 100,000, according to its state media Saturday. More than 88,520 people showed symptoms of fever over a 24-hour period until 6 p.m. the previous day, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, citing data from the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters. It marks a 20,560 decrease from a day earlier, it added with...

South Korea reported fewer than 20,000 COVID-19 cases for the third consecutive day Saturday, with critical cases dropping to a 10-month low, amid the receding omicron wave. The country added 14,398 new infections, including 45 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,067,669, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The number of critically ill patients stood ...

South Korea's imports of home furnishing products hit an all-time high last year on the back of demand by stay-at-home consumers amid the COVID-19 pandemic, data showed. The imports of eight kinds of home furnishing goods, including sofas and lamps, came to $3.5 billion last year, up 15.6 percent from a year earlier, according to data from the Korea Customs Service. It rose 26.1 percent from...

HUIZHOU, China , May 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 27th , A DECE OASIS(ADO) ebike laboratory passed the internationally recognized organization SGS qualification as "QTL laboratory" certification! This is undoubtedly a breakthrough achievement and this is a new chapter for ADO right after the 1 st anniversary ceremony. The laboratory is about 3,300 square meters located in south of H...