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Jhoo Dong-chan

Korea Times AI content 2 team Reporter

Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light, though wise men at their end know dark is right, because their words had forked no lightning they, do not go gentle into that good night.

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Travel & Food

Riding K-culture wave, Korea secures massive Indian incentive tours

Riding a wave of global cultural popularity, Korea is rapidly emerging as a premier destination for corporate incentive travel. The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) said Tuesday that it successfully secured consecutive, large-scale incentive groups from India, scheduled to bring approximately 2,000 corporate visitors to the country this September alone. The influx is anchored by Herbalife India, a global health and wellness company sending about 1,400 employees to Seoul and Gangwon Province across three separate trips from Sept. 6 to 11. The victory is the result of persistent efforts by the KTO’s New Delhi office, which began courting the company in 2024 and hosted a targeted MICE briefing in Bengaluru. Although Herbalife initially considered Georgia as its primary destination, a site inspection in June and robust assurances of government backing convinced corporate leaders to switch to Korea. Over 90 percent of participants have already secured their flight tickets, with the Korean Embassy in India streamlining visa processing. At the same time, Birla Opus, an Indian paint manufact

Aug 18, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Riding K-culture wave, Korea secures massive Indian incentive tours
Korean Heritage

Hallucinating history: Korea enlists youth ambassadors to fix AI errors on cultural heritage

When queried about Deoksu Palace, a prominent generative artificial intelligence (AI) system hallucinated a striking piece of architecture, rendering an image of the fountain in front of Seokjojeon hall as a traditional lotus pond similar to Buyongji, located kilometers away at Changdeok Palace. The glitch is symbolic of a growing challenge for cultural institutions in the digital age and maintaining historical truth as generative AI becomes the world’s default reference tool. To counter these digital distortions, the Korean government, in partnership with a civil diplomacy organization, is turning to tech-savvy youth to audit algorithms and safeguard the nation’s historical identity online. The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, operating under the Korea Heritage Service, said Tuesday that a monthlong campaign by the second cohort of the “Global AI Cultural Heritage Ambassadors” ended successfully. Run jointly with the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK), the initiative deployed 76 young ambassadors between June 29 to July 26 to systematically search for er

Aug 18, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Hallucinating history: Korea enlists youth ambassadors to fix AI errors on cultural heritage
Environment & Animals

Korean, African researchers join forces to protect food supplies from pests

As climate change accelerates the spread of crop-destroying pests across sub-Saharan Africa, Korea is stepping in with scientific expertise to help secure the continent’s fragile food supply. The Rural Development Administration (RDA), Korea’s national agricultural research agency, said Tuesday that it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Nairobi-based International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) to expand joint research into insect science and pest management. Under the agreement signed in Seoul by RDA Administrator Lee Seung-don and icipe Director General Abdou Tenkuano, the two organizations will collaborate on developing innovative pest monitoring techniques, biological control agents and eco-friendly pesticides. The partnership will also extend beyond pest eradication to encompass beneficial insects, focusing on apiculture, crop pollination and high-value research into insects used for food, livestock feed and fertilizers. The collaboration comes as rapidly shifting climate patterns exacerbate pest outbreaks across Africa, threatening crop yields in re

Aug 18, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Korean, African researchers join forces to protect food supplies from pests
K-pop

From rookie crew to global phenomenon: CORTIS reflects on whirlwind 1st year

One year after its debut, boy band CORTIS has shattered records and established itself as one of the most compelling forces in modern K-pop. Known affectionately as the "Young Creator Crew" for writing and producing its own music, videos and choreography, the five-member group — consisting of Martin, James, Joohoon, Seonghyun and Keonho — has enjoyed a meteoric rise. Its second EP, "GREENGREEN," spent 13 consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200 chart after entering at No. 3, marking the longest run for a boy group debuting in the past five years. Across all platforms, the band's 14-track catalog has amassed more than 1.1 billion Spotify streams. Fresh off its sold-out North American tour, which wrapped in San Francisco on Sunday, CORTIS sat down via its agency, BigHit Music, to look back on a landmark year ahead of its "BIRTHDAY PARTY" anniversary concerts at Seoul's Hwajeong Gymnasium on Saturday and Sunday. Q: How does it feel to mark your first anniversary? Martin: Time has flown by so fast it hardly feels real. It’s been a year of growth both as an artist and as an individual. Na

Aug 18, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
From rookie crew to global phenomenon: CORTIS reflects on whirlwind 1st year
Korean Heritage

Gyeongbok Palace to offer nighttime cultural experience this fall

Gyeongbok Palace, a former royal palace in central Seoul, will host its annual nighttime cultural program from Sept. 2 to Oct. 24, offering visitors evening tours, traditional Korean court cuisine and performances, according to the Korea Heritage Service, Tuesday. The 2026 edition of the Gyeongbokgung Starlight Tour will be held from Wednesday to Sunday each week, with two sessions beginning at 6:20 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Each program lasts about 110 minutes. The event, which debuted in 2016, allows visitors to explore the palace after dark with professional guides while experiencing aspects of royal life from the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty. Participants will begin their tour at Gyejodang, a building associated with the crown prince, before moving to the palace kitchen area, where they will watch a traditional Korean music performance and sample “dosuk-surasang,” a modern interpretation of a 12-course royal meal traditionally served to the king and queen. The term combines “dosuk,” an old Korean word for a lunchbox, and “surasang,” the royal table. A separate vegetarian menu will a

Aug 18, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Gyeongbok Palace to offer nighttime cultural experience this fall
Environment & Animals

Battling blazes after dark: Korea deploys nighttime helitankers to fight forest fires

When dusk fell across Korea's rugged mountainous landscape, aerial firefighting fleets were historically forced to land, leaving ground crews to battle encroaching blazes against the cover of darkness. That tactical gap is now closing as forestry authorities embrace specialized night operations. The Andong Regional Aviation Office, under the Korea Forest Service, said it has qualified two pilots for night vision goggle (NVG) operations aboard the S-64E Skycrane — a heavy-lift helitanker capable of dropping thousands of liters of water in a single pass. This establishes a dedicated nighttime firefighting capability centered in North Gyeongsang Province, a region historically vulnerable to destructive seasonal blazes. The certification marks the culmination of an intensive multi-stage training program conducted from late May through early August. Pilots underwent rigorous ground instruction, flight-simulator training and drills before progressing to advanced tactical night flights using NVGs. Central to the preparations were high-intensity exercises around Andong Lake and Imha Dam. Crew

Aug 17, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Battling blazes after dark: Korea deploys nighttime helitankers to fight forest fires
Environment & Animals

Woof-worthy cause: Gyeonggi Province hosts adoption drive for its darkest-coated dogs

In the age of online adoption listings and social media feeds, shelter pets face a surprisingly modern hurdle: dark fur simply doesn’t always capture well on camera. Without ideal lighting, a black dog's facial expressions can blur into shadows on a smartphone screen, making them easier for prospective adopters to scroll past. To give these overlooked rescues their moment in the spotlight, Gyeonggi Province said Thursday it will host Black Dog Day at Banryeomaru Yeoju, Korea’s largest companion animal cultural complex, Monday. Operating under the banner "Light Hidden Behind Black Fur — Waiting for Your Heart," the event aims to look past coat color and connect adopters with the vibrant personalities beneath. The day-long event pairs 18 black dogs currently residing at the shelter with 30 high-profile volunteers from the Blue Angel Celebrity Volunteer Group. Together, the human-canine pairs will participate in interactive bonding sessions designed to showcase the dogs' individual personalities and gentle temperaments. Morning activities will kick off at the shelter's Healing Park,

Aug 16, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Woof-worthy cause: Gyeonggi Province hosts adoption drive for its darkest-coated dogs
Environment & Animals

Walking through forest cools body faster than city streets during heat wave: study

Walking through a forest trail lowers the heat strain on the human body significantly faster than walking on asphalt roads in the city, according to a field experiment by the National Institute of Forest Science, a research body under the Korea Forest Service, conducted amid Korea's ongoing summer heat wave. The institute tested the cooling effect of Hongneung Forest, an experimental forest in Dongdaemun District that dates to the Joseon era, by using thermal imaging cameras to compare pedestrians' heat response while walking on a forest trail versus a nearby asphalt road. Participants who walked the forest trail saw their average facial surface temperature drop by as much as 1.9 degrees Celsius from their starting point, and it stayed about 1.7 degrees lower even after the walk ended. On the asphalt road, by contrast, the average facial surface temperature — 37.0 degrees Celsius at the start — jumped to 38.1 degrees in the first stretch and showed little improvement by the end. Averaged over the full route, facial surface temperatures were 1.1 degrees lower on the forest trail tha

Aug 15, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Walking through forest cools body faster than city streets during heat wave: study
South Korea

To honor Liberation Day, Korea brings its flag to everyday life

In an era when national symbols can feel confined to government plazas and ceremonial flagpoles, Korea is embarking on a modern civic experiment: bringing its emblem directly into everyday life. On the occasion of the 81st National Liberation Day, marking the end of Japanese colonial rule in 1945, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety is launching a sweeping campaign Saturday designed to integrate the Taegeukgi — Korea’s national flag — into the rhythm of daily routines. Blending private sector partnerships, digital downloads and charitable initiatives, the government hopes to transform civic pride from a formal duty into an accessible habit. As part of the initiative, Vice Minister of the Interior and Safety Kim Min-jae joined NongHyup Bank Vice President Lee Young-woo at Government Complex Seoul to hand out custom keychains featuring the flag and the Rose of Sharon (hibiscus syriacus), Korea's national flower. The accessories, designed to attach to backpacks or keyrings, reflect an effort to build familiar connections with national iconography among younger generations. The v

Aug 15, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
To honor Liberation Day, Korea brings its flag to everyday life
Law & Crime

Gov't bans imported diet supplement TAWON LIAR after narcotic detected

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korea Customs Service have designated tapentadol, a narcotic painkiller, as a banned substance in imported foods after it was found in a diet product called TAWON LIAR brought into the country through international mail, the two agencies said. The two agencies jointly pursued the move as a preemptive step to block narcotics from entering the country through direct overseas purchases of food products — a booming channel of e-commerce in which Korean consumers buy items directly from foreign retailers and have them shipped into the country. Tapentadol works by inhibiting the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin and can cause life-threatening or fatal respiratory depression; it is classified as a narcotic under Korea's Narcotics Control Act. The substance was found by the Incheon International Airport Customs analysis office in a shipment of TAWON LIAR mailed from France. The office reported the finding to the ministry, which designated tapentadol as a blocked ingredient to swiftly stop it from entering the country. As of this month, Korea

Aug 14, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Gov't bans imported diet supplement TAWON LIAR after narcotic detected
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