The Korea Times

Indonesian diving paradise Manado welcomes Korean tourists

After arriving on the first Eastar Jet Incheon-Manado flight, tourists snorkel in the waters of Indonesia’s Bunaken National Marine Park, one of the world's top three diving destinations that is home to more than 1,300 marine species and 370 kinds of living coral, Wednesday. Eastar Jet became the first Korean carrier to launch a direct route to Manado, North Sulawesi Province of Indonesia, Oct. 26. Joint Press Corps

Oct 30, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Indonesian diving paradise Manado welcomes Korean tourists

Society

Korea honors Itaewon disaster victims on third anniversary with first state memorial

For the first time since the Itaewon crowd crush claimed 159 lives three years ago, the Korean government held a memorial service Wednesday to honor the victims of the tragedy. The ceremony, held in Gwanghwamun Square and attended by around 800 people, marked the third anniversary of the Oct. 29, 2022, crowd crush that shocked the nation. For the first time, the government formally invited families of both Korean and foreign victims to attend. At 10:29 a.m., a memorial siren sounded across the capital, echoing the date of the tragedy and prompting a minute of silence. The foreign bereaved families — 46 members from 12 countries — joined Korean families, dignitaries, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik, political leaders and citizens for the ceremony. President Lee Jae Myung, unable to attend in person due to the ongoing APEC summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, issued an apology through a video tribute, twice bowing to honor the victims and acknowledging the state’s failure to protect its citizens. “On that day, the country was absent. Liv

Oct 29, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Korea honors Itaewon disaster victims on third anniversary with first state memorial

Travel & Food

Exploring Hongdae, where Korea’s indie music, culture thrive

If you ask locals where Seoul’s heart beats fastest, many will point to Hongdae, the western neighborhood around Hongik University that has remained among Korea’s trendiest and most vibrant hotspots for decades. While international visitors flock to its graffiti-covered alleys and neon-lit storefronts, Hongdae’s true spirit lies in its rebellious music scene, a legacy born in earlier decades in smoke-filled basements where indie music transformed Korea’s youth culture. Hongdae’s emergence as Korea’s youth capital and musical vanguard was no accident. Much like the Bronx was to hip-hop or Seattle to grunge, Hongdae’s indie music scene sprang from necessity — a space for artists and outsiders seeking both a community and a sound of their own. In the 1980s, the music scene was brewing nearby in Sinchon, where rock and heavy metal fueled the passion of university students under military rule. As rent hikes and commercialization swept Sinchon in the early 1990s, the victims of the creative exodus found refuge in the area around nearby Hongik University, widely recognized as K

Oct 29, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Exploring Hongdae, where Korea’s indie music, culture thrive

Others

Korea welcomes Trump with top-level protocol

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived at Gimhae International Airport Wednesday morning, marking the start of his highly anticipated state visit during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. His arrival marks Trump’s first visit to Korea in eight years and his second face-to-face summit with President Lee Jae Myung, after their meeting in Washington two months ago. This makes Trump the first foreign leader to be received twice as a state guest in Korea. The Korean government announced "top-level protocol and security" for all heads of state attending the APEC summit, with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun personally greeting Trump upon arrival. The official welcoming ceremony included a 21-gun salute, underscoring Korea’s commitment to honoring the visiting leader. Trump then boarded his presidential helicopter, Marine One, headed to Gyeongju, where his itinerary remains tightly guarded by Korean and U.S. security services. Local police reinforced security perimeters around major sites, including the Hilton Hotel, where Trump will stay durin

Oct 29, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Korea welcomes Trump with top-level protocol

Society

Foreign families of Itaewon disaster victims demand truth, accountability

For the first time since the deadly crowd crush in central Seoul’s multicultural Itaewon area, families of foreign victims gathered in Korea on Tuesday to mark the disaster’s third anniversary. Thirty-six bereaved relatives from 10 countries convened at a memorial in central Seoul, calling for truth, accountability and stronger safety standards following the Halloween tragedy on Oct. 29, 2022, which claimed 159 lives, including 26 foreign nationals. Most victims were in their 20s and 30s and had come here to study or experience Korean culture, with families remembering their loved ones’ aspirations and their trust that Korea would keep them safe. "Accidents like this have never happened before. Why now? We still wake up every morning and hope this is just a bad dream," said Erik Evensen, the father of Norwegian victim Stine Roalkvam Evensen. Damira, the sister of Kazakh national Madina Shemiyazov, added, "Our children loved Korea and came here to study … We thought Korea was safe. We just want to prevent this from happening again — and hope for strong safety education from kin

Oct 28, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Foreign families of Itaewon disaster victims demand truth, accountability

Travel & Food

Gimcheon gimbap festival draws huge crowds, doubling town’s population

What began as a playful idea has blossomed into a full-fledged phenomenon in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, as more than 150,000 visitors flocked over the weekend for the second edition of the gimbap festival —ballooning the city's usual population of 130,000. The two-day festival, which ran Saturday and Sunday, transformed the quiet city into a bustling food hub celebrating Korea’s beloved seaweed rice roll. Over 30 vendors offered 50 varieties of gimbab, from trendy frozen rolls to regional specialties and award-winning competition creations. Local food company Daejung operated an open kitchen on-site, rolling out up to 1,000 gimbap per hour. The city’s success traces back to a savvy approach to cultural branding. When Gimcheon surveyed young Koreans in 2023 about the first thing that came to mind regarding the city, the top answer was gimbap — a nod to Gimbap Cheonguk (Gimbap Heaven), a nationwide chain often associated with Gimcheon. Rather than dismiss the connection, officials embraced it, using it as the foundation for their tourism campaign. The festival’s debut l

Oct 27, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Gimcheon gimbap festival draws huge crowds, doubling town’s population

Society

Gyeongju warns of scam promising free G-Dragon concert at APEC summit

The city of Gyeongju has urged the public to exercise caution after false social media posts circulated online claiming that K-pop star G-Dragon would give a free concert at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. City officials said Monday that several online communities and blogs had circulated posts about supposed concerts such as “G-Dragon’s Cheomseongdae Performance” and the “Hwangseong Park Concert,” describing them as completely unfounded. They added that there are no official performance plans involving the singer during the APEC summit, which runs through Saturday. These fake posts are based on online rumors claiming that G-Dragon would host a free concert on Friday near Cheomseongdae Observatory in Donggung Palace as part of a cultural event commemorating the summit. The posts also included links claiming users could “preregister” for the event, but clicking the links led to pages requesting personal information. Authorities suspect the scheme may be a form of smishing fraud. To curb misinformation, the city has been sharing verified details with loca

Oct 27, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Gyeongju warns of scam promising free G-Dragon concert at APEC summit

Society

State-of-the-art facilities await world leaders for APEC 2025

The ancient city of Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province is entering the final phase of preparations to host the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1. The summit will gather top leaders and senior officials from 21 member economies, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who are set to meet for the first time in more than six years. At the heart of the event stands the Gyeongju Hwabaek Convention Center (HICO), the official summit venue. The building has undergone a complete transformation to host the two-day event, emerging as a state-of-the-art conference facility equipped with advanced LED screens, immersive sound systems and a full-scale renovation of the full interior. Once a regional convention center, HICO has been redesigned to accommodate top-level diplomacy. Its VIP lounges, bilateral meeting rooms and simultaneous interpretation facilities have been fully refurbished. Every elevator and escalator was replaced for accessibility and safety. "We are on our final steps," said Park Jang-ho,

Oct 26, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

State-of-the-art facilities await world leaders for APEC 2025

Travel & Food

Gyeongju, Korea’s enduring heart of travel and heritage

As the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit approaches, the host city of Gyeongju is reaffirming its standing as one of Korea’s premier travel destinations — a distinction it has held for decades, sustained by both deliberate national planning and enduring public affection. Nestled in North Gyeongsang Province, Gyeongju was the capital of the Silla Dynasty (57 B.C.- 935 A.D.) for nearly a thousand years, and its streets, gardens and ancient mounds still carry echoes of that golden era. The city’s fame as “the museum without walls” was established long before an ambitious government project in the 1970s, which included the creation of the Bomun Tourist Complex, helped lay the foundation for today’s tourism-driven economy. In 1971, President Park Chung-hee toured the region and underscored the need to preserve and promote Gyeongju’s Silla heritage, which had endured for nearly a millennium. He unveiled the Gyeongju Comprehensive Tourism Development Plan, which envisioned the city’s transformation into an international cultural destination while still protecting

Oct 25, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Gyeongju, Korea’s enduring heart of travel and heritage

North Korea

Trump, Kim urged to use APEC summit as chance for talks: unification minister

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young on Friday called on U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to meet during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, describing it as a "heaven-sent opportunity" to end the Korean War, which has lasted for 72 years, and to advance peace in the region. Speaking at a press briefing at Government Complex Seoul, Chung said the APEC gathering offers a realistic and timely setting for a breakthrough meeting. "If the two leaders let this moment pass, organizing another summit later would be far more difficult given scheduling and negotiation constraints," he said. Chung noted what he described as "signs of readiness" on both sides. He noted the United Nations Command decision to suspend tours at the Joint Security Area and clean-up activities around Panmungak Pavilion — the main building on the North Korean side of Panmunjeom, also known as Phanmun Pavilion — including landscaping and maintenance work that had not been carried out for over a year. The minister acknowledged logistical obstacles, but said they were second

Oct 24, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Lee Hae-rin

Read more

Indonesian diving paradise Manado welcomes Korean tourists

Korea honors Itaewon disaster victims on third anniversary with first state memorial

Exploring Hongdae, where Korea’s indie music, culture thrive

Korea welcomes Trump with top-level protocol

Foreign families of Itaewon disaster victims demand truth, accountability

Gimcheon gimbap festival draws huge crowds, doubling town’s population

Gyeongju warns of scam promising free G-Dragon concert at APEC summit

State-of-the-art facilities await world leaders for APEC 2025

Gyeongju, Korea’s enduring heart of travel and heritage

Trump, Kim urged to use APEC summit as chance for talks: unification minister

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