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Kwon Mee-yoo

Korea Times Politics & City Reporter

Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.

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South Korea

Seoul Plaza full of cultural events till October

By Kwon Mee-yoo Staff reporter Seoul residents will be able to enjoy a series of cultural events from Saturday until October at Seoul Plaza. The performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. every day, except Mondays, weather permitting. The repertoire includes concerts, opera, ballet, classical music, Korean traditional music and much more. The city will showcase operas and ballets in their entirety. Seoul Metropolitan Opera will perform ``The Barber of Seville'' on May 27, while the Universal Ballet will dance ``Swan Lake.'' ``We will stage at least two entire performances per month,'' a city official said. A number of entertainers who are now doing their military service will also show off their talent. On May 28, actor Kim Jae-won and entertainer Boom, or Lee Min-ho, will host a Korean Forces Network show featuring singer Kim Jeong-hoon of UN and Andy of Shinhwa. Other entertainer soldiers such as Zo In-sung and Lee Jun-ki will appear in June and July, respectively. The theme differs by month ㅡ family in May, dance in June, world music in July, classical in Aug

May 12, 2010By Kwon Mee-yoo
South Korea

1st multicultural research institute established

By Kwon Mee-yoo Staff reporter The first research institute dedicated to multiculturalism in Korea was founded Tuesday. The KMC Multicultural Research Institute is an affiliate of the Korea Multicultural Congress (KMC), an organization to promote multiculturalism here. The institute consists of some 120 professors and 100 experts who work in the field. "This is the largest research center for multiculturalism in Korea," KMC president Kwon Young-kee said. "I hope the institute opens a new phase in multicultural research in Korea and promotes multicultural society." The KMC appointed Moon Hyoung-koo of Korea University Business School as the chief of the institute. "The institute will study multiculturalism systematically and in-depth to provide direction to policymakers," Moon said. At a symposium commemorating the opening of the institute, anthropology professor Chun Kyung-soo of Seoul National University said Korea has to break the "myth" of the single-race. "Koreans have to admit and respect the difference and identity of other cultures," Chun said. "Networking

May 12, 2010By Kwon Mee-yoo
South Korea

Tourists increasingly satisfied with Seoul

By Kwon Mee-yoo Staff reporter At popular tourist destinations in Seoul such as Myeongdong, the city has stationed helpers in red jackets for tourists. For instance, a Chinese tourist with his wife in a wheelchair struggled in Myeongdong last weekend when he wanted to cross the street to a department store, there were no crosswalks. There was an elevator to the underground walkway but the operator only spoke Korean. The red-jacketed aides came to their assistance and called the lift operator, helping them get to the other side of the street. With efforts like these, Seoul is becoming a more charming tourist spot. Visitors to the capital are on a steady increase and nine out of 10 are satisfied with their trips. "Seoul was chosen as the city Chinese, Japanese and East Asians wanted to visit most in 2008 and 2009 and finished third in 'The 31 Places to Go in 2010' by the New York Times," a city official said. "We will attract more visitors through high-end programs such as medical tourism and hosting conventions. We also plan to reinforce overseas marketing and simp

May 11, 2010By Kwon Mee-yoo
South Korea

Dead mouse found in E-Marts own-label flour

By Kwon Mee-yoo Staff reporter A foreign object suspected of being a dead mouse was found in a bag of E-Mart own-label flour leading health authorities to order a suspension of sales. The Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) said Monday it has received a complaint from a consumer claiming the remains of a type of rodent were found in a 1-kilogram bag of self rising flour. The KFDA is investigating when the contaminant got into the bag ― during the manufacturing process or after the customer opened the bag. The flour in question was produced at the Asan factory of Samyang Milmax with the E-Mart brand, best before date Sept. 16, 2010. The number of bags to be recalled is 1,080. To try and prevent any possibility of a repeat incident, some 95 tons of the same product, manufactured from May 2009 to last month have been temporarily suspended from further sales. According to the KFDA, the consumer in Osan, Gyeonggi Province, bought a bag of flour in January, and found what appeared to be a 6-centimeter long dead mouse and reported it to the E-Mart store in late Apri

May 10, 2010By Kwon Mee-yoo
South Korea

1900 Korean pavilion in Paris Expo disclosed

By Kwon Mee-yoo Staff reporter How foreigners thought of the first Korean pavilion in world expo in 1900 was revealed by the 2012 Yeosu Expo Committee, Monday. The Organizing Committee for Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea said Vicente Gonzales Loscertales, secretary general of the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE), had donated rare documents in a gesture wishing for a successful Yeosu Expo. Le Petit Journal, a French daily, covered the Korean Pavilion at the 1900 Paris Expo. "The charm of this wooden building, colored in primary colors and covered with a roof of Far East beauty, attracts the public gaze," the newspaper said. The Korean pavilion exhibited Korean clothes, accessories, furniture and farming equipment. Woodblock printing such as the Tripitaka Koreana and other Buddhist scriptures were also on display. "The pavilion impresses visitors portraying Korean resources and industry as it displays collections of the king and artifacts brought by French who lived in Korea," the journal said. Korea's first official participation in the expo dates back to 1893, displ

May 10, 2010By Kwon Mee-yoo
South Korea

Korea, Japan intellectuals state 1910 Annexation Treaty invalid

By Kwon Mee-yoo Staff reporter A group of intellectuals in Korea and Japan issued a joint statement Monday, declaring the 1910 Korea-Japan Annexation Treaty "null and void." This is the first time that scholars from the two countries have held a press conference to pronounce the invalidity of the annexation treaty. One hundred and nine Korean and 105 Japanese intellectuals held press conferences in Seoul and Tokyo, respectively, to deliver their message. "Japan's annexation of Korea was an imperialistic and illicit act using military power to overcome protests from Koreans," they wrote in a joint statement. "The preamble and body of the treaty are all lies and there are serious flaws in its process and form. As the process of amalgamation is unjust, the annexation treaty is wrong." The statement added the independence movement of Korea was not unlawful and supported the Korean government which interpreted the treaty as null and void. "Based on the facts, the Korean interpretation of 'null and void' should be recognized as the consensus," the statement said. T

May 10, 2010By Kwon Mee-yoo
South Korea

Police to notify victims of their rights

By Kwon Mee-yoo Staff reporter The police will notify victims of their rights in the same way they give the Miranda warning to criminal suspects. The National Police Agency (NPA) said Sunday that it will introduce a preliminary system Monday for victims to be notified of their rights when they make statements. The NPA will test-operate the system in three stations - Gwanak Police Station, Seodaemun Police Station and the one-stop support center in Boramae Medical Center - and expand it in July after discussion with the related institutions such as the Ministry of Justice and the prosecution. The victims of homicide, robbery, arson, organized crime, sexual violence and hit-and-run accidents would be among those receiving notifications during the test period. "The police officer in charge is obliged to inform the rights of victims to the victims and the victims will be required to sign the police report as a written confirmation of their rights," a police official said. The police have given the Miranda warning to suspects, but have been negligent in securing the ri

May 9, 2010By Kwon Mee-yoo
South Korea

Jail videotaping violates privacy

By Kwon Mee-yoo Staff reporter Recent videotaping of suspects involved in physical violence with police officers at a Seoul detention center is considered to be an infringement of their human rights, according to civic groups Sunday. But police say that it was necessary for them to videotape "violent" suspects to help establish order in the holding cells. Last Friday evening, Seoul Seocho Police Station detained six people supporting a progressive biweekly newspaper, "Left 21," for violating laws on assembly and demonstration. According to the police, they held a rally criticizing the government for about two hours near Gangnam Station in southern Seoul. However, the newly-established newspaper said they were just ordinary citizens promoting Left 21. "Our paper is a legal periodical. It is not a free paper but a newspaper that people pay for," the group said on its Web site, adding the pickets were intended to increase the public awareness of the paper. It then argued that what the police considered a 'political chant' was just a slogan to publicize the paper.

May 9, 2010By Kwon Mee-yoo
South Korea

MBC president under growing pressure to step down

By Kwon Mee-yoo Staff reporter MBC President Kim Jae-chul is under growing pressure to step down as more than 500 program directors and technicians of the nation's second largest broadcaster supported the unionized workers' demand that its top management resign for what they call independence from the government. A total of 261 of 346 members of the MBC PD Association have signed their names in a declaration demanding the resignation of MBC President Kim and vice president Hwang Hee-man, according to the group. "The strike has been going on for more than a month. We PDs are in agony as we cannot make programs, but the president is not feeling the pain at all. We don't recognize Kim Jae-chul and Hwang Hee-man as MBC members. Leave MBC!" the statement said. It is the first time that program directors have signed their names on a declaration against its president in the public broadcasting company's history. It said Kim has refused to accept talks with PDs. At the same time, 246 members of the association of MBC technicians also issued a statement Friday, demanding Ki

May 7, 2010By Kwon Mee-yoo
South Korea

HS Seoul featured in Shanghai Expo

By Kwon Mee-yoo Staff reporter Seoul Metropolitan Government's (SMG) pavilion at the Expo 2010 Shanghai is attracting numerous visitors due to its state-of-the-art technology depicting the capital's culture and information technology (IT) booths. Beginning May 1, around 10,000 people have visited the pavilion daily so far. "This exceeds our expectation of around 2,500 to 3,000," said Yoon Young-seok of the city's global marketing division. Under the theme of "Seoul Culturenomics and IT," a 14.5 meters by 4 meters LED screen shows video clips of tourist attractions in Seoul and images of the city's future. "Taking composite photographs with Korean stars and portraits drawn by robots are popular contents of the Seoul pavilion," Yoon said. The pavilion consists of five zones - Hi Seoul, Touring Seoul, Seoul Plaza, Seoul Sky and Seoul Renaissance. The "Hi Seoul" zone features Seoul's symbolic attractions, including Mt. Namsan, Seoul Fortress and Sungnyemun through digital art. "Touring Seoul" displays photos of tourism activities such as shopping, dining, entertainment

May 6, 2010By Kwon Mee-yoo
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