The Korea Times

Korea-based Green Climate Fund helps developing countries access direct finance

Korea’s role as host of the Green Climate Fund is drawing greater attention to how developing countries can access climate finance, particularly through mechanisms designed to bypass traditional intermediaries. Insights from a recent lecture in Seoul highlighted how the institution is expanding direct access to funding, allowing national entities to take greater control over climate projects. “Our goal is not just to fund projects but to help build systems where countries can mobilize climate finance independently,” Olena Borysova, a principal in the GCF’s investment services department, said Feb. 24 during a lecture for Royal Asiatic Society (RAS) Korea. “Our global economy has long been built on burning carbon. The challenge now is how quickly we can transition to systems that are sustainable, resilient and climate-friendly.” To address this need, GCF was established as a key mechanism under the Paris Agreement, working with governments and financial institutions to fund climate projects in developing countries. “Whether climate change is anthropogenic or not, we are alrea

Apr 5, 2026By Bereket Alemayehu

Korea-based Green Climate Fund helps developing countries access direct finance

Books

'Soju artist' publishes illustrated guide to Korean drinking culture in English

Kim Wan-jun, who calls himself a “soju artist,” published the English translation of his book, “How to Drink Soju: A Guide to K-Drinking Culture & Games,” last month. The 300-page book, with more than 200 illustrations, provides an in-depth look at the history of soju, a Korean alcoholic beverage that is traditionally distilled, as well as exploring its cultural significance and customs surrounding it. Kim, a self-proclaimed upcycling artist widely known as “Funnyjun,” has been documenting Korea’s drinking culture since 2014 and sharing his insights with audiences in Korea and abroad. The Korean version of the book sold out quickly upon its 2021 release. Now the first English print run of 1,000 copies can be purchased at bookstores in Korea as well as distributed directly from him to readers, as he wants to continue promoting it independently. The translation has been reviewed by Jean-Pierre Polonovski, You Yeji and Evan Barringer. Kim did almost all the work in creating the book himself. He wrote the text, illustrated more than 200 drawings, designed the layout and edited

Mar 17, 2026By Bereket Alemayehu

'Soju artist' publishes illustrated guide to Korean drinking culture in English

Global Community

Indians in Korea celebrate spring’s colorful Holi Hungama festival in Seoul

Spring arrives this year in an explosion of colors with Holi Hungama, a major Hindu festival celebrated mainly in India and Nepal and by diaspora communities worldwide. Participants throw colored water and powder at each other in a celebration symbolizing the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring and the celebration of love, unity and renewal. For anyone in Korea interested in taking part in this high-energy festival, the Indian community here is organizing its own Holi Hungama event. Organizers highlighted that Holi celebrations in Korea began informally within the Indian community in the early 2000s. Over time, through the structured efforts of Indians in Korea (IIK), a registered nonprofit organization and community chamber established in 2002, the festival has evolved into a well-organized multicultural event in Seoul and other cities. IIK President Nagendra Kumar Kaushik, a professor at Kwangwoon University, told The Korea Times about the festival's origins. “Holi has deep roots in Indian mythology,” he explained. “One of its most significant origins is linked to th

Mar 10, 2026By Bereket Alemayehu

Indians in Korea celebrate spring’s colorful Holi Hungama festival in Seoul

Global Community

3rd Visual Voices exhibition 'Annyeong' focuses on world peace, well-being

The annual Visual Voices roving exhibition is back for its third year, presenting its poster project and exhibition as a solidarity activity, spreading peace through art. This year's exhibition includes civic participation workshops, dance and sound performances, poetry readings and special lectures by Mohammad Naiem Mohammadi, an Afghan refugee in Korea. Citizens, artists, curators and activists come together to create posters that confront contemporary conflict and violence through art. The exhibition, named "Annyeong" features work by Korean and international artists, refugees, activists and community members who use visual storytelling to highlight issues that are often marginalized or difficult to verbalize to express messages of peace, empathy and human rights. Organizers highlighted that the word "annyeong" is the most common greeting in Korea. "We say it both when we meet and when we part ways. It's a natural expression at the beginning and end of each day, at the opening and closing of relationships," they said. "However, when broken down into Chinese characters, the word signif

Mar 3, 2026By Bereket Alemayehu

3rd Visual Voices exhibition 'Annyeong' focuses on world peace, well-being

Global Community

Critical Mass cyclists take back Seoul's streets

A group of Korean and foreign cycle enthusiasts gathered at Sinyongsan Garo Park in central Seoul on a cold but sunny Jan. 17 afternoon. Even though it was the middle of winter, about 30 showed up for the 14th Critical Mass in Seoul to ride through the city's busy central core. Critical Mass is a monthly bicycle ride held in hundreds of cities worldwide to promote cycling, protest car-centric infrastructure and advocate for safer, more sustainable urban mobility. Previously, Seoul had Critical Mass gatherings going back to about 2001, but there had been nothing since the COVID-19 pandemic until 2024, when Kim Eui-ho and fellow cyclists discussed bringing it back. They began organizing monthly rides, inviting anyone willing to pedal through the city together. Today, they say they are the only active Critical Mass group in Seoul. Kim is the co-founder of Gridy, a bicycle messenger service. He explained to The Korea Times that the goal is the same as any other Critical Mass in the world. “However, one point that may differ from other cities is that Seoul has an extremely low population of

Feb 18, 2026By Bereket Alemayehu

Critical Mass cyclists take back Seoul's streets

Global Community

Cameroonian educator’s first book tells story of overcoming hardship, aims to inspire children

After leaving Cameroon and coming to Korea more than 25 years ago, Chrysanthus Fogha Caspa recently published his first-ever book in English and Korean in January. Titled “I Want to Go to College,” the book is a memoir aimed at motivating children — especially young Africans in Korea, on the African continent and beyond. It recounts the author’s journey of pursuing a college education against all odds, overcoming discrimination and other obstacles, before ultimately migrating halfway around the world to Korea, an unfamiliar country. Though published recently, Caspa says the book has been forming inside him since he was 7 years old, the age at which he lost his mother. “Her death marked a turning point," he said. "She had been my greatest supporter, the one who convinced me that I could become anything — a doctor, a lawyer, anything, if I studied hard.” Losing her at such a young age exposed him to new tough hardships, including discrimination from relatives and society itself. The decision to finally write the book came years later, after he became a father himself. One day,

Feb 7, 2026By Bereket Alemayehu

Cameroonian educator’s first book tells story of overcoming hardship, aims to inspire children

Global Community

Central Seoul's disappearing industrial core comes alive in Greek filmmaker Liron Shalit's documentary 'Living Euljiro'

Greek filmmaker Liron Shalit's documentary "Living Euljiro" explores the hidden losses faced by people in central Seoul's Euljiro area, who were about to be evicted due to a massive urban redevelopment project. His film captures the beauty of the centuries-old alleys and the deep relationships formed with residents whose lives were upended. Shalit has been creating award-winning short documentaries since 2017, exploring themes such as social issues, human rights, disability, natural disasters and urban life. He came to Korea in 2020 to work on a documentary about digital sex crimes, specifically the notorious Nth Room case. But like many projects that year, it was interrupted by COVID-19, leaving the film unfinished. “On a winter day during the pandemic, I was wandering through Euljiro, where I encountered something that would change the course of my work," he told The Korea Times. "The streets were alive with the sounds of metalworkers, cutting, hammering, shaping raw material by hand. Then, almost impossibly, I stepped into a gallery hidden in the same alley — clean, well-organize

Feb 2, 2026By Bereket Alemayehu

Central Seoul's disappearing industrial core comes alive in Greek filmmaker Liron Shalit's documentary 'Living Euljiro'

Global Community

American flaneur turns Korea’s cities into poetry in book series

American flaneur Andy Knowlton has captured his musings in a series of books documenting his wanderings in Korean cities. With the first book spotlighting Daegu, he also has books planned for Busan, Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province and Jeonju in North Jeolla Province. His books, published by Pondicherry Books, an independent imprint he founded himself, blend observation, reflection and quiet storytelling, setting them apart from traditional travel writing. Although he is American by nationality, Knowlton was born in Paris and spent part of his childhood in France, where people known as flaneurs have been practicing flanerie — basically strolling — since the 19th century. It’s said that flanerie is not just walker, but a way of being in the city, closely tied to modern urban life, poetry, philosophy and the art of observation. As he explains, a flaneur is not simply someone who walks a lot, but who walks not to arrive somewhere, but to absorb modern life, faces, gestures, fashion, decay, beauty and boredom. Knowlton’s books follow a similar format, presenting minimalist writing

Jan 15, 2026By Bereket Alemayehu

American flaneur turns Korea’s cities into poetry in book series

Global Community

Refugee forum urges Korea to embrace diversity as source of strength

Responsibility for refugee protection should not rest solely with the government, according to participants in the Korea Refugee Forum, held at Seoul National University of Education on Dec. 9. Instead, forum participants said, meaningful protection and integration requires collaboration across sectors, communities and institutions. This “whole-of-society” approach encourages long-term thinking about social inclusion, coexistence and access to services, rather than focusing only on short-term asylum procedures. As the first national-level forum dedicated exclusively to refugee issues, the event highlighted the intensification of forced displacement in recent years due to a combination of conflicts and wars, persecution, human rights violations and the global climate crisis. Organized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Mission to Korea, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, Refugee Human Rights Network and Refugee Research Network, the forum was held in alignment with this month’s Global Refugee Forum Progress Review Meeting at UNHCR headquarters

Dec 25, 2025By Bereket Alemayehu

Refugee forum urges Korea to embrace diversity as source of strength

Global Community

Media framing fuels misconceptions about refugees in Korea

The Korean media’s persistent tendency to frame refugees as security risks continues to fuel public fear and distort policy debates, overshadowing the far less visible human stories of people fleeing conflict. That was the conclusion at a special lecture, titled "Portrayal of Refugees in Korean Media," organized by the Human Rights Society (HRS) at Korea University's Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS) in collaboration with the refugee-led initiative Hanokers at Seoul Startup Hub on Nov. 10. The event explored how different media outlets strategically frame news about refugees and how it impacts policies and public perception in Korea, providing a rare opportunity for Korean and international students to gain insight into the lived experience and perspective of migrants living here with a refugee background. The portrayal of refugees in Korean media plays a major role in shaping public perception and political debate. It offers a mix of fear and sympathy, while historically leaning toward risk-focused political narratives, especially conservative ones, that frame refugees

Dec 24, 2025By Bereket Alemayehu

Bereket Alemayehu

Read more

Korea-based Green Climate Fund helps developing countries access direct finance

'Soju artist' publishes illustrated guide to Korean drinking culture in English

Indians in Korea celebrate spring’s colorful Holi Hungama festival in Seoul

3rd Visual Voices exhibition 'Annyeong' focuses on world peace, well-being

Critical Mass cyclists take back Seoul's streets

Cameroonian educator’s first book tells story of overcoming hardship, aims to inspire children

Central Seoul's disappearing industrial core comes alive in Greek filmmaker Liron Shalit's documentary 'Living Euljiro'

American flaneur turns Korea’s cities into poetry in book series

Refugee forum urges Korea to embrace diversity as source of strength

Media framing fuels misconceptions about refugees in Korea

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