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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

Buddhists, Incheon airport fight lantern row

Lanterns shaped after Buddhist pagodas are on display at the Incheon International Airport on May 15, two days before Buddha’s Birthday. The airport originally declined to allow the decorations, only to flip-flop after Buddhist groups’ protest. / YonhapBy Baek Byung-yeulKorea’s largest Buddhist order has called on the interim CEO of Incheon International Airport to resign, extending a conflict that erupted earlier this month over Buddha’s Birthday celebrations there.The airport originally refused to allow the Jogye Order to decorate its terminals with lotus-shaped lanterns ― a tradition for Buddha’s Birthday that fell on May 17 ― but flip-flopped after Buddhist groups organized protests at its facilities.The Jogye Order claims that the airport has been discriminating against Buddhists, pointing out that it had made no qualms about its halls decked in Christmas decorations in December.The airport insists it was trying to be consistent in its policy about its facilities being religiously neutral and disallowing installments representing certain f

May 29, 2013By Baek Byung-yeul

'Putting on gomusin backwards'

By Yoon Sung-won, Park Jin-hai, Kwon Ji-younMany young Korean men are ditched by their girlfriends after they join the military. They often describe the process of being dumped by their former sweethearts as “putting on gomusin (rubber shoes) backwards.” This description has a meaning quite similar to an English expression, “writing a Dear John letter,” because both imply “leaving” or “breakup.” All able-bodied Korean male adults are obligated to serve in the armed forces for almost two years. And young servicemen usually admit that keeping their love alive for over 20 months, even though they can see or contact each other whenever they need, is very difficult.For that reason, the love stories of gomusin are both heartbreaking and heartwarming.Why break up?Hwang Jin-su, 27, confessed he had the most struggling moment of his life while in the military, when his girlfriend of three years came to visit him, with only three months of his service time left.“Since she had waited for me while I was at the military, I was determined to be

May 28, 2013
'Putting on gomusin backwards'

Alcoholic wife

Dear Dr. P,Hi, I have been married to a Korean woman for about two years. I am convinced that she is an alcoholic and it is ruining our marriage. It seems that no amount of anger, arguing, cajoling, reasoning, threatening, or anything else I can think of can persuade her to stop drinking — or at least, drink more moderately and less frequently.She refuses to even consider the possibility that, whatever other problems we may have in our marriage, the root cause is her drinking. She justifies her drinking by saying that if I were a more attentive husband she would stop. (Now, I will admit that I may not be the most attentive of husbands.)When she is drunk, she makes the most ridiculous accusations that I am seeing or lusting after other women, and constantly dredges up issues from my life before I even met her. When she is sober, she is the most loving and caring of wives, and I have no complaints and truly try to be more loving and attentive. But it doesn’t work, she soon finds a pretext to drink and usually comes home at unacceptably late hours (2 a.m. or later), and beco

May 24, 2013
Alcoholic wife

Is birth control pill 100 percent reliable?

By Lee Hye-junApproximately half of American women in their 20s use the birth control pill for contraception. It is easy to take and is known to be an almost 100 percent method for contraception. There are two forms of birth control pill: the combination of estrogen and progestin, and the mini-pill containing only progestin. The combination birth control pill prevents ovulation, thickens cervical mucus, and produces a uterine lining hostile to implantation. It is conventionally given daily for 21 days, stopped for 7 days, and then a new cycle begins — bleeding occurs during the pill-free interval. The mini-pill works similarly except that ovulation frequently occurs. It must be taken every day at the same time of day. In Korea, only the combination pill is available.Surprisingly, 8.7 percent of women on the combination pill get pregnant during their first year taking it. This is lower than those using condoms (17.4 percent), withdrawal (18.4 percent), and periodic abstinence (25.3 percent), but higher than those who have implants (1 percent) and intrauterine devices (0.1 percen

May 24, 2013
Is birth control pill 100 percent reliable?

Flat shoes are as bad as high heels

Contrary to common belief, flat shoes can be as damaging as high-heeled shoes. / Korea Times fileBy Yoon Ja-youngMost people know that stilettos and other high heeled shoes are bad for women’s leg muscles. Some health-conscious people would thus choose ballet flats, but orthopedists say that flat shoes can be as damaging as high heeled shoes. They recommend wearing an inch high heel as best for walking.“Women often wear flat shoes and sandals at this time of year, but these can cause Achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis by putting pressure on the soles,” said Prof. Chung Duke-whan at Kyunghee University Medical Center. “They know that high heels aren’t good for their ankles, and they also believe flat shoes won’t put a burden on their feet because these shoes are designed like soles without heels. However, the reality isn’t so,” he said.Flat shoes cause too much tension on the arch of the foot, and too much weight is put on the heel bones. They thus cause inflammation in the Achilles tendon or can lead to plantar fasciitis, where t

May 24, 2013By Yoon Ja-young
Flat shoes are as bad as high heels

Healthline

Therapeutic meditation class to be heldKyunghee University Hospital in Gangdong, eastern Seoul, said it will open a therapeutic meditation class from June 11.The 8-week-program, led by Prof. Kim Jong-woo, is for people who suffer from anxiety or depression, or people suffering from pain or lethargy.Participants will learn meditation, respiration and relaxation as well as how to seek and share love and kindness. For more information, call (02) 440-7575. Class on rheumatoid arthritis scheduled Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital is planning a class on rheumatoid arthritis on May 27. Professors at the hospital will give introductory presentations on diverse topics such as symptoms and diagnosis and new treatments for the disease, along with its relationship to cardiovascular disease and the effect of vitamin D.For further inquiries, call (02) 2258-2032. Symposium on hospice care due Ewha Womans University Medical Center is holding a symposium on hospice care, amid growing interest in alleviating pain and helping patients pass away peacefully instead of extending their li

May 24, 2013By Yoon Ja-young

Recipe for slow and steady diet

Courtesy of Cypress Bajirak Kalguksu: clam noodle soup Nutritional factsCarbohydrates 58 gProtein 14 gFat 3 gIngredientsYou will need 80 grams of “kalguksu” noodles, 130 grams of “bajirak,” or manila clams, including shells, 5 grams of “mideodeok,” or styela clava, 40 grams of potato, 15 grams of onion, 30 grams of squash, 15 grams of oyster mushrooms, 2 grams of red pepper, 2 grams of spring onions, one-and-a-half cups of “myeolchi” broth, or Japanese anchovy broth, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce and 0.5 grams of crushed garlic.For myeolchi broth, you will need 3 grams of dried myeolchi, a piece of dry “dashima,” or kelp, which is five centimeters by five centimeters, 10 grams of white radish, 5 grams of spring onion and some water. Step by step1. Cut potato, onion and squash in strips, and tear oyster mushrooms.2. Slice red pepper and spring onion diagonally.3. Make myeolchi broth with ingredients4. Knock excess flour from kalguksu and parboil the noodle.5. Put depurated bajirak and mideodeok into the myeolchi brot

May 24, 2013By Yoon Ja-young
Recipe for slow and steady diet

Shaving doesn't make legs shaggy

By Yoon Ja-youngNow that summer weather is suddenly here after a short spring, women are taking miniskirts, shorts and sleeveless shirts out of their closets. With those garments, however, come concerns over how best to cope with hair on the legs. Women usually shave their legs using razors, but many are in fear of causing dense hair growth following this.This idea is prevalent in Korea — that’s why moms take babies, less than a year old, to the hairdresser and shave them completely bald. Many people believe that this will increase their baby’s hair growth.However, this widely held belief is groundless, according to Dr. Kim Ji-hyun, a dermatologist at Grand Dermatology Clinic. “Shaving doesn’t increase hair or make it thicker. It just looks as if it is becoming so,” the doctor said.Our hair follicles go from thick to thin, from the root to the tip. When we shave, the thin part of our hair is cut while the thicker part near the roots rise above the skin’s surface as the hair grows. Thus, it makes the hair look thicker and feel tougher after sh

May 24, 2013By Yoon Ja-young

Passion and greed of climbing

By Song Sang-hoWe see many artificial rock climbing areas in the mountains and parks these days, with a number of nationwide climbing competitions held every year. Climbing, which only a small number of people enjoyed, really seems to be expanding among diverse groups of people.Climbing is good for strengthening muscle and improving flexibility. As you use the muscles in the entire body while rock climbing, it is very effective in increasing muscle strength and endurance. Males can have a muscular body, and females can have a resilient and well-balanced body. It is even better as it can be done both indoors and outdoors — rock climbing is not influenced by the weather or the season.As rock climbing is known to be effective in shedding kilos, the number of female climbers is also increasing. After actress Park Ha-sun lost 10 kilograms by rock climbing, more women are trying a “climbing diet.” Climbing is a type of aerobic exercise. It can help in losing weight because you burn a lot of calories doing it.However, you need to be careful not to overdo it if you’re

May 24, 2013
Passion and greed of climbing

Pains and joys of breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is not only beneficial for babies but also blissful experience for mothers. / Korea Times fileBy Yoon Ja-youngJi-ho’s mother thought the hardest part was over when she gave birth to her son after five hours of labor last autumn. Looking back, she says the delivery was easy when compared with breastfeeding.“I had no concrete idea on how to breastfeed my baby. I simply thought that the baby would suck when I hugged him, but it wasn’t the case. It was like taking a breastfeeding 101 class,” she said, recalling how she learned about the different postures for feeding, such as the cradle, football, and cross-over holds, from nurses at the postpartum care center, where Korean moms usually stay for two weeks after delivery.To breastfeed the newborn, mothers have to be awake every two or three hours, while those feeding their babies on powdered formula can sleep a little longer thanks to the babies being full. Most would be willing to sacrifice their sleep to feed their babies, but sometimes it is the babies who refuse the breastfeeding. Not all bab

May 24, 2013By Yoon Ja-young
Pains and joys of breastfeeding
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