Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Lees books featured in Israel book fair

Korean books written by Lee Jae-rock, a pastor of the Manmin Central Church in Seoul, including "The Message of the Cross" (Hebrew version; The Way of Salvation) translated into 20 languages and “Heaven and Hell” ―12 languages ― were featured at the 25th Jerusalem International Book Fair which took place at Jerusalem International Convention Center (ICC), Israel from Feb. 20 to 25. Lee’s books published by Urim Books impressed many visitors, according to the church, and Urim discussed with many foreign publishers about the publication and distribution of Lee's books. The U.S. Commerce Department also showed interest in exhibiting them in the U.S. Pavilion there and purchasing the rights of the titles of the books. Lee is senior pastor of the Manmin Central Church in Seoul, a 120,000-member international church, and was recently named as one of the “Top 10 Most Influential Christian Leaders in 2009 and 2010” by the Christian Telegraph newspaper. About 1,200 publishers from 40 countries attended the fair.

Mar 1, 2011

North Korea offered to co-host ceremony for Chondogyo anniversary

By Shim Jae-yun North Korea has proposed talks to discuss religious and humanitarian issues in time for the April 5 anniversary of Chondogyo, a Korean religion. “The North made an offer on Feb. 2 to hold a joint anniversary ceremony in Seoul,” Yim Woon-kil, the supreme leader of Chondogyo, said during an exclusive interview with The Korea Times at his office in central Seoul. He said the proposal was made by representatives of Cheongwoodang (youth political party), a body of North Korea’s Chondogyo, led by Yoo Mi-young. Yoo is the daughter of the late legendary independence activist Yoo Duk-ryul who was active in North Korea. Pyongyang wants to hold a working-level meeting in Gaeseong, North Korea, to discuss the matter, Yim said. “Given the lingering tension between the South and North, we have yet to discuss details with government authorities such as the Ministry of Unification on whether to proceed with the proposal or not,” he said. In North Korea, religious bodies including Chondogyo are politically motivated, though there are allegedly a huge number of Chon

Feb 28, 2011By Shim Jae-yun

Chondogyo: from social movement to spiritual practices

By Chung Ah-young Under the brutal Japanese colonial rule (1910-45), Koreans were eager to get back their freedom and independence. Such strong yearnings led to the March 1 Independence Movement in 1919, which involved 33 national leaders who signed and proclaimed the Declaration of the Independence. Among the 33, 15 were Chondogyo (Korean native religion) members, including Son Byeong-hi, the chief signatory and organizer of the group. Some 1,461 believers, including Son, the then Chondogyo leader, were arrested and imprisoned during the independence movement. After liberation from the Japanese occupation in 1945, the religion continued to organize social and cultural movements for justice, equality and spiritual and moral reform during the dawn of modern Korea. Chondogyo has played a significant role in the development of Korean nationalism and democracy affecting other religions as Jeungsangyo, Ilsimgyo and Won Buddhism as well as modern civil movements. However, in the 21st century, things have changed and the religion is seeking to redefine its social roles to b

Feb 28, 2011

Tips to smooth transition to spring

By Kim Tae-jong Spring is just around the corner, and people’s bodies are starting to adjust to the seasonal change while they don’t even recognize it. Doctors said such an adjusting procedure makes people feel tired and sometimes sick, advising them to check and tune up their health condition more carefully to smooth the transition into the new season. “Your body needs more energy to keep up with the seasonal change around this time of the year,” doctor Kang Hee-cheol of the family medical department at Yonsei Severance Hospital said. “In this regard, if you don’t have enough ‘reserver,’ you may suffer from various ailments.” Typical ailments range from colds, skin trouble and allergy-related symptoms, of which the main causes include changes in the weather and the pollen that floats in the air from flowers that usually bloom during this season, Kang said. To prevent such ailments, he advised strengthening the immune system by taking enough rest, eating a healthy diet and exercising on a regular basis. “Light exercise such as stretching is advised to those who w

Feb 27, 2011

Yonsei emphasizes communication with intl patients

By Kelly Frances Staying in a hospital can be a frightening ordeal for many people, especially for expatriates. The prospect of being hospitalized in an unfamiliar culture breeds fear of misunderstanding and suspicions of incompetence, exacerbated by the absence of family. As Korea develops its medical tourism climate, Yonsei Severance Hospital in Shinchon, northern Seoul is taking measures to ensure patient care is foreigner friendly. Dr. Park Chan-shin of the hospital’s International Health Care Center says success begins with excellent doctor-patient communication. “There is a tendency to associate competence with language ability, so smooth communication leads to confidence and comfort,” Park said. “Right now we have on-site coordinators to accommodate Russian, Chinese and English speakers.” As impressive as Yonsei’s state of the art facilities and contemporary aesthetics are, Park is cognizant of the fact that the little things really do make a difference. Every morning, she and her colleagues make rounds that include visits to foreign patients to ensure men

Feb 27, 2011

(126) Destiny: is it something we cannot alter?

As we study saju, the Eastern philosophy of nature and man, we come to realize how much we are influenced by certain powers in the universe. Whether it is the climate of one’s birth or the environment of one’s growth, these external factors are ultimately generated by the cosmic forces around earth. We learn in school that we have to strive for our dreams and that hard work always bears fruit. Stories of people overcoming adversity, conquering their weaknesses, pull at our emotional heartstrings. I have no intention of spoiling the virtues of those valuable lessons. However, while I admire the determination of those endeavoring to blaze their own fortunes and paths, I also see the larger energy system that sheds its critical influence on our lives. In practicing saju, we may experience repeated patterns of energy flow and, especially when there is a clash between the external energy and that of one’s saju, it creates cumbersome changes or tragic incidents in one’s life. For example, the year 2009, the year of the cow (yin earth), clashed and detracted from sheep (yin ea

Feb 24, 2011

Advice for those suffering from Gynecomastia

By Park Jae-hee More and more men exercise to be in shape as well as to stay healthy. The ultimate goal is looking better, not only for young men but for those in their middle age. They normally go to a nearby gym on a regular basis to build up their muscle, but some of them do so to tackle Gynecomastia, the abnormal development of large mammary glands in males resulting in breast enlargement. But the reality is that exercise can reduce fat in other parts of their body except the breasts, resulting in the problem becoming more prominent. Gynecomastia can occur as fatty tissue and adipose tissue develop in quantities higher than necessary in the breast of males, resulting in breast enlargement similar to females. Men with this condition are reticent about wearing tight fitting clothes unlike the general male population, and avoid public places such as saunas or public baths. Moreover, their body posture unconsciously crouches forward in order to hide the prominence of their chest from the general eye. The concept of Gynecomastia is more extensively used nowadays,

Feb 21, 2011

Smartphone apps emerge as new healthcare tools

By Kelly Frances Smart phones have opened up whole new possibilities, and Information Strategist Dr. Park Seung-woo of Samsung Medical Center’s Division of Cardiology believes there will be much more to come even in the healthcare services. From conception to even funeral arrangements, there is an app ready to assist users every need, which is not to say, notes Park ruefully, “that technology is always an intelligent replacement for trained professionals, no matter how conceivable that may seem.” The trend is called mobile health or, to use tech-speak, mHealth. If you're a savvy smart phone user, you've probably seen a variety of apps geared to assist you in attaining your health or fitness goals ― using your phone like a pedometer or an alarm clock to signal when it's time to take your medicine. There are apps to count calories, keep track of alcohol intake, manage stress, and keep track of menstruation ― and many of them are free, though some are certainly more useful than others. A few popular apps for health-conscious users include: iFitness: A worldwide Android/i

Feb 20, 2011

(125) Saju of Egypts Hosni Mubarak

We will have to start with the statement that saju does not involve any ethical judgments. Saju views one’s life through a very personal and subjective window of fate. Whether one lives virtuously or not is not judged by saju, although saju may tell how one’s life unfolds. Accordingly, reviewing the lives of international figures by their birth dates should not be connected to any moral criticism, as saju masters try not to be judgmental about their individual lives. Although saju is not prejudiced against any social conventions, it can see why people have ploughed their life in a certain way. We often read the saju of those who are denounced for their behavior by the public. Let’s review the saju of Hosni Mubarak, who recently was forced to step down as the fourth president of Egypt, a position he held since 1981. He recently came under the international spotlight again for a series of mass protests held against his dictatorial regime. He was born with the energy of yang wood, and all of the signs in his pillars are yang energies _ except for his time pillar, which

Feb 17, 2011

Turtle Marathon

With the weather becoming warmer take a walk to Mt. Nam, the heart of Seoul in the 403rd Turtle Marathon, Sunday. The Korea Times' sister company, the Hankook Ilbo, hosts the Turtle Marathon. Started in 1978, the monthly marathon has drawn more than 120,000 people. Unlike an ordinary marathon, this event allows participants to walk at their own pace and enjoy the early morning air and natural surroundings. Yang Doo-jin, president of Nonghyup Moguchon, will lead February's walk to boost consumption of local livestock products. After the walk, all participants will be given beverages from Nongshim during a closing show and Moguchon ham and chicken will be provided for a free tasting by the processed food manufacturer. This month's raffle prize includes a high quality meat product gift set from Moguchon as well as Chagall exhibition tickets, bicycles, health beverage Damina 909 (Glamy), cosmetics, meal coupons (The Buffet), movie tickets (Interpark), toilet paper, kitchen goods and more. Certification for two hours of volunteer work will be given to middle and high school s

Feb 16, 2011

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