People & Events

The Korea Times and Tehran Times foster partnership through MOU

Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin, top left, and Tehran Times Editor-in-Chief Mohammad Sarfi, top right, show their respective copies of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed to promote cooperation between the two news outlets, during an online signing ceremony, Monday. Other participants are Managing Director Mohammad Mahdi Rahmati, top right, and Iranian Ambassador to South Korea, Saeed Koozechi, bottom right. Korea Times photo by Kwak Won-heeBy Jeon Yae-woolThe Korea Times and the Tehran Times have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for content exchange and to explore possible business collaborations.The MOU, signed on June 19 via an online conference, calls for the two media organizations to share selected content including text, photos, videos and other media formats.Korea Times President Oh Young-jin said, “In an era where there is no borderline, the free flow of information is pivotal. We expect to see improvement in readership, business opportunities and global context for our mutual readers through this MOU.”Mohammad Mahdi Rahmati, ma

Take shelter from summer heat at central Seoul's Namsangol Hanok Village

Traditional Korean residential structures at Namsangol Hanok Village in central Seoul provide the perfect shelter from scorching summer heat. Together with traditional Korean confectioneries, spending time inside one of the rooms here takes visitors back centuries to old Korea. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government By Ko Dong-hwan A popular hanok village at the heart of Seoul becomes a summer refuge in a traditional Korean style for those needing a respite during the hottest summer months.Namsangol Hanok Village at the foot of Mount Nam will be reserved for pre-bookers during weekends from July 7 to Aug. 13, the Cultural Heritage Management Division under the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Culture Headquarters announced, Monday. The annual opening of the city's heritage precinct to the public comes during a period traditionally believed to be the peak of summer. July 7 is still referred t

Diplomats unveil hidden talents at Culture Communication Forum

From left, French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Lefort, CICI President Choi Jung-hwa, French pansori singer Laure Mafo, Millenasia Chairman Eugene Bang, magician Ed Kwon and German Ambassador to Korea Michael Reiffenstuel, pose with their awards at the 2023 Culture Communication Forum held at the French ambassador's residence in Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooDiplomats showcased their hidden talents at this year's Culture Communication Forum (CCF), creating a buzz of excitement among attendees. Under the theme of “Communication through immersion, hidden talent and conviviality,” a Hidden Talent Performance and a ChatGPT Question Competition took place at the French ambassador's residence in Seoul, Tuesday. The 2023 CCF was hosted by the Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI).Some 50 leaders attended the forum, including Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Park Min-shik, CJ Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik, JoongAng Holdings Chairman Hong Seok-hyun, Poongsan Group CEO Jin Roy Ryu as well as Italian Ambassador to Korea Federico Failla, Switzerland Ambassador to Kore

54th Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards

AASSREC to hold conference on June 14-15

By Cho Jae-hyonAn international conference will take on social science challenges, inviting more than 200 experts from academic and research institutes from 14 Asian nations.The Association of Asian Social Science Research Councils (AASSREC) will host the conference at Yonsei University in Seoul on June 14 and 15, according to the Korean Social Science Research Council (KOSSREC).Established in 1973, the AASSREC is an organization dedicated to promoting regional cooperation in the social sciences among Asia-Pacific countries. KOSSREC is serving as the chair of the AASSREC from 2021 to 2023. “We will collaborate with 14 Asian member organizations and one associate organization to examine and address pressing social science challenges in pursuit of a better world,” it said in a statement.Comprised of social science research councils, academies and institutes, the AASSREC holds biennial conferences with the aim of advancing the social sciences regionally and fostering Asian identities within the field.The conference is to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its foundation this

Billy Graham Seoul Crusade celebrates 50th anniversary

American Christian evangelist Rev. Franklin Graham, the son of Rev. Billy Graham, speaks during the 50th anniversary of Billy Graham Seoul Crusade, at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo District, June 3. Courtesy of FEBC-KoreaBy Lee Gyu-leeFifty years ago, prominent American Christian evangelist Rev. Billy Graham came to Korea to hold a five-day crusade and preach the Gospel to its people.About 4.4 million Koreans came to the crusade, held in different cities in the country from May 30 to June 3, 1973. For the final service, over 1.1 million people gathered at Yeouido Plaza in Seoul, setting the record as Graham's biggest crusade.That crusade became a milestone in the history of Korean Christianity. It was an unprecedented success, inspiring and encouraging the church to strive for further growth in the years to come.In time for the 50th anniversary of Graham's Seoul Crusade this year, Far East Broadcasting Company Korea (FEBC-Korea) held a celebratory rally on June 3, inviting his son, Rev. Franklin Graham, as the main speaker.The rally, held at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo District

INTERVIEW French photographer highlights amazing transformations of dog meat farm survivors

L.A.-based French photographer Sophie Gamand poses in front of the portrait of Soju, rescued from a dog meat farm in Korea, at Humane Society International Korea's exhibition “Beyond Prejudice” at Seoul Metro Art Center inside Gyeongbokgung Station in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Humane Society InternationalBy Lee Hae-rinFrench photographer Sophie Gamand still vividly remembers when she first met Soju, a small orange-furred chow chow mix, in September 2019 at a dog meat farm in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province. On that day, she witnessed the transformation of this helpless creature from a dire situation through a rescue mission.Born and raised for human consumption, Soju lived in a small, filthy elevated cage without adequate food, water or care all his life. The operator of the dog farm identified him ― and other canines ― by their weight, similar to meat pieces sold at a butcher shop, because that was all he was worth for him. This grim reality saw many dogs lead wretched lives, dying of neglect or being slaughtered for their meat.Thanks to Humane Society International (HIS) Kor

Signboard for Korean Empire building unveiled

Choi Eung-chon, fourth from left, head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, and other dignitaries applaud in front of Dondeokjeon, a Western-style building in Deoksu Palace, Seoul, during a ceremony unveiling its signboard, Monday. Dondeokjeon served as a royal guesthouse during a period known as the Korean Empire (1897-1910), while the restoration of the building began in 2017 and was completed in November last year. The signboard is a copy of the original one stored at the National Palace Museum of Korea. Yonhap

Full-scale annual lantern parade set to take place in central Seoul

Participants in an annual lantern parade celebrating Buddha's birthday walk toward Jogye Temple in central Seoul, in this May 1, 2022, file photo. Yonhap A full-scale lantern parade is set to take place in central Seoul, Saturday, ahead of Buddha's birthday next week for the first time in four years, according to the organizers.The annual parade will begin at Dongdaemun at 7 p.m., and end after arriving at Jogye Temple, the headquarters of South Korea's largest Buddhist sect, the Jogye Order. The annual lantern parade, in which tens of thousands of Buddhists carry colorful lanterns of various shapes, provides a spectacle for the crowd coming to enjoy the centuries-old festival.Also known as "Yeondeunghoe" in Korean, the festival has been held annually in celebration of Buddha's birthday on the eighth day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar. It was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List in 2020. For the parade, traffic between Dongd

Reconstructed Dondeokjeon hall in Deoksu Palace to open to public in September

The reconstructed Dondeokjeon hall at Deoksu Palace, a royal palace from Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) in central Seoul, is seen in this photo provided by the Cultural Heritage Administration. YonhapDondeokjeon, a historic Western-style building in Deoksu Palace used as a royal guesthouse during the Korean Empire (1897-1910), will open to the public in September after being reconstructed in its original shape, officials said Friday.The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) said the reconstruction was part of its broader plan to restore the original states of royal palaces, which were damaged during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.The two-story building, known to have been first built during the reign of Emperor Gojong around 1901, was used mostly as a reception hall and a place to meet foreign guests. It was also a historic place where his son, Emperor Sunjong, took the throne in 1907. However, it was reported to have been demolished in the 1930s, when the Japanese colonial government transformed the palace into a children's amusement park."After completing c