Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Helping Nepal

Head of the Korean Red Cross Kim Sung-joo, left, and Hong Sung-hee, chief director of the Eulji Foundation, show a certificate for a $100,000 donation the foundation made to the Red Cross to help Nepal which was hit by a devastating earthquake on April 25. The 7.8-magnitude quake killed over 8,000 people and injured more than twice as many more./ Yonhap

May 11, 2015

Hyundai Heavy owner honored for helping stage performers

Chung Mong-joon, left, poses with Park Jung-ja, actress and chairperson of the Players’ Welfare Foundation of Korea, at the Artist House in Dongsung-dong, Seoul, Monday, after receiving a plaque of appreciation for his financial support for stage performers. / YonhapBy Park Si-sooChung Mong-joon, a former lawmaker and the largest shareholder of Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), received a plaque of appreciation Monday from an association of stage performers for his support for its members.Chung donated 200 million won ($183,100) to the association last year through the Community Chest of Korea, the nation’s biggest charity, according to the Players’ Welfare Foundation of Korea.Two-thirds of the money was used to treat ailing stage performers, while the rest will be used to organize a play featuring senior performers.“I was so sad after learning that many stage performers find it difficult to make a living,” Chung said after receiving the award. “I will try harder to help more artists suffering from poverty.”He expressed his condolence

May 11, 2015

Hyundai Heavy owner honored for helping stage performers

UNHCR Honorary Advocate Jung donates for Nepal quake victims

 Jung Woo-sungJung Woo-sung, honorary advocate for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), has donated money to help victims of the devastating Nepal earthquake.Jung, who met refugees during his mission with UNHCR to Nepal in November, sent 50 million won ($46,000) to victims of the April 26 quake, UNHCR Korea said on Friday.After he was appointed as UNHCR Korea’s honorary advocate in May 2014, Jung visited Nepal’s eastern Damak and capital Kathmandu to meet refugees from Bhutan, Somalia, Pakistan and Tibet.UNHCR is fully operational on the ground in Nepal, with more than 110 international and national staffers working in Kathmandu and Damak. The agency responded immediately to the quake by delivering plastic sheets, solar lamps and other basic supplies to more than 40,000 victims. With Nepal’s rainy season just six weeks away, people are in urgent need of plastic sheeting and tarpaulins to create shelter. The government of Nepal estimates at least 200,000 houses have been destroyed and another 190,000 badly damaged, leaving some 2.8 mil

May 8, 2015

UNHCR Honorary Advocate Jung donates for Nepal quake victims

Ex-Seoul mayor publishes two books

Oh Se-hoonBy Jhoo Dong-chanFormer Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, 54, has published two books in diary format about his experiences in Rwanda and Peru.After resigning as mayor in August 2011, Oh joined the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), working as a civic adviser in the Rwandan capital of Kigali and Lima, Peru’s capital, from December 2013. He stayed in each city for six months.Oh came back to Korea in January.“It was the best decision in my life,” Oh said in his book. “I was on a guilt trip for failing to fulfill my term as mayor. So I decided to travel around the world, taking time for introspection.”Oh rented a house and lived with other KOICA staffers during his service to Kigali and Lima. He also commuted by public transport.Oh said in his books that he was impressed by Peru’s rapid industrialization through the utilization of its plentiful underground resources, and Rwanda’s leadership to overcome interracial conflict.In 1994, nearly 1 million people were killed during interracial conflicts between the Hutu majority and the Tut

May 8, 2015By Jhoo Dong-chan

Cars for World Education Forum

Lee Bong-joo, second from left in the front row, a director of Hyundai MotorGroup, poses with Kim Young-gon, secretary-general of the World Education Forum (WEF) Host Committee Secretariat, at Kim’s office in Yeouido, Seoul, Thursday, after Lee agreed to provide 32 vehicles for the international event. The vehicles — consisting of Equus, Grandeur and K7 sedans madeby Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors — will be used during the forum. More than 1,500 people, including education ministers from 195 UNESCO member states and representatives of international organizations, are expected to attend the forum in Sondgo, Incheon, from May 19-22./ Yonhap

May 7, 2015

Hanbok for ambassador's son

U.S. Ambassador Mark Lippert receives a traditional Korean hanbok from National Agricultural Cooperative Federation (NACF) Chairman Choi Won-byung at the federation’s main office in Seoul, Thursday. The present is for the baby boy of the top U.S. envoy to Seoul who has the Korean middle name Sejun./ Courtesy of NACF

May 7, 2015

Yu named to publicize K Cube Ventures

Yu Sung-unBy Bahk Eun-jiYu Sung-un has been appointed as new executive director of PR and investment management division of K Cube Ventures, a venture capital firm.K Cube Ventures was established by Kim Beom-su, a chairman of Daum Kakao in 2012. Since its inception, it has invested into over 40 startups.Daum Kakao announced it acquired 100 percent of K Cube Ventures at the beginning of the year, and the company has become Daum Kakao’s corporate investment arm.K Cube Ventures said Yu’s 18-year-old experience in the venture capital industry will boost the values of the startups in which it has invested.Before he joined K Cube Ventures, he worked for Solmine Communications as M&A consultant and investment management director for 6 years since 2009.He was in charge of the investment plan for information and communication technology (ICT) venture companies at CJ Venture Capital, Timewise Investment and SoftBank Ventures Korea for 10 years since 1999.At K Cube Ventures, Yu will manage both the PR team and investment management team to strengthen the company’s core cap

May 7, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji

Ex-producer named CBS president

By Baek Byung-yeulHan Yong-gilHan Yong-gil, 52, managing director of Joy Communication, a music production company, has been appointed as the new president of the Christian Broadcasting System (CBS).The board of directors of the broadcasting company held a meeting on May 1 and named Han as the ninth president.Han will start his tree-year term on June 1.Established in December 1954, CBS is a multichannel simulcast that runs the cable network CBS TV, radio station CBS FM and online news site Nocut News.Han joined CBS in 1988 as a producer and had served as a program director on the broadcaster’s radio station until starting his own production company in 2009.“As the new head of CBS, Korea’s first independent broadcaster, I will put great importance on impartial reporting. I think that is the biggest assignment given to me,” Han told The Korea Times, Wednesday.“CBS also has been taking a pivotal role in delivering cultural content to the public. As you know, our radio station, CBS FM, has been well received by the public, edging out major radio stations suc

May 6, 2015

Ex-Hankook Ilbo reporter still remembers Vietnam War

Ann Byong-chan writes an article on a U.S. cargo ship, Sgt. Andrew Miller bound for Guam, after escaping from Saigon one day in May of 1975. / Korea TimesBy Kang Seung-wooAnn Byong-chan poses at a Vietnamese news agency during his visit to Vietnam on April 28./ Courtesy of SisaINAnn Byong-chan, a former reporter of the Hankook Ilbo ― a sister paper of The Korea Times ― is nicknamed the “ultimate correspondent” as he witnessed the final chaotic days of Saigon 40 years ago.He reported news of the Vietnam War, staying in Saigon, now known as Ho Chi Minh City, for 38 days from March 23 to April 30, 1975.“After reporting on the war at the scene, I have studied how Vietnam's unification period unfolded. At the same time, I am jealous of the unified country, given that we are still divided,” Ann said in an interview with The Korea Times.Although Ann, 77, now looks back fondly on his experience there, his time in Vietnam began completely out of the blue.While at the paper’s office in Seoul on March 21, 1975, he received a phone call from Chang Key-youn

May 6, 2015By Kang Seung-woo

Ex-Hankook Ilbo reporter still remembers Vietnam War

Olympus names endoscope expert as regional chief

By Kim Yoo-chulNaoki OkadaOlympus has named an expert in the endoscope industry as the head of its Korean subsidiary, a move aimed at strengthening its medical equipment-related businesses here.Olympus Korea said in a statement Wednesday that Naoki Okada will take over the top seat replacing the outgoing regional head, who was promoted as a senior executive at Olympus headquarters.The new Korean chief joined Olympus in 1984. Since then, he has been managing the group’s endoscope-oriented businesses and those that have not been touched before by the Japanese technology company.The statement added that Okada was the chief executive of the company's new medical business affiliate, T-Medix, for three years from 2004. After that, he was the senior executive at Olympus' Chinese subsidiary.“The medical equipment market in Korea is attractive in terms of growth potential. I am happy to lead the Korean business. Based on my experience and business know-how in related fields, I will try hard to expand Olympus' medical business,” Okada was quoted as saying in the statement.Oly

May 6, 2015By Kim Yoo-chul

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