Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Meeting on illegal gambling prevention

Participants of The Korea Times and the Korea Tourism Science Society of Korea's (TOSOK) periodical meeting on development of integrated resorts pose at the newspaper's headquarters in central Seoul, Wednesday. They discussed ways to regulate illegal gambling and foster healthy gaming culture. From left in the front row are Korea Casino Association Secretary General Shin Jong-ho, National Gambling Control Commission Secretary General Lee Jin-sik, TOSOK President Seo Won-seok and Mayfield Hotel Seoul CEO Kim Young-moon. Center in the back row is Kim Jae-kyoung, managing director of The Korea Times' Content & Business Planning Division. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Apr 16, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Dayeon scholarship: A story of dedication and compassion

Choi Jung-sun, 63, who once struggled to pay for her education, is now helping others pursue their dreams. Through the Dayeon Scholarship, she exemplifies perseverance, gratitude and the quiet strength of community. At 45, Choi enrolled in the Department of Korean Language and Literature at Korea National Open University (KNOU), despite already having a successful career and becoming a CEO without a college degree. Yet, prevailing social expectations around education drew her back to the classroom. “KNOU gave me the flexibility to study while working,” she said. “Becoming a Korean teacher was my childhood dream. I loved the language so much that I never had to study for exams,” Choi said in an interview with The Korea Times. But balancing full-time work with her studies was anything but easy. “Studying alone wears you down,” she recalled. It was only after joining study groups and student councils that she realized how much strength came from being part of a supportive community. After earning her undergraduate degree, Choi went on to pursue graduate studies at Dongguk Universi

Apr 15, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

Dayeon scholarship: A story of dedication and compassion

French missionary Bishop Rene Dupont who made Korea his home dies at 95

French-born missionary Bishop Rene Dupont, who devoted over 70 years of his life to the poor and underprivileged in rural Korea and contributed to human rights movements in the country, died Thursday. He was 95. The bishop had been receiving treatment at a hospital in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, after undergoing emergency surgery for a cerebral infarction earlier this week. Born in 1929 in Orleans in north-central France, Dupont entered seminary to become a missionary in 1950. He was ordained a priest in 1953. He was dispatched to Korea in 1954, shortly after the 1950-1953 Korean War. During his seminary years, he worked for the poor and underprivileged in rural areas. He said in interviews with local media that his teenage experiences with World War II helped him understand and sympathize with war-shattered Korea. In his early years of priesthood in Korea, Dupont started pastoral work in Daejeon, where he chose the Korean name “Dubong” and served poor farmers, leprosy patients and people with disabilities as the head of the Korean branch of the Paris Foreign Missions Society. B

Apr 11, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

French missionary Bishop Rene Dupont who made Korea his home dies at 95

Kim In-su, NK-born US Special Forces commando, dies at 92

Kim In-su, a former member of a U.S. Special Forces unit made up of North Korean defectors, has died. He was 92. Kim died March 31 in Rockville, Maryland, according to the U.S.-based obituary site Tribute Archive. The cause of death was not disclosed, but the obituary described it as a "peaceful passing." He served in the 8240th Army Unit, a U.S. Far East Command group that used islands off North Korea’s east and west coasts to launch special operations — gathering intelligence, disrupting supply lines and rescuing prisoners during the 1950-53 Korean War. Although operated and overseen by the U.S. military, the unit was largely composed of young North Korean defectors familiar with the region's geography, culture and dialect. The unit, referred to in official U.S. military documents as “North Korean Partisans,” grew to about 22,000 members at its peak in 1953. Born in Pyongyang — now the capital of North Korea — in 1932, Kim went into hiding to escape communist persecution of Christians in 1950 following the outbreak of the Korean War. He later joined the United Nations force

Apr 9, 2025By Park Ung

Kim In-su, NK-born US Special Forces commando, dies at 92

Korea Times editor honored for excellence in journalism

Kwon Mee-yoo, right, editor of the K-Culture Desk at The Korea Times, receives an award from Chang Seung-joon, vice chairman of the Korean Association of Newspapers and vice chairman of Maekyung Media Group, during the 69th Newspaper Day ceremony at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul, Monday. Korea Times photo by Pyo Kyung-min

Apr 7, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min

Korea Times editor honored for excellence in journalism

Korean Language Speaking Contest receives applications from all around world

The Korea Times is receiving applications for this year’s Korean Language Speaking Contest from all around the world. Sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the King Sejong Institute, the contest will be accepting applications until April. 27. For last year’s contest, participants from 99 countries submitted their applications. This year’s contest features two different categories: short and long form. For long form, participants introduce their experiences with Korean media content or their favorite Korean pop artists. Contestants discuss cultural differences between Korea and their own countries in the short form category. The contest is fully online, with participants uploading their speech video clips to YouTube with the hashtag #howdykorea before submitting their applications. The contest winners are announced on May 14. The award ceremony is slated for May 29. The contest offers a total prize of 9 million won ($6,000) along with a hotel voucher for the High1 Grand Hotel in Gangwon Province. Participants are also given CDs autographed by various pop stars

Apr 7, 2025By Jhoo Dong-chan

Korean Language Speaking Contest receives applications from all around world

Ancient Goguryeo-era golden seal may fetch 6 figures at Hong Kong auction

A golden seal, presumably from the Goguryeo Kingdom (37 B.C.E.-668 C.E.), is set to go under the hammer at a major auction in Hong Kong this weekend. If authenticated, it would mark the first verified aureate seal from any ancient Korean kingdom — a discovery of profound historical significance. Up for bidding at China Guardian Hong Kong’s 2025 spring sale “Important Private Asian Collection of Ancient Seals and Bronzes” on Sunday is a striking golden seal featuring a horse-shaped knob. Standing 2.8 centimeters tall and weighing 88 grams, the relic bears a Chinese inscription reading “Marquis of Guiyi of Goguryeo, conferred by the Jin Dynasty.” Its estimated price ranges from $153,800 (221 million won) to $282,100. The artifact is being offered by an anonymous Japanese collector, though details regarding its provenance and acquisition remain undisclosed. The term “Guiyi” was a diplomatic title often bestowed upon foreign rulers or officials who pledged allegiance to the Chinese imperial court. This seal may have been a formal symbol of political alliance between the Jin Dy

Apr 4, 2025By Park Han-sol

Ancient Goguryeo-era golden seal may fetch 6 figures at Hong Kong auction

Respected pro-democracy activist dies at 78

Lee Seok-young, a pro-democracy activist and honorary professor at Jeonbuk National University, passed away on Monday at the age of 89. Despite constant surveillance and threats from martial law forces due to his role in Korea's pro-democracy movement during the 1980s, Lee lived a life that itself became a symbol of resistance. Born in 1936 in Yeongdong, North Chungcheong Province, Lee began his career as a teacher at Jeonju Gijeon Girls’ High School before becoming a biology professor at the university. Throughout the military dictatorship era of Chun Doo-hwan, he was deeply involved in the pro-democracy movement, notably serving as an adviser for the Korea Christian Student Federation (KSCF). In July 1980, amid the military regime’s brutal crackdown, Lee was detained and tortured by martial law forces at the Jeonju Security Unit. He was forcibly removed from his professorship on charges of inciting unrest. Despite the ordeal, Lee continued his activism unwaveringly during his years away from the university. After being reinstated as a professor in September 1984, he remained committ

Apr 3, 2025By Jung Da-hyun

Respected pro-democracy activist dies at 78

Asia Model Festival holds business forum to expand globally

Asia Model Festival (AMF), a leading event in the region's model, fashion and beauty industries, recently hosted a seminar to introduce its plans for global expansion, share growth strategies and strengthen cooperation among its international partners. The event, hosted at the High1 Grand Hotel in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province, from Tuesday to Thursday, gathered key industry representatives and partners from across Asia to discuss strategies for worldwide business expansion and collaborative projects. Participants explored ways to foster mutual growth, facilitate market entry opportunities for brands and establish collaborative frameworks. "Over the past 20 years, AMF has significantly contributed to globalizing Asian culture. Through this briefing, we aim to build an even stronger global network and set the stage for a new era of growth," Yang Eui-sig, chair of the Asia Model Festival Organizing Committee, said during its Alliance Annual Seminar. AMF CEO Lim Hoon highlighted the festival's evolution beyond traditional model competitions. "AMF will become a cultural business platform that

Mar 23, 2025By Kwon Mee-yoo

Asia Model Festival holds business forum to expand globally

Korea Times reporter wins Amnesty International Media Award

The Korea Times reporter Jung Da-hyun won the 2025 Amnesty International Korea Media Award Thursday for her investigative coverage, titled "Deepfake crisis at schools," produced in collaboration with the Excellence Lab team at sister publication Hankook Ilbo. The award-winning series examines the alarming prevalence and impact of deepfake crimes among teenagers. Judges praised the comprehensive reporting for its detailed analysis and practical guidance on confronting these emerging threats in educational environments. "The situation repeats and worsens. After a storm of outrage passes, new perpetrators and types of crimes arise. Each new crime learns from the previous, systematically destroying the ordinary lives of innocent individuals," the judges said in a statement. "Technology, instead of serving humanity, often becomes a means for crime. Although 'deepfake' combines 'deep learning' and 'fake,' this neutral term fails to conveys the full extent of harm caused by such synthetic media crimes against their victims." Amnesty International Korea, the Korean branch of the international hu

Mar 20, 2025By Kwon Mee-yoo

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