People & Events

Yang Kun, left, chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil...

Paul Potts in Seoul to Share His Dreams

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Winner of hit television show ``Britain's Got Talent'' and a true believer in his dreams, Paul Potts is in Seoul to share his music and hope with his Korean fans. Although not glamorous or breathtaking in appearance, as Paul Potts walked into the room, there was warmth and confidence in his eyes and smile. ``I got a quick look from the hotel window and (Seoul) was stunning. A mixture of the mountains and the city,'' Paul Potts said of his first visit to Seoul at a press conference Thursday. The 36-year-old singer laughed heartily as he tried on his first hanbok, or Korean traditional clothes, which was given as a welcome gift. Potts is visiting Korea on a leg of his world tour of 13 countries. At the airport, the humble singer was greeted by hoards of fans. When asked of the difference between before and after becoming a star, he laughed and said ``I normally traveled less than 20 kilometers before, but now I am traveling 20,000 kilometers from one place to another.'' At his concert, fans will be able to listen to songs from

DJ Kai to Perform at World DJ Festival

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Some of the world's most exciting DJs and electronic musicians are gathering in Seoul this weekend for the Seoul World DJ Festival. The Nanji camping ground in the Han River Citizen's Park will be turned into one big party place as the festival kicks off on May 3, and lasts until the wee hours of May 5. This year's line-up includes DJ Kai, DJ Ricky Stone, Cornelius, DJ Dan, Rabbit in the Moon, as well as top Korean acts like House Rulez and Oriental Funk Stew. Kai is one of the hottest DJs and producers participating in the festival this weekend. The DJ List described the Asian-American DJ as a rising star from New York's house music scene and known for ``electro-tribal-funk'' sound. And don't think he's just a DJ; Kai studied a year at Julliard, and has a degree in philosophy from Dartmouth College. The Korea Times conducted an e-mail interview with Kai to get his thoughts on the Korean club scene and on returning to Seoul for another performance on May 4. Can you describe your music style? DJ Kai: My style is very broa

Visa Waiver Program Excites Korean Americans

By Kang Shin-who Korea Times Correspondent NEW JERSEY, N.Y. ― Korean Americans in the tourism business are excited about the prospect of an increase in the number of Korean tourists to America if Korea is admitted to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. Cho Kyu-sung, CEO of Dongbu Tour & Travel Inc., one of the biggest Korean travel agencies in the United States, is anticipating that the program will double the number of Korean travelers, in the Northeast region of the country, by up to 100,000 per year. ``New York is the city that many young people are eager to come to. The visa waiver will attract more of the younger generation to come and visit here,’’ Cho said. Among Korean tourists to the U.S., about 40 percent head for the eastern region of the country, according to the travel agency. The agency, based in New York, has been making preparations for the increasing number of Korean tourists in accordance with the VWP for six years. ``Many tourism agencies will hastily target the American market and they might offer low prices, but those who come for this market without f

Outgoing Lawmaker Says Think Big, Act Now

By Kang Hyun-kyung Staff Reporter The political landscape created by the April 9 elections sent a clear message to former Grand National Party (GNP) Chairwoman Park Geun-hye: It is time to move on, according to an outgoing conservative lawmaker. In a collection of autobiographical essays titled ``Goodbye Yeouido: A Never Ending Story of Authentic Conservative Kim Yong-kab,'' three-term lawmaker Kim, 72, claimed the people gave Rep. Park a public mandate to ``think big and act now.'' Kim, a supporter of the former GNP chairwoman, is leaving politics in May when the four-year term of the 17th National Assembly ends. The conservative hardliner declared early this year that he would retire from politics, not seeking re-election in the April polls. ``Voters gave Park a solid support base. The election results are a reflection of public perception that she was deceived (by President Lee Myung-bak) and so were the people,'' Kim said. ``Now, Park has about 50 supporters in total inside and outside the governing party. With her solid support base, she needs to be reborn as

Panel Looks Into Working Condition of Foreigners

By Kim Sue-young Staff Reporter Officials of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission met with foreign workers at an industrial complex in Incheon Sunday to advise them on legal solutions to work related problems, a spokesman of the commission said. The agency's On-Site Complaint Desk attracted about 110 foreign laborers at the complex, where about 10,000 people from Asian countries work, the spokesman said. The commission learned about their labor issues, such as overdue wages and immigration service-related problems, he said. The organization plans further consultations to provide legal solutions to foreign workers in Gyeonggi Province in May, Seoul in July, South Gyeongsang Province in September and South Chungcheong Province in October. ksy@koreatimes.co.kr

Trade Minister to Lead UN Asia-Pacific Group

By Michael Ha Staff Reporter Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon has been named chairperson of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia Pacific, a regional development arm of the United Nations for the Asia-Pacific region. Kim's appointment was announced Monday at the 64th Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) conference, currently being held at the United Nations regional headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand. This is the second time that a South Korean has been named chairperson of the group. In 1991, at the 47th ESCAP conference (held in Seoul), then-Foreign Minister Lee Sang-ok was appointed to the seat. Kim, 55, began his government service as a career diplomat after passing the civil examination in 1974. In the 1990s, he was a councilor at the Korean Embassy in Washington and also worked at the Consul General in San Francisco in 2002. During his stay in the United States, Kim took part in negotiations over various export issues, honing his skill as a negotiator. At the current meeting, senior government officials, business leaders and civil

Members of the Korean-German Association (KGA) pose...

Bloomberg Television to Air Korean Subtitles in 2008

By Michael Ha Staff Reporter Bloomberg Television, a U.S.-based media company, plans to put Korean-language subtitles on all Bloomberg television programs broadcast in South Korea, currently carried on local cable channels and satellites. Jimmy Kim, 38, vice president of the Asian Pacific region for the network, said he plans to implement the initiative in the second half of this year, adding that he has high hopes for the future of new media in South Korea and Asia. Kim first joined US-headquartered cable news company CNBC at its Singapore office. Four years later, he is now in charge of new media in the Asian Pacific region for Bloomberg News' television unit, which encompasses 103 news bureaus around the world. In 2004, Kim, who had a long career at Samsung Group in Seoul, did something that might be unthinkable for many young Koreans. He left his senior post at the prestigious company to pursue his new passion: television broadcasting. Korean-born Kim is proof that taking a tougher road can indeed pay off in the end. "During my MBA days in America, I studied En

Commissioner of Civil Rights Panel to Attend Asian Ombudsman Meeting

By Kim Sue-young Staff Reporter Standing commissioner Lee Kweon-sang of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission arrived in Teheran, Iran, Monday to participate in an annual meeting of the Asian Ombudsman Association (AOA), a spokesman of the commission said. Lee and two other commission officials will discuss how to improve the association's rules and prepare a general assembly meeting to be held in Bangkok next year, the spokesman said. The AOA, established in April 1996, is a non-governmental, non-political, independent and professional forum for ombudsmen in Asia. The commission is a local agency launched in February to eradicate corruption and help people with civil services. ksy@koreatimes.co.kr