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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

PHOTO Spring holiday rush

Foreign tourists visit Gyeongbok Palace in Jongno District, Seoul, Thursday, ahead of the May holiday travel season. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, around 80,000 to 90,000 Japanese tourists and 100,000 to 110,000 Chinese visitors are expected to travel to Korea during the holiday period, which coincides with Japan's Golden Week from April 29 to May 6, and China's Labor Day holiday from May 1 to 5. Yonhap

Apr 30, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
[PHOTO] Spring holiday rush

Korea Nat'l Park Service highlights 85 walking trails offering easy escape

The Korea National Park Service (KNPS) has selected 85 easy-walking trails across the country's 24 national parks, encouraging residents to take advantage of accessible natural spaces ahead of Family Month in May. The trails were chosen based on four criteria: gradients not exceeding 10 percent, well-maintained surfaces free of major obstacles, round-trip durations of no more than four hours and scenic surroundings such as forests, lakes, valleys and coastlines. Korea's 24 national parks are distributed evenly nationwide, with most accessible within one to two hours from major residential areas. In the Seoul metropolitan area, the Bukhansan Cloud Garden Trail tops the list, offering a roughly 5-kilometer ridge walk with simultaneous views of the cityscape and surrounding nature. Also highlighted in the region are the Bukhansan Pilgrimage Trail, the Bukhansan Chunguii Trail and the tranquil Uireong Trail. In Gangwon, the ancient fir forest path at Odaesan National Park is praised for its flat, roughly 1-kilometer course suitable for all ages. Other notable Gangwon options include the Seo

Apr 30, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Korea Nat'l Park Service highlights 85 walking trails offering easy escape

Foreign tourist arrivals last month top pre-pandemic levels on BTS comeback

Foreign tourist arrivals in South Korea surpassed pre-pandemic levels in March, data showed Thursday, driven in part by fans coming to attend a landmark concert in Seoul to mark the long-awaited comeback of K-pop supergroup BTS. More than 2.04 million overseas visitors arrived during the month, a 26.7 percent increase from a year earlier, according to the Korea Tourism Organization. The figure also marked a 33.2 percent rise compared with March 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global travel. Chinese tourists represented the largest share of arrivals at 501,000, followed by 482,000 from Japan, 192,000 from Taiwan, 152,000 from the United States, and 75,000 from Vietnam. Arrivals from China and Japan saw growth of 2.8 percent and 8.4 percent, respectively, from March 2019. Visitors from Taiwan surged 95 percent, while those from the United States rose 80.9 percent and arrivals from Vietnam climbed 59.3 percent. The state tourism body attributed the sharp increase to a massive influx of BTS fans attending the group's performance in Seoul's Gwanghwamun area to mark its return aft

Apr 30, 2026By Yonhap
Foreign tourist arrivals last month top pre-pandemic levels on BTS comeback

Korea drew 2.05 mil. foreign visitors in March, up 26.7% from year ago

Korea drew 2.05 million foreign visitors in March, a 26.7 percent increase from a year earlier and a figure that significantly exceeds prepandemic levels, according to government tourism data released Thursday. The influx represents 133.2 percent of the arrivals seen in March 2019, signaling a robust recovery in the country’s travel sector. China emerged as the leading source of tourism with 501,000 arrivals, followed closely by Japan at 482,000 and Taiwan at 192,000. The United States and Vietnam rounded out the top markets with 152,000 and 75,000 visitors, respectively. While arrivals from China and Japan have returned to prepandemic levels — reaching 102.8 percent and 128.4 percent of their March 2019 benchmarks — other regions showed even more dramatic growth. Taiwan, the United States and Vietnam all surged past their 2019 figures, hitting 195 percent, 180.9 percent and 159.3 percent, respectively. This upward trend was mirrored across broader geographic corridors: The Asia-Middle East region recovered to 141.2 percent of its prepandemic volume, while the Americas-Europe reg

Apr 30, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Korea drew 2.05 mil. foreign visitors in March, up 26.7% from year ago

Gov't holds tourism roadshow in Fukuoka ahead of Japan's Golden Week

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism held a tourism promotion roadshow in Fukuoka, Thursday, the final stop in a series of events across Japan timed to coincide with Golden Week, Japan's largest holiday period running from April 29 to May 6. The K-Tourism Roadshow, which previously stopped in Osaka on April 9 and Tokyo from April 10-12, is part of a broader campaign to spur Japanese interest in travel to Korea. Kim Dae-hyun, the second vice minister of culture, sports and tourism, attended the Fukuoka event in person, where he met with local travel industry representatives, discussed areas for cooperation and promoted Korea’s inbound tourism policies in media interviews. Held under the theme “Feel like going to Korea today?,” the Fukuoka event cast Korea as an easy short-haul getaway for Japanese travelers. Singer and actor Hwang Min-hyun, who has a strong following in Japan, performed alongside a tourism showcase promoting Korean destinations and culture. Separate exhibition booths, organized around the idea of “experiencing Korea in Fukuoka,” featured participants inc

Apr 30, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Gov't holds tourism roadshow in Fukuoka ahead of Japan's Golden Week

What is secret to eating ramyeon like Song Hye-kyo?

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. Actress Song Hye-kyo recently drew attention with an unexpected “ramyeon mukbang.” She shared behind-the-scenes photos from her trip to France on social media. Alongside her elegant appearance at a global event in a formal dress, she posted a photo of herself eating cup noodles, revealing a surprising, down-to-earth charm. Known for her strict self-care, the moment sparked reactions like “unexpected” and quickly became a hot topic. While celebrities eating instant noodles isn’t unusual, the contrast of eating them during an official event in a formal gown made the scene feel fresh and intriguing. Naturally, it also raised the question: Is there a way to eat ramyeon without gaining as much weight? Go easy on broth The soup in instant noodles contains most of the sodium and some dissolved fats. Leaving the broth can reduce calorie intake by about 50-100 kcal and significantly lower sodium consumption. This may help reduce bloating and water retention. However, most of the calories are still in the noodles themselves, so skipping the brot

Apr 29, 2026By Kormedi.com
What is secret to eating ramyeon like Song Hye-kyo?

Han River ferry ridership hits monthly record in April, new route planned for garden expo

The "Hangang Bus," Seoul’s ambitious river ferry service, reached a new milestone this month as ridership surged to record levels. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday that 70,000 passengers rode the Han River Bus from April 1-27, with three sailing days remaining in the month. The city projected that total April ridership would exceed 75,000. The single-day record was set Sunday, when 5,212 passengers boarded. By comparison, March total ridership stood at 62,491. Weekend figures reflect the upward trend. The most recent weekend drew 10,247 passengers, up roughly 15.2 percent from 8,897 on the first weekend of the month, April 4-5. The city also announced plans to open a temporary dock near Seoul Forest starting May 20, timed to coincide with the Seoul International Garden Expo running May 1 through Oct. 27 at Seoul Forest. A dedicated express route connecting Yeouido dock to the temporary Seoul Forest dock will be added. The temporary dock, previously restricted to city government vessels, will be opened to the public for the first time. A garden area linking the dock and S

Apr 29, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Han River ferry ridership hits monthly record in April, new route planned for garden expo

Seoul's most surreal subway station: unknown story of Noksapyeong Station

The notes of Chopin’s Nocturne drifted up through the deep underground air inside Noksapyeong Station in Seoul on Monday afternoon this week, echoing off curved walls and bouncing against translucent glass banisters. A commuter sat at an upright piano in the concourse — one of the station’s cultural fixtures — and for a few unannounced minutes, the cavernous hall felt less like a subway station and more like a dream that missed its exit. That is precisely the effect Noksapyeong Station tends to have on people. Even after 25 years of operation, Seoul Metro Line 6’s most architecturally audacious station can still make passengers pause mid-escalator, compelled to look up, down or sideways, at a structure that seems more like a science-fiction film set than a city subway system. In a sense, it was built for a world that never quite materialized. Station with grand ambitions When Seoul began constructing its sixth metro line in the mid-1990s, planners had a reason to dream big around the Noksapyeong area. Officials were considering relocating City Hall to the site of the current Yo

Apr 29, 2026By Lee Hae-rin
Seoul's most surreal subway station: unknown story of Noksapyeong Station

K-food guide: How to use chives to balance out carb-heavy meals

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. Chives are currently in season, meaning they’re at their most tender and flavorful. What nutrients do they contain? Chives belong to the same allium family as onions, garlic and green onions and they share many of the same beneficial compounds found in those vegetables. While they’re just as good for your health as other alliums, one advantage is that they don’t have as strong an odor as onions or garlic. The key benefit is that chives help balance meals that are otherwise high in carbohydrates or fat. They pair especially well with fatty meats, and even when eaten with ramen, they can help enhance the meal’s overall health benefits. Nutritionally, chives are quite efficient. At just about 20 kcal per 100g, they are very low in calories but still provide protein, calcium, phosphorus and nutrients that may aid blood sugar regulation. Adding them to rice-based meals helps create a more balanced nutritional profile. Chives can be used in a wide variety of dishes, including salads, kimchi, side dishes, stews, soups and savory pancakes. Good

Apr 24, 2026By Kormedi.com
K-food guide: How to use chives to balance out carb-heavy meals

7 'brain foods' that boost your energy

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. When you can’t concentrate or feel mentally foggy, it’s easy to reach for coffee or an energy drink. But relying on them too often can lead to excessive caffeine intake and even dependence. On days when you have an exam or an important meeting and need peak focus, what foods can help without caffeine? Here are seven options that naturally support concentration. Salmon Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for brain health. Omega-3s help rebuild brain cells, slow cognitive decline and strengthen synapses related to memory. Salmon also provides protein and amino acids that support focus and mental sharpness. Spinach Often called “brain food,” spinach is packed with lutein, folate and beta-carotene —nutrients linked to a lower risk of dementia. Because it supports overall brain function, neurologists often recommend eating spinach at least three times a week. Eggs Eggs are high in DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid that helps improve memory and mood. They also contain choline, which supports healthy brain cell membranes. Banana

Apr 23, 2026By Kormedi.com
7 'brain foods' that boost your energy
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