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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.

Online forum mulls ways of revitalizing regional festivals

Participants discuss measures to boost regional festivals during an online forum at the Bitmaru broadcasting support center in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. The forum, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Korea Tourism Organization, was streamed live via YouTube. / Courtesy of Korea Tourism OrganizationBy Jun Ji-hyeThe Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, with the Korea Tourism Organization, held an online forum to discuss measures to revitalize regional festivals, many of which have been canceled due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, officials said Thursday. The Tourism Sciences Society of Korea and the Tourism Research Institute under Hanyang University also participated in the forum that was streamed live via YouTube.The forum came as many regional communities have faced economic difficulties this year following cancellation of their festivals amid the public health crisis.Forum participants, including Choi Bo-geun who heads the ministry's tourism policy department, identified the crisis facing festivals and came up with a variety of ideas to

Aug 6, 2020
Online forum mulls ways of revitalizing regional festivals

Old pharmacy to be transformed into tourist spot

Shin Jong-chul, 88, poses for a photo in front of Chungin Pharmacy which he has operated for more than 60 years in Goesan, North Chungcheong Province. / Courtesy of Goesan County OfficeBy Jun Ji-hyeShin Jong-chul, who has operated a pharmacy for more than 60 years at a rural village in Goesan, North Chungcheong Province, donated his pharmacy to the county, so the old wooden building can be transformed into a tourist attraction. Goesan County Office said Thursday that the 88-year-old pharmacist had donated to the county his pharmacy, called Chungin Pharmacy, with a size of 33.72 square meters as well as its 73-square-meter site, June 25. Shin also donated old medicine cabinets, his diary and books, hoping to preserve the old pharmacy for posterity.The county office will preserve the old building and site, and utilize them as a tourist spot, it said, noting that other tourist attractions near the pharmacy include a 200-year-old Zelkova tree and a dolmen. Mural paintings that decorate the walls of the pharmacy have made the old building more attractive, the office said. Shin opened the

Jul 30, 2020
Old pharmacy to be transformed into tourist spot

Forests become popular destinations amid pandemic

A man takes a picture of his family in Ahopsan Forest in Busan. / Courtesy of Korea Tourism OrganizationBy Jun Ji-hyeRecreational forests across the mountainous landscape of Korea are emerging as popular summer vacation destinations, as an increasing number of people are seeking to relax at quiet and less-crowded spots amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and operators of the recreation facilities.The forests, offering the shade of trees and cool streams, are attracting many tourists as such spots allow for social distancing, especially compared to other summer destinations such as beaches. The forest on Mount Jangryeong located in Okcheon, North Chungcheong Province, reopened to visitors who make reservations, July 22, after a month-long shutdown due to the pandemic.“Our accommodation and camping facilities for Friday and Saturday are almost fully booked until Sept. 1,” an official from the forest said, noting that the reservation rate for weekdays is also higher than last year.As a precaution against COVID-19 transmissi

Jul 29, 2020
Forests become popular destinations amid pandemic

Great routes to embark on 2-wheeled adventures

Riders enjoy a bicycle trip on the Namhan River bicycle route. / Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization By Jun Ji-hyeKorea is an ideal destination for bicycle trips due to extensive dedicated bicycle paths around the country and stunning natural landscapes in addition to convenient bike rentals. Some booths along bike trails even offer stamps to riders upon their arrival to track their courses and collect a memento to mark their progress. As people have been unable to travel overseas due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) as well as online travel agencies including Agoda have recommended some great cycling routes across the nation that will make summer vacation more special. Namhan River The Namhan River bicycle route, which opened October 2011, has been considered a must-ride course for cyclists here. It is a 140-kilometer-long path that links Namyangju of Gyeonggi Province and Chungju of North Chungcheong Province. The route p

Jul 29, 2020
Great routes to embark on 2-wheeled adventures

Hotel Lobby

By Jun Ji-hyeInterContinental Seoul COEX launches 'Wonder Hour' package The InterContinental Seoul COEX is showcasing its “Wonder Hour” package featuring unlimited access to various alcoholic beverages and food, along with a night at the hotel. The package includes a one-night stay at the hotel, along with access to the Wonder Hour for two guests at the lobby lounge located on the first floor of the hotel. The Wonder Hour offers unlimited access to various alcoholic beverages, including wine, beer and sparkling wine, along with about 30 types of snacks. The menu items range from simple fare perfect for wine, such as smoked salmon, fruit and cake, to assorted snacks including chop steak, grilled pork belly, sweet and sour chicken, pasta and fried rice. The offer also includes complimentary access to the indoor swimming pool that guests can take full advantage of during summer. In addition, guests are invited to delight in leisurely relaxation on the outdoor deck, overlooking the view of the pleasant 25-meter-lo

Jul 29, 2020
Hotel Lobby

Newborn giant panda at Everland

These combined photos, released Wednesday, show a giant panda born at Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. The theme park said the 16.5 centimeter cub was born to Chinese female Ai Bao, Monday, and was sired by Le Bao. This is the first case of a Giant panda being born in Korea. Giant pandas are one of the species that are difficult to breed, as female pandas enter estrus only once a year, for one to three days on average. Everland said it will not allow public viewing of the cub for a while but will release photos through its SNS accounts. Courtesy of Everland

Jul 22, 2020By Nam Hyun-woo
Newborn giant panda at Everland

Try unique ice cream at 4 local destinations

Booking.com, an online travel agency, recommends four travel destinations in Korea that offer locally sourced ice cream. / Courtesy of Booking.comBy Jun Ji-hyeKorea's summer weather is not only hot but also very humid, leading people to find their own way of coping.Ways of escaping the heat may include taking a cold shower, drinking iced beverages, eating ice cream or lying in bed with the air conditioner on. In time for the summer vacation season here, Booking.com, one of the big-name online travel services, recommends four domestic travel destinations where people can quench their summer thirst with unique ice cream made with locally sourced ingredients. According to Travel Predictions 2020 research conducted last year by the Amsterdam-based company with more than 22,000 travelers across 29 countries, 71 percent of global travelers agreed that eating locally sourced produce was important when on vacation. For travelers preparing for summer vacation, the online travel agency also recommends places to stay at the four travel destinations offering special ice cream flavors.Jeju Jeju I

Jul 22, 2020
Try unique ice cream at 4 local destinations

Andaz Seoul Gangnam achieves 5-star hotel rating

Andaz Seoul Gangnam General Manager Juan Mercadante, left, and Hyatt Area Vice President Adrian Slater, second from left, applaud with other officials including Hotel HDC CEO Kim Dae-joong, third from left, during a sign hanging ceremony held July 17 to celebrate it receiving five stars in a hotel rating review conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization. / Courtesy of Andaz Seoul GangnamBy Jun Ji-hyeAndaz Seoul Gangnam has achieved the five-star rating in a hotel rating review conducted recently by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization. The rating is the highest one given by the two.The five-star rating is given to hotels that have earned more than 900 points out of 1,000, including 700 points for on-site evaluation and 300 points awarded by a mystery shopper. Andaz Seoul Gangnam received high praise for hygiene and cleanliness, its front desk, rooms, food and beverages and event hall, according to the hotel.The hotel held a sign hanging ceremony, July 17, to celebrate its achievement.Andaz Seou

Jul 22, 2020
Andaz Seoul Gangnam achieves 5-star hotel rating

COVID-19 changes landscape for travel, vacations

Domestic hotels, resorts cash in on prolonged pandemicBy Jun Ji-hyeLee Min-hye, 37, who works for a trading company in Seoul, used to take an overseas trip every year for her summer vacation, visiting exotic places to get away from the bustling city life.This summer, she was planning a trip to the Grand Canyon and western U.S. cities with her husband, looking forward to having fun adventures there, but they had to abandon the plan due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Instead, my husband and I decided to spend our summer vacation at a five-star hotel in Seoul that recently released a summer package, because we wanted to enjoy a vacation and take a rest anyway,” she said. The hospitality sector is one of many industries to have been hit hardest by the coronavirus outbreak, along with airlines and airports. But the situation facing domestic hotels and resorts appears to have improved compared to other industries in time for the summer vacation season ― usually between June and August in Korea ― as an increasing number of people are seeking to spend their holidays at local venues,

Jul 21, 2020
COVID-19 changes landscape for travel, vacations
  • South Korea reports 45 new cases of coronavirus infection

No. of Korea-bound tourists from Indonesia drops 68% in H1: report

A tourist wearing hanbok poses for a photo at Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul in this Feb. 11, 2019, file photo. ReutersThe number of visitors to Korea coming from Indonesia dropped sharply in the first half of the year, the nation's tourism agency said Saturday, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.An estimated 44,000 people visited South Korea from Indonesia in the first six months of the year, down 68.3 percent from a year earlier, according to data from the Jakarta branch of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).In particular, the number of inbound tourists from Indonesia plummeted in the second quarter after the Southeast Asian nation reinforced its travel restrictions following its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 2.The number of Indonesian arrivals stood at only 5,600 in the April to June period, down 93 percent from a year earlier, it said.As of Friday, Indonesia has confirmed 81,668 cases of COVID-19 with 3,873 deaths, according to data from the World Health Organization.South Korea has so far reported 13,711 cases of the novel coronavirus, with its death toll reaching 294

Jul 18, 2020
No. of Korea-bound tourists from Indonesia drops 68% in H1: report
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