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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.

More than 1 million Korean tourists visit Vietnam in Q1

Green mountains at Tam Coc in Ninh Binh, northern Vietnam / gettyimagesbankThe number of South Korean tourists to Vietnam soared more than 24 percent in the first half of this year to exceed the 1 million mark, industry data showed Thursday.A total of 1.11 million South Koreans made trips to the Southeast Asian country in the January-March period, up 24.4 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).It marks the first time that the quarterly number of South Korean tourists to Vietnam has surpassed the 1-million threshold.Given the current pace, the annual figure is widely estimated to exceed 4 million for this year.After topping the 1-million level for the first time in 2015, the annual number of South Korean tourists to Vietnam rose to 2.42 million in 2017 and 3.44 million last year.Japan was the top tourist destination for South Koreans in the first quarter, with the number of visitors to the neighboring country coming to 2.08 million.Tourism sources said Vietnam has emerged as a popular tourist destination for South Koreans thanks to

May 16, 2019
More than 1 million Korean tourists visit Vietnam in Q1

'Beverage market changing for more tea consumption'

Tea sommelier Cho Tae-san brews coffee and tea at his shop, Bacio, May 8, Seoul. /Korea Times photo by Bahk Eun-jiBy Bahk Eun-jiCoffee is the most sought-after and consumed beverage in Korea, but the number of people seeking tea over coffee is growing, said tea sommelier Cho Tae-san, 58, who has brewed various teas since 2014.Tea sommelier is a certified job to understand the characters of various teas, especially the representative six kinds produced worldwide _ green tea, white tea, oolong tea, yellow tea, black tea and fermented tea _ and to explain each tea's ingredients and effectiveness to consumers. Data also shows the changing trend: The volume of coffee imports, which had been ever growing, fell from 146,000 tons in 2017 to 143,000 tons in 2018, according to the Korea Customs Service. Tea options are gaining popularity at franchise cafes, with sales of Starbucks' tea brand Teavana rising 20 percent from 2017 to 2018 and Ediya Coffee selling 9.4 million cups of tea last year, triple the amount in 2016.Various tea leaves and tea wares are displayed at Cho's shop in Seoul. /Kor

May 14, 2019By Bahk Eun-ji
'Beverage market changing for more tea consumption'

Haenyeo bring Spanish artist, int'l chefs together

Chefs from different countries, including Alejandro Cuellar from Colombia, Karol Okrasa from Poland, Kang Gil-soo from Jeju Island, makes toast at gala dinner at Jeju Food and Wine Festival, Saturday./ Courtesy of Jeju Food and Wine Festival Organizing Committee.Art meets cuisine at 2019 Jeju Food and Wine Festival By Jung Hae-myoung Jeju Island ― In the southwestern part of Jeju island, about an hour away from Seongsang Ilchulbong Tuff Cone, there is an iconic cultural facility ― The Bonte Museum. Last week, a creative, rare art-cuisine partnership was created there as a Spanish artist became a middleperson to help international chefs get inspiration from Jeju's female divers. The brand-new museum, designed by globally-renowned architect Tadao Ando and opened to the public in 2012, attracted several rare visitors― chefs ― last week. They came to Jeju for the Jeju Food and Wine Festival (JFWF) that started a 10-day run from May 2. Spanish artist Eva Armisen showcased her artwork featuring haenyeo, or female divers, who free-dive to gather abalone, sea urchins and other shellfish for

May 12, 2019
Haenyeo bring Spanish artist, int'l chefs together

Hotel Lobby

Mercure Ambassador opens in UlsanThe Mercure Ambassador Ulsan opened its doors on April 26, becoming the first international hotel brand in the city. It is also Accor Ambassador Korea's 24th property.The hotel features 131 guest rooms overlooking the ocean, and diners can enjoy a range of Eastern and Western cuisines at the signature Opus restaurant. Leisure facilities include a spa and a fitness center. In addition, the hotel features five meeting rooms that can cater to up to 250 guests for weddings, corporate meetings and other events. “This is the first internationally branded hotel in Ulsan and the Mercure Ambassador Ulsan aims to create a locally inspired experience that reflects the charms of the city,” General Manager Derek Eoh said.InterContinental hotels unveil new Bingsu The Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas and InterContinental Seoul COEX have brought back the seasonal bingsu menu starting this month. The Lobby Lounge at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas presents Retro Mugwort Bingsu and Cloud Mango Bingsu. The former is a new recipe made with Korean

May 9, 2019By Kang Seung-woo
Hotel Lobby

Yeoju Ceramic Festival captivating visitors

A child draws patterns for her own ceramic at Yeoju Ceramic Festival in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province. The festival runs through May 12. / Courtesy of Yeoju Sejong Cultural FoundationBy Kang Seung-wooSince 1990, Yeoju Ceramic Festival has established itself as one of the nation's leading local festivals, exhibiting unique and high quality ceramic artwork and products. And marking its 31st edition, the annual event ― designed to promote the excellence of its ceramics, develop the ceramic industry in the Gyeonggi provincial city and, furthermore, raise awareness for Yeoju ceramics ― is continuing its successful run, attracting droves of visitors. Yeoju is one of the regions where quality ceramics have been made due to the area's rich soil, which is an important component of the process.The festival that will run through Sunday at a park near Silleuk Temple drew in 17,000 people on the opening day on April 27.Yeoju Mayor Lee Hang-jin gives a speech during the opening ceremony of the 31st Yeoju Ceramic Festival in Gyeonggi Province, April 27. / Courtesy of Yeoju Sejong Cultural Foundation&ldq

May 9, 2019By Kang Seung-woo
Yeoju Ceramic Festival captivating visitors

Beauty queen, chef join hands for charity

People enjoy a Mexican cooking class, with the proceeds from ticket sales donated to raise funds for Korean orphans' university tuition.  Korea Times photo by Lim Tae-hyeongBy Lee Han-naGive Korea, a crowdfunding site created six months ago to raise money to help people in need, joined hands with the Oak Tree Project to raise money for scholarships for Korean orphans who are entering and attending university. The two hosted a Mexican food cooking class at Elx Cooking Studio in Seoul on Saturday. Despite the short span of time, Give Korea crews have been successfully helping needy people through cooperation with Asian Boss, a YouTube channel with about 1.42 million subscribers.Together with beauty queen Kim Soo-min, the winner of the 2018 Miss Korea pageant, and Chef D Christian Morales from the Mexican restaurant El Pino 323 in Itaewon, Give Korea has raised more than 3.4 million won. Although their performance is impressive, more funds are needed to fully support Korean orphans whose average monthly living expenses are about 500,000 won. In a speech at the opening event, Kim ex

May 8, 2019
Beauty queen, chef join hands for charity

Night out in Dhaka: Dynamics of Bangladesh never sleep

Seen is a view of a street in motion in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, at night after 10 p.m. on April 18. Korea Times photo by Jung Da-minBy Jung Da-minDHAKA, Bangladesh — Bangladesh is a very dynamic country with one of the world's highest population densities of 1,015 per square kilometer for its 165 million population.The country's largest city and capital Dhaka is a diverse city of vibrant culture, with thousands of Bangladeshi businesses and international corporations contributing to migration and population growth.The streets in Dhaka are always filled with cars and people passing by, giving the impression the city itself is always in motion.The heat of the capital does not turn off even at night, with many people still eating out, sitting and talking to each other on the streets.Visiting the dynamic city during the Bangladesh government's week-long “Visit Bangladesh” tour program for a group of journalists, academics and envoys in mid-April, this reporter found a chance for an interesting night out with a local friend.The streets of Dhaka at night, lit wi

May 5, 2019
Night out in Dhaka: Dynamics of Bangladesh never sleep
  • Rohingya refugees' political group cries out for equal rights as Myanmar citizens

INTERVIEW 'Love for sky led me to become pilot'

Song Chan-mi, Jeju Air's first female pilot, poses inside the cockpit. Courtesy of Jeju AirJeju Air's first female pilot By Kim Hyun-binFlying high over the horizon and watching over beautiful vast blue skies is nothing out of the ordinary for Song Chan-mi, the first female pilot for the nation's leading budget carrier Jeju Air.Song's love for flying started at a young age with numerous signs early on that led to her profession.“It is a combination of numerous things. My favorite color is blue so it became natural to love the sky and the ocean,” Song said. “My hometown is Jeju Island. I used to lie on the roof and watch planes pass by all the time, never witnessed anything more wonderful, which naturally made me want to become a pilot that freely flies through the skies.”In December 2007, Song started her career as a co-pilot at Jeju Air, at a time when there were no female pilots in the country.“I was the only female co-pilot at Jeju Air and there were no female pilots in the country. At the time, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines had one to four female co

May 3, 2019By Kim Hyun-bin
[INTERVIEW] 'Love for sky led me to become pilot'

Hotel Lobby

Millennium Hilton offers Children's Day buffetIn celebration of Children's Day, Cafe 395 at the Millennium Seoul Hilton will host a special buffet. Along with its bountiful buffet offerings, there will be several additional stalls offering children's favourite foods for the one-day event that will be available on May 5 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.The additional stalls will feature French hot dogs, sausage and rice cake skewers, beef and chicken mini burgers, spaghetti and more.In addition, there will also be several child-friendly activities including a balloon show, face painting, and a photo station where children can take pictures with the hotel's mascot, Milton.Park Hyatt Seoul unveils Jazz afternoon tea set The Lounge, located on the 24th floor of the Park Hyatt Seoul, is offering an afternoon tea set, accompanied by a jazz performance, on a daily basis.During afternoon tea, available from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. until May 26, visitors can enjoy jazz music of artists who will participate in the Seoul Jazz Festival on May 26 including Wynton Marsalis, Omara Portuondo, Brad Mehldau an

May 2, 2019By Kang Seung-woo
Hotel Lobby

'Pacific Island project to benefit local tourism industry'

Palau is one of the Northern Pacific's hidden marvels. / Courtesy of South Pacific Tourism OrganizationBy Kang Seung-wooIn March, Korea and 14 Pacific Island countries launched the Korea-Pacific Islands Trade and Tourism Promotion Project, under which the Korean government will finance $1 million (1.2 billion won) in official development assistance (ODA) over the next two years to support more structured and long-term tourism and trade promotional activity for the Pacific region.The aid funding is the first of its kind for the Korean government to provide for the tourism industry since Seoul began development cooperation projects with them in 1987.Tuvalu is a dream destination for diving, snorkeling and yachting. / Courtesy of South Pacific Tourism OrganizationHowever, the project is about more than just its symbolic significance as it is believed to pave the way for Korea's local tourist industry to open up a new market for outbound tourists and eventually inbound ones as well. The 14 nations are Fiji, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru,

May 2, 2019By Kang Seung-woo
'Pacific Island project to benefit local tourism industry'
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