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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.

Japan remains popular holiday destination for Koreans despite wastewater release

Travelers line up at check-in counters of Terminal 1 at Incheon International Airport, June 20. NewsisBy Lee Hae-rinJapan continues to rank among the top holiday destination for Koreans despite Tokyo's release of treated wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant, an issue that has raised anti-Japanese sentiment here.A Seoul-based office worker surnamed Park said she will also visit Japan in a few weeks, although she is hesitant to eat local seafood for safety reasons. As a consumer, the wastewater issue seems “less of a political but more of a safety issue” for her, unlike the once-fervent “boycott Japan” campaign in Korea in 2019, she added.Seoul resident surnamed Kim also chose Japan as her holiday destination.She will depart for Japan in two weeks to explore Japanese cuisine and culture. As someone who has avoided buying Japanese products since 2019, she feels “slightly guilty” about choosing to travel to Japan amid the ongoing controversy. “However, the country still has much to offer in terms of cultural exchange and does not d

Sep 7, 2023By Lee Hae-rin
Japan remains popular holiday destination for Koreans despite wastewater release

Incheon airport honored again for customer experience management

Lee Hag-jae, the president of Incheon International Airport Corp., delivers an opening speech during the fifth edition of the Airport Council International (ACI) Customer Experience Global Summit in Incheon, Wednesday. Courtesy of Incheon International Airport Corp.By Lee Hae-rinIncheon International Airport earned the Airports Council International's (ACI) highest level of customer experience accreditation for the second year in a row, its operator announced, Wednesday. Launched in 2019, the ACI's customer experience accreditation program is the industry's first and only customer experience certificate that assesses customer experience management and service innovations of the world's airports, aiming to improve overall airport experience. The announcement was made during the fifth ACI Customer Experience Global Summit in Incheon. Last year, the airport became the first in the world to acquire level 5 in the five-tier system for its customer service and systematic operations handling increased demand for air travel. “We are very pleased that we have partners like Incheon airp

Sep 6, 2023By Lee Hae-rin
Incheon airport honored again for customer experience management

Korea's 'ambitious' plan to attract Chinese tourists unlikely to live up to expectations

The symbol for the Chinese yuan is seen at a currency exchange counter in Seoul's Myeong-dong shopping area, Aug. 18. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukMeasures fail to reflect changing trends: experts By Lee Hae-rinKorea's “ambitious” package measures to attract 2 million Chinese tourists by year-end are not likely to work out as intended as they are pressed for time in achieving the goal and fall short of reflecting current trends, according to the tourism industry and experts. In addition, it also remains to be seen if air routes between the two countries will increase due to declining local demand for flights to China. On Monday, the government announced a set of inter-ministerial measures to attract an additional 1.5 million inbound travelers from China by the end of this year, with a goal of reaching 2 million for all of 2023 and an annual GDP growth of 0.16 percentage points. The measures were unveiled weeks ahead of China's largest holiday season of the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day, from Sept. 29 to Oct. 6. Last month, the Chinese government lifted its ban

Sep 6, 2023By Lee Hae-rin
Korea's 'ambitious' plan to attract Chinese tourists unlikely to live up to expectations

'Hanwoo' beef gains popularity in Southeast Asia

Korean beef loin cuts can be seen in this promotional image with the phrase “100 flavors from a single hanwoo” / Courtesy of Rural Development AdministrationBy Ko Dong-hwanKorean beef, known as “hanwoo,” is one of the most popular meat products among Koreans, has started gaining popularity outside the country as well. After Hong Kong started importing it years ago, the governments of Malaysia and Cambodia have become the latest importers to enjoy Korean beef's unique flavor.With its popularity overseas increasing, hanwoo is anticipated to compete well against Japan's “wagyu” and Europe's Angus beef.The taste of hanwoo has already been lauded by the local Korean public, especially considering its more-than-affordable price. The country's Rural Development Administration (RDA) says there are scientific reasons behind such a nationwide craving for it. One of them is due to its high fat content, referred to as marbling, which tastes superb.“Highest quality hanwoo with a 1++ grade has marbling of up 22 to 24 percent, making it juicy and more savor

Sep 5, 2023By Ko Dong-hwan
'Hanwoo' beef gains popularity in Southeast Asia

Visa fee waiver unveiled to attract Chinese tourists

Chinese tourists arrive at Incheon International Airport, Aug. 24. The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) held a welcoming ceremony for them in celebration of the 31st anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukGov't introduces comprehensive package to attract 2 million Chinese by year-endBy Lee Hae-rinThe government announced, Monday, a set of measures to attract Chinese tourists to Korea, including an electronic visa fee waiver and duty free shopping tax refund for group travelers from China. In addition, it will make efforts toward improving quality of travel by developing high-value tourism products at reasonable prices and preventing overcharging and high-pressure sales within the industry.These inter-ministerial measures come as the government aims to attract a total of 2 million inbound travelers from China and attain an annual GDP growth of 0.16 percentage points by the year-end, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said. China has been a key market for Korea's inbound tourism as it took a lion's share in foreign visitors t

Sep 4, 2023By Lee Hae-rin
Visa fee waiver unveiled to attract Chinese tourists

Korea to exempt visa fees, increase flights for Chinese tourists

Chinese tourists arrive at the Incheon International Airport, Aug. 25. NewsisKorea's finance ministry said Monday it plans to lift visa processing fees for Chinese tourists through the end of this year and increase the number of flights in line with efforts to attract more Chinese visitors.The latest move came three weeks after China's tourism authorities announced the decision to lift the ban on group tours to South Korea, ending a six-year hiatus caused by frayed relations following the deployment of a U.S. defense system here.From 2017 to 2019, the average number of Chinese tourists visiting South Korea came to 4.99 million annually. While the figure came to just 540,000 over the January-June period of this year, the number of visitors is widely expected to start a full-fledged recovery in the fall on the back of normalized international travel and Beijing's updated policies.The government plans to attract 1.5 million additional Chinese tourists in the second half, with a goal of reaching 2 million for all of 2023. The figure is expected to contribute to a 0.16 percentage-point gr

Sep 4, 2023
Korea to exempt visa fees, increase flights for Chinese tourists

1st Chinese cruise ship arrives in Jeju in over 6 years

Tourists disembarking from Blue Dream Star, a Shanghai-based cruise ship, walk toward the terminal after arriving at Jeju Port, Jeju Island, Thursday. It was the first time a Chinese cruise ship docked in the southern resort island since March 2017, when China virtually banned group tours to Korea in retaliation against the deployment of a U.S. terminal high altitude area defense (THAAD) system in Korea. Yonhap

Aug 31, 2023By Kim Rahn
1st Chinese cruise ship arrives in Jeju in over 6 years

Banksy's famed artwork debuts in Korea with new name

Visitors and reporters take pictures of British street artist Banksy's “Girl without Balloon,” formerly known as “Love is in the Bin,” during a preview at Paradise City, an integrated resort complex in Incheon, Thursday. YonhapBy Lee Hae-rinINCHEON ― Making its Korean debut with a fresh identity, Banksy's iconic yet ever-transforming artwork has been unveiled as "Girl without Balloon" at Incheon's Paradise City resort. The artwork, initially called "Girl with Balloon," became a worldwide sensation in 2018 when Banksy shredded it right after it fetched $1.4 million at a Sotheby's auction. It was subsequently renamed "Love is in the Bin" and resold for a whopping $25.4 million in 2021, a nearly 18-fold jump from the previous price from 2018.Incheon's integrated resort is hosting the exhibition “Love in Paradise: Banksy and Keith Haring" with the support of international auction house Sotheby's, in celebration of the upcoming Frieze Seoul, including displaying the famed yet contentious artwork in Korea for the first time. “We are extremely excited to

Aug 31, 2023By Lee Hae-rin
Banksy's famed artwork debuts in Korea with new name

Culinary tale of tonkatsu as iconic dish of Mount Nam

Korean-styled tonkatsu served with white rice, cabbage salad, cream soup, kimchi and peppers are served at a tonkatsu restaurant in Mount Nam, Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rinWestern dish introduced from Japan takes root as commoner's food in Mount NamBy Lee Hae-rinTucked away in the bustling heart of Seoul, against the scenic backdrop of Mount Nam, is Sopa-ro ― a hillside drive lined with an array of restaurants, all offering the same menu featuring giant-sized Korean tonkatsu.Tonkatsu is a portmanteau of “ton,” meaning pork, and “katsu,” a simplified Japanese pronunciation of cutlet. The tonkatsu served in these eateries in Namsan, a Korean name for Mount Nam, is the same the classic version found in other snack stands across Korea. The pork is flattened until it spans the width of the plate, then breaded and deep-fried to a golden crisp and served with sweet brown sauce. A bowl of plain cream soup, white rice, cabbage salad and kimchi are served with each tonkatsu.These restaurants all label themselves as Tonkatsu restaurants on their signbo

Aug 31, 2023By Lee Hae-rin
Culinary tale of tonkatsu as iconic dish of Mount Nam

Foodies select Seoul's top 100 dining spots

A bowl of “naengmyeon” or Korean-style cold noodles / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul By Ko Dong-hwan For the upcoming week-long event in September celebrating Seoul's vibrant culinary landscape, a diverse panel of 30 judges has curated this year's "100 Taste of Seoul 2023" list. Organized annually by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the list features the city's 100 premier restaurants, cafes and bars.The lineup features a wide variety of culinary options ― 21 Korean, 25 Western, 12 Asian, 10 grill and 10 vegetarian establishments. The list also includes 11 cafes and dessert spots, as well as 11 bars and pubs.Since the list's inception in 2020, 35 venues have consistently maintained their status among the top 100, while 28 newcomers made their debut this year.The 30 judges, ranging from local food and beverage industry experts to gastronomic travelers, scholars and food journalists, have

Aug 30, 2023By Ko Dong-hwan
Foodies select Seoul's top 100 dining spots
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