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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.

Cheong Wa Dae to get face-lift to become tourist landmark

A swarm of visitors approaches the main gate of Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul during a celebratory event to mark the full public opening of the former presidential office and residence in this May 10, 2022 file photo. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukThe culture ministry said Monday the former presidential office compound of Cheong Wa Dae, which was opened to public access about a year ago, will be transformed into a multifaceted tourist landmark with historical, cultural and natural value.The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism unveiled its basic plan for operating the compound as it was commissioned by the presidential office to manage the compound at the end of last month.Under the plan, Cheong Wa Dae will be given a face-lift to become a dynamic place where visitors can learn about Korean history, and enjoy culture and nature in one place.It will then be transformed into a tourist landmark in central Seoul, combining rich cultural and historical resources with the nature of Mount Bugak in the surrounding area, according to the ministry.Cheong Wa Dae had been the presidential

Apr 10, 2023
Cheong Wa Dae to get face-lift to become tourist landmark

Korea seeks to attract Middle Eastern tourists

A traditional Qatari wooden Dhow boat sails along Doha's Corniche, a waterfront promenade in Doha Bay, Qatar, Nov. 12, 2022. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukBy Lee Hae-rinThe Korean government and the private sector have set their sights on tourists from the Middle East by tapping the popularity of Korean culture in the region, according to the culture ministry, Thursday. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism held a meeting in Seoul, Wednesday, with the taskforce devoted to activating exchanges with the Middle East to discuss how to expand the country's presence in the region. The ministry launched the taskforce in January in response to growing interest in Korean culture and rising demand for travel to Korea there. It consists of Middle Eastern market specialists, companies that have entered the Arab world and government officials.Wednesday's meeting was held to prepare for the Korea-Arab exchanges expected to resume in full swing when the Islamic holy month of Ramadan ends on April 21, the ministry said.During the meeting, company officials shared the difficulties they have

Apr 6, 2023By Lee Hae-rin
Korea seeks to attract Middle Eastern tourists

Gimpo airport to launch care service for dogs

A dog bounds down a small flight of stairs in a pet hotel. Korea Times fileBy Kim Se-jeongA dog care service will be available at Gimpo International Airport from June for passengers to check their pets into while they are traveling as part of the airport's moves to better cater to passengers with companion animals.According to an airport official, checked-in dogs will be sent to a nearby pet hotel where they will stay until it's time to be returned to the airport for pick-up.“Companion dogs are more common nowadays. And we see people having trouble with their pets when they plan trips,” an airport official told The Korea Times as to how the service came about. “We hope this service will better serve passengers.” The pet hotel, according to the airport, has six big playgrounds, a swimming pool, a photo studio and other facilities on 4,000 square meters of land. “The size was an important consideration when we chose it,” the official said. The standard service will cost 50,000 won per day, and a premium option will be also available. However, the s

Mar 31, 2023By Kim Se-jeong
Gimpo airport to launch care service for dogs

S. Korea to fully open DMZ hiking trails April 21

DMZ hiking trail in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province/ Korea Tiems fileThe government said Friday all 11 peace-themed hiking trails along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas will be open to the public starting April 21. The trails are located in 10 cities or counties bordering the DMZ ― Ganghwa, Gimpo, Goyang, Paju, Yeoncheon, Cheorwon, Hwacheon, Yanggu, Inje and Goseong (which has two different trails).The DMZ, measuring about 250 kilometers long and 4 km wide, is one of the world's most heavily fortified borders, with the rival Koreas technically in a state of conflict, as the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.The program offers a unique opportunity for tourists to reflect on the meaning of freedom and peace while learning about the ecological, cultural and historical values of the area from experienced guides.Each course is composed of sections where participants can travel either on foot or by car. While most of the sections are traveled by vehicle for the safety of participants and protection of wildlife, some sections are designed only for walk

Mar 31, 2023
S. Korea to fully open DMZ hiking trails April 21

Japanese top visitors to Korea in 2023 as tourism rebounds

Japanese tourists walk in the tourism and shopping district of Myeong-dong in central Seoul, Wednesday. YonhapBy Lee Hae-rinKorea's tourism industry is steadily recovering from the blow dealt by the COVID-19 pandemic. A large part of this recovery is Japanese tourists who account for the largest cohort of travelers to the country during the first two months of 2023, the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) said, Thursday.In February, the number of inbound global tourists to Korea almost quadrupled, compared to the same period last year, with over 479,000 visitors, according to the KTO's tourism statistics. About one out of five was from Japan. Over 94,000 Japanese visited Korea last month, which is a whopping 3,117 percent increase from February last year. Korea saw nearly a 400 percent jump in inbound travelers with over 914,000 foreigners visiting the country from January to February in 2023. Japan ranked top among visiting countries for two months consecutively with 161,000 travelers.The KTO explained that the resumption of the visa waiver on short-term arrivals from Japan and the inc

Mar 30, 2023By Lee Hae-rin
Japanese top visitors to Korea in 2023 as tourism rebounds

Korean aesthetics, spirit live on at Gyeongbok Palace

Royal guards dressed in red official attire carry out a changing-of-the-guard ceremony at Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul, in this undated photo. Courtesy of Korea Tourism OrganizationSeoul's 'palace of felicitous blessing' carries on quintessential Korean spiritBy Lee Hae-rinIn the middle of a forest of skyscrapers and LED lights in the heart of central Seoul stands Gyeongbok Palace, the greatest and arguably most beautiful among the capital's five main royal palaces.Gyeongbok Palace, its name meaning “palace greatly blessed by heaven,” is one of Korea's most famous and popular travel attractions visited by millions of people every year. It serves as a filming location for K-dramas and feature films, many of which have gained international recognition.The six-century-long Joseon Kingdom came to an end in 1910. However, the property, where royal families and court officials worked, feasted and held ancestral ceremonies and royal funerals over the centuries, houses the quintessence of Korean culture and spirit, from the nation's architectural aesthetic to the spirit of r

Mar 30, 2023By Lee Hae-rin
Korean aesthetics, spirit live on at Gyeongbok Palace

Duty-free sales up nearly 37% on-month in Feb. after China's reopening

A view of Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport on March 2 where duty-free shops are located. NewsisKorea's duty-free sales rose nearly 37 percent on-month in February, industry data showed Monday, as China resumed short-term entry for Korean travelers.Combined sales at duty-free shops in Asia's fourth-largest economy came to 1.09 trillion won ($837.4 million) last month, up 36.7 percent from a month earlier, according to the Korea Duty Free Shops Association.Foreigners' spending on duty-free goods surged by about 50 percent to over 894.6 billion won in February, compared with 596.4 billion won in January. The hike came amid an increase in Chinese resellers and renewed demand for Korean cosmetics after China's reopening.Last month, South Korea resumed issuing short-term visas for Chinese visitors, and China also restarted the issuance of short-term visas for South Koreans.In January, South Korea tightened curbs on travelers from China amid a surge in coronavirus infections in the neighboring country. China suspended short-term visa issuance for South Koreans in apparent retalia

Mar 27, 2023
Duty-free sales up nearly 37% on-month in Feb. after China's reopening

Gimpo-China flights recover to pre-pandemic levels

Travelers departing from Gimpo wait in line to board their flights to Beijing and Shanghai at Gimpo International Airport, Monday, after flights between the two countries departing from the airport resumed to pre-pandemic levels. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulBy Lee Hae-rinThe number of flights between Gimpo International Airport and Chinese destinations has recovered to pre-pandemic levels, according to the Korea Airports Corp. (KAC), Monday.The airport operator said the total weekly flights between Gimpo and the Chinese cities of Beijing and Shanghai returned to 56 as of Sunday, after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Four airlines ― Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Air China and China Southern Airlines ― will each operate seven flights per week between Gimpo and Beijing.Among them, China Southern Airlines' newly-launched air route will fly to Beijing's Daxing International Airport ― the Chinese capital's second airport that opened before the pandemic in September 2019. Daxing is also the world's biggest airport that is expected to handle up to 100 million passenge

Mar 27, 2023By Lee Hae-rin
Gimpo-China flights recover to pre-pandemic levels

Japanese students' field trips to Korea resume after pandemic hiatus

Japanese students from Kumamoto Prefecture's Luther Junior and Senior High School wave as they arrive at the Incheon International Airport's Terminal 1 for a five-day field trip in Jeonju and Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulBy Lee Hae-rinJapanese students came to Korea on a field trip for the first time in three years, Tuesday, signaling a renewal of the cultural exchanges between the younger generations of the two countries. Thirty-seven students and two teachers from Luther Junior and Senior High School in Kumamoto Prefecture arrived at Incheon International Airport for a five-day visit. They will first participate in an exchange program with students of Shinheung High School in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, Wednesday. The students of the two high schools will attend classes together and share meals. They also plan to visit Jeonju Hanok Village as well.On Thursday, they will move to Seoul and visit the capital's key tourist attractions, including the shopping and fashion district Myeong-dong, Gyeongbok Palace and Lotte World amusement park.Upon their arrival, th

Mar 21, 2023By Lee Hae-rin
Japanese students' field trips to Korea resume after pandemic hiatus

COVID-hit Myeong-dong bounces back as tourists return

Tourists look at Korean cosmetics products at CJ Olive Young's flagship store in Seoul's central Jung District in this undated photo. Courtesy of CJ Olive YoungBy Lee Hae-rinKorea's iconic shopping and tourism district, Myeong-dong, is flourishing again with the return of foreign travelers driven by their love for Korean culture, dramas and cosmetics.Kai Diaz, a 26-year-old American, told The Korea Times, Monday, in Myeong-dong that she made a list of things she needed to do based on her favorite Korean drama and YouTube, Facebook and Tik Tok channels while counting down the days to her first trip to Korea during the pandemic. Diaz, who introduced herself as a “huge K-drama fan,” said her favorite Korean series triggered her interest in K-beauty and prompted her to look for skin-care products to take home on the last day of her five-day journey. “There's not a lot of good ones back where I am from (Nevada). Even if there was, it's either too expensive or you have to order it online,” she said, enthusiastically adding that she will return to Korea to explore mo

Mar 20, 2023By Lee Hae-rin
COVID-hit Myeong-dong bounces back as tourists return
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