South Korea - The Korea Times

Joseon Images First flights in Korea drew massive crowds

An airplane flies over the Taedong River near Pyongyang's Ryongwang Pavilion, circa 1920s or 1930s / Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert NeffAviation history in Korea was made on the afternoon of April 3, 1910, when Ohtori 4 ― an airplane built and piloted by 37-year-old Japanese Lt. Sanji Narahara ― raced down an impromptu 35-meter-long runway at Seoul's Yongsan and soared into the air reaching the astounding height of 30 meters off the ground. For about 30 minutes the plane circled the field and then safely landed to the applause of an amazed crowd. One spectator later gushed that he had never in his life seen such a large audience. “It was almost a terrifying sight,” he declared and speculated that “maybe the entire population of Seoul went out to see the spectacle.” Over the next couple of days there would be several aerial demonstrations and it was estimated that about 135,000 people attended these exhibits ― an impressive number considering Seoul's population was about 200,000. Of course, not everyone in the crowd was from Seoul.Some people made great sacrif

Apr 14, 2021By Robert Neff

[Joseon Images] First flights in Korea drew massive crowds

Migrant workers allowed to extend stay in Korea for one year

gettyimagesbankThe government announced a decision Tuesday to extend the period of stay for about 115,000 foreign migrant workers by one year in a bid to relieve labor shortages at small businesses and in farming and fishing communities.The labor and justice ministries said that the temporary extension of stay will apply to the E-9 non-professional employment and H-2 visiting employment visa holders, whose period of staying and working in South Korea is set to expire between Tuesday and Dec. 31.The extraordinary measure will be implemented in consideration of COVID-19-related travel restrictions faced by migrant workers and labor shortages at domestic industrial, farming and fishing businesses, the ministries said. They said 62,239 E-9 visa holders eligible for the special measure will all be allowed to extend their period of stay and work activities by one year.In the case of 52,357 eligible H-2 visa holders, confirmation on whether they are legally employed or not is needed prior to the extension of stay, they said, noting a maximum of 114,596 migrant workers may benefit from the m

Apr 13, 2021

Migrant workers allowed to extend stay in Korea for one year

Foreign line

Comparing North-South cuisinesMaria Osetrova, a researcher from the Center for Korean Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences, will give a talk in Seoul National University's Anthropology Department through Zoom, and members of the public are welcome to tune in for free.She will look at how Korean cuisine has developed in separate directions since the division of the Korean Peninsula over 70 years ago, with the South referring to its food as, “hansik,” while the North uses the term, “Joseon ryori.” The talk will be held in English starting at 5:30 p.m. KST on April 14. Visit snu.ac.kr and find the events calendar on the page to locate more information about the event, including login details. Int'l roots of Korean nationalismVladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean and East Asian studies at the University of Oslo, will give an online talk looking at the complex formation of Korean nationhood in the early 20th century. He will outline the internationalist sentiment in Korean nationalist movements, and how Koreans saw their country's place amid the global sys

Apr 13, 2021By Jon Dunbar

Daejeon Arts Collective returns to in-person exhibit

An illustration from Kevin Nickolai's Graphic Novella / Courtesy of the Daejeon Arts CollectiveBy Jon DunbarThe Daejeon Arts Collective (DJAC) is opening its new exhibit, titled “Semblance of Dreams,” on April 15 for five days at Daejeon Gallery. “We, as a collective, showcase a wide diversity of media in art, as well as people from different backgrounds. The mixture of both foreign and Korean artists working together, I feel, is priceless,” said Christopher Maslon, DJAC president. “It is very common to hear of how many new friendships are forged at this event.”The event will showcase 16 of Daejeon's international and domestic artists sharing their photography, paintings, pottery, upcycled wooden pieces and sound art. Members of the Daejeon Arts Collective / Courtesy of the Daejeon Arts Collective Wil Pertz will offer an installation with six-channel surround sound, while I.F. Haddock will showcase some of his upcycled, wooden wall pieces, Jin Jung will showcase her unique pottery and Sunsook Han will contribute watercolors and cold press paper, am

Apr 13, 2021By Jon Dunbar

RAS Korea Ondol: Korea's unique floor heating

A traditional kitchen is in use to power ondol floor heating, in Sajik Village, Jangsu County, North Jeolla Province. / Korea Times file By Steven L. Shieldsroyalasiatickorea@gmail.comWhen asked about what living in Korea might be like, one of the first answers is always: the warm floors. Korea's living spaces are not cluttered with radiators, common in the United States and other parts of the Western world well into the 20th century, and are still used today in many places. In the old days, the place of honor in the room was right at the “hot spot,” closest to the firebox (agungi) just outside and beneath the floor. Most homes in Korea no longer have a hot spot since the modern ondol system circulates hot water evenly.Although other regions anciently had some floor heating systems, none was quite like the ingenious energy-efficient method developed in Korea. Archaeologists have found evidence of ondol dating to the Bronze Age (circa 900 BCE). The system became wide

Apr 6, 2021By Jon Dunbar

Young singer RAAI releases debut album for 9th birthday

Almost-nine-year-old musician RAAI at Nikoubuchi waterfall in Japan's Shikoku / Courtesy of TENGGER By Jon Dunbar2020 was a hard year for RAAI, the eight-year-old son of Korean-Japanese couple, Itta and Marqido, who make up the transnational ambient band TENGGER. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted his family, his education and almost every aspect of life. But as his ninth birthday approaches on May 10, RAAI is getting ready to release his first album. The seven-song album contains four original songs with lyrics and melodies composed by RAAI, real name Matsumoto Raai, with a little assistance from his mom in arranging and producing the songs and his dad who designed the cover art. The album, titled “Beautiful Moment,” starts off with “Beautiful Ocean” which expresses his longing for his family to be whole again, as his dad was stranded in Japan following travel bans. His mom provides the chorus. “Because of COVID-19, I had to be separated from Dad, and Mom was sick

Apr 6, 2021By Jon Dunbar

Korean Americans fall victim to anti-Asian hate crimes

A woman holds a placard as she participates in a “Stop Asian Hate” rally at Columbus Park in New York, Saturday. Reuters-YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooAmid growing anti-Asian sentiment, people of Korean descent in the United States are being exposed to a torrent of hate and violence as one Korean American-owned convenience store was ransacked, while a Korean American couple was attacked as they were walking in the street. Verbal harassment and physical assaults of Asian Americans have increased dramatically across the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic, as some attribute the deadly coronavirus to China, given that the disease was first reported in the city of Wuhan.According to the Associated Press (AP), the store called Plaza Sundries in Charlotte, N.C., was trashed by a man who wielded a metal post and yelled racial slurs. Surveillance footage shows a man pulling a merchandise rack to the floor and swinging a street sign post into the glass of the refrigerators. A man who appears to be a friend of the attacker cheers him on.The Korean family owning the store told the AP th

Apr 4, 2021By Kang Seung-woo

Korean Americans fall victim to anti-Asian hate crimes

School newsletter translation service to be launched for foreign parents

By Kang Seung-wooA free service will be launched that translates Korean-written school notice or teachers' messages for marriage immigrant who are parents of elementary school children to their mother tongues, a conglomerate-run social contribution foundation said, Thursday.According to the Happiness Foundation, established by SK Group, it will begin the service on April 12 in Seoul with four languages: English, Chinese, Vietnamese and Russian. However, if more than five foreign parents make a request for their particular native language, it will be added.Parents can subscribe to the translating service already, the foundation said, adding that it is reaching out to Seoul-based elementary schools with a large number of international and multiracial students. The project is in partnership with the ODS Multicultural Education Research Institute, a Daegu-based social enterprise comprised of female activists from various cultural backgrounds. Foreign parents who are not fluent in Korean often have difficulty fully understanding notices from homeroom teachers or schools, provided either i

Apr 2, 2021By Kang Seung-woo

School newsletter translation service to be launched for foreign parents

Korea to ease visa rules for skilled foreign IT, R&D workers

Getty Images BankBy Jun Ji-hyeThe government will ease visa rules for foreign workers in R&D and new industries such as artificial intelligence (AI) to more actively attract skilled foreign professionals as part of measures to secure a competitive edge in the rapidly changing global industry ecosystem, officials said Wednesday.The government will also create a “digital nomad visa” that would allow skilled foreign IT workers to stay here even if they do not work for companies based in Korea. A foreigners' policy committee chaired by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun finalized the decisions during a meeting earlier in the day, saying the measures, which will be pursued this year, will also be aimed at bracing for a continued decrease in Korea's population, accompanied by a growing number of elderly people, resulting in declines in the number of workers.Members of the committee included the justice minister as well as vice ministers from the education ministry, foreign ministry and science ministry.The committee said the government will grant additional points in visa screen

Mar 31, 2021By Jun Ji-hye

Korea to ease visa rules for skilled foreign IT, R&D workers

Korea Encounters Hoaxster James 'Swim' takes readers to 'places the RAS dare not go'

Foreigners shop for ceramics in Seoul's Insa-dong, which was also known as "Mary's Alley," published in The Korea Times Nov. 1, 1985. / Korea Times Archive By Matt VanVolkenburgOn May 4, 1974, the author of The Korea Times' “Scouting the City” column, Alf Racketts, wrote that “the local spring tour season is in full swing,” and offered a list of upcoming “picnics disguised as cultural tours” that were to take advantage of the pleasant spring weather. Scheduled for May 15 was, “Soo-do Sa and the Hermitage of the Overhanging Peak. This is an exciting pilgrimage to Soo-do Temple, so-called because it is a fake. The monks are renegade imposters who all turn into foxes at midnight. The tour group plans to stay overnight with them and learn what happens after that. Any who are left the next morning will attempt the easy, gradual 15-hour climb to the Hermitage of the Overhanging Peak. There, a venerable Zen master will induce enlightenment by refusing to tell the climbers

Mar 30, 2021By Jon Dunbar

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