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Camarata needs 'Virtual Choir' singersCamarata Music Company, an international nonprofit music organization in Seoul, is gathering a choir to sing “O Fortuna” from Carl Orff's “Carmina Burana.” But in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, choir members are contributing their parts virtually through prerecorded clips.Recordings should be delivered by Sept. 10, Korean time. Visit camaratamusic.org/virtual-choir for instructions on how to make a video and submit it. Aussie trade minister speaks at AUSTCHAM industry roundtable The Australian Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AUSTCHAM) and the Australia-Korea Business Council (AKBC) are hosting an industry roundtable event with Australia's Trade, Tourism and Investment Minister Simon Birmingham. Birmingham will share his insights into COVID-19's impact on regional trade and Australia-Korea relations, and introduce his government's plans to introduce a “travel corridor” for exchanges of businesspeople and students between the two countries. The roundtable will be held Thursday on Webex, and is only open t

Sep 8, 2020By Jon Dunbar

Encouraging zero-waste practices through community, action

Kychele Boone gives a tour of her zero-waste store Wasteupso. / Courtesy of Kyung Lee By Kyung Lee The zero-waste shop Wasteupso has kicked off its 30-day September Sustainability campaign, helping consumers to take a chance on going zero-waste, with tips to reduce food waste among other practices for building a sustainable lifestyle, promoted through the #930sustainability hashtag.Wasteupso operates out of a space in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul, selling everything from luffa sponges, to vegan soap bars, to reusable metal and bamboo straws, to legumes and nuts that can be sold in customized portions.Wasteupso founder Kychele Boone developed the platform from a community-based Facebook group to an offline store, housed in the rooftop unit of an otherwise typical southern Seoul commercial building. Walking into the place, customers will see it's furnished like a home dedicated to comfort and sustainability. She says consumers are becoming more aware of zero-waste practi

Sep 8, 2020By Jon Dunbar

My black face is not your muse

By Lismo DeJesusI try my best to be open-minded and not put race into the equation so much since I'm living abroad. But then I hear stories of Korean kids not wanting to play with other Korean kids because their skin is darker and of Korean teachers undoing a child's cornrow hairdo when she is napping because they think it's dirty. I see Korean comedians painting themselves brown to portray Michael Jordan in comic skits and, most recently, see pictures of Korean high schoolers wearing blackface to portray the Ghana pallbearer meme for their senior yearbook. How can I not factor it in?It was the nonchalant comments and deflections made by Koreans after the issue was raised that stung the most: “It's not that serious,” “It wasn't a big deal,” “there was no ill intent.” Though I believe it to be true, that there was no ill intent, I can't help but think it actually is a big deal ― a very big deal. Most people are aware that blackface stems from the inconsiderate mocking of black people. To say it's not a big deal is telling me you don't care. There's a reason why people are still protes

Sep 8, 2020By Jon Dunbar

Ghanaian celeb Okyere quits 'South Korean Foreigners' after attacks from internet users

Friends of Korea We left Korea, but Korea never left us

Gerry Krzic teaches at Daechang Middle School in Yecheon County, North Gyeongsang Province, in 1977. / Courtesy of Gerry KrzicBy Gerry KrzicAnyone who has spent time in Korea has probably heard of “jeong,” a concept characterized as a collective emotion of caring, love, attachment ― an unspoken bond difficult to define but evident when seen in action. Jeong is usually described in different forms such as jeong between friends (woojeong) and between mother and child (mojeong). I would like to offer another form of jeong ― Peace Corps jeong ― permeating in a subset of American society. That is, Peace Corps Volunteers who served in Korea from 1966 to 1981.I returned in 2013 for a one-week Revisit Korea Program sponsored by the Korea Foundation for former Peace Corps Volunteers. At first I thought it might be like a high school reunion ― a nostalgic trip to days long gone. But what I experienced was different. I attended presentations on modern Korean society, participated in cultural events, reunited with my former Korean coworkers, networked with fellow volunteers and revis

Sep 1, 2020By Jon Dunbar

[Friends of Korea] We left Korea, but Korea never left us

10 ways to endure COVID-19's 2nd wave

Gilbert's Burger and Fries in Itaewon needs customers at dinnertime., May 20. / Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar By Jon DunbarWell, we're at social distancing measures level 2.5, whatever that means. So basically, wear a mask when you leave home, wash your hands a lot and be prepared to sign your name on entering a lot of establishments. And be prepared to spend more time at home, and make every little resource including money last longer.As the pandemic's end remains always beyond reach, it's important to develop a bottomless resource of entertainment content, busywork and pastimes that can help you stay grounded. Lazing around binge-watching TV shows was our first wave of COVID-19 back in early spring, but this time everyone should be feeling pretty restless. Here are several suggestions for how to fill the hours spent at home or elsewhere while maintaining good social distancing practices. Get artisticMight as well see if the crisis inspires creativity in you. Jus

Sep 1, 2020By Jon Dunbar

Foreign residents account for 2.9% of Korea's population

GettyimagesbankSouth Korea's total population inched up last year, but elderly people continued to outnumber children due to a rapid aging trend and a record low birth rate, the national census showed Friday. A total of 51.78 million people lived in South Korea as of Nov. 1, 2019, up 0.3 percent, or 150,000, from a year earlier, according to the 2019 census by Statistics Korea. The agency started to hold a census based on national resident registration records every year in 2016, with the conventional person-to-person survey to be conducted every five years.Out of the total, the number of South Korean nationals reached 50 million, while foreign residents who stayed in the country for at least three months totaled 1.78 million, accounting for 2.9 percent.Some 50 percent of South Korea's population, 25.89 million, lived in the capital city area that covers Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. Seoul saw its residents decline 0.4 percent to 9.64 million last year, while people in Gyeonggi Province rose 1.5 percent to 13.3 million. Busan, the country's second-largest city on the southeas

Aug 28, 2020

Foreign residents account for 2.9% of Korea's population

Seoul to offer disaster relief funds to foreign residents

The government of Seoul said Wednesday it has decided to include foreign residents in its disaster relief payout scheme linked to the coronavirus outbreak.In March, the Seoul Metropolitan Government extended 542.3 billion won ($457 million) in emergency disaster relief funds to 1.6 million households earning less than the capital's median income to help them cope with the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.At that time, almost all foreign residents, excluding marriage immigrants and refugees, were excluded from the one-time cash payout program.In June, however, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea advised the Seoul government to include foreign residents among the beneficiaries of its disaster relief funds, saying foreigners were discriminated against despite also being hit hard by COVID-19.The municipal government said all foreign residents that meet certain criteria and have household incomes smaller than the median income can apply for the disaster relief funds, beginning Aug. 31.In order to be eligible, the head of household must have one of the visas that permi

Aug 26, 2020

Seoul to offer disaster relief funds to foreign residents

Stranded by coronavirus, foreigners overstaying in S. Korea sharply increase

The number of foreigners overstaying in South Korea increased 10 percent on-year in May, as travelers and migrants were stranded by strict border controls around the world due to the novel coronavirus, data showed Wednesday.The number of foreigners illegally staying in the country reached an all-time high of 396,654 in the month, according to the Korea Immigration Service.Of them, about 296,000, or 75 percent, were visitors who entered the country without a visa for a 90-day stay. Illegal short-term visitors increased by 11 percent from the same month in 2019. Long-term immigrants overstaying their visas numbered about 100,000, up 7.4 percent.The proportion of illegal foreigners also hit a record high of 18.5 percent, exceeding 15.5 percent recorded in December 2019, according to the agency."As international travel was blocked due to COVID-19, short-term residents could not leave the country after their visa-free stay period expired," an official from the Immigration Service said."Foreigners who entered the country with a long-term visa have to leave the country after three years of

Aug 26, 2020

Holiday in North Korea Cold noodles in Pyongyang

A bowl of Pyongyang raengmyeon (cold noodles), seen in September 2018. / Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar By Jon Dunbar?On a visit to North Korea in September 2018, the cultural delegation I was part of went to a Pyongyang's colossal Ryomyong Street for lunch. The restaurant was in the Green Architecture IT Center, a striking piece of architecture featuring flower-shaped pods. We took the elevator up to the third floor and walked up one more flight into a colorfully decorated dining room I recall being circular.?There were 10 of us seated around one big table, and our Korean guides sat at another table nearby. I understood their need to be apart from us at meals, as we must be exhausting for them to bring around, look after and solve any cross-cultural problems.?The waitress brought out various bland foods for tourist, which inevitably included potato wedges, something served to us at most meals presumably because they didn't upset our famously unadventurous Western

Aug 25, 2020By Jon Dunbar

Hustle Itaewon holds panel for female entrepreneurs

From left: KAESA CEO Amy Chu, Corico CEO Marisa Steans, Wasteupso CEO Kychele Boone, HAE Creative CEO Marie Frenette By Jon DunbarFighting the COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on entrepreneurs, especially those who rely on interpersonal contact. Even in ideal conditions, business owners need to do a tremendous amount of networking to bring their visions to their full potential.Hustle Itaewon, a rooftop lounge in Seoul's foreign district, is holding a panel talk this Saturday, inviting four foreign female entrepreneurs to share their personal stories, hurdles, triumphs and shortcomings. “I hope to shed light on the knowledge and experiences I have?had as a startup founder and ways to obtain free and important information to improve and maintain startups,” Kychele Boone, CEO and founder of the zero-waste brand Wasteupso, told The Korea Times. “It is my hope that fellow entrepreneurs and participants will use this opportunity to expand their network and seek assistance

Aug 25, 2020By Jon Dunbar

Global Community

Global Community

Foreign Line

Encouraging zero-waste practices through community, action

My black face is not your muse

Friends of Korea We left Korea, but Korea never left us

10 ways to endure COVID-19's 2nd wave

Foreign residents account for 2.9% of Korea's population

Seoul to offer disaster relief funds to foreign residents

Stranded by coronavirus, foreigners overstaying in S. Korea sharply increase

Holiday in North Korea Cold noodles in Pyongyang

Hustle Itaewon holds panel for female entrepreneurs

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