South Korea - The Korea Times

MORNING CALM TALES The accidental journalist

It began with a book. One cold, gray afternoon in early 2000, I found myself wandering through the Kyobo Book Centre in downtown Seoul when I came across a book that would quietly, yet profoundly, change the course of my life. It was "Retrieving Bones," an anthology of short stories and poetry about the 1950-53 Korean War. The moment I spotted it, pulled it off the shelf and held it in my hands, I knew. I would read it — and I would review it for The Korea Times. At the time, I had been submitting the occasional op-ed to the paper’s “Thoughts of the Times” column — one or two pieces a month for over a year. Nothing flashy or particularly groundbreaking. Just reflections, small stories and impressions of a life lived in Korea since my arrival in 1990. Before blogs, podcasts and social media, these columns were one of the few platforms where foreign residents could share their voices. Eventually, something inside most long-term expatriates begins to push outward — the need to process, to explain, to be heard. Some write about the quirks and wonders of adjusting to a new cultur

Jun 25, 2025By Jeffrey Miller

[MORNING CALM TALES] The accidental journalist

Stories of 22 Korean War veterans shared by their descendants in new book

A new book has been released to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the 1950-53 Korean War. Titled “The Story of UN Korean War Veterans,” the 240-page book tells 22 stories of veterans from the 16 countries that sent combat troops to fight in the Korean War after the sudden invasion by North Korea began in the early morning of June 25, 1950. The stories come from the descendants — sons, daughters, grandsons and granddaughters — of U.N. veterans, sharing the wartime memories passed down by their fathers and grandfathers. Among the submissions, 10 came from international students residing in Korea while the remaining 12 were sent in from descendants living abroad, according to the book's editor, Shin Ha-young. One of the stories comes from Wakjira Gemechu, the youngest son of Ethiopian war veteran Gemechu Guta. “Since my father used to talk about the Korean War and showed the pictures to our family, I have been both familiar and curious about Korea since I was young. The Korean folk song "Arirang, Arirang, Arariyo" that my father taught me has been familiar since I was a child,"

Jun 25, 2025By Bereket Alemayehu

Stories of 22 Korean War veterans shared by their descendants in new book

Municipalities vie to host new immigration agency

With immigration on the agenda of the new administration amid growing demographic pressures, governors and mayors across Korea are jockeying to host a newly proposed state agency tasked with managing immigration policy. The move comes as President Lee Jae Myung charts the country’s policy course for the next five years. While immigration was not a major focus during his campaign, lawmakers from the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) introduced a bill to establish an independent government department to comprehensively address immigration issues. Local officials in Ansan in Gyeonggi Province ― the country’s most ethnically diverse city ― have positioned their city as the most suitable candidate for the agency’s headquarters. Ansan boasts the highest proportion of foreign residents in the country, with more than 100,000 of its 672,000 residents, or about 14 percent, being foreign-born. Five years ago, Ansan became the first Korean city to be recognized on the Council of Europe’s Intercultural Cities list. “Most importantly, as one of the first cities in Korea to

Jun 24, 2025By Jung Min-ho

Municipalities vie to host new immigration agency

Seoul Players present Samuel Beckett's 'Endgame'

Way back in high school, Janete da Rocha was reading through a collection of works by Irish writer Samuel Beckett. She came across a play called "Endgame," and it appealed to her on a fundamental level. “For over 20 years,” she told The Korea Times, “it remained dormant at the back of my mind, just waiting for the opportunity to re-emerge.” That opportunity has finally arrived. After germinating for more than two decades, once the production was put into motion, the process was relatively swift. The first meeting was in December, auditions were in March and now "Endgame," directed by da Rocha and produced by Seoul Players, will premiere this Saturday. Staged for the first time in 1957, the play touches on topics and themes that continue resonating with modern audiences, including existentialism and the way we all depend on each other for survival. “If anything, I believe that surviving a global pandemic has only made it more relevant,” da Rocha said, “many people who once believed they were completely self-reliant … were forced to reassess themselves and the world during l

Jun 24, 2025By Rory Kelly

Seoul Players present Samuel Beckett's 'Endgame'

RAS Korea offers walk through Seoul's eastern Cheongnyangni neighborhood

Mention Cheongnyangni, and many Seoulites will think first of Cheongnyangni Station or Gyeongdong Market. But apart from the bustle of trains and heaps of produce and ginseng being sold, this neighborhood has a layered history and continues to confront significant change. From a demolished red-light district to a major rail hub, from public housing to herbal markets, Cheongnyangni has long been a threshold that people pass through, settle briefly or try to forget. Cheongnyangni served as Seoul’s main eastern gateway for decades, thanks to its strategic location connecting the capital to Gyeonggi Province, Gangwon Province and North Gyeongsang Province via the Jungang and Gyeongchun rail lines. Cheongnyangni Station was also the terminus of Seoul Metro Line 1 when it first opened in 1974. Previously, the area was connected to the city center by streetcar. Tracks were laid for King Gojong, who used the line to visit the grave of his assassinated wife, Queen Myeongseong. Commercial growth followed the tracks. Markets such as Cheongnyangni Market, Gyeongdong Market and the sprawling Yang

Jun 22, 2025By Jack Greenberg

RAS Korea offers walk through Seoul's eastern Cheongnyangni neighborhood

With beach plans thwarted again, punk fest returns indoors as NOT A FEST!

The return of punk festival IT'S A FEST! (IAF) to the beach has been thwarted for the second year in a row. Instead of taking place at Hanagae Beach on Incheon's Muui Island, this year's festival is being moved indoors in Seoul. "Unfortunately, the problems between Hanagae and their local government are still ongoing," Jeff Moses, co-organizer of festival operator World Domination, Inc. (WDI), told The Korea Times. "These problems have nothing to do with us, but because of them, Hanagae hasn’t been able to host IAF! for the last two years." For this year, the organizers decided to name the event NOT A FEST! and hold it at Binary Studios, a basement recording studio in western Seoul's Mangwon-dong run by Moses. "We didn’t want to do nothing, but we also didn’t have the heart to put all the work into what would essentially be a big club show. So we decided to just book some great bands and have a small, less stressful weekend at Binary Studios," Moses said. Last year, the cancellation of IAF! came as more of a shock, and the organizers moved the entire festival lineup indoors at the

Jun 22, 2025By Jon Dunbar

With beach plans thwarted again, punk fest returns indoors as NOT A FEST!

US Embassy in Seoul to resume visa applications for student, exchange visitors

The U.S. Embassy in Seoul said Friday it plans to soon resume accepting visa applications for student and exchange visitors, based on standards that include "thorough vetting" of applicants' social media accounts. The announcement is in line with the U.S. State Department's release on Thursday (local time) that all U.S. overseas missions will be rescheduling applications for F, M and J nonimmigrant visas. "The Embassy will resume scheduling F, M, and J nonimmigrant visa applications soon," the embassy said in a media release, asking applicants to check the U.S. visa scheduling website on https://www.ustraveldocs.com/kr. "All applicants for F, M, J nonimmigrant visas are instructed to adjust the privacy setting on all of their social media profiles to 'public,'" the embassy said. The decision came weeks after the United States suspended the student visa application process in a move to tighten screening of foreigners potentially posing a threat to U.S. national security.

Jun 20, 2025By Yonhap

US Embassy in Seoul to resume visa applications for student, exchange visitors

World Refugee Day 2025 celebrated in Seoul

Refugees in Korea and their supporters gathered at the Munhwa Jeongwon Art Hall in southwestern Seoul's Geumcheon District for the 4th annual “Shall We Walk?” festival on Sunday, in anticipation and celebration of World Refugee Day 2025, which is observed globally on June 20. As of early 2025, there are about 123 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, organizers from NGO Refugee pNan said at the event. That number includes refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced people and others in need of international protection. Among them, about 40 million are people who have fled their countries and sought protection abroad or in refugee camps. The organizers pointed out that Korea is a signatory to the Refugee Convention and has its own Refugee Act, but Korea's recognition rate remains very low, and the process takes an extremely long time. Refugees who come to Korea fleeing persecution in their home countries face a slow, uncertain process here. "Refugees are not a special kind of people. They are ordinary people just like us. When any of us go through the hardships of suffering

Jun 20, 2025By Bereket Alemayehu

World Refugee Day 2025 celebrated in Seoul

Hanokers promotes creative advocacy for refugees in Korea

South Korea accepts relatively few refugees and maintains one of the most selective asylum systems in the world. According to Ministry of Justice data released earlier this year, the acceptance rate for asylum seekers stands at just 2.7 percent. While a lucky few get their refugee status approved, they still face severe disadvantages, despite being entitled to the same extent of social security as a Korean citizen. Meanwhile, the general public's understanding of refugees' situation is poor, often even prejudiced. Various services, programs and resources exist here to try to fulfill the needs of those seeking asylum in Korea, which include offering a social community, mental health support and opportunities to make meaningful contributions to their new host country. One such organization working to fulfill these needs is Hanokers, a refugee-led initiative to provide a safe and welcoming space among people affected by conflict and displacement. Hanokers was founded by refugees from Ethiopia, Cambodia, Palestine, Egypt and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as refugee rights act

Jun 19, 2025By Jon Dunbar

Hanokers promotes creative advocacy for refugees in Korea

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK The burger spot that brings true Americana to Suwon

SUWON, Gyeonggi Province — Situated near Sungkyunkwan University's Natural Sciences Campus, 105 South St Grill is a hidden gem that brings a slice of Philadelphia straight to Suwon. This no-nonsense burger joint, run by a passionate Philly native, is the real deal when it comes to American comfort food. From the moment you step inside, you're transported to a true East Coast greasy spoon — sports jerseys from his beloved Philly teams adorn the walls, while the compact space, complete with snug bar seating, keeps the experience intimate. Here, his philosophy is simple: serve food that he loves — nothing more, nothing less. And trust me, that passion comes through in every bite. The hamburger patties are handmade with precise weight, ensuring a juicy, meaty consistency that sets them apart. The restaurant has been in operation for over a decade, first starting out in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, before moving to Daegu and now Suwon. The owner recalls his early struggles introducing his Korean patrons to the legendary Philly cheesesteak, guiding diners on how to properly savor th

Jun 19, 2025By Eddie Tam

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