Campaign fueling disinformation, violence has to be put out, church elder Kim Sang-keun says The church always has to reflect the defining spirit of an era, and empowering people to embrace differences is the zeitgeist Protestant churches should seek now, according to the Rev. Kim Sang-keun. Kim, 86, is a prominent church elder who leads an ad hoc committee helping promote better politics at the National Council of Churches in Korea. It is one of the four largest church alliances in the country

National Museum of Korea loaning majority of artifacts on show A six-month exhibition on Korean history from ancient to modern times will run through Aug.10 at Dresden’s Royal Palace, Residenzschloss. “100 Ideas of Happiness: Art Treasures from Korea,” set to open Saturday, will showcase 359 pieces spanning crafts, ceramics and paintings, offering a glimpse into the period from the Three Kingdoms era (57 BC-668 AD) to the Joseon era (1392-1910). The state-run National Museum of Korea has loaned

Restored by experts at Leeum Museum of Art, 19th-century folding screen to return to Peabody Essex Museum following Leeum show A folding screen depicting a banquet hosted by a provincial governor in 1826 during the Joseon era (1392-1910) will be on display for a month at the Leeum Museum of Art, which restored the painting that belongs to the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts. The 16-month restoration effort began in November 2023 when Leeum became the first private museum in Korea to take p

Women who hosted guests on home-sharing platform aid speak of rewarding experiences Hosting Airbnb travelers at home is not just a financially rewarding experience for women taking time away from their careers, it’s a way to better reconnect with society, according to women who recently recounted their experiences hosting on the platform. “I had always thought I was good at my work until I quit my fashion merchandising job to look after my children. I wanted to feel alive again, so I jumped at t

Joseon, contemporary moon jars on show through June 8 An exhibition of Korean moon jars is running at the Denver Art Museum through June 8, in collaboration with the National Museum of Korea. “Lunar Phases: Korean Moon Jars” features 21 objects including moon jars dating back to 18th century Joseon, as well as five paintings, two photographs, a video and an installation work. Also on show is an interactive mindfulness zone with a touchable moon jar from master ceramicist Lee Dong-sik. The highli

Exhibition of impressionists, cafe with view and hot dating spot Lasting impression “Frontiers of Impressionism: Paintings from the Worcester Art Museum” is running at The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido through May 26. The exhibition features 53 paintings from 39 impressionists, who favored sketching the fleeting over the eternal, everyday life over the grand and indoors over outdoors when recording their view of the 19th century world. Starting with “Water Lilies” by French impressionism pioneer Clau

Plum blossoms in Gwangyang A 10-day plum blossom festival is taking place March 7-16 in Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province, one of Korea’s must-see seasonal events. Admission to the 33-square-meter grove of plum blossom trees in Seomjingang Village costs 5,000 won for adults after discounts. Visitors can shop for food and souvenirs with vouchers worth the price of their admission tickets. Visit gwangyang.go.kr/tour. Cornelian cherry blossoms in Gurye Mark your calendar for a tour of trails lined w

Meltingly tender pork paired with wine stands out in city best known for mudfish soup NAMWON, North Jeolla Province — Namwon is a foodie city. And that is increasingly palpable as trendy eateries like a gluten-free, sugar-free bakery for the health-conscious and a bar known for pairing wine with jambon, jamon and salami open up around the city. It’s worth the roughly two-hour high-speed KTX ride from Seoul to sample the food options in Namwon, because unlike in the capital, venues are much less

A coalition of leaders representing seven major religions in South Korea called on the public to respect a pending decision by the Constitutional Court on the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, which could come as early as next week. In a statement issued Wednesday, the Korean Council of Religious Leaders, which includes the heads of Buddhist, Protestant, Catholic and Confucian organizations, said democracy is built on the strength of due process and rejecting due process would block the co

Tourist arrivals in January reach 1.12 million, a 27 percent yearly jump Close to 1.12 million tourists arrived in South Korea in January, a rise from the same period last year, potentially showing the fallout from the martial law declaration had not put people off visiting the country. The latest data from the state-run Korea Tourism Organization shows the number of arrivals in January this year rose 27 percent from the 881,000 in January 2024. The figures are a good start to the year, in which

Finnish barrel saunas pick up steam as alternative to bathhouses GWANGJU, Gyeonggi Province -- Saunas aren’t just a toasty respite. That’s according to Oh Seung-youl, one of the local entrepreneurs who have capitalized on barrel saunas -- an outdoor activity involving a wood stove with small rocks, a changing room and most importantly, something to snack on. “The barrel sauna is like a heat therapy. It’s warm enough to open us up physically, with a better blood flow, as well as mentally as relax

An exhibition of incense burners from ancient to modern times is running at the Daegu National Museum through March 3. The exhibition “Incense Culture: From Desire to Taste” shows 372 Korean incense-related pieces from the Three Kingdoms period to the Joseon era -- spanning 57 BC to 1910 -- with three National Treasures and 10 Treasures on display. “The exhibition looks at a variety of incense used for different purposes,” a museum official said, citing everyday use and s

The motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol failed in the National Assembly on Saturday, as all but three of the 108 members of the ruling People’s Power Party, abstained from voting. The decision sparked widespread fury and frustration among overseas Koreans, who have directed their anger at the ruling party. “I feel profound sadness,” Sun-ju Bully-Noh, who teaches Korean at the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France. "I cannot understand why opinions are so divided in

비상계엄 선포 직후인 3일 밤 국회 지도부 ‘체포조’가 가장 유력하게 검토했던 구금 장소는 서울 관악구에 있는 수도방위사령부 군사경찰단 시설이라는 주장이 나왔다. 한동훈 국민의힘 대표가 6일 긴급 최고위원회의에서 언급한 ‘과천의 수감장소’는 과천 소재 방첩사령부로 이해됐고, 여인형 방첩사령관도 ‘방첩사 구금 시설’만을 얘기해왔다. 그러나 군 관계자는 본지에 “방첩사는 그런 시설을 가지고 있지 않다”며 “수사할 수 있는 시설은 충분히 있는데 구금할 수 있는 시설은 없다”고 주장했다. 그러면서 “인근 주위에 있는 것으로 볼 때 이제 수방사 군사경찰단에 수용할 수 있는 시설을 확인한 것 같다”며 “그곳이 가장 낫다고 본 것 같다”고 덧붙였다. 비상계엄이 발동되면 계엄사령부와 합동수사본부가 편성되고 방첩사령관이 본부장으로 주요 인물에 대한 수

The team allegedly tasked with arresting top lawmakers after Tuesday’s short-lived martial law declaration heavily weighed detaining them at the military command whose job is to protect the capital from outside attack, according to a military source. The source with direct knowledge of the matter said the military police compound at the Capital Defense Command, in Seoul’s southern Gwanak-gu, was considered to be a strong choice option for holding the detainees. Calling for Yoon&rsquo