Pope Francis appointed the South Korean bishop Lazzaro You Heung-sik as the new prefect of the Vatican's Congregation for the Clergy, the Vatican said Friday. You, 69, who currently heads the diocese of Daejeon in central South Korea, became the first South Korean to be appointed to a secretary position. The congregation is responsible for overseeing matters regarding priests and deacons not belonging to religious orders. It is known for overseeing more than 400,000 Catholic priests around

The Visit Korean Heritage campaign, which began last year, is back, and this time with some new global projects, according to its co-organizers the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation. “We can sense people’s sentiment toward Korean culture changed recently through contents like BTS’ Daechwita, band Leenalchi’s Korea promotional videos and Minari,” Kim Hyun-mo, head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, said during a press

The British Council of Korea and the Korea Foundation on Friday announced that they were looking for creative ideas to tackle climate change. Cross-border teams from the UK and Korea can compete for funds to support their projects by submitting applications by July 2. “We hope this program can expand the cooperation and conversations between Korea and the UK about climate change issues we face,” said Sam Harvey, director of the British Council of Korea. Nationals from the two co

Experimental art visualizes rising temperatures’ threat to ecosystems

The “Hong Kong Week 2021@Seoul” event will be pushed back by two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts announced Wednesday. The change in schedule comes as the art center failed to get a green light from the government in February to have visiting artists from Hong Kong exempted from mandatory self-quarantine measures. The decision to postpone the event was made last week, an official from the Sejong Center said. The postponement was necess

Nodeulseom, an artificial island built a century ago, is a unique place from which to view Seoul’s nightscape over the Han River, especially in early summer. While you’re staring at reflections of the Han River at night near a dock, an art installation shaped like a giant moon may catch your attention. The 12-meter-tall installation, “Dalbitnodeul,” meaning “Nodeul Under the Moonlight,” is made up of two circular metal structures. It is a popular spot for nig

Pandemic takes at-home gardening culture in South Korea to next level as grocery prices see steep rise

South Korean films "Emergency Declaration," directed by Han Jae-rim, and "In Front of Your Face" by Hong Sang-soo were invited to this year's Cannes Film Festival.    In the official selection for the 74th Cannes Film Festival announced on Thursday, "Emergency Declaration" was listed in the Out of Competition category along with five other films, including "The Velvet Underground" by Todd Haynes, "Stillwater" by Tom McCarthy and "

The Korean Culture and Information Service and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs jointly published “Kimchi in the Eyes of the World” on Wednesday. The 148-page book contains stories on foreigners who love to eat kimchi as well as kimchi-making at foreign embassies and Korean Cultural Centers around the world. Eighteen honorary reporters of Korean.net, an online platform run by KOCIS, hailing from 14 countries also share their stories of making kimchi pancakes, kim

With travel restrictions being gradually lifted in different countries and vaccination roll-out gaining momentum in Korea, the tourism sector hit hard by the more than yearlong pandemic is gearing up to attract foreign travelers. The Korea Tourism Organization hosted a two-day online travel promotion event on May. 28, specifically targeting Japanese under-40s -- Millennials and Generation Z – who are interested in Korean culture. A series of live streaming events were aired on Nikoniko Li

Without having to fly 12,000 kilometers away from Seoul, a private park in Goyang, just 30 minutes’ drive from the capital city, offers unique taste of Latin America. A two-hour leisurely stroll inside the 11,500-square-meter wide cultural park will be enough to take a tour through a museum, an art exhibition hall, a sculpture park, a replica of a chapel, and a Mayan-style mural, housing a total of over 3,000 items.  The museum exhibits artifacts from the Maya, Aztec, Inca and To

In late March, the National Library of Korea announced the opening of an immersive experience library named Shilgam Seojae. It looks just like any normal library, but features new digital technologies that offer visitors a whole new reading experience. A Culture Ministry initiative, the immersive experience library transforms texts by combining it with interactive content using multidimensional technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality. Two months into operation, Shilgam Seojae, whic

2021 Huddling Youth Choir Festival calls for new members

As summer approaches, more people are turning to outdoor activities to fully enjoy the warm weather. A beach in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, is full of tourists enjoying a recent day off.  Public parks are also packed with those looking for some outside time. Some spend their day with family and friends, while others take a relaxing yoga class. Water activities are also gaining popularity as the weather warms up. From canoes to sky bridges, people are taking time to enjoy some clear blue wat

Cities across South Korea hosted multicultural events as part of the Justice Ministry’s Together Day festival Thursday. The Justice Ministry hosted an event to commemorate Together Day with the objective of creating a society where Korean people and foreign residents of Korea can live together respecting each other’s cultures and traditions. Justice Minister Park Beom-kye delivered congratulatory remarks during the ceremony. Together Day was officially designated as a day of na