A united group of villagers set fire to bundles of straw near the U.S. military firing range in Pocheon on Wednesday in protest against stray bullets from the range.The Rodriguez Live Fire Complex, about 24 kilometers south of the tensely-guarded demilitarized zone, has been a source of grievances to the residents of neighboring towns following a series of ricochets that have come out of the firing range and landed on residential areas.Most recently in October, a 105-millimeter anti-tank shell f

The city of Seoul awarded honorary citizenship to 17 foreigners including "the homeless billionaire" Nicolas Berggruen on Wednesday in recognition of their contributions to the metropolis.Berggruen, a philanthropist and investor who is known by the nickname because he lives in hotels without owning a house, was one of the awardees of the honorary citizenship of Seoul, the city government said.Berggruen has served as an advisor for the Seoul city's governance and urban reform through cooperation

JEJUDO ISLAND -- What is it about hiking and backpacking on a long trail that is so alluring?There have been movies like “The Way” and “Wild” that tell the stories of characters trekking long distances to their destination.Like in the movies, it is physically painful and challenging while on smooth, rocky, sandy and uphill roads.But at the end, people can gain a sense of accomplishment, and most importantly, let go of sorrow, clear their minds and start anew like those characters endeavoring alo

DRESDEN, Germany -- Dresden is often associated with the past. Sitting at the midway point between Prague and Berlin, the city is famous for hosting the oldest Christmas market in Germany, for its Saxon history, and for being a part of the former East Germany. However, it is less well known for the revival it has experienced since the end of the Cold War, during which it rebuilt its old glory and began creating a modern counterpart to its historic areas. Today, Dresden offers a balanced tourist

Happy autumn festival at Kensington Jeju HotelKensington Jeju Hotel will present Paw in Paw Kids Package until Nov. 30, 2015.This package is specifically designed for children who love to play and stay at Paw in Paw Kids Club and the kids rooms. There will be ‘Pumpkin Art Festival’ on Oct. 24-31 to celebrate Halloween.Paw in Paw Package comes with a color choice of rooms decorated with the characters from Paw-In-Paw, the television animation series, in blue, pink and brown. The room also provide

Cultural events in YeongcheonThe Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said there will be a variety of special cultural events in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province from Oct. 16-18.The Month of Culture events will be introducing traditional cultures of Yeongcheon in line with efforts by the ministry to promote regional cultures. The ministry has started to promote regional cultures since last year in Gwangju City.Yeongcheon will have art festivals and exhibitions of Korean young artists, an

A string of various regional events and festivals promoting the beauty of chrysanthemum flowers will be held across the country beginning next week. Children play with chrysanthemum flowers at Sanglim Park in Hamyang, South Gyeongsang Province. (Yonhap)Hampyeong Grand Chrysanthemum Festival in Hampyeong, South Jeolla Province, will kick off the country’s first chrysanthemum event on Oct. 23, going for 17 days at the Hampyeong Expo Park.The festival, which was launched in 2004, will have various

JEUNGDO ISLAND, South Jeolla Province -- Walking in a forest of pine trees in a park that is shaped like the Korean Peninsula along a beach, visitors can instantly feel relaxed on this small island off the country’s southwestern coast.Jeungdo in Shinan, South Jeolla Province -- Asia’s first Cittaslow or “Slow City” -- is a quiet getaway island for those especially the elderly who seek to heal their body and soul from the daily hustle and bustle of big city life. The term Cittaslow comes from Ita

Upcoming fashion events are set to turn the capital city of Seoul into a style destination. Celebrities and models will present creations of talented Korean designers during Seoul Fashion Week as fashionistas and photographers take to the streets of Seoul to keep the festive mood. Buyers from leading stores around the world will be on a hunt to discover young emerging talents in Korea. Models present creations of a fashion designer during a previous Seoul Fashion Week. (SFW)Seoul Fashion Week, o

DAEGU -- This landlocked city in the country’s southeast stands out for its economic strength and uniqueness in traditional oriental medicine among the region’s industrialized cities such as Busan, Pohang and Ulsan. Daegu is also actively seeking to build its IT start-up ecosystem amid the government’s policy promoting a creative economy.View of Daegu City from Apsan Park’s observatory platform (Lieto)But lesser known is that Daegu prides itself for having and serving the region’s most delicious

King Jeongjo, the 22nd king of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) and the son of ill-fated Crown Prince Sado, wanted to build a “utopian city” in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province that could be benchmarked by other cities across the country.This was where King Jeongjo wanted to retire after handing over his throne to his son, King Sunjo.The reenactment of King Jeongjo taking a stroll at Hwaseong Fortress (Suwon City)Hwanseong Fortress and Hwaseong Haenggung Palace in the region have gained attention from loc

Although K-pop has garnered attention worldwide especially across Asia, Korean pop songs still lack international appeal.In order to further boost K-pop globally, Korean producers and artists should try mixing different genres such as hip pop and jazz whose sounds are appealing in other parts of the world, a prominent U.S. music producer and artist said.Nate “Danja” Hills, American music producer, talks about music production in the digital age ahead of the Seoul International Music Fair in Seou

In the inner circle of Matthias Y. Sutter, the general manager of Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel is known as the “bicycle hotelier.”Sutter rides his bike to work every morning from his home in Bangbae-dong in southern Seoul to the hotel in Sindorim-dong, southwest Seoul -- always trying to come in under 40 minutes in the 20-kilometer ride. He also rides his bike with his employees and hotel guests every Wednesday morning for 45 minutes.Sheraton Seoul D Cube general manager Matthias Y. Sutter o

The Gyeongju World Culture Expo in the ancient Silla capital city of Gyeongju is gaining attraction from students as a knowledge destination where they can learn about the Silla history and Korean cultural heritage.According to the expo’s organizing committee, about 150 schools nationwide have planned their field trips to the expo -- which kicked off last month for 59 days under the theme of “Eurasia Cultural Express: Silk Road Cultural Festival."Among many shows and performances, “Flying: Hwara

HalaTrip.com, an online travel platform operated by Singapore-based Crescentrating, said together with the Jeju Tourism Association, it has published a 12-page travel guide on Jejudo Island for Muslim travelers.Titled “Experience Jeju Island, A Traveler’s Haven,” the guide, which is available in English and can be downloaded from HalaTrip.com, introduces the island’s landscapes, culture and activities.It also shows Muslim travelers the best places to visit, shop, dine and pray on the Korean Isla

Korea and France will kick off their bilateral cultural event with artists and musicians performing Korea’s royal ritual music Jongmyo Jeryeak at the Chaillot National Theater in Paris on Sept. 18.The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports said that the 2015-2016 Korea-France Bilateral Exchange is being organized to commemorate the 130th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two sides next year.The event will have some 150 cultural programs featuring traditional and contemporary Korean mus

Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province is a city where one can learn about the country’s ancient history and cultural heritage.The ancient capital of Silla Dynasty (57 B.C. – A.D. 935), one of Korea’s ancient Three Kingdoms, was the eastern end of the Silk Road that connected all the way to Europe via China both economically and culturally.To revitalize the spirit of this trade route and promote the Eurasian culture, the Gyeongju World Culture Expo has kicked off for a 59-day run with a variety o

While K-pop is quickly rising as a key cultural symbol in Asia, it remains much on the sidelines of the U.S. and European music industries, international experts said at a forum discussing the prospects of K-pop abroad. “The success of K-pop in the world is somewhat different from how it is perceived in Korea,” said Rob Schwartz, the Tokyo bureau chief of American music magazine Billboard, at the Seoul Music Forum, held from Sept. 11-12. A handful of industry insiders were present to discuss the

The Korean animation industry poses a mixed picture. Despite the popularity of children’s animations with such hits as “Pororo,” “Robocar Poli” and “Tayo” in the local and global market, many local animation studios still suffer losses. They are trapped in a vicious cycle. Animation studios face mounting losses as they continue to create sequels to their series. Securing a spot on TV doesn’t solve the problem. The fees they receive airing their series on TV doesn’t even cover half the production

Walt Disney once said, “Animation can explain whatever the mind of man can conceive.”It is a versatile art that takes years of capital and hard work from a variety of people with great imagination.Drawing inspirations from the lives of ordinary people in an extraordinary situation and environment, animations and their characters can reach the hearts of many diverse people regardless of class, color or sex.They can move you, make you laugh and cry, and make you escape to a fantasy world away from