The Korean art world has been engulfed in a scandal involving rumors and suspicions surrounding allegedly forged works of Lee U-fan, a leading Korean artist on the international art scene. A forged certificate for his famous “From Point” series painting -- sold for $415,600 at a local art auction in December -- has shaken the Korean art community, spreading mistrust and suspicion in a world where reputation matters a great deal. As the National Forensic Service hasn’t confirmed the authenticity

The government is seeking to add the historic Seoul City Wall and Confucian academies of Korea to the UNESCO cultural heritage list this year. In addition, it also hopes to include haenyeo, female divers on the resort island of Jejudo, and Korean traditional wrestling to the intangible heritage list. The state-run Cultural Heritage Administration outlined its plan to submit the applications for inclusion on the UNESCO lists this year at a press conference Tuesday to introduce its plans for the y

BERLIN (AFP) - While Germany is still taking in around 2,000 refugees a day, it is now denying entry to about 200 others daily at its borders, the interior minister said Sunday.The tighter border controls come after the EU's top economy last year took in a record 1.1 million refugees and migrants, straining resources and sparking heated political debate."People who are fleeing war and persecution are offered security and protection in Germany," the minister, Thomas de Maiziere, told the newspape

(Bloomberg) – New York, Washington and the U.S. Mid-Atlantic on Sunday shoveled away more than two feet of snow from a blizzard that brought the region to a standstill, cut power for several hundred thousand customers, grounded more than 13,000 flights and was blamed for at least 18 deaths.Highway bans on roads around New York City are to be lifted at 7 a.m. today, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans to resume limited bus service at the same time, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo s

SEOUL (Yonhap) – South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday discussed "specific ways" to enact a strong punishment against North Korea for its recent nuclear test, Yun's ministry said.They spoke on the phone for about 20 minutes, as Kerry plans to visit Beijing later this week.Yun and Kerry "discussed specific ways to push for the strongest and most comprehensive sanctions on North Korea at the U.N. Security Council" to make it pay a price for the

Spring seems to have arrived early at 313 Art Project gallery in Seoul, despite the subzero temperatures outside. A warm yellow vibe fills the cold gallery space, created with bright LED lights emitted through thin layers of vinyl sheets in different shades of yellow. The installation by artist Park Ki-won invites visitors to experience the warmth of spring that makes seeds sprout and flowers bloom. The air, carrying a winter chill, makes one feel like being out on a cold spring day. “Temperatur

The DMZ Art Project, an annual exhibition project that takes place near the Demilitarized Zone in Korea, invites Korean and international artists to work in residence in a border town from April to October this year. The residency program will take place in Yangji-ri in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, a two- to three-hour drive from Seoul. Artists live for three to seven months at a remodeled house in the rural village to explore the meaning of the DMZ and related issues in the regional and broader

The certificate for the authenticity of Lee U-fan’s 1978 painting, sold at the December auction of Korea’s second-biggest auction house K Auction, was confirmed to be forged, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said. “We confirmed the certificate to be a fake after we had it appraised by experts,” police said Friday.The fake certificate for Lee’s painting “From Point No. 780217” has the same registration number as one that appears on the certificate for artist Kim Ki-chang’s landscape painting

Buddhist paintings from the Goryeo Dynasty and scriptures with outstanding historical and artistic values have been named National Treasures, the Cultural Heritage Administration said Thursday. The state-run cultural heritage agency designated three rare Buddhist paintings and two Buddhist scriptures made during the heyday of Buddhism during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) as National Treasures. Buddhist painting from the Goryeo (918-1392) period (Cultural Heritage Administration)It also elevated

Photographers are perhaps the most observant participants of major historical moments. They are at some of the most tumultuous events, capturing in a split second what will become an important new chapter in history. Two dedicated witnesses of Korean history have recently published photo books offering glimpses into Korea’s turbulent moments in history. The Seoul Museum of History published a book, featuring 174 pictures taken by Willard Straight (1880-1918), who lived in Korea for a total of fi

As the new day of the new year begins, many wonder what the year 2016 has in store for them. Many Koreans visit fortune tellers to learn how their fate will unfold in the new year. But traditional signs and beliefs also offer insight into what to expect for the new year. The year 2016 is the Year of the Red Monkey, the ninth animal of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs. Red monkeys are known to be the liveliest and bossiest among many other types of monkeys. People born in the Year of the Monkey (1944,

Maestro Chung Myung-whun was met with howling cheers, applause and standing ovations from his local audience in the conductor’s final concert with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra on Wednesday night. The concert comes just one day after Chung submitted his official resignation as music director, citing the orchestra’s ongoing legal dispute regarding human rights violations by its former head as the reason for his departure after a decade at its helm.   Maestro Chung Myung-whunPrior to the concer

The early 20th-century hanok mansion Baek In-je House overlooks Bukchon Hanok Village, high-rise office towers in Jongno and major landmarks of the capital city such as Namsan Tower. Some 75 years ago, the mansion’s first owner Han Sang-ryong (1880-1947), a banker and business magnate, described the view from his house in his memoir: “It’s like looking at the movement of black waves,” looking down long stretches of charcoal-black hanok roofs in the 1940s. Bukchon has traditionally been one of Ko

IKSAN, North Jeolla Province -- Restoring the seventh-century Baekje-era stone pagoda at the UNESCO-registered Mireuksa Temple site in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, has been a daunting task for archaeologists. There were no proven historical records that could guide experts to recreate the original form of the ancient Buddhist pagoda.  “I went through every historical record from the 13th-century Samguk Yusa -- memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms. But no book had a record of how tall it was,” said

The Independence Hall of Korea has received a presidential accolade for its contribution to promoting patriotism and national symbols. “This prize recognizes the museum’s diverse programs using national symbols and its contribution to attracting interest in national symbols and promoting the understanding of national symbols,” the museum said in a press release.  A Korean flag decoration marks the 70th anniversary of Korea’s independence from Japan. (IHK)The state-run museum, which pays tribute

A team of three university seniors won the top award at Herald Design Tech 2015, the design-meets-technology contest co-organized by Herald Corp. and Seoul Design Foundation. The team won the competition with their innovative adhesive portable recorder “Spicki,” which can be carried around easily to record any sound. They received a prize of 10 million won ($8,500). “I am so happy to receive the prize. It started as a school graduation project. We were able to develop our idea at the Herald Desi

Japanese photojournalist Shisei Kuwabara, 79, has documented postwar Korea since the 1960s, capturing major historical moments such as massive pro-democracy protests, the dispatch of soldiers to the Vietnam War and Seoul’s urban redevelopment projects. Born in Shimane prefecture, the part of Japan nearest to the Korean Peninsula, Kuwabara has traveled to Korea more than 100 times. His photos have been an honest window into the turbulent time of Korea’s modern history -- major social, political a

Top Korean celebrities posed with babies awaiting adoption for an annual charity photo exhibition aimed at raising adoption awareness. The 13th annual photo exhibition “Letters from Angels” features black-and-white portraits of 24 celebrities holding babies and children awaiting adoption. Participating celebrities include singer Roy Kim, Kangin of Super Junior, Lee Moon-se, four-member vocal group Noel, actors, actresses and star athlete Park Chan-ho. Celebrity photographer Cho Sei-hon, well kno

Bartomeu Mari, the new director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, tried to play down a censorship controversy that erupted over his decision earlier this year to drop an exhibition at the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, which he headed at the time, during his first press conference as the head of MMCA in Seoul on Monday.“I am against all sorts of censorship, and I stand for freedom of expression,” said Mari, announcing his plans for the museum during his three-y

The musical rendition of one of the world’s most recognized horror tales, “Frankenstein” is guaranteed to send chills down the spine this bleak winter.Returning to the stage after premiering last year, the musical version of Frankenstein is one of few original Korean productions. Although based on Mary Shelley’s 19th century novel of the same title, the Wang Yong Beom Production’s musical adds new characters and plot twists to the classic monster tale.  Reportedly costing some 4.5 billion won ($