Homeplus said Sunday that it will hold a Korean food fair in London during the Summer Olympics in partnership with its parent company, U.K. retail giant Tesco. Titled “Taste of Korea,” the upcoming event will be held at the Tesco Extra New Malden store in London from June 25-Aug. 31, the nation’s second-largest supermarket chain said. Some 150 Korean food items are to be displayed during the period, with the size doubled from the same event last year, the company said. Participating companies wi

SK Group announced on Thursday that its newest policies for shared-growth with its subcontractors went into effect. One of the nation’s biggest conglomerates, SK Group came up with co-prosperity projects for medium-sized and smaller subcontractors in three sectors, education, finance and technology. The new policies are meant to be supportive of the retainable management growth of SK’s subcontractors, the conglomerate said. SK Group had established a shared-growth committee in the fall of 2008 t

Hur Young-in, chairman of SPC Group, was conferred the Merit of Agricultural Chevalier at the French Embassy on Tuesday for promoting French food culture in Korea. The order was created in 1883 by the French minister of agriculture to honor those who greatly contribute to the development of French agriculture and food. French biochemist Louis Pasteur was the first to win the order. Hur enhanced the image of French baking in Korea through bakery brands, Paris Croissant and Paris Baguette, Ambassa

Hyundai Heavy Industries has completed the construction of massive power and desalination plants in Al-Dur, Bahrain, company officials said on Tuesday.Hyundai Heavy executives and King Hamad Bin Issa Al Khalifa of Bahrain attended a ceremony on Monday to celebrate the completion of the project worth about $1.7 billion, they said. Bahrain’s new power and desalination plants are gas-fired combined-cycle units and can generate up to 1,245 mega watts of power, capable of supplying 40 percent of Bahr

SK Chemicals vice chairman and CEO Kim Chang-geun has won the Forbes CEO Award, the company announced on Tuesday. Hosted by Forbes Korea and supported by the Ministry of Commerce, the Forbes CEO Award selects CEOs who develop creative corporal culture with strong leadership and social responsibility. Forbes acknowledged Kim’s leading role in corporate restructuring and aggressive overseas operations based on communicative skills, SK Chemicals said. Kim became the vice chair of the nation’s leadi

Hyundai Motor Group on Monday introduced its exhibition hall for the upcoming Yeosu Expo 2012, which underscores the carmaker’s efforts to save resources and the environment. Under the theme “Living Ocean and Coast,” 106 countries and nine international organizations plan to showcase their marine development and oceanic technology on the southern shore of the Korean Peninsula starting May 12.The auto giant is one of the seven local corporations to run pavilions during the three-month event along

The Museum of Silhak, or study of “practical learning” of the late Joseon period, is hosting the special exhibition “Dasan, his life and ideal at the Han River” on late Joseon scholar Jeong Yak-yong from April 27 to Sept. 9.“Hapicheob,” referring to Jeong’s writings on an old hanbok skirt sent by his wife while he was in exile in Gangjin, South Jeolla Province, is among the highlights of the 70 or so items exhibited. The scholar wrote words of virtue for his sons and daughters in 1810 and sent t

U.S. pop star gives media run-around, meets fans on quietLady Gaga has been playing hide-and-seek with reporters and photographers waiting at her hotel and outside Seoul Olympic Stadium this week, trying to remain unseen in public before her concert on Friday.The 26-year-old artist arrived in Seoul last Friday, a week prior to her concert, raising expectation of her popping up on streets of Seoul. However, reporters and photographers raised eyebrows about the celebrity’s secluded approach, contr

Lady Gaga has been playing hide-and-seek with reporters and photographers waiting at her hotel and outside Seoul Olympic Stadium this week, trying to remain unseen in public. The 26-year-old star arrived in Seoul last Friday but has been avoiding media contact. However, the U.S. pop singer has met fans waiting for her at her hotel lobby on several occasions. The Korea Herald exclusively acquired photographs of Lady Gaga meeting her fans from in and out of the country, while professional photogra

American Actress Jessica Alba surprised clubbers and bar-hoppers by showing up in Seoul last Saturday. The actress and her husband Cash Warren flew from Japan to Korea last Saturday evening, and reserved a table around 11:30 p.m. at Club Octagon in Nonhyeon-dong.Staying at the V.I.P. area for about an hour, Alba, Warren and two Korean friends enjoyed their night out together. The couple took pictures with excited fans and friends for the last 5 minutes and left with their bodyguard. “Alba mostly

Retired admiral Yoon Jong-gu on Friday denied local media reports that his son, Yoon Joon-won, was likely to marry his longtime sweetheart Yekaterina Vladmirovna Putina, the youngest daughter of the Russian president-elect Vladimir Putin, soon.Local media reported earlier that Yoon Joon-won, 27, and Putina, 25, were likely to wed shortly after Putin’s presidential inauguration on May 7. However, in an interview with a local paper, Yoon Jong-gu, who once served as a military attach at the Korean

The youngest daughter of Russian president-elect Vladimir Putin will marry a South Korean man, local media reported Friday. He is the son of a retired admiral who had served as a military attache at the Korean Embassy in Moscow. Putin’s daughter, Yekaterina Vladmirovna Putina, 25, will marry Yoon Joon-won, 27, shortly after her father’s presidential inauguration on May 7, reports said. “Yoon will head to Russia on Friday under the protection of Russian bodyguards as the wedding preparations are

Chongdong Theater dreams of stage in Las VegasChongdong Theater launched on Wednesday the latest version of “Miso,” the theater’s Korean traditional musical with modern twists. The new version, “Miso 3,” follows the 2011 version “Miso 2: Silla, the Land of Gods” and the 2009 original “Miso: Love Songs from Chunhyang.” The musical started off in 1997 under the title, “Traditional Art Stage” and later changed its brand name to “Miso” in 2009. “Miso 3” is an adaption of the tale of Chunhyang. The K

Grammy-winning American singer-songwriter Jason Mraz will bring his musical charms to Busan on June 8, said Hyundai Card, which organized the concert. The American artist will take the stage at BEXCO on Friday, June 8 at 8 p.m. Titled “Hyundai Card Culture Project 06 Jason Mraz in BUSAN,” the event will kick off Mraz’s first world tour since the release of his fourth regular album, “Love is a Four Letter Word,” on Tuesday. Mraz debuted in 2002 with his first album, “Waiting for My Rocket to Come

Show host and comedian Kim Gu-ra, 41, announced Monday night that he would step down from all television programs to atone for his derogatory remarks about military sex slaves during World War II. In 2002, Kim, on his Internet radio show “Kim Gu-ra and Hwang Bong-al’s Current Affairs Talk,” made jokes about prostitutes who had protested against a police crackdown to the National Human Rights Commission of Korea. “We haven’t seen prostitutes sharing a bus ride for a while, like the comfort women

Fed up with hectic city life, but cannot spare more than a day off work? Put on a holiday outfit and head to Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province. If a timely break in peaceful traditional sites is what you need, this is a perfect place to cool off in the spring breeze. Hikers who initially come for Mount Naejang soon discover that this beautiful city, about 230 kilometers south of Seoul, has much more to offer. Naejang TempleFounded in 660 A.D. under the name Yeongeun Temple, Naejang Temple has a 1,

Busker Busker, Sistar, Tiger JK to perform in SaitamaKorean pop music TV program M Countdown will shoot its third Japan show on May 25 at Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan. The show, titled “M Countdown Hello Japan” showcases 16 artists from Korea and Japan, and is scheduled to be aired on May 26. Korean artists performing in M Countdown Hello Japan include: Korean hip-pop artists Yoon Mi-rae, Tiger JK and Dynamic Duo; singer John Park; Korean boy bands Supernova, F.T. Island, MBLAQ, U-Kiss; i

Tickets for extra train services to Yeosu during the Expo period from May 12 to Aug. 12 are on sale. Six weekday and 10 weekend KTX operations from Seoul Station to Yeosu Expo have been added to the regular schedule. Four daily Mugunghwa Train services from Yongsan Station to Yeosu Expo are also arranged. Two Mugunghwa Train service between Iksan and Yeosu Expo as well as free shuttle trains from Suncheon to Yeosu Expo are also available, Korail said. Passengers can get 30 percent off their trai

Korean girl group Afterschool introduced Tuesday its newest member, Ga-eun.The 17-year-old will make her official debut on the group’s upcoming album, which will be released June 21.Ga-eun has the Afterschool “vibe” with a baby-face and a model-like figure, Afterschool’s management agency Pledis said. The company pointed out that Ga-eun demonstrated the most powerful vocal and dancing abilities among the candidates who vied to become the ninth member of the group. “Ga-eun went to junior high in

Former TV celebrity Kang Ho-dong announced Tuesday that he would donate all profits from his shares of 678 Corporation. Once a leading show host, Kang is the largest shareholder of the company, which operates seven restaurant brands specializing in pork, chicken and beef dishes, including 678 Chicken and Baekjeong. Kang became the company’s largest shareholder in 2005 and currently holds a 33.3 percent stake worth more than 15 billion won ($13 million). 678 Corporation has not disclosed the deta