The Seoul Global Center is holding a special summer flea market in Ttukseom on July 30, with 10 percent of proceeds going to charity.Between noon and 4 p.m. the market’s hopeful hawkers will set up shop in the area between Ttukseom Station and the Han River.Organizers are setting up a holiday theme, and encourage vendors to bring vacation items such as guide books, flip-flops, sunglasses and swimm

KDRA 50th aniversary stampA new postage stamp has been launched to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Korea Disaster Relief Association.The organization was set up in the wake of typhoon Sarah, which caused massive damage to the Korean Peninsula. The storm killed 669 people and left 782,126 homeless here in 1959.The KDRA now runs emergency relief funds, volunteer services, and provides daily ne

An open mic dance party on a boat off a Korean island is to raise cash for charity. The Jeju Furey Foundation, founded to help an expat’s widow and her two children, has raised more than 30 million won ($28,200) in two years. The charity has raised the cash through many sports tournaments, concerts and T-shirt sales on the island. The group first started raising cash for English teacher Nathan Fur

A British human rights expert has argued for a broader approach to disaster relief at a conference in Korea.Dr. Darren O’Byrne, principal lecturer in sociology and human rights at London’s Roehampton University, asked: “Why are we so quick to concern ourselves with the victims of ‘natural’ disasters and not with those who suffer at the hands of repressive regimes?” in a paper presented to an inter

World Vision Korea chief uses impoverished past to help others’ futureFew people know better than Park Jong-sam how tough it can be to grow up with nothing. The head of World Vision Korea, who also goes by Dr. Sam Park, has battled poverty, malnutrition and disease.Having fled North Korea to find refuge working for U.S. forces during the Korean War as a teenager, Park found himself penniless and a

Expat photographer out to capture ‘decisive moments’ of life in a bustling metropolisA smartly suited man walks down a street near Seoul’s City Hall with a bunch of flowers hanging loose in his hands. Photographer David Kim named the black and white image “Paramour” ― meaning illicit lover ― as it seemed to tell a story. But Kim says we will never truly know what that story is. The former strategi

People in Korea show solidarity for Malaysian campaignBy Kirsty TaylorPro-democracy campaigners in Korea are to push for free and fair Malaysian elections this weekend.A show of solidarity for people in Kuala Lumpur is to be held in Seoul on Saturday, as part of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) campaign calling for an end to dirty politics in the country. Amnesty International h

The Korea Center for Nonviolent Communication is holding a celebration this Friday at 6 p.m. in honor of the growth they’ve experienced in the past six years since opening. “The center is a regional nonprofit organization that supports the learning and sharing of nonviolent communication, promoting quality human connections where compassionate giving and receiving is inspired,” said Anne Walton, a

A cultural exchange event has been organized to give people of different nationalities a chance to plan volunteer activities together.ICI-Volunteers are a group of volunteers from all around the world who meet to both learn about Korea as well as helping others. The members of the International Exchange and Cultural Promotion Institute meet every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the ICI office in Byeolhadan

An international center in Seoul is now collecting goods for a new Goodwill Store. The Yeoksam Global Village Center is now taking donations of used clothing or household items to help the not-for-profit organization. Any items dropped at the collection bin at the center, located near Gangnam Subway Station’s Exit 1, will be sold in the Goodwill Store to help the unemployed.The Goodwill Store prov

The Medical Referral Service is looking for English-speaking medical professionals to help with their health information service for foreigners.English speaking assistants provide information and recommendations on medical facilities and services on the 24-hour phone line. The MRS team strives to provide quality medical information by regularly visiting medical facilities that offer medical servic

A British expert is to give a talk in Korea on human rights.Dr. Darren O’Byrne is to give the lecture on “Human Rights in the Age of Globalization” at the British Council in Seoul on Monday. The principal lecturer in Sociology and Human Rights at Roehampton University, London, O’Byrne has authored core texts on human rights from a social science perspective. He often speaks on human rights issues

Models show off designs to raise cash for African children at the National Assembly on Tuesday. (IDP)A fashion show was held Tuesday at the National Assembly to help children in Africa. The event organized with Development Partnership International was to give money raised to charity UNICEF. Korean designer Chang Kwang-ho made around 20 new outfits especially for the charity show. He said he hoped

Animal rights charities have welcomed a legal crackdown on animal cruelty, but say the revised laws must go further to end the practice. People harming animals in Korea may face up to one year in jail or a maximum fine of 10 million won ($9,400) from next year. Currently, the heaviest penalty is a fine of 5 million won.The Korean Animal Welfare Association welcomed a string of revisions to the ani

Berish Campaign Logo. (Berish 2.0)Pro-democracy campaigners in Korea are to push for free and fair Malaysian elections this weekend.A show of solidarity for people in Kuala Lumpur is to be held in Seoul on Saturday, as part of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Berish) campaign calling for an end to dirty politics in the country. Amnesty International has published a press release on the

Red Cross president says incentives for North could facilitate family reunion dialogueThe Korean Red Cross is calling for an immediate restart to talks with its North Korean branch on reuniting more families torn apart by the countries’ divide. President of the Korean Red Cross Yoo Chong-ha emphasized that contact with the humanitarian agency’s counterpart in the North was “a matter of great urgen

Keenan FaganA short time ago, I received a call from Han Sang-man, voicing his disappointment that his father’s contributions to Korean development had been virtually forgotten. Han’s father helped rebuild Seoul National University and the Korean education system. These contributions, which started in 1954, just after the ravages of the Korean War, were so extensive that Han’s father received grea

Musically-minded volunteers are being sought to help teach orphans how to play a variety of instruments.The Camarata Music Company Outreach Volunteers is looking for more participants to help in its program to teach orphanage children how to play music, and about music in general. Helpers do not need to be an expert in an instrument, just able to play it and commit to teaching once or twice a week

A volleyball day along the Han River is to raise cash for homeless people in Seoul. Games will be played on Sunday, July 10 from 3-7 p.m. costing 15,000 won per player to enter. The event will be held on the river about a 10 minutes’ walk from Sincheon Station, near Jamsil.The event, organized by PLUR, is to generate funds to buy rice and other essentials for the soup kitchen supported by the grou

Voluntary participants are being sought for Korea’s only International Youth Festival. The 11th Yeosu International Youth Festival is to be held from July 25-31. The five day cultural exchange will see 350 youths from here and abroad join under the theme of “Youths Moving Islands Towards the Future.” Participants must be aged between 15 and 24. The event is being organized by the Seoul Youth Facto