Korean college kids aim to show same kindness they recieved abroadLocal knowledge is priceless when visiting a new city, but obtaining it can quickly become costly for tourists forking out newly changed currency on expensive tour guides. Foreigners in Korea can avoid this pitfall and opt for an experience that money can’t buy with free city tours provided by a group of selfless student guides. The

Hikers are being asked to raise funds for children in the Himalayas by taking to the Korean mountains. A charity hike is to be held to raise money for MountainChild’s ranch program in Kathmandu, Nepal. The charity helps tackle a variety of issues facing children living in the Himalayan mountains, including rescuing them from the threat of human trafficking. The MountainChild Get-High campaign is a

Even the staunchest of window shoppers can be taken in by pet store puppies’ wagging tales. But impulse buys don’t make for good pet owners, according to Lee Hyung-ju, campaigner for The Korean Animal Welfare Association. “An animal should not be something you just pick up with your groceries,” she said, warning against buying pets in big supermarkets.“The animals are often kept in very poor condi

Meet DONA ― the Korean robot that could change the face of charity collecting. The cute, red-caped robot interacts with passers-by, encouraging them to put money in its collecting can. DONA interacts with people when its sensors tell it that someone is about to give some cash. It reacts by bowing, blinking, waving and wiggling its arms in thanks. Trials in New York’s Union Square and Seoul Museum

Celebrations during Korea’s family month of May are to recognize single mothers in the country’s first ever Single Mom’s Day.Unwed mothers and their children are to be celebrated and supported at a conference exploring issues ranging from international adoption to the discrimination these small families often face.Attendees will celebrate the event on May 11 by sharing enough birthday cakes to fee

Climbers wishing to be crowned “King of the Mountain” are invited to enter a race scaling two Korean mountain peaks. The Mini-King of the Mountain race in Yeosu, Jeollanam-do, will see contestants race over two small peaks ― from near sea level to a top height of 430 meters. Entrants in the April 9 contest will start at the base of Horang San and travel about 6 kilometers to Heung Guk Sa ― tacklin

The recruiting body for native English public school teachers in Gyeonggi province has sparked anger with a three-month hiring freeze. The Gyeonggi-do English Program in Korea announced that it would not hire any new teachers, or renew current contracts ending between this May 25 and Aug. 31. An email sent Tuesday signed as from GEPIK coordinators and Gyeonggi Province Office of Education seen by

Rinnai Academy will hold a Korean cooking class in Seoul this Friday. Those who attend will learn how to cook “galbi-jjim” ― braised beef short ribs in broth ― and steamed sticky rice with pumpkin.The class will run from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Rinnai Cooking Academy near Exit 4 of Hongik University Station. Those wishing to take part in the 10,000 won class should first register in person at It

Playwright Kim Hae-rry reworking her one-woman play for Korean audiencesAn old woman sits in her living-room drawing women’s faces. She wants to draw all the faces of Korea’s former sex slaves before she dies. She says, “I don’t want to try to forget anymore. I draw to remember.” So starts “Face” ― a multimedia play telling of the estimated 200,000 women forced to serve as so-called “comfort women

A free shuttle bus for foreigners is now running between Seoul and Busan.The new route for the 28-seat limousine bus with DVD players and wireless Internet was launched on Mar. 2 by the Visit Korea Committee and the Busan Municipal Government. It is the third route in a series of free shuttle services from the VKC offering foreigners cost-free travel, expected to run throughout 2010. Free buses al

After a seven-month hunt for its new leader, the Federation of Korean Industries has finally installed Huh Chang-soo, GS Group chairman, as its chairman. The new chief of the nation’s most powerful business lobby will certainly have his hands full as he tries to reset its relations with the government.The FKI has been denounced for pursuing the interests of big businesses and nothing else. But the

Incumbent lawmakers tend to put their reelection before anything else. Nothing is wrong with their single-mined pursuit of reelection unless they engage in an act that can be morally or legally sanctioned.Still, they may cause problems for their party if their actions, though taken legitimately for the sake of their reelection, conflict with their party’s policies. It may also create a problem for

Dancers whooped as they took positions for a traditional reel, and the band began to play. It was a typical “ceilidh,” or traditional Scottish dance party, complete with authentic food, drink, music and poetry from the United Kingdom’s northernmost country. Traditional that is, except for the location. This celebration of Scotland’s national poet ― Robert Burns ― was held in Korea. The pocket of C

Snow festivals in Korea heavily depend on the weather and it seems that the Daegwallyeong Snow Festival will offer a full chance to enjoy white snow before the “kkotsaem chuwi,” or a cold snap in the flowering season, comes late February.Taking place for nine days from Saturday through Feb. 20 at Hoenggye-ri in Daegwallyeong-myeon in PyeongChang County, the festival will feature a variety of winte

‘Gwanghwamun Younga’ features songs by Lee Young-hoon, whose work is enjoying a revivalLate composer Lee Young-hoon, known for working with ballad singer Lee Moon-sae for more than 20 years, will have his dream posthumously fulfilled in the upcoming musical “Gwanghwamun Younga.” Actors cast for the musical “Gwanghwamun Younga” at a press call in Seoul on Monday. From left are Yoon Do-hyun, Song Ch