Korea will be featuring its best dishes at the 2015 Milan Expo in Italy until Oct. 31.Under the global expo’s theme of “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life,” the 3,990-square-meter Korean Pavilion will introduce a variety of healthy Korean dishes, ranging from bibimbap (mixed rice and vegetables), galbijjim (beef rib stew) to Japchae (sweet potato noodles) and bibim-myeon (mixed noodles).These signature dishes will be offered at restaurants in the three-story, moon jar-shaped pavilion, the Milan

After one live performance and just one email, the life of English teacher Micah Hein took a dramatic turn. A little over a year ago, the 24-year-old American theater major arrived in Korea ― traveling abroad for the first time ― to teach English through performing arts. Little did he know that in this alien country, he would realize his dream of becoming a professional actor and debut with a title role.It all started when the theater lover found himself crossing off what is on the to-do list of

The economies of South Korea and the Middle East are inseparable.Korea depends on the Middle East’s abundant energy resources to fuel its manufacturing sector, while the region has counted on Korea’s construction workforce to modernize its infrastructure since the 1970s and 1980s or the “first Middle East boom” era.The two economies now seek to expand their partnership beyond energy and plant construction to health care, information technology and food as they seek a second Middle East boom in t

At a cozy restaurant in the multicultural district of Itaewon, Eid serves one of its staple dishes ― bibimbap, a bowl of rice mixed with red chili paste and a variety of vegetables.It is accompanied by side dishes of kimchi, stir-fried anchovies, salad and cabbage soup.The food may look like any other served at Korean restaurants nationwide. But it’s not. Eid cooks its meals, including samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup), bulgogi (marinated beef) and grilled fish, with ingredients and techniques i

Experience German tradition, customsGermany is known for its strong manufacturing industry consisting of high-tech small and medium enterprises that drive its economic growth. It holds also one of the biggest consumer electronics fairs called IFA in Berlin.But the German National Tourist Board seeks to make other parts of its country well-known beyond technology by launching a tourism campaign, enabling Koreans to experience its tradition and customs.Germany will offer tourism programs enabling

Throwback ’70s theme in BoseongKorail will offer a tourism program in front of Deukryang Train Station in Boseong County, South Jeolla Province, where both the old and the young can play games and visit stores of the ’70s. Boseong is renowned for green teas.The rail operator has remodeled the station, and will open ’70s coffee and barber shops to take visitors back in time and reminisce about the good old days.Korail’s Cosplay Festival, which will be held from May 2-31, will also allow tourists

The PGA Tour on Friday launched an organizing committee for the 2015 Presidents Cup golf tournament in Songdo, Incheon, on Oct. 6-11.Roy Ryu, chairman of Poongsan Group, will head the committee, which has 13 other members, including Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Kim Jong-deok and PGA Tour deputy commissioner Jay Monahan.It will be the first time the 18-hole biennial golf tournament has been held in an Asian city.  Roy Ryu (second from left), chairman of the 2015 Presidents Cup’s organizin

This is the first installment of a four-part series introducing Korea’s springtime tourist destinations. ― Ed.With the cool breeze of winter behind us and the start of Korea’s prime spring season, many people want to break free from their daily lives and visit hot tourist spots.But for quick weekend getaways, a long line of cherry blossoms on sidewalks aren’t the only things to see when the young finish their rigorous school exams and older citizens file their last business documents.The Korea T

The International University Sports Federation and the 2015 Gwangju Universiade Organizing Committee has held heads of delegation meetings in Gwangju over the past three days to assess progress for the preparation of the sports gala. Gwangju Universiade’s heads of delegation inspect the Nambu University International Aquatics Center on Sunday. Gwangju Universiade Organizing CommitteeSome 110 officials of the Summer Universiade from 51 countries participated in forums and events in the city to ex

South Korea’s Gangnam-gu Office in the affluent southern district of Seoul will further revamp the streets of Cheongdam-dong to recreate them as streets of hallyu, or the Korean Wave, as part of efforts to attract foreign tourists.The renovation of the streets called the “K-Star Road,” modeled after the Hollywood Walk of Fame, has entered its second phase of construction, the district office said. Its first phase involved developing local stores where Korean singers and artists regularly visited

Korea to launch ‘Spring Tourism Week’ in MayThe Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will launch its second Tourism Week program for the spring season nationwide next month.The program, in partnership with some 3,000 tourism companies and operators, will run in 17 regions from May 1-14.Companies such as resorts and hotels participating in the state-led tourism program will offer a variety of programs with discounts at tourist attractions, in accordance with the regions’ culture and landscape.

Companies promoting their products and services through art sponsorships and cultural events are often frowned upon in Korea. But Park Sam-koo, chief of Kumho Asiana Group, has questioned why.Park, who has recently taken up the chairmanship of the Korea Mecenat Association, said it can be a “win-win situation for both enterprises and the artists,” during his first press conference in Seoul on Thursday as chief of the association, a local advocacy group for corporate sponsorship of the arts. Comp

South Korea’s consumer prices continued anemic growth for the fourth straight month in March, the state-run Statistics Korea said Wednesday.Consumer prices increased just 0.4 percent last month from the same period a year ago, marking the slowest growth in 15 years and eight months. Consumer inflation increased 0.3 percent in July 1999. In February, the consumer price index gained 0.5 percent on-year.Inflation has stayed below 1 percent since October 2013 when the rate stood at 0.9 percent, and

South Korea’s industrial production expanded in February due to increasing demand over the Lunar New Year holiday, Statistics Korea said Tuesday.Industrial output grew 2.5 percent in February over the previous month, marking the highest monthly increase in three years and 11 months, according to data by the state-run statistics agency.The monthly rebound, which was mostly attributable to increased production demand for automobiles and semiconductors ― the country’s two key export items ― came af

Bank of Korea Gov. Lee Ju-yeol said Monday the central bank would take the country’s macroeconomic situation into close account when implementing its monetary policy for the rest of this year.In a press meeting to mark the first anniversary since he took office as the country’s top monetary policymaker, the governor reiterated that BOK had to cut its key base rate to give momentum to growth. April 1 will mark Lee’s first year in office.Despite increasing risks stemming from high household debt,

South Korea’s gross national income surpassed $28,000 per capita in 2014, in part due to a strong Korean won against the U.S. dollar, while the economy expanded 3.3 percent, well below its 4 percent target, according to data from the Bank of Korea Wednesday.In a revised report released by the Korean central bank, the loss of 3.8 percent on the won-dollar foreign exchange pushed the GNI per capita up to $28,180 last year from $26,179 the year before.This marked the fifth straight year for the cou

Bank of Korea Gov. Lee Ju-yeol said Tuesday that South Korea’s economic conditions were improving, but the country is still facing uncertainties stemming from increasing oil prices and the U.S. Federal Reserve’s expected rate rise in the near future.In a meeting with economic researchers and professors in Seoul, the top monetary policymaker said such external factors would increase volatility, and Korea would face short-term uncertainties.“Volatility could increase on (rising) oil prices and the

South Korea’s conglomerates and their affiliates have increased their cash holdings over the past year, despite the government’s efforts to induce companies to spend them to increase employee wages and facility investment.The combined retained earnings of 96 affiliates of the country’s top 10 family-run conglomerates reached 503.9 trillion won ($453 billion) at the end of fiscal 2014, up more than 8 percent or 37.6 trillion won from the same period a year ago, according to Chaebul.com, an online

The nation’s flagship carrier Korean Air became an official sponsor of the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, according to company officials Wednesday.The ceremony took place at Lakai Sandpine Resort in Gangneung, Gangwon Province. The official partnership entails that Korean Air will provide passenger flights for the organizing committee and national athletes, and freight services necessary for smooth operation of the sporting events.  Cho Yang-ho (right), head of the Pyeo

This is the first in a four-part series featuring IBK’s support for cultural content. ― Ed When director Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park” was released worldwide in 1992, the blockbuster about genetically-engineered dinosaurs going rampant in a pilot theme park was a wake-up call for South Korea’s economy.The movie, which was based on Michael Crichton’s bestselling science fiction novel of the same title, earned some $850 million at the global box office that year. This was equivalent to Hyunda