Swanson plans to donate books on Korea dating from 1800s President of SKAL Seoul Club for 2011 and Millennium Seoul Hilton general manager Eric Swanson said Korean policymakers should send a “consistent” message to the outside world to make Korean tourism sustainable in the long term. Swanson is currently busy making preparations for the 2012 SKAL World Congress to take place in Seoul on Oct. 7...

Identifying yourself as an eater used to be simple. You either ate meat, or you didn’t. Now? Maybe you eat meat, but only certain kinds or only on certain days ― or even certain hours. Or you don’t eat meat ― except when you do. If you’re not vegetarian or carnivore, what are you? The term “flexitarian” is catching on, although author Mark Bittman likes “smartly thought-out omnivore.” His most...

Links still weak between sufferers, help It’s Saturday night in central Seoul. A friendly group of mostly expats has gathered at a local meeting spot and are making introductions. “My name’s ‘Sam’ and I’m an alcoholic,” says the first, to a warm response. This is an open meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, one of the help services available to foreigners in Korea. “I think Korea is a drinker’s pa...

Jung makes debut highlighting social problems through the ‘difficult’ genre Film director Jung Woo-cheol does not take the romantic comedy genre lightly. In fact he believes the genre is the most difficult to succeed in. “Anything epoch-marking would make the genre rather cumbersome, but at the same time, unconventional items would make the film lose its focus too. Romantic comedy is probably ...

Constitutional Court Justice Lee Kong-hyun retired on Friday, completing his six-year term. His retirement ceremony took place at an auditorium of the court in Jongno-gu, Seoul on Friday. “Democracy cannot be achieved without constitutional court trials,” the 62-year-old Lee said in his retirement address. “Were it not for the court as it is, there would be no guarantee that we could not return...

Dozens of Japanese are to erect a memorial monument for Ahn Jung-geun, a Korean independence fighter who advocated peace in Asia. The Ahn Jung-geun Peace Foundation Youth Academy said on Friday that Japanese living in Fukuoka and Saga Prefectures would erect the Ahn Jung-geun memorial at the entrance of a temple in Saga, Japan, on March 25 to mark the 101st anniversary of his death. About 10 me...

Quality grains boast serious pedigree, new varieties not far behind For centuries, rice has reigned supreme at the Korean dining table, acting as an anchor to the traditional spread of banchan (Korean side dishes). In short, rice is crucial to the daily diet and is taken seriously here. Like wines, grains from certain regions are lauded above others. Rice aficionados even prefer specific variet...

Essays on mountain, life Story of Dobong Mountain By Pyo Jae-doo (Hansom Publishing House Co., 10,000 won) Former journalist Pyo Jae-doo loves climbing mountains, especially Dobong Mountain in Seoul. He finds the mountain fascinatingly beautiful and therapeutic, offering opportunities for its visitors to connect with nature. Pyo’s newly released book, “Story of Dobong Mountain” consists of ...

Trauma and ethics Three Days in That Autumn By Park Wan-suh (Jimoondang, 5,000 won) Among the many Korean novels dealing with the Korean War (1950-1953), Park Wan-suh’s “Three Days in That Autumn” tells a rare and original account of a female protagonist who tries to overcome her personal trauma while faced with ethical questions surrounding her profession. Raped and pregnat with an unwanted...

‘Focusing on good books, experience: key to success’ As thousands of booksellers around the United States lose their jobs this month at bankrupt Borders, Nicola’s Bookstore buyer Bill Cusimano feels no pain. Here in the cramped back office at this profitable, American independent bookstore, Cusimano is swamped getting new orders in for rush customers, planning events such as the appearance of l...

There is a lot to like in “Couture in the 21st Century,” a collection of essays by prominent fashion designers edited by Deborah Bee, and produced in conjunction with the British department store, Harrods. It’s an excellent way to get a feel for the history of the century-and-a-half -old fashion industry started by Charles Worth in the mid-1800s. However, it also provides some stark contrasts b...

Lotte Hotel Seoul Lotte Hotel Seoul’s Chinese restaurant Toh Lim on the 37th floor has invited the executive chef Fung Chekeung of the two-Michelin-starred Chugoku Hanten Fureika and the owner chef Nakazo Tomizo of Chugoku Hanten Group to showcase the essence of Chinese cuisine on March 16 and 17. Chugoku Hanten Fureika’s nine-course lunch and dinner courses will include a special Chinese BBQ ap...

A stroke is a sudden interruption in the blood supply of the brain. Because strokes occur rapidly and require immediate treatment, a stroke is also called a brain attack. Most strokes are caused by an abrupt blockage of arteries leading to the brain (ischemic stroke). Other strokes are caused by bleeding into the brain tissue when a blood vessel bursts (hemorrhagic stroke). When the symptoms of ...