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296. Moses' Miracle in Korea Two Months Away
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Author : U.E.C.
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 The next occurrence of a naturally occuring magnificent sight like Moses¡¯ Biblical parting of the Red Sea is two months away on Jindo Island, Jindo-gun (County) office, Jeollanam-do (South Jeolla Province), said Tuesday (Mar. 18).
The world-famous magical parting of the sea can be seen between Hoedong-ri, Gogun-myeon and Modo-ri islet because of the unusually large tide differences in the morning and evening. This phenomenon is called a ¡¯neap tide,¡¯ and it causes a long strip of land like a causeway, 2.8 kilometers long and 40 meters wide, to lie above the water level. It happens semi-regularly, from once to three times a year. This makes it possible to walk out "between the seas" as it were, to Modo-ri. One can almost hear the approaching Egyptian chariots.
According to legend, an old lady left alone after all the Jindo (Island) villagers ran away from the sudden appearance of dangerous tigers, fervently prayed to the Sea God hoping to meet her family again, and the Sea God answered her prayer and opened up the sea.
This magical parting of the sea received international renown when French ambassador to Korea Pierre Randi visited Jindo in 1975 and wrote about this phenomenon in a French newspaper.
The Jindo Sea Parting Festival is held when the tide difference is at its peak and the causeway is visible. Visitors can enjoy various maritime experiences and the unique scenery and culture of Jindo. The 31st such festival runs May 5-7 this year, according to the county office.
At the event will be various traditional folk performances and hands-on events including learning Jindo folksongs and a traditional Korean circle dance called "Ganggangsullae."
In addition, a laser show, spectacular fireworks and a rock concert on the sea will be presented for the visitors to enjoy the festival all night long. The beautiful melodies of an orchestra concert on the beach can be appreciated at the festival along with a Gut performance (shamanic exorcism dance), a traditional classical music performance and many others.
¡æ For more information, click here!
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Article courtesy of Korea.net
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Monday, 24 March 2008, at 9:47 am
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295. Korea's 1st Cruise Ready for Maiden Voyage in April
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Author : U.E.C.
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 As Korea¡¯s cruise ship PanStar Honey is getting ready for its maiden voyage in April, tourists are showing a lot of interest in the trip.
Busan-based ferry firm PanStar Line.Com will operate cruises -- Korea¡¯s South Sea and a Japanese spa tour -- that depart from Busan from April 2.
The firm has been plying ferries within and without Korea -- Korea¡¯s South Sea, Busan and Osaka -- since 2002 during the Korea-Japan FIFA World Cup, and now will become the first Korea-based cruise operator.
Unlike ferry trips, cruise ships require higher number of well-trained staff in different areas in order to meet passengers¡¯ diverse needs, since the ship contains various functions, including accommodation, performance stages and entertainment; it¡¯s not just a means of transportation.
According to PanStar Line.Com, PanStar Honey will carry up to 300 passengers from Busan to Japanese cities such as Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Beppu, Shimonoseki and Hiroshima. The 136.6 meter-high ship will also operate a south coast trip that departs from Busan, passes Yeosu and Jinhae to Hallyeohaesang Marine National Park in Korea¡¯s South Sea.
In order to provide quality service, this cruise ship will employ up to 130 staff, including more than 20 non-Korean members. The ship will hire 23 crewmen, 12 chefs and more than 30 entertainers and performers who will present special acts for the passengers during the trip. The ship has restaurants, a cafeteria, a swimming pool, a parking lot, baby-sitting facilities, conference rooms, duty free shops, a casino, a shopping mall, a sauna and amusement park for children. PanStar Honey will also feature various areas and services that will include magic performances, an English camp for children, sommelier and barista experience programs to satisfy passengers.
Passengers can choose itineraries ranging from overnight to four-night trips, and which ports they want to embark and disembark. They can get off the ship at any port where the ship pulls in and continue their journey by car. The fee will cost from 148,000 won for a standard room to 530,000 won to get a presidential suite room (per person) for one night.
More information about the cruises is available at 02-1577-9996 (English and Japanese language services provided).
¡æ For more information on the cruise tours in Korea, click here!
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Article courtesy of Korea.net
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Thursday, 20 March 2008, at 12:56 pm
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294. Admitting New Students for the Hanyang Int¡¯l Summer School
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Author : U.E.C.
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The Hanyang International Summer School will begin enrolling new students for its 2008 program. The deadline for applications is May 30 and classes will run from June 23 to July 18. The Hanyang International Summer is an educational program designed to help raise awareness of Korea and Northeast Asia through various courses and activities.
This year, professors have been invited from abroad in order to teach courses at the Hanyang International Summer School in subjects such as ¡®Koreanology¡¯, Korean, anthropology, philology, international business and economics, international relations, science, engineering, journalism, design and art, music and physical education, and more.
Furthermore, there will be activities to increase the understanding of Korea and Northeast Asia as well. Activities and trips such as the pottery village, DMZ/J.S.A tours, B-boy performances, and the ancient Korean kingdoms of Gyeongju will help students to gain a deeper understanding in to the cultures of Korea. Participants of the summer program will also have the chance to study at the Jiatong University in Xian, China for one week. The program has been prepared so that international students may study the cultures of Korea and Northeast Asia in order to see the differences and similarities of the countries. All courses will be taught in English.
¡æ Course Schedules, School Fees, and more detailed information: http://iss.hanyang.ac.kr/
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Wednesday, 19 March 2008, at 3:18 pm
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293. Theater for Nanta to Open in Jejudo
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Author : U.E.C.
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Visitors to Jejudo (Jeju Island) will be able to enjoy one of the most successful Korean non-verbal performances "Nanta," also known by the English title "Cookin¡¯," as work is underway to establish a Nanta-exclusive theater on the country¡¯s southernmost resort island.
PMC, Nanta¡¯s production company, says it will open the 290-seat theater inside the Jeju Film Commission building on Apr. 18.
This is the first time the company will have opened an exclusive theater outside of Seoul. It has two such theaters in Seoul.
The show in Jejudo will run once a day at 8 p.m. from Tuesdays through Fridays and twice on Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., as well as one performance on Sunday at 3.
PMC says it hopes the new theater will attract 50,000 international tourists, mostly from China and Japan, as tourists from the two countries have shown great interest in the performance in Seoul. PMC adds that it also plans to open a theater in China this year.
First staged in October 1997, Nanta has run for more than a decade, a very rare record in the history of Korean performing arts.
Integrating uniquely Korean traditional drumbeats with a western performance style, NANTA storms on stage into a huge kitchen where four capricious cooks are preparing a wedding banquet.
While cooking, they turn all kinds of kitchen items -- pots, pans, dishes, knives, chopping board, water bottles, even brooms and each other -- into percussion instruments.
The show has toured around 250 cities in more than 30 countries. It ran on Broadway in New York for one and a half years, the first production from Korea to do so.
¡æ For more information, click here!
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Article courtesy of Korea.net
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Friday, 14 March 2008, at 10:01 am
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292. Gwangyang Maehwa Festival Attracts Flower Lovers
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Author : U.E.C.
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 Finally, news of flowers delights all as spring is heading to the Korean Peninsula after a long winter.
To hail the coming of spring, maehwa, known as apricot flower, are set to be in full bloom in Gwangyang, Jeollanam-do (South Jeolla Province).
Gwangyang-si (city) government is hosting the 12th annual Maehwa Festival from March 8 to 16 at Daap-myeon (county) in Gwangyang on the theme of "The Aroma of Maehwa Brings Love to the Seomjingang (river)."
The festival programs include a photo contest of 2,000 photographers taking pictures of the apricot flower and Seomjingang, culture experience programs for tourists to offer opportunities to try traditional Korean food and traditional Korean drawing with Indian ink.
 The Gwangyang Maehwa Festival, first introduced in 1997, is regarded as one of the most popular flower festivals such as "Cherry Blossom Festival" in the port city of Jinhae. Symbolizing integrity and fidelity in Korea, this flower attracts tourists around the country by creating a spectacular scene around the area in harmony with the picturesque landscape of the Seomjingang.
With Gwangyang designated "Maehwa Maeul" or plum flower village, the city has become a tourist attraction when the flowers blooms in the middle of March. Its green fruit, called maesil in Korean, which is harvested in June, has also won its fame as a popular health food.
Poster of Beyond the YearsThe Gwangyang Maehwa Festival is listed as one of the top 10 regional festivals in South Jeolla Province. Many films and TV dramas, including "Beyond the Years" by award-winning movie director Im Kwon-taek, have been shot at Maehwa Village.
During the festival, train-tour tickets to Gwangyang are on sale, while the city will run additional bus lines for the convenience of tourists. More information is available at www.gwangyang.go.kr (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese).
How to get to Gwangyang
** By train
- From Seoul (Yongsan Station, tel: 02-3780-5409):
Buy a KTX ticket to Gwangju (fees vary from 15,000 up to 53,800 won), get off at Gwangju, move to Gwangcheon Bus Terminal and catch a Kumho express bus
More KTX information linking Seoul and Gwangyang is available at http://info.korail.com/2007/eng/eng_index.jsp and for Busan and Gwangyang at http://www.korailbusan.co.kr/
- From Busan (Busan Train Station, tel: 051-440-2516):
Buy a ticket to Hadong, Gyeongsangnam-do and take a taxi (costs around 3,000 won) after getting off at Hadong station
** Bus
- From Seoul (Gangnam Express Bus Terminal Honam Line, tel: 02-6282-0601)
Buy a ticket to Gwangju (costs 15,100 up to 24,600 won), get off at Gwangcheon and use a Kumho express bus
- From Seoul (Dong Seoul Bus Terminal, tel: 02-1688-5979)
Buy a ticket to Gwangyang (costs 20,300 up to 33,200 won), get off at Gwangyang Bus Terminal (tel: 061-761-3030) and use a Kumho express bus
- From Busan (Busan Station, tel: 051-508-9955)
Buy a ticket to Gwangyang, get off at Gwangyang Bus Terminal and use a Kumho express bus
¡æ For more information, click here!
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Article courtesy of Korea.net
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Wednesday, 5 March 2008, at 3:28 pm
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291. Spring Flowers Expected to Bloom from Mar. 19
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Author : U.E.C.
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Spring To Come A Little Later This Year
With winter slowly coming to an end, the warmth of spring is in the air. Forecasters are now beginning to predict when the first flowers will begin blooming here on the peninsula.
This year will greet the arrival of spring roughly 8 to 9 days later than it did the previous year as forecasts predicting forsythia flowers to bloom as late as March 31, and azaleas to bloom on April 3.
Spring flowers will be in full bloom seven days after blossoming. Forsythia flowers will first bloom on the southern most reaches of the Korean peninsula in Seogwipo, Jeju-do on March 26th, while in Seoul they will peak on April 7th. Azaleas will bloom on March 29th in Seogwipo, and on April 10th in Seoul.
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Monday, 25 February 2008, at 10:37 am
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290. Korea Travel Expo 2008 (Feb. 27 to Mar. 1)
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Author : U.E.C.
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Korea Travel Expo 2008
Come Discover Korea¡¯s Hidden Charms
 Organized by the Ministry of Culture & Tourism, Korea Tourism Organization and KBS broadcasting network and with the management of COEX, Korea Travel Expo 2008 will run from February 27th until March 1st at the Pacific Hall in COEX.
Under the banner "Story Telling", Korea Travel Expo 2008 will feature information regarding attractive Korean destinations, local specialties and current events. This year's expo is targeting both Korean and foreign travelers alike and providing a much greater insight to the contemporary trends throughout their stay on the peninsula.
In particular, ¡°Theme Towns¡± are prepared to offer unique programs allowing visitors to witness everything about Korea at one place. Visitors can also enjoy various concurrent events at ¡°Travel Square.¡± Throughout the expo, a series of free travel certificates will be distributed to visitors.
Admission is free with this invitation card and interpretation service is also provided. (English, Japanese and Chinese)
For further information, please call (02) 1330. Experience Every Nook and Corner of Korea!!!
¡Ü Title : Korea Travel Expo 2008 ¡Ü Venue : Pacific Hall (1st Floor), COEX ¡Ü Website : www.visitkorea.or.kr ¡Ü Information : 02)1330 ¡Ü Opening Time: 2.27 (Wed) ~ 3.1 (Sat) 10:00 ~ 18:00 (Entrance Closing Time: 17:00) ¡Ü Getting there:
£ª Subway: Samsung Station (Line No.2) Gate No.5,6
£ª Bus
- Green Bus: Gangnam01, Gangnam06, 2413, 2415, 3217, 3218, 3411, 3412, 3414, 3415,3417, 3422, 4318, 4412, 4419, 4428, 8431
- Blue Bus: 143, 146, 301, 341, 360, 361, 362, 363, 401, 640, 730
- Yellow Bus: 01
- Airport Limousine: 600¡ÜAdmission Fee: 2,000 won (Please print the ticket above and present it at the ticket counter for free admission.)
http://english.tour2korea.com/12Home/Notice_Read.asp?oid=4463&nCategoryID=1&iPageToGo=1
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Wednesday, 20 February 2008, at 10:02 am
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289. Traditional Drink & Rice Cake Fest to Open on Apr. 19
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Author : U.E.C.
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 Beginning April 19, the ¡®Korean Traditional Drink & Rice Cake Festival 2008 in Gyeongju¡¯ is to present traditional drinks and rice cakes of the Eight Provinces of Korea to its visitors. The festival is to last for a period of 6 days and will be held at Hwangseong Park in Gyeongju.
This year will be the 11th festival to be held, introducing the traditional rice cakes and food of Silla, along with an exhibit showing the traditional table settings of Silla. Other events portraying the distinct characteristics of Gyeongju will include the trying on of clothing from the Silla period, natural dyeing, and making traditional drinks and rice cakes.
Furthermore, following the theme of the festival, rice cake specialists from all over the country will be preparing dishes for visitors to enjoy. There will sale booths where visitors may buy the rice cakes, along with the ¡®3rd Korean Original Rice Cake Creation Competition¡¯.
Also, the ¡®2008 Miss Gyeongbuk (beauty contest)¡¯ will be making an appearance and tourists will be able to discover the cultures of Silla through a night event called ¡®A Historical Journal Under the Stars¡¯.
A representative of Gyeonju City stated, ¡°The Traditional Drink & Rice Cake Festival is a promising festival, where this year, it won¡¯t simply be a festival to merely enjoy, but one where tourists will be able to learn, feel, and participate in the events themselves.¡±
¡æ For more information, click here!
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Tuesday, 19 February 2008, at 4:18 pm
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288. Fire Destroys Historic Seoul Landmark
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Author : U.E.C.
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Fire destroyed perhaps Seoul¡¯s most famous landmark on Sunday night when flames engulfed the Sungnyemun, more commonly known as Namdaemun or South Gate, the nation¡¯s no.1 national treasure.
Thirty-nine fire engines and 88 firefighters rushed to the scene at shortly before 9 p.m. on Sunday. The destruction of a six-century-old national treasure is being blamed on the misjudgment of firefighters and inept attempts to bring the fire under control at the initial stage. At 10:30 p.m., firefighters believed they had extinguished the flames, but it rekindled on the second floor and engulfed the gate. A taxi driver identified as Lee Sang-gon said he saw a man entering Namdaemun with a bag in his hand while waiting for a fare. ¡°Several minutes later, a fire broke out on the second floor of the gate. I immediately reported it to police.¡± 
Firefighters struggle to put out a blaze that engulfed Seoul¡¯s Sungnyemun a.k.a Namdaemun or South Gate on Sunday night. Firefighters fought the blaze with ladders and fire hoses at 8:55 p.m. and by 10: 30 p.m. thought the fire was under control and focused on putting out smaller flames. But the blaze rekindled at 10:40 p.m. and burnt the roof out. It collapsed at 12:40 a.m. on Monday. At 12:00 a.m., firefighters belatedly tried to take the roof apart and douse the gate with water inside, but the effort failed and firefighters were reduced to watching the gate collapse while they sprinkled water around it at ground level.
- Copyrights ¨Ï 2008 The Chosun Ilbo& Digital Chosun Ilbo All rights reserved –
http://english.chosun.com
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Tuesday, 12 February 2008, at 1:52 pm
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287. Romantic Rail Rides to Magical Mountains
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Author : U.E.C.
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 Seeing mountains and fields covered in virgin snow untouched by human feet is a magical experience.
And in this snowy season, many people in Korea take the train to enjoy the white scenic views of mountainous areas from the safety and warmth of a railway carriage.
Recently, the Korea Railroad Corporation has begun offering diverse services to lure winter holiday-goers in this ever-deepening winter.
The 'Fantastic Snow-Flower Train' runs to places that have an abundance of the frozen white stuff. The trip itself is mostly uneventful, except for getting out of the train at two to three small stations and taking in the wondrous views for about an hour or so.
 However, since the winter wonderland created by nature will be a wonderful memory for a lifetime, the trains are usually packed.
The trains take passengers through frosted hills and mountains such as Mt. Taebaeksan and Mt. Deogyusan, the two most famous places for enjoying white scenic views.
Mt. Taebaeksan is renowned for its picturesque snow views and the winter romanticism tasted at Taebaek's Chujeon station is enough to soothe a tired body and mind.
You can also catch the Korean bullet train to Mt. Deogyusan in Jeollabuk-do (province), bound for the mountain.
The KTX train is so fast that passengers tend to miss the eye-catching, scenic views, but it is very convenient and saves hours in reaching one¡¯s destination.
When you get to the mountain, you don't have to climb it on foot. A 30-minute ride on a gondola will take you to the peak, where you will be mesmerized by what you see.
You can enjoy these picturesque sights until the end of February.
The train fare costs from 28,000 to 69,000 won depending on the distance.
For more info, visit www.korail.com.
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Article courtesy of Korea.net
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Tuesday, 12 February 2008, at 1:49 pm
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