Vanuatu, an archipelago of 83 islands in the South Pacific, is a paradise for nature lovers. But in South Korea, this beautiful island nation is gaining attention for a different reason: citizenship shopping. Bae, 30, a housewife living in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul, is thinking of acquiring Vanuatu citizenship for the sake of her 4-year-old son. “My son currently attends an English immersion kindergarten. I am hoping he can enroll in international schools (in Korea), instead of local s

Hashtag Korea Nov. 24, 2024

Temperatures are expected to drop significantly from Wednesday, with some regions likely to see the first snow of the season, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration on Sunday. A low-pressure trough and a cloud band developing over the West Sea are expected to bring rain to most parts of the country on Tuesday. Following the rain, temperatures are forecast to drop significantly starting Wednesday, with morning temperatures as low as minus 8 degrees Celsius in Seoul, the KMA said

Social Affairs Nov. 24, 2024

Two dogs that President Yoon Suk Yeol received from Turkmenistan settled into their new home at Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon, South of Seoul, the presidential office said Tuesday. A pair of Turkmen shepherd puppies known as “Alabai” were gifted to Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee from the Central Asian country’s president Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov during their meeting in the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat in June. The Alabai puppies, Happy and Joy, have been living at the presid

Social Affairs Nov. 12, 2024

For over half a century, yellow banana-flavored milk has held a special place in Korean culture, gracing supermarket shelves as a nostalgic favorite across generations. Now, its maker, Binggrae Co., aims to elevate the beloved drink’s status even further. The Korean dairy maker said Sunday that it is launching an effort to have the chubby shape of its top-selling drink’s bottle included on the state-registered cultural heritage list. It is currently gathering data to apply for elig

Companies Nov. 10, 2024

President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating has fallen to 19 percent, the lowest level since he took office in May 2022, a recent poll by Gallup Korea showed Friday. According to the pollster's survey, conducted on between Oct. 29-31 on 1,005 people aged 18 and older, the positive assessment of the president's performance, which remained at 20 percent in the previous surveys taken in the second week of September and the fourth week of October, respectively, dropped to a new record

Social Affairs Nov. 1, 2024

The blind taste test featured in Netflix's megahit cooking survival show "Culinary Class Wars" has become one of the hottest social media memes in Korea. Videos of people eating blindfolded, mimicking the blind taste-testing carried out by the two judges -- popular restaurateur Paik Jong-won and Michelin three-star chef Ahn Sung-jae -- in episodes 3 to 5, have gone viral on YouTube and other social media platforms. Even Paik’s youngest daughter humorously recreated her f

Hashtag Korea Nov. 1, 2024

Marriages between third cousins or closer relatives are prohibited in South Korea, with the ban enforced by nullifying the effects of such unions when they are discovered. However, the ban on consanguineous marriages within the eighth degree of kinship looks set to lose its effectiveness, as a legal article governing the annulment of such unions will expire at the end of this year, with no substitute measures drafted or prepared to date. Of the two Civil Act articles on consanguineous marriage

Social Affairs Oct. 30, 2024

A fitness center’s rejection of the annual membership application of a 68-year-old senior citizen is an act of age discrimination, the state human rights commission stated Tuesday. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea announced that it had recommended the fitness center, which was not named, to revise its internal policies that prevent seniors aged 65 and older from obtaining annual gym memberships. The complainant had been using the club for the past 5 years by purchasing one-tim

Social Affairs Oct. 29, 2024

Lee Ho-young, a linguistics professor at Seoul National University, says the most pressing issue in the field of Korean language education overseas is the shortage of teaching staff. In an email interview with The Korea Herald, he pointed to the ongoing government-funded projects to cultivate domestically trained lecturers of Korean language, although he said their effectiveness remained to be seen. He echoed many lecturers and scholars who have shared with the Herald earlier that from Latin A

Hello Hangeul Aug. 19, 2023

Ross King, a professor of Korean linguistics who has headed the department of Asian studies at the University of British Columbia since 2008, said overseas Korean studies and Korean language education will never be able to match the scale and influence of Chinese or Japanese studies without serious, sustained investment from Korea. By Korea, he meant not just the Korean government, which currently covers nearly all funding, which he sees as problematic, King said in an email interview with The

Hello Hangeul Aug. 18, 2023

As a sociologist, professor Sam Richards at Pennsylvania State University has been following Korea’s ascent, before the Korean Wave came crashing onto the US shores like a tsunami, bringing with it groundbreaking successes like BTS, “Squid Game” and “Parasite.” In an email interview with The Korea Herald, the professor shared some insights on how to keep the Korean language in demand and the Hallyu-driven momentum alive. Having a perspective from outside the realm

Hello Hangeul Aug. 18, 2023

Whenever feeling down in her studies, Gulperi Kucukkaraca would wield her pen and craft her favorite Korean word in cursive on a white sheet of paper: 꿈. The small ritual served as a guiding light, helping her keep motivated in her dream of becoming a Korean expert in the not-so-distant future. The Korean word, which is pronounced "kkeum," means "dream" or "life goal." "I have always been interested in Far East politics and international relations,” s

Hello Hangeul July 17, 2023

Amid growing concerns about the rampant use of foreign languages on local stores' outdoor signs or menu boards, a new bill to promote the use of the Korean alphabet has been proposed in the National Assembly. A total of 10 legislators, led by Rep. Cho Myung-hee of the ruling People Power Party, submitted a revision bill to the Framework Act on Korean Language on Monday. The bill seeks to allow the state and local governments to advise business operators to write their outdoor shop signs or

Social Affairs July 11, 2023

Twin giant panda babies have been born at a South Korean amusement park's zoo. According to Everland, the country's largest amusement park, Ai Bao and Le Bao, a panda couple on loan from China, had two female babies, on Friday morning. Everland said the first cub was born at 4:52 a.m. and the second at 6:39 a.m., respectively at its zoo in Yongin, south of Seoul. The mother Ai Bao and her newborns are in good condition. The baby pandas weigh 180 grams and 140 grams each, it added.   This is

Social Affairs July 11, 2023

Marcelo Ebrard, one of the major candidates in Mexico’s 2024 presidential race, has vowed to invite K-pop superstar group BTS to the country as part of his election campaign, according to news reports Monday. On Saturday, the 63-year-old former foreign minister visited an animation festival held in Actopan, Hidalgo, eastern Mexico to woo young voters where he shared his plan to bring BTS to the event as early as 2025. Holding a poster with pictures of BTS members, he said, “In 2025

Social Affairs July 10, 2023