Happy New Year 2011

Cannot believe there's only two days left for the year 2010!!

Any good ideas to spend unforgettable two days of 2010?

anyways ,this is last Day and last hours of the Year .. Forget the negative things . memorize the cool things .

Happy New Year^^

Love

The 14th Inje Icefish Festival

At this spectacular winter festival visitors will be able to try out ice fishing and exciting games such as human bowling on ice, ice soccer, and even a tug-of-war on ice. For those icefish fanatics there will be an icefish eating competition, and visitors can sample the icefish.

For more information http://www.injefestival.co.kr/

Period : January 28 – February 6, 2011
Venue : Soyang Lake area, Inje county, Gangwon-do

Mt. Taebaek Snow Festival 2011

Every winter Mt. Taebaek turns silvery under a blanket of snow. This snow festival includes pop celebrities’ congratulatory performance, nationwide snow sculpture contest by students majoring in fine arts, climbing contest, family snowman making contest, sled riding etc.

http://festival.taebaek.go.kr/

Period : January 21 – 30, 2011
Venue : Mt. Taebaek Provincial Park, Gangwon-do

Korea’s Ancient Capitals

The present is an accumulative total of the past. So, if you want to really know about the present of a country, you need to delve deep into its age-long history.

And learning about its past capitals – the central locations for the country’s politics and culture – will be a very helpful and significant approach.

The cities of Gyeongju, Gongju, Buyeo and Iksan were designated as the ancient capitals of Korea in accordance with the Special Act on the Preservation of Ancient Capitals decree enacted in March 2005.

For a city to become a capital, it must be some place that is well-suited for residence; a strategic location against foreign invasions; and an all-around convenient spot for overseeing the country. That’s why capitals are usually located near a big river, surrounded by mountains, and furnished with a broad expanse of fertile planes.

Gyeongju, Gongju, Buyeo and Iksan

The Baekje Kingdom (18 BCE – 660 CE), one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla, controlled some colonies in China and most of the western Korean Peninsula at its peak in the 4th century and was a significant regional sea power.

In the 5th century, Baekje retreated under the southward military threat of Goguryeo, and in 475 its capital moved to Ungjin (present-day Gongju). Gongju is home to numerous historic sites including Gongsanseong Fortress, Magoksa Five-story Stone Pagoda, and Seokjang-ri Old Stone Age Ruins.

In 538, King Seong moved the capital to Sabi (present-day Buyeo County), home to significant relics such as the five-storied stone pagoda of Jeongnimsa Temple site and Banwollu Tower.

Gyeongju was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla (57 BC-935 AD) which ruled most of the Korean Peninsula between the 7th and 9th centuries. A vast number of archaeological sites and cultural properties from this period remain in the city. Among such historical treasures, Seokguram grotto, Bulguksa temple, Gyeongju Historic Areas and Yangdong Folk Village are designated as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The many major historical sites have helped Gyeongju to become one of the most popular tourist destinations in South Korea.

A Map of Korea’s Ancient Capitals

The Cultural Heritage Administration recently published a map of Korea’s ancient capitals in English as a tourist guide to important historical sites in Korea.

The “Ancient Capitals Tour” map is designed to be easy to carry and use. The map provides information on the history, geography, folklore, and contemporary situation of the four ancient capitals in South Korea: Gyeongju, Gongju, Buyeo and Iksan.

The map also provides useful tourist information, including guides to accommodations and public transportation. Maps will be distributed free of charge at cultural centers and tourism agencies.

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Growing Coffee on Jeju Island

Love for coffee is getting pandemic these days. You can find a coffee shop in every block of a sizable office district. Some people go so far as buying espresso machines and other coffee gadgets to furnish in their own homes. (Well, being one of those crazy coffee lovers myself, I am just being envious.)

Coffee is a highly sensitive plant, requiring specific growing conditions. It grows in subtropical regions where the temperature stays above 10 degrees Celsius even during winter. That’s why farming coffee has been mostly considered out of the question in Korea.

Well, Ms. Roh Jin-Yi doesn’t accept that.

north to 25 degrees south of the equator>

Korea’s First Coffee Farmer

The first coffee farmer in Korea, Ms. Roh has invested all her money and energy in farming coffee in a 400-pyeong (1 pyeong equals 3.3 square meters) green house in Jeju City since early 2008.

Despite the unfavorable conditions, even Jeju being too cold, Ms. Roh has been persistent in realizing her dream of cultivating coffee. And she has succeeded to reap enough coffee for about 10% of Jeju citizens to sample taste.

And last October, Ms. Roh even held the first Jeju Coffee Festival in her own coffee plantation. At the festival, there was coffee tasting, coffee drinking competitions, hands-on experience of roasting coffee beans and hand-dripping.

Hard Work, But I Love It

Ms. Roh is currently growing some 25,000 coffee trees in a 5,600 square meters plantation. And it is no easy job looking after those highly sensitive plants. They have to be watered twice a day (at the break of dawn and around sunset) for 3, 4 hours. A storm hits, and the fragile plants get all knocked out of their pots, and Ms. Roh has to spend many sleepless days harnessing them back in. They also need to get nutrition shots at regular, designated times.

Roh says she does not expect coffee farming to become a profitable business.

“It’s costly to keep the green house warm and it takes 3 to 5 years from germination to harvest. But I’m doing this not because I want to make money, but because I like it,” says the coffee farmer. And adds, “If I make money later, I would like to build a coffee museum,” expressing her ultimate ambition.Many cheers and well wishes to her dream!

Happy New Year 2011

Thank you EVERYONE for EVERYTHING! This year has been so amazing and I feel so blessed to experience so many great things at my age in such little time! I love you all so much! you guys are my Xmas & New year presents!!
I can't thank you enough!!
Happy X'MAS & NEW YEAR EVERYONE!! ♥♥

New Year just around the corner and now people are looking for New Year’s New for 2011.Now that Christmas over, we have a new year to look forward and celebrate the triumph coming in 2011. New Year brings with it a lot of hope, joy and resolutions, New Year, which are sometimes, but in most cases they end with the celebration of New Year!

Korea to cut scholarships for foreigners

Just want to share to NIIED's Students in Korea

The Korean government plans to cut its full scholarship program for foreign students, who receive money for university tuition, housing and monthly allowances, by 40 percent. An official at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said Monday that some 400 foreign nationals, 300 fewer than this year’s 700, will be eligible for the scholarship program in 2011. “Due to a shortage in the annual budget, we have to cut down the number of government-invited students. Instead, we will select highly qualified students to improve the quality of the program,” the official told The Korea Times. The number of foreign students on the program, jumped to 745 in 2008, from 133 in 2007; it fell to 504 in 2009, before rising again to 700 this year. A total of 2,000 foreigners are studying here under the state program as of this year. The ministry is considering removing the “grace period” for program participants in order to save money. If they fail to pass their courses, master’s and doctorate degree seekers are able to extend their stay here by a semester and year, respectively. With the aim of making state scholarships a Korean national branding project similar to the Fulbright Program, the ministry this year integrated all programs into the “Global Korea Scholarship” project, which has a budget of 51.5 billion won ($46.6 million). The National Institute for International Education (NIIED), an agency under the ministry, oversees the scholarship program that is offered in some 120 countries around the world. Korean embassies overseas or Korean universities recommend undergraduate or graduate hopefuls for the scholarship. The scholarship students have to meet the minimum qualification; a grade point average (GPA) over 80 percent and grade three — out of six — in the Test of Proficiency in Korean.

CREDITS : KOREATIMES

Merry Xmas to everyone!

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|†|…………*♥♫♥▬♫♥ ♥♫▬♥♫*
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|†|…..*♥♥♣♫♥♣♥☺♥♫♥☺♥♫♣♥♥*
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|†|...….………….๑۩۞۩๑ ★Merry★* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
• 。★Christmas★。* 。

International Forum on Regional Development 2010

This forum,Co-hosted by Ministry of Knowledge Economy of Republic of Korea,the Presidential Committee on Regional Development of the Republic of Korea and UNIDO(United Nations Industrial Development Organization)is a platform where participants can share the latest achievements in regional development best practices.The International Forum on regional Development is a great opportunity for regional development experts to build international networks in an age of globalization and to exchange views on how to promote regional development.

Held at the

COEX InterContinental Hotel in Seoul,the Republic of Korea on November 22-25,2010.


In the current prevailing trend,the role of regions is becoming increasingly important.Now,they make strenuous efforts to grow local governments creatively and sustain-ably: the win-win cooperation among regions is required for creative and sustainable development.

For more pictures

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The Times 50 Best Inventions of 2010

The Paris Motor Show, one of the world’s four major auto shows, was held from October 2 to 17, 2010 at the Paris Expo. If the Geneva Motor Show in March introduces newly launched cars of the year, then the Paris Motor Show in the autumn showcases models that are to be launched the year after.

The theme of the Paris Motors Show 2010 was “eco-friendly.” Eco-friendly has now become such a preval!ent trend worldwide, especially with the EU’s reinforcement of regulations regarding carbon emissions control.

Eco-friendly vehicle invented by KAIST

The Online Electric Vehicle (dubbed OLEV) manufactured by the Korea Advanced Institute of Technology (KAIST) was included in the 50 Best Inventions of 2010 published by The Times, along with Apple’s iPad, Google’s Driverless Car, Sony’s Alpha A55 Camera and others. Also included was the English-Teaching Robot invented by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST).

In the OLEV are embedded electric power strips that provide electromagnetic power to the vehicle, wirelessly, charging an onboard battery and powering the bus’s electric motor.

The Times introduced the OLEV as an advanced green growth technology that could speed up the commercialization of electric cars and also as the world’s one and only online electric vehicle.

The system’s creators at the KAIST say, “The technology not only eliminates pollution, but also alleviates the problems usually associated with hybrid vehicles such as heavy batteries, lengthy charging and limited range.”

Korean technology opens up a new horizon

The OLEV has been on a test operation since last March at the Seoul Amusement Park. It was also presented during the G20 Seoul Summit in November in front of COEX, garnering outstanding reviews. Furthermore, the vehicle is scheduled to be featured next month in the TV program “Into the Future” of Discovery channel.

The OLEV received mixed reviews in the early stage of its development. Although it is an innovative technology that was meant to pursue both green growth and economic profit, some voiced the car’s low practicality as the cost of planting electric power strips under the pavements would be quite steep. Nonetheless, its inclusion in The Times list is without a doubt a distinct acknowledgement of its potential.

The English-Teaching Robot

The other Korean item that made in the Times list is the English-Teaching Robot nick-named “Mero,” developed by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST).

The robots can move in any direction and can follow human facial expression!s. They are not only effective teachers, but the students also enjoy interacting with their new, fun, and cool school “staff.”

While the robots are used primarily in support roles for real human teachers, the Time Magazine called them a “job terminator,” saying they could potentially replace the native speakers currently employed in Korean schools.

Although there remain issues of economic feasibility as well as ethics, both inventions indicate excellent capacity of Korean universities as future leaders of world science and technology.

Foreign Journalists Visit Jeju Olle Road

Twenty Seoul-based foreign journalists on last November 19 and 20 visited the Jeju Olle Road as part of their Jeju Press Tour program sponsored by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Traditional Jeju Culture and Haenyeo (sea women)

The twenty foreign journalists, though still somewhat fatigued from the intense reporting they had for the G20 Seoul Summit, participated in the Jeju tour with great zeal and curiosity, especially for the much talked about Olle Road and Jeju haenyeo.

On the first day of their tour, Jeju greeted the journalists with an unusually clear, azure sky and a picture-perfect coast line.

At the center of attention in the tour was, of course, the haenyeo – Jeju’s sea women. A journalist for Tokyo Newspaper expressed his special interest for Jeju haenyeo, saying although Japan also has something like sea women he had never seen the Jeju haenyeo. As four, five haenyeo dove into the sea and began their “sea-picking” routine, the group of visitors all flocked to the water in excitement to take photos.

The group of foreign journalists all flocked to the water in excitement to take photos

Haenyeo dive into 20m deep into the ocean and collect sea products, holding their breath for as long as two minutes. Holding breath is hard enough; but doing that in the middle of cold sea water, swimming AND collecting things? What an amazing feat!

As one of the haenyeo, a 76-year-old sea veteran, pulled out of the water and showed a “domchi” which is a very rare catch, a big applause erupted among the journalists. The elderly haenyeo has been sea-picking since the age of 15.

But sadly, what used to amount to 15,000 Jeju haenyeo has now plummeted to a mere 5,600. And most of them are in their sixties and seventies. Those in their thirties are just a handful now, less than a dozen.

As one of the haenyeo, a 76-year-old sea veteran,

pulled out of the water and showed a 'domchi

Perfect Harmony of the Sea and the Cliffs

The foreign journalists were once again amazed and awed by the beauty of Seongsan Ilchulbong, a peak that rose from under the sea in a volcanic eruption over 100,000 years ago.

Seongsan Ilchulbong is located on the eastern end of Jeju Island and there is a huge crater at its top. With the 99 sharp rocks surrounding the crater, it looks like a gigantic crown. While the southeast and north sides are cliffs, the northwest side is a grassy hill, forming a truly distinctive ambience.

The journalists concluded their first day with a visit to Chyeonjiyeon Waterfall, and their second day was finally the much anticipated Olle Road.

The Olle walking path opened its first route in 2007 and is now furnished with 22 routes of 357km. In the local Jeju dialect, “Olle” was originally used to refer to the narrow path between the street and one’s doorstep. The hiking trail was founded by Myung-Sook Suh who was inspired upon hearing from a certain English tourist that he had healed his hurt soul walking the Jeju roads.

The route the journalists trod that day was Route 10 which is a course a little more taxing than a leisurely walk. You will be able to enjoy a scenic view of cliffs and the ocean. This particular route was declared as “Jeju Olle-Switzerland Friendship Road” last April upon establishing an MOU with the Swiss tourism administration. After the good amount of exercise followed, of course, a sumptuous meal composed of just-caught Jeju sea food and makgeolli.

At the end of the delightful tour, the journalists expressed their wish for having more nature-oriented tourist spots like the Jeju Olle Road. Although they may be somewhat less convenient than those equipped with first-rate technology and amenities, sometimes what we want these days are places that are preserved as they originally were – somewhere we can rest and heal our jaded souls.

A Journey Called LIFE 2010

"So Many things to work on, so many places to visit, so many thoughts to pen down, so much stuff to read, so many dreams to chase, so many goals to fight for, ... one life, just ONE LIFE to do it all...

JOIN THE BUZZ!

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=>~~~Then join "The Buzz" now where you can share everythings about Korea with people from all over the world and have a chance to receive gifts and prizes...

Click http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/HD/event/enu_20101206/index.html

What is THE BUZZ???
->The Buzz is an RSS web feed service that authomatically integrates information about Korea including updates from personal blogs,twitter,and Video clips from You tube.

For more information http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/Buzz/main.kto?method=list

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Korean Grafted Cactus Fascinates the World

Let us pay some attention to the newly developed Korean grafted cactus that comes under such sweet names as “seolhong,” “hoohong,” and “saekdong.”

The usual association with cactus is some thorny, misshapen, rough-looking plant standing under the scorching sun in the desert.

Well, time to shatter that association.

"Researchers at Rural Development Administration reviewing the quality of the grafted cactus"

The grafted cactus of Korea comes in numerous splash colors (red, pink, yellow, orange….) and sizes (a cute little cauliflower-like thing the size of your fist!).

The Rural Development Administration(RDA) exhibited its newly developed grated cactus at the horticulture fair held last November 11. The Korean grafted cactus has been garnering excellent reviews from the worldwide horticulture market with its annual volume of export exceeding USD 2 million to over 30 countries including the U.S. and the Netherlands, the leading floriculture nation.

At the flower fair, a series of rigorous eval!uation was conducted on the presented cactuses including how vivid the color is, how firm it is, its capacity to produce “baby” plant, its commercial potential and so on.

After passing through a set of meticulous tests and screening, 4 qualified cactuses will be selected to be distributed to the farms. Then they will first undergo a test production to be followed by mass cultivation. The RDA aims at USD 3 million annual export by 2012.

Well, at this rate, not reaching for stars!

Korea on the Road to First Class

Chairwoman Lee Bae-Yong of the Presidential Council on Nation Branding on November 15 gave a lecture for the KBS program “The Road to First Class.”

"Web site of the KBS program road to first "

The lecture was on the subject of Korea’s nation brand and the impact of the G20 Seoul Summit.


“Made in Korea” Impact

“Despite the increasing sales of Korean products globally nowadays,” Chairwoman Lee explained, “they still get about a 30% discount compared to similar products made by some other nations because of Korea’s undervalued nation brand.”

Giving examples of French perfume and wine which are products backed up by the country’s strong nation brand, Lee emphasized the importance of nation brand in generating economic profits.

“We need to work on increasing trust and preference for so-called “Made in Korea.” Also, it is getting more and more important nowadays to have strong “software” such as cultural content, human resources and spiritual values as well as hardware.”

Lee also touched upon Korea’s numerous timeless cultural heritages, saying, “I wish to share Korean values and spirits that are imbued in those historic and cultural legacies with the world. Korea’s astounding growth in the 20th century was made possible only because it was backed up by such virtues as harmony, sharing, communication, regards for life and nature.”

“To raise Korea’s nation brand, it is important to have active civic participation. The Council will make best efforts to achieve the goal with 5 major areas of work that we designated which include contributing to the international community, cultivating global citizenship, promoting multiculturalism, developing attractive culture and tourism, and showcasing advanced technology.”

Tripitaka Koreana woodblock at haeinsa temple designated a UNESCO world heritage

“Korea, as seen in its age-long history and countless cultural relics, has admirable spirits – perseverance, cooperative and pacifist inclination, modesty, warmhearted regards for others. It is important that we remember these timeless virtues of ours,” Lee stressed.

* Chairwoman Lee Bae Yong’s lecture on the program “The Road to First Class” (aired on November 20) can be viewed at the following web page:

http://www.kbs.co.kr/1tv/sisa/firstclass/vod/

Major Events of January: The 9th Sancheoneo Ice Festival

The Sancheoneo (Kor 산천어: a type of fish) Ice Festival opens every year in January under the slogan of “Unfrozen Hearts, Unforgettable Memories” at Hwacheon (Kor 화천: name of place), that has geographical feature of the fastest ice freezing in Korea because of cold valley wind and clean water.

This festival is one of the biggest winter festivals in Korea full with interesting shows and programs such as ice sledding, snow sledding, ice fishing, mini ice hockey, ice soccer and snow sculptures.

*Period : January 8 – January 30, 2011

*Venue : Hwacheon-eup, Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do Province

Click on the map

More information about the event you may find here

Happy 빼빼로 Day

Happy 빼빼로 Day~~~"Pepero Day is an observance in South Korea similar to Valentine's Day,Celebrated yearly on November 11th,. It is named after the Korean snack Pepero and held on November 11, since the date "11/11" resembles four sticks of Pepero. during which couples and friends exchange boxes of the chocolate-covered cookie snack The holiday is observed mostly by young people and couples, who exchange Pepero sticks, other candies, and romantic gifts...^^

G20 Seoul Summit Special VI - Final

Implications, Preparations, and Expectations

Implications and Expected Impact of the G20

The G20 Seoul Summit may be the biggest international event in contemporary Korean history. At this juncture where the developed world needs to build a cooperative system with emerging markets so as to tackle economic crises and set a new order for the global economy, Korea has been chosen as the leading member of the emerging markets club, as a bridge-maker. Successful hosting will lead to an improved global perception of Korea and increased confidence among the Korean people themselves. Also, the summit will be a golden opportunity to promote Korea’s rich past and present – its history, culture, tourism, art, technology– which would help to enhance the country’s international standing and prestige.

To read related articles :
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2010/10/137_75228.html

http://bit.ly/99XuYx


Getting Ready for the Visiting Media

A government preparatory committee for the G20 Seoul Summit is getting ready for the influx of journalists from across the globe. About 4,000 journalists from more than 60 countries, including 1,700 reporters from overseas, have registered. The committee plans to run an information center providing interpretation in 14 languages. Also, Seoul City and other ministries have been preparing a press tour to a series of historical tourist attractions such as Gyeongbok Palace, the Han River, and DMZ. To safeguard visitors to the G20 summit, a total of 40,000 policemen and military forces will be mobilized, and all areas within a radius of 600 meters of the COEX will be subject to special security measures.

To read more about it :
http://www.koreaherald.com/business/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20101028000624


Korean IT Firms Gearing Up for the G20

Korea’s telecom and technology firms are making last-minute preparations to use the G20 summit as a way to present their advanced technologies to the global leaders. Some of the features include multi-touch screen technology (visitors will be able to touch and feel the images); virtualization technology; 4-D image room; mobile IPTV services; 3W network wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), Wi-Fi, WiBro; 3D TVs and LED displays and numerous others. Also, the G20 ICT Innovation Forum will be held on November 9-10, which is scheduled to be attended by many prominent CEOs of local and global IT firms such as AT&T, Qualcomm, Samsung Electronics, KT and LG CNS as well as the OECD and World Bank.

For a related article :
http://www.koreaherald.com/business/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20101028000624


Works of the Presidential Council on Nation Branding

1. Club of Madrid-Seoul Conference

Seoul Conference (on “G-20’s Role in the Post-Crisis World”) was held from September 1 to 2 at The Shilla Seoul, co-hosted by the Presidential Council on Nation Branding, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Club of Madrid. Seoul Conference was held to draw upon the knowledge and vision of eminent leaders ahead of the November Summit. The Club of Madrid is an independent organization composed of former heads of state and government, formed to promote democracy and change in the global community. Former Prime Minister of the Netherlands, H.E. Wim Kok, is the current president of the Club.

2. Television Campaigns

On the occasion of the G20 Seoul Summit, the Council produced a number of television campaigns on global citizenship in partnership with private companies including Samsung, Hyundai Motors, Woori Bank, CJ Media, and YTN.

3. SNS (Social Network Services) Events

A variety of SNS events were held under the theme of the G20 Seoul Summit, including the UCC Video Contest with YouTube Season 4; “Images Come True” Campaign on Facebook, Twitter, mobile application; Online promotion campaign with Daum etc.

4. International Forums

Various international forums and discussions were held to seek ways to successfully host and promote the G20 Seoul Summit such as the Academic Conference on Korea’s Nation Brand (held on October 27), the Council’s International Advisory Forum, Experts Forum, Committee Meetings and other inter-agency meetings.

5. Others

Other G20-related projects include the Foreign Textbook Correction project (revising misinformation about Korea contained in the G20 member nations’ textbooks and vice versa); producing television programs on multiculturalism; foreign media outreach (publish feature articles on Korea); holding promotional events etc.


Check this out !

Korea Communications Commission (KCC) will be hosting the G20 Communications Exhibition with Seoul Metropolitan City at the Seoul Plaza for 9 days from November 5 to 13. The event will provide the people of Korea as well as G20 delegates and the press with opportunities to experience the advanced broadcasting and communications technology of Korea.

To visit the official web site :
http://www.g20ce.kr/eng/eng_index.asp



Thank you for your readership to the G20 Seoul Summit Special series!!!!