PHOTOS: Spring flowers delight citizens SEOUL, April 01 (AJP) - Cherry blossoms and forsythia, harbingers of spring, are in full bloom everywhere. We've gathered a collection of spring flowers in full bloom across the country. 2025-04-01 15:09:03

PHOTOS: Royal guard appointment ceremony SEOUL, March 31 (AJP) - A reenactment of a historic royal guard appointment ceremony took place at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul on March 30. The "National Royal Guard Appointment Ceremony," an annual spring event, is based on records dating back to 1469, during the reign of King Yejong of the Joseon Dynasty. Historically, the king would select the most trusted official to serve as head of the royal guards through a process known as "nakjeom," marking the name of the chosen individual. Organizers scaled down this year's event in consideration of the recent devastating wildfires that have impacted the northern Gyeongbuk region. 2025-03-31 14:38:21

PHOTOS: Historic temple destroyed in wildfire SEOUL, March 28 (AJP) - A devastating wildfire has engulfed and largely destroyed the ancient Gounsa Temple in Uiseong-gun, North Gyeongsang Province. The temple, dating back to 681, was a significant cultural landmark. Most of the temple complex was consumed by the flames. Fortunately, cultural artifacts, including the Stone Seated Buddha, had been moved off-site prior to the fire, averting their destruction. Images from February, before the blaze, highlight the extent of the damage to the temple. 2025-03-28 11:20:59

TRAVEL: Leeum Museum of Art - Private museum preserving S. Korea's artistic soul SEOUL, March 27 (AJP) - TRAVEL: Leeum Museum of Art - Private museum preserving S. Korea’s artistic soul Located in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, the Leeum Museum of Art is a private institution founded by the Samsung Foundation of Culture. A reflection of the collective artistic passion of the extended Samsung family—including the late founder Lee Byung-chul, the late Lee Kun-hee, and Hong Ra-hee—the museum blends their appreciation for Korea’s ancient and contemporary art. The museum is organized into permanent and special exhibition halls. Its permanent collection boasts an impressive array of traditional and modern works. While the museum does not officially disclose its full holdings, it is widely known to possess 36 National Treasures and 96 Treasures, making it arguably the top private collection in the country. Museum I, which focuses on traditional Korean art, presents a floor-by-floor journey: the fourth floor is dedicated to Goryeo celadon, the third to Joseon white porcelain and Buncheong ware, and the second to painting, featuring works by Jeong Seon, Choi Buk, Kang Se-hwang, Kim Hong-do, and Kim Jeong-hui. The first floor houses metal crafts and Buddhist art. The modern art wing includes works by global and Korean masters—from Alberto Giacometti and Park Soo-keun to Lee Jung-seop and Damien Hirst. Leeum has recently attracted attention for exhibiting two significant cultural relics from abroad: the Welcoming Ceremony for a Successful Civil Service Candidate by the Pyeongan Governor, and a Hwarot—a ceremonial wedding robe worn by a Joseon princess. The Welcoming Ceremony is an eight-panel folding screen housed at the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem, Massachusetts. It is a large-scale documentary painting featuring an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 figures. Thanks to a collaborative effort between the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation and the Samsung Foundation, the artwork underwent a 16-month conservation process in South Korea and is now on display at Leeum through Apr. 6. According to the museum, three experts in traditional painting restoration painstakingly worked over several months to repair approximately 10,000 worm-eaten holes. The greatest challenge, however, was reassembling the panels in the correct order. Using clues such as the attire of figures and the shifting color tones that indicated the passage of time, they successfully restored the piece to its original format as a folding screen. The Hwarot, also owned by PEM, was donated in 1927 by the renowned Japanese antiquities dealer Yamanaka & Co. Time had not been kind to the robe, which had grown tattered and faded after multiple uses and nearly a century in storage. Thanks to a 13-month restoration project led by the Seok Juseon Memorial Museum at Dankook University, the garment was returned to its former glory. Both the Hwarot and the Welcoming Ceremony will return to the United States after the exhibition to become part of the permanent Korean gallery at PEM, which is scheduled to reopen in May. 2025-03-27 17:36:49

PHOTOS: Wildfire devastates coastal village in North Gyeongsang SEOUL, March 27 (AJP) - A wildfire that ignited in Uiseong, a landlocked area of North Gyeongsang Province, has swept eastward, fueled by strong winds, and devastated a coastal village in Yeongdeok. Authorities in Yeongdeok County issued a mandatory evacuation order for all nine townships and districts at 7:30 p.m., March 26. 2025-03-27 10:34:27

PHOTOS: Wildfire threatens UNESCO heritage sites in Andong SEOUL, March 26 (AJP) - Authorities are scrambling to protect two UNESCO World Heritage sites in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, as a massive wildfire sends smoke billowing into the historic villages. Andong Hahoe Village and Byeongsan Seowon were engulfed in thick smoke on Wednesday morning, prompting a swift response from fire and forestry officials. Crews are deploying water cannons and other equipment to douse the villages and surrounding homes in an effort to prevent the fire from reaching the areas. Smoke from a nearby wildfire fills the air over the UNESCO World Heritage site of Andong Hahoe Village in North Gyeongsang Province, March 26, 2025. Yonhap Fire crews stand by with equipment near Andong Hahoe Village, March 26, 2025. Yonhap A firefighter sprays water on a traditional house in Andong Hahoe Village, March 25, as a precaution against a nearby wildfire. Yonhap Firefighters are on standby at Byeongsan Seowon in Andong, March 26, amid concerns about a nearby wildfire. Courtesy of the National Heritage Administration 2025-03-26 14:32:41

PHOTOS: Fifth day of wildfire hell in North Gyeongsang SEOUL, March 26 (AJP) - The death toll from persistent wildfires in the southeastern part of South Korea has risen to 18, with another 19 people injured, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, Wednesday. The blaze, which ignited in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, continues to rage for a fifth day. Fueled by strong winds, the fire has forced the evacuation of over 23,300 residents across seven cities and counties in the province. Officials are continuing to battle the blaze while working to provide aid and shelter to those displaced by the disaster. 2025-03-26 10:05:08

PHOTOS: Korea battles multiple wildfires amidst high winds SEOUL, March 25 (AJP) - Wildfires are raging across South Korea, with authorities struggling to contain the blazes due to strong winds and dry conditions. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters reported that as of 7 a.m., March 25, fires are active in Sancheong and Hadong in South Gyeongsang Province, Uiseong in North Gyeongsang Province, Ulju in Ulsan, and Gimhae in South Gyeongsang Province. 2025-03-25 10:51:50

PHOTOS: KBO season opens with sellout crowds at all parks SEOUL, March 24 (AJP) - The Korean Baseball Organization began season on March 22, with sellout crowds at all five stadiums hosting the initial two-game series. The league, which topped 10 million attendees last year, anticipates another robust season. 2025-03-24 15:59:59

PHOTOS: Dragon's Head Coast on edge of Jeju Island SEOUL, March 21 (AJP) - Jeju Island's Yongmeori Coast, or "Dragon's Head Coast," is a tableau of striated sandstone cliffs, sculpted by millennia of wind and wave. Here, the earth itself appears to mimic a mythical beast, its head plunging into the churning waters. The cliffs, carved into fantastical shapes by the relentless sea, create a labyrinth of grottoes and overhangs, a landscape both alien and breathtaking. Tourists are seen along the Yongmeori Coast, March 20, 2025. Yonhap 2025-03-21 13:56:20