More halal restaurants, prayer rooms will be set up in Seoul for Muslim tourists

SEOUL, May 16 (AJU PRESS) - Seoul is taking its first step toward creating better tourism infrastructure for Muslim visitors. As part of its efforts to attract more Muslim travelers, the city plans to increase the number of halal restaurants and set up more prayer rooms, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday. The Seoul Tourism Organization will commission a research project this month to come up with measures to vitalize Muslim tourism in the capital. It is the city's

May 16, 2024

Cuban diplomat visits Seoul for discussions on establishing embassy

SEOUL, May 14 (AJU PRESS) - South Korea is seeking to open a Cuban embassy here after agreeing to normalize diplomatic relations with the Caribbean country earlier this year. Discussions about the establishment of the embassy in Seoul are in progress as a Cuban diplomat arrived in Seoul over the weekend, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday. Mario Alzugaray Rodriguez, the deputy head of mission of the Embassy of Cuba in China, met his South Korean counterparts to discuss

May 14, 2024

Hospitals required to check patients' IDs to curb health insurance abuse

SEOUL, May 14 (AJU PRESS) - Starting next week, patients will be required to present their valid IDs to receive medical treatment at hospitals and clinics in Korea, the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) said Tuesday. The stricter ID checks are part of measures to prevent foreigners or others from abusing the state health insurance coverage, amid concerns about the lavish use of medical insurance by some foreigners who exploit health benefits using aliases or forged identities

May 14, 2024

Korean webtoons make splash at Italian fair

SEOUL, May 13 (AJU PRESS) - Korean webtoons garnered massive attention at Italy's biggest comic book fair which wrapped up in Naples last month. Dubbed COMICON Napoli 2024, the fair was held in the coastal city for three days from April 28 and this year's fair featured a separate booth dedicated to Korean comics for the first time to mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Italy. Popular Korean webtoons such as romantic comedy "Full Hou

May 13, 2024

Police arrest suspect behind murder of Korean tourist in Thailand

SEOUL, May 13 (AJU PRESS) - A man who is allegedly involved in the murder of a Korean tourist in Thailand has been arrested in Korea, police said Monday. Authorities are also tracing the whereabouts of two other accomplices. The victim, a man in his mid-30s, was found dead on May 11 in a plastic barrel which had been dumped in a reservoir in Pattaya. He entered Thailand late last month and went missing. The incident was reported on May 7 when his mother received a threatening phon

May 13, 2024

Korea exports first batch of Samgyetang to Europe

SEOUL, May 10 (AJU PRESS) - Samgyetang or chicken soup with ginseng is now making its way into the European market amid the growing global popularity of Korean cuisine. The first batch of the ready-to-eat packages, totaling approximately 8.4 tons, was exported to Germany from the southern port city of Busan, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Thursday. After nearly three decades of negotiations with European authorities began in 1996, the export of Korea&#

May 10, 2024

Southern port city to be transformed into Korea's coffee business incubator

SEOUL, May 10 (AJU PRESS) - The southern port city of Busan will be transformed into Korea's incubator for coffee-related businesses, city officials said during a press event on Thursday. This initiative under the slogan "Coffee City Busan" aims to serve as a growth engine for the country's second-largest city. Busan which serves as Korea's main maritime gateway, boasts a diverse culture. Notably, an annual average of about 92 percent of imported coffee produ

May 10, 2024

Australian Embassy in Seoul invites wine enthusiasts to epicurean adventure

SEOUL, May 10 (AJU PRESS) - Wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike in Korea will be enchanted by more than 60 carefully chosen Australian wines at a tasting event to be held in southern Seoul this Saturday. The event hosted by Wine Australia in cooperation with the Australian Embassy in Seoul will showcase an array of wines including whites, reds, sparklings, and other sweet varieties at an outdoor venue of Sofitel Ambassador Seoul. Guests will have the opportunity to indulge in

May 10, 2024

President Yoon apologizes over Dior bag scandal involving wife

SEOUL, May 9 (AJU PRESS) - President Yoon Suk Yeol apologized Thursday over a luxury handbag scandal involving his wife that has plagued his administration into the second year in office. “I apologize for causing concerns to the people with the unwise conduct of my wife,” Yoon said during a news conference. But he refused to accept a special counsel investigation, pushed by opposition parties, into the case. "I have consistently expressed my opinion that a

May 9, 2024

'Supersized' gimbap delights visitors at tourism expo

SEOUL, May 09 (AJU PRESS) - An event to promote gimbap, one of Korea's most popular on-the-go meals, was held at COEX in southern Seoul on Thursday. The event was held as part of the Seoul International Travel Fair (SITF), which runs until Sunday. The expo offers various tourism information at home and overseas. Hundreds of people including foreign dignitaries, tourism officials, chefs and gourmets gathered for the occasion. Renowned chef Kim Rock-hoon, who has been promoting

May 9, 2024