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  TRAVEL: Snowflower hiking to welcome the new year SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) - Only a few days remain in 2025. Leaving behind a year of lingering regrets, many people share the desire to welcome the new year with hope. Some travel abroad, while many climb mountains to steady their minds. Snowflower hiking is physically demanding, but it provides an opportunity to face beautiful snowy landscapes and strengthen one's resolve. Snowflowers are formed when water vapor in the atmosphere freezes onto trees, a gift of nature typically foun December 30, 2025
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  PHOTOS: Frontline vigilance — S. Korean troops brave extreme cold at border SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) — Amidst the bone-chilling winter at the North Korean border, South Korean military operations remain in constant motion, maintaining a 24-hour watch despite plummeting temperatures. At the heart of this defense is the General Outpost (GOP), a network of strategic surveillance positions situated approximately 2 kilometers south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). Tasked with monitoring the volatile frontier, GOP units manage a vast expanse of rug December 29, 2025
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  PHOTOS: Seoul Illustration Fair highlights growing 'character culture' SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - South Korea’s premier celebration of visual storytelling, the Seoul Illustration Fair, concluded its 11th-anniversary edition on Sunday, drawing tens of thousands to the COEX convention center in Gangnam. The four-day event, which ran from Dec. 25 to 28, featured over 900 artists and more than 1,000 booths. This year’s iteration saw a significant global presence, with approximately 50 international teams joining a diverse roster of domestic c December 29, 2025
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  PHOTOS: Seoul art show opens in Coex SEOUL, December 26 (AJP) - The 2025 Seoul Art Show, an exhibition offering a comprehensive look at the latest trends in contemporary art, opened December 24 at Coex in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and runs through December 28. Now in its 14th year, the Seoul Art Show is held annually during the Christmas season and has become a fixture of the city's year-end cultural calendar. The event serves as a barometer for the Korean art market and a primary point of contact between the public and December 26, 2025
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  PHOTOS: Merry Christmas, 1,004 Santas spread cheer across Seoul SEOUL, December 25 (AJP) - “Merry Christmas!” Bright and spirited voices rang out as volunteers dressed as Santa Claus gathered in the heart of Seoul. On Tuesday afternoon, volunteers in Santa costumes held a send-off ceremony along Yonsei-ro in Seodaemun District. Marking Christmas Eve, 1,004 Santas set out across the capital to visit underprivileged children, practicing year-end giving and social solidarity. Hosted by Korea Youth Foundation, the “2025 December 25, 2025
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  PHOTOS: As Christmas arrives, trees light up a fractured world SEOUL, December 24 (AJP) - As Christmas Day arrives, trees are lit across the world. It is a season that calls, however quietly, for peace and harmony — regardless of heartbreak, loss, grievance or conflict — as people mark the birth of Christ in their own idiosyncratic ways. In Rockefeller Center, the annual tree lighting took place on Dec. 3, as it does every year. Thousands of LED lights pierced the Manhattan night, drawing cheers from December 24, 2025
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  TRAVEL: Mt. Maisan's twin horse-ear peaks offer geological wonders JINAN, December 23 (AJP) - Famous for its unique geological and rocky formations, Mt. Maisan in southwestern South Korea has two distinctive twin peaks that resemble a horse's ears, from which the mountain got its name. The higher peak, called Ammaibong, reaches 687 meters, while the slightly lower Sutmaibong stands at 679.9 meters. Located in Jinan, North Jeolla Province, only Ammaibong is open to hikers. What makes the mountain especially striking is its cluster of stone f December 23, 2025
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  PHOTOS: Seoul's iconic ice rink offers affordable winter fun The Seoul Plaza Ice Rink, Dec. 19, 2025/ AJP Yoo Na-hyun SEOUL, December 22 (AJP) – The outdoor ice rink at Seoul Plaza officially opened its doors to the public last week, marking the return of one of the city’s most beloved winter traditions. The rink is scheduled to operate for a total of 52 days, welcoming skaters through February 8. According to city officials, the facility is open from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Sunday through Friday. On Saturdays and public holidays, op December 23, 2025
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  PHOTOS: Coal briquettes become symbol of solidarity SANGJU, December 22 (AJP) - During South Korea’s rapid industrialization, the yeontan — a cylindrical coal briquette — was the lifeblood of the working class, fueling the stoves that saw families through the harsh winters. While the nation has since transformed into a high-tech powerhouse, these "black diamonds" remain a critical, albeit fading, lifeline for the vulnerable. Though most of the country transitioned to oil boilers in the 1980s and event December 22, 2025
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  PHOTOS: Narye, the grand royal year-end ritual SEOUL, December 19 (AJP) - The National Gugak Center will stage its year-end performance Narye from December 18 to 21 at the Yeakdang Theater in Seocho District, Seoul. Narye is a traditional ritual that dates back to the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties. Held on the final night of the lunar year, it was performed in royal courts, government offices, and private homes to drive away lingering misfortune and malevolent spirits, while praying for peace and prosperity in the comi December 19, 2025