Latest news with #Hangeul
Korea Herald
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Korea Herald organizes golf tournament in support of Hangeul promotion
The Korea Herald, South Korea's leading English-language daily, hosted a charity golf tournament Wednesday to celebrate its 72nd year and reaffirm its dedication to promoting Hangeul, the Korean alphabet. Held at Serenity Country Club in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, the event drew approximately 300 participants, including Sejong City Mayor Choi Min-ho, prominent business leaders, artists and professional golfers. Corporate sponsors included Yes24 and some 20 additional firms. The tournament, organized in a shotgun format, featured 60 teams. Kim Jong-cheon, the head of Mariee de el Wedding Convention, won first place, while Kim Chang-ryong, former Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency, placed second. The golf tournament was followed by a banquet. At the dinner event, tenor Yang Seung-ho and soprano Kim Jung-ah performed, as well as musical actor Lim Tae-kyung. Various prizes and raffle events were also offered to the golf tournament participants. Following the dinner, a charity auction showcased donated works by contemporary sculptors Kwon Chi-gyu, Kim Kyung-min, Lee Wal-chong, 5311 and MeME. A portion of event proceeds, including the auction, will go to support the expansion and enrichment of Sup Sogui Hosu, the world's first Korean language village, located within the Concordia Language Villages in Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1999, the village offers immersive, 24-hour Korean language education. The event also included the announcement of the 2025 Hangeul Run, scheduled for Hangeul Day on Oct. 9. Co-hosted by Herald Media Group and Sejong City, the marathon is expected to draw 10,000 participants. Courses will span symbolic distances of 10.9 kilometers — representing Hangeul Day — and 5.15 kilometers, in honor of King Sejong's birthday on May 15. 'We will create conditions for future generations around the world to communicate and form strong bonds through Hangeul,' said Herald Corp. Chairman Jung Won-ju during the event, adding, 'I hope today's event goes beyond being just a sports competition and becomes a gathering where we unite in pursuit of a greater goal.' 'Hangeul is not just a simple writing system, but a 'language of hope' that connects people and communities,' said Choi Jin-young, CEO and publisher of Herald Media Group. 'We will do our part as a seed in opening the future of a great Korea,' said Choi.
Korea Herald
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Delve into Hangeul's beauty through crafts
National Hangeul Museum to offer hands-on program in Japan The National Hangeul Museum is launching a new educational program dubbed "Atelier Hangeul" in Japan in June as part of a cultural exchange marking the 60th anniversary of Korea-Japan diplomatic relations. The hands-on educational program will familiarize participants Korean writing system while making unique leather craft items using Hangeul letters and traditional Korean patterns. Ten sessions will be held from Tuesday to Saturday at the Korean Cultural Centers in Tokyo and Osaka. More details about the registration are available on the cultural centers' websites. "Hangeul is not just a way to write words or share information, but it can also be seen as a form of art and culture, and it helps connect people with each other. We hope that Japanese people will be able to discover the modern value and beauty of Hangeul through this program," Kang Jeong-won, head of the National Hangeul Museum, said in a press release.
Korea Herald
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Korea embraces beauty of everyday with monthlong craft exhibitions
Craft exhibitions on hanji and hanbok await visitors this month South Korea is turning up the charm this month with a series of craft exhibitions that celebrate the artistry found in everyday objects. The Korea Craft and Design Foundation is presenting "Hanji Objects: Embracing Wisdom" at Hanji House in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, through June 22. The exhibition spotlights "hanji," traditional Korean paper made from mulberry bark, and its evolving role over the centuries. Once primarily used for writing and books, hanji has long been repurposed into durable, lightweight and humidity-resistant household items. Artifacts on loan from the Hanji Art and Culture Foundation in Wonju, Gangwon Province, and the Goesan Hanji Experience Museum in North Chungcheong Province, illustrate the craftsmanship and ancestral wisdom embedded in these handmade pieces. The exhibition is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and admission is free. From June 13 to 15, the KCDF will also host a three-day hanbok fair at AK& Sejong. The 2025 Hanbok Expo will feature eight hanbok brands — Guiroe, Ccomaque by Dolsilnai, Daraewon Hanbok, Sun Daum, Somock Hanbok, Somikyung, Ondata Parang, and Flora Dress and Hanbok — offering visitors a chance to try on traditional attire and explore the synergy between Hangeul and hanbok. Admission is 5,000 won, with more details available on KCDF's official website. Later that month, jeweler and maker Kim Yoo-jung will unveil her second solo exhibition in five years, "Refuse to Disappear," at Yeol Bukchonga in Jongno-gu, June 17-23. Her contemporary jewelry pieces reflect on the presence of everyday objects and challenge viewers to rethink consumption and value in a fast-paced society. In Gyeonggi Province, the Yangju City Council gallery is showcasing 'The Phrase: Perspectives on Space' through June 27, featuring artists Won Jo-hyun, Lee Se-rim, Lee Eun-kyoung and Chung Dong-gyun. The exhibition draws inspiration from musical phrasing — the shaping of a passage — using visual art to express how individual works can resonate both independently and as a cohesive whole within a shared space. Admission is free.
Korea Herald
29-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Korean rice heads to Japan in record 200-ton deal
Korean food export company The O Global has signed a landmark agreement with Beisia, one of Japan's top retail distributors, to export 200 tons of Korean rice to help ease Japan's ongoing rice shortage. The contract represents the largest volume of rice ever exported by a private Korean company for general consumer sales in Japan. Shipments of premium Saecheongmu rice, cultivated in Gangjin, South Jeolla Province, began on Monday and will continue over the next four weeks. The rice will hit shelves in major Japanese retailers starting in late June, packaged in 5-kilogram bags for direct consumer purchase. The deal comes at a time when Japan is grappling with surging rice prices, driven by a combination of falling domestic demand, government-led reductions in rice cultivation and a historic heat wave in 2023 that severely impacted yields. These factors have fueled a spike in imports of foreign rice, including from Korea. Yuni Chung, founder and CEO of The O Global, expressed strong confidence in the product's appeal to Japanese consumers during a recent interview with The Korea Herald on May 23. 'Saecheongmu is one of Korea's highest-quality rice varieties, grown under optimal conditions,' Chung said. 'It's a compelling choice even for Japanese consumers, who are famously discerning about rice quality.' Market research highlights Saecheongmu's soft, fluffy texture and mildly sweet flavor, characteristics that align well with Japanese consumer preferences. 'Japan is dealing with a range of structural issues, including a shrinking population, an aging agricultural workforce and climate-related production challenges,' Chung added. 'We're proud that our rice can help alleviate some of these pressures.' Looking ahead, The O Global plans to expand its export portfolio to Japan to include abalone, seaweed, rice cakes, snacks and other Korean agricultural and marine products. Founded in the early 2000s, The O Global has steadily built its reputation as a K-food and lifestyle product exporter, beginning with Korean desserts and sauces and later expanding into seafood, fruits and grains. 'The biggest shift since I started this business is how Korean food products, especially those carrying the 'K-' label or packages written in Hangeul, are now trusted and sought after overseas,' Chung said. Currently, more than 50 percent of The O Global's business is focused on the Japanese market. To further strengthen its footprint, the company plans to open a branch office in Japan next month, with additional overseas branches planned for Thailand, China and France starting next year.
Korea Herald
16-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Seoul to develop workplace Korean textbooks for foreign workers
The South Korean government announced Friday plans to develop new Korean language textbooks tailored to foreign workers, reflecting growing demand for practical language support in the workplace. The Ministry of Justice will develop intermediate-level textbooks in coordination with the Culture Ministry and the National Institute of Korean Language, following its previous effort to create introductory materials for Korean language beginners in 2024. 'The special team will directly meet with foreign workers in various work environments to observe common language expressions, cultural elements and communication challenges encountered in everyday life and the workplace,' the ministry said in a press release Friday. "Based on these findings, the textbooks will include systematically organized vocabulary, sentence structures, dialogues and cultural understanding resources that are practical and applicable in real life." The ministry added that the new textbooks will be created by considering the work environments and specific needs of foreign workers, explaining that the books will differ from existing Korean language textbooks. 'We anticipate the customized Korean language textbooks will help foreign workers acquire practical language skills for effective workplace communication,' said the ministry. According to the Justice Ministry, the basic Korean textbook comprises nine chapters, focusing on learning Hangeul — or the Korean alphabet — and basic greetings. The upcoming intermediate-level textbooks are expected to enhance both occupational communication skills and intercultural communication competence according to different job categories. The two beginner-level textbooks were designed to improve communication abilities, review the concepts from the introductory textbook and serve as specialized materials for the ministry's social integration program.
