An interesting article from the Korea Times on the growing trend of restaurants called upper-dining. These mid-tier restaurants fall somewhere between high-end and casual restaurants and offer value, taste, and a comfortable environment for a reasonable cost.
From the Korea Times.
Good news for Korea’s expanding overseas book markets and international online bookstores. With warehouses in the US and other markets, Korean publishers can reduce shipping time from 10+ days to less than 2 days.
Korea Times:
Korea Times
Seoul Selection’s international website.
Seoul Selection USA website. Also available at Amazon.
Update: ex-President Park Geun-Hye is currently in prison
Korea’s new President, Park Geun-Hye, had her inauguration today at the National Assembly building on Seoul’s Yeouido (island) alongside 77,000 selected citizens and politicians. The post-inaugural parade took her to Gwanghwmun Plaza in northern Seoul and finally to the nearby capitol building, Cheong Wa Dae. This is a return to the Blue House for Park since she already lived there for 15 years as the daughter of the late President Chung-Hee. She was also promoted to the post of First Lady for five years, following the assassination of her mother in 1974. Interesting fact: President Park holds a bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering (1974) and can speak five languages.
Vocabulary:
President – 대통령 daetong-nyeong
Park Geun-Hye – 박근혜
Korea Times links: (in English and Korean)
Inauguration Day ceremony
Park Geun-Hye’s Speech
One of the many Korean flags seen along Nonhyeon Rd in Seocho-gu, Seoul.
This weekend, flags were placed along the trunk streets of Seoul in honor of the March, 1 1919 Korean Independence Movement and Park Geun-Hye’s Inauguration Ceremony. Taegukgi (태극기) is the name of the Korean flag.
The holiday commemorates the quintessential non-violent demonstration of Koreans against Japanese colonial rule via a Declaration of Independence. Korea was a Japanese colony from 1910-1945.
Korean Presidents are elected for a single 5-year term and Park Geun-Hye (박근혜) will take office as President on February 25, 2013. She is replacing exiting President Lee Myung-Bak (이명박). As do other world leaders, Korean Presidents frequently handout pardons before the leaving the Blue House.
숭례문 Sungnyemun (also known as 남대문 Namdaemun)
After being nearly destroyed in 2008 by an arsonist seeking revenge against the government, the gate will re-open to the public this April. They’ve rebuilt it using traditional methods and seem to have improved security around it as well. I’ve been waiting a long time to take visitors here again.
(Image taken after the scaffolding was removed, credit Korea Times)
Full story at the Korea Times.
