The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Seoul Kyungje

Few women admit their age,
Few men act theirs.

Hankuk Kyungje
Mother-in-Law
A newlywed farmer and his wife were visited by her mother, who immediately demanded an inspection of the place.
While they were walking through the barn, the farmer’s mule suddenly reared up and kicked the woman in the head, killing her instantly.
At the funeral service, the farmer stood near the casket and greeted folks as they walked by.
The minister noticed that whenever a woman would whisper something to the farmer, he would nod “Yes” and say something.
Whenever a man walked by and whispered to him, he would shake his head, “No.”
Curious, the pastor later asked the farmer what that was all about.
The farmer replied, “The women would say ‘What a terrible tragedy!’ and I would nod my head, while the men would ask, ‘You wanna sell that mule?’ and I would shake my head.”
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)

Supreme Court Rules 'Bonuses Part of Ordinary Wages'
The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of workers in critical labor-management dispute cases to expand the scope of 'ordinary wages'.

Prime Minister Urges Rail Workers to End Strike
Prime Minister Chung Hong-won has urged the union workers of the Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) to end their strike and come back to work.

Japan's 10-year Military Plan Sparks Concerns, Protests
Anchor: Japan has introduced a ten-year national security strategy for the first time since its defeat in World War Two. Tokyo also unveiled a new national defense program, signaling major changes to Japan’s future foreign and security policies.

Syria Denies Visa to S. Korean Chemical Weapons Inspector
Syria has refused to issue a visa to an international chemical weapons inspector from South Korea.

Gov't to Seek Labor Market Flexibility
The government is expected to ease labor regulations next year to improve the country’s economic health in the mid- and long-term.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Fed begins tapering stimulus program amid job growth
The U.S. Federal Reserve announced plans Wednesday to begin cutting bond purchases by $10 billion next month, citing a stronger U.S. job market.

U.S. says TPP, KORUS FTA are core parts of its economic policy in Asia
The Obama administration is fully committed to every effort for the success of the envisioned Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the bilateral free trade agreement with South Korea, as both are key parts of Washington's economic policy in Asia, a State Department official said Wednesday.

Pentagon's key man on Asia quitting next month: source
The Pentagon is searching for a new key policymaker on Asia, as Peter Lavoy, acting assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, will step down from the post next month, a source said Wednesday.

Biz community concerned over court's ordinary wage ruling
South Korea's business community expressed "grave" concerns Wednesday that the Supreme Court's landmark ruling on ordinary wages will increase labor costs and retard economic growth.
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The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)

Court rules bonuses as ordinary pay
The Supreme Court on Wednesday sided with employees, ruling that bonuses, if paid out regularly, constitute part of “or...

Purge puts N.K. rights issue back in spotlight
The issue of the dire human rights conditions in North Korea has resurfaced after the recent execution of Jang Song-thaek, the uncle of leader Kim Jong-un.Some South Korean lawmake...

G20 needs joint action on QE exit: Finance Minister
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Hyun Oh-seok said that G20 economies should do more ...

Korean theaters welcome 200m viewers this year
More than 200 million tickets have been sold in movie theaters this year as of Wednesday, accor...

Korea to build test site for electric ve...

Race to become POSCO chief to kick off t...

Koreans take pride in cultural heritage,...

N. Korea, Galaxy S4 reach Google’s top ...

Truckers back rail workers’ strike

Park marks one year since election victo...

Political divisions run deep in fracture...

Freedoms for Saudi university girls end ...

Big question mark over Korea’s public e...

400-500 dead in S. Sudan clashes: U.N.

Toll mounts as Syria’s Aleppo bombed

France: Other European nations to deploy...

Italy denounced for hosing down migrants...

NATO chief hopes for new EU defense comm...

CEO santa
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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)

Is it for fewer jobs or better salaries?
The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that bonuses, if regularly paid, should be included as part of basic pay, likely triggering an increase in overtime and allowances for those working on holidays.

More sophiscated Ri
Kim Kyong-hui, the daughter of Kim Il-sung, the founder of North Korea, was supposed to lead the luxurious life of a princess.

'State may publish history textbooks' 
Education Minister Seo Nam-soo said the government’s assumption of full control over the publishin... 

Court ruling may affect GM decision 
A court’s ruling in favor of workers will be a big punch for the country’s industries overall, wit... 

Labor union welcomes expanded normal wages 
Labor groups welcomed the Supreme Court decision to include regular bonuses and allowances in norm...

ROK-US defense cost-sharing talks collapse 
Seoul and Washington decided to extend the ongoing negotiations over the sharing of costs for the ... 

Decision feared to hurt competitive edge  
The local business circle Wednesday expressed disappointment about the Supreme Court’s ruling on t... 

Prosecution draws fire for leaks on sex-trading probe 
The prosecution came under fire Wednesday for leaking information of its investigation into allega... 

Tragedy-stricken Kim Kyong-hui 
Kim Kyong-hui, the daughter of Kim Il-sung, the founder of North Korea, was supposed to lead the l... 

Health insurance body to sue tobacco makers 
The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) said Wednesday that it will file a suit against cigar... 

NIS scandal consumed Park's 1st year  
Looking back at the past year, since the Dec. 19, 2012 presidential election, political analysts c... 

Seoul warns of 'reverse spillover' 
G20 countries should collaborate to minimize the negative spillover effects of quantitative easing... 

'Hyun behind unfair property deal' 
Financial regulators raised fresh allegations against Tongyang Group Chairman Hyun Jae-hyun, Tuesd... 

SK hynix to build new plants in Icheon 
SK hynix, the world’s second-biggest supplier of memory chips, plans to invest “billions of dollar... 

Mirae Asset raises global presence 
Mirae Asset Global Investment Group has expanded its global presence by diversifying its investmen... 

NPS portfoilos biased to chaebol 
The country’s top two conglomerates ㅡ Samsung Group and Hyundai Motor Group ㅡ account for about 38... 

'Cuts in university student quotas unavoidable' 
Education minister pledges to carry through program to restructure colleges 

KT faces fines over satellite sales 
The government has sanctioned KT for violating the law when selling two valuable satellites for a bargain price of $4.24 million.
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Dong A (http://english.donga.com)

North Korea`s `untouchable` young leader
North Korea is distancing itself further from the international community by making itself "untouchable." "Rogue state" North Korea recently added an image as tyranny after its incumbent 29-year-old leader Kim Jong Un...

`Watch your house on smartphone`
LG-Uplus showcased Tuesday an intelligent CCTV that can be activated by smartphone, in a model house of GS E&C in Mapo-gu, Seoul. The CCTV has various functions including real-time rotation monitoring, intrusion...
Couple app `Between` tops 5 million downloads
"Between," the world`s first social networking service built exclusively for couples, is gaining popularity. The service was created by Park Jae-wook, a young entrepreneur, CEO of VCNC who graduated electrical...

Attention drawn to roles of N. Korean leader`s siblings
Following North Korea`s recent execution of Jang Song Thaek, its leader Kim Jong Un`s uncle-in-law and the No. 2 man in Pyongyang, attention is drawn to the roles of other members of Kim`s family.
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)

Defense Chief Warns of N.Korean Provocations Next Year
There is high risk that North Korea will carry out military provocations between late January and early March next year, Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin said Tuesday.

Survey Reveals Signs of Impending Breakups
One of the telling signs that a marriage is on the rocks and may be heading for divorce is when either partner starts going out frequently at night, a recent poll suggests. Some 52.3 percent of men and 48.4 percent of women cited the fact that their spouse started spending a lot more time out of the house.

Japan in Fresh Move Over Dokdo Land Grab
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday proposed that Japanese media should broadcast weather forecasts for Korea's Dokdo islets, to which Tokyo lodges a flimsy colonial claim. A committee of the increasingly chauvinistic party agreed to push for the airing of weather forecasts for territories it believes to be under dispute.

Survey Reveals Signs of Impending Breakups
One of the telling signs that a marriage is on the rocks and may be heading for divorce is when either partner starts going out frequently at night or staying out overnight, a..

High-Flying Chef Tells of Difficult Journey
You Soo-hyun, the first Korean to become an instructor at the Culinary Institute of America's Singapore campus this year, lectured last week in front of 100 students at her alma..

U.S. Central Bank Trims Direct Support of American Economy
The U.S. central bank has decided to start trimming back its direct support of the American economy. For more than a year, the Federal Reserve has been buying $85 billion of..

Winning Mega Millions Lottery Ticket Sold in California, Georgia

Bitcoin Crashes in Wake of Chinese Restrictions

Putin Makes Bold Move to Keep Ukraine in Moscow's Orbit

Detained Diplomat Complains About Treatment in U.S. Custody

Kim Jong-un Looks Pensive at Memorial Ceremony

Kim Jong-un 'Dangerous and Unpredictable'

Jang Song-taek Cronies Appear at Ceremony in Pyongyang

Kim Jong-un's Wife Reappears in Public
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Hankyoreh (http://english.hani.co.kr)

One year into the Park Geun-hye administration
Professor Lee Sang-don says Park needs to go back to the promises that got her elected president
“At this rate, the Park Geun-hye government is bound to fail,” Lee said.
Lee did not pause for a second before offering criticism. He described the year that passed since Park Geun-hye prevailed in the presidential election as “a year that provoked antagonism, tension, and conflict.”
Nor did he mince words about the National Intelligence Service’s interference in the presidential election or the suppression of labor. It was enough to make one briefly wonder whether Lee was not expressing his irritation at being neglected by Park.

North Korea marks second anniversary of Kim Jong-il’s death
North Korea staged a large-scale rally on Dec. 17 to mark the second anniversary of former leader Kim Jong-il’s death.
The event was attended by current leader Kim Jong-un, numerous officials from the North Korean government, military, and Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), and over 20,000 members of the public.

Ongoing railroad strike is the longest ever, with no end in sight
On Dec. 18, the strike being held to oppose rail privatization and subsidiaries entered its tenth day, making it the longest strike in the 65-year history of the railroad union.
Differences between labor and management were so wide that workers were not convinced by the government’s insistence that the Korea Railroad Corporation, or KORAIL, would not be privatized.

Shouting every Friday to fund Korean schools
A protest that has been held every Friday since May outside the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Tokyo calling for the ministry to restore fundi...

How are you nowadays? is everywhere
Dongguk University students hold a candlelight vigil and listen to speeches outside of Lee Hae-rang Arts Theater on the school’s campus in central Seoul as part of the “How are ...

Stiff-faced couple
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrives at Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang on Dec. 17 hand-in-hand with his wife Ri Sol-ju. It was Ri’s first official appearance in 62 d...
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Joong Ang (conservative): (http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/)

Report details North Korea’s rising, falling ‘stars’
In the two years under Kim Jong-un’s rule in North Korea, a total of 31 high-ranking officials in the ruling party, the cabinet and the military were purged, demoted or retired, and 52 new figures arose, a South Korean government report said. The JoongAng Ilbo exclusively obtained…

Seoul Metro strike cancelled after agreement
A planned strike by union members of Seoul’s subway operator has been called off today after the workers and Seoul Metro, which runs subway lines No. 1 through 4…

Japan lays out 10-year defense plans
Japan approved a new national security strategy yesterday to bolster its military and defense, a move guaranteed to both worry and annoy neighbors Korea and China…

Old-timers try to end partisan fight
Senior members of the ruling and opposition parties met for a talk over lunch yesterday to try to end the standoff between the ruling Saenuri and the opposition Democratic parties…

Park likely to lay low in election celebration
President Park Geun-hye is expected to keep a low profile tomorrow, the anniversary of her presidential election victory, amid a turbulent security situation sparked by turmoil…

Experts question fate of Kim’s rule
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, attends a party meeting commemorating the second anniversary of the death of late leader Kim Jong-il yesterday at the Pyongyang…

Coal business a factor in Jang’s purge
Jang Song-thaek, the powerful uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un who was executed on Thursday, was involved in a power struggle among the inner-circle…

Korea looks to Finland as model for innovation
Matti HeimonenWhile President Park Geun-hye is pushing for business leaders to nurture creative economic pursuits, Finland is fast becoming a leading force…

High hopes pinned on KT’s new CEO
A day after KT Corporation picked Hwang Chang-gyu, former head of Samsung Electronics, as its new chief, the stock price of the country’s second-largest mobile…

New carbon market gets green light
Korea will introduce a carbon exchange market in 2015, the Finance Ministry said at a public hearing yesterday.The move indicates that the country…

4th-quarter Samurai bond sales surge
Korean Samurai bond sales climbed by the most in a year this quarter as the yen weakened and relative borrowing costs in Japan slumped to a 17-month low…

Surprise move from Korea’s game master
Kim Jung-juRecent business expansion by Kim Jung-ju, founder and chairman of Korea’s top game company, Nexon, has been raising some eyebrows in…
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Edaily (http://eng.edaily.co.kr/Stock/)

[US the closing price]The U.S. Dow Jones Index, 292.71p( 1.84%) sharp up.
The U.S. Dow Jones Index Closing (At 2013.12.18) The Dow closed at 16,167.97p, sharp up 292.71p( 1.84%) f...

[Closed] Domestic rate of return of final bid closed. 3-year government bond up 2bp.
This is the rate of return of final bid. Quoted by Korea Financial Investment Association, domestic rate of return of final bid of 3-year government bond recorded at 2.90%, up ( 2bp) from yesterday....

[Table]Exchange Rate Quotation
This is Exchange rate Quotation offered by Korea Exchange Bank. [table] Exchange Rate Quotation Offered by KEB ...

[Table]Exchange Rate Currency Crossrate
2013.12.19 08:10(Korean time), this is Currency Crossrate of major 12 countries. [table] FX Cross Currency ...
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Maeil Kyungje (neutral-oriented conservative, economic/business): (http://news.mk.co.kr/english/)

S. Korea supreme court rules bonuses to constitute ordinary pay
The risk of ordinary wage will likely pose a significant threat to the South Korean economy, which was expected to regain momentum with stronger corporate investment and job creation.“While the amount of bonuses differs depending on the employment duration, bonuses, if paid regularly and uniformly, should be included in ordinary wage,” said the verdict delivered by the 13 Supreme Court judges at a trial held Wednesday. The trial concerned a lawsuit ..

Four in five large firms have no M&A plan next year
Only 21.7% or 10 of 46 major South Korean companies said they have an M&A plan for 2014, according to a survey of chief financial officers at the companies, conducted by the Maeil Business Newspaper on Wednesday. Four in five large companies, including three non-respondents, had no M&A plan.

KHNP to conduct reshuffle to live down corruption scandal
ea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), which was plagued by corruption scandals and a series of disruptions in the operation of nuclear reactors, will launch an across-the-board reshuffle. The key of the reshuffle is to secure workers who will oversee management and maintenance of nuclear power plant facilities and thwart corruption in the process of nuclear power plant parts procurement. In addition, KHNP decided to fill half of its high-ranking positions with outside people to eradicate the practice of hiring only people with background in the nuclear power sector within the organization.
GE to inject $190mn in S. Korea for mammography research & production 
The global medical device manufacturer GE Healthcare announced its plan to foster South Korea into the global hub of mammography with 200 billion won ($190 million) worth of investment..

CJ to hold on to game business
uth Korea’s conglomerate CJ mulled walking away from the game business including the game division Net Marble, but still seems to have yet to make final decisions. Its subsidiary CJ E&M commented that it would continue to run its game operations.

'One of Seven Wonders of Winter' for a 22-day run

Hwacheon Mountain Trout Ice Festival opens Jan. 4

Named one of the 'even Wonders of Winter' by CNN and Lonely Planet, the Hwacheon Sancheoneo (Mountain Trout) Ice Festival is probably the most famous winter event in Korea. During the month of January every year, more than 1,000,000 people swarm Hwacheon in Gangwon province hoping to catch mountain trout bare-hand or ice fishing.
(Mayor Chung Gap-cheol invites the ambassadors and families to attend the Festival on Friday 17, 2014.)

▲1.4 million persons reportedly visited Hwacheon Mountain Trout Festival last year having their fill of the joys of the winter--ice-fishing mountain trouts and treating their eyes to the colorful lanterns of the angels at the Seondeung Candle Light Festival that takes place in the night.

▲Who said Hwacheon offers only ice-fishing? You can land mountain trouts also from the water standing on the river bank (top left). Koreans, expats, young and old, all enjoy various events of the Festival.

▲Left: Visitors pass through the colorfully lit ice tunnel. Right: You can also enjoy a 'sky ride' down the river.

Nestled between the town of Hwacheon and the mountains, the Hwacheon River is not only covered by a thick layer of ice, but also by thousands of festival participants.

The Hwacheon Mountain Trout Ice Festival will be taking place in Hwacheon County in Gangwon-do province on Jan. 4-26, 2014. This virtually untouched region is known as the first area in Korea that freezes over in winter, and the river is covered with a thick layer of ice.

Visitors can try out ice fishing, and those who are feeling brave can try to catch mountain trout with their bare hands. Along with fun activities and performances, there is also an exhibition of ice sculptures that usually take 20 weeks to prepare. Visitors can sample raw and grilled mountain trout, both of which are delicious.

A foreign visitor said: “Unlike some Korean festivals I have been to, there is a lot to do at this festival. You can ride an ATV or go kart on the ice, go sledding, ice skating, push a metal cart on the ice, or do some regular reel fishing.”

The events that are most popular are ice fishing and bare-handed fishing. For the ice fishing, you are provided with a hole in the ice and a bag for putting your catch for 10,000 won of which you get 10,000-won Love Gift, money you can spend around the festival grounds on food and souvenirs. “If you aren’t Korean, make sure to head to the foreigner only section. It is not only less crowded, but there is English-speaking help and you are given a free fishing pole,” said the foreign visitor.

When you get on the ice, pick a hole, let out enough line to get your lure to the bottom of the river. Then, quickly flick your wrist upwards and let it float back to the bottom. Some persistence is required, he stressed.

Hwacheon is considered a “clean region” where mountain trouts and otters live. Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival is opened in every January under the slogan of “Unfrozen Hearts, Unforgettable Memories” at Hwacheon that has geographical features of the fastest ice freezing in the country because of cold valley wind and clean water.

This is a unique theme experience festival full with good shows and 40 or about various experience programs, such as ice sledding, snow sledding, snow sculpture and ice soccer, Sancheoneo experience programs combined with the image of Hwacheon that has clean natural environment with the first grade clean water in Bukhangang (river) for catching Sancheoneo by hand, Sancheoneo fishing on the ice to catch the fish easily and enjoy the fishing by everybody, breaking the ice with 40cm thickness and above and looking at Sancheoneo in the deep water for your exciting play available for experiencing at Hwacheon only and heart-warm memory in winter.

Winter Sancheoneo! Sancheoneo Fishing! To mention about ice fishing, you need to catch at least one Sancheoneo. It is an elegant fish underneath ice out of comparison to the other fishes due to moderate size and beautiful shape.

Sancheoneo is hard to catch as it is rare but everyone can catch one or two Sancheoneo at Hwacheon with somewhat good luck and knack since 32 or 3 tons of fresh Sancheoneo are being put just under the fishing place every day for visitors for Sancheoneo festival. It is just the reason why a child or young girl without fishing experience is indulged in Sancheoneo ice fishing. K
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At the KUK Cultural Foundation Building behind Ritz Carlton Hotel

KUP hosts Year-end Concert with famed World Vision

Children’s Choir of Korea

The Korea United Pharmaceutical Co. (KUP), hosts a Gala Year-end Dinner and Concert at the Cultural Foundation Building of the Company in Seoul (located behind the Ritz Carlton Hotel) on Dec. 26, 2013. It is presented by the famed World Vision of Korea Children’s Choir. Chairman Kang Duk-yung of the KUP invites the ambassadors and madams to the prestigious concert.

The repertoire consists of three parts, which include:

Part I:
Han-River Taryung (arr. Lee, Hyun Chul)
This is an arrangement of Korean folk song 'Han River Taryung' and winner of '2013 Andrea O. Veneracion International Choral Festival' in Folk song category. Using Korean traditional musical techniques and colors, it demonstrates the beauty and prosperity of Han river. Also fan dance emphasizes its beauty.

About the World Vision Korea Children’s Choir
Throughout its 53-year history, various professional musicians in Korea and around the world compliment the Children’s Choir, praising the Choir as “Echoes of the Heaven.” The Choir’s achievement and quality have been proven by thousands of successful worldwide concerts.

About the Artistic Director Kim Hee-Churl
Hee Churl Kim studied choral conducting under worldly renowned conductor Hak Won Yoon in Chung-Ang University. In Georgia State University, he studied with Dr. John Heberlen, who was the president of ACDA. In 1993, Mr. Kim conducted Vancouver Chamber Choir in Eric Ericson Master Class as a representative of Asia in World Choral Symposium held in Canada. From 1995 to 1997, he joined Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus to sing with Robert Show, who was one of the best choral conductors in the world. He conducted Atlanta Korean Children's Choir and Atlanta Master Chorale, and he served as a president of Atlanta Korean Musician Association. From 1994 to 1997, while he was a visiting professor of Georgia Theological Seminary, he had served as a coordinator in 'Music and Worship Conference’ held by PCUSA. After returning to Korea in 1997, he had conducted many choirs, such as, World Vision Korea Children's Choir, Gwang-Myung City Women's Chorale, and Sung-Nam City Teacher's Choir. He also taught in Chung-Ang University. He also served as a board member of the Korean Church Music Association. Currently, he is the conductor of Gwacheon City Women's Choir, which is the only professional women's choir in Korea, had concert tours in Manila, Philippine by invitation of Philippine Madrigal Singers in 2004. Also, the choir was invited from Vancouver to celebrate the Winter Olympic Games in 2009. In 2004, he became an Artistic Director and Administrative Director of World Vision Korea Children's Choir. In 2009, he made a film called 'You and You' with World Vision Korea Children's Choir under director Je Hyun Park, who is one of the famous movie directors in Korea. As an artistic director, he has been hosting International Children's Choir Festival every three years by inviting the most prestige choirs from all around the world to help poor and devastated children in the world. As an opening concert of 2007 ICCF, he conducted a contemporary piece 'Gana and Dara' composed by In Sun Cho, worldly renown contemporary composer who served as a professor in Chung-Ang University. Mr. Kim made several CDs and DVDs, such as, 'Blessings', Songs of Love', 'Winter Sonata', and etc.
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November 27, 2013

Invitation to Gala Year-end Dinner and Concert

I am pleased to inform Your Excellency that Chairman Dr. and Mrs. Kang Duk-young of Korea United Pharmaceutical Co. cordially invite Your Excellency and Madam, together with other Ambassadors and Madams, to a Gala Year-end Dinner and Concert presented by the famed World Vision Children’s Choir of Korea at the Culture Foundation Building of the United Pharma in Seoul at 6:30 p.m. Thursday December 26, 2013. The repertoire includes a Christmas Carol by the famed World Vision Sunmyung-hoe Children’s Choir. The details are as follows:

Venue: Concert Hall of the Culture Foundation of the United Pharma Co., 616-12 Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 3 blocks southward from the Grand Hannam Bridge (behind Ritz Carlton Hotel).

Time/Date: 6:30 p.m. Thursday December 26, 2013

Schedule of Event:-

6:30-7:30 p.m.: Dinner hosted by Chairman and Mrs. Kang at the Banquet Hall.
7:30-7:40 p.m.: View exhibits at the Art Gallery and Handicraft Exhibition Hall
7:40-9:00 p.m.: Grand Year-end Concert

Repertoire:-Part I: ‘Han River Taryung,’ winner of 2013 Andre O. Veneration International Choral Festival (arr. Lee Hyun-Chul); ‘Surround Arirang’ (arr. Lee Sun-Taek); ‘Gagopa--Yearning for Home’ (arr. Lee Hyun-Chul).
Part II: ‘Gloriva’ (A. Vivaldi); ‘audate Dominum’ (W.A. Mozart); As dew in Aprile, this little babe’ (B. Britten).
Part III: ‘When I Sing’ (B. Henderson), ‘ Hamps-Elysees (M. Wilsh, M. Deighan); ‘OST Medely’ (arr. Shin Sang-woo); and ‘Blessing’ (arr. Lee Hyun-Chul)).
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Elder sister of famed ROK Army Lt. Cho Chang-Ho

Late Madam Cho Chang-soo decorated with Order of Cultural Merit,

Okgwan

The government of the Republic of Korea has decided to posthumously honour the late former Curator Madam Cho Chang-soo (1925-2009) of the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in the United States with an Order of Cultural Merit, Okgwan. Madam Cho dedicated her entire life to the introduction of Korean history and culture to the general public in the US, thus promoting the American people’s understanding of the Korean history and culture. The presentation ceremony will take place at the National Palace Museum on Dec. 10, 2013.

▲The late Madam Cho Chang-soo (left) and her son, General Manager Eric Swanson of Millennium Seoul Hilton

The late Madam Cho is the mother of General Manager Eric Swanson of the Millennium Seoul Hilton. She is also the elder sister of the widely known late Lieutenant Cho Chang-Ho who succeeded in escaping North Korea and returning to Seoul after 43 years of captivity in North Korea where he got silicosis from forced labor in coal mine pits where he had been sent because of his repeated attempts of escape to the South after his captivity during the Korean.

      ▲Madam Cho at her university graduation ceremony

Madam Cho studied at the universities in Japan and the US and worked as a curator at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum for 44 years from 1965 to 2009--playing an important role in various areas, including exhibitions, research work, publication and education. In 2007, she even succeeded in establishing a Korea Hall at the Smithsonian Museum.

   ▲Madam Cho (seated at center) with fellow workers at the Smithsonian Institute

There are a number of other recipients of the Cultural Orders, who include Director Lee Kang-bak of Gangneung Institute (Order of Cultural Merit, Eungwan) and Professor Yoon Sae-young of Korea University (Order of Cultural Merit, Bogwan).

▲The late Lt. Cho Chang-Ho.

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