The Korean daily media headlines and humor

At the KUK Cultural Foundation Building behind Ritz Carlton Hotel

KUP hosts Year-end Concert with famed World Vision Children’s Choir of Korea (See invitation and full details of the Concert at the end of this Article.)

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Dr. Sang-Ki Hahn's African wise-sayings:

Traveling is learning.
- A Kenyan proverb

When one lives, one can see; when one travels, one can see more.
- An Egyptian proverb

Traveling teaches men their ways.
-A African proverb

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Humor from Korean-language economic dailies this morning:

Seoul Kyungje

The stockbroker received notice from the from the IRS that he was being audited. He showed up at the appointed time and place with all his financial records, then sat for what seemed like hours as the accountant pored over them.
Finally the IRS agent looked up and commented, "You must have been a tremendous fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle."
"Why would you say that?" wondered the broker.
"Because you've made more brilliant deductions on your last three returns than Sherlock Holmes made in his entire career."

Hankuk Kyungje
Samaritan
The dinner speaker was in such a hurry to get to his engagement that when he arrived and sat at the head table. He suddenly realized that he had forgotten his denture.
“Gosh! Forgot my denture!” he exclaimed totally flustered.
“No problem,” the man next to him said and pulled out a denture from his pocket. “Try this.”
The speaker tried it. “Too loose.”
The man produced another one.
“Too tight,” the speaker said.
“I have one more… Try this.”
“Fit perfectly,” the speaker said.
With that he ate his meal and gave address.
After the meeting was over, the speaker said to the man, “I want to thank you for coming to my aid. Where is your office? I’ve been looking for a good dentist.”
“I’m not a dentist. I’m the local undertaker.”
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)

No Indications N. Korea Will Conduct Nuke Test Soon: 38 North
A United States Web site devoted to analysis of North Korea says Pyongyang appears to have no plan to carry out another nuclear test in the next few months at its Punggyeri nuclear test site.

S. Korean Women Curlers Win Silver at Winter Universiade
South Korea won the silver medal in women’s curling on Friday at the 26th Winter Universiade in Trentino, Italy.
Seoul Issues Third Ultrafine Dust Advisory This Month
Seoul issued an ultrafine dust advisory on Saturday.This is the third advisory the Seoul Metropolitan Government has announced since it introduced a fine dust forecast program in October. The first two were issued on December fourth and 20th, and the first dust watch came on December fifth.
Police Arrest S. Korean Suspected of Spying for N. Korea
Investigators at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency have arrested the head of a trade company who is suspected of stealing classified information for the North Korean Army’s reconnaissance bureau.

KORAIL to Further Reduce Train Operations from Mon.
The Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) will reduce the operation of KTX bullet trains to 73 percent of its full capacity from Monday.

Chinese Expert Praises Deal with Seoul to Return Soldiers' Remains
A Chinese expert has hailed an agreement with South Korea to send home the remains of hundreds of Chinese soldiers who died fighting in the Korean War.

'Rodman's N. Korea Trips Part of Gambling Firm's Profit Strategy'
The New York Times says a series of trips to North Korea by former American basketball star, Dennis Rodman, is part of a profit strategy of Paddy Power, Europe’s leading Internet gambling business.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Police clash with striking rail workers, KCTU vows general strike
Police clashed with striking rail workers on Sunday as they forced their way into a union office with tear gas to round up union leaders for questioning.

Hyundai to sell off financial business to raise cash
Hyundai Group announced Sunday that it will sell off its financial businesses, including Hyundai Securities Co., to improve its liquidity.

Korean banks face risk of losing credibility on irregularities
After a year muddied by irregularities, exposed corruption and profit losses, the South Korean banking sector faces strong supervision by the regulator as well as demand for internal controls.

Foreigners increase Korean stock investment in electronics in H2
Foreign investors bought 13.15 billion won (US$12.39 billion) worth of Korean shares in the second half of this year, concentrating heavily on electronics while ridding its holdings of food and beverage stocks, according to tallies from the Korea Exchange on Monday.
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The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)

Clashes between police, unionists turn violent
Police detained more than 120 labor activists in the first raid of a powerful labor organization in central Seoul on Sun...

News ListHyundai Group to sell financial units to raise W3.3tr
Hyundai Group said Sunday it would secure around 3.3 trillion won ($3.1 billion) in emergency funds by selling its three financial units, including Hyundai Securities Co. This is p...

Galaxy S5 will not be curved, neither will iPhone 6
Samsung is highly unlikely to adopt Youm, a curved display panel, for the Galaxy S5 smartphone ...

Faces of modern China
Portraits have been a popular medium for Chinese artists in expressing the political and social...

Protesters stage new mass rally in Bangk...

Egypt jails symbols of 2011 uprising

Bangladesh police charge 13 over deadlie...

Nine public firms’ debt surges W17tr in...

Opposition parties seek election probe

Education Ministry’s anti-poster campai...

Koreans overseas protest election meddli...

Striking rail workers taken into custody...

Korea to permit 53,000 foreign laborers ...

NSC faces fast-evolving security landsca...

Rumors of asylum seekers persist

Young N.K. defectors find unlikely home

Inter-Korean factory park tough sell to ...

Democracy dream sours in China’s Wukan ...

World leaders step up warnings on S. Sud...
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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)

Police make raid to nab strike leaders
Police forced their way into a union office in downtown Seoul to apprehend leaders of a railway workers’ strike that entered its 14th day, Sunday. Their day-long operation, however, was in vein, as the leaders fled before the po...

Accor-Ambassador cuts unique path
With the endless supply of new hotels in the capital, the hospitality industry is expected to be saturated in the next three to four years. Players in the hotel businesses are bracing themselves for cutthroat competition in the ...

'Small firms should be fostered' 
Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Yoon Sang-jick said in a recent interview that Korea should em...

Choo lands $130 mil. contract with Texas  
Free-agent outfielder Choo Shin-soo has agreed to a seven-year, $130 million contract with the Tex... 

SC, Citibank face regulator's probe  
Standard Chartered (SC) Bank Korea and Citibank Korea are expected to be investigated by financial... 

Special probe of NIS scandal to be called  
An opposition alliance said Sunday that it will propose a motion today to appoint a special indepe... 

N. Korea expected to continue show of force next year 
North Korea is expected to remain a key factor increasing instability in Northeast Asia next year,... 

NSC chief empowered 
With a significant expansion of the National Security Office (NSO), its empowered chief Kim Jang-s... 

Gov't fights poster activism 
“Poster activism” calling on the young generation to pay more attention to social issues is spread...

Shinsegae chief cleared of illegal labor suppression 
Chung Yong-jin, vice chairman of Shinsegae Group, was Sunday cleared of charges of complicity in i...

E-9 foreign worker quota fixed 
The government has fixed the 2114 E-9 visa quota for foreign workers at 53,000, an increase of 3,0...
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Dong A (http://english.donga.com)

Opposition coalition to seek independent council probe
A coalition meeting of various organizations to find the facts over state agencies’ intervention in the presidential election and to recover constitutional order held a press conference at the parliamentarians’ hall at...

Opposition to introduce bill on special probe
Opposition parties announce in a joint meeting on Sunday that they will propose a bill on special probe into the alleged state tampering in last year’s presidential election. Prior to the press conference, the main...
Syrian rebels capture key oil-producing state
South Syrian bloodshed was becoming into civil war within a week as Syrian rebels took Unity state, a key oil-producing field, and US aircraft under operation to evacuate US citizens was shot. Former South Sudan...

Park instructs aides to not push for unviable election pledges
President Park Geun-hye recently instructed her aides to revoke “loans for jeonse (rental home based on lump sum key deposit) that do not require large key deposit” and revise the “Happy rental housing program” among...
Companies plan to reduce hiring high school graduates
A high school in Seoul, which was authorized as a moister high school after signing a contract with a large company in early 2011, got a disappointing phone call from the company in October. The company had agreed to employ a certain number of graduates of the high school under the contract. However, it later said it cannot guarantee the promised number of slots for the school’s graduates because it has no room for recruitment and has to create part-time jobs and change contract workers to regular workers. 
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)

N. Koreans Rely Increasingly on Markets
The black and grey market in North Korea have become so vital to the livelihood of most people that the trend is irreversible, pundits believe. There are no exact statistics showing what proportion of the North Korean economy these burgeoning markets make up.

N. Korean Media Trumpet Economic Feats
North Korea's state-run Rodong Sinmun daily plastered the first three pages of its Thursday edition with articles advertising the regime's economic achievements and improving living conditions. Meanwhile, sources in North Korea say Pyongyang appears to have issued a gag order on Jang's execution, aimed sparing Kim the fallout from executing his own uncle.

Celebrities Cleared in High-Class Prostitution Scandal
Prosecutors have cleared several celebrities of involvement in a high-class prostitution ring they are investigating. The announcement on Thursday scotched rumors circulating in the industry that entertainers sold sexual favors to rich clients.

'No Truth' in Rumors About Jang Song-taek Affair with 1st Lady
Rumors that executed North Korean eminence grise Jang Song-taek had an affair with leader Kim Jong-un's wife and tried to run the country through her are "nonsense," a defector who was once part of the Pyongyang elite says.

Obama to Nominate Sen. Max Baucus U.S. Ambassador to China
President Barack Obama will name U.S. Senator Max Baucus as his next ambassador to China. Senator Baucus's history working on Chinese trade and economic issues is seen as...

India Seeks Reversal in Gay Ban Ruling
India's government has asked the country's highest court to reconsider its recent ruling upholding the criminalization of homosexual sex. New Delhi filed the plea Friday with the...

Wall Street Rolls into 2014 with Strong Market Year
U. S. stock markets made strong gains in 2013, climbing more than 3000 points since January. The Federal Reserve decision to trim its stimulus as of January, 2014 encouraged...

Protests Shut Down Central Bangkok

Khodorkovsky: Russia Still Has Political Prisoners

To clear a seal of residues
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Hankyoreh (http://english.hani.co.kr)

Young girl’s death leads to efforts to strengthen child welfare laws
Residents of Ulsan gather to mourn the passing of eight-year-old girl in Ulsan and start work for laws to prevent another such caseDecember 11 marked 49 days since the death of eight-year-old Lee Seo-hyun. Snow was falling and frigid winds were blowing, but that did not stop a crowd of hundreds of people from gathering at Guyeong Park in the township of Beomseo in Ulsan. They were there to commemorate Lee, who died on Oct. 24 from a brutal beating by her stepmother that shattered 16 of her ribs. After Lee’s death, it was learned that she had been beaten by her stepmother for almost four years.

South and North Korea exchange harsh words
North and South Korea exchanged messages over the telephone in which they openly threatened to “attack” and “punish” each other on Dec. 19. In addition, various reports and analyses are emerging from inside North Korea that shed some light on the status of Vice Marshal Choi Ryong-hae following the execution of former Party administrative department head Jang Song-thaek.

Pres. Park’s approval rating slides again
One year after her election victory, President Park Geun-hye experienced another slide in her approval ratings, which dipped to 48%, six percent lower than the previous week.
It was the first time since her Blue House nominations debacle in April that Park’s approval ratings fell below 50%. She was elected on Dec. 19, 2012 with 51.6% of the popular vote.
Negative ratings of Park’s performance were at 41%, their highest level since she took office in February. A recent controversy over railway privatization and perceptions of Park as “self-righteous” contributed to the high scores.

Park reshuffles security officials to respond to changing N. Korean threat
In order to respond to the rapidly changing international climate around the Korean peninsula, President Park Geun-hye approved the establishment of a standing committee for the National Security Council (NSC) on Dec. 20 to oversee the government’s diplomatic and security policy as well as a secretariat to carry out the day-to-day work.

Ministry of Education trying to stamp out social movement in schools
School authorities are being criticized for circulating an official document calling for a ban on “How are you nowadays?” posters.
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Joong Ang (conservative): (http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/)

Police raid KCTU offices looking for union leaders
Authorities come up empty as targets had left office hours earlier
The police made a major push to arrest key members of the railroad workers’ union yesterday, surrounding the headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions with more than 5,000 police officers and spraying tear gas to force their way into the office…

North’s media rallies for Kim
Gifts, sporting events and even a love song - that’s how Pyongyang appears to be rallying internal support for…

Hyundai Group to sell finance arms to raise cash
Hyundai Group, the nation’s 20th-largest conglomerate, announced a plan to raise more than 3.3 trillion won ($3.1 billion) by selling its financial companies…

Unprofitable sporting events a lose-lose situation
Regional governments have suffered nearly a billion dollars in losses in recent years by hosting unprofitable international sporting events…

President losing young supporters
Some of the young and aspiring politicians formerly categorized as “President Park Geun-hye’s people” appear to be turning away from her…

Jong-un drunk when he ordered some purges
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was drunk when he ordered the execution of two aides close to his uncle Jang Song-thaek, the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun…

Rare ibises from China a symbol of friendship
As a symbol of friendship between Beijing and Seoul, two male crested ibises from China are set to arrive here today in style at Incheon International Airport…

Good Samaritans want to remain anonymous
On Dec. 20, two sisters in their 50s visited the Busan office of the Community Chest of Korea (CCK), a major national charity with 16 branches across the country…

FTC targets plastic surgery clinic ads
More than a dozen well-known cosmetic surgery clinics have been warned about using exaggerated or false information to promote their services…

Research report urges tripartite cooperation
Korea, China and Japan’s presence in the global market is increasing, but more balanced industrial cooperation is needed and that might lead to a solution…

Samsung Electronics chief to be at New Year’s event
Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee will attend Samsung Group’s New Year ceremony to be held at the Hotel Shilla on Jan. 2, the group said yesterday…

Korean TVs shine in year-end awards
LG Cinema 3D Smart TVLG Electronics and Samsung Electronics received top honors from the U.S. magazine Consumer Reports in its New Year edition…

Preliminary export statistics indicate strong fourth quarter
Korea’s exports for the first 20 days of December rose by 11.3 percent from a year earlier, customs agency data showed Saturday, suggesting firm fourth-quarter…
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Edaily (http://eng.edaily.co.kr/Stock/)

[Table- Weekly Market] Weekly Fluctuation of World Index
12.16~12.20 this is the weekly fluctuation of world index. [table] Weekly fluctuation of world index ...

[US the closing price]The U.S. Dow Jones Index, 42.06p( 0.26%) slightly up.
The U.S. Dow Jones Index Closing (At 2013.12.20) The Dow closed at 16,221.14p, slightly up 42.06p( 0.26%)...

[Table- Weekly Market] Weekly Fluctuation of Interest Rate
12.16~12.20 this is the weekly fluctuation of interest rate. [table] Weekly fluctuation of interest rate ...

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

[Table- Weekly Market] Weekly Fluctuation of Exchange Rate
12.16~12.20 this is the weekly fluctuation of exchange rate. [table] Weekly fluctuation of exchange rate ... 
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Maeil Kyungje (neutral-oriented conservative, economic/business): (http://news.mk.co.kr/english/)

IPO market comes back to life
South Korea’s initial public offering (IPO) market, which has remained sluggish, is showing signs of heating up. Securities firms’ officials for IPO market are providing upbeat forecast that the nation’s IPO market would fare well next year after posting the worst ever performance in 2012 and 2013. Kim Gwang-ok, Korea Investment & Securities’ senior official for IPO, noted, “a large number of firms are preparing plans to be listed on the Seoul bo..

Hyundai to sell off financial units
South Korea’ conglomerate announced Sunday, “we’ll raise capital worth over 3.3 trillion won ($3.1 billion) by selling financial units including Hyundai Securities, Hyundai Asset Management and Hyundai Savings Bank and relying on other channels,” adding “we hope our efforts will be the chance to restore market trust in Hyundai Group.”

Sungwoo Mobile to supply table PCs for Russia’s K&M
South Korea’s small and medium sized tablet PC manufacture Sungwoo Mobile is set to export its tablet PCs to the Russian electronics retailer.

Hyundai Group to unveil self-rescue plan
Hyundai Group is set to announce its self-rescue plans including sales of its securities unit Hyundai Securities on December 24.

KORAIL files $7.3bn damage suit against unionists
The Korea Railroad Corp. (KORAIL), the state-run railway operator has filed a 7.7 billion won ($7.3 million) damage suit against its unionists whose strike stretched into record 12th day Friday.

'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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