I Got Korean Love

Seoul, Astana to Expand Ties

Seoul City Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who visited Kazakhstan on Thursday, met with his counterpart, mayor of the capital city Astana, Imangali Tasmagambetov.

Seoul officials say the two signed a memorandum of understanding promoting cooperation and exchange between their two cities.

Under the accord calling for strengthened ties in e-government and public official training, Astana will use Seoul’s e-government know-how as a benchmark.

It is Seoul’s seventh MOU on e-government cooperation following pacts with Moscow, Hanoi, Ulan Bator, Ankara, Nairobi and Taipei.

Meanwhile Astana designated July 17th as ‘Seoul Day’ and held a joint concert of Kazakh and Korean singers. A photo exhibit of Seoul’s culture and tourist destinations will also continue through Saturday.

DMC Rocks Hard Rock Cafe Seoul

Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, a founding member of legendary hip-hop group Run-DMC, performs at the grand re-opening of Hard Rock Cafe Seoul, Itaewon, Wednesday evening. / Yonhap

more »

Probe called for into taekwondo body

SEOUL, May 29 (Yonhap) — A trio of South Koreans have asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport to look into alleged irregularities at the world taekwondo governing body following a labor dispute, their spokesman said Thursday.

혻 혻 “Two of them have unduly been fired by the World Taekwondo Federation,” said Lee Hang-jae, a labor activist, claiming the suitors received unfair treatment because of their history of forming a union at the Seoul-based federation that runs a small manpower pool.

혻혻 But the federation said it has yet to be notified of the case by the Switzerland-based tribunal, adding the three have already dropped their case at a local labor commission hearing. It also said the trio could be mounting a smear campaign aimed at undermining the sport’s international status.

혻혻 Lee said the probe, if begun, would also raise other issues, including an allegation that a senior federation official sought to bribe an International Olympic Committee member last year to help his boss rise to a similar post.

혻혻 Taekwondo, practiced by some 60 million people around the world according to the federation, has been an Olympic event since 2000. South Korea expects to win at least two gold medals in the sport in the coming Beijing Olympics.

혻혻 samkim@yna.co.kr
(END)

Discomforting film on N.K. defectors premieres in Seoul

Seoul Seeks to Upgrade Ties With China