Deep in South Korea’s hinterlands lies a perfect replica of 1900s Seoul: Welcome to Sunshine Land the latest K-drama theme park to cash in on booming K-culture tourism Fans of K-pop mega group BTS have long flocked to the country to see sites associated with the boy band from the dorms where they slept as trainees to music video shoot locations as the popularity of South Korean drama has soared overseas — it is the most-viewed non-English content on Netflix the platform’s data showed — more tourists are planning trips around their favorite shows The idea that foreign tourists would pay good money and drive hundreds of kilometers out of the capital to see a K-drama set seemed “crazy” to tour guide Sophy Yoon — until she saw one of her guests break down in tears at Sunshine Land Preserved from the set of popular 2018 historical series Mr Sunshine is replete with painstaking replicas of everything from a turn-of-the-century streetcar to South Korea’s most famous Buddhist bell “It’s like when we go to the Spanish steps in Rome where Audrey Hepburn had ice cream,” Yoon said referring to the 1953 classic movie Roman Holiday For South Korea’s growing number of K-drama tourists every wall has a meaning from a drama that impacted their lives.” “I get a lot more requests for specific ‘K-drama tours’ now,” she said The rise of South Korea as a global cultural powerhouse “has contributed to the appeal of Korean tourism,” said Kwak Jae-yeon the Hallyu (“Korean Wave”) content team director at the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) South Korea welcomed 1.4 million tourists in September up 33 percent year-on-year and the highest since the COVID-19 pandemic with more than a third saying they had decided to come “after being exposed to Korean Wave content,” a KTO poll from last year showed tourists such as Sookariyapa Kakij are typical the 40-year-old had traveled from Thailand specifically to see where her favorite dramas were filmed “I want to find locations where Itaewon Class was shot,” she said filmed largely on location in its namesake district of Seoul Jennifer Zelinski said she had never left the US before but after she discovered K-drama — through the 2019 series Crash Landing on You — while stuck at home during the pandemic I barely slept and went through two whole boxes of tissues,” she said That “snowballed” into her watching more K-drama South Korean variety shows and listening to K-pop until finally she “felt like I really wanted to see it in person,” she said “My family and friends were shocked when I said I was traveling to Korea and on my own,” but for her “it just felt right,” Zelinski said The travel industry is racing to catch up: one South Korean tour company on the travel platform Klook said interest in its BTS day tour has recently “skyrocketed,” and it was “completely booked until next February.” “We are planning to add additional tours for other K-pop idol groups Most of this new type of tourism is concentrated in Seoul Kyungpook National University professor Jeong Ji-youn said Tourism in rural areas has tended to focus on more traditional South Korean experiences which is not interesting to younger travelers eager to explore the land of K-pop and K-drama “There is a need to develop more tourism resources related to contemporary culture that allow people to experience Hallyu outside of Seoul,” she said The port city of Pohang is better known for shipbuilding and steel plants than tourism traveled more than 8,800km to see it because of When the Camellia Blooms adding that she felt she “had to feel the drama in person.” “I just couldn’t miss the opportunity to visit Pohang when I was already in South Korea,” she said National Firefighters pull off dramatic rescue of a man who jumped from roof South Korean firefighters managed to install an air mattress just in time to help a young man who jumped from the roof of an 18-story building rescue authorities in South Chungcheong Province said Tuesday Officials at the Nonsan Fire Station received a report at around 2 p.m Sunday that a man was attempting to jump from an apartment building Firefighters arrived to find the man in his 20s sitting on the building's roof One of the rescue workers approached the man to persuade him not to jump while the others installed an inflatable air mattress below The man fell from the building onto the air mattress that was installed just in time Chief Kim Gyeongseol of the fire station said that the firefighters were able to respond promptly thanks to repeated training for similar situations such as emergency response for highly populated areas like apartment complexes If you’re thinking about self-harm or suicide contact the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s helpline at 109 Please request a translator for English-language services Lee Jae-myung leads in hypothetical three-way race with Han Duck-soo the presidential candidate of South Korea’s main liberal Democratic Party holds a lead in a potential three-way race for the country’s next election 15% of Korean wage workers have flexible work schedules: data Koryo saram are 'living bridges' of Kazakh-Korean ties 'Smile at me': Cancer-fighting senior influencer inspires with strength Respect wanes: Teaching no longer highly coveted job in S As unused homes increase in rural South Korea Supreme Court’s verdict sours Lee Jae-myung’s presidential bid Korean mothers are opting for C-sections at record rates South Koreans get creative with Parents’ Day gifts The green light has been turned on for the qualification of the "2027 Nonsan World Strawberry Industry Expo" which is being promoted by Chungcheongnam-do and Nonsan-si South Chungcheong Province announced on the 13th that the Nonsan World Strawberry Industry Expo was selected as a project to be reviewed by the Ministry of Strategy and Finance's International Event Review Committee Nonsan World Strawberry Industry Expo was planned to be held by Nonsan Mayor Baek Sung-hyun at the beginning of his inauguration and Governor Kim Tae-heum is promoting it in earnest at the 2023 Nonsan Strawberry Festival The plan is to be held in Nonsan Citizens' Family Park for 24 days from February 26 and the province's goal is to raise the international status of the Chungcheongnam-do strawberry industry and drive the transition to a high value-added industry through the expo Conditions for hosting the expo are sufficient The annual domestic strawberry production is 1.52 trillion won (as of 2023) Strawberries are the only fruits and vegetables in Korea that have exceeded 1 trillion won in production for 11 consecutive years domestic strawberry production is expected to grow rapidly to $2.83 billion in 2032 and the global fresh strawberry market is expected to grow rapidly to $3.2 trillion in 2031 domestic strawberry exports rose 21.2% from the previous year to $71.1 million in 2023 at a time when the dessert market using "K-strawberry" is growing in Singapore Chungcheongnam-do developed domestic strawberry varieties such as Seolhyang and Maehyang through the Strawberry Research Institute which accounted for 90% of domestic strawberries in the early 2000s Farmhouse Lake (1874) and farmhouse income (189.1 billion won) are also the top in the country 17.7% of the country (159,475 tons) and 1,022.5 hectares of cultivation area the domestic and international image and recognition of Nonsan strawberries have soared through aggressive marketing such as establishing a network with Han Sang such as holding the World Korean Chamber of Commerce in Nonsan to strengthen international competitiveness and continuing to host overseas exhibitions of Nonsan agri-food in Thailand and Indonesia was selected as the "Top 100 K-Culture Tourism Events" by the Korea Tourism Organization in 2023 The Nonsan Strawberry Festival is the first strawberry festival in the country voluntarily organized by farmers to protect Nonsan strawberries which faced a crisis due to the opening of agricultural imports in 1997 Chungcheongnam-do estimates that the number of visitors to the Nonsan World Strawberry Industry Expo will reach 1.54 million and it is expected to have effects such as 369.8 billion won in production inducement 154.3 billion won in value-added inducement South Chungcheong Province and Nonsan City set 'a healthy leap to the times through the strawberry industry' as the vision of the Nonsan World Strawberry Industry Expo and △ K-Strawberry Globalization and Presenting Future Values △Strawberry Industry Exchange and Cooperation △Differentiated Content △ Revitalization of the local economy The exhibition hall consists of eight exhibition halls Detailed programs include opening and closing ceremonies and pre-events special events such as the development of K-strawberry recipes permanent events such as natural dyeing of strawberries The final approval of international events is expected to be finalized at the end of July after a policy rating survey by the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP) for the next four months "Starting with the Nonsan World Strawberry Industry Expo into global strawberry industry centers," said Lee Jung-sam Food and Rural Affairs Bureau in Chungnam-do "We will do our best to receive excellent evaluation in the policy rating survey and receive final approval as an international event." "As strawberries and other Nonsan agri-foods gain international fame as well as domestic We will do our best to approve the expo international event so that strawberries and other Nonsan agri-foods can have the best in Korea as well as global status and competitiveness." ※ This service is provided by machine translation tool A stationary front caused heavy rain of more than 100 mm per hour to fall between Tuesday evening and Wednesday Morning in central Korea leading to five deaths and two people missing in central and southeastern regions of the country Regular train services were also suspended due to concerns over landslides The Meteorological Administration reported that the rainfall in areas such as Gunsan (131.7 mm per hour) was on a level to be expected once in 200 years Localized torrential rain led to three deaths in South Chungcheong Province on Wednesday A man in his 50s was found dead in the first basement floor elevator of an apartment building in Nonsan at approximately 5:55 am Police believe the man was attempting to move his car to avoid flooding and lost his life after becoming trapped in the elevator when it broke down a man in his 70s was killed when his house collapsed in a landslide at 3:57 am in Biin Township was found dead after her home was hit by a landslide Nonsan and Buyeo in the central Korean province had seen rainfall of 198.6 mm The highest cumulative rainfall since Sunday was in Nonsan in North Chungcheong Province’s Yeongdong County a person in their 70s went missing in the early hours of the morning prompting police and members of the fire service to conduct a search operation a man in his 70s was killed when the car he was driving plunged into a river in the early morning Police believe the accident occurred while the man was turning the vehicle on the embankment after checking in on his livestock the bulk of the rainfall also arrived between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning A man in his 60s was found dead by his wife in a drain in the Joya neighborhood of Daegu’s Buk District at 8:08 am on Wednesday the man was likely swept away by the rising current when he went outside to inspect the surrounding area during the heaviest period of rain in the early morning a woman in her 40s went missing in a stream in the rural village of Pyeongsa in Gyeongsan The Gyeongbuk Fire Service Headquarters has mobilized 241 staff and 34 units to search for the woman the Ministry of the Interior and Safety upgraded the disaster response level of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters from Level 1 to Level 2 and also raised the heavy rain alert level from “attention” to “caution.” In the early morning the Korea Forest Service raised the landslide warning from “caution” to “serious,” the highest level of alert North Gyeongsang Province and North Jeolla Province areas When railway facilities became inundated and concerns over landslides began to grow KORAIL halted regular train services for certain sections The Daejeon to Dongdaegu section of the Gyeongbu Line the Seodaejeon to Iksan section of the Honam Line and all sections of the Gyeongbuk Line suspended operations for the day The Chungbuk Line resumed operations from midday while the Janghang Line is expected to resume operations across all sections from 6 pm once a safety inspection of the tracks is completed but there may be delays caused by track inspections due to the extreme rain,” KORAIL stated The Meteorological Administration reported that five areas faced localized torrential downpours of more than 100 mm per hour until Wednesday morning the Naeheung neighborhood of Gunsan (131.7 mm) Seocheon in South Chungcheong Province (111.5 mm) and Yanghwa in Buyeo (106 mm) The 146 mm that fell on Eocheong Island is the highest figure on record since automatic weather system monitoring began and including the 131.7 mm per hour recorded in Gunsan North Chungcheong Province (60.8mm) and Geumsan South Chungcheong Province (84.1 mm) was on a level that should only occur once every 200 years The rain is forecast to continue after a brief respite Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr] Army recruits undergo grenade throwing training at a military training center in Nonsan there are specialties that follow around the area The representative of fruits is 'Nonsan Strawberry' accounting for 15% of domestic strawberry production The status of strawberries is so high that there is a joke that the people of Chungcheong-do Province know that all strawberries in the country come from Nonsan Nonsan strawberries are aiming for globalization Nonsan City held the "2025 Nonsan City Agri-Food Overseas Fair" at a large shopping mall in Jakarta The number of visitors on the first day alone is 85,000 It has achieved the results of signing an export agreement worth 35.3 billion won with a local distributor in Indonesia the government is set to officially approve the 2027 Nonsan World Strawberry Industry Expo If you were envious of the famous nouns "LA ribs" and "Norway salmon" of people around the world the 27th Nonsan Strawberry Festival also ended successfully people gathered and crowded until the weekend The four-day festival alone attracted 530,000 visitors It tells the story of the Nonsan Strawberry Festival the leap of strawberries that took away the baton saying that you worked hard at the Nonsan Training Center From the moment you step into the festival the sweet and sour smell attracts your nose The festival is simply a 'strawberry heaven' Various strawberry experience booths are lined up from a pond with strawberry lanterns The elderly had strawberry pins on their heads and there were many young couples dressed in red If there is a children's song 'Cool Tomato' Tomatoes who dream of becoming juice and ketchup can't even step up The festival hall is full of strawberry dishes that have never been seen before There are also popular snacks on social media such as "Strawberry Dubai Chocolate" and "Strawberry Chewy Cookie." The Daejeon Sungsimdang of "Strawberry Siru," which is indispensable for strawberry desserts also fired support with "Strawberry Tusso." Among the strawberry experiences that filled the festival It's 'Strawberry Foot Bath' and 'Strawberry Bibimbap' is operated as a "strawberry foot bath" during the festival It is a space made to warm up with the scent by adding strawberry juice There is also a 'warm fruit' debate here to follow the pineapple pizza is an ambitious work of the Nonsan Citizens' Association vegetables harvested by Nonsan women farmers themselves and meat slaughtered in Nonsan there is also a performance of mixing strawberry bibimbap There were many simple and safe experiences at the strawberry festival so the satisfaction of parents was particularly high The strawberry harvesting experience is a must-see at the strawberry festival Nonsan City received applications and selected 20 'clean strawberry harvesting experience farms' It is a method of applying directly to the farm by referring to the list posted on the website Most of the farms are 5 to 10 minutes away by car from the festival site From a strawberry field full of tinniping to an indoor playground Most of the strawberry experience in Nonsan costs around 15,000 won The amount of strawberries picked is unlimited The method of picking strawberries is also simple Cut the strawberry top with the scissors for infants at the entrance and it's over The farm is large and it is easy to move around so even young children can experience it comfortably Strawberry harvesting experience can be applied even after the festival period the Blueberry Experience will be held from May There are unique experiences for each farm so I recommend you to visit after comparing Most of the strawberry festival booths filled with experiences participated in local farms I visited the "DIY Strawberry Dessert Experience" booth at Jambang Strawberry Farm which prepared simple strawberry dessert making Jambang Strawberry Farm has set up a booth with students from Smart Farm Innovation Valley who are on hands-on training Jambang Strawberry Farm sold strawberry dessert making Vita Berry pots were so popular that all the supplies brought on the first day were sold out in the morning All the experiences at the booth are simple and anyone can participate Strawberry cupcakes are completed by stacking layers of strawberry and bread whipped cream in one cup like Sungsimdang's Strawberry Siru but this year is the first time I've participated in a booth I hope other people come to Nonsan and have a good impression," he said The festival recorded 530,000 visitors in four days and sold 141 tons of Nonsan strawberries worth 1.37 billion won This is the result of recognizing the hard work of local farmers and merchants for a year "I was able to purchase strawberries at a good price," and "It was nice to enjoy food and desserts while watching the stage." It was also the parking problem that drew attention to the festival's regret Nonsan City created 5,000 parking lots in four locations and increased the number of shuttle buses to 131 The lack of parking lot guidance was a big reason Most of the cars passed the parking lot and came to Nonsan Citizens' Playground and made a U-turn on the road "The attempt to increase the parking lot was good the city plans to expand the size of the festival by purchasing a 50,000㎡ (15,000 pyeong) site around Nonsan Citizens' Family Park The plan is to minimize inconvenience by identifying problems and supplements found this year and reflecting them in next year's preparation process The strawberry festival has given a green light to Nonsan tourism The number of tourists surged in line with the Nonsan Strawberry Festival Nonsan Topjeongho Suspension Bridge is the longest bridge in Asia at 600m and has introduced a full free opening in 2023 The city plans to make all-out efforts to revitalize tourism by developing programs linked to nearby tourism resources using the number of visitors exceeding 3 million the creation of a complex cultural resort complex is expected to provide visitors with richer attractions [Nonsan = Seo Moon-yeon Travel + Reporter] National Rain batters Korea's southern regions including man in Nonsan found in flooded elevator Record heavy rains hit South Korea's southern regions Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning leaving at least four dead and one missing with weather authorities saying it was the most intense downpour in 200 years Heavy rains battered parts of North Jeolla Province starting early Wednesday Gunsan received 131.7 millimeters of rain within one hour to 2:24 a.m. the heaviest hourly downpour recorded nationwide The hourly precipitation accounted for over 10 percent of the city's average annual rainfall of 1,246 mm since weather record-keeping began in 1907 The Korea Meteorological Administration said the intensity of the overnight rainfall was at a level that occurs "once every 200 years." received 146 mm of rain in about an hour from 11:51 p.m The last time rainfall exceeding 140 mm within an hour occurred in this area was July 31 Heavy rains also wreaked havoc on multiple areas where the highest rainfall intensity exceeded 100 mm in an hour which saw 125.5 mm of rainfall; and Seocheon and Buyeo in South Chungcheong Province which received 111.5 mm and 106 mm of rainfall Torrential rains flooded a studio apartment building in Nonsan leaving one man dead in an inundated elevator Fire authorities retrieved the man's body and were trying to confirm his identity a house collapsed in a landslide in Seocheon-gun Fire officials said a man in his 70s was found inside the house in cardiac arrest He was moved to a hospital but pronounced dead an hour later after his car plunged into a swollen stream at 5:04 a.m Yet another man in his 60s in Daegu was found dead after his wife discovered he had been sucked into a drainage pipe while checking on his vegetable field In the South Chungcheong Province county of Geumsan a woman in her 60s was found dead in her mud-filled house following a landslide Authorities were searching for a 71-year-old man who went missing in Yeongdong after his container shed floated away and his vehicle was found submerged due to the rains Hundreds of people evacuated their homes as massive monsoon rains hammered the country rescuers evacuated 18 villagers -- mostly in their 70s and 80s -- who were stranded due to a swollen stream leaving some 30 residents having to evacuate to a nearby village hall for safety some 40 residents in nearby Ganggyeong were also evacuated The entire community of Yongchon-dong in Daejeon was inundated with 27 houses flooded and 36 people left stranded Authorities immediately dispatched rescue boats and were carrying out operations to rescue them A total of 76 households and 94 residents in South Gyeongsang Province were also relocated to nearby village halls following a flood alert issued when the water level of the Nakdong River rose rapidly the downpours had damaged 391 public facilities and 146 private facilities according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters submerged bridges and waterlogged vehicles and houses It added that 3,568 people from 2,585 households had been evacuated for safety reasons Torrential rains also led to delays and cancellations of flights and trains said Wednesday that it had partially suspended or adjusted operations for Mugunghwa and ITX-Saemaeul trains Train services on the Janghang Line in South Chungcheong Province and the Gyeongbuk Line in North Gyeongsang Province were suspended until 6 p.m. while the Chungbuk Line halted services until 9 a.m some 21 flights at Gimhae International Airport had been canceled and 16 others had been delayed due to strong winds as of Wednesday at 7 a.m ordered the "mobilization of all personnel and equipment available" under the leadership of the interior minister to "prioritize saving lives and preventing further damage," according to his spokesperson During a government response meeting on the same day Interior Minister Lee Sang-min said the government must concentrate all of its capabilities to minimize damage given that the monsoon season is far from over The ministry raised the emergency operations of the disaster control office from level 1 to 2 including central government ministries and local governments should prepare for 'worst-case' scenarios and respond to disasters accordingly Please make all-out efforts so that the victims of the heavy rain can quickly return to their daily lives," Lee said Korea.net hosts networking event for Honorary Reporters Accord with Japan to protect both nations' people abroad A bilateral agreement with Japan will bolster cooperation in protecting the nationals of both nations abroad Click here to read more about the latest summit between leaders of both countries Talks with NZ seek to upgrade ties to strategic partnership Korea and New Zealand have agreed to advance talks on elevating the bilateral Partnership for the 21st Century concluded Korea and New Zealand have agreed to advance talks on elevating the bilateral Partnership for the 21st Century concluded in 2006 to a comprehensive strategic partnership Mixed boccia pair to face Hong Kong for Paralympic gold the Jeong-Kang pair will face in the final Hong Kong in mixed pair BC3 boccia 🌕 S-Tier food for Chuseok 🌕 | K-Cuisine Relay | Ep.28 Galbijjim & Samsaeknamul “Reading is so sexy!” — Headlined by The Guardian (UK)　| Balance Talk | Ep Korean German architect in Seoul seeks to innovate Hanok Grassroots group seeks to clean up trash from Jeju waters Polish capital hosts Korean cultural event at Breakfast Market Hanbok-clad children play traditional games President Yoon attends opening of Cyber Summit Korea Descendants of Korean War veterans attend event in Incheon Multicultural families attend Chuseok event Address by President Yoon Suk Yeol on the 79th Liberation Day Keynote Address by President Yoon Suk Yeol at the NATO Public Forum K-pop management innovation changes global music industry Korea-French friendship to drive future partnership Denmark's digital strategy to preserve global democracy 10th workshop of European Association for Korean Language Education (EAKLE) PNP launches TOP COP special class to enhance tourist safety K-Culture Extravaganza Lights Up Jozi: Korean Cultural Centre Unveils ‘Travelling Korea’ Korean Restaurant to open soon in Abuja-Envoy Jusung Gabriel Park & Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra Production Design: Scene Architects Build On-Screen Worlds is an important source of power located at the end of the Korean Peninsula It is a place where ancestors have settled since prehistoric times and Baekje is located in the Three Kingdoms period where 5,000 troops led by General Gyebaek and 50,000 troops led by Kim Yu-shin of Silla fought the final battle of Baekje around Hwangsanbeol four prefectures were changed to four counties four counties were merged to establish Nonsan-gun the administrative district consists of 2 eup with an area of 555.16㎢ and a population of 115,826 as of December last year In the eighth term of the popular election Nonsan City has achieved remarkable results through innovation in various fields while releasing administration in its own way "4+1 Administration" and "5chon 2nd Province" became the driving force behind Nonsan's change and innovation located in the southern part of Chungcheongnam-do is the representative national city of Korea Nonsan implemented a 4+1 administration by utilizing these regional characteristics 4+1 Administration refers to an administrative system that organically and systematically builds cooperation with each other by adding the element of related population soldiers to the four elements of administration Nonsan City created hundreds of billions of won in new investment and jobs in the military industry by fostering the defense military industry It also achieved significant results such as an export agreement worth 50 billion won in the Southeast Asian market for agricultural products the first Asian Korean food competition for local governments attracting 350,000 strawberry festivals last year the 2024 Nonsan City Agri-Food Expo in Bangkok five days of the week were spent enjoying the value of healing and labor in rural areas and two days of enjoying the city's infrastructure KBS's "Rural Hope Project 5 Villages 2 in Nonsan" program was reflected across the country and was reborn as a symbolic city of 5 Villages 2 Nonsan is solidifying its name as a representative military industry city in Korea Nonsan City has attracted Korea's representative defense companies such as Korea Defense Industries (KDI) and Pungsan FNS to attract large-scale investment by focusing on attracting Korea's leading military companies These companies are creating quality jobs that provide large corporation-level salaries and welfare to local residents This defense company's entry into Nonsan was an opportunity for other defense companies to look at Nonsan as an optimal location due to a chain effect In addition to attracting defense companies it has also attracted the Defense Future Technology Research Center under the Defense Science Research Institute (ADD) to show achievements in the public sector With the attraction of the Defense Future Technology Research Center expected effects such as direct investment of 300 billion won employment inducement of more than 1,600 people and attraction of more than 60 related companies are continuing Nonsan is also making all-out efforts to attract a number of defense-related public institutions including the National Defense Artificial Intelligence (AI) Center the National Defense Acquisition Technology Institute and the Defense Industry Education Institute Nonsan-si received the government's final approval of the "National Defense Industrial Complex" in January it plans to create a 1 million pyeong industrial complex with the main goal of attracting additional general industrial complexes at the entrance of the Defense Industrial Complex Nonsan's achievements are expected to give a great boost to the designation of a special defense opportunity development zone and attracting a defense innovation cluster Agricultural products produced in Nonsan City are expanding their popularity across the country and around the world A familiar and reliable 'military officer' its name has been designated as a new mark for local food certification since September last year Nonsan City proved practical effects by researching and distributing various agricultural production technologies such as ▲ agricultural production cost reduction ▲ globalization of excellent agricultural products ▲ establishing a lucrative agricultural environment through industrialization of agriculture ▲ fostering agricultural experts Excellent quality and productivity became an opportunity to turn to the global market Nonsan City established an agricultural product distribution support center and hired external experts through the distribution specialist system to firmly prepare the technology of the distribution market it signed an export agreement of 50 billion won to Vietnam and Thailand in February and March it will continue to enter overseas markets until the conclusion of the agreement for the 6th Industrial Food in July and the 2024 Agri-Food Expo in Nonsan City in September It also signed an export agreement worth $23 million (about 30.6 billion won) during the fair schedule Nonsan City plans to mobilize all administrative power with the aim of hosting the World Strawberry Industry Expo in 2027 Nonsan-si signed a business agreement with Baekje Hospital to "establish a medical safety net that is good for raising children." This agreement is to establish a medical safety net that allows ordinary citizens to receive emergency medical treatment 24 hours a day Nonsan City decided to provide 2.7 billion won for three years from 2023 to 2025 for labor costs for emergency room specialists and the establishment of emergency zones exclusively for children the construction of the local emergency medical center at Baekje Hospital was completed in November last year The facilities of the emergency medical center have been improved by improving emergency areas for children with a total area of 443㎡ guardians' counseling rooms and waiting rooms and patient treatment rooms to further boost medical services 42 additional medical equipment customized for pediatric care were introduced and modernization and precision of treatment can be expected Nonsan City also served as a troubleshooter in the southern part of Chungnam which was suffering from a lack of postpartum care centers It plans to build a public postnatal care center with a total floor area of 1,500 square meters in 2025 by securing 10 billion won in project costs It is also focusing its efforts on developing existing medical infrastructure and services by focusing on the resources of Konyang University a semiconductor engineering department was established in 2024 with Konyang University It is part of the 'future talent training course' promoted with Konyang University which are technological disciplines necessary for the era in the fourth industry for middle and high school students the area is being expanded to elementary school students and students in the Chungnam region the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) apartment insulation window was reinforced through a direct administration and the installation of city gas pipes in the Ganggyeong area was also completed in 2025 It also solved the opening of the Hwangryongjae Tunnel and the stench of ore pig house which had been untouchable due to numerous pending issues is a road that goes up a slope with a very steep slope and extends to the border between Nonsan and Daejeon the city of 20 was promoted and incorporated into Local Road 691 so the metropolitan area will be in charge of the overall road management The city expects that the opening of the Hwangryongjae Tunnel will significantly improve transportation convenience to Nonsan and make industrial exchanges more active in the central and southern regions of Chungnam the stench caused by ore pig house is pointed out as the cause of the ore complex built as part of the pig industry promoted by government policy in 1993 Complaints from residents in the city continued to occur Nonsan City completed the requirements for the project to reduce odor by smarting existing pig companies by revising the government guidelines for the project in September last year with active persuasion and thorough preparation Mayor Baek Sung-hyun has been commuting to and from work on foot ever since he took office This is to not lose his initial intention through his own time to greet citizens face-to-face he drives his own car and travels around the jurisdiction and requests correction during Monday's executive tea time they hold a campaign to revive traditional markets with city employees Mayor Baek Sung-hyun begins greeting at various local events with a greeting citizens?" Mayor Baek's head is full of aspirations for the happiness of citizens as shown by the fact that the vision for the 8th term of the popular election is "renewing Nonsan making citizens happy." Mayor Baek Sung-hyun's ambition to open an era of citizens' happiness is now running more vigorously with the goal of opening an era of citizens' emotion beyond the era of happiness Kwon Gye-soon has been farming for more than a quarter of a century but she is not hopeful she can get back on her feet this time after climate change-driven flooding in July devastated her watermelon farm and her damaged crop now rots in extreme heat Nonsan Strawberry Festival will take place from March 8 through March 12 at various areas of Nonsan Citizen Park in Nonsan providing opportunities for tourists visiting the city to enjoy them and the beautiful surroundings in which they are grown The five-day festival offers various hands-on activities Visitors can also enjoy delicious strawberry-themed desserts as well runs through March 24 at Hueree Natural Park on Jeju Island The annual festival highlights Jeju Island’s splendid scenery and its beautiful plum blossoms among many other flowers blooming in the spring season It offers multiple photo zones for families and friends to take memorable pictures is held alongside the Maehwa Festival for the spring flower lovers across the globe 3D nighttime light show taking place at Oak Valley in Wonju the resort's promenade and golf course become stages for a 3D light show at night creating a romantic and fairy-tale atmosphere The event offers an opportunity for visitors to enjoy the show while on a leisurely 40-minute stroll on the walking trail and tickets are 20,000 won for adults and 15,000 won for children Tickets can be booked on local e-commerce platforms Naver Booking and Tmon The ninth edition of the Royal Culture Festival is set to be held from April 29 to May 7 at the five Royal Palaces Jongmyo Shrine and Sajikdan Altar in Seoul The event allows visitors to experience the important cultural heritage of Korea through unique performances The Jeju Fire Festival will be held at Saebyeol Oreum in Aewol-eup on Jeju Island from March 9-12 The annual festival is a reinterpretation of “bangae,” the oldest nomadic culture in Jeju where people pray for riches and health by burning off the old grass and killing vermin in the fields The shimmering flames provide a stupendous view for visitors all the programs of the Jeju Fire Festival -- opening ceremony lighting the flames and more -- require a reservation via the festival’s official website to attend There is no admissions fee and the event is open to visitors of all ages Netflix's 'The Devil’s Plan' returns with star-packed season 2 Seoul to host inaugural 'MyK Festa' in June Yoo Seung-ho returns to stage as Brutus in reimagining of 'Julius Caesar' Interview: A legend contemplates usefulness Returning in-person for the first time in four years the Nonsan Strawberry Festival will take place from March 8 through March 12 at various areas of Nonsan Citizen Park in Nonsan The event promotes the strawberries of Nonsan providing opportunities for tourists visiting the city to enjoy the strawberries and the beautiful surroundings in which they are grown The 51st edition of the Gangjin Celadon Festival is scheduled to start Feb running through March 1 in the areas around Goryeo Celadon Museum in Gangjin Celebrating the excellence of Korean celadon from the Goryeo period the event offers various hands-on activities The prices for hands-on activities vary from 1,000 won ($0.78) to 5,000 won a lantern-making program and folklore drama await visitors as well offers a chance for visitors to stroll around The annual festival highlights Jeju Island’s splendid scenery and its yellow flowers offering multiple photo zones for families and friends to take memorable pictures Pinocchio and Little Prince Starlight Festival The second edition of the Pinocchio and Little Prince Starlight Festival will run through March 5 at the Italian Village and Petite France in Gapyeong The event transports visitors to Europe via the flea market lined with European antiques the festival hosts various cultural programs a Leonardo da Vinci exhibition and a marionette show of “The Adventures of Pinocchio.” Lighting Festival at Garden of Morning Calm The Lighting Festival at the Garden of Morning Calm opens its doors until March 19 in the main garden of the Garden of the Morning Calm in Gapyeong The event is the first light festival in Korea to design the light installations around the natural landscape Environmentally friendly light-emitting diodes shine throughout the garden to entertain visitors with colorful lights and showcase the amazing terrain The garden is lit up after sunset and operates until 9 p.m While the festival is open to visitors of all ages, admission fees vary. Updated information can be found at www.morningcalm.co.kr A red chartered bus featuring BTS V's face parked in front of the military boot camp in Nonsan as members V and RM begin their mandatory military service are on their first vacation since their enlistment to accompany RM and V on Monday as the latter two members begin their official duty BTS fans wait outside the entrance of the boot camp in Nonsan South Chungcheong on Monday to bid farewell to BTS members V and RM Studying outside Seoul comes with many pros and cons Pictured above is a small village near Kongyang University in Nonsan On a crisp December Monday morning in Nonsan city workers outfitted the students in Noh Min-hyun’s sixth-grade class with child-sized body armor skipped and giggled their way into the newly opened Sunshine Land Military Experience Center to play a live action war experience called ‘survival game.’ Machine gun fire and deep-throated male screams of agony blared over loudspeakers unsure of how to use their guns and reluctant to venture far from their team’s starting point a few of the students — mainly boys — pushed further into Sunshine Land exploring the space between its fake buildings and parked cars to find and shoot their classmates-turned-play-enemies Just across the street from Sunshine Land is the Korea Army Training Center the largest military training center in the country out of the 220,000 young men joining the army for their compulsory military service 82,000 of them came to Nonsan for basic training Sunshine Land’s proximity to the army training center is no accident manager of day-to-day operations at the military experience center Nonsan mayor Hwang Myeong-seon saw a double opportunity to tap into the market of families and friends parting ways with conscripts and to boost the city’s profile and economy by attracting more military-curious visitors and a 1950s replica set called Sudden Attack Studio A colonial-era set is also under construction Sunshine Land’s doors will officially open on New Year’s Day in 2018 Unlike traditional military and security education programs in South Korea visitors to Sunshine Land hear nothing about North Korea or the evils of communism Sunshine Land instead draws visitors inward by scrambling distinctions between war as a game and as reality Visitors find themselves immersed in an exciting hyper-real world already made familiar to them through dramas Sunshine Land and similar military experience centers popping up around the country are mainly driven by local governments focused on attracting tourists risk both trivializing and normalizing a state of permanent war on the Korean Peninsula and the next conflict always seems to be looming on the horizon; young people two or three generations removed from the Korean War are learning about what conflict means in a whole new way “Students these days play a lot of computer games,” sixth-grade teacher Noh said “But these experiences are indirect and nothing close to reality because they will have to join the military in the near future it is good for them to have a more realistic experience.” There aren’t many chances in Korea to try shooting a gun I came here because I thought it would be a good idea to visit with my son at least once.” He added there aren’t many other places to visit in this area.” From the point of view of officials at Nonsan city hall the main purpose of Sunshine Land is to generate economic activity Development has proven tricky in Nonsan and other military cities where much of the space is classified as ‘military easement area.’ Because the development of factories and other large facilities in these areas is limited or prohibited Nonsan city hall has decided to emphasize tourism in its pursuit of local development The city put up half of the 1.1 billion won ($1 million) in funds for Sunshine Land while South Chungcheong Province and the Ministry of Culture the city appropriated a large swath of agricultural land and began construction; one elderly cleaning staff member told me that she used to cultivate sweet potatoes on the very same spot just a few years ago (for the record the Nonsan official overseeing Sunshine Land explained the developmental logic at work: “If a lot of tourists become attracted to this area broadcaster SBS has invested 500 million won in a colonial-era drama set attached to Sunshine Land Acclaimed screenwriter Kim Eun-Sook will use it to shoot Mr a new drama about a Korean man who leaves Korea and then returns to his home country as a soldier The name ‘Sunshine Land’ was initially inspired by Kim Eun-Sook’s drama the name has taken on a second meaning directly connected to local development efforts “Like sunshine spreading out across a landscape,” he waxed “the news of Nonsan’s military experience park will spread all over the country.” “Like sunshine spreading out across a landscape…” Kim Jae-hui led me through the 1950s-style Sudden Attack Studio a combined survival game space and drama set that shares two-thirds of its name with a popular first-person shooter computer game Bombed out buildings mixed with U.S.-influenced shops and bars military post exchange stood prominently at the set’s entrance Kim Jae-hui and Shin Heon-jun did not seem to see Sunshine Land as anything more than a theme park The re-created 1950s atmosphere of Sudden Attack Studio and kids can go together — it is a place for all generations.” Instead of being a direct comment on the country’s war experience Sixth-grade students play an urban warfare survival game on a field trip to Sunshine Land Sunshine Land is part of a larger family of military education and experience projects around the country Down to the same blaring soundtrack of machine gun fire and anguished male screams, Sunshine Land’s survival game is similar to one played by army reservists at a different facility east of Seoul in Namyangju Reservists also play out on-screen urban warfare scenarios resembling those of first-person shooter computer games they would have played as teenagers in PC gaming rooms According to Yonhap News Seoul city government is cooperating with Namyangju and the Army to allow civilian use of these training facilities as part of a broader effort to provide leisure and recreation opportunities to capital city residents and kids can go together — it is a place for all generations.” With the U.S returning 36 military sites to South Korea and consolidating forces in Pyeongtaek military installations have turned to military experience parks as a way to capitalize on their local military identities while making use of former U.S Because the Defense ministry owns most lands returned by the U.S. They must either purchase the lands themselves at market rate or undertake specific kinds of development projects to be eligible for financial assistance from the central government Recently, Paju and Gyeonggi Province made a deal with the Defense ministry to create a military experience and history park at former U.S located north of the Imjin River near the border with North Korea can spend the night in former officers’ quarters and spot filming locations from the Descendants of the Sun where I live in Dongducheon north of Seoul one anonymous city official told me that he dreams of converting Camp Casey military experience park once the base land is returned to South Korea A shooting range and an English-only policy would attract outside visitors; the existing Burger King with no Korean restaurants permitted; and part of the space would be privatized City planners in Uijeongbu have similar ideas for U.S The proliferation of tourism-focused military experience centers comes at a moment as the government’s youth programs for security education face a dramatic shift in tide launched in 2011 under the conservative Lee Myung-bak administration. In early December the Moon Jae-in administration — the first non-conservative government in nearly a decade — announced it would suspend classroom visits by lecturers and slash the budget of the Patriotic Education program As revealed by investigative journalists, Patriotic Education lecturers disseminated false information on daily life in North Korea, and portrayed South Korean critics of state security policy as North Korean spies. Lecturers also subjected at least 500 elementary school students to a violent video depicting forced abortion and infanticide in North Korea Although the Defense ministry claimed that a public release of the problematic video would damage national security it was forced to release the video earlier this year after a three-year legal struggle with left-leaning civic organization People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) PSPD and other civic organizations continue to pressure the government to close traditional military experience camps operated by the Ministry such as the Marine Corps Camp for youth in Pohang middle and high school students can spend five days with experienced marines receiving training — in everything from chemical warfare to airlift techniques five students drowned in the ocean after being pressured by instructors to swim in rough waters “Military training programs for children have a negative influence on them and we therefore insist that these programs be abolished,” Hwang Soo-young of PSPD activists face an uphill battle in their struggle for peace-oriented education a facilitator at peace education organization Peace Momo which opposed the Patriotism Education program and youth military camps said that she was “shocked” to learn that Sunshine Land is funded not by the Ministry of Defense “Children’s military experience is a heartbreaking example of how Korean society has become desensitized to military culture Adults have an obligation to prevent kids from reliving the painful experiences of war suffered by previous generations Let’s not pass down the language of division and destruction to our children,” Moon wrote in an email On the same day the sixth-graders had their Sunshine Land game shoot-out hundreds of conscripts — some of them just seven or eight years older than the elementary school students — arrived in Nonsan to start their real-life military service The young soldiers-to-be milled around in front of the training center gate with somber faces Before they crossed into the training center by the 2:00 p.m the young men ate their last outside meal with their parents When I asked one of the sixth-grade students visiting Nonsan’s Sunshine Land what he learned during the survival game you don’t want to go into a war with a BB gun.” In just a half dozen years or so this student will have his chance to fire a more powerful weapon Cover image: Sunshine Land’s survival game set The Korean War is a distant memory for most South Koreans; even North Korea’s frequent provocations are met with indifference Read more about how South Koreans respond to North Korea: the farmer knocked over by a police water cannon has succumbed to his injuries (a skull fracture and brain hemorrhage) and passed away yesterday after being in a coma for the last 10 months but I make it a point not to write or speak in Korean about this country That my Korean language skills have ossified from disuse is only one reason; it is more that my brushes with South Korean media are rarely uplifting All Headlines North Korea Sports Top News Most Viewed Korean Newspaper Headlines Today in Korean History Yonhap News Summary Editorials from Korean Dailies South Korea's leading processed food-maker is pushing to expand exports of traditional Korean sauces to fast growing halal and other overseas markets The affiliate of food and entertainment giant CJ Group said the company is in the final stage of its three-year joint research with the Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food to develop halal gochujang Halal food refers to products that are prepared in a specific way according to Islamic Sharia law which covers not only meat but also fruits and vegetables "We have decreased the alcohol content generated in the fermentation process and are working on ways to prevent the product from going bad while being distributed overseas due to the reduction of alcohol," Oh Seon-mi a food research and development specialist at CJ Cheiljedang told reporters on Friday at one of its plants in Nonsan The plant is the largest gochujang production facility in the world with an annual production capacity of 55,440 tons Combined with three other adjacent plants that make doenjang the four plants produce some 100,000 tons of fermented pastes per year CJ Cheiljedang is currently assessing the Middle East and Southeast Asian markets to come up with a detailed plan to launch the halal product "We are reviewing the commercialization of halal gochujang as a medium to long-term plan," Oh said but at the same time very different from any other markets that we have made forays into We are carefully analyzing the market at the moment." In this photo provided by CJ Cheiljedang Corp. a visitor uses the company's gochujang-based sauce bar at its booth during KCON The latest research on halal gochujang is part of a broader global drive pushed by the food giant CJ Cheiljedang developed technology to reduce the level of non-harmful microorganisms in gochujang to meet the different standards of foreign countries "Koreans are used to fermented pastes and have a good understanding of the existence of non-harmful microbes so we are reducing the level depending on the export market," the researcher Oh said The gochujang with reduced microorganisms is currently exported to firms in the United States and Japan in business-to-business partnerships to be used as a base for their respective sauce production Outbound shipments of CJ Cheiljedang's fermented paste products jumped 40 percent from 5,125 tons in 2013 to 7,195 tons in 2017 The company said it expects the Korean traditional sauces to gain further recognition overseas down the road as they can be applied in various dishes -- from soups to fried foods -- adding that it wants to play a key role in the process exports of South Korea's traditional sauces reached a record high in 2016 with the combined overseas sales of ganjang gochujang and doenjang rising 8 percent on-year to reach US$53 million Exports of gochujang rose 10.8 percent on-year to $31.3 million during the cited period accounting for 59.3 percent of the total exports the United States was the biggest importer of South Korean traditional sauces as exports to the North American country accounted for 29.9 percent of the total overseas sales followed by China with 16.9 percent and Japan with 7 percent The size of South Korea's fermented pastes market grew from 100 billion won in early 2000 to surpass 300 billion won last year but it has been shrinking in recent years as more consumers seek simple and ready-to-eat products In this undated photo provided by CJ Cheiljedang Corp. workers are seen at the company's gochujang All News National Economy/Finance Biz Culture/K-pop Images Videos Korean Newspaper Headlines Korea in Brief Useful Links Weather Advertise with Yonhap News Agency a family visiting the Baekje Military Museum Upvote if you think more people should see this post According to media outlet 'Dispatch' on March 28 KST, BTS member SUGA entered the Nonsan training center on this day to receive his 3-week basic military training. SUGA, who began his mandatory service as a public service worker in September of last year, will continue the remainder of his duties in his assigned public service position after completing his mandatory training.  NewJeans' Hanni takes on new role as a global ambassador for 'Gucci Beauty' Lee Hyori embodies 'timeless beauty', joining Suzy as the new endorsement model for 'GUESS' I'm patiently waiting for him to return safe and healthy♡ Stay Safe & Healthy Suga! Missing you & the others like crazy! 💜🫰💜🤟💜🫶💜 Upvote if you think more people should see this post! Not everyone will be able to enter an army training center except for the soldiers who are training. Korean men can enter the training center since they have to enlist for mandatory military service, but women don't have the opportunity to see inside the training centers. Now, it is expected that there will be opportunities for women to enter an army training center. Of course, this does not mean women must enlist in mandatory military service. Instead, they can experience the training center through a tour. It is reported that a tourism program will be developed to allow individuals to experience the military culture within the army training center directly. On October 9, the Army Training Center and Nonsan City announced that they had signed a 'Security and Tourism Development Business Agreement' to develop tourism programs for the training camp. Nonsan City Mayor Baek Sung Hyun explained, "This agreement is significant not only to promote tourism in the region but also unites the armed forces and Nonsan to create future businesses for the southern region of South Chuncheong Province." He added, "We will do our best so that Nonsan can establish itself as a security and tourism city." Park Won Ho, director of the Army Training Center, said, "The citizens of Nonsan are always grateful because they are companions and patriots of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, which have been defending in various defense facilities for a long time." He continued, "We will continue to pursue the agreements so that we can maintain a mutually cooperative relationship and promote win-win development with the local community." MAMAMOO tops iTunes songs charts in various countries with their singles from 'MIC:ON' Former After School member Lizzy reveals new ID photos and updates her fans through social media do they also get to experience the gas 💀? Im from a military family, we often did tours of military facilities. We also participated in family get-togethers with all the active duty men and women. Carnival type activities, special concerts, food vendors, air shows, etc. These help to foster good feelings between the military and the communities. There were even parachute rides and mini obstacle courses. Great fun for children. It looks like the new recruits currently undergoing basic training at the ROK Army's Nonsan Training Center are welcoming the new year with good spirits Netizens react to Mnet's 'M! Countdown' hinting at its new male-male-male MC lineup in 2024 NCT's TEN to release his first official solo album Be safe and healthy Taehyung and Namjoon!! Big Bang has been making special appearances on all the popular shows to promote their latest album This will be the boy group's last album together as one of its members T.O.P is beginning his military enlistment from February T.O.P has already left an emotional goodbye video for his fans on his social media page He wrote: "We will be saying goodbye temporarily I'll come back after a lot of growth." T.O.P will be followed by Taeyang and G-Dragon in 2017 while Daesung and Seungri will most likely enlist in 2018 and 2019 Soompi has revealed that T.O.P is likely to have a low profile joining at the Nonsan army training center on February 9 where he will go through his basic training requirements along with JYJ's Kim Junsu the article also opined that fans and media personnel are likely to throng the training center on Thursday as two celebrities are going to walk in quietly The five-member group consistijng G-Dragon Daesung and Seungri has been a runaway hit ever since their debut in 2006 They became the only KPop to be featured in American business magazine Forbes' list of top-earning celebrities under the age of 30 who placed 24th ($42 million) and rapper Dr the band was placed 54th on Forbes' "Celebrity 100" in 2016 Their latest album 'FXXK IT' climbed up to #46 in a matter of hours It also garnered 100 million hits on YouTube The boys also performed a two-day concert series on Jan 07-08 in Gocheok Sky Dome for "BIGBANG10 The Concert 0.to.10 Final," a farewell gift to their fans some 64,000 fans flocked to the "0 To 10 Final in Seoul" concerts Lee Min-ho (이민호) revealed his short hair-cut prior to the four week basic training at the Korea Army Training Center in Nonsan posted three photos on his Instagram account the same day he is due to join his four-week basic training at the Korea Army Training Center in Nonsan Fans immediately started commenting on his picture “Miss you oppa [(오빠) means “an older brother,” and is only used when a girl is calling an older brother or an older man she trusts].” the 30 year-old actor will return to his public service duty at the Suseo Social Welfare Center in Gangnam District Office as a public service officer where he has been serving since 12 May 2017 After serious injuries he suffered in two car accidents in 2006 and 2011 Lee Min-ho was unable to serve as an active duty soldier and was ordered to serve his mandatory military duty at the Suseo Social Welfare Center in Seoul A post shared by L (@actorleeminho) on Mar 14 A post shared by L (@actorleeminho) on Mar 14 A post shared by L (@actorleeminho) on Mar 14, 2018 at 7:15pm PDT