Toxic Smog Blankets Korea
Chosun Ilbo

Toxic smog has blanketed Seoul, Daegu, Jeonju and other parts of the country since Saturday. The smog carries more heavy metal particles than the Mongolian sandstorms that plague the country in spring.

Analysis at a weather station in Bulgwang-dong, Seoul showed that the smog carried 5 to 11 times higher levels of arsenic and 8 to 26 times higher concentration of selenium than last year’s sandstorms, the National Institute of Environmental Research said Tuesday.

Japanese Actress Gives Birth in Korea
Chosun Ilbo

A top Japanese actress has given birth in Korea recently because she was impressed by postnatal care here. Koyuki Kato (36) gave birth to her second daughter in Seoul last Thursday.

A former model, Koyuki starred in the 2003 movie “The Last Samurai” with Tom Cruise as well as a string of Japanese movies. In 2011 she married fellow actor Kenichi Matsuyama (27), who starred in the movie “Death Note.”

Kim Yuna Headed To Worlds After Dominating Korean Championships

Olympic gold medalist Kim Yuna again celebrated her return to competitive figure skating by putting in another sparkling performance to win the ladies’ singles event at the 2013 Korean Figure Skating Championships in Seoul.

With the victory, Kim earned an expected automatic berth at the 2013 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, which will be held in Canada in March.

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Choi Jin-sil’s Ex-Husband Found Dead

Former Korean baseball star Cho Sung-min, who was better known as the ex-husband of superstar actress Choi Jin-sil, was found dead in an apparent suicide on Sunday at his girlfriend’s home in Seoul.

Cho’s death came as a shock for many as the tragic suicide of national sweetheart Choi  in 2008 still remains vivid in the Korean public’s memory.

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Dakota, Elle Fanning Create Media Frenzy in South Korea
Hollywood Reporter

Dakota and Elle Fanning created media buzz in South Korea over the weekend when the sisters appeared in Seoul’s trendy downtown areas to shop.

The blonde teenagers were spotted Saturday by local fans in the Hongdae (Hongik University) area, known for its indie music, street fashion and club scene, and naturally for the world’s most wired country, paparrazi-esque shots taken on smartphones by curious onlookers soon went viral online.

Anti-Japan Protestor Stabs Himself in Stomach

A 57-year-old man known for protesting against Japan stabbed himself in the stomach in demonstration against the Japanese envoy’s visit to president-elect Park Geun-hye.

Kim Chang-geun was part of a civic group demonstrating at Gimpo Airport in Seoul awaiting the arrival of Fukushiro Nukaga when he plunged the five-inch blade into his stomach. He was later taken to the hospital, according to the U.K.’s Daily Mail newspaper.

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Japanese Envoy Tries to Mend Ties With South Korea
New York Times

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan reached out to South Korea’s incoming president, Park Geun-hye, on Friday by sending a special envoy to Seoul with calls for mending ties that had become strained under their predecessors.

But no immediate breakthrough was expected as the two main East Asian allies of the United States exchanged barbs couched in diplomatic language, a reflection of their long-running differences, rooted in Japan’s often brutal colonial rule of Korea from 1910 until 1945.

Pic of the Day: People look at a statue made of license plates from scrapped vehicles at a car registration center in Suwon, south of Seoul, on Dec. 26, 2012.

Source: Yonhap

Kim Yu-na to skate in S. Korean figure championships this weekend
Yonhap News

Figure skating star Kim Yu-na will compete in the South Korean national championships this weekend, her first appearance at the tournament in seven years, as she tries to qualify for the world championships this spring.

The Korea Skating Union (KSU) said Wednesday Kim will take part in the 2013 Korea Figure Skating Championships at Mokdong Ice Rink in western Seoul. The ladies’ short program is set for Saturday and free skating is on Sunday.

Seoul searching: on the trail of the K-pop phenomenon
The Guardian (U.K.)

The K-pop phenomenon, spearheaded by that song, has put South Korea’s capital, Seoul, in the spotlight. We visit Gangnam to find out what all the fuss is about