Kim Han, the Korean clarinetist who shone a spotlight on the instrument, will join the Paris Opera Orchestra as the principal clarinet this year, according to his management company Credia on Tuesday. Kim secured the position after passing an audition in January. Born in 1996, Kim debuted through the Kumho Prodigy Concert at the age of 11. He studied at Eton College and Guildhall School of Musi...

First lady Kim first visited Rotha’s home in Cambodia in November 2022 on the occasion of Yoon’s trip to Southeast Asia to attend summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Group of 20. Rotha, who suffered from congenital heart disease, underwent surgery in Cambodia in 2018. However, he could not continue receiving follow-up treatments due to difficult family circumstances, an...

The top nuclear envoys of South Korea and Japan held a meeting Tuesday to discuss cooperation in dealing with North Korea's missile and nuclear threats, the Seoul foreign ministry said. Kim Gunn, the ministry's special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, met with his Japanese counterpart, Takehiro Funakoshi, at the South Korean foreign ministry in Seoul and exchanged ...

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday asked the US defense chief to arrange bilateral consultations to establish “effective” extended deterrence mechanisms which could dispel South Koreans’ concerns over North Korean nuclear threats. In return, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pledged to make every effort for combined defense to clear up South Korea’s doubts over the credibility of the US security...

Sanha and Moonbin of Astro will host their first standalone concert as a duo on March 18-19, announced agency Fantagio on Tuesday. The pair will hold concerts in Seoul under the title “Diffusion,” inspired by the title of its third EP “Incense” that came out earlier this month. The EP topped the iTunes Top Albums chart in 18 regions and was No. 2 on Oricon’s weekly album ranking. The music vide...

Seoul, Washington to facilitate real-time sharing of NK missile data with Tokyo

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Tuesday South Korea might lift short-term visa restrictions on entrants from China earlier than a new deadline set by the end of February if convincing evidence of declining COVID-19 spread is given. The decision could be made depending on the virus situation here as Korea has just eased indoor mask mandate and both China and Korea had family gatherings to celebr...

Growing calls for South Korea’s independent nuclear buildup, a discussion that had left the country more divided than united, now offer policymakers latitude to widen the nuclear debate, experts said Tuesday as South Korea steps up efforts for a more powerful military to contain North Korea. President Yoon Suk Yeol and Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup met with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in S...

Facilities in South Korea which temporarily detain foreigners subject to deportation have been gradually improved compared to the past, but are still short of fully protecting human rights, the Korean Bar Association and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said as they wrapped up a joint investigation. Since October last year, a special committee on refugees and foreigners under the KB...

South Korean actor Song Joong-ki and his British wife Katy Louise Saunders are eligible for a slew of benefits tailored for multicultural families in South Korea, which range from a 25 percent discount on phone bills to priority admissions to public daycare, international schools and local colleges. Song announced Tuesday that the couple has just completed their legal marriage registration in Ko...