Argentinian politician's old tweet mocking BTS angers fans

An Argentinian vice presidential candidate’s old X post in which she said the name of boyband BTS sounded like “a sexually transmitted disease” has recently gone viral, angering the septet’s fans worldwide. Far-right politician Victoria Villarruel on Feb. 11, 2020, made the comment in response to another X (formerly Twitter) user who said the band's name sounds like the name of a health insurance company. The 48-year-old politician's comments at the time were me

Social AffairsOct. 27, 2023

Israel launches ground raid into Gaza ahead of expected incursion

Israeli troops and tanks launched a brief ground raid into northern Gaza overnight into Thursday, the military said, striking several militant targets in order to “prepare the battlefield" ahead of a widely expected ground invasion after more than two weeks of devastating air raids. The raid came after the UN warned it is on the verge of running out of fuel in the Gaza Strip, forcing it to sharply curtail relief efforts in the territory, which has also been under a complete siege sinc

World NewsOct. 26, 2023

Republicans end gridlock as US House elects new speaker

The US House of Representatives finally elected a new speaker on Wednesday, ending weeks of bitter Republican infighting that paralyzed Congress at a time of international and domestic crisis. Mike Johnson, a little-known ally of Donald Trump who spearheaded legal efforts to overturn the 2020 election, won the unanimous support of his party to lead the lower chamber of Congress, which has been at a standstill since Kevin McCarthy was ousted in a right-wing coup on October 3. "I think all th

World NewsOct. 26, 2023

World leaders seek pause to Israel-Hamas fighting to allow aid into Gaza

GAZA/JERUSALEM -- The United States and Russia led international calls for a pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas to allow aid into the besieged Gaza Strip, as Israel maintained its bombardment of the enclave where Palestinians are living in harrowing conditions. A total of 704 Palestinians, including 305 children, were killed Tuesday, the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza said, a toll the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said was the highest reported in a single da

World NewsOct. 25, 2023

Seoul introduces own version of 'Jessica's Law' to stem child sexual abuse

The Ministry of Justice on Tuesday announced plans to deprive convicted child sex offenders of their rights to choose where to live after they are released from jail. The Justice Ministry will propose a new bill aimed at restricting the civil rights of convicted child sex offenders at a Cabinet meeting, following a legislative notice to collect public opinions beginning from Thursday. The government is looking to designate specific areas where those sentenced to 10 years or more for child sexual

Social AffairsOct. 24, 2023

Hyundai Motor to build 1st car plant in Saudi Arabia, leading 46 Korea-Saudi deals

Hyundai Motor Group announced Monday it has entered into a joint venture agreement with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) to construct its first-ever automobile assembly plant in Saudi Arabia and expand its presence in the Middle Eastern market. This announcement came as part of a broader initiative that saw 46 memorandums of understanding and joint partnerships signed between South Korean companies and Saudi Arabian counterparts during President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit t

IndustryOct. 23, 2023

From ‘Parasite’ actor to chaebol scion, drug use back in spotlight

Lee Sun-kyun, known for his role in Oscar-winning movie “Parasite,” could be summoned for questioning sometime this week, reports said Sunday, citing police, as part of an expanding investigation into suspected drug use involving the actor and seven others. According to the reports, police are also considering a warrant to take a hair sample from the 48-year-old for drug testing in case he refuses to comply. The police probe is still at an internal stage, a precursor to a formal

Social AffairsOct. 22, 2023

Israel vows to 'fight until victory' after Hamas releases two US hostages

GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to "fight until victory" in Gaza, signaling no pause in his military's bombardment and expected invasion of the enclave after Hamas released two US hostages. The Islamist group Hamas on Friday released US mother and daughter Judith and Natalie Raanan who were kidnapped in its attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7. They were the first hostages confirmed by both sides in the conflict to be freed since Hamas gu

World NewsOct. 21, 2023

Aid for Gaza piles up as Israel rallies troops for invasion

Desperately needed international aid piled up Friday near Gaza, with Palestinians in dire need of food and water after relentless bombing by Israel, still reeling from the bloodiest attack in its history. Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas after the Islamist militant group launched a massive attack from the Gaza Strip on October 7, killing at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians who were shot, mutilated or burned to death, according to Israeli officials. Hamas gunmen also took nearly 200 people h

World NewsOct. 20, 2023

Kakao faces multiple whammy as CIO arrested

A Seoul court issued an arrest warrant for Kakao Chief Investment Officer Bae Jae-hyun on Thursday on charges of market manipulation related to SM Entertainment's stock price. The development has raised uncertainty about joint projects initiated by Kakao and SM Entertainment. "The arrest warrant was issued due to concerns about Bae destroying evidence or fleeing," the court said. The court dismissed arrest warrants for Kakao's head of investment strategy, surnamed Kang, and

IndustryOct. 19, 2023

China's Xi promises more market openness and new investments

Chinese President Xi Jinping promised greater access to China’s market for international firms and new financing exceeding $100 billion for other developing economies as he opened a forum Wednesday on his signature Belt and Road infrastructure policy. The initiative has built power plants, roads, railroads and ports around the world and deepened China’s relations with Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Mideast. But the massive loans that funded the projects have burdened poorer co

World NewsOct. 18, 2023

Biden to visit Israel as war in Gaza sparks humanitarian crisis

TEL AVIV, Israel/GAZA -- US President Joe Biden will make a high stakes visit to Israel on Wednesday to show support for its war on Hamas, after Washington said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to let humanitarian aid reach besieged Gazans. Trucks carrying vital supplies for Gaza reached the Rafah crossing in Egypt, the only access point to the enclave outside of Israel's control. A witness told Reuters some 160 trucks had left the nearby Egyptian town of Al-Arish, where they ha

World NewsOct. 17, 2023

FSC lays out plan to boost pet insurance enrollment

The Financial Services Commission, Korea's top financial regulator, unveiled plans on Monday to increase the pet insurance enrollment rate, currently at approximately just 1 percent in a country with some 8 million pets. "The pet insurance enrollment rate in the US is approximately 2 percent, while in Japan, it exceeds 12 percent. Our goal is to position ourselves between these two countries,” Shin Sang-hoon, head of the insurance department at the FSC, emphasized during a press

IndustryOct. 16, 2023

Over 1,300 rescue workers still traumatized by Itaewon Halloween tragedy

Last year's deadly crowd crush at Itaewon, Seoul claimed more than lives. Recent data showed 1,316 firemen dispatched at the scene are still suffering from the psychological impact of the incident. According to the National Fire Agency data revealed by Rep. Oh Young-hwan of the main opposition Democratic Party, the rescue workers are receiving treatment for various side effects with relation to the tragedy. The deadly incident occurred Oct. 29, 2022 when the crowd became concentrated in a small

Social AffairsOct. 15, 2023

Louvre Museum, Versailles Palace evacuated after bomb threats with France on alert

PARIS (AP) — The Louvre Museum in Paris and Versailles Palace evacuated visitors and staff Saturday after receiving bomb threats, police said. The French government started deploying 7,000 troops to increase security around the country after a fatal school stabbing by a suspected Islamic extremist. The evacuations of two of the world's most-visited tourist sites come amid heightened vigilance around France following Friday's school attack, and global tensions linked to the war be

World NewsOct. 15, 2023

Subway sexual assaults on the rise: data

South Korea is witnessing a surge in sexual assault cases on subway trains, with 784 incidents reported from January to August 2023 alone, according to data from the police and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport. The data, made public by Rep. Oh Young-hwan of the Democratic Party of Korea, shows a growing trend of assaults that coincides with a post-pandemic surge in public transit usage. The numbers, which include 529 cases of groping or unwanted contact and 255 cases of illici

Social AffairsOct. 14, 2023

N. Korea threatens to strike US aircraft carrier

North Korea threatened Friday to stage the "most powerful and rapid first strike" against US strategic assets deployed to the Korean Peninsula, in the latest bellicose rhetoric that underscored Pyongyang's concerns about US military capabilities in the region. The nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier docked at the southeastern port of Busan on Thursday for a five-day visit -- the first since September 2022 -- in a show of force against North Korea. The visit came soon aft

North KoreaOct. 13, 2023

Israel forms unity government to oversee war sparked by attack

JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined with a top political rival Wednesday to create a wartime Cabinet to oversee the fight to avenge the gruesome weekend attack by Hamas militants. In the sealed-off Gaza Strip, Palestinian suffering mounted as Israeli bombardment demolished neighborhoods and the only power plant ran out of fuel. Netanyahu vowed to “crush and destroy” Hamas. “Every Hamas member is a dead man,” he said in a televised address. T

World NewsOct. 12, 2023

Controversy over Cheong Wa Dae use resurfaces

Controversy over the former presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, emerged once again with a lawmaker pointing out a change in regulations for its use during a parliamentary audit. Lee Byung-hoon, a lawmaker of the opposition Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the government, alleging that it has failed to fulfill its promise to return Cheong Wa Dae to the people, as the presidential office continues to use the facilities without restrictions. Lee further pointed out that the Ministry of Cultu

CultureOct. 11, 2023

In S. Korea, Hamas ambush raises concerns over NK surprise attacks

A surprise and large-scale attack on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas has intensified security concerns in South Korea, underscoring the pressing need for the country to fortify its military readiness in countering a potential blitz from North Korea including artillery attacks targeting densely populated metropolitan areas. The newly appointed Defense Minister Shin Won-sik publicly underscored on Tuesday that Hamas' surprise assault from the Gaza Strip has illuminated the necessit

NewsmakerOct. 10, 2023