BLACKPINK becomes only K-pop artists with 3 songs topping 800m YouTube views

With "Kill This Love" topping the milestone of 800 million YouTube views Monday, BLACKPINK became the first K-pop artists to have three songs with over 800 million views. The music video of BLACKPINK's latest hit song surpassed the 800 million YouTube mark early Monday morning, about one year after its release, the band's management agency YG Entertainment said. It is the quartet's third music video topping 800 million YouTube views, following "Ddu-du Ddu-du" and "B

K-popApril 20, 2020

Govt. resumes physical checkups for potential draftees

The government resumed physical checkups for potential draftees Monday after a monthslong suspension over the coronavirus outbreak, the military manpower agency said. The examinations were halted on Feb. 24 for two weeks as the country witnessed a drastic surge in COVID-19 cases. The suspension was extended as part of the military authorities' all-out efforts to stop the virus from spreading in military barracks. "Starting today, we resume conscription examinations for those who wish t

Social AffairsApril 20, 2020

South Korea confirms 13 new COVID-19 patients

South Korea confirmed 13 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Monday, showing a slight increase from the single-digit daily tally it reported a day earlier, health authorities said. With the new patients -- seven from overseas and six domestic -- the country’s total COVID-19 cases rose to 10,674, while two more people died, putting the death toll at 236 as of Monday 12:01 a.m., according to the Korea Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. The number of people who have recovered a

Social AffairsApril 20, 2020

Color-blind artist puts a new glaze on donuts

Who doesn’t love donuts? More than 1,700 ceramic donuts welcome visitors to the Hakgojae Gallery in Jongno, central Seoul, each with a different look. “As long as people enjoy my donuts, I would say my works are a success,” artist Kim Jae-yong, who bills himself as a donut lover, told The Korea Herald. “I really feel happy when I see smiles on people’s faces. That is it. I want to give happiness to people.” “Donut Fear” is sculptor Kim&rsqu

Arts & DesignApril 20, 2020

[Chew on I.T.] Before buying earbuds, check out what’s inside

In tune with the extended use of smartphones and smartwatches, headphones have been going cordless, providing users with freedom and flexibility in daily activities. But some conservative consumers have shunned wireless earphones, as they tend to be wary of the battery lifespan and reluctant to learn how to connect the Bluetooth. But once you go cordless, it is hard to go back. Thanks to advancements in chip and battery technologies, these small earpieces are the epitome of cutting-edge aud

TechnologyApril 20, 2020

[Graphic News] S. Korea ranks 2nd in Q1 shipbuilding orders

　South Korea received the second-largest amount of new shipbuilding orders in the first quarter of the year after China, with global shipbuilding orders plunging 71 percent amid the spreading coronavirus outbreak, industry data showed. 　South Korea won new shipbuilding orders totaling 360,000 compensated gross tons in the January-March period, accounting for 16 percent of overall orders around the globe totaling 2.33 million CGTs, according to the data from Clarkson Research Services. 　Ch

IndustryApril 20, 2020

[Newsmaker] Not just lungs: Coronavirus can damage other organs

South Korea reported over the weekend the first case of a heart disease linked to novel coronavirus infection, suggesting the virus most commonly known to cause respiratory distress may have a wider spectrum of complications. In Daegu, Korea’s worst affected city with 64 percent of the total virus tally, a 21-year-old woman without preexisting medical conditions suffered an acute myocarditis from COVID-19. The young patient initially exhibited typical symptoms of the virus including a c

TechnologyApril 20, 2020

Seoul stocks open higher on easing virus woes

Seoul stocks opened higher Monday as signs of the easing spread of the new coronavirus helped ease investor concerns. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 1.34 points, or 0.07 percent, to 1,915.87 in the first 15 minutes of trading. On Friday, the KOSPI ended up 3.1 percent to 1,914.53 amid hopes that the global coronavirus outbreak was peaking and will be slowing down. This week, investors will take a cue from companies' earnings results for the January-March perio

MarketApril 20, 2020

[Market Close-up] Virus-hit air carriers brace for liquidity crisis

South Korea’s major airlines are likely to suffer a sharp revenue decline due to the coronavirus outbreak, putting further pressure on their liquidity, according to market watchers Sunday. Flag carriers Korean Air and Asiana Airlines are facing a financial slump as services have been curtailed for now, but they are also facing the possibility of a debt crisis if the pandemic lingers. The market has been focusing on one of the frequent leveraging measures for Korean airlines, as they imm

MarketApril 20, 2020

More elementary school students set to resume classes online amid pandemic

More elementary school students in South Korea started the spring semester with online classes Monday amid lingering concerns about cluster infections of the new coronavirus. The move marks the full opening of the new school year with remote learning for about 5.4 million elementary, middle and high school students across the country. Grades one to three at elementary schools began the new semester with online classes Monday under the government's three-step plan to open the new school year d

Social AffairsApril 20, 2020

Stock-related floating money hits all-time high

Money floating around the South Korean stock market has reached a new record high amid a recent market recovery following a coronavirus-caused rout, data showed Monday. The amount of stock-related funds hit 141.79 trillion won ($116.5 billion) as of Tuesday, up nearly 24 percent from Jan. 20 when South Korea reported its first COVID-19 case, according to the data from the Korea Financial Investment Association. The figure inched down to 141.73 trillion won two days later. Stock-related funds

MarketApril 20, 2020

N. Korea denies sending letter to Trump recently

North Korea on Sunday denied any recent correspondence with US President Donald Trump, less than a day after Trump mentioned having received a "nice note" from leader Kim Jong-un. "The US media reported Saturday that the US President mentioned receiving a 'nice note' from our top leadership in a press conference," the North said in a statement carried by its outlet Korean Central News Agency. "We cannot know for sure whether the US president reminisced about past corr

North KoreaApril 19, 2020

63.3% opposed to immediate easing of social distancing: poll

More than half, or 63.3 percent, of South Koreans oppose an immediate easing of social distancing, a government poll showed Sunday. The results were released in line with the government's announcement to extend a national social distancing campaign until early May, with eased regulations in some areas. Of those opposed, 66.2 percent cited risks of the virus resurfacing while vaccine and treatment development is still under way, according to the poll of 1,000 South Koreans conducted on Friday

Social AffairsApril 19, 2020

UN experts want to blacklist 14 ships over N. Korea sanctions

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — UN experts have recommended blacklisting 14 vessels for violating sanctions against North Korea in a report that accuses the country of increasing illegal coal exports, imports of petroleum products and continuing with cyber attacks on financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges to gain illicit revenue. The 267-page report, obtained Saturday by The Associated Press, also accused North Korea of importing luxury vehicles, watches and liquor and other sanctione

World NewsApril 19, 2020

Asiana Airlines to extend unpaid leave as virus woes linger

Asiana Airlines Inc., the country's second-biggest carrier, on Sunday announced self-rescue plans, such as extending unpaid leave for employees, to minimize the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Under the measure, all employees will be advised to take at least 15 days of unpaid leave each month until business circumstances normalize, the company said in a press release. The company also plans to ask flight attendants and domestic airport employees to apply for two-month paid leaves. To

MobilityApril 19, 2020

Eased social distancing guidelines open door for pro sports to begin in May

A recent decline in coronavirus cases, plus the government's subsequent easing of social distancing guidelines, have opened doors for the country's two biggest professional sports leagues to begin long-awaited seasons next month. South Korea reported eight new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, the first time in two months that the daily figure stayed in a single digit. Later in the day, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said "outdoor sports games" could be held if proper safety measures are

SportsApril 19, 2020

Seoul orders deportation of 7 foreigners for breaching self-isolation rules

Last week, South Korea ordered the deportation of seven foreigners who went outside despite being under self-isolation, the justice ministry said Sunday. The ministry said it ordered three Vietnamese students in the southwestern city of Gunsan to leave the country on Friday. They were found to have left their home without their mobile phones. The government's self-isolation app uses GPS tracking in mobile phones to monitor people in self-isolation. Another student, a Malaysian national, was

Social AffairsApril 19, 2020

US amb. tweets on delivery of Global Hawk unmanned aircraft to S. Korea

US Ambassador Harry Harris said in a tweet Sunday that the Global Hawk high-altitude unmanned aircraft was delivered to South Korea this week, adding that it's a "great day" for the two countries' alliance. Harris unveiled a picture of a Global Hawk unit parked in a hangar in an unidentified location, with the national flags of the allies hanging on a wall behind. On the body of the aircraft was text reading "the Air Force of the Republic of Korea," in Korean. "Cong

DefenseApril 19, 2020

Electronic firms stick to 2020 plans

The South Korean electronics sector is continuing to push through its original plans of business investment and expansion for 2020 despite the uncertainty cast by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to industry sources Sunday, the Korean electronics companies spanning batteries, displays and semiconductors are showing no signs of drawing back from their overseas plant construction timelines. On the semiconductors frontier, Samsung Electronics is aided by the Foreign Affairs Ministry as it talks

IndustryApril 19, 2020