BLACKPINK's 'Kill This Love' video tops 600m YouTube views

The video for BLACKPINK's latest song, "Kill This Love," surpassed the milestone of 600 million YouTube views on Sunday. The music video topped the threshold Sunday morning, 177 days after its official release on YouTube in April, according to the K-pop band's management agency, YG Entertainment.  It is the shortest period a K-pop music video has amassed more than 600 million YouTube views. Previously, BLACKPINK's "Ddu-du Ddu-du" held the record as the K-pop video that a

PerformanceSept. 29, 2019

S. Korea's exports set to drop for 10th consecutive month in Sept.: poll

South Korea's exports are expected to fall for the 10th consecutive month in September, a poll showed on Sunday, amid a protracted slump in the memory chip segment, the backbone of Asia's No.-4 economy.Outbound shipments are expected to decrease 10.3 percent this month on-year at $45.4 billion, according to the poll conducted by Yonhap Infomax, the financial service arm of Yonhap News Agency. The trade surplus, meanwhile, is expected to reach $5.2 billion, marking 92 straight months in which the

IndustrySept. 29, 2019

BOK chief admits growth challenges, denies deflation

The chief of South Korea’s central bank recognized the country’s challenges in achieving its modest 2.2 percent economic growth pace target for this year, but denied the possibility of deflation.While vowing to maintain the current monetary easing policy moves, he also stressed the need to stay “data dependent,” refraining from asserting the economic outlook for the second half and next year.“As major economies further ease their monetary policies, the concerns on g

EconomySept. 29, 2019

Sony, Marvel strike deal for new 'Spider-Man' film

LOS ANGELES (AFP) -- Spider-Man will spin his web on the big screen once again.A breakdown in talks between Sony Pictures and Marvel had imperiled the web-slinger's celluloid future, but the two companies announced a deal Friday for Marvel Studios to produce the third Spidey film starring British actor Tom Holland.The film -- which follows up on "Spider-Man: Homecoming" and "Spider-Man: Far from Home" -- is set for release on July 16, 2021, the studios said.Marvel Studios pre

FilmSept. 29, 2019

Military to lower bar for active duty conscripts amid population decline

The South Korean military said Sunday it plans to lower the bar for the conscription of active duty soldiers, as the country's population is widely expected to shrink drastically. The Ministry of National Defense and the Military Manpower Administration are currently in the process of revising related regulations to lower the physical requirements and standards for active duty troops.The measure under review comes amid a precipitate fall in the country's population. The phenomenon is likely to d

DefenseSept. 29, 2019

[Advertorial] LS Cable develops aluminum rigid bar for high-speed railways

LS Cable & System has developed an advanced power supply system for high-speed railways with aluminum rigid bars. The South Korean cable and wire company said Sunday the new system could reduce the cost and size of train tunnel construction due to its simple structure.Compared to copper trolley wires, its newly developed aluminum rigid bar will help construction workers build narrower tunnels at a lower cost, the company said. “Since there is no need for facilities to support the

TechnologySept. 29, 2019

S. Korea still on high alert over additional African swine fever outbreak

South Korea is remaining highly vigilant over additional outbreaks of African swine fever and is stepping up disinfection efforts, although there have been no further confirmed cases of the deadly animal disease in the past two days, the country's agriculture ministry said Sunday.The country has confirmed nine cases of African swine fever since Sept. 17, when the first was reported. There were several suspected cases in the past two days, but all tested negative, according to the ministry."

Social AffairsSept. 29, 2019

Samsung Electronics likely to report 60.2% plunge in Q3 operating profit

Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest maker of memory chips and smartphones, is likely to report a 60.2 percent plunge in its third-quarter operating profit, hit by continuing falls in chip prices, an industry report showed Sunday. According to the report by Seoul-based financial market tracker FnGuide, Samsung is expected to post 6.9 trillion won ($5.8 billion) in third-quarter operating profit, compared with a profit of 17.5 trillion won a year ago.  Compared with a previous estima

IndustrySept. 29, 2019

Corporate tax from top 10 conglomerates set to more than halve as H1 profits drop

The combined corporate taxes that will be paid by listed firms of South Korea's top 10 business conglomerates is set to more than halve, as their profits dropped in the first six months due to slowing exports and weaker demand at home, industry data showed Sunday. According to the data from industry tracker Chaebul.com, the combined operating profit of 96 listed firms of the top 10 conglomerates plunged 51.3 percent on-year to 24.9 trillion won ($20.7 billion) in the first half.  In line wi

IndustrySept. 29, 2019

2 intl. aid agencies get temporary sanctions exemptions for projects in N. Korea

Two international humanitarian assistance organizations have received temporary sanctions exemptions for their aid projects in North Korea, a UN website showed Saturday.The World Health Organization and Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) will be allowed to bring in medical items necessary for their projects in the impoverished state for six months each from Sept. 20 and Sept. 23, respectively, according to the UN Security Council committee for sanctions on North Korea. The WHO ha

North KoreaSept. 29, 2019

Another suspected African swine fever case tests negative in S. Korea

A new suspected case of African swine fever reported in South Korea on Saturday tested negative amid concerns over the spread of the highly contagious and deadly animal disease despite extensive quarantine efforts.The suspected case, which was earlier reported at a farm in the city of Yangju, 30 kilometers north of Seoul, tested negative, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. South Korea has confirmed nine cases of African swine fever since Sept. 17, when the first wa

Social AffairsSept. 29, 2019

Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin clinches ERA title with 7 shutout innings in final reg. season start

Los Angeles Dodgers' starter Ryu Hyun-jin has finished the 2019 season with the lowest ERA in the majors.The South Korean left-hander tossed seven shutout innings in the Dodgers' 2-0 win over the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Saturday (local time), lowering his major league-best ERA from 2.41 to 2.32.Ryu was lifted for pinch hitter Jedd Gyorko to begin the top of the eighth, with the Dodgers leading 2-0. The bullpen made the score stand, and Ryu finished the year at 14-

BaseballSept. 29, 2019

2 N. Korean diplomats in Beijing possibly on way to New York

Two North Korean diplomats arrived in Beijing on Saturday, raising the possibility that they could be on their way to New York to attend the UN General Assembly session.Jang Il-hun, former deputy ambassador to the UN, and Kim Chang-min, director general at the foreign ministry's international organizations bureau, were seen at the airport in Beijing earlier in the day apparently after disembarking from a flight from Pyongyang. They did not respond to questions about the purpose of their trip and

North KoreaSept. 29, 2019

Seoul's filing of complaint with Tokyo over trade row a 'good thing,' WTO economist

The chief economist at the World Trade Organization has called South Korea's recent filing of a complaint with the global trade body over Japan's export curbs a "good thing."Robert Koopman said South Korea should try to "use things like the WTO" to try to bring countries together to reach agreement on how to navigate uncertain times."That's a good thing, I think. Trying to use the WTO's existing systems to resolve disputes -- I think that's what it's there for. I'm glad

IndustrySept. 29, 2019

Large-scale rally held to support justice minister, reform drive

A large number of people gathered in Seoul on Saturday to support Justice Minister Cho Kuk and his drive to reform the prosecution despite a widening investigation into corruption allegations involving his family.A candlelight demonstration was held late in the day in southern Seoul where the Supreme Prosecutors' Office is located.Participants voiced support for Cho, claiming that the media is conspiring with the prosecution to derail his reform drive."The prosecution and the media are tryi

Social AffairsSept. 29, 2019

National Assembly to launch annual audit of govt. agencies

The National Assembly is scheduled to kick off its annual audit of government agencies this week, officials said Sunday, with a row over corruption scandals involving the justice minister's family likely to come under scrutiny.This year's audit of more than 700 government organizations will start on Wednesday and run until Oct. 21.The House Steering Committee will examine the performance of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Nov. 1. The Intelligence Committee will audit the National Intell

PoliticsSept. 29, 2019

S. Korea ranks 20th in Allianz wealth report

South Korea ranked 20th out of 53 countries surveyed by German insurer Allianz Group in terms of per capita financial assets last year, according to its report on Sunday.According to the recently released Allianz Global Wealth Report, Koreans' financial assets stood at an average of 39 million won ($33,000) per person in 2018, slightly up from a year earlier. Last year, the United States topped the list with per capita financial assets of 240 million won, followed by Switzerland with per capita

EconomySept. 29, 2019

[Newsmaker] Typhoon Mitag may affect S. Korea next week

Typhoon Mitag, the season's 18th typhoon, could affect the Korean Peninsula next week, the weather agency said Saturday.The typhoon formed in the Philippine Sea earlier in the day and is moving northwest at a speed of 56 kilometers per hour, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.  As of 9 a.m., Mitag was classified as "small" with a central pressure of 1,000 hectopascals (hPa). The maximum sustained wind speed near its center was 61 kph, or 17 meters per second.It m

Social AffairsSept. 28, 2019

Another suspected African swine fever case reported in S. Korea

South Korea reported a new suspected case of African swine fever on Saturday, adding to concerns over the potential spread of the deadly animal disease despite extensive quarantine efforts.The suspected case was reported at a farm in the city of Yangju, 30 kilometers north of Seoul, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Should the case test positive for the highly contagious disease, South Korea will have experienced 10 confirmed ASF cases since Sept. 17, when th

Social AffairsSept. 28, 2019

Nine injured in cargo ship fire at Ulsan port

Nine sailors were injured after a fire broke out on a cargo ship and spread to another vessel following an explosion in the southeastern port city of Ulsan, authorities said Saturday.The 25,881-ton vessel for transporting petroleum products from the Cayman Islands caught fire following the explosion at around 10:51 a.m. when it was in a berth at Yeompo Quay in Ulsan, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul. A total of 25 people, all foreign nationals, were aboard the ship, but were all rescued, a

Social AffairsSept. 28, 2019