The video for BLACKPINK's 2016 song "Playing with Fire" topped the milestone of 500 million YouTube views Friday. The music video surpassed the threshold early in the day, becoming the group's fifth piece to achieve the feat following "Ddu-du Ddu-du," "Boombayah," "As If It's Your Last," and "Kill This Love," according to the K-pop band's management agency, YG Entertainment. BLACKPINK became the first K-pop girl band to have five music videos

K-pop May 8, 2020

A noncommissioned officer working at the Cyber Operations Command in Seoul has tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases reported in the military to 40, the defense ministry said Friday. The staff sergeant working at the command's service support unit contracted the virus after visiting a club in Seoul's popular multicultural neighborhood of Itaewon where a COVID-19 patient visited last week, according to the ministry. Following the test result early Friday,

Social Affairs May 8, 2020

Former Justice Minister and presidential aide Cho Kuk denied charges against him Friday over the alleged suspension of the presidential office's inspection into a high-profile corruption case. Cho attended a court hearing for the first time since he was charged with abuse of power in January for allegedly halting the probe in 2017 into bribery allegations involving Yoo Jae-soo, then a senior Financial Services Commission official. At that time, Cho was senior presidential secretary for civil

Politics May 8, 2020

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) approved a bid Friday to merge with its sister party created to seek proportional representation seats in the latest parliamentary elections. Of nearly 180,000 party members who participated in an electronic vote, 84.1 percent approved the proposal, according to party officials. The vote was conducted for 24 hours beginning at 6 a.m. Thursday. The DP created a satellite party, named the Platform Party, in the runup to the April 15 parliamentary elections, in a

Politics May 8, 2020

들불과 폭설에도 꿋꿋이 둥지를 지킨 멸종위기종 황새 한 쌍이 최근 러시아 극동 아무르주(州)에서 결실을 봐 현지에서 화제가 되고 있다. 8일 현지 매체인 '아르구멘티 이 팍티'(논증과 사실) 등에 따르면 세계자연기금(WWF) 러시아 아무르지부는 지난 2일 아무르주에 있는 황새 둥지에서 새끼들이 태어났다고 밝혔다. 러시아 아무르지부가 공개한 사진에서는 솜털이 빽빽하게 난 황새 새끼 3마리의 모습을 확인할 수 있다. 이 둥지의 주인인 황새 부부는 화재와 폭설에도 알을 끝까지 지켜 내 현지 언론들의 관심을 받아왔다. 러시아 아무르지부는 지난 3월 이 황새 부부 가운데 한 마리가 둥지 주위에 불이 번지는 상황에서도 알을 끝까지 보듬고 있는 모습의 CCTV 동영상을 게시하기도 했다. 철탑 위에 둥지가 자리를 잡아 황새 부부에게 별다른 영향은 미치지 않았다고 현지 전문가들은 전했다. 지난달 폭설이 내렸지만, 이때도 황새 부부는 둥지를 꿋꿋하게 지켰다. 러시아 아무르지부 관계자는

한국어판 May 8, 2020

President Moon Jae-in said Friday schools have become the front line of South Korea's anti-coronavirus fight, as it's preparing to reopen in-person classes next week following a two-month delay. "Now, schools are the front line of quarantine (measures)," he said during a visit to Jungkyung High School in central Seoul. He checked quarantine-related steps and had an on-site discussion with a group of parents, teachers and quarantine experts. The visit came amid renewed concerns about

Politics May 8, 2020

The South Korean performing arts scene is joining the nationwide return to normal life after a monthslong battle with the novel coronavirus. Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul said it will stage the special concert "Dear My Parents" at its main Concert Hall on Saturday to celebrate Parents' Day, which falls on Friday, and to express gratitude to those who have dedicated themselves to the fight against COVID-19. The center said it will invite medical workers and their families to th

Culture May 8, 2020

South Korea is conducting clinical tests for seven existing drugs to see if any of them can effectively treat the new coronavirus, a government official said Friday, noting a positive outcome of the tests may lead to the development of a cure for the virus before the year's end at the earliest. "We expect, not all seven, but some of them may be launched later this year at the earliest," the official said in a Seoul meeting to review government support for efforts to develop drugs a

Social Affairs May 8, 2020

한국 축구 대표팀의 에이스 손흥민(28·토트넘)이 기초군사훈련 성적 1등을 거두며 선수뿐 아니라 군인으로도 '월드 클래스'(world class)임을 보여줬다. 8일 해병대 등에 따르면 손흥민은 이날 오전 제주 서귀포시 대정읍 해병대 9여단 훈련소에서 3주간의 기초군사훈련을 수료한다. 손흥민은 수료식(퇴소식)에서 훈련생 157명 중 수료 성적 1위를 기록해 '필승' 상을 받는다. 해병대는 훈련생 중 우수한 성적을 거둔 5명가량을 선정해 수료식에서 시상하고 있다. 수상자의 등수는 공개되지 않지만, 손흥민은 1등을 한 것으로 알려졌다. 손흥민은 정신전력 평가에서 100점 만점을 받았고, 사격 훈련에서도 10발 중 10발을 과녁에 명중하는 등 전 과목에서 우수한 성적을 받았다. 대한민국 축구 국가대표의 '캡틴'(주장)인 손흥민은 각개전투 훈련 때 분대장 임무를 수행하며 좋은 점수를 받았다. 손흥민은 열외 없이 성실한 자세로 훈련에 임했고, 훈련 교관들은 손흥민을

한국어판 May 8, 2020

Thirteen more cases of the novel coronavirus were confirmed Friday, associated with a patient who visited clubs and bars in Seoul's popular multicultural neighborhood of Itaewon over the weekend. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said that 14 of the patient's contacts, including three foreign nationals and one Army officer, have so far tested positive for COVID-19. All patients are aged between 19 and 37. The 29-year-old patient, whom health authorities consider the

Social Affairs May 8, 2020

남아프리카공화국 의회가 7일(현지시간) 화상회의 서비스 '줌'(Zoom)을 이용한 회의를 진행하던 중 음란물이 화면에 뜨는 해킹을 당했다고 현지신문 소웨탄 등이 보도했다. 문제의 해커는 이날 가상회의를 주재한 탄디 모디세 하원의장에게 인종 차별적 욕설을 퍼붓기도 했다. 이번 사건은 오전 9시 프로그래밍 위원회 회의를 시작한 지 50초께 첫 번째 안건을 토의하려던 참에 벌어졌다. 마침 야당 민주동맹(DA)의 나타샤 마쪼네 원내총무가 의회 가상회의 기능과 운영에 대한 안건을 제시하려고 했다. 충격을 받은 모디세 의장은 "이것이 내가 정확히 줌에 대해 말해왔던 것"이라고 외쳤다. 지난주 위원회 회의에서도 줌의 보안성에 대한 우려가 있었다. 다른 의원들도 충격과 혐오 속에 어떻게 해야 할지 생각하는 가운데 음란 영상 등은 더 올라왔고 결국 회의는 4분 30초 만에 정회됐다. 특히 마지막 30초 동안 남자 목소리 해커가 모디세 의장을 겨냥해 성차별적이고 인종 차

한국어판 May 8, 2020

South Korea's health authorities are raising their guard against an increase in new virus cases, as the country reported yet another cluster infection Friday after easing social distancing. The country detected 12 more cases of the new coronavirus Thursday, most of which came from overseas, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,822, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The tally marked new daily cases of more than 10 for the first time in five days.

Social Affairs May 8, 2020

Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean star Son Heung-min completed a three-week military training program with the best performance among all trainees Friday, as he excelled in shooting skills and other areas, officials said. Son is one of the top five trainees to receive a prize at the camp's graduation ceremony at a Marine Corps unit on the southern island of Jeju on Friday. The exact scores of the trainees were not disclosed, but officials said Son was the top among a total of 157 trainees. Son

Soccer May 8, 2020

The military on Friday resumed allowing enlisted service members to go on vacation, the defense ministry said, amid a slowdown in the spread of the new coronavirus. All enlisted service personnel had been banned from off-base trips since mid-February, after the Navy reported the first COVID-19 infection in barracks. Other restrictions, including banning soldiers from staying out and meeting outside visitors, will be eased in phases in consideration of the virus situation down the road, the mi

Defense May 8, 2020

Seoul stocks opened higher Friday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street boosted by a decrease in the number of jobless claims in the world's top economy. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 21.9 points, or 1.14 percent, to 1,950.51 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average moved up 0.89 percent on data that 3.16 million Americans had applied for unemployment benefits last week, down 677,000 from a week earlier. The figure, how

Market May 8, 2020