Author: Jae young
August 27, 2025SEOUL – Remember the white lion couple rescued from a poorly managed underground zoo in Daegu in 2023? Their first tentative steps on sunlit grass in an open-air enclosure at a larger zoo, captured by news cameras, brought relief to many, while renewing public calls for stricter oversight of privately run indoor zoos in South Korea.Those two lions have now welcomed three baby cubs to the world.According to Spavalley, the new home of the lions, on Monday, the cubs were born at around 1 p.m. on Aug. 18. The first male cub weighed 1.6 kilograms, the second female…
August 27, 2025SEOUL – Traditionally, Koreans have thought of themselves as homogeneous people, despite the absence of solid evidence for this view. Unfortunately, this preconception has often led to many foreigners finding it difficult to integrate into Korean society.However, these days things appear to be changing. Due to the significant influx of international students, immigrants and migratory workers, Koreans are now witnessing that their country is rapidly turning into a multicultural society. Accordingly, the question Koreans face now is: “Are we ready for such a dramatic change and a multicultural future?”Recently, an American friend of mine sent me an article…
August 27, 2025SEOUL – With the number of K-pop concerts and music awards growing both at home and abroad, agencies are reporting record sales, yet more idols are stepping back due to mental and physical health concerns. Many work relentlessly until a serious injury forces them to stop.Yoon Ji-yoon of girl group Izna, managed by CJ ENM subsidiary WakeOne, recently left the group citing health issues, just six months after halting activities in February.Monsta X’s I.M also took a three-week break starting in late July, later resuming group activities on Friday. Starship Entertainment said he had been receiving treatment for…
August 27, 2025SEOUL – South Korea’s biggest conglomerates plan to invest around $150 billion in the US, a move business leaders say will merge Korea’s manufacturing strength with America’s innovation to drive growth in areas spanning from AI to semiconductors, shipbuilding and nuclear power.The pledge comes in addition to Korea’s earlier commitment to a $350 billion investment fund for projects in the US as part of the trade deal last month that lowered tariffs on Korean goods from 25 percent to 15 percent.The announcement was made by Ryu Jin, chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries, on behalf of the…
August 27, 2025SEOUL – President Lee Jae Myung’s “pragmatic diplomacy” took center stage after a roller coaster ride on the day of his pivotal summit with US President Donald Trump, covering North Korea, defense and trade, with Lee viewing the summit as a way to open a new phase in the 72-year-old alliance between the two countries.Hours after the summit at the White House on Monday, Lee said in a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, that his talks with Trump could pave the way for his pursuit of a “pragmatic alliance” centered…
August 26, 2025SEOUL – Hybe, the K-pop powerhouse behind BTS, appears to be stepping up efforts to win the industry’s most prestigious accolade — the Grammy Awards — which could mark the final milestone in BTS’ already historic career.On Friday, the company announced that CEO Lee Jae-sang was registered as a professional member of the Recording Academy, the organization that presents the Grammys. Professional membership is given to senior industry figures, including producers, journalists, professors and label executives. Members are allowed to submit entries for Grammy consideration and propose rule changes, giving them direct influence over the ceremony’s direction.Last month,…
August 26, 2025SEOUL – President Lee Jae Myung’s special delegation conveyed his personal letter on the future course of South Korea-China relations to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, along with an invitation to visit South Korea during the upcoming APEC summit, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said Monday.The letter was handed over during the delegation’s meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday, which was followed by a banquet at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.The special delegation to China also called for exploring ways to repair deteriorating public sentiment between the two countries to strengthen the foundation of public support, eliciting…
August 26, 2025SEOUL – The special counsel investigating Kim Keon Hee, the wife of disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol, summoned both the former first lady and Jeon Seong-bae — a shaman who was taken into custody on Aug. 21 — to look into alleged corruption involving the former presidential couple and the Unification Church.The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, better known as the Unification Church, was founded in 1954 in Seoul by the late Rev. Moon Sun-myung and has since grown exponentially, gaining solid footholds in South Korea, Japan and the United States. In a 2021 press…
August 26, 2025SEOUL – South Korea’s rapid transformation into a super-aged society has brought a stark consequence: elderly poverty. About 38 percent of Koreans over 65 live below the poverty line, the highest rate in the OECD, leaving many retirees struggling to make ends meet.To ease the strain, the government plans to allow insurance policyholders to tap death benefits while still alive, turning payouts once reserved for heirs into retirement income.The Financial Services Commission said Tuesday it is reviewing a plan to let policyholders access their benefits from age 55, starting in October. A task force with five life insurers…
August 26, 2025SEOUL – Korea’s National Assembly has passed sweeping corporate governance reforms that strengthen minority shareholder rights and curb the voting power of controlling families, deepening a clash between investors eager for change and conglomerates warning of instability.The legislation, championed by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, cleared the plenary session with 180 votes in favor and two abstentions from the minor New Reform Party, while the main opposition People Power Party lawmakers staged a boycott in protest.Under the new rules, large listed companies with assets exceeding 2 trillion won ($1.44 billion) must adopt a cumulative voting system, and…