K-News

News happening now in Korea Motion for FM dismissal; US VP Harris plans DMZ visit; Stock indices slightly rebound; Suicide-Cancer top 2 causes of deaths; Blackpink’s another feat Tuesday, September 27, 2022 I’m summing up some of the news happening now in South Korea. The Democratic Party (DP) decided to submit a motion calling for the dismissal of Foreign Minister Park Jin over what the main opposition party claimed was his failed responsibility to support President Yoon Suk-yeol’s recent overseas trip. Yoon has been at the center of controversy after he was caught on a “hot mic” saying vulgar words allegedly insulting U.S. Congress at a fundraiser in New York in addition to the failure to pay respect to the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in London and the lack of a tangible outcome from a summit with Japan. The dismissal motion is all but certain to pass through the plenary session at the National Assembly, as the DP holds 169 out of 299 seats. But the move may remain a symbolic offe

News happening now in Korea Stock market tumbles; Currency weakness continues; Outdoor mask-wearing lifted; Blackpink tops Billboard 200 Monday, September 26, 2022 It is only the start of the week and there are a horde of hard news hitting this country. Here are some of the news happening now in South Korea. KOSPI-KOSDAQ-September 26, 2022 (Source: Daum ) The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) plunged about 3.1%, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ crossed the 700-point line by closing at 692.38, down 5.07% from the previous trading day. South Korea’s currency, won (KRW), continued to slide and passed below the 1,430 won mark against the U.S. dollar, marking a 13-year low per greenback, over Federal Reserve’s and other central banks’ monetary tightening amid the grim economic outlook. Bank of Korea (BOK) Governor Rhee Chang-yong said the central bank is “exchanging information with U.S. Federal Reserve” with regards to possible currency swap deals, though he said “we are not i

S. Korean military already warned previous day of potential  SLBM  provocation Sunday, September 25, 2022 North Korea just test-fired an “unidentified ballistic missile” into the East Sea, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) announced early Sunday morning. It is supposed to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), as it came just one day after the news reports that South Korea’s military spotted activities presumed to be preparations for a missile launch in Sinpo, northeastern coast of the Korean Peninsula. It has yet to be confirmed by authorities whether it was an SLBM or another type of missile. On May 7, the North fired what was presumed to be a “mini-SLMB” from Sinpo. Pyeongyang’s latest military provocation comes as U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is set to make a visit to Seoul next week, where she would meet South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to discuss North Korean affairs and economic security. South Korean officials warned of further provocations from the

‘Born Pink’ sells over 1.54 million copies in just one week of release Blackpink (From YG Entertainment homepage ) Blackpink has made another history with its latest album. “Born Pink,” the second studio album of Blackpink, has broken the record for the biggest first week sales for a K-pop girl group by selling more than 1.54 million copies since its release on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022, according to its agency. YG Entertainment cited Hanteo Chart’s figure, which stood more than double the number of first-week sales at 690,000 copies for the same girl group’s first studio album, “The Album,” back in 2020. Considering the local market tracker’s tally does not include some of U.S. and EU and other overseas album sales, the actual first-week sales are believed to be even bigger, according to the agency. On top of the album sales, Blackpink is also making prominence in various global charts including major music streaming services. It has topped iTunes albums chart in 60 countries and took f

“If these bastards in parliament… what an embarrassment to Biden,” S. Korean president mutters to his aides South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who has been on a trip to the United States to attend the 77th U.N. General Assembly in New York, came under criticism on Wednesday, Sept. 21, as he was found to have told his aides some “bad words,” which were believed to be directed towards the U.S. Congress. According to the video footage filmed by an on-site cameraman from major South Korean broadcaster MBC, Yoon told his diplomatic minister and security secretary: “In parliament, in case these bastards do not give an approval, what an embarrassment would it be to Biden?” (Unofficial translation from KR to EN.*) Yoon made the remarks that included foul language as he was leaving the venue of a fundraising event, where he also had a brief, 48-second conversation with U.S. President Joe Biden. It was a low voice but clearly recognizable in the video footage. As the news crossed the Pacific

South Korea’s “won” (KRW) fell through the 1,400 mark against the U.S. dollar for the first time in 13 years and a half on Thursday, September 22, 2022 local time after the Federal Reserve’s rate hike by another three-quarters of a percentage point the previous night. In the early morning hours of the day, the South Korean currency hit 1,409.85 against the greenback as the key currency rallied to bring the “U.S. Dollar Currency Index” as high as 111.784 the same day. It is the first time since March 31, 2009, when the won recorded 1,422, for the currency to go below the 1,400 mark which had served a “psychologically important” point among traders and the public. Amid concerns about possible financial crisis, the South Korean government said it would take necessary actions to stem any herd behavior in the foreign exchange market. With increased volatility, however, not a few analysts and experts say there is a possibility that the won could weaken further to reach 1,450 per dollar, as t