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

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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 offensive from the opposition party since Yoon has no obligation to comply with the motion from the legislature.
  • U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will make a trip to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that divides South and North Korea during her visit to the South this week. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who made the announcement today, described the planned visit by the U.S. vice president as “very symbolic.”
  • South Korea’s main stock benchmark KOSPI (Korea Composite Stock Price Index) fell below the 2,200-point line during intraday trading for the first time in two years and two months since July 2020 due to continued concerns over global tightening and a looming recession. KOSPI rebounded later and ended at 2,223.86, up 2.92 points or 0.13% from the previous close. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ, which crashed by more than 5 per cent yesterday, also recovered 5.74 points, or 0.83% from the previous day, but failed to claim up above the 700-point level.
  • Cancer and suicide were found to have been the two main causes of death for South Koreans last year, according to data from Statistics Korea. Cancer was the No. 1 cause of death among those in their 40s or higher, while suicide was responsible for the deaths of younger people aged 39 or below. With a daily average of 37 people having taken their own lives last year, South Korea was found to be the country with the highest suicide rate among OECD member countries.
  • Blackpink is writing an ongoing history as a K-pop girl group with fresh achievements day by day. Its new single “Shut Down” debuted on the U.S. Billboard’s Hot 100 main singles chart at No. 25. Yesterday we heard the news that Blackpink became the first K-pop girl group to top Billboard 200 with its latest and second full-length album “Born Pink.” Go, Blackpink! Go! :)


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