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· Michelle De Pacina
Japan’s birth rate plunges to new record low; politician blames citizens’ lack of ‘romantic ability’
Japan’s birth rate has plunged to a new record low, undermining the country’s initiatives to remedy its aging population. According to Japan’s health ministry, the total number of births declined to 799,728 in 2022, which is down 5.1% from a year earlier. The birth rate is the…
· Daniel Anderson
‘OMG’: A NewJeans x McDonald’s Korea collaboration is happening
NewJeans and McDonald’s Korea have teased an upcoming collaboration. On Saturday, the McDonald’s Korea Instagram account posted a red background with the word “Attention” written in yellow, pixelated text. The post’s description asks, “#Can_you_guess?”
· Iris Jung
Trump empathizes with Kim Jong Un while defending N. Korea’s recent missile tests
Former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly empathized with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un after the authoritarian state’s recent missile tests. Pointing to his close relationship with the dictator, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, on Wednesday to defend…
· Daniel Anderson
Usher reveals BLACKPINK inspired him to put on better concerts
R&B icon Usher shared in a recent interview that he believes K-pop girl group BLACKPINK has set a new standard for live performances that helped motivate him to improve his own. The 44-year-old singer explained that his sons begged him to take them to a concert, so they went to…
· Michelle De Pacina
South Korea smashes own world record for lowest fertility rate
South Korea’s fertility rate has dropped yet again, beating its own record for the world’s lowest fertility rate. According to Statistics Korea, the average number of expected babies per South Korean woman over her reproductive life decreased from 0.81 in 2021 to 0.78 in 2022.
· Carl Samson
Fourth suspect arrested for fatal road rage shooting of Dallas community leader
A fourth man has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of 43-year-old Jin Shin, a Korean American business owner and community leader in Dallas. Keeton Sheppard, 34, was taken into custody on Tuesday for his alleged role in the crime, which took place on South…
· Ana Yoo
S. Korean court recognizes same-sex partner rights for first time in landmark ruling
A South Korean high court ruled on Tuesday that same-sex partners are eligible for coverage under their spouse’s government health insurance. The landmark ruling is the first legal recognition of same-sex couples in a country where same-sex marriage has not yet been legalized.
· Ana Yoo
‘I miss my children so much’: Why an American father is walking endlessly on a treadmill in Seoul
In various locations across South Korea’s capital, John Sichi has been walking miles on a treadmill in a desperate effort to draw attention to the abduction of his two young children, who he claims were taken from their home in San Francisco and brought to Seoul by their mother…
· Ana Yoo
S. Korean victims of Japan forced labor continue to condemn Seoul’s compensation plan
A number of wartime forced labor victims continue to condemn South Korean officials’ plan to provide compensation through a domestic fund rather than seeking reparations from Japan. The victims, who have been critical of the government since it revealed a compensation plan last…
· Ryan General
Kimchi named top superfood for 2023 in survey of nutritionists
Kimchi, a traditional Korean dish made from fermented cabbage and gochugaru paste, has been named one of the top 10 superfoods for 2023 by nutritionists in a new study. In Pollock Communications and Today’s Dietitian’s annual “What’s Trending in Nutrition” survey, 757 registered…
· Ryan General
S. Korea’s safety minister impeached over Halloween crush that killed nearly 160
South Korean lawmakers have impeached Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min over his agency’s failure in disaster planning and response to last year’s deadly crowd crush. The impeachment officially holds the minister responsible for the death of at least 158 people and…
· Ryan General
Wrestler contestant on Netflix’s ‘Physical: 100’ goes viral for looking like Jay Chou
A South Korean wrestler who can be seen competing on Netflix’s reality competition show “Physical: 100” has generated online buzz for his striking resemblance to popular Mandopop singer Jay Chou. Nam Kyung-jin, who has made a name for himself in South Korea as a freestyle…
· Bryan Ke
S. Korean prosecutors confirm team traveled to Serbia in hunt for crypto fugitive Do Kwon
The hunt for the co-founder of defunct cryptocurrencies Luna and TerraUSD (UST), Do Kwon, continues as South Korean prosecutors confirmed a team recently traveled to Serbia to ask for help. The Balkan nation came up in several reports in December as the place where Kwon, whose…
· Ana Yoo
S. Korea ordered to compensate survivor of Vietnam War massacre in historic ruling
On Tuesday, a local court in Seoul recognized the atrocities committed by South Korean troops during the Vietnam War and ordered the government to compensate a Vietnamese victim 30 million won (approximately $24,000). Nguyen Thi Thanh first filed a suit in 2020 against the South…
· Daniel Anderson
BTS’ Jin wins military talent show, earns extra vacation day
BTS’ Jin is putting his idol training to good use during his military service, as shown by a recent talent show win. A talent show was held within the K-pop star’s military unit ahead of Lunar New Year. Jin assisted his group by teaching them dance moves, which reportedly helped…
· Ryan General
Five Russian asylum seekers who fled Putin’s war stranded at S. Korean airport for months
Five Russian men seeking asylum are currently stranded at Incheon International Airport after South Korean authorities denied their entry into the country and prevented them from leaving the airport. Dzhashar Khubiev, Vladimir Maraktaev, a man who wished to be identified only by…
· Bryan Ke
Teen snowboarder Gaon Choi breaks Chloe Kim record in X Games debut
South Korean snowboarder Gaon Choi recently became the youngest Women’s Snowboard SuperPipe gold medalist after winning the halfpipe event at the 2023 Aspen Winter X Games in Colorado on Saturday. Choi is six months younger than Chloe Kim, who was 14 years and 8 months old when…
· Ines Shin
Chinese netizens slam Korean celebrities for saying ‘Lunar New Year’ instead of ‘Chinese New Year’
Chinese social media users flooded the comment sections of Korean celebrities who wished their fans good fortunes using the phrase “Lunar New Year” instead of “Chinese New Year.” On Sunday, K-pop star Jang Won-young of IVE posted a picture of herself wearing a hanbok on…
· Bryan Ke
Student mob in India heckles visiting S. Korean women mistaken for Christian missionaries
A group of South Korean women was allegedly harassed by a mob of Indian students and accused of being Christian missionaries. The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday at Chaudhary Charan Singh University (CCSU) in the Indian city of Meerut while the women were visiting the…
· Iris Jung
Japan PM warns country will cease to ‘function as a society’ if population decline persists
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida declared a dire need for policies tackling the country’s declining birth rate, calling it “now or never.” “Japan is standing on the verge of whether we can continue to function as a society,” Kishida told lawmakers at the opening of this…