Seven-piece boy band GOT7 will officially be leaving JYP Entertainment without renewing its contract, the agency announced Monday. "JYP held in-depth discussions with members of GOT7 ahead of their exclusive contract termination on Jan. 19. As a result, the two sides agreed not to proceed with a contract renewal, hoping for a new future," the entertainment agency said in a statement. JYP, led by K-pop guru and producer Park Jin-young, voiced gratitude to the band as well as its fan c

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Monday that social distancing rules that are considered either unfair or ineffective must be changed, suggesting that authorities may soon revise the state-mandated distancing scheme to address growing complaints among small business owners. "While mandating strict adherence (of distancing rules) in high-risk areas, bold revisions should be made on measures that are either unfair or ineffective," Chung said during an interagency meeting on the COVID-

카멀라 해리스 미국 부통령 당선인의 모습이 실린 패션잡지 '보그' 표지 사진이 때아닌 '화이트워싱'(whitewashing) 논란에 휘말렸다. 화이트워싱은 영화에서 백인이 아닌 캐릭터에도 백색 인종 배우로 캐스팅하는 행태를 일컫는데, 보그측이 미국의 첫 흑인 부통령 시대를 연 해리스 당선인의 피부 색깔을 하얗게 조정했다는 의혹인 셈이다. 10일(현지시간) 영국 일간 가디언 등에 따르면 보그는 이날 해리스 부통령 당선인이 등장하는 2월호 표지 사진을 트위터로 공개했다. 사진에서 해리스 당선인은 분홍색 커튼이 드리워진 풀색 계열의 벽지를 배경으로 검은색 정장과 컨버스 운동화를 착용하고 서 있다. 누리꾼들 사이에선 보그 측에서 해리스 당선인의 피부를 인위적으로 더 밝게 조정했다는 지적이 나온다. 한 트위터 이용자는 "해리스는 흑인 여성 중 피부색이 가장 밝은 편인데도 보그가 조명을 '개판'으로 했다"라며 노골적인 비난을 퍼부었다. 뉴욕타임스(NYT) 기고자인 와

A record 11.85 trillion won ($10.79 billion) was paid in unemployment benefits last year amid the business challenges of COVID-19, government data showed Monday. According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the government paid more than 956 billion won in job-seeking benefits in December, bringing the yearly total to 11.85 trillion won. Job-seeking benefits are meant to help the unemployed find jobs, and are commonly known as unemployment benefits because they account for most of the une

The defense ministry said Monday that it has yet to decide whether to push for the development of a nuclear-powered submarine, amid security concerns sparked by North Korea's pursuit of the underwater naval platform. The ministry's deputy spokesperson Col. Moon Hong-sik made the comment in an answer to a reporter's question about Seoul's plan for the new asset, after North Korea said Saturday that its research into nuclear-powered subs is complete and in the final stages of examination. "

"I Can't Stop Me" has become K-pop girl group TWICE's fastest music video to rack up 200 million views on YouTube, its management agency said Monday. The music video hit the milestone around 8:40 p.m. Sunday, some 77 days after its release in October, according to JYP Entertainment. The group's 2017 music video "Likey" held the previous record for the feat at 130 days. The video of "I Can't Stop Me," a retro-disco main track of the nine-member group's second full

Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co. said Monday that it has won a combined 288 billion won ($263 million) in orders from three companies in Liberia, Oceania and Asia. Under the deal with a Liberian company, a 174,000-cubic meter liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier to be built by Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Co. will be delivered by the second half of 2023, Korea Shipbuilding said. The deal has an option to build two 174,000-cubic meter LNG carriers and one liquefied petroleum g

South Korean director Im Sang-soo, whose latest feature "Heaven: To The Land of Happiness" was selected by Cannes last year, will make his directorial debut in Hollywood, a production company here said Monday. He will take the helm of "Soho Sins," co-produced by US production studio 2W Network Entertainment, according to Yeolmae Entertainment. The film is based on the novel of the same title written by Richard Vine, the managing editor of the magazine Art in America. It fea

South Korea's agricultural ministry said Monday it is currently investigating another suspected case of highly pathogenic bird flu traced to poultry farms amid growing concerns over wild birds carrying the disease into the country over the winter season. Authorities are currently investigating the suspected case of the HN58 strain of bird flu from a duck farm in Muan, 385 kilometers south of Seoul, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Since late November, South Kor

South Korea's top construction equipment maker Doosan Infracore Co. said Monday that its excavator sales in China rose 22 percent last year from a year earlier on the back of infrastructure investment expansion by the Chinese government. Doosan Infracore sold 18,686 excavators in the country last year, compared with 15,270 units in 2019, which is its highest annual sales since 2011, when it sold about 16,700 units, the company said. Doosan Infracore sold 21,800 excavators in 2010 in China, whi

Two service members from an Air Force unit tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total caseload there to 10, the defense ministry said Monday. The Air Force members stationed at the unit in Gapyeong, 60 kilometers east of Seoul, were confirmed to have been infected, as around 170 members of their base have been undergoing tests after the first COVID-19 case was reported Saturday, according to the ministry. "We are taking necessary steps to find virus cases and prevent the

YEOSU -- A contract worker for a bituminous coal storing company at the national industrial complex in Yeosu has died after his body got stuck in a machine, authorities said Monday. According to Yeosu Fire Station, the 33-year-old mechanic was caught in a machine used for coal transportation at the company in the South Jeolla Province city, some 455 kilometers south of Seoul, around 7:55 p.m. Sunday. He was taken out from the machine at 10:32 p.m. by rescuers dispatched to the scene. The badly

President Moon Jae-in said Monday that the government will provide all South Korean people with free-of-charge COVID-19 vaccines in phases starting next month. "(The government) will make sure that all of the people will be inoculated free of charge in accordance with priorities," he said in his New Year's address, assuring that inoculation will begin in February. Having signed contracts with some foreign vaccine makers, South Korea expects the first-batch delivery of products within

LG Electronics Inc. on Monday said it has signed a partnership with the global esports organization Gen.G to better target young consumers amid the pandemic. Under the deal, the two sides agreed to seek various business opportunities in the global esports industry and cooperate in promoting LG UltraGear gaming monitor and notebook products. LG believes the partnership can boost its marketing for the MZ generation, which refers to those born between 1980 and the early 2000s as a combination of

South Korea's military said Monday that it has detected signs indicating that North Korea carried out a military parade in time for a ruling party congress in Pyongyang late Sunday. The North has been holding the eighth congress of the Workers' Party in Pyongyang since Tuesday, and the possibility has been raised that it could stage a military parade on the occasion. "Our military detected signs that North Korea held a military parade related to the party congress at Kim Il-sung Square in

South Korean stocks opened sharply higher Monday on the back of stellar advances by Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor, as investors pinned rosy expectations on the top caps' possible partnership with US tech giants. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 55.85 points, or 1.8 percent, to 3,209.03 in the first 20 minutes of trading. Samsung Electronics spiked 5.18 percent, following reports that it is rivaling with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. over a chip outsourcing

South Korea's new coronavirus cases rose by the smallest number in 41 days Monday apparently on the back of tightened social distancing measures and fewer tests over the weekend. The country added 451 more COVID-19 cases, including 419 local infections, raising the total caseload to 69,114, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). "The COVID-19 pandemic is on the path toward a slow downturn, yet dangers of cluster infections on the community level still persist

구독자 1천400만여명을 보유한 중국 유튜버가 김장하는 모습을 담은 동영상을 올리면서 '중국음식'(#ChineseFood)라고 해시태그를 달아 논란을 일으키고 있다. 중국 전통문화와 농촌의 일상을 소개하는 중국 유명 유튜버 리쯔치는 지난 9일 '라이프 시리즈: 무의 삶'이라는 제목으로 19분 32초 분량의 영상을 올렸다. 영상에는 리쯔치가 직접 수확해 손질한 배추를 소금에 담가 절이고, 배추에 고춧가루 등으로 만든 빨간 양념을 묻히는 장면과 펄펄 끓는 가마솥에 김치를 넣어 국물 요리를 만드는 모습 등이 나온다. 리쯔치는 설명란에 '전통중국요리'(#ChineseCuisine), '중국음식'(#ChineseFood)라고 해시태그를 달아 영상에 나오는 음식들이 모두 중국 전통음식인 것처럼 소개했다. 해당 영상은 업로드 하루 만에 조회수 213만여회, '좋아요' 약 14만개를 기록했다. 영상을 본 네티즌들은 "김치는 한국 전통음식이다"라며 "예전부터 구독

South Korea's exports declined 15.4 percent on-year in the first 10 days of January, customs data showed Monday, amid the prolonged fallout from the new coronavirus outbreak. The country's outbound shipments stood at $11.2 billion in the Jan. 1-10 period, compared with $13.2 billion a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. Imports decreased 22.9 percent on-year to $11.8 billion in the 10-day period, resulting in a trade deficit of $636 million, the data showed. By

South Korean state bonds worth nearly 48 trillion won ($44 billion) are slated to mature in 2021, with the amount rising further in the next couple of years due to more fiscal spending to weather the coronavirus fallout, government data showed Monday. Treasurys worth 48.2 trillion won, including state debt and inflation-indexed bonds, are scheduled to come due this year, according to the data from the finance ministry. The value of maturing state bonds is forecast to soar to an all-time high o