The Korea Times

Girls' Generation, Teen Top wow K-pop fans in New Jersey

K-pop boy band Super Junior performs on Aug. 1 in Los Angeles as part of the KCON 2015 festival. / YonhapPopular K-pop groups such as Girls’ Generation, Teen Top, VIXX and AOA performed to Korean pop fans at the Prudential Center in New York Saturday, as part of 2015 KCON. The now eight-member girl group Girls’ Generation sang its latest song “Party” as well as their other hits including “Genie.”Photos of Girls’ Generation attending the 2015 KCON in New York Saturday was featured on Splash News.The largest hallyu or Korean wave festival in North America was held for three days starting from July 31 through Aug. 2 in Los Angeles, and then moved to New York to the Saturday concert.Top K-pop boy and girl bands including Super Junior, Sistar and Block B and R&B singer Crush took part in the Los Angeles concert. 

Aug 9, 2015By Kim Ji-soo

Girls' Generation, Teen Top wow K-pop fans in New Jersey

South Korea

'라이언킹의 비극'…세실 새끼, 다른 사자 공격에 죽음

'트로피 헌터'에게 사냥당한 아프리카 짐바브웨의 '국민 사자' 세실의 새끼 한 마리가 아빠를 잃은 뒤 다른 사자로부터 공격당해 죽었다고 영국 선데이미러가 8일(현지시간) 보도했다.    짐바브웨 국립공원의 한 소식통에 따르면 세실의 새끼 사자 8마리 중 1마리가 최근 엄마 사자를 차지하려던 다른 수사자로부터 죽임을 당한 것으로 전해졌다.    이 소식통은 "(세실이 도륙된 후 남겨진) 암사자를 차지하려는 수사자들이 새끼들을 더 죽일 수 있다"며 "사자사회에는 원래 '영아 살해'의 풍습이 남아있다"고 설명했다.    이어 세실의 암사자들이 새끼 사자를 보호하려 하겠지만 그런 노력이 오래가지는 못할 것이라고 분석했다.    야생동물 전문가들은 암사자와 새끼들만 남은 사자무리가 살아남을 확률은 5％에 불과하다고 밝혔다.    그동안 삼촌격인 사자 제리코가 세실의 새끼 사자들을 보호했지만, 지금은 이들을 떠나 다른 암사자들을 거느리면서 새로운 사자 무리를 이끌고 있다고 공원 관계자는 전했다.    이 관계자는 "제리코가 세실의 새끼 사자를 죽이지는 않을 것"이라며 "제리코는 세실의 새끼 사자들 중 일부가 자신의 혈육이라고 생각한다"고 말했다.    그렇지만 다른 수사자가 세실의 남은 새끼들을 죽이려 할 때 제리코가 새끼들을 도와줄지는 알 수 없다고 덧붙였다.    짐바브웨의 명물 사자인 세실은 지난달 미국인 치과의사 월터 파머에 의해 보호구역인 황게국립공원 밖으로 유인당해 화살과 총탄에 맞아 도륙당한 뒤 머리가 참수되고 가죽이 벗겨진 채 발견돼 전 세계에서 공분을 불러일으켰다. (연합뉴스) 

Aug 9, 2015By Kim Ji-soo

South Korea

N. Korea threatens 'tough military counteraction' against S. Korea-US joint drill

North Korea on Saturday threatened "tough military counteraction" against Seoul and Washington ahead of their upcoming joint military exercises scheduled for later this month."Ulchi Freedom Guardian will entail tough military counteraction of the army of the DPRK to firmly defend the dignity of the nation and sovereignty of the country," the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a statement. DPRK is the acronym for the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.The North said that the two allies' "efforts" to call the drills "transparent and defensive," and "regular and open," cannot "conceal the aggressive and reactionary nature of the drills as typical saber-rattling for making a pre-emptive nuclear strike at the DPRK."The statement comes as ties between the two Koreas remain frigid amid Pyongyang's heightened criticism of Seoul and their plan to hold a joint celebration of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule virtually fell through.Seoul-Pyongyang ties have been further strained in recent years following the North's torpedoing of a Sou

Aug 8, 2015By Kim Ji-soo

South Korea

Chung Mong-joon to announce FIFA candidacy in France

South Korean FIFA presidential hopeful Chung Mong-joon said Thursday he will announce his candidacy in Paris later this month.He told a press conference in Seoul that he will officially join the race on Aug. 17 in the French capital. He will first travel to Georgia on Aug. 12 for UEFA Super Cup, where he will hold talks with key European football officials, and make stops through some European cities before arriving in Paris."FIFA was founded in Paris (in 1904) and it's a transportation hub," said Chung, who was a FIFA vice president from 1994 to 2011. "Around that time, I also hope to meet with UEFA President Michel Platini."Platini, a former French international, recently announced his own candidacy and is largely seen as the front-runner.The election for the new president is scheduled for Feb. 26 next year at FIFA's current headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland. Incumbent Sepp Blatter, who was elected to his fifth mandate in May, has announced his resignation in the aftermath of devastating corruption scandals.Aside from Chung and Platini, Jordanian Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein, who ra

Aug 6, 2015By Kim Ji-soo

Shows & Dramas

INFINITE appointed expo ambassadors

INFINITEK-pop group INFINITE will promote the Korea Brand & Entertainment Expo, or KBEE 2015, to be held in Shanghai.Group members will work with actor Lee Kwang-soo, 30, starting Aug. 27.The expo was created with the goal of mixing cultural industry and the hallyu brand with IT and manufacturing industry.Over 100 Korean companies and 600 Chinese buyers are expected to participate in KBEE 2015. The expo will also offer attractions like the “Hallyu Star Styling Show” and the “Korea-China Special Audition.”

Aug 6, 2015By Kim Ji-soo

South Korea

Lee Hee-ho visits care facilities in NK

The widow of former President Kim Dae-jung visited facilities for orphans and the elderly in North Korea Thursday, but it is not immediately known whether she is able to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, her aides said.Lee Hee-ho, 93, who was the South's first lady during Kim's five-year tenure until 2003, arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday for a four-day visit, hoping that her rare trip could pave the way for inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation in a landmark year.Earlier in the day, she visited the homes for children and the elderly in Pyongyang and she will later leave for Mount Myohyang in North Pyongan Province, about a three hours' drive north of the capital, according to the Kim Dae-jung Peace Center, the organizer of the trip.But it is still not clear whether she will meet with the North's leader who invited Lee to visit.Lee's visit is in the spotlight on the hopes that it may help ease lingering tension on the divided peninsula, sparked by the North's nuclear and missile tests. The two Koreas have not held high-level talks since February 2014.As her visit to the Nor

Aug 6, 2015By Kim Ji-soo

Sports

Rangers' Choo extends hitting streak; Pirates' Kang slow out of gate in August

South Korean outfielder Choo Shin-soo of the Texas Rangers extended his hitting streak to seven games on Tuesday at home.Choo went 1-for-4 with a double against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, and is batting .239 on the season.The Rangers beat the American League West division-leading Astros 4-3 to even their record at 53-53.Choo hit a liner in the fourth inning that went over the head of right fielder Colby Rasmus. After apparently misjudging the flight of the ball, Rasmus tried to make a jumping catch, and the play was initially ruled an error. The official scorer later changed it to a double, keeping Choo's streak alive.It was his 20th double of the season. He's 3-for-10 so far in August, and batting .364 since the All-Star break.Over in the National League, Pittsburgh Pirates' shortstop Kang Jung-ho went 0-for-3 against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, as his average dropped to .291.The NL Rookie of the Month for July, Kang has gone 1-for-11 in three August games.Cubs' starter Jake Arrieta stifled the Pirates to just two hits in seven innings

Aug 5, 2015By Kim Ji-soo

South Korea

'Month-long biracial marriage valid'

The Supreme Court has ruled against nullifying an international marriage which a Chinese woman left after a month, saying there needs to be firm proof that she did not want to marry.The top court announced its decision Wednesday in a case filed by a Korean man, surnamed Lee, against the Chinese woman.In June 2011, Lee met his future wife who came to Korea via an international marriage agency. They decided to marry and registered the marriage to the authority.But she left home after about a month and did not return, so Lee reported her missing and filed a suit to nullify the union, alleging she entered the country and married to get a job in Korea.It was later found that the woman returned to China in February 2012.A local court ruled against Lee, saying the woman may have left him due to troubles with him and that there was insufficient evidence to support Lee’s claim of a “sham marriage” with the purpose of finding a job. A high court upheld the ruling, as did the top court.

Aug 5, 2015By Kim Ji-soo

Shows & Dramas

Supernova's Sungmo tops Oricon charts

Cover of Sungmo's album "Tiramisu Love" / Courtesy of Amazon JapanSupernova band member Sungmo’s solo album has topped the Japanese Oricon chart.“Tiramisu Love” shot to the top of the daily chart after its Aug. 4 release. The album was momentarily sold out on Japanese Amazon.com.Band members Kim Sungje, Kim Kwangsoo, Song Jihyuk, Park Geonil, Jung Yoon-hak and Yoon Sungmo debuted in 2007.Meanwhile, the band will release its seventh album, ”7IRO,“ on Sept. 9 in Japan. 

Aug 5, 2015By Kim Ji-soo

South Korea

South Korea through to final of Women's East Asian Cup

South Korea defeated Japan 2-1 at the Women’s East Asian Cup football at Wuhan Sports Center in China Tuesday to earn a place in the final.Korean midfielder Jeon Ga-eul scored the winning goal on a free kick during injury time. Captain Cho So-hyun scored the equalizer on a breakaway in the 54th minute.South Korea also defeated China 1-0 last Saturday.South Korea will play North Korea in the final at 5:10 p.m. Saturday.South Korea was the champion of the first Women's East Asian Cup in 2005. Japan won the next two while North Korea won the most recent one in 2013. 

Aug 5, 2015By Kim Ji-soo

Kim Ji-soo

Read more

Girls' Generation, Teen Top wow K-pop fans in New Jersey

'라이언킹의 비극'…세실 새끼, 다른 사자 공격에 죽음

N. Korea threatens 'tough military counteraction' against S. Korea-US joint drill

Chung Mong-joon to announce FIFA candidacy in France

INFINITE appointed expo ambassadors

Lee Hee-ho visits care facilities in NK

Rangers' Choo extends hitting streak; Pirates' Kang slow out of gate in August

'Month-long biracial marriage valid'

Supernova's Sungmo tops Oricon charts

South Korea through to final of Women's East Asian Cup

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