Latest news with #Ju-minPark
Mint
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
K-pop megastars RM, V released from army, promise BTS reunion
By Ju-min Park and Jack Kim SEOUL (Reuters) -K-pop supergroup BTS members RM and V were discharged from the South Korean military on Tuesday after mandatory service, as fans were counting down to the band's comeback with more members finishing their national duty later this month. Cheered by dozens of fans near the military base, the two members in their army uniforms saluted the crowd and said they will soon be returning to perform. "To all the ARMYs who have waited for us in the military, I want to say I am truly, truly grateful. Please wait just a little longer and we will return with a really cool performance," V said in front of fans and media. Known as ARMY, BTS has a global fan club with millions of loyal followers. Two other bandmates, Jin and J-Hope, were discharged from the military earlier and have been performing solo and appearing on variety shows. Jimin, Jung Kook and Suga are set to wrap their military service as late as June 21, media reports say. The globally recognised K-pop icon BTS has not released a group project since 2022 and its members are hoping for the reunion. 'After pursuing our own little ventures, we are now coming back together, and I love that for us,' J-Hope told a magazine in December. Entertainment group HYBE, which manages BTS, is planning a huge event called BTS FESTA this week for fans to celebrate the band's 12th anniversary. It is not clear whether the members will show up, but Jin attended last year. Shares in HYBE rose 2.3% as of 0211 GMT, hitting their highest point in more than three years. Holding a flower bouquet for their discharge from the army, RM said he wanted to perform the most. "(Members) would feel the same, but stage performance, I want to perform the most. I'll work hard to make an album soon and come back to the stage," RM said, after playing the sax for the crowd. Groupies from around the world flew in to South Korea to celebrate the return of their "life-changing" stars. "It is just absolutely joyful. That is now four out, two again tomorrow and then Suga. Then we have OT7, we have seven kings back with us," said Philip Darbyshire, a 72-year-old Australian fan, referring to the band's seven members. (Reporting by Jack Kim and Ju-min Park; Additional reporting by Minwoo Park; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Sonali Paul)
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
South Korean students warned over social media posts amid Trump administration crackdown
By Ju-min Park SEOUL (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's administration is raising scrutiny over the social media posts of South Korean students in the United States or who plan to study there, the students and agencies that support them said. That has triggered concerns for parents of students studying or planning to study in the United States. South Korean students are the third-largest among international students in the U.S., behind those from India and China. The U.S. administration ordered its missions abroad to stop scheduling new appointments for student and exchange visitor visa applicants as the State Department prepared to expand social media vetting of foreign students, according to an internal cable seen by Reuters on Tuesday. The Trump administration has sought to ramp up deportations and revoke student visas as part of wide-ranging efforts to meet its hardline immigration agenda. "My clients, parents are calling me constantly today to figure out what is going on," said Park Hyuntae, head of Worldnet U.S. Overseas Edu Center, an agency in Seoul that assists South Korean students. "Those who already scheduled those interviews and will apply for interviews both are worried, nervous, but cancellations of existing interviews haven't happened yet as far as I know." Park said the visa interview pause could cause delays in starting the school year, and that he was advising clients to be cautious over what they post online. 'I am telling them, especially male students, do not post anything extreme or disgusting on social media, like pictures of grenades or weapons,' he said. An email reviewed by Reuters from a liberal arts college told students overseas that scheduled visa interviews might be postponed and suggested they gave their "socials a little attention." Stiff competition to get into South Korea's top universities has driven many students to study abroad, according to the U.S. International Trade Administration. One South Korean student who studies in the United States said he had friends who were unable to schedule visa interviews, and that he was concerned about his own plans to try to work in the United States after graduation. "I think what is now the United States is a lot different than the United States in the past," he said, asking not to be identified.
The Star
19-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Samsung SDI cuts pricing of new shares by 17% amid tariff-driven sell-off
SEOUL (Reuters) -Samsung SDI on Monday slashed the pricing of its new share issue by 17% after its stock declined in a broad market sell-off sparked by concerns over potential U.S. tariffs. The South Korean battery maker has lowered the price of its planned share sale twice since March. It now plans to sell new shares at 140,000 won ($100.37) each, down from the originally proposed price of 169,200 announced in March. Samsung SDI lowered its pricing of new shares to 146,200 won last month. ($1 = 1,394.9000 won) (Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Ed Davies)
The Star
07-05-2025
- The Star
North Korea fires missile off east coast, South Korea says
SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea has fired an unidentified ballistic missile off its east coast, South Korea's military said on Thursday. The military had no further details. In March, North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles, while blaming the South Korean and U.S. militaries for launching drills that Pyongyang called a "dangerous provocative act". (Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Ed Davies)
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
South Korea assembly speaker proposes revising constitution to curb presidency
By Ju-min Park SEOUL (Reuters) - The speaker of South Korea's parliament on Sunday proposed revising the constitution to curb presidential powers, citing public support for such a move after President Yoon Suk Yeol was ousted for declaring martial law. "I would like to propose to the people that we should now quickly pursue constitutional revision," Woo Won-shik, the National Assembly speaker, told a press conference. "After going through the unconstitutional and illegal martial law and (then Yoon's) impeachment, the public consensus on the urgency of constitutional revision is greater than ever." He proposed a national referendum on constitutional reform to coincide with the presidential election that must be held within two months of Yoon's ouster on Friday by the nation's Constitutional Court. The court upheld parliament's impeachment of Yoon for briefly declaring martial law on December 3, sparking South Korea's worst political crisis in decades. "The national confusion has come to an end with the Constitutional Court's ruling, but the potential for destructive conflict surrounding presidential power still exists," said Woo, adding that many South Koreans want to change the "imperial presidency", which he called a source of extreme political conflict. A Gallup Korea opinion survey last month found 54% supporting constitutional revision to fix the presidential system and 30% saying that is unnecessary. Yoon said on Sunday that although he had stepped down, he would "always stand by" his supporters, who fought for "freedom and defending sovereignty". Acting President Han Duck-soo and the election commission are considering June 3 for the election date, the commission has said. The constitution was last revised in 1987 to introduce direct presidential elections and a single, five-year term. In recent years, presidential candidates from across the political spectrum have supported revisions including giving presidents two four-year terms, but there have been few concrete steps after new leaders were chosen. Yoon's ruling People Power Party is studying possible amendments, and its presidential hopefuls have mentioned barring presidents from seeking more than two four-year terms. The leading candidate to replace Yoon, main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, has also spoken of that idea.
