Police to investigate singer Wheesung's death through autopsy SEOUL, March 11 (AJP) - With fans and others mourning the death of singer Wheesung, police said on Tuesday that they will ask the National Forensic Service to conduct an autopsy. The 43-year-old R&B singer was found in cardiac arrest at his home in eastern Seoul the previous day and was later pronounced dead. According to police authorities, no suicide note has been discovered, nor are there any signs of forced entry into the house, ruling out foul play. His agency Tazo Entertainment said in a statement that his family and fans are in "great shock and sorrow" over the loss of their beloved singer. Due to his death, a planned joint concert with ballad singer KCM, supposed to be held in Daegu this weekend, has been canceled. Since his debut in 2002, Wheesung enjoyed popularity with several hit songs but also spoke out about his struggles with mental health issues, even being found unconscious several times after taking sleep-inducing drugs. In 2020, he was investigated for abusing the anesthetic propofol and other sedatives on multiple occasions and was sentenced to a suspended prison term the following year. 2025-03-11 15:31:43

Teaser unveils Suzy singing theme song for upcoming Disney film SEOUL, March 11 (AJP) - A video clip featuring actress and singer Suzy singing a soundtrack to Disney's upcoming musical fantasy film "Snow White" was teased on Tuesday. The roughly 40-second-long clip shows Suzy, draped in a red cape, braving a snowstorm as she ventures into an enchanted forest. Ahead of the American film's release here next week, Disney generated buzz with its online event "Guess Who?" last week, inviting fans to guess who will sing the Korean version of "Waiting On A Wish," the film's main theme song, piquing curiosity. With randomly selected winners offered a movie ticket, many believed it was Suzy, as a half-concealed photo seemed unable to hide her beautiful face. The full version of the clip is expected to be unveiled soon, coinciding with the film's release on March 19. "Snow White" tells the story of a princess who fights to reclaim her kingdom from an evil queen who has stolen it. 2025-03-11 11:45:39

Police brace for possible chaos as Yoon's impeachment verdict nears SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) - Security will be beefed up around the Constitutional Court of Korea in central Seoul as a final verdict for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial over last year's botched martial law debacle looms as early as this week or early next week. Several districts including Jongno, where the court is located, along with nearby areas, will be designated for special security to prepare for potential chaos and violence from both supporters and opponents of Yoon, whether he is reinstated or impeached. Park Hyun-soo, acting head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, said the maximum number of police and military personnel along with all available equipment will be mobilized to prevent potential conflict. "We are also considering deploying special forces to handle tasks related to detecting bombs and other threats while conducting rescue operations," he added. The court typically announces the date for the final verdict two or three days in advance, with many expecting it to be imminent. However, there is still a possibility that the court might require more time for deliberation following Yoon's sudden release from a remand prison last week, after the Seoul Central District Court found Yoon's arrest "invalid," citing the timing of his indictment, which it ruled as coming after the expiration of his detention period. Authorities are also considering urging nearby businesses including gas stations to close for the day to ensure safety and prevent disruptions. Meanwhile, the ongoing political divide has deepened even further. The ruling People Power Party (PPP) argued that Yoon's release effectively validates the illegality of an investigation into the debacle by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), which was established to ensure fair and independent probes by separating investigation and prosecution. The main opposition Democratic Party (DP), on the other hand, complained about Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung's decision not to appeal the court's ruling to release Yoon, questioning his intentions behind the decision. But Shim said his decision was made based on "due process of law" and dismissed the DP's call for his resignation. In yet another spree of moves against officials who disagree with the party, the DP with the parliamentary majority is threatening to impeach Shim if he continues to refuse to step down from his post. Later in the day, the PPP has filed charges against the CIO's chief Oh Dong-woon, while the DP has filed a complaint against Shim, intensifying the dispute between the two parties. 2025-03-10 17:35:20

North Korea launches multiple unidentified projectiles toward West Sea SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) - North Korea fired multiple unidentified projectiles toward the West Sea, which appeared to be ballistic missiles, military authorities here said on Monday. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch from North Korea's Hwanghae Province at around 1:50 p.m., but did not provide further details. The launch comes just hours after the renegade country vowed the "toughest anti-U.S. counteraction," threatening "undesirable consequences" as South Korea kicked off its annual joint defense exercise, dubbed "Freedom Shield" with the U.S., which runs until next week. It was much anticipated, as North Korea has often resorted to provocations in response to the annual exercise. The JCS said it heightened surveillance and readiness for potential further launches in cooperation with the U.S. 2025-03-10 15:56:38

Bong Joon-ho's sci-fi film tops North American box office SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) - Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho's latest film "Mickey 17" topped the North American box office in its opening week, making him the first South Korean filmmaker to achieve such a feat. According to tracker Box Office Mojo, the sci-fi film, released last Friday, earned an estimated US$19.1 million in its first three days at more than 3,800 theaters across North America. Despite a strong start, ticket sales fell short of industry projections, as it remains to be seen whether the much-hyped, big-budget film with an estimated production cost of $118 million will break even. Furthermore, given millions spent on marketing and promotion, achieving profitability seems out of reach for now. The adaptation of the 2022 novel by Edward Ashton is set in a futuristic world where human clones, called "Expendables," are dispatched to colonize an icy planet. "Mickey 17" starring Hollywood stars like Mark Ruffalo, Naomi Ackie, and Robert Pattinson, is Bong's third English-language film, after his previous post-apocalyptic hit "Snowpiercer" (2013) and Netflix-produced CGI spectacular "Okja" (2017). 2025-03-10 14:48:04

North Korea lashes out as South Korea-US joint drill gets underway SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) - North Korea on Monday denounced South Korea's annual joint defense exercise with the U.S. as a "dangerous provocative act," calling it "an aggressive confrontational war rehearsal," in yet another protest, just days after a similar protest last week. The annual exercise dubbed "Freedom Shield," which kicks off on Monday, is "a dangerous provocative act of leading the acute situation on the Korean Peninsula, which may spark off a physical conflict between the two sides by means of an accidental single shot, to the extreme point," said North Korea's Foreign Ministry in a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The statement also accused Seoul and Washington of "persistently staging the large-scale joint military exercises" despite Pyongyang's repeated warnings. It added, "The U.S. should be mindful that its habitual hostile policy toward the ..... will only add justification to the principle of toughest anti-U.S. counteraction," warning that Washington will also "face the undesirable consequences." North Korea has often reacted with fury to such joint drills between South Korea and the U.S. This year's exercise, the first major military drill of its kind since U.S. President Donald Trump began his non-consecutive second term in January, runs until March 20. It involves aircraft, warships, and tanks, conducting computer-simulated drills along with field training to strengthen the two allies' combined defense posture against North Korean threats and other security challenges. But there will be no live-fire drills following last week's accident in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province where fighter jets accidentally dropped eight bombs outside a training range during a drill. The number of injured has now increased to dozens of people, with nearly 150 homes damaged. 2025-03-10 11:18:40

Kazakhstan's UN resolution unanimously approved SEOUL, March 7 (AJP) - The United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution earlier this week to set up a center in Almaty, Kazakhstan, dedicated to promoting sustainable development. The establishment of the center for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Central Asia and Afghanistan, proposed by Kazakhstan on behalf of the Central Asian countries, was supported by 152 UN member states, including Germany, South Korea, and the U.K., according to the Kazakh Embassy in Seoul. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev first proposed the idea at the 74th UN General Assembly session in New York in September 2019, suggesting the center be located in Almaty's International Organizations building, which currently houses 18 UN agencies. With a primary focus on regional stability in Afghanistan, the center is expected to enhance UN efforts in the region by facilitating coordination among the agencies and adapting global initiatives to meet local needs. Kazakhstan, as Central Asia's largest economy, aims to support Afghanistan's reconstruction efforts, expand trade and economic ties, and integrate the country into regional cooperation frameworks. "The center will make a significant contribution to the revitalization of the UN system, enhancing the effectiveness of the organization's activities at the regional level," a spokesperson for the embassy said. 2025-03-07 14:50:39

Why many South Korean women are exposed to unwanted pregnancies and STIs SEOUL, March 7 (AJP) - Despite a growing awareness of sexual health in South Korea, contraception remains largely a woman's responsibility, leaving many women vulnerable to unwanted pregnancies and exposing them to the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In a country still steeped in Confucian traditions and values, many men often refuse to use condoms in their intimate relationships, leaving their female partners to often bear much of the blame for not preventing unintended pregnancies and STIs. A 2021 survey by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, which surveyed 2,500 adults, revealed that a mere 18 percent of men have no qualms about using condoms, one of the lowest rates among developed countries. As reasons for not using them, most respondents cited inconvenience, discomfort, and reduced pleasure. Yet health experts stress that condoms are the only contraceptive method that provides dual protection. The World Health Organization (WHO) also states on its website, "Condoms, when used correctly and consistently, are among the most effective methods of preventing most including HIV and unplanned pregnancies and the only method of contraception that can do both." Many health professionals agree that the use of condoms in sexual relationships is considered an ideal option, particularly as women are biologically more susceptible to certain diseases. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes that women are more prone to STIs than men due to anatomical factors and the risk of transmitting STIs to babies. But many women express difficulty in persuading their male partners to use condoms. "Almost all of my patients say their partners refuse to wear condoms. I hear that all the time," said Yang Ki-yeol, an ob-gyn at Trinity Women's Clinic in southern Seoul. "Women may consider taking birth control pills to prevent pregnancy, but that doesn't effectively prevent the spread of STIs," Yang added. In fact, South Korea has seen a growing rise in STIs among women. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KCDC), there were about 3,100 cases of STIs as of December last year, up 22.1 percent from the previous year. HIV cases have also risen among young women by nearly 15 percent over the past decade. While men still account for the majority of HIV infections, the proportion of female infections has steadily increased, from 7.7 percent to 10.1 percent during the same period. Experts point to cultural norms as the reason behind the low usage of condoms, unlike in the U.S., where condoms are widely used and often included in campus health kits as part of safer sex supplies. Most ads for contraceptives here are often skewed toward options available to women such as birth control pills, intrauterine devices (IUDs), and hormonal implants. Commercials for condoms are rarely seen on television or other platforms, as they are classified as medical devices rather than pharmaceutical products, which are subject to stricter advertising regulations, requiring approval from multiple health-related agencies such as the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korea Communications Commission. The last and only television ad for condoms in South Korea, for example, was by the British brand "Durex," which aired briefly in 2013. By contrast, over-the-counter drugs like hormonal medications or morning-after pills for women face fewer restrictions in terms of marketing and advertising. Whether intended or not, these underlying factors may lead to a notion that contraception is primarily a woman's responsibility. Some scholars suggest that power dynamics exist even within romantic relationships, rather than it being simply a matter of wearing a condom or not. They say some men may feel empowered by refusing to wear a condom. "In a traditionally patriarchal society like South Korea, a power imbalance between men and women still appears to exist, even in sexual relationships. This should be taken into account when interpreting behaviors like men's refusal to wear condoms, which can be seen as an exercise of their innate power or an attempt to exert dominance over their partners," said Yang Hyun-ah, a law professor at Seoul National University. She also urged that the burden of contraception be addressed in line with both cultural and social changes, such as increasing public awareness that contraception is not something women alone should handle, while revising relevant regulations and encouraging the use of condoms for safe sex. 2025-03-07 10:17:48

OECD warns South Korea's population could 'halve in six decades' SEOUL, March 6 (AJP) - With one of the world's lowest birth rates, South Korea's population could shrink by half within the next six decades, according to a forecast by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In report titled "Korean fathers therefore typically become fully committed breadwinners and mothers typically become fully committed carers for an extended period of time." It analyzed that many women, once they leave the labor market, often face "low-paid, non-regular jobs" or are unable to find work at all when trying to re-enter. "As a result, mothers are three times more likely to be in non-regular employment than fathers. Conscient of this, women tend to delay family formation and have fewer children." The OECD warned that South Korea's birth rate is unlikely to rebound without structural reforms that allow more women to balance work and family life, despite government efforts to boost birth rates though cash incentives, expanded parental leaves, and childcare support. "Any fertility revival will at best be slow and gradual until policies, gender norms and working practices taken together enable a large majority of women to pursue career and family in tandem," it pointed out. The country's total fertility rate, the average number of children born to a woman over her lifetime, slightly rebounded to 0.75 per woman last year from 0.72 the previous year. However, the rate remains the lowest among OECD countries. As part of a joint effort with the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA), the report was published to provide insights for policymakers to address South Korea's demographic crisis. 2025-03-06 15:43:48

Stars from tvN's hit crime drama to reunite for second season next year SEOUL, March 6 (AJP) - Crime drama "Signal" will return for a second season nearly a decade after its first airing, cable channel tvN said on Wednesday. The 2016 hit series received critical acclaim for its compelling stories at the time of its release, with many viewers having been eagerly waiting for its return. Actress Kim Hye-soo, who captivated viewers with her portrayal of a cold case squad detective, reunites with actors like Cho Jin-woong and Lee Je-hoon, as the main cast from the first season reprises their roles. The series revolves around detectives from different time periods who communicate through a mysterious walkie-talkie to solve long-unsolved cases. The upcoming season consisting of 16 episodes is scheduled to air in January next year in time for the channel's 20th anniversary. 2025-03-06 10:52:24