Journalist

·JEONG SE HEE
  • Apartment Fire in Uiwang Kills Couple, Injures 6
    Apartment Fire in Uiwang Kills Couple, Injures 6 A fire broke out at an apartment building in Naeson-dong, Uiwang, south of Seoul, killing a couple in their 60s and injuring six other residents, Yonhap News Agency reported Thursday. The fire started about 10:30 a.m. on the 14th floor of a 20-story building, officials said. A man in his 60s who lived in the unit where the fire began died after falling, and his wife, in her 50s, was found dead inside the apartment. Six residents suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation, and were taken to hospitals for treatment. The man was initially believed to have fallen while evacuating. However, the first 119 emergency call included a report that “there was a fire on an upper floor of the apartment and someone fell,” suggesting he fell early in the fire or just before it started. Fire authorities issued a Level 1 response at 10:45 a.m., deploying about 30 pieces of equipment, including pump trucks, and about 110 firefighters. They brought the main flames under control at 11:21 a.m., lifted the emergency order after a situation assessment meeting at 12:26 p.m., and fully extinguished the fire at 12:35 p.m., about two hours after it began. Police and fire officials plan to conduct an on-site inspection to determine the extent of the damage and the cause of the fire. The building has 20 floors above ground and one basement level, with a total floor area of about 8,800 square meters and 78 households.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 14:06:28
  • Actor Kim Jeong-tae Says He Had Liver Cancer Surgery, With 30% of Liver Removed
    Actor Kim Jeong-tae Says He Had Liver Cancer Surgery, With 30% of Liver Removed Actor Kim Jeong-tae has disclosed that he underwent surgery for liver cancer. On a TV Chosun episode of "Dad and Me" that aired on the 29th, Kim was shown visiting a university hospital. "Liver problems run in my family, so I had liver cancer surgery," Kim said. He said the illness developed around October 2018 and that he had surgery in November. He said he was filming a drama at the time but felt something was wrong and took a blood test. "Normal liver numbers are between 30 and 40, but mine were over 900," he said, adding that he turned pale. Kim said the operation was difficult. He said it was expected to take three hours but lasted nearly eight, and that family members outside were distraught, recalling that his mother-in-law lay down on the floor in shock. Kim's wife said he appeared to have had about 30% of his liver removed. She said the tumor's location was "too bad," and that he stopped all work to focus on recovery. She also said he is a hepatitis B carrier through his mother's side of the family and that there is no cure. "He always has the virus that can cause liver cancer, so it's not an illness that can be completely cured," she said, adding that he is being monitored to prevent it from worsening. The attending doctor also urged regular follow-up, saying there is no way to prevent it and that it is best not to go more than six months between tests.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 09:35:58
  • Singer Seo In-young Says First-Marriage Sofa Cost 25 Million Won
    Singer Seo In-young Says First-Marriage Sofa Cost 25 Million Won Singer Seo In-young reflected on her marriage in a recent YouTube video. A video titled “Seo In-young’s first reveal: cooking doenjang stew all day at home and rolling kimbap (-10kg diet kimbap)” was posted April 29 on her YouTube channel, “Gaegwacheonseon Seo In-young.” After the production team told her a home-tour video drew 20,000 comments, Seo said, “I cried. I was so grateful that I read them all night.” Asked by a subscriber about her sofa, Seo said she bought it at a furniture discount store in Gonjiam. “It was 5 million won, but I paid 3 million won. It’s not dirt cheap,” she said. She added that the one she bought during her first marriage “was almost 25 million won.” The production team responded, “So you spent all your money on that,” and Seo nodded, saying, “That’s right,” drawing laughter. Seo held a wedding ceremony in 2023 with a non-celebrity businessman but divorced in 2024. Seo debuted in 2002 as a member of the girl group Jewelry and later released hit songs through group and solo work, including “One More Time” and “Cinderella.” She also gained popularity for her candid personality on MBC’s 2008 variety show “We Got Married.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 07:57:21
  • Fed Holds Key Rate Steady for Third Straight Meeting, Citing Still-High Inflation
    Fed Holds Key Rate Steady for Third Straight Meeting, Citing Still-High Inflation The Federal Reserve on April 29 (local time) held its benchmark interest rate steady at 3.50% to 3.75%, marking its third consecutive decision to keep rates unchanged. According to Yonhap News Agency, the decision was made on the second day of the Federal Open Market Committee’s regular meeting. The Fed cut rates three times in a row last year — in September, October and December — but has kept them on hold three straight times this year, following decisions in January and March. With the latest move, the interest-rate gap between South Korea (2.50%) and the United States remained 1.25 percentage points at the upper end. Explaining the decision, the Fed said, “Inflation remains elevated, which partly reflects recent increases in global energy prices,” and added that shifts in the Middle East situation are creating “high uncertainty” for the economic outlook. It said recent indicators suggest economic activity is expanding at a solid pace. “Job gains have moderated on average,” it said, adding that the unemployment rate has been little changed in recent months. The Fed said the committee aims over the longer run to achieve maximum employment and 2% inflation, and that it will closely assess economic data, changes in the outlook and risk factors in future rate decisions. It also said it is prepared to adjust the stance of monetary policy as appropriate if risks emerge that could hinder its goals — a remark some interpreted as signaling the possibility of future rate cuts.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 06:07:24
  • South Korean Rapper Jerry.K Dies After Battle With Brain Tumor
    South Korean Rapper Jerry.K Dies After Battle With Brain Tumor Rapper Jerry.K, whose real name was Kim Jin-il, has died after battling glioblastoma, a malignant brain tumor, for about two years. He died on the 27th, prompting an outpouring of tributes online. On social media, users posted messages such as “Rest in peace,” “I hope you’re happy there,” “My condolences,” and “I was happy to have shared this time with you.” In May, Kim told followers on his social media account that he had been “suddenly diagnosed with a brain tumor,” had undergone surgery and was recovering. “I still don’t know what all this is,” he wrote. “I hope it gets better, even little by little. Please think of me from time to time.” Born in 1984, Kim studied journalism and communication at Seoul National University. He debuted in 2001 as part of the rap duo Loquence with his high school classmate, rapper MakeSense. He later became a founding member of the hip-hop crew Soul Company and continued releasing music as a solo artist. His 2008 first full-length album, “Mawang,” used blunt language to address human nature and social issues, earning him nicknames in the hip-hop scene such as “the sharp-tongued one” and “Mawang.” In 2011, he founded the independent label Days Alive and remained active, gaining recognition for a critical perspective that examined different facets of South Korean society. A memorial altar has been set up at the funeral hall of Sinchon Severance Hospital. The funeral is scheduled for the 29th.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 09:36:26
  • Comedian Choi Yang-rak Says He Moved to Australia After Being Told He Was Too Old
    Comedian Choi Yang-rak Says He Moved to Australia After Being Told He Was Too Old Comedian Choi Yang-rak has explained why he once moved to Australia. Choi appeared as a guest on the tvN STORY program “Namgyeoseo Mwohage,” which aired on the 27th. On the show, Lee Young-ja said it felt abrupt when he announced he was moving to Australia and asked why he stopped appearing on TV at the height of his career. Choi said it happened in 1998, when he was hosting “Good Friends” with Nam Hee-seok. “I was told the bureau chief wanted to see me, so I went, and I was notified I was being fired,” Choi said. “I was 38, and they said I was too old. So I left for Australia in anger.” Choi said only one person in his family of four had a job at the time. “Only my daughter had the ‘job’ of being a student, and the rest of us were unemployed,” he said, adding that taking his daughter to and from school was his only daily routine. He said he went with the money he had saved but was in no position to earn a living there. “I didn’t speak English, and I had no skills,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my life.” Choi said he kept writing comedy after emigrating, and that his wife urged him to return to South Korea. He said she told him, “Let’s go back to Korea. You can do it,” and helped him prepare for a comeback, including getting him double-eyelid surgery and a short haircut. He said he returned with the new look and performed “alkkagi,” expressing gratitude to his wife, Paeng Hyun-sook, for helping him revive his career. 2026-04-28 08:39:24
  • Plane Crashes Near South Sudan Capital Juba, Killing 14 On Board
    Plane Crashes Near South Sudan Capital Juba, Killing 14 On Board An aircraft crashed near South Sudan’s capital, Juba, killing all 14 people on board, according to reports. Reuters and Yonhap reported on the 27th (local time) that the passengers included 13 travelers and one pilot. All but two Kenyan nationals were South Sudanese. The plane, operated by low-cost carrier (LLC) Citylink, was flying from Yei in central South Sudan to Juba International Airport when it lost communications. South Sudanese authorities are investigating the cause. They said poor weather may have reduced visibility and contributed to the crash.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 07:24:16
  • Rubio: U.S. Won’t Accept Iran Controlling Strait of Hormuz or Having Nuclear Weapons
    Rubio: U.S. Won’t Accept Iran Controlling Strait of Hormuz or Having Nuclear Weapons U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that Iran is still seeking to maintain control over the Strait of Hormuz, calling that unacceptable for the United States. He also reaffirmed that Iran cannot be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. His remarks, made as talks on ending the war with Iran face difficulties, were widely seen as a clear statement of U.S. red lines. According to Yonhap News Agency, Rubio said in an interview with Fox News that if Iran’s idea of keeping the strait “open” means, “Yes, it’s open, but you have to coordinate with Iran, get our permission, and if not we’ll attack you, and you have to pay a toll,” then “that’s not opening the strait.” “The Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway,” Rubio said, adding that the United States cannot accept Iran “normalizing” a system in which it decides who can use the waterway and how much they must pay to do so. Earlier, U.S. political news outlet Axios reported that Iran, through mediators, had sent the United States a proposal to first open the Strait of Hormuz and declare an end to the war, then continue nuclear talks later. Rubio’s comments appeared to argue that what Iran calls opening the strait would amount to controlled passage rather than free navigation. Rubio also said Iran seeks to threaten the world with nuclear weapons, “the way it does now with oil,” and to hold the world hostage to get what it wants. “That is unacceptable,” he said. 2026-04-28 06:03:16
  • Actress Ji Ye-eun Says She Dated Dancer Bada After 2 1/2 Months of ‘Talking’
    Actress Ji Ye-eun Says She Dated Dancer Bada After 2 1/2 Months of ‘Talking’ Actress Ji Ye-eun has shared details about her relationship with dancer Bada, including the nickname they use for each other. On the April 26 episode of SBS’ “Running Man,” the cast visited Yeosu. During the show, Yang Se-chan asked how long she and Bada had been in the “talking” stage. Ji said it lasted “about two and a half months.” She added that even after they started dating, they did not hold hands for three weeks. “He asked first, ‘Can I hold your hand?’” she said. Ji Seok-jin said he had practiced dancing with Bada and Ji but did not realize there was romance. He said that after practice he put Ji in a taxi, but she later came back to meet Bada. Ji said she told him to leave first, but he kept saying he could go later, joking that he cluelessly interrupted their date. Ji also said the couple’s nickname for each other is “jagi,” a Korean term of endearment, adding, “We say ‘I love you’ every day.” Ji’s agency, CP Entertainment, said on April 13 that Ji and Bada, who had been colleagues, were seeing each other with good feelings. Bada’s agency, ARA, also said the two were maintaining a good relationship while caring for each other. The two are both born in 1994 and were entertainment-industry colleagues before growing closer through a shared religion, according to the report. Ji debuted in the 2017 web drama “How To” and has drawn attention through variety shows including the “SNL Korea” series and “Running Man.” Bada is the leader of the dance crew We Dem Boyz and rose to prominence after finishing runner-up on Mnet’s 2022 “Street Man Fighter.” 2026-04-27 09:42:21
  • Chef Jeong Ji-seon Questions Son’s Stock Trading and Monthly Spending
    Chef Jeong Ji-seon Questions Son’s Stock Trading and Monthly Spending Chef Jeong Ji-seon voiced concern about her son’s stock trading. On the April 26 broadcast of KBS 2TV’s “Boss in the Mirror,” Jeong was shown visiting Pohang with her son. Jeong asked whether he was still trading stocks, saying he had long enjoyed “playing with numbers” and seemed genuinely interested. She asked why he started investing. When Jeong pressed him on where his earnings had gone and warned that doing well in school was important to investing, her son said the money was in his own account and that he had made about 200,000 won so far. Asked if he understood the importance of money, he said he spends about 200,000 to 300,000 won a month, startling Jeong. Jeong pointed out that he is in sixth grade and receives 50,000 won a month in allowance, calling his spending excessive. Her son replied he did not know where the money was going. Jeong shot back that 300,000 won a month was too much for an elementary school student and told him to stop talking back. In an interview segment, Jeong said her son had grown up and was trying not to lose arguments, adding that she was also trying to “win.” Her son said he believed he needed to spend 200,000 won a month, claiming his friends spend more and citing rising prices and unexpected expenses. “I’m not just wasting it,” he said. Jeong ended the exchange by asking whether she should add more private academies and telling him to be more frugal.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 08:42:16