Jin of the K-pop boy band BTS is set to participate as a torchbearer for the 2024 Paris Olympics on the weekend.
According to media outlets reporting on the upcoming Olympics on Saturday, the 31-year-old is scheduled to be the first torchbearer in the Louvre Museum section of the torch relay in Paris on Sunday.
The South Korean singer is expected to begin carrying the flame at the Louvre Pyramid at around 8:30 p.m. Sunday local time, which is Bastille Day, the French national holiday commemorating the storming of the Bastille prison during the Revolution.
The torch relay in France, which began in the southern Marseille region on May 8, is expected to be held throughout Paris until Monday, before returning to the provinces. The torch will then return to Paris for the opening ceremony on July 26.
Jin's participation is seen as a recognition of BTS' global popularity, as well as the group's message of "love yourself" over the past decade.
The oldest BTS member became the first to complete the mandatory military service last month.
Band FTIsland will make a comeback with their seventh full-length album in July.
The group's agency FNC Entertainment released the band's promotion schedule for the album 'Serious' through its official social media channels on Tuesday.
FTIsland will first release one of the double title tracks 'Burn It' and its music video on Thursday, and unveil more content including the tracklist, posters, and highlight medleys leading up to the album's release on July 10. The album will be released through music streaming sites at six p.m. on July 10.
The album will be the band's first full-length album in eight years since the release of 'Where's the truth?' in 2016. The members took part in producing all of the songs in the album, including the double title tracks 'Burn It' and 'Serious.'
On Saturday and Sunday, FTIsland will hold a standalone concert titled '2024 FTISLAND LIVE 'PULSE'' at the Blue Square Mastercard Hall in Seoul.
Anchor: Medical professors at four hospitals affiliated with Seoul National University(SNU) have indefinitely suspended from Monday patient treatment and surgeries, excluding the treatment of serious and emergency patients. Concerns are rising that the current medical vacuum will worsen as more medical institutes, including other university hospitals and private practices, are set to join the Korean Medical Association in collectively suspending patient treatment on Tuesday. Our Bae Joo-yon has more.
Report: Medical professors at Seoul National University(SNU) Hospital, SNU Bundang Hospital, Seoul Metropolitan Government SNU Boramae Medical Center and SNU Hospital Healthcare System Gangnam Center began an indefinite walkout on Monday.
An emergency committee of the four hospitals’ medical professors urged the government on Sunday to scrap the administrative measures imposed on trainee doctors who have taken collective action in protest of the government’s decision to hike admissions at medical schools.
Roughly 520, or some 55 percent of medical professors at the four hospitals, are estimated to have stopped offering outpatient services.
The committee assessed that treatment at the four institutes will decrease by around 40 percent and the surgery room operation rate will slip from 63 percent to the 30 percent range.
The Korea Alliance of Patients Organization, meanwhile, called on the doctors to scrap the suspension of services.
Concerns that the current medical vacuum will worsen are growing as members of the Korean Medical Association(KMA) are set to shut down their clinics on Tuesday.
The KMA, mostly representing doctors in private practice, unveiled a set of demands for the government on Sunday, saying it would reconsider Tuesday’s planned suspension if the government agrees to reconsider the admissions quota hike. They also demanded the government revise a policy package on essential medicine and retract all administrative orders against trainee doctors and medical students.
The government refused the association’s calls, saying it is inappropriate to make policy demands with an illegal suspension of medical services as a precondition.
The government added that it could consider seeking claims for damages for losses suffered by hospitals due to the collective suspension of medical services. Bae Joo-yon, KBS World Radio News.
Jin of BTS has been discharged Wednesday, finishing up 18 months of mandatory military service.
Fellow bandmates RM, J-Hope, V, Jungkook, and Jimin took the day off from their military service to greet the first member to complete their military service.
Fans of Jin and BTS had banners and balloons celebrating the event, instead of waiting for the artist in person. Earlier, the boy group's agency Bighit Music had asked fans to refrain from visiting the site so as to prevent any safety accidents.
Jin was the first member of the k-pop group to enlist, joining the army in December 2022.
The singer will meet with fans from Thursday, attending the '2024 Festa,' an event marking the 11th anniversary of the group's debut, at Jamsil Arena.
★ "Demon Slayer Quiz! Challenge 9 Hashira!!" A special event to celebrate the start of the new anime chapter! Use your Demon Slayer knowledge to challenge the Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps!
The Israeli military continues its operations in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, leading to increasing civilian casualties from airstrikes and other actions. The UN agency has reported that over 1 million people have been forced to flee Rafah in the past three weeks.
While the Israeli military continues its operations in Rafah, local authorities in Gaza have announced that on the 28th, the Israeli military attacked areas where many residents had taken refuge, resulting in the deaths of 21 people.
The Israeli military later issued a statement claiming that "no attacks were carried out on humanitarian areas." However, with the reported deaths of 45 people, including women and children, from airstrikes on Rafah on May 26, international condemnation is intensifying.
In this context, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) stated in a press conference on the 28th that "over 1 million people have fled Rafah in the past three weeks." The agency highlighted the forced evacuations and urgently called for a ceasefire.
Meanwhile, regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza, the US Department of Defense announced on the 28th that a portion of a floating pier, set up by the US military to deliver humanitarian aid by sea, was damaged due to bad weather, leading to a suspension of aid deliveries.
The delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza has been disrupted since the ground operations in Rafah began, with checkpoints closed and other obstructions. The suspension of deliveries via the floating pier raises further concerns about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the region.
Actor Yoo Teo has been included in the 2024 version of Gold House's 'The A100' list.
The list, announced every May, nominates 100 of the world's most impactful Asian Pacific leaders in American culture and society.
Yoo was nominated to the list along with director Celine Song and actor Greta Lee, whom he worked with on the film 'Past Lives.'
Through 'Past Lives,' Yoo Teo became the first Korean actor to be nominated in the Best Lead Actor category at the 77th British Academy of Film and Television Arts Film Awards(BAFTAs).
Also on the list are Jung Kook of BTS, Stray Kids, actor Lee Jung Jae, football player Son Heung-min, among others.
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport is actively updating its economic textbooks to better reflect the present state of Cambodia’s economy and the latest governmental policies.
The initiative was highlighted yesterday during a working meeting focused on the revision and compilation of economic literature, chaired by Minister of Education Hang Chuon Naron and attended by relevant officials at the Ministry’s office.
Naron said that in order to accelerate the process of updating the materials, the designated working group must conduct a comprehensive and detailed analysis of Cambodia’s current societal state, paying close attention to various sectors, including emerging industries, new governmental policies, and the country’s progression over the past two decades since achieving peace.
He added the group also aims to study and highlight the positive changes that have taken place in Cambodia with regards to its digital economy and industry.
Nhek Nary, an economics student at the National University of Management, noted the importance of documenting historical and current economic developments for researchers and students.
She noted that in developed nations, governments often support the creation of such academic materials, fostering a broader base of writers and editors for future scholars and a push for competition.
“If the Royal Government or relevant ministries organise a working group to have experts prepare, compile and write books related to the [country’s] social situation, both past and present, it would be a great thing and I support such an idea,” she said.
Nary added that while some students have attempted to document the current social and economic conditions in the country, the lack of support and funding from pertinent ministries has led to many abandoning their projects due to unaffordable publication costs.
Naron has authored a prolific range of books since 2005, covering diverse topics from Cambodia’s economic policies and macroeconomic management to public finance, international law, and educational reforms, reflecting his deep involvement in shaping and documenting the Kingdom’s development and educational standards.
Introducing the Main Characters, Part 2. We'll highlight the features and charms of the characters appearing in the story! Although they all look cute, each one possesses a strong and distinct personality.
A character who deeply loves alcohol and appetizers, always found saying "Ahh" as he drinks his liquor. This cool character also possesses a caring nature, looking after Chiikawa and Hachiware.
A flirty character with a strong sense of self-expression, who advertises her cuteness and frequently makes various requests. In the story, she often exhibits suspicious behavior, making her a mysterious figure.
Chiikawa and friends' admired top-ranker, skilled in subjugation and incredibly strong. A highly respected figure adored by everyone. A true sweet tooth at heart, with a particular fondness for cakes and parfaits.
