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Tag: South Korea

  • North Korea resumes missile tests days after U.S., South Korea conclude military drills

    North Korea resumes missile tests days after U.S., South Korea conclude military drills

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    North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters Monday morning, its neighbors said, days after the end of the South Korean-U.S. military drills that the North views as an invasion rehearsal.

    The launches were North Korea’s first known missile testing activities in about a month. Outside experts earlier predicted North Korea would extend its run of missile tests and intensify its warlike rhetoric ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November to boost its leverage in future diplomacy.

    Japan’s Defense Ministry said North Korea fired three missiles, two together at 7:44 a.m. and the other about 37 minutes later. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told a parliamentary session that the North Korean missiles landed in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, all outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone, and that no damage or injuries have been reported.

    Kishida denounced North Korea’s repeated ballistic missile tests as acts “that threaten the peace and safety of Japan, the region and the international society.” He said Japan strongly protested against North Korea over its testing activities, saying they violated U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban the North from engaging in any ballistic activities.

    South Korea’s military said it also detected “several” suspected short-range ballistic launches by North Korea on Monday morning. The Joint Chiefs of Staff called the launches “clear provocation” that threaten peace on the Korean Peninsula. It said South Korea will maintain readiness to repel any provocation by North Korea, based on its solid military alliance with the United States.

    According to Japan and South Korean assessments, the North Korean missiles fired from its capital region traveled a distance of 300-350 kilometers (about 185-220 miles) at the maximum speed of 50 kilometers (about 30 miles) per hour.

    The U.S. State Department condemned the launches, saying they pose a threat to the North’s neighbors and undermine regional security. A State Department statement said the U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan remains “ironclad.”

    The U.S. stations a total of 80,000 troops in South Korea and Japan, the backbone of its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

    During the South Korea-U.S. military drills that ended Thursday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un guided a series of military training exercises involving tanks, artillery guns and paratroopers and called for greater war fighting capabilities. The 11-day South Korean-U.S. drills involved a computer-simulated command post training and 48 kinds of field exercises, twice the number conducted last year.

    The North didn’t perform any missile tests during its rivals’ training, however. Its missile tests are considered much bigger provocations as North Korea has been pushing hard to mount nuclear warheads on its missiles targeting the U.S. mainland and its allies. Many experts say North Korea already has nuclear-armed missiles capable of reaching all of South Korea and Japan, but it has yet to have functioning long-range missiles that can strike the U.S. mainland.

    Before Monday’s launches, North Korea last carried out missile tests in mid-February by firing cruise missiles into the sea.

    Animosities on the Korean Peninsula remain high in the wake of North Korea’s barrage of missile tests since 2022. Many of the tests involved nuclear-capable missiles designed to attack South Korea and the mainland U.S. The U.S. and South Korean forces have responded by expanding their training exercises and trilateral drills involving Japan.

    Experts say North Korea likely believes a bigger weapons arsenal would increase its leverage in future diplomacy with the United States. They say North Korea would want to win extensive sanctions relief while maintaining its nuclear weapons.

    Worries about North Korean military moves have deepened since Kim vowed in a speech in January to rewrite the constitution to eliminate the country’s long-standing goal of seeking peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula and to cement South Korea as its “invariable principal enemy.” He said the new charter must specify North Korea would annex and subjugate the South if another war broke out.

    Observers say North Korea may launch limited provocations along its tense border with South Korea. But they say the prospects for a full-scale attack by North Korea are dim as it would know its military is outmatched by the U.S. and South Korean forces.

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  • “Squid Game” star Oh Young-soo found guilty of sexual misconduct

    “Squid Game” star Oh Young-soo found guilty of sexual misconduct

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    Seoul — South Korea’s “Squid Game” actor Oh Young-soo has been found guilty of sexual misconduct, a local court said Friday, after he was charged with assaulting a woman in 2017. In 2022, the 79-year-old became the first South Korean to win a Golden Globe Award for best supporting actor in a series for his performance as a seemingly vulnerable old man in the mega-hit Netflix dystopian thriller.

    The actor was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, the Seongnam Branch of the Suwon District Court told AFP. He was also ordered to complete 40 hours of classes on sexual violence, the court added.

    Oh Young-soo
    Oh Young-soo arrives at the “Squid Game” FYSEE event, June 12, 2022, at the Netflix FYSEE at Raleigh Studios in Los Angeles.

    Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP


    The victim’s own records of the assault and her claims are “consistent … and appear to be statements that cannot be made without actually experiencing them,” judge Jeong Yeon-ju said, according to the court.

    Oh was indicted in 2022 without detention on charges of sexually assaulting a woman, who has not been identified, on two occasions.

    The incidents took place when Oh was staying in a rural area for a theatre performance in 2017, on a walking path and in front of the victim’s residence, respectively, according to the Suwon District Court.  

    “Squid Game,” a series that depicts a dark world where marginalized individuals are forced to compete in deadly versions of traditional children’s games, quickly gained immense popularity on Netflix. 


    Masterful dubbing of foreign TV shows into English is creating hits like “Squid Game”

    06:23

    Within less than four weeks of its release in 2021, it attracted a staggering 111 million viewers.

    The show’s success has amplified South Korea’s increasingly outsized influence on global popular culture, following global fame won by the likes of K-pop band BTS and the Oscar-winning film “Parasite.”

    Multiple figures in South Korea’s film industry – including late filmmaker Kim Ki-duk and actor Cho Jae-hyun — have faced sexual assault allegations.

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  • North Korea shows off firepower with missile barrage as country preps for WAR

    North Korea shows off firepower with missile barrage as country preps for WAR

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    KIM Jong-un flexes his muscles as North Korean army tested the large-scale artillery under his watch with the country preparing for war.

    The Korean People’s Army conducted the live-fire artillery drill near the border with units that are capable of striking the South Korean capital.

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    North Korea showed off its firepower in artillery testing on ThursdayCredit: AP
    Pyongyang's state media released images of heavy units being test-fired

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    Pyongyang’s state media released images of heavy units being test-firedCredit: AP
    The large scale artillery drill was carried out under a careful watch of the North's leader

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    The large scale artillery drill was carried out under a careful watch of the North’s leaderCredit: AP
    The units are reported to be within the firing range of the South Korean capital

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    The units are reported to be within the firing range of the South Korean capitalCredit: AP

    Kim urged his soldiers to gear up for “actual war” and increase combat readiness, reported Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

    North Korea showed off large-calibre weapons within the firing range of “the enemy’s capital” on Thursday, referring to Seoul.

    Seoul’s military confirmed that the North test-fired rocket launchers and self-propelled artillery shells toward the Yellow Sea between 11am and 5pm local time.

    They also added that North Korea’s “provocations” were being closely monitored while Seoul “maintains a firm defence posture”

    Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement: “If North Korea commits a provocation, we will punish overwhelmingly and firmly in accordance with the principle of ‘immediately, strongly, and until the end’.”

    Kim’s army put on a show of firepower after Seoul and Washington kicked off their annual spring military exercises on Monday – with twice the number of troops compared to last year.

    Kim called Seoul’s joint drills a “rehearsal for invasion” and has accelerated his weapons testing.

    Tensions between South and North Korea

    Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have recently risen to their highest point in years – with Kim accelerating his weapons testing and South strengthening their joint war drills with the US.

    • Hopes for reunification shut

    In January, Kim Jong-un has scrapped any effort for reunification with Seoul.

    The dictator shut down several government bodies tasked with promoting reconciliation with South Korea.

    He was quoted saying: “We don’t want war but we have no intention of avoiding it.”

    Kim also appeared to have blown up a major monument in North Korea’s capital that symbolised hope for unity.

    The move is thought to have been a deliberate choice by the dictator, signalling his refusal to unite with his country’s “enemy”.

    • Kim ramps up weapon testing

    From the start of 2024, North Korea has tested multiple types of missile systems.

    In January, the North’s military fired a new intermediate-range, solid-fuel hypersonic missile – which Washington, Seoul and Tokyo condemned as a serious violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

    A week later, North Korea tested its nuclear underwater attack drone which is reportedly capable of sparking a “radioactive tsunami”.

    The US and its Asian allies have responded by strengthening their combined military exercises – which Kim calls rehearsals for invasion.

    The current South Korean government is led by president Yoon Suk Yeol, who shares hawkish view of North Korea compared to his predecessor.

    He has increased efforts to collaborate with the US and Japan to combat the North’s aggressive moves in a bid to deter the war.

    In turn, Kim threatened to “annihilate” Seoul if provoked and vowed to enhance his country’s ability to deliver a nuclear strike on the US and America’s allies in the Pacific.

    Experts say that Kim is trying to stoke up anger by conducting more missile tests and possibly launching small-scale physical attacks on its neighbour to meddle with South Korea’ s elections in April.

    As Kim watched the firing drills on Thursday, he was left positively assured that the units are “fully ready for constant mobilization for battles,” according to KCNA.

    The report stated: “He stressed the need to train all the artillerymen of the whole army into experts in artillery engagement … and set forth important tasks for rounding off the artillery war preparations.”

    The state media added that Thursday’s drill “fulfilled important military missions for war deterrence”.

    Kim insisted that military scaled up its preparation so the artillery sub-units could deliver “merciless and rapid strikes” the moment a war broke out.

    Kim continues to step up pressure on Seoul, declaring it the “principal enemy” and threatening all-out nuclear war over “even 0.001 mm” of territory invasion.

    Earlier this year, North Korea tested its nuclear underwater attack drone in a chilling warning shot to the US, Japan and South Korea carrying out war drills.

    A North Korean defence ministry spokesman accused the US and its Asian allies of “getting frantic” with their three-day military drill – and warned of “catastrophic consequences”.

    Earlier in January, Kim’s sister – Kim Yo-Jong – pledged to unleash an “immediate military strike” on South Korea over the “slightest provocation”.

    The close ally of the dictator said North Korea wouldn’t hesitate to attack its “enemy” as tensions explode on the border.

    Pyongyang’s isolated government is also forging closer ties with Moscow and it attempts to solidify its position in the growing anti-Western axis of evil.

    On December 29 and January 2, Russia used North Korean missiles to blitz Ukraine for the first time, leaving at least 50 people dead.

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    The dictator urged his army to be prepared for mobilisation

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    The dictator urged his army to be prepared for mobilisationCredit: AFP
    Kim appeared to be pleased with the artillery testing

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    Kim appeared to be pleased with the artillery testingCredit: AFP
    South Korea army soldiers take part in a military exercise which Kim called 'rehearsal for invasion'

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    South Korea army soldiers take part in a military exercise which Kim called ‘rehearsal for invasion’Credit: AP

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    Aiya Zhussupova

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  • Detained Americans Fast Facts | CNN

    Detained Americans Fast Facts | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Here’s a look at some recent cases of foreign governments detaining US citizens. For information about missing Americans, see Robert Levinson Fast Facts or POW/MIA in Iraq and Afghanistan Fast Facts.

    Afghanistan

    Ryan Corbett
    August 2022 – Corbett, a businessman whose family lived in Afghanistan for more than a decade prior to the collapse of the Afghan government, returns to Afghanistan on a 10 day trip. Roughly one week into his visit, he was asked to come in for questioning by the local police. Corbett, his German colleague, and two local staff members were all detained. All but Corbett are eventually released. The Taliban has acknowledged holding Corbett, and he has been designated as wrongfully detained by the US State Department.

    China

    Mark Swidan
    November 13, 2012 – Swidan, a businessman from Texas, is arrested on drug related charges by Chinese Police while in his hotel room in Dongguan.

    2013 – Swidan is tried and pleads not guilty.

    2019 – Convicted of manufacturing and trafficking drugs by the Jiangmen Intermediate People’s Court in southern Guangdong province and given a death sentence with a two-year reprieve.

    April 13, 2023 – The Jiangmen Intermediate People’s Court denies Swidan’s appeal and upholds his death penalty.

    Kai Li
    September 2016 – Kai Li, a naturalized US citizen born in China, is detained while visiting relatives in Shanghai.

    July 2018 – He is sentenced to 10 years in prison for espionage following a secret trial held in August 2017.

    Iran

    Karan Vafadari
    December 2016 – Karan Vafadari’s family announces that Karan and his wife, Afarin Niasari, were detained at Tehran airport in July. Vafadari, an Iranian-American, and Niasari, a green-card holder, ran an art gallery in Tehran.

    March 2017 – New charges of “attempting to overthrow the Islamic Republic and recruiting spies through foreign embassies” are brought against Vafadari and Niasari.

    January 2018 – Vafadari is sentenced to 27 years in prison. Niasari is sentenced to 16 years.

    July 2018 – Vafadari and Niasari are reportedly released from prison on bail while they await their appeals court rulings.

    Russia

    Paul Whelan
    December 28, 2018 – Paul Whelan, from Michigan, a retired Marine and corporate security director, is arrested on accusations of spying. His family says he was in Moscow to attend a wedding.

    January 3, 2019 – His lawyer, Vladimir Zherebenkov, tells CNN Whalen has been formally charged with espionage.

    January 22, 2019 – At his pretrial hearing, Whelan is denied bail. Whelan’s attorney Zherebenkov tells CNN that Whelan was found in possession of classified material when he was arrested in Moscow.

    June 15, 2020 – Whelan is convicted of espionage and sentenced to 16 years in prison.

    August 8, 2021 – State news agency TASS reports that Whelan has been released from solitary confinement in the Mordovian penal colony where he is being held.

    Evan Gershkovich
    March 30, 2023 – Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, is detained by Russian authorities and accused of spying. The Wall Street Journal rejects the spying allegations.

    April 3, 2023 – The Russian state news agency TASS reports Gershkovich has filed an appeal against his arrest.

    April 7, 2023 – Gershkovich is formally charged with espionage.

    April 10, 2023 – The US State Department officially designates Gershkovich as wrongfully detained by Russia.

    April 18, 2023 – The Moscow City Court denies his appeal to change the terms of his detention. Gershkovich will continue to be held in a pre-trial detention center at the notorious Lefortovo prison until May 29.

    Saudi Arabia

    Walid Fitaihi
    November 2017 – Dual US-Saudi citizen Dr. Walid Fitaihi is detained at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh along with other prominent Saudis, according to his lawyer Howard Cooper. Fitaihi is then transferred to prison.

    July 2019 – Fitaihi is released on bond.

    December 8, 2020 – Fitaihi is sentenced to six years in prison for charges including obtaining US citizenship without permission.

    January 14, 2021 – A Saudi appeals court upholds Fitaihi’s conviction but reduces his sentence to 3.2 years and suspends his remaining prison term. Fitaihi still faces a travel ban and frozen assets.

    Syria

    Austin Tice
    August 2012 – Tice disappears while reporting near the Syrian capital of Damascus. The Syrian government has never acknowledged that they have Tice in their custody.

    September 2012 – A 43-second video emerges online that shows Tice in the captivity of what his family describe as an “unusual group of apparent jihadists.”

    Majd Kamalmaz
    February 2017 – Kamalmaz is detained at a checkpoint in Damascus. The Syrian government has never acknowledged Kamalmaz is in its custody.

    Cuba

    Alan Gross
    December 2009 – Alan Gross is jailed while working as a subcontractor on a US Agency for International Development project aimed at spreading democracy. His actions are deemed illegal by Cuban authorities. He is accused of trying to set up illegal internet connections on the island. Gross says he was trying to help connect the Jewish community to the internet and was not a threat to the government.

    March 12, 2011 – Gross is found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison for crimes against the Cuban state.

    April 11, 2014 – Ends a hunger strike that he launched the previous week in an effort to get the United States and Cuba to resolve his case.

    December 17, 2014 – Gross is released as part of a deal with Cuba that paves the way for a major overhaul in US policy toward the island.

    Egypt

    16 American NGO Employees
    December 2011 – Egyptian authorities carry out 17 raids on the offices of 10 nongovernmental organizations. The Egyptian general prosecutor’s office claims the raids were part of an investigation into allegations the groups had received illegal foreign financing and were operating without a proper license.

    February 5, 2012 – Forty-three people face prosecution in an Egyptian criminal court on charges of illegal foreign funding as part of an ongoing crackdown on NGOs. Among the American defendants is Sam LaHood, International Republican Institute country director and the son of US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

    February 15, 2012 – The US State Department confirms there are 16 Americans being held, not 19 as the Egyptian government announced.

    February 20, 2012 – South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham and Arizona Senator John McCain meet with top Egyptian military and political leaders in Cairo.

    March 1, 2012 – Some of the 43 detainees including American, Norwegian, German, Serbian and Palestinian activists leave Cairo after each post two-million Egyptian pounds bail.

    April 20, 2012 – CNN is told Egyptian officials have filed global arrest notices with Interpol for some of the Americans involved in the NGO trial.

    June 4, 2013 – An Egyptian court sentences the NGO workers: 27 workers in absentia to five-year sentences, 11 to one-year suspended jail sentences, and five others to two-year sentences that were not suspended, according to state-run newspaper Al Ahram. Only one American has remained in Egypt to fight the charges, but he also left after the court announced his conviction.

    Iran

    UC-Berkeley Grads
    July 31, 2009 – Three graduates from the University of California at Berkeley, Sarah Shourd of Oakland, California, Shane Bauer, of Emeryville, California, and Joshua Fattal, of Cottage Grove, Oregon, are detained in Iran after hiking along the unmarked Iran-Iraq border in northern Iraq’s Kurdish region.

    August 11, 2009 – Iran sends formal notification to the Swiss ambassador that the three American hikers have been detained. Switzerland represents the United States diplomatic interests in Iran since the United States and Iran do not have diplomatic relations.

    October 2009 – The Iranian government allows a Swiss diplomat to visit the hikers at Evin Prison.

    November 9, 2009 – Iran charges the three with espionage.

    March 9, 2010 – The families of the three detained hikers speak by phone to the hikers for the first time since they were jailed.

    May 20, 2010 – The detainees’ mothers are allowed to visit their children.

    May 21, 2010 – The mothers are allowed a second visit, and the detained hikers speak publicly for the first time at a government-controlled news conference.

    August 5, 2010 – Reports surface that Shourd is being denied medical treatment.

    September 14, 2010 – Shourd is released on humanitarian grounds on $500,000 bail.

    September 19, 2010 – Shourd speaks publicly to the press in New York.

    November 27, 2010 – Two days after Thanksgiving, Fattal and Bauer are allowed to call home for the second time. Each call lasts about five minutes.

    February 6, 2011 – Fattal and Bauer’s trial begins. Shourd has not responded to a court summons to return to stand trial.

    May 4, 2011 – Shourd announces she will not return to Tehran to face espionage charges.

    August 20, 2011 – Fattal and Bauer each receive five years for spying and three years for illegal entry, according to state-run TV. They have 20 days to appeal.

    September 14, 2011 – A Western diplomat tells CNN an Omani official is en route to Tehran to help negotiate the release of Fattal and Bauer. Oman helped secure the release of Shourd in 2010.

    September 21, 2011 – Fattal and Bauer are released from prison on bail of $500,000 each and their sentences are commuted. On September 25, they arrive back in the United States.

    Saeed Abedini
    September 26, 2012 – According to the American Center for Law and Justice, Saeed Abedini, an American Christian pastor who was born in Iran and lives in Idaho, is detained in Iran. The group says that Abedini’s charges stem from his conversion to Christianity from Islam 13 years ago and his activities with home churches in Iran.

    January 2013 – Abedini is sentenced to eight years in prison, on charges of attempting to undermine the Iranian government.

    January 16, 2016 – Iran releases four US prisoners including Abedini, Amir Mirzaei Hekmati, and Jason Rezaian, in exchange for clemency of seven Iranians imprisoned in the United States for sanctions violations.

    Amir Mirzaei Hekmati
    August 2011 – Amir Mirzaei Hekmati travels to Iran to visit relatives and gets detained by authorities, according to his family. His arrest isn’t made public for months.

    December 17, 2011 – Iran’s Intelligence Ministry claims to have arrested an Iranian-American working as a CIA agent, according to state-run Press TV.

    December 18, 2011 – Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency broadcasts a video in which a young man says his name is Hekmati, and that he joined the US Marine Corps and worked with Iraqi officers.

    December 19, 2011 – The US State Department confirms the identity of the man detained in Iran and calls for his immediate release.

    December 20, 2011 – Hekmati’s family says that he was arrested in August while visiting relatives in Iran. The family asserts that they remained quiet about the arrest at the urging of Iranian officials who promised his release.

    December 27, 2011 – Hekmati’s trial begins in Iran. Prosecutors accuse Hekmati of entering Iran with the intention of infiltrating the country’s intelligence system in order to accuse Iran of involvement in terrorist activities, according to the Fars news agency.

    January 9, 2012 – An Iranian news agency reports that Hekmati is convicted of “working for an enemy country,” as well as membership in the CIA and “efforts to accuse Iran of involvement in terrorism.” He is sentenced to death.

    March 5, 2012 – An Iranian court dismisses a lower court’s death sentence for Hekmati and orders a retrial. He remains in prison.

    September 2013 – In a letter to US Secretary of State John Kerry, Hekmati says that his confession was obtained under duress.

    April 11, 2014 – Hekmati’s sister tells CNN that Hekmati has been convicted in Iran by a secret court of “practical collaboration with the US government” and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

    January 16, 2016 – Iran releases four US prisoners including Hekmati, Abedini, and Jason Rezaian, in exchange for clemency of seven Iranians indicted or imprisoned in the United States for sanctions violations.

    Jason Rezaian
    July 24, 2014 – The Washington Post reports that its Tehran correspondent and Bureau Chief Jason Rezaian, his wife Yeganeh Salehi and two freelance journalists were detained on July 22, 2014. An Iranian official confirmed to CNN that the group is being held by authorities.

    July 29, 2014 – Iran releases one of three people detained alongside Rezaian, a source close to the family of the released detainee tells CNN. The released detainee is the husband of an Iranian-American photojournalist who remains in custody with Rezaian and his wife, according to the source.

    August 20, 2014 – The Washington Post reports the photojournalist detained with Rezaian in July has been released. At her family’s request, the Post declines to publish her name.

    October 6, 2014 – According to the Washington Post, Rezaian’s wife, Yeganeh Salehi, has been released on bail.

    December 6, 2014 – During a 10-hour court session in Tehran, Rezaian is officially charged with unspecified crimes, according to the newspaper.

    April 20, 2015 – According the Washington Post, Rezaian is being charged with espionage and other serious crimes including “collaborating with a hostile government” and “propaganda against the establishment.”

    October 11, 2015 – Iran’s state media reports that Rezaian has been found guilty, but no details are provided about his conviction or his sentence. His trial reportedly took place between May and August.

    November 22, 2015 – An Iranian court sentences Rezaian to prison. The length of the sentence is not specified.

    January 16, 2016 – Iran releases four US prisoners including Rezaian, Hekmati, and Abedini, in exchange for the clemency of seven Iranians indicted or imprisoned in the United States for sanctions violations.

    May 1, 2018 – Joins CNN as a global affairs analyst.

    Reza “Robin” Shahini
    July 11, 2016 – San Diego resident Reza “Robin” Shahini is arrested while visiting family in Gorgan, Iran. Shahini is a dual US-Iranian citizen.

    October 2016 – Shahini is sentenced to 18 years in prison.

    February 15, 2017 – Goes on a hunger strike to protest his sentence.

    April 3, 2017 – The Center for Human Rights in Iran says Shahini has been released on bail while he awaits the ruling of the appeals court.

    July 2018 – A civil lawsuit filed against the Iranian government on Shahini’s behalf indicates that Shahini has returned to the United States.

    Xiyue Wang
    July 16, 2017 – The semi-official news agency Fars News, citing a video statement from Iranian judicial spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejheie, reports that a US citizen has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of spying. Princeton University identifies the man as Chinese-born Xiyue Wang, an American citizen and graduate student in history. According to a university statement, Wang was arrested in Iran last summer while doing scholarly research in connection with his Ph.D. dissertation.

    December 7, 2019 – The White House announces that Wang has been released and is returning to the United States. Iran released Wang in a prisoner swap, in coordination with the United States freeing an Iranian scientist named Massoud Soleimani.

    Michael White
    January 8, 2019 – Michael White’s mother, Joanne White, tells CNN she reported him missing when he failed to return to work in California in July, after traveling to Iran to visit his girlfriend.

    January 9, 2019 – Bahram Ghasemi, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, says White “was arrested in the city of Mashhad a while ago, and within a few days after his arrest the US government was informed of the arrest through the Swiss Embassy in Tehran.” Ghasemi denies allegations that White, a US Navy veteran, has been mistreated in prison.

    March 2019 – White is handed a 13-year prison sentence on charges of insulting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and for publicly posting private images, according to his attorney Mark Zaid.

    March 19, 2020 – White is released into the custody of the Swiss Embassy on medical furlough. One condition of his release is that he must stay in Iran.

    June 4, 2020 – White is released, according to White’s mother and a person familiar with the negotiations.

    Baquer and Siamak Namazi
    October 2015 – Siamak Namazi, a Dubai-based businessman with dual US and Iranian citizenship, is detained while visiting relatives in Tehran.

    February 2016 – Baquer Namazi, a former UNICEF official and father of Siamak Namazi, is detained, his wife Effie Namazi says on Facebook. He is an Iranian-American.

    October 2016 – The men are sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined $4.8 million, according to Iran’s official news channel IRINN. Iran officials say five people were convicted and sentenced for “cooperating with Iran’s enemies,” a government euphemism that usually implies cooperating with the United States.

    January 28, 2018 – Baquer Namazi is granted a four-day leave by the Iranian government, after being discharged from an Iranian hospital. Namazi’s family say the 81-year-old was rushed to the hospital on January 15 after a severe drop in his blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat and serious depletion of energy. This was the fourth time Namazi had been transferred to a hospital in the last year. In September, he underwent emergency heart surgery to install a pacemaker.

    February 2018 – Baquer Namazi is released on temporary medical furlough.

    February 2020 – Iran’s Revolutionary Court commutes Baquer Namazi’s sentence to time served and the travel ban on him is lifted.

    May 2020 – According to the family, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) places a new travel ban on Baquer Namazi, preventing him from leaving the country.

    October 26, 2021 – Baquer Namazi undergoes surgery to clear a “life-threatening blockage in one of the main arteries to his brain, which was discovered late last month,” his lawyer says in a statement.

    October 1, 2022 – Baquer Namazi is released from detention and is permitted to leave Iran “to seek medical treatment abroad,” according to a statement from UN Secretary General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.

    March 9, 2023 – Siamak Namazi makes a plea to President Joe Biden to put the “liberty of innocent Americans above politics” and ramp up efforts to secure his release, in an interview with CNN from inside Iran’s Evin prison.

    September 18, 2023 – Siamak Namazi is freed, along with four other Americans as part of a wider deal that includes the United States unfreezing $6 billion in Iranian funds.

    North Korea

    Kenneth Bae
    December 11, 2012 – US officials confirm that American citizen Kenneth Bae has been detained in North Korea for over a month.

    April 30, 2013 – North Korea’s Supreme Court sentences Bae to 15 years of hard labor for “hostile acts” against the country.

    October 11, 2013 – Bae meets with his mother in North Korea.

    January 20, 2014 – A statement is released in which Bae says that he had committed a “serious crime” against North Korea. Any statement made by Bae in captivity is sanctioned by the North Korean government. The country has a long history of forcing false confessions.

    February 7, 2014 – The State Department announces that Bae has been moved from a hospital to a labor camp.

    November 8, 2014 – The State Department announces that Bae and Matthew Miller have been released and are on their way home.

    Jeffrey Fowle
    June 6, 2014 – North Korea announces it has detained US citizen Jeffrey Edward Fowle, who entered the country as a tourist in April. Fowle was part of a tour group and was detained in mid-May after leaving a bible in a restaurant.

    June 30, 2014 – North Korea says that it plans to prosecute Fowle and another detained American tourist, Matthew Miller, accusing them of “perpetrating hostile acts.”

    October 21, 2014 – A senior State Department official tells CNN that Fowle has been released and is on his way home.

    Aijalon Gomes
    January 25, 2010 – Aijalon Mahli Gomes, of Boston, is detained in North Korea after crossing into the country illegally from China.

    April 7, 2010 – He is sentenced to eight years of hard labor and ordered to pay a fine of 70 million North Korean won or approximately $600,000.

    July 10, 2010 – Gomes is hospitalized after attempting to commit suicide.

    August 25-27, 2010 – Former US President Jimmy Carter arrives in North Korea, with hopes of negotiating for Gomes’ release.

    August 27, 2010 – Carter and Gomes leave Pyongyang after Gomes is granted amnesty for humanitarian purposes.

    Kim Dong Chul
    October 2015 – Kim Dong Chul, a naturalized American citizen, is taken into custody after allegedly meeting a source to obtain a USB stick and camera used to gather military secrets. In January 2016, Kim is given permission to speak with CNN by North Korean officials and asks that the United States or South Korea rescue him.

    March 25, 2016 – A North Korean official tells CNN that Kim has confessed to espionage charges.

    April 29, 2016 – A North Korean official tells CNN that Kim has been sentenced to 10 years of hard labor for subversion and espionage.

    May 9, 2018 – Trump announces that Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak-song and Kim Sang Duk, also known as Tony Kim, appear to be in good health and are returning to the United States with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

    May 10, 2018 – The three freed American detainees arrive at Joint Base Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

    Kim Hak-song
    May 7, 2017 – The state-run Korean Central News Agency reports that US citizen Kim Hak-song was detained in North Korea on May 6 on suspicion of “hostile acts” against the regime. The regime describes Kim as “a man who was doing business in relation to the operation of Pyongyang University of Science and Technology.”

    May 9, 2018 – Trump announces that Kim Hak-song, Kim Dong Chul and Kim Sang Duk, also known as Tony Kim, appear to be in good health and are returning to the United States with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

    May 10, 2018 – The three freed American detainees arrive at Joint Base Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

    Kim Sang Duk
    April 22, 2017 – US citizen Kim Sang Duk, also known as Tony Kim, is detained by authorities at Pyongyang International Airport for unknown reasons. Kim taught for several weeks at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology.

    May 3, 2017 – State-run Korean Central News Agency reports that Kim is accused of attempting to overthrow the government.

    May 9, 2018 – Trump announces that Tony Kim, Kim Hak-song and Kim Dong Chul appear to be in good health and are returning to the United States with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

    May 10, 2018 – The three freed American detainees arrive at Joint Base Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

    Euna Lee and Laura Ling
    March 2009 – Journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling are arrested while reporting from the border between North Korea and China for California-based Current Media.

    June 4, 2009 – They are sentenced to 12 years in prison on charges of entering the country illegally to conduct a smear campaign.

    August 4, 2009 – Former US President Bill Clinton travels to Pyongyang on a private humanitarian mission to help secure their release.

    August 5, 2009 – Lee and Ling are pardoned and released.

    Matthew Miller
    April 25, 2014 – North Korea’s news agency reports that Matthew Todd Miller was taken into custody on April 10. According to KCNA, Miller entered North Korea seeking asylum and tour up his tourist visa.

    June 30, 2014 – North Korea says that it plans to prosecute Miller and another detained American tourist, Jeffrey Fowle, accusing them of “perpetrating hostile acts.”

    September 14, 2014 – According to state-run media, Miller is convicted of committing “acts hostile” to North Korea and sentenced to six years of hard labor.

    November 8, 2014 – The State Department announces Miller and Kenneth Bae have been released and are on their way home.

    Merrill Newman
    October 26, 2013 – Merrill Newman of Palo Alto, California, is detained in North Korea, according to his family. Just minutes before his plane is to depart, Newman is removed from the flight by North Korean authorities, his family says.

    November 22, 2013 – The US State Department says North Korea has confirmed to Swedish diplomats that it is holding an American citizen. The State Department has declined to confirm the identity of the citizen, citing privacy issues, but the family of Newman says the Korean War veteran and retired financial consultant has been detained since October.

    November 30, 2013 – KCNA reports Newman issued an apology to the people of North Korea, “After I killed so many civilians and (North Korean) soldiers and destroyed strategic objects in the DPRK during the Korean War, I committed indelible offensive acts against the DPRK government and Korean people.” His statement ends: “If I go back to (the) USA, I will tell the true features of the DPRK and the life the Korean people are leading.”

    December 7, 2013 – Newman returns to the United States, arriving at San Francisco International Airport. North Korea’s state news agency reports Newman was released for “humanitarian” reasons.

    Eddie Yong Su Jun
    April 14, 2011 – The KCNA reports that US citizen Eddie Yong Su Jun was arrested in November 2010 and has been under investigation for committing a crime against North Korea. No details are provided on the alleged crime.

    May 27, 2011 – Following a visit from the US delegation which includes the special envoy for North Korean human rights, Robert King, and the Deputy Assistant Administrator of the US Agency for International Development, Jon Brause, to North Korea, Yong Su Jun is released.

    Otto Frederick Warmbier
    January 2, 2016 – Otto Frederick Warmbier, a University of Virginia college student, is detained in North Korea after being accused of a “hostile act” against the government.

    February 29, 2016 – The North Korean government releases a video of Warmbier apologizing for committing, in his own words, “the crime of taking down a political slogan from the staff holding area of the Yanggakdo International Hotel.” It is not known if Warmbier was forced to speak.

    March 16, 2016 – Warmbier is sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for crimes against the state, a North Korean official tells CNN.

    June 13, 2017 – Warmbier is transported back to the United States via medevac flight to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. There, doctors say that he has suffered severe brain damage. Doctors say Warmbier shows no current signs of botulism, which North Korean officials claim he contracted after his trial.

    June 19, 2017 – Warmbier’s family issues a statement that he has died.

    April 26, 2018 – Warmbier’s parents file a wrongful death lawsuit against the North Korean government charging that the country’s regime tortured and killed their son, according to lawyers for the family.

    December 24, 2018 – A federal judge in Washington awards Warmbier’s parents more than half a billion dollars in the wrongful death suit against the North Korean government. North Korea did not respond to the lawsuit – the opinion was rendered as a so-called “default judgment” – and the country has no free assets in the US for which the family could make a claim.

    Russia

    Trevor Reed
    2019 – While visiting a longtime girlfriend, Trevor Reed is taken into custody after a night of heavy drinking according to state-run news agency TASS and Reed’s family. Police tell state-run news agency RIA-Novosti that Reed was involved in an altercation with two women and a police unit that arrived at the scene following complaints of a disturbance. Police allege Reed resisted arrest, attacked the driver, hit another policeman, caused the car to swerve by grabbing the wheel and created a hazardous situation on the road, RIA stated.

    July 30, 2020 – Reed is sentenced to nine years in prison for endangering “life and health” of Russian police officers.

    April 1, 2021 – The parents of Reed reveal that their son served as a Marine presidential guard under the Obama administration – a fact they believe led Russia to target him.

    April 27, 2022 – Reed is released in a prisoner swap.

    June 14, 2022 – Reed tells CNN that he has filed a petition with the United Nations (UN), declaring that Russia violated international law with his detention and poor treatment.

    Brittney Griner
    February 17, 2022 – Two-time Olympic basketball gold medalist and WBNA star Brittney Griner is taken into custody following a customs screening at Sheremetyevo Airport. Russian authorities said Griner had cannabis oil in her luggage and accused her of smuggling significant amounts of a narcotic substance, an offense the Russian government says is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

    July 7, 2022 – Griner pleads guilty to drug charges in a Russian court.

    August 4, 2022 – Griner is found guilty of drug smuggling with criminal intent and sentenced by a Russian court to 9 years of jail time with a fine of one million rubles (roughly $16,400).

    October 25, 2022 – At an appeal hearing, a Russian judge leaves Griner’s verdict in place, upholding her conviction on drug smuggling charges and reducing only slightly her nine-year prison sentence.

    November 9, 2022 – Griner’s attorney tells CNN she is being moved to a Russian penal colony where she is due to serve the remainder of her sentence.

    December 8, 2022 – US President Biden announces that Griner has been released from Russian detention and is on her way home.

    Turkey

    Serkan Golge
    July 2016 – While on vacation in Turkey, Serkan Golge is arrested and accused of having links to the Gulenist movement. Golge is a 37-year-old NASA physicist who holds dual Turkish-US citizenship.

    February 8, 2018 – Golge is sentenced to 7.5 years in prison.

    September 2018 – A Turkish court reduces Golge’s prison sentence to five years.

    May 29, 2019 – The State Department announces that Golge has been released.

    Andrew Brunson
    October 2016 – Andrew Brunson, a North Carolina native, is arrested in Izmir on Turkey’s Aegean coast, where he is pastor at the Izmir Resurrection Church. Brunson, an evangelical Presbyterian pastor, is later charged with plotting to overthrow the Turkish government, disrupting the constitutional order and espionage.

    March 2018 – A formal indictment charges Brunson with espionage and having links to terrorist organizations.

    October 12, 2018 – Brunson is sentenced to three years and one month in prison but is released based on time served.

    Venezuela

    Timothy Hallett Tracy
    April 24, 2013 – Timothy Hallett Tracy, of Los Angeles, is arrested at the Caracas airport, according to Reporters Without Borders. Tracy traveled to Venezuela to make a documentary about the political division gripping the country.

    April 25, 2013 – In a televised address, newly elected President Nicolas Maduro says he ordered the arrest of Tracy for “financing violent groups.”

    April 27, 2013 – Tracy is formally charged with conspiracy, association for criminal purposes and use of a false document.

    June 5, 2013 – Tracy is released from prison and expelled from Venezuela.

    Joshua Holt
    May 26, 2018 – Joshua Holt and his Venezuelan wife, Thamara Holt, are released by Venezuela. The two had been imprisoned there since 2016. The American traveled to Venezuela to marry Thamara in 2016, and shortly afterward was accused by the Venezuelan government of stockpiling weapons and attempting to destabilize the government. He was held for almost two years with no trial.

    “Citgo 6”

    November 2017 – After arriving in Caracas, Venezuela, for an impromptu business meeting, Tomeu Vadell and five other Citgo executives – Gustavo Cardenas, Jorge Toledo, Alirio Zambrano, Jose Luis Zambrano and Jose Angel Pereira – are arrested and detained on embezzlement and corruption charges. Citgo is the US subsidiary of the Venezuelan oil and natural gas company PDVSA. Five of the six men are US citizens; one is a US legal permanent resident.

    December 2019 – The “Citgo 6” are transferred from the detention facility, where they have been held without trial for more than two years, to house arrest.

    February 5, 2020 – They are moved from house arrest into prison, hours after Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido met with US President Donald Trump

    July 30, 2020 – Two of the men – Cárdenas and Toledo – are released on house arrest after a humanitarian visit to Caracas by former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and a team of non-government negotiators.

    November 27, 2020 – The six oil executives are found guilty and are given sentences between 8 to 13 years in prison.

    April 30, 2021 – The men are released from prison to house arrest.

    October 16, 2021 – The “Citgo 6,” all under house arrest, are picked up by the country’s intelligence service SEBIN, just hours after the extradition of Alex Saab, a Colombian financier close to Maduro.

    March 8, 2022 – Cardenas is one of two detainees released from prison. The other, Jorge Alberto Fernandez, a Cuban-US dual citizen detained in Venezuela since February 2021, was accused of terrorism for carrying a small domestic drone. The releases take place after a quiet trip to Caracas by a US government delegation.

    October 1, 2022 – US President Biden announces the release and return of Toledo, Vadell, Alirio Zambrano, Jose Luis Zambrano, and Pereira.

    Matthew Heath

    September 2020 – Is arrested and charged with terrorism in Venezuela.

    June 20, 2022 – Family of Heath state that he has attempted suicide. “We are aware of reports that a US citizen was hospitalized in Venezuela,” a State Department spokesperson says. “Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment.”

    October 1, 2022 – US President Biden announces the release and return of Heath.

    Airan Berry and Luke Denman

    May 4, 2020 – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says two American “mercenaries” have been apprehended after a failed coup attempt to capture and remove him. Madura identifies the captured Americans as Luke Denman, 34, and Airan Berry, 41. On state television, Maduro brandishes what he claims are the US passports and driver’s licenses of the two men, along with what he says are their ID cards for Silvercorp, a Florida-based security services company.

    May 5, 2020 – Denman appears on Venezuelan state TV. He is shown looking directly at the camera recounting his role in “helping Venezuelans take back control of their country.”

    August 7, 2020 – Prosecutors announce that Berry and Denman have been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

    December 20, 2023 – It is announced that the US has reached an agreement to secure the release of 10 Americans, including Berry and Denman, held in Venezuela.

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  • How Old Are The Enhypen Members 2024: Ages of the K-Pop Phenoms

    How Old Are The Enhypen Members 2024: Ages of the K-Pop Phenoms

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    ENHYPEN, formed through the reality show I-LAND and managed by Belift Lab—a collaboration between CJ ENM and HYBE Corporation—has quickly gained international fame. T

    The group debuted on November 30, 2020, with their EP “BORDER: DAY ONE.”

    Comprising members Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, Jungwon, and Ni-ki, their ages at debut ranged from 14 to 19, highlighting a blend of youth and talent.

    This age diversity contributes to ENHYPEN’s broad appeal, resonating with fans worldwide and mirroring their journey of growth and achievement.

    Key Takeaways

    • ENHYPEN consists of seven members with a debut age range between 14 and 19 years.
    • Heeseung (이희승): 22 (Oct 15, 2001) – Center, vocalist, dancer.
    • Jay (박종성): 21 (Apr 20, 2002) – Vocalist, dancer.
    • Jake (제이크 심): 21 (Nov 15, 2002) – Dancer, vocalist.
    • Sunghoon (박성훈): 21 (Dec 8, 2002) – Vocalist, dancer, visual.
    • Sunoo (김선우): 20 (Jun 24, 2003) – Vocalist, dancer.
    • Jungwon (양정원): 20 (Feb 9, 2004) – Vocalist, dancer, leader.
    • Ni-ki (니키): 18 (Dec 9, 2005) – Vocalist, main dancer.

    Formation and Debut

    Enhypen members age

    ENHYPEN is a South Korean boy band formed through the survival show “I-LAND,” a collaborative project between CJ ENM and Big Hit Entertainment, now known as HYBE Corporation according to Grammy.com. The journey of this seven-member group began with I-LAND which aired from June to September 2020, where contestants competed for a chance to debut in a new boy group. Interestingly, BTS band also has seven members.

    By the end of the intense competition, the final line-up was determined based on a combination of viewers’ votes and the producers’ choice. ENHYPEN consists of members Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, Jungwon, and Ni-ki. Their ages at the time of debut ranged between 14 and 19 years.

    ENHYPEN officially made its debut on November 30, 2020, with the mini-album “BORDER: DAY ONE.” Their debut was highly anticipated following their formation on I-LAND and they were able to leverage the show’s extensive viewership to quickly establish a significant fanbase. The promise of showcasing diverse musical styles and concepts, coupled with their global audience engagement, contributed to a successful launch of their career as idols.

    Their debut not only marked the start of their journey in the music industry but also the beginning of their growth as a team connecting different cultures through their music, consistent with the group’s name.

    Member Profiles

    Enhypen Member Current Age Date of Birth
    Heeseung 22 years old October 15, 2001
    Jay 21 years old April 20, 2002
    Jake 21 years old November 15, 2002
    Sunghoon 21 years old December 8, 2002
    Sunoo 20 years old June 24, 2003
    Jungwon 20 years old February 9, 2004
    Ni-ki 18 years old December 9, 2005

    Heeseung

    Enhypen fanbase analysisEnhypen fanbase analysis

    Lee Hee-Seung (이희승): Heeseung, the oldest Enhypen member, born October 15, 2001, in Namyangju-si, South Korea, is 22 internationally and 24 by Korean age. He serves as the center, vocalist, and dancer, finishing fifth in I-Land.

    Jay

    Park Jongsung (박종성): Jay, born April 20, 2002, in Seattle, USA, is 21 internationally and 23 in Korean age. As the second oldest, he’s a vocalist and dancer, placing second in I-Land.

    Jake

    Jake Sim (제이크 심): Known as Jack, born November 15, 2002, in Seoul, South Korea, is 21 internationally and 23 by Korean age. He’s a dancer and vocalist, securing third place in I-Land.

    Sunghoon

    Enhypen group demographicsEnhypen group demographics

    Park Sung-hoon (박성훈): Sunghoon, born December 8, 2002, in Namyangju, Gyeonggi, South Korea, is 21 internationally and 23 in Korean age. He’s a vocalist, dancer, and visual, finishing sixth in I-Land.

    Sunoo

    Kim Sun-woo (김선우): Sunoo, born June 24, 2003, in Suwon, Gyeonggi, South Korea, is 20 internationally and 22 by Korean age. He’s a vocalist and dancer, placing eighth in I-Land.

    Jungwon

    Yang Jung-won (양정원): Jungwon, born February 9, 2004, in South Korea, is 20 internationally and 21 by Korean age. He’s the vocalist, dancer, and leader, finishing first in I-Land.

    Ni-ki

    Enhypen band member profilesEnhypen band member profiles

    Nishimura Riki (니키): Ni-ki, the youngest, born December 9, 2005, in Okayama, Japan, is 18 internationally and 20 in Korean age. He’s a vocalist and dancer, taking fourth place in I-Land.

    Career Milestones

    Enhypen member birth yearsEnhypen member birth years

    ENHYPEN debuted on November 30, 2020, characterized by an immediate strong impact on the K-pop scene. Their journey began with the mini album BORDER: DAY ONE, introducing them as seasoned performers. This debut album quickly cemented their position as emerging artists to watch.

    By July 6, 2021, ENHYPEN expanded their reach beyond South Korea, making their Japanese debut, presenting a global mindset early in their career. Their ascent has been marked not only by their music releases but also by member-specific milestones such as Heeseung being the oldest member and Ni-Ki, the youngest, often referred to as the maknae of the group.

    Despite their recent inception, ENHYPEN has gathered a significant following known as “ENGINE,” a testament to their resonant artistry and production quality. They continue to build their discography, while also being active in other domains like television appearances and international events, illustrating their broad entertainment appeal.

    Their accolades include noteworthy nominations and awards, reflecting their broad industry acceptance. Among these, securing a position on prestigious music charts highlights their musical success, a strong indicator of their growing influence in the K-pop industry.

    ENHYPEN’s achievements to date underscore their potential for continued success, with fans eagerly anticipating their next artistic endeavors.

    ENHYPEN’s Global Impact

    Since its debut in November 2020, ENHYPEN has swiftly risen through the ranks of K-pop to become a global phenomenon. The group’s influence extends beyond music, touching on cultural exchanges and leading fashion trends.

    ENHYPEN first captured international attention with the unique concept and masterful execution in their music videos, like the one for “Drunk-Dazed”. Their global fan base, known as “ENGINE,” quickly proliferated worldwide, exemplifying the group’s broad appeal.

    Their music, often characterized by its relatability and innovative sound, has led them to top various music charts and receive nominations and awards from prestigious ceremonies. This includes, but is not limited to, music shows in South Korea, Billboard’s Emerging Artists Chart, and Japan’s Oricon Chart.

    Social Media Reach:

    Key Achievements:

    • Multiple Music Show Wins
    • High Album Sales
    • Strong Performance on Global Charts

    ENHYPEN’s impact is also seen through its participation in cultural events, further showcasing K-pop’s soft power and contribution to the global cultural landscape. They have become ambassadors of a new generation of K-pop, reflecting the genre’s evolving nature and its ability to bridge cultural gaps.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Who is the most famous Enhypen member?

    Ans. As per KpopJuice, Nishimura Riki, aka Ni-Ki, is the most popular Enhypen member with 1,815,446 votes.

    Who is the richest member of Enhypen?

    As per Koreaboo, Jay, originally named Park Jongsung, is the wealthiest member of Enhypen based on a declaration made by Heeseung in the interview.

    Who has the role of the leader in ENHYPEN?

    The leader of ENHYPEN is Jungwon, guiding the group with his leadership skills.

    Final Words

    ENHYPEN’s rapid ascent from the reality show I-LAND to global K-pop stardom is a testament to their talent, diversity, and appeal. With their debut EP “BORDER: DAY ONE” and a fanbase spanning the globe, ENHYPEN has firmly established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.

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    Srdjan Ilic

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  • South Korea: Thousands of Striking Doctors Defy Government’s Back-to-Work Orders

    South Korea: Thousands of Striking Doctors Defy Government’s Back-to-Work Orders

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    Tensions continue to soar between thousands of striking South Korean doctors and the government, as a vast majority of the protesting junior residents have refused to go back to work on Friday despite threats of prosecution for their ongoing collective action and promises of immunity from penalty if they had quit their walkout by now.

    Only 294 doctors out of some 9,000 striking doctors have returned to work as of Thursday night since the strike began on Feb. 20, Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo told reporters. Authorities had given an ultimatum earlier in the week, promising striking doctors that they would not be held accountable if they returned to work by Thursday evening but that the government would begin to take legal action against remaining strikers starting Friday.

    The doctors are protesting a government plan to address the country’s longstanding doctor shortage by increasing the annual quota for medical students from 3,058 to 5,058 beginning in 2025. Critics say the protesting doctors are worried that the quota expansion will hurt their competitive pay, while doctors argue the plan will do little to address the poor working conditions in fields where the personnel shortages are most pressing. 

    As of Wednesday evening, around 10,000 residents—80% of all junior doctors—had tendered their resignations as part of the protest. Around 9,000 were on strike—a slight decrease from the previous day, per health authorities, who also noted that the number of striking doctors had decreased two days in a row.

    Across 100 teaching hospitals in the country, there were 32 hospitals where more than one person has returned to work, and 10 hospitals where more than 10 have returned, Park said on Thursday, adding there are also hospitals where up to 66 doctors have resumed work. 

    Authorities have issued over 9,400 back-to-work orders to striking doctors, but many have avoided accepting the text message orders by simply turning off their phones and changing their phone numbers. In response, officials are now visiting the homes of trainee doctors to personally deliver the orders. The Ministry of Health has also posted back-to-work orders for about a dozen trainee doctors on the ministry website, local media reported. These steps would allow authorities to subsequently file criminal complaints with those who refuse to comply with the back-to-work orders. 

    Defying a back-to-work order can be punished by up to three years in prison, a 30 million won ($22,000) fine, or a minimum three-month medical license suspension.

    The government has stood firm on its quota expansion plan, which remains broadly popular among the general public, with the health ministry lodging its first criminal complaint against five alleged organizers of the strike on Tuesday. On Friday, police raided several offices at the Korean Medical Association and Seoul Medical Association, which have been accused of violating medical law for their alleged role in instigating the strike.

    At the same time, authorities also appear to be trying to assuage concerns among doctors about the quota expansion plan, with the health ministry announcing on Thursday that the government would add up to 1,000 medical professors at key national hospitals by 2027 in response to worries raised by doctors that increasing the intake of medical students would affect the quality of medical care and education. Meanwhile, Park said that officials had invited 94 representatives of the striking doctors to a meeting on Thursday, but only a handful of doctors showed up. 

    Hospitals across the country are being stretched to their limits, with some patients having their treatments postponed amid a shortage of doctors. The heads of hospitals have written emails begging doctors to return. “Your sincerity is well-delivered,” Kim Young-tae, the president of Seoul National University wrote on Wednesday. “A handful of patients suffering from high-risk diseases and incurable illnesses await you. Now, please come back.”

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    Koh Ewe

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  • CNBC Daily Open: Americans sour on the economy

    CNBC Daily Open: Americans sour on the economy

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    US President Joe Biden speaks to employees at the CS Wind America Inc on November 29, 2023 in Pueblo, Colorado. 

    Helen H. Richardson | The Denver Post | Getty Images

    This report is from today’s CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Like what you see? You can subscribe here.

    What you need to know today 

    Mixed bag on Wall Street
    U.S. stocks     ended mixed Tuesday as investors prepared for key inflation data due out later this week. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite closed with small gains, up 0.17% and 0.37%, respectively. The 30-stock Dow fell for a second straight day, off by 0.25%. Bitcoin also extended gains rising above $57,000. 

    Apple kills EV plans
    Apple has cancelled its plan to build electric cars, according to Bloomberg. This signals an end to the company’s secretive effort to compete in the EV space against rival Tesla. Reports of Apple’s ambition first surfaced in 2014 after it recruited automotive engineers and other talent from auto companies. 

    Will South Korean measures work?
    South Korea’s Japan-style measures to boost corporate governance may not work to lift its undervalued stock markets and tackle the so-called “Korea discount.” In its latest attempt, the Financial Services Commission revealed a “Corporate Value-up Program,” aimed at supporting shareholder returns through incentives including tax benefits.

    Honor’s foray into flip phones
    Chinese technology firm Honor will launch a foldable flip phone this year, the company’s CEO George Zhao told CNBC. It will be the firm’s first entry into the vertical-folding style of smartphone as the company looks to push into the premium end of the market in a challenge to tech giants like Samsung and Apple.

    [Pro] Alibaba’s compelling appeal
    Despite the recent slump in Alibaba’s shares, the Chinese e-commerce giant remains on the radar of fund managers. “Alibaba is our third biggest stock [position] now. Why? The valuation is absolutely compelling,” said Andrew Lapping, Ranmore’s chief investment officer.

    The bottom line

    Americans’ attitudes about the economy have soured.

    Consumer confidence fell to 106.7 in February, said the Conference Board, down from a revised 110.9 in January. This comes after a three-month streak of improving mood.

    The index measuring short-term expectations for income, business and the job market fell to 79.8 from 81.5 in January. A reading under 80 often signals an upcoming recession.

    While Americans were less worried about food and gas prices, there were rising concerns over jobs and the upcoming presidential elections.

    “The decline in consumer confidence in February interrupted a three-month rise, reflecting persistent uncertainty about the US economy,” said Dana Peterson, chief economist at The Conference Board. 

    “While overall inflation remained the main preoccupation of consumers, they are now a bit less concerned about food and gas prices, which have eased in recent months. But they are more concerned about the labor market situation and the US political environment.”

    The drop in consumer confidence was broad based, affecting most income groups, as well as among people under 35 years old and those aged 55 and over, according to Peterson.

    The survey findings reveal that despite data showing a strong labor market and a surprisingly resilient economy, public perception on the economy proves to be a challenge ahead of high-stakes elections this year.

    This signals troubling signs for President Joe Biden, who has been trying to tout his administration’s economic accomplishments ahead of a likely rematch against Republican nominee Donald Trump in November.

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  • Over 70% of Trainee Doctors Submit Resignations in South Korea

    Over 70% of Trainee Doctors Submit Resignations in South Korea

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    Anxiety is mounting in South Korea’s largest hospitals, now starting to buckle under the gaping absence of thousands of trainee doctors who are on strike against a government plan to increase the intake of medical students.

    Despite a slew of emergency measures announced by the government this week, the strike has reportedly affected the operations of major hospitals. A brain cancer patient told AFP that his chemotherapy has been postponed, even though the cancer has spread to his lungs and liver, while pregnant women say they have had their C-sections canceled. The health ministry said it has received around 150 public complaints about the strike. 

    The number of participants is continuing to snowball, with 74%—or over 9,200—of trainee doctors having tendered their resignations. Over 8,000 have walked off the job, Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo said at a news briefing on Thursday.

    With junior doctors leaving their posts en masse, nurses are left to hold down the fort, carrying out tasks usually reserved for doctors, such as signing consent forms and dressing wounds, local media reported. 

    The Korean Young Nurses Association has publicly urged doctors to refrain from joining the strike. “If more trainee doctors stage walkouts, nurses not only have to take on doctoral duties but they also have to deal with the patients’ complaints,” the group wrote in a post on social media. “If something goes wrong with the patient in the process, nurses are required by law to take all the responsibility.” 

    Meanwhile, Park Min-soo  said on Thursday that authorities will not be accepting the resignation letters from the trainee doctors and urged them to consider the consequences of the strike. “The power of doctors does not come from collective action,” he said. “Please remember that patients are waiting for you at this very moment.”

    The country’s 13,000 trainee doctors are crucial to its healthcare system, which already has one of the lowest doctor-to-patient ratios among developed economies.

    The strike comes amid protests over a government plan to add 2,000 slots to the annual quota of medical students, which now stands at around 3,000. The plan has garnered strong public support, but has also been met with protests from doctors. 

    Critics say that medical professionals are worried that the increased number of doctors will cause the field to lose some of its social prestige and competitive pay. Medicine is one of the most sought-after fields among Korean university students and their families—though many young doctors tend to gravitate towards more lucrative specialities like dermatology and cosmetic surgery.

    The South Korean government has been actively trying to direct more doctors to comparatively less popular medical departments such as pediatrics, emergency medicine, and general surgery.

    Read More: Why Doctors in South Korea Are on Strike

    Meanwhile, some doctors argue that the expanded quota would not address the existing shortages in these departments, which are known for lower pay and long working hours. In a statement on Tuesday, the Korean Intern Resident Association said that despite calls from the association to “reasonably estimate” the number of doctors needed, “the government announced a radical medical school quota policy to win political votes.”

    Across social media, criticisms have been levied against the striking doctors, who in the confrontation with authorities over the issue have been likened to a “medical cartel.”

    “If a patient who needs surgery doesn’t not receive it right away, they may die,” wrote another. “Therefore, a strike by doctors is a punishable act.”

    People’s Livelihood Countermeasures Committee, a civic group, said on Wednesday that it has filed a police report against the striking trainee doctors as well as the leaders of a doctors’ association for violating medical laws.

    Standing firm on a hard-line stance, authorities said on Wednesday that they would seek arrest warrants for leaders of the strike. The government has also issued back-to-work orders to more than 6,000 trainee doctors and threatened legal action against those who defy them. 

    “If the illegal collective action actually results in damage to the lives and health of patients,” authorities said on Wednesday, the trainee doctors “will be held accountable to the highest level.”

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  • South Korean Crypto Exchanges Report Nearly 50% Surge in Suspicious Transactions in 2023

    South Korean Crypto Exchanges Report Nearly 50% Surge in Suspicious Transactions in 2023

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    South Korea has witnessed a surge in crypto trading, particularly following a market recovery. Correspondingly, authorities in the country received almost 49% more alerts of potentially suspicious transactions from crypto service providers in 2023 compared to the previous year.

    A paper from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) revealed that South Korea logged 16,076 instances of reported crypto transactions suspected of links to activities like money laundering, market manipulation, or illicit drug trading in 2023.

    Suspicious Crypto Transactions Soar in South Korea

    In a recent press release, the FIU attributed this rise to improved communication with domestic companies, urging them to report such activities.

    It also mentioned that the volume of reports linked to suspected crypto-related crimes surged by around 90% in 2023 compared to the previous year.

    However, the agency refrained from providing specific information about these alerts, citing the Specified Financial Information Act. It also didn’t clarify whether these alerts also originated from crypto exchanges, similar to the suspicious transaction reports.

    So far, the National Tax Service and the National Police Agency have received 100 instances of unregistered crypto loan enterprises.

    These cases were flagged using suspicious transaction data collected by the FIU between December 2023 and January 2024.

    Going forward, the FIU intends to implement a new system designed to promptly halt suspicious virtual asset transactions prior to investigation by local prosecutors. The primary aim of this system is to conduct preliminary testing for its implementation by March of this year.

    Increased Scrutiny

    The release of the report aligned with South Korea’s increased regulatory oversight of the space, triggered by several notable incidents of failure in 2023.

    As part of an effort to enhance transparency and accountability within the public sector, senior public officials in the country are now required to disclose their digital asset holdings, as per new legislation announced by the Ministry of Personnel Management.

    More recently, the Korea Customs Office disclosed that approximately 88% of illicit foreign exchange dealings involved digital assets, some using crypto to evade taxes. In response, the customs authority has established a specialized team aimed at combating cryptocurrency-related crimes.

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  • Life Imprisonment for Korean Crypto Criminals Who Steal More than This Amount?

    Life Imprisonment for Korean Crypto Criminals Who Steal More than This Amount?

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    The South Korean government is taking extra steps to ensure the protection of crypto investors from unfair market activities and criminals by imposing higher fines and punishments for violations of certain provisions.

    According to a press release, crypto criminals face jail terms of more than a year or a fine equal to three to five times the stolen amount. Depending on the weight of the offense, individuals who make illegal profits of more than five billion won ($3.8 million) may be sentenced to life imprisonment or be imposed a fine equivalent to twice the stolen amount.

    Crypto Criminals Face Life Imprisonment

    The new measures are part of the Virtual Asset User Protection Act, which is expected to be effective on July 19, 2024. The government enacted the law on July 18, 2023.

    The new law protects the assets of crypto users and investors, tasking crypto business operators with the burden of protecting users’ deposits. These deposits are to be managed by institutions with public trust, like banks, due to their regulatory compliance, stability, and specific management systems.

    Crypto businesses must keep at least 80% of users’ deposits in cold storage to lessen the impact of hacks and computer failures. Such firms must also prepare for exploits by signing up for insurance or accumulating a reserve fund with a stipulated compensation limit.

    Business operators are prohibited from holding back information regarding crypto assets, engaging in market manipulation, and illegal trading activities.

    FSC and FSS Tasked With Supervision

    Furthermore, the new law tasks the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) with supervising and inspecting digital asset businesses to investigate and take action on violations.

    “The Financial Services Commission can supervise whether virtual asset business operators appropriately comply with the Virtual Asset User Protection Act and inspect their business and property status. In accordance with the authority delegation provisions of the Enforcement Decree (draft), inspection work will be carried out by the Financial Supervisory Service,” the statement read.

    The FSC and FSS can enforce measures like suspending operations, ordering corrections, filing complaints, and notifying investigative agencies and the prosecutor general about crypto businesses violating the Protection Act.

    To ensure a smooth implementation of this process, the South Korean government intends to build an infrastructure for executing supervision and investigative duties. The system will also help crypto business operators prepare and carry out their obligations

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  • South Korean Prosecutors Arrest Haru Invest Executives Over Embezzlement Allegations (Report)

    South Korean Prosecutors Arrest Haru Invest Executives Over Embezzlement Allegations (Report)

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    South Korean prosecutors revealed on Monday that they had apprehended and placed under custody three executives, including its two co-chief executive officers, from the crypto yield platform Haru Invest.

    The trio is facing accusations from Seoul prosecutors of embezzling about 1.1 trillion Korean won, which translates to roughly $826 million in crypto, from around 16,000 users.

    Haru Invest Executives Arrested in South Korea

    According to a report by local news agency Yonhap, it’s claimed that Haru Invest primarily entrusted most of its clients’ deposits to a single individual while misleadingly advertising that these funds were managed using “risk-free distributed investment techniques.”

    The platform lured users with promises of up to 12% yield through its Earn Plus product.

    Authorities began probing into Haru Invest and crypto lender Delio following both entities suddenly suspending withdrawals on June 14, 2023. Delio cited the suspension as a response to the abrupt halt of deposits and withdrawals earlier that day at its sister lending company, Haru Invest.

    A little over a week later, the South Korean Financial Services Commission (FSC) seized all assets owned by Delio’s customers and the company, as well as other cold wallets and ledgers.

    The recent development follows Haru Invest’s latest update, where the company released another statement indicating no new information to share for the week. The announcement, signed by CEO Hugo Lee, was made on X started that Haru had no updates regarding the ongoing investigations and overall circumstances after the apprehension of Bang Jun-ho, the primary shareholder of B&S Holdings.

    South Korea’s Crypto Landscape

    The arrest by the Joint Investigation Team of Virtual Asset Crimes of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office coincides with South Korea’s heightened regulatory scrutiny on cryptocurrency lending, triggered by several prominent failures last year.

    In a significant step towards increasing transparency and integrity within its public sector, high-ranking public officials in the country are mandated to disclose their crypto holdings under new legislation announced by the Ministry of Personnel Management.

    Meanwhile, South Korea’s major domestic crypto exchanges, including Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, and Gopax, have unveiled plans to establish a separate information system slated to launch in June of the following year.

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    Chayanika Deka

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  • CNBC Daily Open: Wall Street rattled over Fed worries

    CNBC Daily Open: Wall Street rattled over Fed worries

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    A trader works, as a screen displays a news conference by Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell following the Fed rate announcement, on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., January 31, 2024. 

    Brendan McDermid | Reuters

    This report is from today’s CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Like what you see? You can subscribe here.

    What you need to know today

    Wall Street retreats
    U.S. stocks     lost ground on Monday and Treasury yields rose amid lingering concerns that the Federal Reserve may not cut rates as much as expected. The blue-chip Dow fell over 200 points. The S&P 500 also slumped after hitting a record high last week. The Nasdaq Composite also dropped 0.2%. 

    Oil’s supply crunch
    The oil market faces a supply crunch by the end of 2025 as the world is not replacing crude reserves fast enough, according to Occidental CEO Vicki Hollub. About 97% of the oil produced today was discovered in the 20th century, she told CNBC. 

    Palantir surges
    Shares of Palantir spiked 19% in extended trading after the company reported revenue that topped analysts’ estimates. In a letter to shareholders, Palantir CEO Alex Karp said demand for large language models in the U.S. “continues to be unrelenting.”

    Red Sea tensions
    Higher shipping costs due to tensions in the Red Sea could hinder the global fight against inflation, said the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Clare Lombardelli, chief economist at the OECD, told CNBC that shipping-driven inflation pressures remain a risk rather than its base case.

    [PRO] Banking allure
    The banking sector offers attractive opportunities despite an increase in volatility, according to fund manager Cole Smead. “It’s the banks that made bad decisions that are making [other] banks look attractive in pricing,” Smead told CNBC, who picked two bank stocks that are in play. 

    The bottom line

    Investors are once again getting ahead of themselves on the Fed’s next move.

    Markets were rattled after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reiterated the central bank is unlikely to rush to lower interest rates. 

    Wall Street has been parsing his hawkish comments, yet in essence what Powell said over the weekend was no different than what he shared at Wednesday’s press conference: that he wants to see more evidence that inflation is coming down to a sustainable level.

    Still, the debate over the timing of rate cuts unsettled Fed watchers.  

    This sparked a sell-off spurred by higher bond yields. The yield on the 10-year Treasury spiked for a second day, trading around 4.163%. Typically, higher yields tend to indicate investors think the Fed will take longer to cut rates. 

    Fresh data out Monday also didn’t help.  A new survey showed the U.S. services sector expand at a faster-than-expected clip in January. 

    This on top of the booming jobs report released Friday, fueled investor worries that rates may stay elevated for much longer.

    Wall Street will now look ahead to the swath of Fed speakers this week. Perhaps they will shed more light on the path for rate cuts.

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  • Change of Heart: South Korea to Discuss Spot Bitcoin ETFs With US SEC (Report)

    Change of Heart: South Korea to Discuss Spot Bitcoin ETFs With US SEC (Report)

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    Speculation about the South Korean government rethinking its hostile stance on spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) may be true, as the country’s financial regulator has officially indicated interest in the products.

    A report from local media outlet Hankyung has revealed that the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) of South Korea intends to meet with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to discuss the crypto industry and spot Bitcoin ETFs.

    FSS to Meet U.S. SEC for Crypto ETF Talk

    According to the report, FSS chief Lee Bok-hyun is expected to visit the U.S. later this year to meet with SEC chair Gary Gensler. He announced the visit on Monday while revealing his business plans for 2024 at the Financial Supervisory Service in Yeouido, Seoul.

    The FSS director said he and Gensler would discuss Korea discount measures like spot Bitcoin ETFs and corporate value-up programs.

    “I will meet with SEC Chairman Gary Gensler (this year), and there are areas where we will focus on issues such as virtual asset issues and Bitcoin spot ETF. Now, the impact of SEC policy on the world, this is important,” he stated.

    A Possible U-Turn

    Director Bok-hyun’s announcement comes less than a month after the SEC approved the first wave of spot Bitcoin ETFs in the U.S. The agency’s decision followed a decade of rejecting proposals brought by several asset management firms.

    The South Korean government initially reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the ban on crypto ETFs despite the SEC’s approval. Regulators in the country insisted that cryptocurrencies would not be recognized as financial assets and there would be no policy adjustments to favor the budding sector.

    However, the country’s stance appeared shaky when Sung Tae-yoon, the recently appointed Presidential Chief of Staff, urged the South Korean Financial Services Commission (FSC) to align its crypto viewpoint with international standards by allowing investment vehicles like ETFs. He said having a yes or no stance was unnecessary, but allowing ETFs as investment elements was crucial.

    With a possible U-turn around the corner, South Korean investment giants are speculating that demand for the products, if launched, would be “solid.”

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    Mandy Williams

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  • ‘Miracle makers’: South Korea pull off heist to beat Australia in Asian Cup

    ‘Miracle makers’: South Korea pull off heist to beat Australia in Asian Cup

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    The Taegeuk Warriors stage another late comeback to beat the Socceroos and keep their Asian Cup title hopes alive.

    Al Wakrah, Qatar – South Korea have made it a habit of leaving it until the dying moments of stoppage time to make a comeback in their knockout games and progress to the next round at the AFC Asian Cup 2023 in Qatar.

    They pulled off another heist to break Australian hearts and produce a stunning 2-1 comeback win in the quarterfinal at Al Janoub Stadium on Friday night.

    It prompted Jurgen Klinsmann, the Koreans’ German coach, to joke that perhaps his team should start all matches with a 0-1 score.

    “It’s not great to wait 120 minutes for a result, so maybe if we start a goal down we can get [a win] earlier,” Klinsmann told bemused reporters after the match.

    It took South Korea 96 minutes to find a goal – scored by Hee-Chan Hwang from the penalty spot – that kept them alive in the tournament and another 15 to give their talismanic captain Heung-Min Son a chance to score a scintillating winner and stun Australia.

    The Socceroos took the lead in the 42nd minute as Craig Goodwin latched onto a loose ball in front of the Korean goal to break the deadlock in a tight first half.

    Once in the lead, the Australians put up a strong defensive display to keep the Taegeuk Warriors at bay deep into the second half.

    As the night wore on, the temperature in Al Wakrah dropped to a chilly 14 degrees Celsius but the action on the field heated up as South Korea began attacking the Australian goal. It was similar to their late assault against Saudi Arabia that eventually produced an equaliser and gave them a win in a penalty shootout.

    This time, the penalty came in the sixth minute of added time and brought them level. Once into extra time, the Koreans were controlling the game and Australia were barely able to keep up.

    When South Korea won a free-kick on the edge of the Australian box in the 103rd minute, Son bent it into the corner to complete another stunning comeback.

    The crowd, who had been chanting his name all night long, went into a wild celebration of relief, joy and disbelief.

    Many of these fans arrived in Doha after a 10-hour overnight flight from Seoul and said it was too much to take for a second game in a row.

    “They [the team] need to stop doing this to us now,” Kim Hyeseong, a South Korean fan, told Al Jazeera moments after the win was sealed.

    “They pull off miracles because they never give up,” he said.

    Klinsmann said he is aware of the expectations his team faces from the fans in the stadium and those back home.

    “Sometimes the pressure blocks the players [mentally] in the beginning – but when we go down, we know we can only go forward from there,” the former World Cup winner said.

    For fans like Leo Chan, it is more a case of having belief in the team. But he said they say make it hard for themselves and their supporters.

    “I was about to leave the stadium moments before the penalty was awarded, but now I’m staying all the way until the final because these players are miracle-makers and will win it [the championship].”

    (Al Jazeera)

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  • Mohegan Inspire in Incheon to Open Inspire Casino on February 3

    Mohegan Inspire in Incheon to Open Inspire Casino on February 3

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    Mohegan, the leading gaming and entertainment operator, announced that its Inspire Casino at Mohegan Inspire Entertainment Resort in Incheon, South Korea, will open its doors for visitors on Saturday, February 3, 2024, at 8:08 AM. The massive casino resort is located adjacent to the Incheon International Airport and is expected to be one of the biggest resorts in Northeast Asia once it rolls out all of its amenities.

    Previously, the entertainment resort commenced its operations on November 30, 2023, and started accepting hotel guests. Additionally, Inspire Entertainment Resort opened a number of restaurants along with Inspire Arena, a premium entertainment venue that offers unique experiences. As a part of a planned phased approach, now, the resort will open its casino floor as well.

    A statement released by Inspire Entertainment Resort reveals that the visitors of Inspire Casino will be able to enjoy some 390 slot machines, as well as more than 150 gaming tables. The casino floor, promising unique experiences thanks to the latest and most popular games, is spread across two levels. Inspire Casino will also offer electronic table games with some 160 seats.

    The Resort Looks Forward to Welcoming New and Return Guests

    Chen Xi, the president of Mohegan Inspire, revealed that the company is excited to open the doors for its foreigner-only casino. He explained that this process follows approval from the gambling regulator in the country. Moreover, Xi spoke about the extensive efforts of the entertainment resort over the last seven years.

    “Since the soft opening, we have seen many domestic and international visitors enjoying the thrill of an unforgettable performance at Inspire Arena, a fantastic digital show in the Northern Lights, and the tranquil relaxation of a five-star hotel.“

    Chen Xi, president of Mohegan Inspire

    Mohegan Inspire’s president spoke about the growing number of guests who have already experienced the thrill at Inspire Arena. He added that the resort remains dedicated to offering unique experiences to its visitors thanks to casino amenities, as well as exciting events.

    The strategic location of Mohegan Inspire Entertainment Resort allows an influx of visitors from across Asia. Since the resort is next to Incheon International Airport, it provides a convenient option for guests from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo and Osaka, among other locations that are a short four-hour flight away.

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  • Indiana poised to win a $15 billion chip packaging plant from South Korea’s SK Hynix that can solve a major bottleneck in the U.S. supply chain

    Indiana poised to win a $15 billion chip packaging plant from South Korea’s SK Hynix that can solve a major bottleneck in the U.S. supply chain

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    South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix Inc. is poised to choose Indiana over Arizona for its first major U.S. investment, a $15 billion advanced packaging facility that would mark a win for the Midwest and for U.S. efforts to build a full semiconductor supply chain. 

    The firm first announced the project in 2022 and originally intended to select a site within the first half of 2023. SK Hynix is slated to pick Indiana but still has Arizona as a second choice, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named discussing confidential conversations. 

    An SK Hynix spokesperson said that no final decision has been made, following a Financial Times report that the firm had selected Indiana. 

    The project will be a significant step forward for advanced packaging in the U.S., which has become a bottleneck in Washington’s efforts to revitalize the domestic semiconductor industry. The U.S. has only 3% of the world’s packaging capacity, meaning that firms manufacturing chips in America have to ship them to Asia to be assembled for use.

    Critical electronic components have become a battleground between Washington and Beijing, with the U.S. spending tens of billions of dollars to wean itself off Asian supply lines and bolster the domestic economy. Semiconductor firms have pledged to invest more than $230 billion on American soil since President Joe Biden took office, spurred by the 2022 Chips Act. 

    Most of that investment has gone to Texas, New York and Arizona, which has alone won more than $60 billion in investments from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Intel Corp., Amkor Technology Inc. and dozens of others. 

    Indiana has a very modest footprint just north of $2 billion in recent investment. SK Hynix’s pending decision would be a boon to the state and the region, which secured a $20 billion Intel project in Ohio. 

    It would also be a victory for Senator Todd Young, an Indiana Republican and an architect of the Chips Act. Young declined to comment Thursday but had confirmed in a November interview that Indiana officials and SK Hynix were in talks. 

    Part of his pitch, he said, would be his state’s small profile in the semiconductor industry—which comes with his undivided attention, on domestic issues like permitting and on Washington’s political climate.

    “As we try and properly modulate export controls on semiconductors, they want to make sure they have access to elected officials who actually can get the ear of the president of the United States and Department of Commerce,” Young said in November.

    SK Hynix and Korean rival Samsung Electronics Co. are among the key foreign firms caught in the U.S.-China technology war, as Washington tries to cut off Beijing from the most advanced semiconductors and chipmaking equipment. The two companies—along with industry giant TSMC—have received U.S. waivers to continue shipping some equipment to China that would otherwise be restricted, but there’s no guarantee those measures will stay in place. 

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    MacKenzie Hawkins, Yoolim Lee, Bloomberg

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  • Richard Marx Pops Off on Loud Fan During Concert, ‘Learn Some F***ing Manners’

    Richard Marx Pops Off on Loud Fan During Concert, ‘Learn Some F***ing Manners’

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    TMZ.com

    Here’s Richard Marx tearing into a woman in the audience who screamed out when he was performing a song … he’s not cutting her any slack, and going after her parents.

    The singer, who is known around Hollywood as a pretty nice guy, was in the middle of performing his hit “Angelia” when someone in the crowd started talking over the music.

    In the video, obtained by TMZ, you hear the woman talking loudly enough to be heard over Rick’s vocals and guitar … and other folks in the audience try to hush her up.

    Rick seems unfazed and finishes his song … then addresses the elephant in the room.

    It’s pretty epic, Rick says … “I’m genuinely curious who raised you to think that anything you could yell out was more important than what we were doing.”

    Then Rick drops the hammer … “Learn some f***ing manners, lady!!!”

    Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

    Rick’s on tour with Rick Springfield and they were performing in Port Chester, NY when the heckling went down … and Springfield had Marx’s back.


    TMZ Studios

    Sounds like RS has dealt with his fair share of hecklers over the years … and he offers up this hilarious warning … “I’m going to come to your work and I’m going to pee on your desk!!!”

    Bravo.  👏🏽

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    TMZ Staff

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  • Why Eating Toothpicks Became a Viral Trend in South Korea

    Why Eating Toothpicks Became a Viral Trend in South Korea

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    South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) issued a warning urging people to stop eating deep fried toothpicks. Videos of people preparing and eating the toothpicks have gone viral on TikTok and Instagram in recent months, and appear to be especially popular in South Korea. 

    “This is not a product to eat!” South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety wrote in a post on X. “Their safety as food has not been verified!”

    In the videos appearing on social media, individuals can be seen frying toothpicks so that they appear similar to curly fries. But unlike the wooden toothpicks often found in the U.S., most toothpicks in South Korea are made of corn or potato starch mixed with sorbitol, a sweet sugar alcohol found naturally in various fruits. Because of this, they are biodegradable and dissolve in water. The toothpicks also often have green food coloring added to them and are frequently used in restaurants.

    “Mukbang” videos, which show content creators eating excessive amounts of strange or unusual foods, have grown extremely popular in South Korea in recent years. The emergence of fried toothpicks on social media is the latest example of “Mukbang” videos. 

    In 2018, the South Korean government attempted to impose regulations on these videos to prevent them from encouraging binge eating and harming public health. 

    More From TIME

    The proposed regulations were never adopted because of a large backlash from citizens who viewed it as an overreach of government power.

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    Anna Gordon

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  • Mohegan INSPIRE Receives Five-Star Hotel Rating

    Mohegan INSPIRE Receives Five-Star Hotel Rating

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    Mohegan’s South Korean venture, the Mohegan INSPIRE Entertainment Resort, has been given a prestigious five-star hotel rating. The rating follows a comprehensive assessment of the property by the Korea Tourism Association’s Korean Hotel Rating System.

    The five-star rating reflects the excellence of the hotel and its facilities and attests to Mohegan’s commitment to best-in-class hospitality experiences.

    The hotel is built on the beautiful Yeongjong Island in Incheon and is designed to mirror its surroundings’ beauty. The complex boasts three distinctively themed towers, namely the Forest Tower, Sun Tower and Ocean Tower. The resort has some 1,275 rooms, ranging from deluxe accommodations to extravagant villa suites. Visitors can also enjoy a variety of guest lounges, spa services, a fitness center and an indoor pool.

    In addition to allowing its customers to truly relax, Mohegan Inspire also offers a variety of restaurants and bars, such as Minagi, Hong Pan, Brasserie 1783, Garden Farm Café, Chef’s Kitchen, Aurora Bar and Horizon Lounge, as well as the first Eurasian Michael Jordan Steak House and MJ23 Sports Bar & Grill.

    Mohegan Wants to Provide Guests with Unparalleled Experiences

    Ray Pineault, Mohegan’s chief executive officer, commented on the five-star rating, calling it a testament to his team’s “relentless pursuit of excellence.”

    This milestone reflects our team’s dedication to upholding the highest standards in the industry, and it reinforces our position as a leader in global entertainment and hospitality.

    Ray Pineault, CEO, Mohegan

    Mohegan INSPIRE’s president, Chen Si, also commented on the matter, saying that he is delighted that the property’s hotel facility has achieved this prestigious rating. He thanked his team for making this possible and working hard across all areas, including facility, hospitality and operations management.

    What incredible momentum going into this first quarter celebrating the casino’s grand opening – that’s how Mohegan continually sets the standard for integrated resorts that create unforgettable experiences.

    Chen Si, president, Mohegan INSPIRE

    Mohegan INSPIRE is set to launch its comprehensive Phase 1A facilities by the middle of the year. The INSPIRE Mall will open in early 2024, providing visitors with a dynamic cultural hub. In the spring, INSPIRE is also set to introduce an outdoor experiential space.

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    Angel Hristov

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  • Seoul police chief indicted over 2022 Halloween crush that killed more than 150 people

    Seoul police chief indicted over 2022 Halloween crush that killed more than 150 people

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    Two Americans killed in South Korea stampede


    South Korea investigates Halloween crush that killed more than 150, including 2 Americans

    02:12

    South Korean prosecutors indicted the chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency for the 2022 Halloween crush that killed more than 150 people, Reuters News Agency reported. Seoul police chief Kim Kwang-ho was charged with contributing through negligence to the harrowing incident that also injured 133 people, according to the Seoul Western District Prosecutors Office.

    The charges came more than a year after the incident in which celebrants enjoying Halloween in Seoul became trapped and crushed as the crowd surged into a narrow alley in the capital’s leisure district of Itaewon. More than two-thirds of the people killed were young people or women.

    Police launched an investigation right after the incident, deploying a 475-person task force to determine the cause of the disaster. Investigators combed through security camera video and interviewed witnesses to determine how so many people lost their lives so quickly.

    There were 137 police officers deployed that night to control the crowds in the central Seoul district amid the Halloween festivities. It was estimated that more than 100,000 people attended the celebrations. 

    At least 20 of the dead were foreigners from China, Russia, Iran and elsewhere. Two American college students were among the dead, the U.S. State Department said. The University of Kentucky said that junior nursing student Anne Gieske had been killed. Kennesaw State University student Steven Blesi, an international business major, was also among those who died, the school said. 

    President Biden tweeted at the time that he and first lady Jill Biden were “devastated to learn that at least two Americans are among so many who lost their lives in Seoul.”

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