By Chang Dong-woo SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- A recent audio sampling controversy surrounding BTS member Suga's new album shows that even global K-pop superstars are not bulletproof from potential public relations debacles. It highlights the inevitable risks associated with celebrities trying to step up their game on the international stage amid heightened calls for political correctness. On Sunday evening, Big Hit Entertainment issued an apology over the use of an audio clip of American cult leader Jim Jones, associated with the infamous mass-murder suicide in Jonestown, Guyana, in 1979, in BTS member Suga's track "What Do You Think," from his latest solo mixtape album, "D-2." "D-2," Suga's second solo project released under his alias Agust D, has become a global sensation upon its May 22 release, soaring to the top of Apple iTunes album charts in 80 countries and regions. The lead track, "Daechwita," also dominated the iTunes' list of top songs in 50 nations. A project

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SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The latest mixtape by BTS rapper-singer Suga debuted at No. 11 on Billboard's main albums chart, according to the U.S. music publication's social media Tuesday. Suga's new mixtape, "D-2," released May 22, ranked 11th on the Billboard 200 chart this week, Billboard said via its Twitter account @billboardcharts. "D-2," Suga's second solo project, became the highest-charting album on the Billboard 200 by a Korean solo artist. Other Korean solo artists who previously made it on the Billboard 200 were also BTS members, with RM and J-Hope charting as high as 26th and 38th, respectively. Upon its May 22 release, the album immediately climbed to No. 1 on the iTunes "top album" charts in 80 countries and regions, including the United States, Canada, France, Sweden, Japan and Peru. The album's main track, "Daechwita," also dominated the iTunes' list of "top songs" in 50 nations and regions across the world. odissy@yna.co.kr

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(ATTN: UPDATES with more details throughout) SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's virus fight hit another snag Tuesday as church-linked cluster infections in the Seoul metropolitan area continued to rise ahead of further school reopenings, a key feature of eased social distancing. The country identified 38 more cases of the new coronavirus, including 36 local infections, raising the total caseload to 11,541, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). All of the new domestic cases were reported in Seoul and Incheon, west of the capital, and Gyeonggi Province that surrounds Seoul. A string of virus cases traced to churches in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area have emerged as a new source of concerns as the country is still wrestling with cases tied to nightclubs and a distribution center in the greater Seoul area. But the daily number of new infections appears to be on a downward trend after it hit a nearly two-month high o

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(ATTN: ADDS details throughout; CHANGES photos) SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases spiked again Wednesday as cluster infections tied to religious gatherings in the greater Seoul area continued to swell, putting further strain on the country's virus fight. The country added 49 more cases of the new coronavirus, including 46 local infections, raising the total caseload to 11,590, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, home to half of the country's 50 million population, had all but one of the locally transmitted cases, fueling concerns that a new wave of COVID-19 infections may occur. The daily number of new infections had been slowing, albeit with some ups and downs, since hitting a nearly two-month high of 75 last week. It stayed below 40 for the past four days. Any numbers above the 50 threshold mean South Korea has to seriously consider going back to strict so

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(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; ADDS details throughout, photo) By Kang Yoon-seung SEJONG, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Tuesday said it will reopen a complaint at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over Japan's export curbs in a move that could potentially batter the already frayed bilateral relations. But Seoul's trade ministry said it is still ready for more talks to resolve the monthslong dispute. The announcement came more than six months after Seoul dropped its WTO complaint against Tokyo's export restriction in a goodwill gesture to seek a breakthrough in the trade row that started with the latter's abrupt ban of shipping key materials to its neighbor in July 2019. The three key industrial materials are critical for the chip and display industries, namely photoresist, etching gas and fluorinated polyimide. The two industrial sectors are considered the backbones of Asia's No. 4 economy. In May, Seoul renewed its call for Tokyo to lift trade regulations ag

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SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- A recent series of minor earthquakes on the southwestern tip of the nation should not be seen as a precursor to larger-scale tremors, experts told a forum Tuesday. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) hosted a conference of experts to analyze 75 successive earthquakes that have occurred in Haenam County, about 430 kilometers south of Seoul, since late April. Most of them had magnitudes less than 3. The first quakes in 40 years to hit the region have sparked concerns, but the professors and researchers in the session concluded they show a seismic phenomenon that can usually be detected on the Korean Peninsula. The latest analysis located their epicenters in an area 500 meters in diameter, far smaller than the initially thought 1.2 kilometers, suggesting the size of the faults is not big enough to cause any earthquakes on a dangerous scale. Their depths were mostly 20 kilometers, deeper than the 5-15 kilometers of ordinary quakes in Kore

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(ATTN: UPDATES with more info throughout; CHANGES photos) SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's virus fight hit another snag Tuesday as church-linked cluster infections in the Seoul metropolitan area continued to rise ahead of further school reopenings, a key feature of eased social distancing. The country identified 38 more cases of the new coronavirus, including 36 local infections, raising the total caseload to 11,541, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). All of the new domestic cases were reported in Seoul and Incheon, west of the capital, and Gyeonggi Province that surrounds Seoul. A string of virus cases traced to churches in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area have emerged as a new source of concerns as the country is still wrestling with cases tied to nightclubs and a distribution center in the greater Seoul area. But the daily number of new infections appears to be on a downward trend after it hit a nearly tw

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(ATTN: UPDATES with details on relations with China in last paras) By Lee Chi-dong SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Tuesday it is expected to become a standing member of an expanded group of leading economies, not a temporary observer, once U.S. President Donald Trump's related plan is implemented smoothly. The outlook came as Trump and President Moon Jae-in agreed to add South Korea to the lineup of Group of 7 (G7) members during their phone talks the previous day. Trump is seeking to include Russia, Australia, India and probably Brazil in the longstanding club, which he regards as outdated. The existing members are the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. Talking with Moon for 15 minutes, Trump explained about his scheme to host a gathering of G7 members and the other four or five nations in the U.S. as early as in September. Moon expressed support for the move and willingness to attend an in-person group summit if organized. The

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By Woo Jae-yeon SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- More South Korean students will return to classrooms on Wednesday as part of the government's phased reopening plan, but worries linger over the continued spread of the new coronavirus. The reopening comes at a time when the country is wrestling with a spike in infections traced to small churches and cram schools in Seoul and its adjacent areas despite a slowdown in cases tied to bigger clusters, such as a nightlife district and a logistics center. On Wednesday, first-year high school students, second-year middle school students and third- and fourth-year elementary school students will return to their classrooms. The total number amounts to 1.78 million. When the third phase is completed, 4.59 million, about 77 percent of all South Korean school kids, will be attending in-person classes. But they will not all go to school simultaneously. Each school is allowed to run a different schedule to ease classroom crowding. They implemen

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By Lee Haye-ah WASHINGTON, June 2 (Yonhap) -- A former commander of U.S. Forces Korea expressed worry Tuesday that North Korea will soon launch a new ballistic missile submarine. Retired Gen. Walter Sharp's remark comes after North Korea's Central Military Commission discussed "new policies" to bolster the country's nuclear deterrence and develop its armed forces. The May meeting, presided over by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, drew fresh attention to the 3,000-ton submarine under construction, with South Korean military and intelligence officials saying it appears almost ready to be deployed. The submarine is believed to be capable of carrying three ballistic missiles. "I continue to worry that we're going to see a submarine here pretty soon that's got a ballistic missile capability on it," Sharp said during a virtual seminar hosted by the Korea Defense Veterans Association. He said he also believes North Korea continues to develop its short- and medium-range ballisti

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