Former UN chief Ban Ki-moon receives warm welcome home in Korea

Former UN chief and Korean diplomat Ban Ki-moon arrived in Seoul on Thursday, promising to use his experience leading the global body to further the development of his home country.

"I am ready to give my all for the country and that determination remains unchanged. I will unite our divided nation."

Ban also said he felt great sorrow for Korea after coming back from his 10 years tenure in the international organization.

"Korea has lost its economic vitality. Many irregularities are embedded in our society, including the polarization of wealth and the fact that our youth have lost their dreams. Korea is undergoing great difficulties. All leaders bear responsibility for this."

Although Ban, who is considered a conservative figure in Korea, has distanced himself from politics, local political parties will likely compete to recruit him.

Ban will also receive the Rose of Sharon medal, one of the Korean government's highest honors, for his contributions to the country as the first Korean UN chief.

Ban has a busy schedule ahead of him in the coming days.
On Friday, Ban plans to visit the National Cemetery in Seoul to pay his respects to Korea's former presidents.
Later in the day, he will visit his mother in his hometown in Eumseong County, Chungcheongbuk-do Province, where he will also pay his respects at his father's grave.

(Stand-up)
"In the near future, Ban plans to travel around the country, and he's previously said he wants to meet with people from all walks of life before making a decision about the presidency.

Choi, An Opposed to Adoption of Datebooks as Evidence

Prosecutors probing the Choi Soon-sil scandal clashed with Choi’s defense team over the adoption of key evidence at the second hearing of her trial at the Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday.

Choi’s lawyers said they are against adopting as evidence datebooks belonging to former presidential aide An Chong-bum. The lawyers claimed prosecutors failed to provide an explanation on the connection between the datebooks and the charges against their client.

An’s defense team is also opposing the adoption of his datebooks as evidence, claiming that they were illegally seized during the prosecution’s raid.

Prosecutors criticized the defendants, accusing them of trying to block, by all means, any evidence disadvantageous to President Park Geun-hye from being presented in her impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court.

Last month, prosecutors had requested An to present as evidence 17 datebooks that he had written in while serving as a senior presidential secretary.

Kim Chung-ha von I.O.I. plant Solokarriere

Jeder fragt sich, was aus den Mitgliedern der erfolgreichen Girlgroup I.O.I wird, wenn ihr Vertrag Ende nächsten Monats ausläuft.

Kim Chung-ha jedenfalls hat verkündet, sie wolle eine Solokarriere verfolgen.

Ihr Label M&H Entertainment bestätigte, Kim werde sich auf die letzten Promotionsaktionen von I.O.I konzentrieren und danach als Solosängerin zurückkehren.

Beaucoup de chansons réchauffent les cœurs cet hiver

A ce moment l’année, les chanteurs sont nombreux à sortir des chansons de noël, voire des albums spéciaux pour l’hiver.

Or, cette année, on trouve sur le marché musical beaucoup de ballades qui réconfortent le public avec leur mélodie et paroles chaleureuses.

Starship Planet, un groupe-projet qui rassemble plusieurs artistes de Starship Entertainment, sort un morceau chaque hiver. Alors, cette fois, lesquels ont participé au projet annuel ?

Ce sont Junggigo, Mad Clown, Ki-hyun de Monsta X, Hyun-sung de Boyfriend, Yoo Seung-woo et Brothers Su qui se sont réunis pour sortir le 2 décembre « Love Wishes », une jolie ballade.

Le même jour, le girls band Laboum a sorti un single spécial intitulé « Conte d’hiver ». Caractérisé par de belles mélodies lyriques, il a charmé le public. Un autre girls band a fait son come-back le 15 décembre avec un single spécial, aussi.

Il s’agit d’Apink ! Intitulé « Dear », ce nouveau morceau est très apprécié dès sa sortie.

L’album qui attire le plus d’attention cet hiver, c’est celui d’EXO, avant même sa sortie prévue pour le 20 décembre. Reste à savoir si sa nouvelle chanson sera aussi aimée que son single d’hiver précédent intitulé « Sing for You ». Tous ces titres aideront les amateurs de k-pop à passer l’hiver dans une ambiance chaleureuse malgré le froid.