Children walk on the beach accompanied by their teacher in Gangneung, Gangwon, on June 22.YONHAP
Good evening! I hope you all are having a great Monday. Here are the stories you need to know in Korea.
In today's news, we look at the North's attempts to seal off its southern border and how Seoul's Defense Ministry and the United Nations Command are reacting to the move.
We also delve into the South Korean national football team's uniform for the World Cup this year, which sports a special floral addition courtesy of G-Dragon's Peaceminusone brand.
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And we find out why jelly is making a fashion comeback.
What is happening? North Korea appears to be hard at work with an aim of sealing the border with South Korea. The country has erected barbed-wire fences less than 100 meters (328 feet) from the military demarcation line (MDL) and cleared land to place mines just 5 to 10 meters from it. The South's Defense Ministry and the United Nations Command (UNC) disagree on whether the move violates the Armistice Agreement.
Why is the North doing this? The North's move to seal the border traces back to Kim Jong-un's declaration that the two countries are hostile, separate states. In October 2024, the North said it would begin to seal its southern border and begin fortifying it. The barriers now sit almost on top of the MDL.
What are the Defense Ministry and UNC saying? Seoul's Defense Ministry says that the North is no longer honoring the terms of the armistice through its border buildup. "North Korea's installation of barriers near the MDL constitutes a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement," the Defense Ministry said.
However, the UNC disagrees. "Construction, fortification, defensive measures or the presence of personnel do not automatically constitute Armistice Agreement violations. Each matter is assessed based on the specific facts, circumstances, location, purpose and applicable provisions of the Armistice Agreement and subsequent agreements," it said.
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K-pop star's brand collaborates on World Cup clothing
These uniforms look a lot more colorful than they usually do! These ones are special! The flower design in the above picture comes from a fashion label started by Big Bang member G-Dragon. The jackets designed by Peaceminusone are worn by the team when they warm up for their World Cup matches.
What about their playing kit? Their match kit is created by Nike. However, the warm up kit was a collaboration with the sports brand and Peaceminusone for the global football tournament. Nike said that it collaborated with G-Dragon's brand to "combine the symbols of Korean football with modern details, making designs that both players and fans on the field can share the same sense of pride."
How is this year's World Cup affecting fashion? As people around the world catch football fever, the fashion industry has seen a renewed interest in football-related clothing as well. A term has been coined: "blokecore." It involves wearing sports clothing and adding it to daily office attire. Meanwhile, fashion platforms in Korea have seen an uptick in searches for "football uniform," which climbed more than 113 percent over the opening weekend of the World Cup.
People are wearing jelly? You mean, the stuff we eat? No, no, no. The jelly they're referring to here is polyvinyl chloride, otherwise known as PVC. The substance was used often in the late 1990s and early 2000s in fashion products and accessories. And now things made with it are making a comeback.
What kinds of accessories are people buying? Footwear made from PVC has become popular, known as jelly shoes. Merchants selling the footwear also instruct customers on how they can decorate and customize their shoes. Another item that has gained the attention of young adults is the so-called jelly Birkin bag, which has become a must-have accessory.
Why is this trending? As with most trends these days, this one has been spreading on social media. "I usually pay close attention to trends, and lately I've seen quite a few people carrying jelly bags on the street," said one jelly handbag owner. "The design is cute and the material is lightweight, so I bought one without much hesitation."
