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Korea protests US' unilateral announcement on Alaska LNG project

Korea on Thursday stressed that it retains discretion in deciding whether to invest in the Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) and nuclear reactor projects in the U.S., refuting the U.S. side's announcement that implied the two countries confirmed proceeding with the projects. Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan said he lodged a protest with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick over "the announcement that went far beyond what was agreed." This came after U.S. President Donald Trump presented the Alaska LNG project and plans for eight nuclear reactors alongside a $22.3 billion Texas combined-cycle gas power plant as part of Korea's $200 billion strategic investment package during an announcement at the White House in Washington on Wednesday (local time). “Thanks to the agreements my administration has secured with the Republic of Korea, they will invest up to $200 billion. That's the Korean government, $200 billion to build a six-gigawatt power generation facility in Texas … Eight new large-scale nuclear power plants, and at long last, the Alaska liquefied natural gas pipeline,” Tr

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COVER STORY 120 meters above Seoul, slackliner stuns crowds

When Jaan Roose, 34, a three-time slackline world champion from Estonia, stepped onto a line 120 meters above downtown Seoul on Thursday, a collective gasp rose from the hundreds watching below. "Seeing a person up there feels like watching a video. It doesn't seem real," said Sung Na-hyun, 37, an office worker, adding that it was her first time watching a slackline performance. Sponsored by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and hosted by Red Bull, the event was the first slackline performance held high above central Seoul. Slackline is an extreme sport in which athletes walk along a line about 2.5 to 5 centimeters wide stretched between two points, performing tricks such as jumps and spins using the line's sway and rebound. Roose, who began slacklining at 18, became the first person to slackline across the Strait of Messina, which separates Sicily from mainland Italy, in July 2024. Two months later, he became the first to cross from Asia to Europe on a slackline, walking 1,074 meters over the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey. He kept breaking new ground in January 2025, walking a 100-meter

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Cornell and Burning Sun: What's behind the comparisons?

SEATTLE — The sexual assault allegations involving seven current and former Cornell University students are drawing comparisons to Korea’s Burning Sun scandal, with parallels focusing on private group chats, male group dynamics and questions of institutional accountability. The Cornell case centers on allegations that a female student was drugged and sexually assaulted by multiple members of the Chi Phi fraternity in October 2024. A civil lawsuit filed last month names seven current and former students, including Winston Lee, whose ties to Korea have drawn particular attention in Korean and Korean American online communities. Burning Sun erupted in 2019 as one of Korea’s most notorious scandals in recent years, growing from allegations surrounding a Seoul nightclub into a sprawling case involving prostitution, sexual violence, illegally filmed and shared sexual videos, gambling and allegations of police corruption. Min Joo Lee, an assistant professor of Asian studies at Occidental College whose research includes gender and sexuality in South Korea, told The Korea Times that there

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Asian Games S. Korea's Huh Mimi wins gold in women's judo

NAGOYA, Japan — South Korea's Huh Mimi won the gold medal in the women's -57-kilogram judo event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, giving her country its first judo gold at the ongoing competition. Huh beat Terbish Ariunzaya of Mongolia by a yuko in the event's final held at Aichi International Arena in Nogoya, central Japan. She stood on the top of the podium in her first Asian Games appearance. It is South Korea's first judo gold medal at the ongoing competition. Bronze medals were shared by Mio Shirakane of Japan and Kim Hyon-a of North Korea. In the final, Huh earned a yuko, the smallest point awarded in judo, through a back-throw just 12 seconds after the competition started. She tried a couple of ground and hand-throwing techniques, but failed to earn points. Despite a shido, or yellow card, she successfully used the remaining time to seal the victory. Huh, 21, was born in Tokyo to a Korean father and a Japanese mother. She competed for Japan earlier in her career but began representing South Korea in 2021 to honor a dying wish of her grandmother. Huh is also a descendant of a Korean

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1st-gen K-pop is coming back as Fin.K.L, Fly to the Sky, Son Ho-young return

As K-pop's newest generation competes for attention, some of the industry's original stars are stepping back into the spotlight. Fin.K.L, Fly to the Sky and g.o.d's Son Ho-young are all preparing new music activities, bringing a wave of first-generation K-pop nostalgia to an industry now dominated by much younger acts. The returns are particularly notable because they are not limited to performances of old hits: The veteran artists are preparing new releases and longer-term activities after years away from their respective music careers. Fin.K.L, one of the defining girl groups of K-pop's first generation, is making a full-group return after about 21 years. Gemstone E&M, which is overseeing the group's comeback, announced Sept. 21 that all four members — Lee Hyo-ri, Ock Joo-hyun, Sung Yu-ri and Lee Jin — would resume activities together. It marks Fin.K.L's first full-fledged group activities since the 2005 digital single "Forever Fin.K.L." Following the group's hiatus, Lee Hyo-ri and Ock continued their careers as solo singers, while Sung and Lee Jin focused primarily on acting. The fo

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President keeps NK dialogue push amid DMZ mine dispute

President Lee Jae Myung pledged Thursday to continue taking practical steps to reduce military tensions with North Korea and urged Pyongyang to join efforts to restore dialogue. The message, delivered in his Armed Forces Day address, signaled that Lee intends to keep his engagement policy intact despite renewed friction over the latest land mine incident in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). “The knots in inter-Korean relations are extremely complex, but we will steadily, patiently strive to untie them, one by one,” Lee said during a ceremony marking the 78th Armed Forces Day at Gyeryongdae, the military headquarters in South Chungcheong Province. “I hope that the North joins us now on the path of restoring trust and resuming dialogue, following a long interruption,” he added. The president went onto say that Seoul would “consistently pursue practical measures to reduce military tensions between the two Koreas,” stressing that the surest form of security is creating peace that makes fighting unnecessary. Lee’s remarks came a day after the South Korean military formally blamed Nor

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'It's not that we like Seoul': Young Koreans explain why they leave their hometowns

"Why do you insist on living in Seoul? You could just live in your own region." Young people from outside the capital hear that question often, and they say it misses the point. About 30,000 of them move to Seoul each year in net terms for university or work, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics. The regional antagonism that split their parents' generation between the Jeolla provinces in Korea's southwest and the Gyeongsang provinces in the southeast has faded. In its place, the concentration of opportunity in Seoul alone has deepened their marginalization. Eight participants in a roundtable discussion described what that gap looks like from the other end of the country. Regional prejudice survives as mockery Participant 7: "The regional rivalry between Gyeongsang and Jeolla doesn't seem that strong among people in their 20s these days." Participant 6: "There isn't the same level of it as among people in their 50s and 60s. But I have encountered some anti-Jeolla sentiment. Some friends whose parents are from Jeolla make such comments even more openly." Participant 1: "I've har

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President to request confirmation hearing for embattled nominee for chief of investigation bureau

President Lee Jae Myung will soon ask the National Assembly to hold a confirmation hearing for his nominee for the inaugural chief of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCIA), a presidential official said Thursday. Cheong Wa Dae will soon submit a request to the National Assembly for a parliamentary confirmation hearing for Kim Ji-yong, who has been nominated to head the new agency, presidential secretary for public relations Seong Ghi-hong said. The decision was announced a day before the SCIA is set to launch, along with the Public Prosecution Service, as part of the Lee administration's prosecution reform aimed at stripping the prosecution of investigative rights, tasking them with only indicting and maintaining indictments against suspects. The president nominated Kim early last month at the recommendation of the interior minister, but suspicions have since been raised within the ruling Democratic Party that Kim had once opposed prosecution reform. Seong said that since the nomination, the presidential office has carried out an additional verification process, adding that its r

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This is what YouTuber Tzuyang's new 'moderate' mukbang looks like

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. YouTuber Tzuyang has shown a markedly different approach to mukbang, or eating broadcasts. Recently, a video was posted on Tzuyang’s YouTube channel showing her eating at an instant noodles restaurant in Guri, Gyeonggi Province. In the video, Tzuyang ate eight packs of instant noodles of different varieties and even mixed rice into the remaining broth. However, compared with the amount she has eaten in the past, it was a surprisingly small portion. Tzuyang previously revealed that she had eaten as many as 20 packs of instant noodles in one sitting, demonstrating her reputation as an exceptional eater. On Sept. 21, Tzuyang said, “I heard eating a lot is no longer the trend,” adding, “From now on, I’m going to become a YouTuber who eats in moderation.” Some viewers commented that her more cautious approach appeared to reflect recent attention surrounding YouTube’s content guidelines. YouTube expanded its guidelines on eating disorder-related content in 2023. In addition to restricting content that glamorizes or encourages eating dis

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President appoints economic growth secretary as new policy chief

President Lee Jae Myung named senior presidential secretary for economic growth Ha Joon-kyung as his new policy chief, Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday, filling a post that had remained vacant for a month. Ha, an economist who has served in the presidential office since Lee began his term in June 2025, will oversee a broader range of economic and social policies in his new role. He replaces Kim Yong-beom, who stepped down on Sept. 1 amid criticism over the introduction of high-risk single-stock leveraged exchange-traded funds and other controversial economic policies. “Ha is a leading scholar who has incorporated fair growth and efforts to reduce polarization into his growth strategy,” senior presidential secretary for public relations and communications Seong Ghi-hong said during a press briefing. “We expect him to bring about tangible changes in areas directly linked to people’s lives, including welfare, jobs, education and housing.” The presidential press secretary said Lee named Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources Moon Shin-hak to take over Ha’s former post. Moon has

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Tom Cruise returns to Seoul for 'Digger' with bold transformation

Tom Cruise returned to Korea for his 13th visit with a new film, “Digger,” that marks one of the Hollywood superstar’s most radical transformations in his five-decade career. "Digger" follows Digger Rockwell, a stubborn billionaire whose drilling operations in a Greenland glacier cause a minor fracture that escalates into an unprecedented worldwide disaster. In the movie, Cruise takes on a new look. Complete with grey hair, aging makeup and a notoriously quick-tempered personality, he plays a figure who plunges the world into chaos. Expressing his joy at visiting Korea once again, the 64-year-old actor highlighted his deep connection with Korean fans. "There are 13 visits to Korea. Fantastic. That's probably a Hollywood record. I love it," Cruise said. "I'm very excited to share a dinner with you all, and I just love coming here." When asked what drew him to "Digger," Cruise emphasized his desire to work with world-class director and step into unfamiliar creative territory. "Alejandro Iñárritu is definitely one of the greatest filmmakers in cinema history. He is an extraordinary ar

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Shinhan Bank hit by data breach affecting 25,000 customers

Shinhan Bank apologized Thursday after personal information belonging to about 25,000 customers was leaked in a data breach, as financial regulators launched an urgent inspection into the incident. According to the bank, the leaked information includes customers' names, phone numbers, annual income and loan eligibility limits, as well as other personal and credit information submitted for loan applications. The data also included 66 cases involving resident registration numbers and 97 cases involving connected information. The breach occurred as an unauthorized external party gained access to some of its services through an abnormal method that bypassed authentication. Shinhan Bank CEO Jung Sang-hyuk apologized and said the bank will take full responsibility for any losses. "We take full responsibility for the fact that an information breach occurred at a financial institution entrusted with protecting our customers' valuable assets and information," Jung said in a statement. "I sincerely apologize for causing concern and inconvenience to our customers. We will devote all resources to addr

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Netflix's 'Take Charge of My Heart' recharges classic rom-com formula

An electrifying Korean romantic comedy is headed to the small screen for the fall season. Starring Kim Young-kwang and Chae Soo-bin, the Netflix series "Take Charge of My Heart" is set to spark a lovely romantic connection with viewers and warming hearts as chilly autumn days set in. The drama follows a man whose artificial heart battery is dying and a woman burdened with high-voltage superpowers. Baek Ho-rang (Kim), a third-generation chaebol heir whose artificial heart is dangerously low on power, enters into a pragmatic contract with Na Bo-bae (Chae), a TV writer whose own love life remains hopelessly drained due to her electrical abilities. As subtle feelings develop between them, their transactional dynamic quickly evolves into a series of thrilling, heart-fluttering moments. "When I first received the script, the female lead's electrical powers immediately hooked me," director Park Soo-won explained during a press conference for the Netflix series at Hotel Naru Seoul MGallery in Mapo District, Seoul, Thursday. "Unlike standard rom-coms where heart-fluttering moments come purely f

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BTS becomes 1st pop group to surpass $500 mil. in tour ticket sales

Global K-pop sensation BTS has become the first pop group in the world to surpass $500 million in cumulative ticket sales with its ongoing "Arirang" world tour, Billboard said. The South Korean septet's tour was the seventh by any group to reach the milestone, the U.S. music industry publication said, citing its latest Boxscore figures released Wednesday (U.S. time). "It puts them in unprecedented territory as a pop group, as the other six ensembles are all rock bands," Billboard added. Much of this milestone was driven by recent shows. In August alone — about four months after the tour began in South Korea in April — BTS staged 12 concerts, drawing about 800,000 fans and generating $171.7 million in ticket sales, according to the figures. This performance put the group at the top of Billboard's monthly Top Tours chart for the fifth time, placing it behind Bad Bunny with 10 No. 1 finishes, and Beyonce, Coldplay and Elton John with seven each. The group's August revenue was also the second-highest monthly total in Billboard Boxscore history, behind Beyonce's figure from August 2023. Wit

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More older Koreans cover own living costs as support from children declines

Kim, 70, who lives in Seoul’s Gwanak District, works as an attendant on a kindergarten bus, helping children board and get off safely. The pay is modest, but it helps cover everyday expenses and gives her some spending money. “My son occasionally gives me money, but not regularly,” Kim said. “I don’t want to burden my son and his wife by asking them to cover my living expenses every month. As long as I stay healthy, I want to keep working, even if I earn only a small amount.” An increasing number of older Koreans, like Kim, are covering their own living expenses rather than relying on support from their children. Figures released Thursday by the Ministry of Data and Statistics showed that 74.7 percent of people aged 65 and older covered their living expenses themselves or through their spouses in 2024. That was an increase of 16.2 percentage points over a decade. By contrast, the proportion relying on support from children or relatives dropped to 13.1 percent, down 15.5 percentage points over the same period. The share of older people who want to work has also grown. This year

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Samsung chief joins chip industry leaders at Korean art gala in London

Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong joined global business leaders at a London gala celebrating a Korean art exhibition on Wednesday (local time), bringing cultural outreach and semiconductor partnerships together at the British Museum in the United Kingdom. About 240 political, business and cultural figures attended the dinner. Britain's Princess Anne attended a reception beforehand to mark the exhibition's opening. The exhibition, “Korea: 2,000 Years of Creativity,” explores 2,000 years of Korean creativity through works from the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee's collection. It is the museum's first major Korean art exhibition since 1984, according to Samsung. Jointly organized by the British Museum, the National Museum of Korea and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, it follows exhibitions in Washington and Chicago. London is the third overseas stop. Guests included ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet, Merck CEO Kai Beckmann, ZEISS CEO Andreas Pecher and Imec CEO Patrick Vandenameele, whose organizations cooperate with Samsung on semiconductor tech

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Yongin national chip cluster construction begins this month amid compensation, fast-track risks

YONGIN, Gyeonggi Province — Korea’s ambitious plan to expand domestic semiconductor production capacity and strengthen its position in the global chip supply chain will take another step forward this month, as construction is set to begin on the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster National Industrial Complex in Gyeonggi Province this month. The initiative, however, is not free from possible delays, including compensation for residents and businesses already at the site and pressure to meet fast-track construction deadlines ordered by President Lee Jae Myung, who is determined to capitalize on soaring artificial intelligence (AI)-driven memory demand before it cools. Two semiconductor clusters are currently planned in Yongin’s Cheoin District. One is the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster General Industrial Complex, where SK hynix is already building its memory chip fabs, and the other is the Yongin System Semiconductor Cluster National Industrial Complex, which is set to break ground this month and will house Samsung Electronics’ foundry and memory fabs. The Korea Land & Housing Corp. (LH),

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WINNER's Mino could face 102 more days of military service after suspended sentence

WINNER member Mino could be required to complete another 102 days of alternative military service after receiving a suspended prison sentence for violating Korea's Military Service Act. An official from the Military Manpower Administration told Xportsnews on Thursday that Mino would have to serve again for the number of days he was absent without authorization if the court ruling becomes final. "If the ruling is finalized, he will have to serve again for the number of days he was absent from duty," the official said. The Seoul Western District Court on Thursday sentenced Mino, whose legal name is Song Min-ho, to one year in prison, suspended for two years, after finding him guilty of violating the Military Service Act. The ruling is from the first trial and has not yet been finalized. The official who was responsible for supervising Mino's service at the time and was tried alongside him received a 10-month prison term, suspended for two years. Prosecutors said Mino was absent without authorization for 102 of approximately 430 required workdays. If the ruling is upheld and becomes final, h

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Korea's September exports hit record $120.9 bil. on robust chip sales

Korea's exports soared 83.5 percent to a record $120.9 billion in September from a year earlier, driven by a surge in chip shipments, data showed Thursday. Semiconductor exports exceeded $60 billion for the first time ever last month, boosting overall export figures, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said in a press release. Imports climbed 26 percent from a year earlier to $71.09 billion, resulting in an unprecedented trade surplus of $49.85 billion. By sector, semiconductor exports, a key pillar of Asia's fourth-largest economy, skyrocketed 263 percent during the period to $60.3 billion, helped by increased shipments and higher product prices amid rising demand for memory chips. Exports of petroleum products jumped 72 percent to $7.22 billion, while those of petrochemical products rose 5.1 percent to $3.95 billion. Cosmetics exports shot up 31.4 percent to $1.51 billion on rising demand in China, the United States and the European Union. Automobile exports, however, fell 5.5 percent to $6.05 billion, hurt by fewer working days driven by the Chuseok holiday and a decline in us

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Outlier ballerina: Kim Danbi dances her way to the top

Kim Danbi, 26, was in disbelief when her name was called by Houston Ballet Artistic Directors Julie Kent and Stanton Welch AM as its newest principal ballerina following her performance in the title role of "Giselle," which closed out the season. For several seconds, she looked as if she had no idea what had happened. Then, realizing that the mind-blowing announcement was real, Kim became teary-eyed. She walked toward Kent and Welch, and hugged them one after another amid thunderous applause from the audience. “I hoped that someday I could become a principal dancer, but I had never thought that day would come so early,” she said during a recent phone interview with the Korea Times. She rose to the top rank of the Houston Ballet on June 21, one year after she was promoted to first soloist. Giselle was Kim’s dream role, making the announcement even more meaningful because her promotion came on the very stage where she had just completed her performance. Her dedication to dance had paid off. Like Giselle, Kim is a passionate dancer. In the romantic ballet, Kim dominates the stage with h

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Editor's Pick

[COVER STORY] Questions remain over when NK mines were planted in DMZ

COVER STORY Questions remain over when NK mines were planted in DMZ

More than a week after two land mines exploded in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), injuring three South Korean soldiers, investigators are getting a clearer picture of what caused the blasts, though questions remain over when and why the mines were planted. The United Nations Command said Wednesday that an active North Korean anti-personnel mine was found south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) during a joint investigation into the Sept. 21 DMZ explosions, determining that a violation of the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement had occurred. South Korea's military believes the mines were buried rather than washed into the area but has yet to determine when they were planted or whether they were intended to target South Korean troops. What was found The intact mine recovered during the investigation was a North Korean resin anti-personnel mine, a box-shaped device similar to the North’s wooden-box mine but made of plastic. The JCS says North Korea has used this type since 1969. Forensic analysis of the injured soldiers’ helmets and body armor detected TNT and brown foreign material but no

3 MIN READ

Life in Korea

Seoul prepares for driverless future with 500 autonomous buses by 2030

Seoul prepares for driverless future with 500 autonomous buses by 2030

In a move that could permanently reshape urban transit in one of Asia’s most densely populated metropolises, Seoul city officials announced an ambitious strategy, Thursday, to integrate 500 fully autonomous buses into regular city transit routes by 2030. The initiative took a major step forward when the Seoul Metropolitan Government signed a landmark agreement with Hyundai Motor Company and the Seoul Bus Transportation Business Association at City Hall. The tripartite partnership aims to bridge the gap between niche technological trials and full-scale public utility, laying the groundwork for driverless Level 4 automation across the city's bus network. Under the agreement, Hyundai will engineer and manufacture specialized 11-meter buses designed specifically for autonomous integration. Unlike standard vehicles retrofitted with aftermarket sensors, these factory-built models will feature electronic steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire systems, redundant safety controls and cyberattack defenses, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. "Seoul is taking the lead in connecting cutting-e

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Lifestyle

INSPIRE revamps OASIS Gourmet Village with Korean, other Asian cuisines

INSPIRE Entertainment Resort is betting on familiar Korean flavors and casual Asian dining as it reopens its OASIS Gourmet Village with five in-house restaurant brands this week. The Incheon resort began rolling out its revamped food court Thursday, with all five brands scheduled to be operating by Saturday as part of a broader push to create a more relaxed dining destination for domestic and international visitors. Chusu Sotbab, specializing in Korean pot rice, and Italian pizza restaurant Pizza Piazza opened Thursday, offering dishes including Hanwoo Grade 1++ pot rice, scallop pot rice, seafood pizza and steak pizza. Chinese casual restaurant Hongmiru is scheduled to open Friday with dishes including seafood jjampong (noodles in spicy broth), uni jajangmyeon (black bean noodles) and tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork). Jinji, which focuses on Korean soup-based dishes, and Japanese restaurant Tontonya will join the lineup Saturday, completing the five-brand roster. Jinji will offer special Hanwoo beef soup, Hanwoo and abalone seaweed soup and pork kimchi stew, while Tontonya will serve dish

2 MIN READ
INSPIRE revamps OASIS Gourmet Village with Korean, other Asian cuisines

K-Culture

TXT to return with new EP in November

K-pop boy band Tomorrow X Together (TXT) will drop its ninth EP, "Perfect Storm," in November, the group's agency said Monday. The album, set for release Nov. 16, will feature six tracks, with further details to be released later, BigHit Music said in a release. The five-member act's last Korean-language release was its eighth EP, "7th Year: A Moment of Stillness in the Thorns," released in April. TXT will begin its fifth world tour, "Steal the Wind," with three concerts at Seoul's KSPO Dome from Nov. 13 to 15.

1 MIN READ
TXT to return with new EP in November

Celebrities

IVE member Jang Wonyoung's first Dior show — and a meeting with BLACKPINK's Jisoo

IVE member Jang Wonyoung drew attention with a noticeably softer look at her first Dior fashion show, where an encounter with fellow K-pop star and longtime Dior ambassador Jisoo of BLACKPINK also generated online buzz. On Wednesday, Jang shared a series of photos on her personal social media account with the caption, "My first show day." The appearance marked Jang's first fashion show since recently being named an ambassador for French luxury house Dior. Her debut at the show drew additional attention after photos and clips circulated online showing her greeting Jisoo, who has represented Dior since the early years of BLACKPINK's career. Jang paired a white lace top with a black skirt and wore her long, straight hair down, creating an elegant and understated look. The styling also marked a shift from some of her recent looks, which emphasized a more glamorous and sensual image. This time, rosy blush and luminous, natural-looking makeup highlighted a softer aesthetic. Jang completed the look with playful poses for the camera, drawing attention to her doll-like visuals. Beyond fashion, Jang

1 MIN READ
IVE member Jang Wonyoung's first Dior show — and a meeting with BLACKPINK's Jisoo

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Opinion

Top 10 Stories

  1. Korea protests US' unilateral announcement on Alaska LNG project

  2. COVER STORY 120 meters above Seoul, slackliner stuns crowds

  3. WINNER's Song Min-ho gets suspended prison term for negligence in mandatory service

  4. Asian Games S. Korea's Huh Mimi wins gold in women's judo

  5. The new 'hoesik' wears running shoes

  6. S. Korea ordered to pay nearly $50 mil. to Elliott over Samsung merger case

  7. Korea deploys AI drones to stop wild boar incursions into residential areas

  8. More older Koreans cover own living costs as support from children declines

  9. Cornell and Burning Sun: What's behind the comparisons?

  10. 'It's not that we like Seoul': Young Koreans explain why they leave their hometowns

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