NEWS BRIEF

[Anchor Lead]

The Academy of Korean Studies says it has established a database related to the colonial period and that over 67-hundred rare and valuable photos and postcards will be unveiled to the public. In the latest project, the academy provided research funds to a Dong-A University team led by Professor Shin Dong-gyu for 3 years. The postcards are painful records demonstrating how Japan justified its colonial occupation and distorted views on Korea using propaganda.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised its growth outlook for the South Korean economy this year to 4%, up half a percentage point from April. Seoul's Finance Ministry said robust exports of IT and transport equipment and private sector facility investment in response to the digital economy are the main factors behind ADB's upward revision. The ministry believes improvement in demand and job market conditions also played a part. The regional bank meanwhile maintained Korea's growth outlook for next year at 3.1%.
K-pop boy band BTS's third English language song "Permission to Dance" has debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard's main singles chart Hot 100. The band's previous hit "Butter" topped the chart for 7 weeks straight and is now replaced by "Permission to Dance." Released on July 9, the new track is all about positivity BTS songs are now well known for and its music video conveys a message of hope in overcoming the pandemic. With the latest feat, all five BTS songs since "Dynamite" of August last year have topped the Billboard Hot 100.