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BTS to give a speech at U.N. General Assembly

Posted September. 20, 2018 07:38,   

Updated September. 20, 2018 07:38

한국어

Korean boy band BTS, which has been gaining worldwide popularity, will make its United Nations debut in New York at the 73rd General Assembly meeting, demonstrating the band’s soaring popularity and the status of K-Pop that have led to its invitation to the U.N. general assembly meeting involving world leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

According to multiple sources at the United Nations, BTS will participate in the event for announcing the “Generation Unlimited” partnership, the international body’s new agenda for the youth, to be held at the U.N. Trusteeship Council at noon on September 24. The band is also scheduled to make a three-minute speech to the audience there.

“Generation Unlimited” is the U.N.’s new global partnership dedicated to increasing opportunities and investments for children and young people aged 10 to 24. At the upcoming event to be held a day before the opening of the U.N. General Assembly session, about 10 world leaders including U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, and three first ladies including Kim Jung-sook from South Korea will be present.

BTS has become a world-class band by topping the Billboard 200 albums chart with third studio album “Love Yourself: Tear.” In particular, BTS attracted the U.N.’s attention by becoming the first K-Pop singers to support the UNICEF’s “End Violence” campaign to fight violence against children, as it joined forces with the UNICEF Korea’s “Love Myself” campaign, in which BTS agreed to donate some of the profits from its album and goods sales and donations to the cause. Last November, the band donated 500 million won (445,632 U.S. dollars) to the UNICEF. As BTS fans joined the campaign, the band has raised nearly 1.15 billion won (1 million dollars) in donations.

Having started the “Love Myself” tour from Los Angeles, BTS plans to hold a concert at the Citi Field Stadium in New York City, the home ground for the New York Mets, on November 6, after participating the event at the U.N. General Assembly.


Yong Park parky@donga.com