Kara Han Seung-yeon fractures spine

Kara member Han Seung-yeon [DSP Media]

Popular K-pop girl group Kara member Han Seung-yeon has fractured her spine while working out, forcing the band to delay their comeback to the local music scene set for later this month, according to the girls' agency DSP Media on Tuesday.

The girls had recently been working out ahead of the release of their fourth mini-album when Han was told her spine had been fractured while on a visit to an oriental medical clinic after experiencing pain to her waist.

She has been hospitalized and advised to receive four weeks of treatment and accordingly, their comeback has tentatively been pushed back to after early November when the girls' second single in Japan goes on sale.

DSP will discuss with media officials regarding their schedules set for September but Han will most likely be unable to carry out any of her activities.

Han, 22, is the leader of the five-member group who made their debut in 2007 with their first album “Blooming.” They have released several singles and albums containing their hits “Pretty Girl,” “Wanna” and “Lupin.”

They recently made a successful debut in Japan, becoming the first Asian girl group to rank in the top 10 of the prestigious Oricon weekly singles chart with their first single in the country "Mister."

They are also the second foreign artist in almost 30 years to have made it within the top 10 slots and the third non-Japanese female artists to rank in the top of the charts in over 38 years.

Jessica Kim jesskim@