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An investigation task force was launched Monday to crack down on clinics operating illegally under borrowed medical licenses, the prosecution said. The team of 30 personnel from seven agencies, including the prosecution and police, will be tasked with tracking down clinics involved in illegal and excessive medical treatments, resulting in the misuse of national health insurance funds, according to the Supreme Prosecutors Office. The other agencies on the team are the health ministry, the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the National Tax Service and the Financial Supervisory Service. The task force will be based at the Seoul Western District Prosecutors Office and pool the investigation, crackdown and information assets of all the involved agencies to better respond to cases of excessive treatments, false insurance claims and other related crimes. Currently, the NHIS' recovery rate through crackdowns on improper insurance claims stands at 8.79 percent.
From coastal botanical gardens to former presidential retreats, Geoje is spotlighting its 80 islands this month by subsidizing 50 percent of travel costs for overnight visitors. Under the 2026 Heart-Fluttering Island Geoje Half-Price Travel program — a localized tourism drive — the city will refund up to 200,000 won ($133) for out-of-town tourists who register in advance and stay at least one night by May 31. The city selected Oedo, Hwado, Isudo, Naedo and Gajodo as the top island attractions. Oedo remains the standard for Geoje island travel. Dubbed the "Garden on the Sea," the island reaches its peak in May. Operating under the name Botania — a compound of the words botany and utopia — the island features various subtropical and tropical plants harmonizing with picturesque buildings to evoke a Mediterranean beach. It became a local landmark, drawing more than 1 million annual visitors after serving as a filming location for the KBS drama "Winter Sonata." Tourists can reach Oedo via cruise ships from the Jangseungpo, Wahyeon and Gujora docks. Hwado, or Flower Island, offers vibr
LG CNS is partnering up with e-commerce operator Kurly to test humanoid robots and expand automation across logistics operations, as both companies push to enhance efficiency in fulfillment centers. The company announced Monday that the two recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to conduct a proof of concept for humanoid robots and collaborate on advanced logistics automation. Kurly, known for its early-morning fresh food delivery service, has been expanding its product categories into beauty, fashion and home goods, building on its retail-tech logistics infrastructure, while scaling its logistics capabilities. The company has accumulated large volumes of operational data across its fulfillment network, which it aims to leverage for artificial intelligence (AI)-driven optimization. Under the agreement, the companies will use Kurly’s logistics infrastructure to validate humanoid robots in real-world environments, develop intelligent logistics solutions and explore new business opportunities. “Kurly’s logistics expertise, combined with LG CNS’ technological capabilities
As drones, artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons reshape battlefields across the globe, a new exhibition in Seoul is asking a question that has haunted humanity for generations: Are there still limits to violence? The Seoul Museum of History and the International Committee of the Red Cross opened the exhibition, “Even Wars Have Limits,” Thursday, marking the 60th anniversary of Korea’s accession to the Geneva Conventions. Running through Aug. 9 in the museum lobby, the exhibition examines the origins of the Geneva Conventions and the evolving challenges facing international humanitarian law in an era of rapidly changing warfare. The exhibition is organized in cooperation with the Swiss Embassy in Korea and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Korean Red Cross. Museum officials said the exhibition comes at a time when more than 130 conflicts are unfolding worldwide, even as humanitarian resources available to civilians caught in war continue to shrink. The first section traces the history of the Geneva Conventions through photographs, documents and timelines,
A woman surnamed Park in her 60s living in Seoul's Yangcheon District closed two time deposit accounts worth a combined 50 million won ($33,000) last month and invested the money in shares of Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, Korea's two chipmaking giants. "I've never really been into stocks and usually stick to safer savings products," she said. "But lately, everyone around me has been talking about making money in the stock market, so I decided to close the deposit accounts I had opened just a few months earlier at KakaoBank and NH NongHyup Bank." She added, "Stock prices have been a little volatile recently, but I still think the returns will be much higher than deposit interest rates, so I don't regret the decision." An office worker in her 30s surnamed Choi also recently canceled an installment savings account at KakaoBank to invest in stocks. "I had been automatically putting 500,000 won into the account every month, but with rates in the low-3 percent range, there's little to gain after taxes," Choi said. "I thought I'd rather put the money into stocks instead." Park and Choi are a
As Korea adjusts to a growing population of foreign professionals and multicultural families, a wealthy district in the capital is transforming its public e-learning infrastructure to address the systemic challenges of immigrant assimilation. The Gangnam District Office said Monday it launched an online introductory language program, called Let’s Start Korean, tailored specifically for foreign residents and multicultural families. Set to begin its pilot run on Wednesday to coincide with the country’s Together Day, the initiative represents the first time the Seoul district is expanding its proprietary public e-learning platform beyond its traditional market of domestic secondary-school students. The curriculum, developed in partnership with Seoul National University’s Language Education Institute, aims to lower the high barrier to entry that often discourages absolute beginners. Spanning 68 distinct lectures over roughly 27 hours, the course covers foundational grammar, self-introductions and practical situational phrases for daily life. To maximize accessibility, the municipal g
A cohort of 15 central and local government officials from Sri Lanka arrived in Korea for an intensive 10-day capacity-building program aimed at accelerating public-sector innovation and digital transformation. The initiative, which runs through May 27, is organized by the Local Government Officials Development Institute (LOGODI) — an arm of Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety — in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency, the nation’s overseas aid bureau. The program, titled “Civil Servant Capacity Building for Government Innovation in Sri Lanka,” marks the third and final phase of a multiyear international training project. Launched in 2024 at the request of Colombo, the initiative is designed to support a sweeping national development strategy that Sri Lanka has pursued since 2020. This year’s curriculum focuses heavily on modernization, covering local government innovation, anti-corruption frameworks, and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into public services. To see these concepts in action, the Sri Lankan delegation will visit
The first-ever meeting between women's football clubs of the two Koreas to be held on South Korean soil will take place this week, with the South Korean side seeking to avenge an earlier loss to their foes from north of the border. Suwon FC Women, representing the WK League in the South, will play Naegohyang Women's FC of North Korea in the semifinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Champions League at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Suwon Stadium in Suwon, some 30 kilometers south of Seoul. Now in its second year, the AFC Women's Champions League is the top continental women's football competition. Both Suwon FC Women and Naegohyang are playing in the competition for the first time. Naegohyang arrived in South Korea on Sunday after training for a few days in Beijing. They are the first North Korean women's football club to play a match in South Korea, and also the first group of North Korean athletes to travel here for competition since December 2018. Given all the hoopla surrounding Naegohyang's presence here, it can be easy to forget there will be football played this week. Naego
For young Korean men living abroad, fulfilling the nation’s mandatory military service has long required navigating a notoriously rigid domestic digital bureaucracy. But the government is now easing its strict online authentication requirements, a move aimed at streamlining long-distance compliance for overseas conscripts. The Military Manpower Administration said Monday that Korean conscripts residing overseas can now use private-sector digital certificates to verify their identities on the agency's online portal. Under the new framework, citizens abroad can authenticate their identity using digital certificates issued by five major financial institutions: Kookmin Bank, Shinhan Bank, Woori Bank, Hana Bank and the fintech platform Toss. The policy shift addresses a long-standing logistical bottleneck for Koreans abroad. Previously, accessing military administrative services from abroad required government-issued public key certificates, a specialized military email address issued only after an initial physical exam or a digital ID that required a physical visit to an overseas diplomat
Korea is rolling out targeted tax incentives and administrative relief for foreign-invested companies, part of a broader policy push to position the country as a more competitive global investment hub. The National Tax Service said Monday that foreign firms boosting their domestic investments or expanding youth employment by 10 percent or more year-on-year will be exempted from international corporate tax audits for one year. Qualifying companies will also receive priority processing for research and development tax credit applications, skipping standard bureaucratic waiting lines. The measures follow a directive issued earlier this year by President Lee Jae Myung calling on fiscal authorities to actively support economic expansion and youth employment. Multinational corporations operating in Korea have long cited complex regulatory codes, compliance uncertainties and language barriers as primary hurdles to local operations. To address these systemic friction points, the tax agency has established dedicated counseling desks at its three major regional offices in the Seoul metropolitan a
Korean books are finding a growing audience far beyond Seoul, and now the government is betting that Southeast Asia could become the next major frontier for K-book exports. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Monday it would hold traveling book fairs in Hanoi and Bangkok this week as part of a broader push to expand the overseas market for Korean publishing content. The Hanoi event runs Sunday through Monday at the Grand Vista Hanoi Hotel, while the Bangkok fair will take place Wednesday through Thursday at the Amari Bangkok Hotel. The ministry said 20 Korean publishers, including MiraeN, Woori School, Woongjin Thinkbig and Hansol Soobook, will participate in export consultations with local publishers and media companies from Vietnam and Thailand. In total, 51 companies from Vietnam and 39 companies from Thailand are expected to join the meetings, alongside consultations involving 102 additional Korean titles represented through copyright agencies. The government said interest in Korean publishing content has risen sharply across Southeast Asia in recent years. In Vietnam, Ko
Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, known for its traditional hanok village, is pivoting from its traditional identity to become Korea's premier hub for street dance. The 19th Jeonju B-boy Grand Prix kicks off at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Samsung Culture Center of Jeonbuk National University. The major cultural event will feature more than 20 crews, including international breakdancers from Japan, China and Taiwan, competing for a total prize pool of 18 million won ($11,970). The winning crew will receive 10 million won. Jeonju cemented its position in the domestic breaking scene after local crew Last For One won the Battle of the Year competition in Germany in 2005, becoming the first Korean team to claim the international title. This unprecedented global victory broke Seoul's cultural dominance in the breaking scene, sparking regional confidence that led to the creation of the Grand Prix in 2007. The festival has rapidly evolved into an international stage, as seen when renowned Japanese crew Body Carnival won the 17th competition in Jeonju, drawing inquiries from overseas participants. The fi
President Lee Jae Myung recently called the nation's suicide rate "a disgrace," saying there is "no greater disgrace in the world than this." He criticized weak intervention systems, insufficient staffing for suicide hotlines and the tendency to treat suicide as an individual problem rather than a national crisis. Tough talk, but will it make a difference? Koreans have heard serious presidential rhetoric about suicide before, and the country has continued to record the highest suicide rate among OECD countries. Let's take a walk down memory lane. In 1983, approximately 2,700 Koreans died by suicide, a rate of seven per 100,000 people (although numbers were probably uncounted then). During President Kim Young-sam's term (1993-98), 25,000 Koreans died by suicide, averaging around 5,000 deaths annually. The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis broke the dam: Deaths jumped from roughly 6,022 in 1997 to 8,569 in 1998, a 42 percent increase in a single year. No administration has managed to return the country anywhere near the baseline it once held. President Kim Dae-jung (1998-2003), who inherited th
For years, municipal authorities and elite panels of architects have quietly dictated the aesthetic future of Korea’s capital. Now, the city is letting the public decide which buildings deserve to define the skyline of the ultramodern metropolis. The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Monday the publication of the "2025 Excellent Design Collection," a curated compendium showcasing 30 outstanding architectural designs vetted during last year’s municipal review processes. Unlike traditional architectural retrospectives, the finalized rankings were determined through direct public voting, splitting the selections evenly across three distinct categories: public infrastructure, commercial developments and residential complexes. The resulting catalog functions as a blueprint for the city’s evolving urban philosophy. Among the premier projects driving this transformation is the upcoming Gangbuk District Office Complex, a civic hub designed to decentralize city services while introducing green public spaces. In the commercial sector, the massive Jamsil Sports and MICE Complex captured
Known for his bold and vivid yet composed depictions of nature — especially mountains as a portrait of the inner mind — Yoo Young-kuk (1916-2002) is a pioneer of abstract art in Korean art. "Yoo Young-kuk: A Mountain Within Me," is a large-scale retrospective organized by the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA), set to begin Tuesday. The exhibition brings together some 170 pieces of his works and historical archives, including photos and drawings, according to the museum. Organized on the occasion of the 110th anniversary of his birth, the exhibit includes previously undisclosed pieces that allow visitors to explore the previously little-revealed parts of life and works of the art master. Rather than displaying his works in chronological order, the exhibition first invites viewers to take in his works from 1964, considered a major turning point in his artistic journey. It then reassembles his life through four other sections that encompass key stages in his life, ranging from his early days of studying art in Tokyo during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule to his later days when he faithfully
Son Heung-min picked up his league-leading ninth assist of the season, though it wasn't enough to stop a three-match losing streak for his Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC). Son assisted LAFC's second goal in their 3-2 loss to Nashville SC at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee, on Sunday (local time). With LAFC down 3-1, Son found Denis Bouanga with a corner in the 68th minute for his ninth helper of the season. But LAFC couldn't find the back of the net again and suffered their third straight loss in Major League Soccer (MLS). Son leads all MLS players with nine assists and has 16 dimes in all competitions this season. The longtime Korean national team captain was named to his fourth FIFA World Cup squad on Saturday. The 33-year-old has yet to score in MLS this season, leading to concerns that his best days are behind him and he won't be able to contribute much offensively at the World Cup. Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo claimed Saturday he wasn't worried about Son's seasonlong goalless drought, noting that Son plays more of a facilitator role for LAFC and he will be put in a position to
For residents living on the scenic fringes of Korea’s capital, an evening stroll has increasingly come with an unwelcome hazard: encounters with aggressive, multi-hundred-pound wild boars charging down from the mountains. Now, municipal authorities are deploying a mix of heavy-duty infrastructure and predictive data to reclaim the streets. The Seoul Metropolitan Government, in partnership with the Korea National Park Service, announced Monday an aggressive expansion of its urban wildlife containment strategy. Officials will install an additional 3 kilometers of specialized exclusion fencing along residential boundaries in heavily impacted northern districts, including Seodaemun, Nowon and Eunpyeong. The new barriers will fortify an already sprawling defense network that includes 18.8 kilometers of steel fencing and 184 heavy-duty cage traps strategically hidden along the foothills of Bukhansan National Park. The offensive appears to be working. According to city data, the population density of boars around Mount Bukhan has dropped steadily over the last four years, falling from 2.1 bo
In a world where stress and screen time have thoroughly disrupted human sleep cycles, venture capitalists are looking for a tech-driven fix. Now, a Korean startup is winning over major tech investors by promising to optimize a good night's rest. Deel, a global human resources platform, announced Monday the 10 Asia-Pacific winners of its seed-stage startup tournament, "The Pitch." Among the elite few advancing to the next stage is Munice, a Seoul-based artificial intelligence (AI) sleep-technology company. The startup operates Nightly, an AI-powered app designed to track sleep data and generate customized audio waves. By synchronizing a user's brainwaves with specific frequencies, the technology aims to actively induce a state of deep sleep. The competition is a high-stakes gauntlet. Deel's tournament pulled in more than 35,000 applicants from around the world. In the regional round held in Singapore on May 12, Munice was whittled down from a shortlist of 45 teams by a panel of tech executives and venture capitalists, including top leaders from ExpressVPN and Bytedance Cloud. The tourname
Korea wants international travelers to venture beyond the neon-lit streets of Seoul and is turning to its quirky regional festivals to do it. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, alongside the Korea Tourism Organization, launched a joint task force on Monday, designed to supercharge the global marketing of 10 designated regional festivals. The initiative represents a centralized push to bundle regional cultural events with curated travel packages, explicitly aiming to help Korea achieve its national target of attracting 30 million annual foreign tourists. Historically, Korea’s regional festivals — ranging from mud wrestling to high-octane rock concerts — have marketed themselves independently, often struggling with language barriers and fragmented logistics. The new joint task force intends to fix this by pairing festival organizers directly with major inbound travel agencies to create seamless, multiday itineraries. Rather than using a one-size-fits-all strategy, Seoul is taking a highly targeted approach. The Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival, for instance, will zero in on
Korea will invest 50.4 billion won ($33.5 million) over the next five years to develop core technologies needed in artificial intelligence (AI)-based humanoid robots with universities and local tech companies, the science ministry said Monday. The Ministry of Science and ICT held the inaugural meeting of the buildup project at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) in Seoul, the ministry said. The program, led by KIST and set to run until 2030, is part of the government's "K-Moonshot" initiative announced early this year, aimed at integrating AI into research and development of sciences and technologies. Under the plan, LG Electronics Inc. and WIRobotics, a local wearable robot startup, will develop advanced robot platforms and humanoid robot models that can be produced on a mass-scale. Research institutions, including major local universities and LG AI Research, will take part in the development of an AI model that can enable humanoid robots to comprehensively understand visual, physical, verbal and behavioral information. Solid-state batteries developed by LG Energy Soluti
Theborn Korea, a prominent Korean food service company led by celebrity restaurateur Paik Jong-won, opened its first Korean-Chinese restaurant franchise in Ulaanbaatar on May 9, marking a major push into the Mongolian market. The new outlet, operating under the brand name Paik’s Noodle, specializes in Korean-style Chinese dishes such as "jjajangmyeon" (black bean noodles) and "jjambpong" (spicy seafood noodle soup). The restaurant experienced an immediate surge in demand, with revenue doubling on its second day of operation. The unexpected rush prompted management to temporarily restrict entry to maintain service quality. Local television networks also heavily covered the launch, highlighting it as the first franchise of its kind in the country. The expansion is part of a broader strategy by Theborn Korea to leverage its multibrand portfolio in high-growth regions. The company said it chose Ulaanbaatar because it serves as Mongolia's primary consumer market, home to more than 70 percent of the nation's 3.5 million residents. Additionally, local consumer interest in Korean food cultur
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Visitors crowd a traditional Korean hanok-inspired entrance to the K-Beauty World booth at Ulta Beauty Field Leadership Conference 2026 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., in April. Held April 14 to 16, the event brought together about 200 select brands carried by major U.S. retailer Ulta Beauty. Landing International, Ulta’s Korean cosmetics distributor, jointly hosted the booth to showcase rising Korean hair care and skin care brands in the U.S. market. The company said online influencers, beauty media editors, brand representatives and local consumers showed strong interest. Landing has operated the K-Beauty World booth annually for a decade to promote K-beauty in the United States. Courtesy of Landing International
JTBC’s weekend drama "We Are All Trying Here" is gaining traction through word of mouth and online buzz, rather than rapid plot twists, sensational themes or clips designed to spread on social media. The series follows Hwang Dong-man, played by Koo Kyo-hwan, an aspiring director gripped by jealousy as his friends move ahead in life. Instead of affairs, heavy melodrama or easy emotional hooks, the drama leans into discomfort, moral ambiguity and emotional depth. Written by Park Hae-young, whose previous works include "My Mister" and "My Liberation Notes," and directed by Cha Young-hun of "When the Camellia Blooms" and "Welcome to Samdal-ri," the drama drew attention even before its premiere. Their collaboration brings together two creators known for character-driven storytelling and grounded portraits of ordinary people. The cast also raised expectations. Koo is joined by acclaimed actors Oh Jung-se, Kang Mal-geum and Park Hae-joon. The ratings have shown gradual growth instead of explosive success. According to Nielsen Korea, the drama began at 2.2 percent among cable-subscribed househ
Nobel Prize-winning author Han Kang will take the stage at the Berlin Philharmonic's Chamber Music Hall on Sept. 7 for a book talk launching the orchestra's new literary series for the 2026-27 season. According to the Philharmonic's website, the event will also be a joint project with the Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin, with Han invited as the first guest. Designed to bring together literature and chamber music, the 90-minute show invites prominent authors to read from and discuss their latest works, while members of the Philharmonic perform chamber pieces chosen to reflect the themes and mood of the writing. The orchestra said it chose to launch the program with Han as a reflection of the shared qualities between her prose and classical music, both defined less by grand gestures than by precision and resonance. "Literature, like music, reflects the world and our lives," the orchestra said on its website. "With our new series, Satzwechsel, we place the two in dialogue." The appearance marks one of Han's few literary engagements since winning the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024
For decades, Japan has reigned as one of the undisputed titans of the global whisky industry, celebrated for its meticulous craft and world-class distilleries. Now, a Northeast Asian neighbor is betting that Japanese drinkers are ready for a taste of Korean whisky. Golden Blue, Korea’s top-selling domestic whisky maker, announced Monday its first-ever export expansion into the Japanese market. The company is introducing two of its flagship steady-sellers: Golden Blue The Sappirus and Golden Blue The Diamond. The move is a daring gambit. Japan is not only one of the world's "Big Five" whisky-producing nations, but it also possesses a highly sophisticated consumer base with notoriously strict quality standards. For Golden Blue, entering this crowded and discerning arena is viewed less as a standard export deal and more as a mandatory rite of passage to prove its mettle as a legitimate global brand. To drum up anticipation before the official launch, the Korean distiller showcased its spirits earlier this month at the prestigious Tokyo Bar Show. The strategy targeted local industry inside
The first year of high school was the least happy period for Korean adults in their 20s during their school years, largely because of concerns over academic performance and college entrance exams, a study showed. The nonprofit Forum for National Transformation into Gross National Happiness released the findings Sunday. Commissioned by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the online survey asked 51 Seoul residents in their early 20s to look back on their happiness levels during their school years. The survey found that happiness dropped noticeably around major transition years, including the first years of middle and high school. On a 10-point scale, respondents rated their happiness at 8.1 before entering elementary school. The score fell to 7.49 in the lower grades of elementary school and 7.18 in the upper grades, before dropping further to 6.63 in the first year of middle school. It remained at 6.65 in the second year and slipped to 6.53 in the third year. Happiness reached its lowest point, 5.88, in the first year of high school. The survey cited difficulty adjusting to a new
U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan could become a bargaining chip in negotiations with China has sent a tremor through the strategic architecture of East Asia. Speaking after his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said they had discussed Taiwan “in great detail,” particularly the issue of weapons sales, and that he would “make a decision soon.” In doing so, he signaled that one of the most sensitive pillars of U.S. policy in Asia may no longer be governed by principle, but by transaction. For decades, the United States maintained a carefully calibrated approach toward Taiwan. After normalizing relations with Beijing in 1979, Washington terminated its formal defense treaty with Taipei but enacted the Taiwan Relations Act, committing itself to provide Taiwan with defensive capabilities. In 1982, the Reagan administration further reassured Taipei through the “Six Assurances,” including a pledge not to consult Beijing in advance regarding arms sales to Taiwan. Together with the longstanding policy of “strategic ambiguity,
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A drone strike sparked a fire on the edge of the United Arab Emirates’ sole nuclear power plant on Sunday in what authorities called an “unprovoked terrorist attack.” No one was blamed, but it highlighted the risk of renewed war as the United States and Iran signaled they were ready to fight again. There were no reported injuries or radiological release. The UAE, which has hosted air defenses and personnel from Israel , recently accused Iran of launching drone and missile attacks. Tensions have risen over the Strait of Hormuz , a vital energy waterway gripped by Iran, which is under a U.S. naval blockade. “For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them,” U.S. President Donald Trump posted on social media shortly after a call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, whose attack on Iran with the U.S. sparked the war on Feb. 28. Trump has repeatedly set deadlines for Tehran and then backed off. “Our armed forces' fingers are on the trigger, while diplomacy is also continuing,
The country's financial regulator said Monday that it will seek to revise liquidity level-related regulations to prod securities firms to enhance their risk management capability. Under the proposed revision, all securities firms should keep their one-month and three-month liquidity ratio at above 100 percent each. The revision is expected to take effect starting next year after law and enforcement revisions, according to the Financial Services Commission (FSC). Currently, only 23 securities firms, including 10 brokerage houses designated as those who are allowed to run a wide range of business, such as corporate lending, are subject to such rules. The liquidity ratio is measured by dividing liquid assets by liquid debts. The FSC said their liquidity ratio measurement will price in discounts of volatility risks on liquidity assets, and contingent liabilities and debt guarantees will be added to their debt liquidity level, which it said would more clearly show their financial soundness, and better respond to various risks.
WASHINGTON — China has agreed to ramp up trade for U.S. agricultural products such as beef and poultry, buying at an annualized rate of $17 billion per year for 2026 and at that level for 2027 and 2028, the White House announced Sunday, two days after President Donald Trump returned from a high-stakes summit in Beijing where he sought to ease the impact on American farmers from the trade war he launched last year. China would restore market access for U.S. beef and resume imports of poultry from U.S. states determined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be free of the bird flu, the White House said. The deals are on top of China's soybean purchase commitments last year. The agreements offer some hope to American farmers harmed by the trade war as they saw a major export market for soybeans and other products dry up. Farmers also are feeling new pressure from Trump administration policies — the war that the U.S. and Israel launched against Iran has curtailed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital trade corridor that has restricted global fertilizer supplies and sent tho
Korea's national tax agency said Monday it plans to hire around 9,500 contract workers to support an all-out probe into delinquent taxpayers. The National Tax Service (NTS) said it has secured a budget of 213.4 billion won ($142.1 million) to employ the workers, who will conduct field checks on 3.84 million people with overdue non-tax government payments and 1.33 million delinquent taxpayers. The outstanding amount of unpaid government payments and taxes is estimated at 16 trillion won and 114 trillion won, respectively. "With the budget, the tax agency will set up nationwide teams dedicated to managing tax delinquents and begin full-scale field inspections in July," the agency said in a release. The NTS noted it plans to provide welfare programs and other remedies for delinquents suffering from financial difficulties. The agency added that it hopes the project will also help job seekers, who have recently faced challenges in finding positions amid the prolonged Middle East conflict.
Living in Korea as a foreign student is a daily exercise in profound readaptation. Over the past (almost) two years, I have been living in a society built on rhythms and hierarchies completely different from those in which I was born, raised and had grown accustomed to. Even so, despite several glaring differences, I have found that cultural nuances are obstacles that can be more easily navigated compared to the imposing barrier of the Korean language. I never expected Korea to adapt to me. On the contrary, I dedicated myself to studying the language even before moving, hoping to overcome this barrier through sheer effort. However, reality often overpowers the attempt to communicate. To avoid the silent, desperate moments between my intentions and my expressions, I found myself held hostage by artificial intelligence (AI). And so I realized that, today, I have become a ghostwriter of my own life, letting prompts speak for me when my own tongue fails to find the words that, at other times, flow naturally. Insecure, I get stuck even in the smallest interactions. When I say to a colleague,
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan’s president on Sunday stressed that arms purchases from the United States are “the most important deterrent” of regional conflict and instability, after President Donald Trump called into question continued U.S. support of Taiwan following his visit to China. U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and security cooperation between the two sides are not only governed by law but also a catalyst for regional peace and stability, President Lai Ching-te said in a statement. “We thank President Trump for his continued support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait since his first term, including the continuous increase in the scale and amount of arms sales to Taiwan,” he said. His statement came days after Trump raised doubts over his willingness to continue to sell arms to Taiwan, the island democracy that China claims as its own breakaway province, to be retaken by force if necessary. The U.S., like all countries that have formal ties with China, doesn’t recognize Taiwan as a country but has been the island’s strongest backer and arms supplier. Washington
A special counsel team on Monday appealed former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min's nine-year prison sentence over his role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid. The team of special counsel Cho Eun-suk filed the appeal with the Seoul High Court in a likely challenge to the court's partial acquittal of the former interior minister last week. The court convicted Lee in his appellate trial of playing a key role in an insurrection by conveying Yoon's orders to cut off power and water to media outlets critical of the then administration, increasing his prison sentence to nine years from seven given by the lower court. The court, however, had acquitted him of charges that he abused his power by making the then fire agency chief act beyond the scope of his duties with his instructions.
Korea's antitrust watchdog on Monday imposed a combined 3 billion won ($2 million) in fines on five parcel delivery companies for violating the subcontracting law by taking advantage of their dominant position in the market. The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said the actions come after the five companies — Coupang Logistics Services, Lotte Global Logistics Corp., CJ Logistics Corp., Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd. and Logen Co., Ltd. — forced unfair contract terms on subcontractors while failing to issue written agreements. The investigation came amid growing demand for delivery services in South Korea, with the average number of parcel deliveries per person exceeding 100 a year since 2023. The five companies account for 90.5 percent of the market thanks to their nationwide delivery networks, the FTC said, adding that it launched the probe after allegations that they had abused their dominant market positions. For example, the companies shifted losses caused by missing or damaged parcels onto subcontractors. They also included ambiguous terms that allowed them to terminate contracts wit
The floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Monday urged voters to support the party in the June 3 elections, calling it the "only way to rein in the government's reckless drive." Rep. Song Eon-seog made the remarks during a press conference at the National Assembly, saying the Lee Jae Myung administration and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which currently holds a parliamentary majority, have pushed ahead with what he described as policies that "pose a danger to the nation." "The June 3 local elections are an election to keep the Lee administration and the DPK's dominance in check, and a strong warning from the people is the only way to rein in the government's reckless drive," he said. Noting the DPK's unilateral push for a special counsel bill to investigate allegedly fabricated indictments, Song said, "We cannot allow a judicial coup that mobilizes all presidential powers simply to erase a president's crimes." The floor leader also stressed that voting for the PPP would be a vote to prevent the cancellation of Lee's indictments, prevent tax hikes a
President Lee Jae Myung said Monday the solidarity demonstrated during the 1980 pro-democracy movement in the southern city of Gwangju was revived in the public's efforts to thwart the 2024 martial law attempt and safeguard democracy. Lee made the remarks at a ceremony in Gwangju commemorating the May 18 democratization movement, during which civilians stood up against the military junta led by then Gen. Chun Doo-hwan, who sent troops to suppress the movement. Chun later became president. "A great Republic of Korea stopped armed martial law forces with its bare hands in 2024, just as the citizens of Gwangju did in May 1980," Lee said at the ceremony in the city located some 270 kilometers southwest of Seoul. "The harmonious world that flowered when all of Gwangju joined forces ... was reborn as 'the revolution of light' in 2024 to safeguard democracy," the president said, referring to the thwarted martial law attempt by ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol. On Dec. 3, 2024, Yoon declared martial law to drive out what he called "anti-state forces" and deployed armed soldiers to the Natio
The government convened a regular trade promotion meeting Monday to discuss South Korea's pending trade issues with the United States, the European Union (EU) and other economic partners, the trade ministry said. In the meeting, Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo and officials from related ministries discussed Seoul's response to the office of the U.S. Trade Representative's (USTR) ongoing investigation into what it calls "unfair" foreign trade practices involving South Korea, under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act, which could result in tariffs or other measures, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources. South Korea's response to the EU's stronger steel safeguard plan and the country's efforts to diversify its trade network, including its push to upgrade a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) with India and sign a CEPA with Mongolia, were also discussed at the meeting. Yeo also shared the international community's recent discussions on reforming the World Trade Organization (WTO) and restoring the multilateral trading system amid the rise of trade protectionis
K-pop is increasingly dividing into two distinct musical directions: one built for instant virality on short-form platforms, and another driven by slower, emotionally immersive music that thrives through festivals, live performances and repeat listening. The split has become one of the defining shifts shaping the industry in 2026. While major K-pop groups continue tightening song structures around challenge-ready hooks and choreography optimized for rapid online circulation, independent artists like Hanroro and AKMU are finding growing success through introspective songwriting and audiences willing to engage with music beyond a 60-second clip. Together, the two trends reveal an industry adapting to dramatically fragmented listening habits, where music increasingly finds success either by being instantly consumable or emotionally durable. Short-form platforms now play a central role in determining how songs spread globally. According to a joint 2025 report by TikTok and entertainment data company Luminate, 84 percent of songs that entered Billboard's Global 200 in 2024 first gained tract
The Kiwoom Heroes announced Monday they have signed former big leaguer Keston Hiura. In a corresponding move, the Heroes released Trenton Brooks, who had been held without a home run in 41 games this season — his first in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). The Heroes said Hiura, 29, will be paid $400,000 in guaranteed salary for the rest of this season, with another $100,000 available in incentives. A first-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2017 major league draft, Hiura blasted 19 home runs in only 84 games as a rookie for the Brewers in 2019. The right-handed batter flashed more power potential in 2020, when he had 13 homers in 59 games in the pandemic-shortened season. However, Hiura also led the National League with 85 strikeouts that season. Hiura was limited to just four homers in 61 games in 2021 before bouncing back with 14 homers in 80 games in 2022. He spent the entire 2023 season in the minors and went on to play for the Los Angeles Angels in 2024 and the Colorado Rockies in 2025. He also had minor league deals with the Detroit Tigers and the Los Angeles Dodgers a
Four people involved in last year's courthouse riot linked to former President Yoon Suk Yeol were given suspended prison terms Monday for assaulting media reporters. The Seoul Western District Court sentenced the four, including one identified only by his surname Ham, to one year in prison each, suspended for two years, on charges of special assault. They were indicted for trespassing onto the same court and collectively assaulting broadcast journalists on Jan. 19 last year during a protest against its decision to extend Yoon's detention over his Dec. 3, 2024, declaration of martial law. The court said the rioters obstructed the victims' movement and hurled insults, even though they gave up on reporting and moved to leave the scene, creating a hostile atmosphere and a sense of pressure. The court did not accept the argument of some defendants that their actions were not intentional.
Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. Jihyo of K-pop girl group TWICE recently drew attention after sharing her moisturizing skin care routine for maintaining glowing skin even during world tours. In a recent behind-the-scenes video uploaded to TWICE’s YouTube channel, Jihyo showed relaxed moments from the group’s world tour in Atlanta, including dining out with fellow member Jeongyeon and spending a personal “skin care day” at the hotel. She especially focused on skin care before and after concerts. After cleansing, she applied ampoule products and explained, “Whenever I apply skin care, I use a beauty device for at least 30 seconds,” while demonstrating the routine herself. She also used a neck-wrinkle cream and took care of her hands and feet. Jihyo squeezed out leftover essence from a sheet mask package and layered it onto her face, adding, “I’ve found that applying everything thinly in several layers helps absorption the best.” She finished the routine with a facial sheet mask for extra hydration. Since long flights and hotel stays can easily dry out the skin
A court on Monday partially accepted Samsung Electronics Co.'s request for an injunction to block a strike threatened by its unionized workers. The Suwon District Court said staffing to prevent potential damage to safety-related and other facilities and its products must be maintained at usual levels, just three days ahead of the union's planned 18-day strike. It also restricted the company's largest union from taking over the company's facilities or disrupting workers from entering them in a decision effectively accepting many of the company's requests. Samsung filed for the injunction on April 16 against the company's two unions from striking, citing potential damage and disruptions to its operations. The decision comes as Samsung Electronics and its unionized workers began negotiations earlier in the day for a last-minute breakthrough ahead of the planned strike, expected to involve about 50,000 workers. Samsung's management and labor union have remained far apart over performance-based bonuses tied to the company's record-high earnings from the artificial intelligence (AI)-related sem
The chairman of major fried chicken franchise Genesis BBQ was honored Friday for the company’s domestic and global businesses as well as social outreach, efforts for franchisees and internal operations. The company said Monday that Yoon Hong-geun won Korea’s Top Midsize Business CEO Award, chosen by business academics, during the 2026 Spring Conference of the Korean Academic Society of Business Administration. The event was held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Seoul’s Jung District. The award recognizes executives who successfully led midsize enterprises — the backbone of the national economy, according to Genesis BBQ — and demonstrated an exemplary growth model from startup to maturity. A selection committee evaluates candidates based on moral entrepreneurship, management philosophy, industrial competitiveness, business expansion outcomes, transparent management and social responsibility. One of Yoon’s recognized achievements was the establishment of a franchise model that works for both franchisees and management. Since its foundation in 1995, Genesis BBQ
HD Hyundai Marine Solution, the maritime service arm of HD Hyundai, is entering the North American data center power solutions market after signing a memorandum of understanding with U.S. energy infrastructure developer Aperion Energy Group (AEG). Under the agreement, the two sides will establish a long-term cooperation framework to operate and maintain 33 power generation engines installed at a data center AEG is building in Texas. Earlier in April, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries signed a separate contract with AEG to supply power generation facilities for the data center using 20-megawatt-class HiMSEN engines, totaling 684 megawatts. As rapid advances in artificial intelligence technology drive a surge in electricity consumption, the reliability of backup and prime power systems has become a key factor in efficient data center operations. HD Hyundai Marine Solution plans to use the partnership to expand its presence in North America by showcasing the proven performance of HiMSEN engines and its engine maintenance expertise. The collaboration is expected to go beyond engine supply, with pla
As tech giants and creators worldwide clash over how artificial intelligence (AI) absorbs human creativity, Korea is stepping onto the global stage with its own playbook. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Monday released an English version of its "Guidebook on Fair Use Concerning Copyrighted Works in Generative AI." First published in Korean in February, the guidelines aim to steer the contentious international debate over when AI companies can legally scrape copyrighted material without paying for it. The guidelines arrive at a critical juncture. Globally, courts are flooded with lawsuits from authors, artists and media outlets arguing that tech companies are committing mass copyright infringement. Korea’s new framework provides a structured approach to these disputes, breaking down the evaluation of AI training into four distinct pillars: the purpose of the usage, the nature of the copyrighted work, the portion used and the ultimate impact on the original work's market value. Crucially, Seoul is taking a pragmatic stance. The ministry clarified that commercial AI develop
1536-Anne Boleyn, second wife of English King Henry VIII, is beheaded at the Tower of London on charges of adultery, incest and treason 1643-Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven form the United Colonies of New England 1649-England is declared a Commonwealth by an act of the Rump Parliament, making England a republic for the next 11 years 1885-German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck takes possession of Cameroon and Togoland 1898-U.S. Congress passes the Private Mailing Card Act, allowing private publishers and printers to produce postcards, which have to be labeled "Private Mailing Cards" until 1901, known as "souvenir cards" 1919-Mustafa Kemal Ataturk lands at Samsun on the Black Sea coast, beginning the Turkish War of Independence 1964-U.S. diplomats find at least 40 secret microphones in Moscow embassy
Samsung Electronics and its largest labor union resumed government-led wage mediation talks Monday in a last-ditch effort to avert a strike at the world's largest memory chipmaker. The talks restarted days after the first round of government-mediated negotiations collapsed over performance-based bonuses, ahead of an 18-day strike scheduled to begin Thursday. "We will participate in this second round in good faith," Choi Seung-ho, head of Samsung Electronics' largest labor union, told reporters at the National Labor Relations Commission office in Sejong, about 110 kilometers south of Seoul. "(Negotiations) will be carried out through tomorrow," Park Soo-keun, chairman of the committee, said, noting that both sides are expected to present their proposals in the afternoon. Labor and management remained sharply divided over performance-based bonuses tied to earnings from the company's artificial intelligence (AI)-related semiconductor business amid the ongoing memory supercycle. Management has proposed maintaining the current excess profit incentive system while allowing the bonus pool to be
The Lee Jae Myung government has shifted its focus to peaceful coexistence with North Korea, rather than pressure and confrontation, the unification ministry's white paper showed Monday, striking a markedly different tone from its predecessor. The annual paper reflects the push by the Lee government, which took office in June last year, to repair the strained inter-Korean relationship based on building mutual trust. The previous conservative Yoon Suk Yeol government sought to bring about change in North Korea through pressure and the influx of outside information. The latest white paper laid out three key guiding principles: Seoul respects North Korea's system, does not pursue unification by absorption and does not engage in hostile activities. Built on these principles, the government has framed its overarching policy as one of "peaceful coexistence and mutual growth on the Korean Peninsula." Among the measures cited is the Lee government's decision to halt the sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets to North Korea and stop loudspeaker broadcasts along the border as steps to ease military ten
Seoul expanded its discount program for customers bringing their own cups to cafes on Monday, as it opens up participation to more stores in a bid to further curb disposable cup waste and promote eco-friendly habits. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said customers using their own cups at participating stores can save at least 500 won ($0.33) per drink, with stores discounting a minimum of 100 won and the city subsidizing 400 won. The city first implemented the initiative through a pilot program in 2023 and has since recorded around 260,000 personal cup uses through 2025, helping foster a culture of sustainability. This year, the city eliminated the Seoul Pay membership requirement, opening participation to a broader range of stores. At locations affiliated with Seoul Pay, the city's mobile payment platform, customers can choose between an immediate on-site discount or accumulated rewards points. Participating stores are listed on the Smart Seoul Map, an online service that visualizes city information geographically. To encourage public participation, the city will encourage stores to ho
Korea’s six major business associations on Monday expressed their “grave concerns” over a planned general strike by Samsung Electronics’ labor unions, urging the unions to reconsider the move and the government to invoke a compulsory arbitration measure. In a joint statement, the associations said the strike could “shake the foundation of the country’s key industries,” and that “the unions should withdraw their strike plan and seek to resolve the issue through dialogue.” Joining the statement were the Korea Enterprises Federation, the Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Federation of Korean Industries, the Korea International Trade Association, the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business and the Federation of Middle Market Enterprises of Korea. The associations said the strike comes at a critical time and could lead to a “national loss of opportunity,” warning it may disrupt production, undermine trust in the global supply chain, drive away clients and damage Korea’s credit standing. “Given that semiconductor fabrication processes require around-the-
Trump health concerns
The supernatural horror film "Salmokji: Whispering Water" has become the most-watched Korean horror film of all time, a title previously held by "A Tale of Two Sisters," data showed Monday. The film logged 90,972 admissions from Friday to Sunday, bringing its total audience number to 3.17 million, according to the data compiled by the Korean Film Council. The 2003 film "A Tale of Two Sisters" previously held the record at 3.14 million admissions. Premiering April 8, "Salmokji" follows a filming crew, led by Soo-in (Kim Hye-yoon), who travels to a location to complete a shoot within a deadline — only to find themselves sinking deeper into an inescapable, swamp-like terror as time runs out. The filming location, Salmokji, is a reservoir in Yesan County, South Chungcheong Province, long rumored among locals to be a paranormal hotspot with a history of reported ghost sightings. Foreign films topped the weekend box office, with "Michael" leading the chart at 470,375 admissions, followed by "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" and "The Devil Wears Prada 2" with 123,558 and 120,545 admissions, respe
The country's bourse operator on Monday activated a sell-side sidecar for the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) for a second consecutive session as the index nosedived. Program trading for the KOSPI was suspended for five minutes at around 9:19 a.m., according to the Korea Exchange (KRX). The KOSPI fell sharply as investors tracked declines on Wall Street last week amid rising woes over inflation caused by the deadlocked situation in the Middle East. Opening at 0.67 percent lower, the KOSPI fell as low as 7,142.71 at one point, or more than 5 percent. Tech stocks and other major market heavyweights suffered sharp declines as investors cashed out following record-breaking rallies. On Friday, the key stock index plunged by more than 6 percent on Friday after topping the unprecedented 8,000-point level.
President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating climbed back above 60 percent for the first time in three weeks, driven by positive assessment of his livelihood-related policies and a strong stock rally, a poll showed Monday. According to the survey, commissioned by EKN newspaper and conducted by Realmeter on 2,506 respondents aged 18 and older from Monday through Friday, the positive assessment of Lee's job performance gained 0.8 percentage point from a week earlier to 60.5 percent. Negative assessment fell 0.6 percentage point to 35.1 percent over the cited period, while 4.4 percent said they were unsure. Realmeter said the president's efforts on livelihood-related issues, including the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index surpassing the 8,000 mark, and his visit to the southeastern regions of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province to inspect the site for a planned civilian-military airport, helped drive up his approval rating. The pollster said a set of negative factors partly offset the positive sentiment, including the controversy surrounding remarks by presidential policy chief Kim Y
Epstein questions
President Lee Jae Myung said Monday that management rights should be respected as much as labor rights, in a social media post ahead of a massive strike planned by Samsung Electronics’ labor union this week. Lee acknowledged workers' right to share in corporate profits but noted it could be restricted in the interest of "fundamental constitutional rights and public welfare." “In the Republic of Korea, which embraces the liberal democratic basic order and a capitalist market economy, labor should be respected as much as business and management rights should be respected just as labor rights are,” the president wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Lee’s posts were made as Samsung Electronics and its labor union resumed government-led mediation talks Monday, in what is seen as a last-ditch effort to prevent an 18-day strike scheduled to begin Thursday. The union has repeatedly demanded that the company allocate 15 percent of operating profit to employees as performance-based bonuses and also remove the payout cap. Management has so far declined to accept the proposal. If the strike goes ahe
Two of Korean baseball's best teams this season will clash for a key series this week, with one trying to keep up the momentum and the other looking to pull themselves out of a funk. The KT Wiz, the owner of the best record in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) at 25-16-1 (wins-losses-ties), will visit third-place Samsung Lions (24-17-1) for three games beginning Tuesday. The series will take place in the Lions' alternate home of Pohang, some 70 kilometers east of their main home city of Daegu. The Wiz are clinging to first place by a half game over the LG Twins (25-17-0) and one game over the Lions. The Wiz snapped their three-game losing streak Sunday and have just three wins in their past 10 contests. The Lions lost Sunday but have seven wins in their last 10 games. The Wiz have been either alone in first place or tied for the top spot every day since April 26. Elsewhere in the KBO this week, sixth-place Hanwha Eagles (20-22-0) will resume their quest to return to the .500 mark in winning percentage for the first time since April 11, when they were 6-6-0. The Eagles have a six-game
The market capitalization of the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) is estimated to have surpassed the total value of the housing market in the greater Seoul area amid a stock rally led by an artificial intelligence (AI) chip boom, data showed Monday. According to data compiled by KRX Data Marketplace, the KOSPI's market capitalization stood at 6,135 trillion won ($4.1 trillion) as of Friday. That compares with the estimated 4,914 trillion won value of the housing market in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area in 2024, based on the latest available data. The total housing market value is calculated by combining the building value of residential structures with the market value of the land on which they stand. At the end of 2024, the KOSPI's market capitalization stood at 1,963 trillion won, equivalent to only about 40 percent of the greater Seoul housing market's value at the time. The gap has narrowed rapidly as the stock market outpaced gains in the real estate sector. According to the Korea Real Estate Board, the capital area's housing transaction price index ros
Korea on Monday began to receive applications for a second round of cash assistance from the bottom 70 percent of income earners in a bid to help ease financial strain from rising fuel prices amid the Middle East conflict. The government aims to provide the support to about 36 million people, with eligible individuals in the broader Seoul area receiving 100,000 won ($66.80), while those in areas with declining populations may receive up to 250,000 won. Last month, the National Assembly approved a 26.2 trillion-won extra budget bill to address the economic fallout from the Middle East conflict, which includes the introduction of the cash assistance plan. Under the first program launched in April, the government handed out up to 600,000 won per person to recipients of basic livelihood security and other vulnerable groups. Eligibility for the second round of assistance will be determined by a household's national health insurance payment in March. For single-person households, those who paid 130,000 won or less will be eligible. That translates to an annual income of about 43.4 million or le
Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo met with ambassadors from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Monday to discuss ways to deepen economic cooperation between Korea and the ASEAN region, Yeo's office said. At the meeting, Yeo and the ASEAN Committee in Seoul discussed various measures aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation between the two economies, including trade expansion, improvement of the Korea-ASEAN free trade agreement (FTA) and supply chain collaboration, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources. The talks come amid heightened global trade and geopolitical uncertainties. The ASEAN committee comprised of ambassadors from 11 ASEAN member states, including Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Regarding the recent push to upgrade the bilateral FTA between Korea and the ASEAN, Yeo said Seoul aims to make tangible progress in negotiations to expand the trade agreement by 2027, the ministry said. The trade agreement should be upgraded to add digital regulations and reflect recent changes in the global trade environment, Yeo added. Ac
Korean stocks opened sharply lower Monday, triggering a sell-side sidecar for a second consecutive session as investors tracked declines on Wall Street last week amid rising woes over inflation caused by the deadlocked situation in the Middle East. After starting 0.67 percent lower, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) had further extended losses to shed 317.8 points, or 4.24 percent, to 7,175.38 as of 9:15 a.m. The index fell as low as 7,142.71 at one point, or more than 5 percent. At around 9:19 a.m., program trading for the KOSPI was suspended for five minutes. The country's bourse operator issues the order when the KOSPI 200 futures rise or fall by more than 5 percent. On Friday (local time), U.S. stocks retreated from record highs amid persistent concerns over rising oil prices driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.07 percent, while the S&P 500 fell 1.24 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite lost 1.54 percent. In Seoul, technology shares faced widespread profit-taking following their recent rally
In the months that followed last year’s Altadena and Pacific Palisades fires, something quieter but no less consequential has happened in those same neighborhoods. More than 900 people affected by the blaze logged onto a California state digital platform, shared more than 1,300 comments about what they needed most from recovery, weighed 19 policy options against one another and delivered a consensus action plan back to their state and local governments. That plan is now visibly shaping decisions — from undergrounding utilities to establishing fire-resistant rebuilding standards and streamlining permitting. The program that created this plan is called Engaged California. And this month it enters its next chapter: a statewide deliberation on what the people want their government to do about the economic consequences of artificial intelligence. The AI conversation will matter. But the bigger story is the civic infrastructure that makes it possible and what that infrastructure could mean for a country in which trust in government sits near historic lows. Engaged California is a tool of w
While in China, Donald Trump said the pile of 440 kilograms of 60 percent enriched uranium that was at the heart of his justification for going to war with Iran is, in fact, safely under 24/7 surveillance by nine cameras and no one is getting close to it. In fact, although he’d prefer to get the material out of the country altogether, he said that would be “more for public relations than it is for anything else.” Wait, what? I thought this near-weapons grade uranium was the basis for believing Iran was about to build a nuclear arsenal. I thought it posed an existential threat not just to Israel, but also the Middle East, Europe and — just as soon as Tehran acquires an intercontinental ballistic missile — the U.S. itself. I thought the reason the U.S. had to send its bombers back to Iran, after turning the underground storage site into a tomb last summer, was that its presence still made for too high a risk of nuclear breakout. Trump last month told Americans and the wider world that he didn’t go to war to achieve regime change in Tehran. He has said that making sure Iran doe
Kim Si-woo has finished well out of contention at the second major tournament of the PGA Tour season. Kim tied for 35th place at the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, on Sunday (local time), with a four-round total of one-over 281. Kim had two birdies and three bogeys in the final round. He opened the tournament with 71 and then shot 67 to jump into a tie for ninth through 36 holes. But Kim played himself out of contention with 72 on Saturday before carding another round in the 70s on Sunday. Kim, who has four career PGA Tour wins, has just one top-10 finish in 36 major championships so far. Kim came into this week as the top-ranked South Korean player at No. 22. He was also only one among three South Korean players at Aronimink to make the cut. Im Sung-jae shot five-over over his first two days to miss the cut by one. Yang Yong-eun, the 2009 PGA Championship winner, went 72-77 to finish at nine-over. Aaron Rai of England soared to his first career major title after shooting five-under 65 in the final round to finish at nine-under 271. After trading t
Renowned filmmaker Park Chan-wook has received the highest cultural honor given by the French government, becoming the fourth Korean to receive the prestigious award. Park received France's Commander in the Order of Arts and Letters, the highest rank of the three-tier honor from the French Ministry of Culture, in a ceremony presided over by French Culture Minister Catherine Pegard on Sunday (local time), Reuters reported. The ceremony took place on the sidelines of the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, where Park is leading the jury as the first Korean to assume the role. The festival runs through May 23 in the southern French resort city. Upon receiving the award, Park noted that his works have received tremendous influence from French films and philosophy, and said he is touched by how his works now seem to be influencing young French filmmakers. The auteur recalled how his 2004 Grand Prix win at Cannes, with the film "Oldboy," served as a major turning point and said ties with the film festival have continued for a long time. Park won the Jury Prize for "Thirst" in 2009 and rec
K-pop rookie group CORTIS has entered the Billboard 200 at No. 3 with its latest album, "GreenGreen," marking the highest chart position of its career. The act's second EP earned 87,000 album-equivalent units in the latest tracking week, including 81,500 in album sales, Billboard said Sunday (local time) in a chart preview for this week. The five-member group also secured its first top-10 entry on the main U.S. albums chart with the album. It previously entered the chart one time with its debut EP, "Color Outside the Lines," which peaked at No. 15 last year. The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week in the United States, measured by equivalent album units comprising physical and digital sales, as well as streaming and digital track downloads converted into album sales. In a press release, BigHit Music, the group's agency, said CORTIS became the fastest K-pop group, excluding project acts, to reach the chart's top three, achieving the milestone just nine months after debut. It added that the group is the only boy band formed in the past five years to have reached the Bil
Ryu Hae-ran has come up shy of her fourth career LPGA title, with her final round comeback effort leaving her alone in second place. Ryu finished as the runner-up at the Kroger Queen City Championship at Maketewah Country Club in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Sunday (local time), with a four-round total of 10-under 270. The South Korean, who was chasing her fourth career title, ended up two strokes behind Lottie Woad of England, who was caught but never passed by Ryu during the final round. Ryu, who began the final round four strokes behind Woad, shot three-under 67 on Sunday. She had a blistering front nine with five birdies that took her to 12-under, before giving back a shot with a bogey on the 10th. Ryu then three-putted from about two feet for a disastrous double bogey on the par-4 16th. It dropped Ryu three shots behind Woad. But the deficit was cut to one after Woad bogeyed the 13th and Ryu bounced back with a birdie on the 14th. But it ended up being Ryu's last birdie of the day, as she made pars on her remaining four holes. Woad, who had three birdies and a double bogey on the front nine,
Following a major reorganization into a five-piece act, K-pop group ZEROBASEONE is returning with its new album, "Ascend-," embracing sophisticated contemporary R&B and a sound it describes as "minimalist." Formed through local music cable channel Mnet's audition show "Boys Planet," ZEROBASEONE debuted in July 2023 as a project group and quickly rose to fame, scoring six consecutive million-selling albums. After the 2 1/2-year project terminated in January 2026, the five members — Sung Han-bin, Kim Ji-woong, Seok Matthew, Kim Tae-rae and Park Gun-wook — decided to continue their activities as ZEROBASEONE while four other members — Zhang Hao, Ricky, Kim Gyu-vin and Han Yu-jin — left and debuted again as a new boy group. "Since I lead performances as the frontman, I definitely noticed a huge difference after the personnel change," the group's leader Sung Han-bin said, asked about changes from the reorganization during a group media interview in Seoul on Friday. To adapt, the group thoroughly researched how to best showcase its dance lines as a five-member act. The effort paid off d
WASHINGTON—U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed their shared goal of denuclearizing North Korea during their recent summit talks in Beijing, the White House said in a fact sheet released Sunday. The two leaders met in the Chinese capital on Thursday and Friday, during which they discussed a range of key issues, including security on the Korean Peninsula, the status of Taiwan, the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and bilateral trade. "President Trump and President Xi confirmed their shared goal to denuclearize North Korea," the White House said in the fact sheet. During an ABC interview broadcast earlier in the day, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer also said that Trump and Xi "agreed that the goal on the Korean Peninsula remains denuclearization." The reaffirmation of the denuclearization goal came as Pyongyang has been doubling down on its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and is apparently pursuing the international community's recognition of its status as a nuclear power. It remains unclear whether China's agreement on the goal would translat
More than 20,000 Ukrainian children have been deported or forcibly separated from their families amid the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war, envoys from the European Union (EU), Canada and Ukraine to South Korea said, calling on the international community to join hands to address "large-scale and systematic" violations of children's human rights. Ugo Astuto, ambassador of the European Union to South Korea; Philippe Lafortune, ambassador of Canada to South Korea; and Andrii Vieshkin, charge d'affaires ad interim of Ukraine to South Korea, made the appeal in a joint op-ed published by Yonhap News Agency on Monday. The EU, Canada and Ukraine are members of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, launched in February 2024, and they hosted a high-level meeting of the coalition in Brussels last week. "Today, the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine has officially confirmed more than 20,000 cases of deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia or temporarily Russian-controlled territory," the envoys said. "The unlawful deportation and forced transfer of Ukrain
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has convened a meeting with commanding officers of the armed forces and called for reinforcement of front-line units on the southern border, state media reported Monday. Kim made the call Sunday in a meeting with the commanders of the army's divisions and brigades, stressing that advancement of military technology at key units, particularly front-line forces, plays a critical role in effective deterrence of war, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). It marked the first such gathering since Kim took power in late 2011. Urging the military to continue to heighten their awareness against North Korea's "arch" enemy, the North Korean leader highlighted the country's policy of turning the southern border into an "impregnable fortress" and strengthening the front-line units. To this end, the country plans to remodel the military organizational structure and strengthen the first-line units and other major units as an "important decision to more thoroughly deter war," Kim said, according to the KCNA report. He also emphasized the commanders' responsibi
HONG KONG — Artificial intelligence (AI) is set to make its World Cup debut in 2026, as football’s most-watched tournament turns to real-time data models and live 3D simulations to reshape match strategy and event operations. Each team will have access to its own AI model, allowing analysts to compare playing patterns through video clips and 3D avatars. Coaches will be able to assess how tactical changes might work against their next opponents, while players will receive personalized match analysis, according to Lenovo, which co-developed football AI with FIFA, and Bank of America (BofA). The system, known as “Football AI Pro,” can analyze hundreds of millions of FIFA data points and process more than 2,000 football-related metrics, including pressing, movement, tactics and transitions. It delivers insights as text explanations, charts or short video clips. “If in the past, rich teams had an advantage; in 2026, AI will democratize data and give everyone a similar chance,” BofA Global Research wrote in a May 6 note. Jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States across
Once a primary source of emigrants and adoptees due to historical instability, Korea has transformed into one of the most favorable destinations for global migration over the past decades, fueled by robust economic growth and cultural influence. The overseas Korean population — those of Korean descent or citizenship living abroad — have been steadily growing, reaching about 7 million as of 2025. Of that total, about 4.6 million, or 66 percent, hold foreign citizenship, while the remaining 2.4 million retain Korean nationality. At the same time, the number of overseas Koreans returning to Korea — including those with stateless status — continues to climb, now accounting for more than 30 percent of the foreign national population in the country. This represents a shift from departure to homecoming. However, managing the complex legal and social issues surrounding the overseas Korean community remains a formidable challenge for the government, ranging from visa administration to sociocultural integration. Kim Kyung-hyup, commissioner of the Overseas Koreans Agency (OKA) under the Mi
Izna will return with its third EP "Set the Tempo" on June 8, the girl group announced Monday through its official social media channels. The comeback marks Izna's first release in about eight months since its second EP "Not Just Pretty," released in September last year. While the previous album focused on going beyond conventional ideas of beauty, "Set the Tempo" is expected to tell the story of Izna finding its own rhythm rather than following standards set by others. The newly released title
Busan seeks to capitalize on its growing tourism industry amid a surge in international visitors, but connections to the city continue to hinder its goal of attracting 5 million overseas tourists annually. With the city’s visitor base increasingly diversifying beyond its traditional Northeast Asian markets, experts say Busan needs more foreign airlines operating direct routes and expanded maritime access, alongside the long-delayed construction of a new international airport. According to Busan
Los Angeles Dodgers' Kim Hye-seong recorded his eighth multihit game of the season and crossed home plate three times. Kim started at second base and batted ninth in an away game against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. He went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, one RBI, one walk, and one strikeout. It marked Kim's eighth multihit game of the season. It was also his second game this season with three times on base since April 7 against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Samsung Electronics and its labor union continued government-mediated talks Monday, as both sides sought a last-minute breakthrough ahead of a strike planned for Thursday. The second post-mediation session, arranged by the National Labor Relations Commission, opened Monday morning at the government complex in Sejong, after both sides accepted Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon’s request to return to the table. NLRC Chairman Park Soo-geun said after the morning session that the talks would continue un
Hyundai Motor and Kia have expanded partnerships with seven top universities in India to accelerate the development of core electric-vehicle technologies and strengthen future mobility capabilities. The carmakers, which are part of Hyundai Motor Group, said Monday that they signed agreements on Friday with four new partner institutions — including two campuses of Indian Institutes of Technology in Kanpur and Hyderabad and two campuses of Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology in Nagpur an
South Korea’s six largest business lobby groups on Monday jointly urged the Samsung Electronics labor union to cancel its planned general strikes, warning that related disruptions could jeopardize the nation’s semiconductor sector and broader economy. The six organizations, including the Korea Enterprises Federation, Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Federation of Korean Industries, Korea International Trade Association, Korea Federation of SMEs and Federation of Middle Market Enterprises
A fund dedicated to supporting projects aimed at promoting South Korea's industrial growth and artificial intelligence transformation of the manufacturing industry will be created, with an anchor investment of at least 1 trillion won ($665.5 million), the industry ministry said Monday. The so-called industrial growth fund has been designed to support the Seoul government's key economic initiatives, including the manufacturing AI transformation (M.AX), balanced regional growth and fostering of ne
South Korea will invest 50.4 billion won ($33.5 million) over the next five years to develop core technologies needed in artificial intelligence-based humanoid robots with universities and local tech companies, the science ministry said Monday. The Ministry of Science and ICT held the inaugural meeting of the buildup project at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology in Seoul, the ministry said. The program, led by KIST and set to run until 2030, is part of the government's "K-Moonshot" in
The US Eighth Army held an innovation contest at Camp Humphreys in April to recognize soldier-led ideas aimed at modernizing Army capabilities, the military said Monday. The Pacific Victor Innovation Competition is designed to allow service members to test and develop their own ideas for next-generation military capabilities, according to the Eighth Army. Eight of the nine finalists presented their ideas at the event. The top prize went to a team led by Maj. Michael Dunbar, commander of the 5th
South Korea's official development assistance agency and Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency jointly held a tourism education training program in Tajikistan last week, sharing their experience as major tourism destinations to help foster tourism professionals in the Central Asian country. According to the Korea International Cooperation Agency on Monday, the program was held from May 12 to Saturday at the State University of Tourism and Entrepreneurship of Tajikistan in Dushanbe under th
The first-ever meeting between women's football clubs of the two Koreas to be held on South Korean soil will take place this week, with the South Korean side seeking to avenge an earlier loss to their foes from north of the border. Suwon FC Women, representing the WK League in the South, will play Naegohyang Women's FC of North Korea in the semifinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Champions League at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Suwon Stadium in Suwon, some 30 kilometers south of Seou
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un convened the first publicly reported meeting of division- and brigade-level commanders since taking power in 2011, state media reported Monday, in a move analysts said signals the start of a broader military restructuring drive tied to Pyongyang’s “two hostile states” policy. According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim met Sunday with commanding officers from divisions and brigades across the armed forces, stressing the need to strengthen frontline units alon
Woori Financial Group Chairman Yim Jong-yong called for stronger support for young people and borrowers with low-to-mid credit scores, urging the group to build a financial safety net that customers can feel in practice. "Financial support for lower- and mid-credit borrowers should be pursued as part of a financial safety net to close blind spots and protect vulnerable groups," Yim said at the May Advanced Strategic Industry Finance Council held Friday. "Young people are the key generation that
The Supreme Court recently ruled that payments received by a US firm from a South Korean company in exchange for technical know-how could be subject to corporate tax in Korea, sending the case back to a lower court for further review. According to legal circles Monday, the Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling in favor of US pharmaceutical company Genosco in its suit against the head of the Dongjak Tax Office, which had refused to issue a tax refund. Genosco signed a technology transfer
South Korea’s Defense Ministry has resumed efforts to recover the remains of four members of the infamous “Silmido unit.” The search comes more than five decades after they were secretly buried following their executions over a failed covert mission linked to inter-Korean tensions during the Cold War. The ministry said Monday it held a ceremonial ground-breaking rite at Byeokje Municipal Cemetery in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, before beginning excavation work at a site believed to contain the rem
Mirae Asset Global Investments said Monday its assets under management had reached 624 trillion won ($415 billion), surpassing 600 trillion won for the first time. The company said its AUM has expanded rapidly in recent years, climbing from about 250 trillion won at the end of 2022 to more than 300 trillion won in 2024, before surpassing 500 trillion won in 2025. A major growth driver has been its global ETF business led by subsidiary Global X, which has benefited from rising demand for thematic
LS Electric said Monday it had secured a $70 million contract to supply power distribution equipment for a data center operated by a US-based tech company. Under the deal, LS Electric will provide power equipment essential for data center operations, including vacuum circuit breakers, for the facility’s core power grid system. The buyer was not disclosed. The company said the contract highlighted its competitiveness in the North American market, where strict technical standards, quality require
Ham Young-joo (second row, ninth from left) poses with officials and participants during a ceremony marking the launch of this year’s Power On Innovative Companies Internship program at the group's headquarters in central Seoul on Friday. The program, aimed at expanding support for social innovation companies, provides 2.3 million won ($1,530) in monthly wage support for three months to 250 companies, with an additional two months of support if interns are hired full-time. (Hana Financial Group)
Samsung Electronics won a partial court injunction Monday restricting its labor union’s planned strike. The court ordered the union to maintain usual staffing levels for key safety and facility protection work during the industrial action. The decision places significant limits on the union’s full-scale strike scheduled to begin Thursday, but does not ban the strike itself. The Suwon District Court partially accepted Samsung Electronics’ April 16 injunction request against the union, ordering it
Disney+ Korea's massively popular superhero series "Moving" has officially begun production on its second season, the streamer said Monday. Season 2 was first announced at the Disney Content Showcase APAC 2024 press event in Singapore. The new installment will continue in the aftermath of the first season's events. While plot details remain tightly under wraps, the story is expected to again follow key characters — Kim Bong-seok, who can fly; Lee Mi-hyun, who possesses heightened sensory abiliti
A lot has changed for actor Lee Kyoo-hyung over the past decade. Once known primarily for his stage work, he has built a screen career alongside it — the prison dramedy "Prison Playbook," the crime thriller "Stranger" and the zombie hit "All of Us Are Dead" among his credits, all of which have helped make him a familiar face to international audiences as well. One thing has not changed. Every time the musical "Fan Letter" — a fictionalized story inspired by the literary circles of 1930s colonial
Ballots are printed at a printing company in Suwon on May 18 ahead of South Korea’s June 3 local elections. The national election watchdog said Monday that 7,829 candidates registered during the two-day registration period last week. Voters will choose mayors and governors in 16 metropolitan cities and provinces, along with superintendents of education, heads of local administrative districts and lawmakers for 14 vacant National Assembly seats. (Yonhap)
The southeastern city of Andong, the hometown of President Lee Jae Myung, is once again drawing attention as a stage for Korean diplomacy ahead of Tuesday's summit with Japan. Lee will meet Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, for talks and an official dinner. The meeting will be the sixth summit between the two leaders since the Lee administration took office and comes just four months after they met in Nara prefecture, Takaichi's hometown, in January. Th
This year's favorite 'Birkin' is made of plastic instead of hand-stitched leather, but it's just 30,000 won. Trending this summer is a jelly bag that looks exactly like a Birkin from Hermes. Those start at around 15 million won, and that's only if you can get your hands on one. Kya from KiiKii recently sported the jelly Birkin — called a Firkin, short for "fake Birkin" — in the concept photos of her group's second EP, "Delulu Pack," proving that the jelly bag is one of the must-have items for th
The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Monday kicked off a campaign offering a 500 won ($0.33) discount to customers who use their own cups. To receive the discount, customers must use the Seoul Pay mobile app and bring their own cup to a participating coffee shop. The drink price will be reduced by 100 won at checkout, and customers will later receive 400 won in points. Seoul Pay is a city-backed digital payment system that allows users to spend points like cash. Participating cafes will cover th
Cortis has entered the Billboard top three for the first time in its career with its second EP, “Greengreen.” According to a chart preview record released by Billboard on Monday, “Greengreen” debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart dated May 23. The album earned 87,000 album-equivalent units during the tracking week, including 81,500 in album sales and 5,500 streaming equivalent album units. The album marks Cortis’ first top-three and top-10 entry on the main US albums chart. The group previ
South Korean director Na Hong-jin's "Hope" had its world premiere Sunday at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, screening in competition at the Lumiere theater in the Palais des Festivals. Na walked the red carpet with cast members Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander and Taylor Russell. "Hope" is Na's first feature in 10 years since "The Wailing."
President Lee Jae Myung pledged Monday to “definitively” cement the spirit of the May 18 Democratic Movement in the Constitution and ensure recognition for overlooked pro-democracy participants with no family to file applications on their behalf. Lee made the remarks Monday at the ceremony commemorating the 46th anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement held at May 18 Democracy Square in Gwangju, which he attended with first lady Kim Hea Kyung. The president reaffirmed his commitment to
Enhypen added another show in Macao on Oct. 16 as part of its “Blood Saga” world tour, its agency Belift Lab announced Monday. The six-member act was originally set to host two concerts in Macao on Oct. 17-18, but the tickets sold out in ten minutes. Enhypen added dates to the Mexico show as well, extending it to three shows from one, in mid-July. The boy group launched the tour in Seoul on May 1, drawing over 32,000 fans in over three days. It will fly around North and South America over the su
President Lee Jae Myung said Monday that corporate management rights should be respected as much as labor rights, in remarks that appeared to be aimed at easing tensions ahead of a possible strike at Samsung Electronics. Though he did not mention Samsung or its union directly, Lee's comments came as the company and union representatives prepared for what could be their final round of talks before a planned strike later this week. In a post on X, Lee said South Korea’s liberal democratic and mark
Boryung Corp. said Monday it had begun supplying the anticancer drug Alimta to Lotus Pharmaceuticals, marking its first global contract development and manufacturing organization project. The supply follows a CDMO agreement signed between the two companies in 2024. Boryung said it completed quality verification, regulatory approvals and production preparations at its EU-GMP-certified Yesan Campus before beginning shipments. The company has been expanding its oncology portfolio through acquisitio
BTS is planning a citywide project in partnership with Busan for its debut anniversary, according to label Big Hit Music on Monday. Under the title “BTS The City Arirang - Busan,” the city will turn itself into a venue where fans will be offered a series of experiences: welcoming visitors with special booths and operating exclusive buses and tourist courses across the city. A pop-up store will run at the train station while major landmarks will be illuminated and projected with messages from the
More Koreans now oppose the idea that mothers should stay home to care for their children than support it, a regular government-affiliated survey showed Monday. Some 34.1 percent of respondents disagreed with the view that “mothers should care for children at home,” slightly higher than the 33.8 percent who agreed, according to a report by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs. The remaining 32.1 percent said they were neutral. The KIHASA report was based on last year’s survey of 7,3
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Thousands of people streamed onto the National Mall for a daylong prayer rally Sunday billed as a "rededication of our country as One Nation under God." Against the backdrop of the Washington Monument, worship music blared from a stage that made clear the event's Christian focus. Arched stained-glass windows, set underneath grand columns resembling a federal building, depicted the nation's founders alongside a white cross. Most speakers celebrated Christianity's ties to Americ
President Lee Jae Myung said Monday the solidarity demonstrated during the 1980 pro-democracy movement in the southern city of Gwangju was revived in the public's efforts to thwart the 2024 martial law attempt and safeguard democracy. Lee made the remarks at a ceremony in Gwangju commemorating the May 18 democratization movement, during which civilians stood up against the military junta led by then Gen. Chun Doo-hwan, who sent troops to suppress the movement. Chun later became president. "A gre
The Geumcheon Foreign Resident Center in Seoul is inviting international residents to enjoy a free trip to Seoul Land on Tuesday. According to the Seoul Foreigner Portal on Saturday, the center is accepting applications from up to 40 foreign residents in Korea for a visit to the theme park in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. Participants will gather at the Geumcheon Foreign Resident Center at 8:30 a.m. and together to the theme park, where they will enjoy rides and visit the zoo until 3:30 p.m. The
Day6 announced details of the final show of its "The Decade" tour via label JYP Entertainment on Monday. The four-member band will conclude the concert series that celebrates its tenth year with three shows in Seoul on July 3-5. The quartet kicked off the tour in Gyeonggi Province in August and performed 27 times in 16 cities, including Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon and Busan in Korea. In June, it will hit the stage in Kobe, Japan. In between travelling as a team, Wonpil released his EP “Unpiltered” i
Lotte Biologics said Monday it signed a contract manufacturing agreement with UK biotech firm Ottimo Pharma for antibody drugs, expanding the two companies' existing partnership. Under the agreement, Lotte Biologics will produce the active pharmaceutical ingredient for Jankistomig, Ottimo Pharma’s biparatopic antibody candidate, at its Syracuse Bio Campus in New York. The deal builds on an antibody development agreement signed in June last year and reflects Ottimo Pharma’s continued confidence i
HD Hyundai Marine Solution, the maritime service arm of HD Hyundai, has signed a memorandum of understanding with US energy solutions firm Aperion Energy Group to provide maintenance services for data center power engines in Texas. The agreement covers long-term service as well as operation and maintenance contracts for 33 power engines at Aperion’s planned data center facility in the state. The partnership follows a separate supply agreement signed in April between Aperion and HD Hyundai Heavy
Foreign residents looking to relieve stress, muscle tension or fatigue may want to check out a free traditional Korean medicine clinic hosted by the Gangdong Foreign Resident Center on Saturday. The one-day event will introduce participants to treatments commonly used in Korean medicine clinics, including acupuncture and cupping therapy, along with herbal medicine and wellness consultations. Acupuncture involves placing thin needles at specific points on the body to help improve circulation, eas
The government convened a regular trade promotion meeting Monday to discuss South Korea's pending trade issues with the United States, the European Union and other economic partners, the trade ministry said. In the meeting, Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo and officials from related ministries discussed Seoul's response to the office of the US Trade Representative's ongoing investigation into what it calls "unfair" foreign trade practices involving South Korea, under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act,
The Lee Jae Myung government has shifted its focus to peaceful coexistence with North Korea, rather than pressure and confrontation, the unification ministry's white paper showed Monday, striking a markedly different tone from its predecessor. The annual paper reflects the push by the Lee government, which took office in June last year, to repair the strained inter-Korean relationship based on building mutual trust. The previous conservative Yoon Suk Yeol government sought to bring about change
Members of Zonta International, a global women’s service organization, gathered in Seoul to discuss ways to expand advocacy, education and leadership programs for women and girls. Zonta International’s District 32, Area 1, a regional network of the global women’s service organization in Korea, held its 2026 conference and general meeting on May 16 at the Grand Mercure Imperial Palace Seoul Gangnam. More than 100 members and guests from clubs in Seoul and other parts of the country attended the e
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A South Korean court on Monday partially approved Samsung Electronics’ request for an injunction against labor actions planned by its unions, imposing legal limits on a looming strike involving tens of thousands of workers. The Suwon District Court ruled that union members must maintain normal staffing and operations at safety- and security-related facilities during any strike, including work to prevent damage to manufacturing equipment and contamination of semiconductor wafers. The court also b
ANSAN, Gyeonggi Province — On a Friday afternoon, dozens of men stream out of a five-story building in Ansan's Danwon-gu, some dressed in long white garments and caps, quietly walking away or chatting in small groups along the street. The building they emerge from looks like an ordinary commercial property, but it is the Ansan Islamic Center, one of 21 mosques operated nationwide by the Korea Muslim Federation. The crowd, made up mostly of Muslim migrant workers from across the city, had gathere
Israeli strikes killed seven people in Lebanon on Sunday, including an Islamic Jihad commander, Lebanese authorities and state media said, despite a fragile ceasefire as Hezbollah called US-brokered talks between the two countries a "dead end." The Health Ministry published a "preliminary toll" for Israel's strikes on Sunday, with three people killed in the town of Tayr Felsay, including a child, and two killed in the town of Tayr Debba, including another child. It said 11 people were wounded in
Babymonster hit 12 million subscribers on YouTube as of Sunday, surpassing the milestone in the fastest time since debut for a K-pop girl group, at two years and two months, label YG Entertainment said Monday. The group of seven has the third most subscribers among K-pop girl groups, only after Blackpink and Twice. The music video for “Choom,” the title track of its third EP, added momentum, drawing 15 million hits in half a day and heading straight to the top of YouTube's worldwide trending cha
Cuba has obtained more than 300 military drones and recently began discussing plans to use them to attack the US base at Guantanamo Bay, US military vessels and possibly even Florida, Axios reported Sunday, citing classified intelligence. The report comes as tensions simmer between Washington and Havana, amid growing speculation that the United States is weighing military action against the communist-run island. The Trump administration is concerned because of developments in drone warfare and t
ROME (AP) -- Italian tennis fans had waited for this moment for a half century. For Jannik Sinner, though, it wasn't just about becoming the first Italian man to win the Italian Open since Adriano Panatta 50 years ago. The top-ranked Sinner's 6-4, 6-4 victory over Casper Ruud in Sunday's final on the red clay of the Foro Italico also made him only the second man after Novak Djokovic to win all nine Masters 1000 events -- the biggest tournaments outside the Grand Slams. "There's no better place t
NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pennsylvania (AP) -- Aaron Rai shifted into high gear Sunday and pulled away from a world-class field with one amazing shot after another until he became the first English-born player in more than a century to capture the PGA Championship. Rai, who dreamed of being a Formula 1 driver until he turned to golf as a boy, was three shots behind and approaching the turn at Aronimink Golf Club when he delivered a performance worthy of a major champion. He made a 12-meter eagle putt on t