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After BTS, one of the biggest names in K-pop, returned last month with its fifth studio album wrapped in Korean cultural symbols, one detail drew particular attention beyond the music — how much of the songs were sung, partly if not entirely, in English? The group's latest release, "ARIRANG," takes its title from Korea's best-known folk song and threads Korean identity through its visuals, sonic references and even its recent comeback stage at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul. But behind the scenes, the album reflected a tension that is becoming increasingly visible across the K-pop industry. In a recently unveiled Netflix documentary tied to the project, BTS' leader RM was seen raising concerns about the album's heavy use of English lyrics, questioning whether a project centered on Korean identity could remain "authentic" if much of it was not in Korean. Fellow member Suga also suggested increasing the number of Korean lines. Their label executives, however, emphasized a different priority — global reach. That exchange landed at a moment when English has become more prominent tha
Insurers are expanding children’s coverage as they race to lock in long-term customers, buoyed by government efforts to tackle low birthrates and ease the cost of child rearing, industry officials said Thursday. In a market for people aged under 15 worth around 9.4 trillion won ($6.18 billion) per year, new products are evolving quickly. Some have introduced coverage that increases over time, while others extend protection beyond childhood, spanning from the prenatal stage through adulthood. The scope of coverage is also broadening. Once centered on cancer and critical illness payouts, policies are increasingly designed around a wider spectrum of risks, including mental health care, counseling and even school violence. Last month, Tongyang Life rolled out a policy where benefits grow with time. After 20 years, when the policyholder reaches adulthood, the payout can double. A 50 million won cancer benefit at signup, for instance, would rise to 100 million won. “Underage policyholders are a key long-term customer base. These policies tend to stay in force as they grow up and can later
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I was sluggishly adapting to my first winter in Onyang, a town in South Chungcheong Province. I arrived in Korea in summer 1974 as a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV). After an intensive three-month training in Korean language, culture and English teaching methodology in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, I headed west to Onyang, where I would live for the next two years. For the first six months, I rented a room in a family’s house. The arrival of winter was a shock: I hadn’t experienced a Manchurian cold front before, and my room’s only heating sources were charcoal cylinders that burned in flues under the flooring. While teaching many English classes at a boys’ middle school, I organized a “special English class,” selecting four of the brightest students. Twice a week, at 6:30 a.m., I’d pile on layers of clothing to limit my exposure to the freezing temperatures, fold my mattress and spread out my blankets so my students and I could plunge our legs into the warm refuge. I could then welcome them to my room and begin our 60-minute lesson, which usually took the form of open
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday that Pam Bondi is out as his attorney general, ending the contentious tenure of a loyalist who upended the Justice Department’s culture of independence from the White House, oversaw large-scale firings of career employees and moved aggressively to investigate the Republican president’s perceived enemies. The departure of the country's chief law enforcement officer followed months of scrutiny from angry conservatives over the Justice Department's handling of files related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation and failed efforts to please Trump through unsuccessful efforts to build criminal cases against prominent foes, investigations that in some cases have been rejected by judges or grand juries. Trump named Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as the acting attorney general, though three people familiar with the matter have said he has privately discussed Lee Zeldin, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, as a permanent pick. “Pam Bondi is a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend, who faithfully serve
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday the tallest bridge in Iran had been destroyed, hours after threatening to bomb the country "back to the Stone Ages." Trump posted footage on social media of smoke rising from the B1 bridge in Karaj, around 20 miles (35 kilometers) southwest of Tehran — and warned that there would be further destruction unless Iran comes to the table to end the five-week war. "The biggest bridge in Iran comes tumbling down, never to be used again - Much more to follow! IT IS TIME FOR IRAN TO MAKE A DEAL BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE, AND THERE IS NOTHING LEFT OF WHAT STILL COULD BECOME A GREAT COUNTRY!" Trump said. Iranian state television had earlier reported two U.S.-Israeli strikes on the bridge. "A few minutes ago, the American-Zionist enemy once again targeted the B1 bridge in Karaj," state TV said, adding that an initial strike had caused two civilian casualties. It said the later attack took place as emergency teams were deployed to the site to help victims of the first strike. The B1 bridge, which was still under construction, is considered the Midd
TEHRAN — Iran said on Thursday it was drafting a peacetime protocol that would supervise maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz with Oman, state media reported, with Tehran's closure of the vital oil corridor roiling the global economy. Deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi told Russia's Sputnik state media that the protocol would apply after the ongoing war with the United States and Israel had ended, setting basic rules to manage ship movements, the IRNA news agency said. "We are currently finalising the drafting of this protocol and, once it has been finalised internally, we will undoubtedly begin negotiations with the Omani side in order to reach a joint protocol," he said. Oman has yet to report any such negotiations. Its foreign minister said last month his country was "working intensively to put in place safe passage arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz."
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday stepped up pressure on Iran to make a deal with the United States to end the Middle East war "before it is too late," a day after he warned that the U.S. will hit the Islamic Republic "extremely hard" over the next two to three weeks. Trump made the remarks in a social media post, where he posted a video of a bridge in Iran collapsing in a strike. "The biggest bridge in Iran comes tumbling down, never to be used again -- Much more to follow!" Trump said in the Truth Social post. "It is time for Iran to make a deal before it is too late, and there is nothing left of what still could become a great country!" he wrote in capital letters. Trump has been seeking an exit from the conflict with Iran amid growing concerns over the war's impact on oil prices and inflation, particularly ahead of the U.S. midterm elections slated for November.
Tiger Woods expressed astonishment as he was handcuffed after crashing his SUV last week in Florida, according to body camera footage released Thursday that also shows deputies removing two pills from the golfer's pocket. “I do believe your normal faculties are impaired, and you’re under an unknown substance, so at this time you’re under arrest for DUI,” Martin County Sheriff’s deputy Tatiana Levenar told Woods after conducting a sobriety test on him. Woods said he was looking at his phone and changing the radio station when his speeding Land Rover clipped the back of a truck and rolled onto its side on a residential road on Jupiter Island. No one was injured in the March 27 crash. “I’m being arrested?” Woods responded as he stood alongside the road. “Yes sir,” Levenar said. After handcuffing Woods, authorities searched his pockets and found two white pills. “That’s a Norco,” Woods said after an officer pulled out the pills, referring to a painkiller that contains acetaminophen and the opioid hydrocodone. Authorities would later confirm that Woods was in possessio
TEHRAN — Iran on Thursday threatened "crushing" attacks on the United States and Israel, firing missiles at Tel Aviv after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to bomb the Islamic republic "back to the Stone Ages." The war, which was started more than a month ago by U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, has spread throughout the Middle East and roiled the global economy, impacting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. In a White House address, Trump said the U.S. was "very close" to achieving its objectives but warned its attacks would intensify if Iran did not reach a negotiated settlement. "Over the next two to three weeks, we are going to bring them back to the Stone Ages, where they belong," he said. Iran's response was immediate, with Israeli air defences pressed into action. Four people were reportedly lightly injured in the Tel Aviv area. AFP journalists in Jerusalem hear fresh blasts on Thursday evening. In Tehran, AFP journalists reported a series of loud explosions, sending reverberations across the city. The targets were unclear. Iranian state TV said that U.S.-Israeli strikes hit a
LONDON — Britain accused Iran on Thursday of holding the world's economy hostage as diplomats from more than 40 countries held talks on ways to press Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil route that has been choked off by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. The U.S. didn't attend the virtual meeting, which came after U.S. President Donald Trump made clear that he thinks securing the waterway is not America’s job. Trump has also disparaged America's European allies for failing to support the war and renewed his threats to pull the U.S. out of NATO. U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the talks, which focused on political and diplomatic rather than military means, showed “the strength of our international determination" to reopen the strait. The 41 countries represented came from all continents except Antarctica, a reflection of the global tremors from a war that has sparked shortages of fuel and fertilizer and higher prices for food far beyond the Middle East. “We have seen Iran hijack an international shipping route to hold the global economy hostage,” Cooper
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The release of the 2026 National Trade Estimate (NTE) Report on Foreign Trade Barriers by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on Tuesday did not appear to surprise the Korean government, given its subdued reaction to the annual publication. Although this year’s report includes three more pages describing Korea’s trade environment compared to last year’s, government officials said they do not take it seriously. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs regarded this year’s report as largely similar to previous editions in its references to agriculture-related issues. Once again, the U.S. questioned Korea’s imports of beef and horticultural products as well as its approval process for agricultural biotechnology products. Newly added to this year’s report were concerns over Korea’s tariff-rate quota administration for soybeans and the suspended auction of U.S. table rice since November 2023. The auction resumed in February after a two-year suspension that lasted through last December. “The NTE report is more like a customary collection of com
Companies often face limits when promoting products in ways that effectively reach consumers, especially for items that require careful consideration. Cosmetics are one example. With products now capable of transforming a person’s appearance beyond expectations, choosing the right option has become increasingly challenging for consumers, considering the proliferation of brands, especially in the competitive K-beauty space. Darcei Giles, a Toronto-based beauty influencer on YouTube with over 4 million subscribers, stands tall between the suppliers and consumers, making an impact on the global beauty market. What has distinguished her from other beauty influencers is not only her skin color but her expertise in K-beauty brands and passion for Korean pop culture. Addressing her fame, she emphasizes the necessity of her role as a guide for people of color. “It’s been really positive but also important. I think a lot of people weren’t used to seeing K-beauty tested on deeper skin tones, so my content fills that gap. I’ve definitely attracted a more diverse audience because people w
NEW YORK — U.S. President Donald Trump's address to the nation on Wednesday, in which he vowed more aggressive strikes on Iran, has put consumers on course for record fuel prices at the pumps just ahead of the country's peak summer travel season, market experts said. Americans expected Trump's speech to outline a plan to end the Iran war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran's blockade of the global oil conduit has sent oil and fuel prices skyrocketing, pinching consumers' wallets. But instead, Trump vowed to bomb Iran back into the "Stone Ages" and said the strait would just open "naturally" when the war ends. The comments sent U.S. crude oil prices surging more than 10% on Thursday, and U.S. average retail gasoline prices are now set to climb to between $4.25 and $4.45 a gallon by next week after crossing $4 a gallon for the first time since 2022 at the start of this week, said Patrick De Haan. The pain could worsen. If there is no viable plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. average price of gasoline will likely cross $5 a gallon and hit record levels within a month, De
Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. For a long time, Koreans have turned to eating samgyeopsal when fine dust levels are high, based on the popular belief that greasy foods like grilled pork belly can clear fine dust from the throat and remove toxins from the body. If this were truly the case, it would be great news for meat lovers. However, from a medical perspective, there is no scientific evidence supporting the idea that samgyeopsal helps remove fine dust from the body. That said, the belief is not entirely without basis, as certain physiological effects of eating fatty foods may create temporary sensations that people interpret as health benefits. Here is a closer look at the relationship between samgyeopsal and fine dust. When people eat high-fat foods, they often feel that their throat becomes smoother. This is because the grease temporarily coats the mucous membranes, reducing irritation. This can make dryness and discomfort feel less prominent for a short time. In addition, chewing samgyeopsal stimulates saliva production. Saliva is a natural protective fluid for the th
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Almost five weeks have passed since the US and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28. Iran has retaliated with missile and drone barrages and a de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The price of oil has nearly doubled, and financial markets have fallen sharply. The US continues to send military resources, including elite ground troops, to the region, which exacerbates the uncertainty. US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has made conflicting statements about his goals for the war and his timelin
Web headline: Everland’s ambitious bet pairs circus spectacle with drone-and-fireworks finale YONGIN, Gyeonggi Province — Everland, South Korea's largest theme park, has opened two marquee productions to celebrate its 50th anniversary since the original Yongin Farmland opened and 30 years since it was rebranded as Everland, pairing a drone-and-fireworks multimedia show with an acrobatic circus created in collaboration with a Canadian production company. "The Guardians of Light," a roughly 20-min
A labor relations board Thursday recognized for the first time the "employer status" of principal contractors since the enforcement of a new labor law aimed at broadening workers' bargaining rights. The Yellow Envelope Act took effect last month, making prime contractors more accountable for subcontracted workers by expanding the definition of "employer" to a company that substantially controls working conditions even if it does not directly hire workers. The Chungnam National Labor Relations Co
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held phone talks with his Japanese counterpart, Toshimitsu Motegi, on Thursday, and vowed close cooperation and communication on peace in the Middle East. During the phone talks, the top diplomats shared the view that peace in the Middle East and free, safe passage of the Strait of Hormuz are very important to the two countries, and close communication and cooperation between the two nations should continue over the issue, according to Cho's office. The two ministers al
President Lee Jae Myung is set to host a dinner for French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday to mark his state visit and present symbolic gifts aimed at further deepening bilateral ties, Cheong Wa Dae said. Macron arrived in Seoul on a two-day visit ahead of summit talks scheduled for Friday, marking his first visit to South Korea since taking office in 2017. Upon arrival, Macron paid tribute at the War Memorial of Korea to honor French troops who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War, presidenti
The South Korean presidential office on Thursday said it hoped the Middle East would swiftly return to peace and stability after US President Donald Trump delivered his national address on the war with Iran. The South Korean government “is closely monitoring major developments among the relevant countries in relation to the Middle East war,” senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a statement responding to Trump’s speech. The government “expects that the situation in the Middle Eas
President Lee Jae Myung met a bipartisan delegation of US senators at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Thursday, discussing the Middle East situation, wartime operational control and the future direction of the alliance. According to the presidential office, the meeting was attended by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Jacky Rosen of Nevada, both Democrats, as well as Sens. Thomas Tillis of North Carolina and John Curtis of Utah, both Republicans, along with James R. Heller, US charge d’affaire
A 38-year-old father of three helped to prolong the lives of several others by having his organs and tissues donated post-mortem. The organs of Kim Gyeom, who died March 20 at the Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, were used for the critical treatment of seven people, according to the Korea Organ Donation Agency. Body tissues donated in addition to the organs helped some 100 patients. Kim collapsed on March 13 while playing bass at a service in his church. He received emergency medical treatme
An unidentified body believed to be that of a man was found in the Imjin River in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Thursday. According to the Paju Police Station, the body was discovered at around 9:20 a.m. in the river. The body was in an advanced state of decomposition, and no belongings that could help identify the individual were found nearby. Police, dispatched after receiving a report from a witness, recovered the body and are investigating to determine the identity. Based on the location where
South Korea is ramping up imports of US crude as the government and refiners move to secure alternative supplies amid concerns over potential disruptions from the Middle East, with US President Donald Trump urging allies to buy American oil. “As imports of Middle Eastern crude face disruptions, all four major domestic refiners — SK Energy, GS Caltex, S-Oil and HD Hyundai Oilbank — are actively seeking alternative supplies worldwide,” a trade official said Thursday. “Among these, US crude account
The Korea Forest Service said Thursday it has signed a framework agreement on forestry cooperation and a separate memorandum of understanding on wildfire management and post-fire restoration with Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry. The deals cover joint efforts in sustainable forest and mangrove management, wildfire response, and the development of forest carbon markets to address the climate crisis. The agreements were signed by Korea Forest Service Minister Park Eun-sik and Indonesia’s Forestry
FuriosaAI unveiled its second-generation artificial intelligence chip, Renegade, or RNGD, targeting a fast shift in the industry from model training to cost-heavy inference, Thursday. The new chip, which kicked off mass production in January, is designed to handle high volumes of real-time AI queries at lower power and cost. “By 2030, we expect roughly 100 gigawatts of AI data center capacity to be added globally, with about 70 percent allocated to inference,” said FuriosaAI CEO Paik June-ho at
Video art pioneer Paik Nam-june's first ever work in the medium has arrived in Seoul for “Nam June Paik: Rewind / Repeat.” “I am sure today is a very happy day for Nam June Paik because he is back in his home city of Seoul. As you may know his ashes are at Bongeunsa not too far from here,” Kenn Hakuta, Paik’s nephew and executor of the Nam June Paik Estate, told the press at the Amorepacific Museum of Art in Seoul. The exhibition is the estate's first Seoul show in 25 years. Organized by Gagosia
South Korean police said Thursday they cracked down on 95 prostitution and other illicit establishments in Seoul in the first quarter, including venues that allegedly marketed sex services to foreign tourists through online platforms. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said 170 people, including business operators, were apprehended in the sweep, up 49 percent from a year earlier. Authorities seized 28.9 million won ($19,000) in proceeds and 66 beds used in the operations. In one particular cas
A South Korean activist who had previously been detained in an Israeli prison for boarding a Gaza-bound aid ship has sparked controversy as she again attempts to visit the Palestinian enclave, news reports said Thursday. On March 25, the Foreign Ministry ordered 27-year-old Kim Ah-hyun to surrender her passport, warning it would be invalidated if not returned within seven days, as she continued to push ahead with plans to visit the Gaza Strip. The written notice was delivered to her residence tw
Seoul stocks fell sharply Thursday, as US President Donald Trump's renewed threat of strikes against Iran rattled investor sentiment and pushed up global oil prices. The Korean won weakened against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 244.65 points, or 4.47 percent, to 5,234.05. The index opened more than 1 percent higher, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street, amid hopes for an end to the monthlong war in the Middle East, which began in late February following U
North Korea on Wednesday denounced the United Nations Human Rights Council’s adoption of a resolution on its human rights record, calling it a “grave political provocation” against the country’s dignity and sovereignty. In a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency, a spokesperson for the North’s Foreign Ministry said Pyongyang “condemns and rejects in the strongest terms” the resolution, which it claimed targets its political system. The spokesperson argued that country-specific huma
South Koreans opened nearly 60,000 Reshoring Investment Accounts in the first week of the government’s push to bring overseas investment back home, but actual inflows have lagged as investors remain cautious amid market volatility. Accounts opened at the country’s 10 biggest securities brokerages by equity capital totaled about 57,000 as of the end of March, local reports showed Thursday. Some of the larger firms had attracted more than 10,000 accounts each in a little over a week after the prog
South Korean shares fell sharply Thursday after US President Donald Trump renewed threats against Iran in a closely watched war address, prompting a temporary trading curb on both the benchmark Kospi and secondary Kosdaq. The Korean won also weakened against the dollar amid heightened risk aversion. The Kospi closed at 5,234.05, down 244.65 points, or 4.47 percent, from the previous session. Amid the sharp decline, a sell-side sidecar was triggered on the main bourse at 2:46 p.m., halting progra
North Korea's third 5,000-ton, Choe Hyon-class destroyer is under construction at the Nampo shipyard, about 50 kilometers southwest of Pyongyang, satellite images show. According to satellite images of the Nampo shipyard taken by US-based spatial intelligence firm Vantor from March 12-28, a large crane on a shipyard has been operational and a floating crane has been moving around the new vessel. According to Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the conservative People Power Party who obtained the images, these
President Lee Jae Myung urged the National Assembly to swiftly pass a supplementary budget, underscoring that speed will determine whether South Korea can protect its economy and people’s livelihoods from the unpredictable fallout of the Middle East war. “I stand before you today with a desperate sense of responsibility to protect our people’s lives and the economy in the face of the grave crisis caused by the Middle East war,” Lee said in his budget speech to the National Assembly on Thursday.
South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back on Thursday met a bipartisan delegation of US senators at the Defense Ministry in Seoul, discussing a range of alliance issues including Seoul’s plan to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. The delegation included Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Jacky Rosen, both Democrats, as well as Sens. Thomas Tillis and John Curtis, both Republicans. The group is visiting South Korea as part of a broader trip to key Indo-Pacific security partners. During the meeting, Ahn e
Korea Zinc said Thursday it has officially kicked off its $7.4 billion project to build a large-scale mineral processing facility in Tennessee, as the world’s largest zinc smelter accelerates efforts to expand its supply chain in the US. The company held a ceremony in Clarksville on Wednesday to mark the formal start of “Project Crucible.” Attendees included Korea Zinc Chair Choi Yun-beom and senior executives, such as President Park Ki-won, who heads the project. US officials present included S
Nearly half the apartments and multi-household buildings in Seoul lack sprinkler systems, raising safety concerns after a series of fires at older complexes. Of the 4,067 apartment and commercial-residential complexes in the capital, 1,874, or 46.1 percent, lacked sprinkler systems, according to National Fire Agency data revealed by Rep. Lee Sang-sik of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. Even among complexes that did have sprinklers, only 25.7 percent had them installed across all buildings,
With international visitors increasingly venturing beyond Seoul to more outlying provinces, local governments across South Korea are moving to improve transportation access, aiming to accommodate a seasonal rise in tourism as spring begins. The efforts go beyond improving convenience within cities, extending to improving connections with other regions and major gateways such as Incheon Airport, the country’s main entry point for overseas travelers. Through these measures, authorities are seeking
Ilzat Ablaxatovich Kasimov, Uzbekistan’s deputy minister of investment, industry and trade, voiced expectations for expanded economic cooperation between Korea and Uzbekistan on Wednesday during a speech at the 2026 Global Biz Forum hosted by The Korea Herald and Herald Business in Seoul. “As ties between the two countries continue to deepen, interest in partnering with Korean companies is growing steadily across Uzbekistan’s government and business sectors. Uzbekistan’s rapid growth is opening
For the first time in its 77-year history, South Korea’s Marine Corps has recorded a family with four consecutive generations of service, officials said Thursday. The milestone was marked Thursday as 1,319 Marines completed training, officially becoming the 1,327th Marine recruit class. Among them was Pvt. Kim Jun-young, whose great-grandfather, grandfather and father all served as Marines. There have so far been just 58 documented three-generation Marine families. The Kim family's service recor
GS Group said Thursday it held a tech collaboration event with AI startups at GS Tower in Gangnam, Seoul, as it looks to accelerate digital transformation and expand into emerging technologies. Chairman Huh Tae-soo and senior executives were joined by CEOs and business heads from 17 portfolio companies, who showcased their core technologies. The startups were sourced through GS Group’s venture arms, GS Futures and GS Ventures. The lineup included 11 companies backed by GS Futures — such as AMESA
The State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, holds the world's largest collection of paintings among its 3 million objects but remains largely out of reach for most international travelers at the moment. "The Magnificent Hermitage" opens April 30 at Oil Tank Culture Park in Sangam-dong, Seoul, offering a rare chance to experience the museum's vast collection — and a case for digital art even to those who prefer to see their masterpieces in the original form. The exhibition features more
If you have found yourself fighting off yawns despite getting a full night’s sleep, you are not alone. As the weather warms and sunlight stretches into the early evenings, many begin to feel unusually drowsy or sluggish. In Korea, this familiar seasonal fatigue is commonly called "chun-gon-jeung," which literally translates to "spring tiredness." Doctors stress that this isn’t a disease but a physiological adjustment period. As winter transitions into spring, the body is suddenly asked to recali
TikTok will invest $50 million in South Korea as part of the strategy to strengthen its position as a global hub for content creation and trend formation, the company said Wednesday. The investment, led by TikTok Korea, will focus on two key pillars: expanding creator compensation and support, and strengthening partnerships with professional content providers. “Today, people discover, consume and react to content anytime and anywhere — and then spread it again. That is the language of content co
The writer of 2022's hit cable series "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" has lost an appeal over additional pay tied to the show's Netflix release, and industry officials say the ruling reflects a broader gray area in how older contracts are received in the streaming era. The writer had filed suit against the show's production company Astory, seeking secondary usage fees tied to the show's streaming release. According to the writer, the October 2019 scriptwriting contract with Astory was premised on t
South Korean and Canadian officials pledged to deepen cooperation in trade, defense, energy and advanced manufacturing, highlighting the partnership between middle powers as critical amid growing global uncertainty and strains on the international trading system. The two countries’ growing partnership was highlighted at a reception hosted by the Embassy of Canada in South Korea on Wednesday evening, on the occasion of a Canadian trade delegation to Korea led by Maninder Sidhu, Canada's internati
LG Chem has doubled down on developing an innovative cancer treatment by zeroing in on undruggable targets through a license-in agreement with Frontier Medicines, a United States-based biotechnology company. According to LG Chem’s announcement Wednesday, it acquired the exclusive worldwide license to develop and commercialize Frontier Medicines’ FMC-220 outside Greater China, with the latter retaining ownership and full control in Greater China. Under the agreement, LG Chem will be responsible f
Upbit, South Korea’s largest crypto exchange, has signed a technology partnership with Indonesia's ICEx to help advance the country’s digital asset infrastructure and broader market development. The signing ceremony took place during the Korea-Indonesia Business Forum held Wednesday in central Seoul, attended by Oh Kyoung-suk, chief executive of Upbit operator Dunamu, ICEx CEO Pang Xue Kai, Adi Budiarso, director of digital asset innovation and regulation at Indonesia's Financial Services Author
Honam University is under investigation by South Korean immigration authorities over allegations it admitted international students using falsified graduation credentials from an unaccredited US institution, according to local media reports Thursday. A total of 112 Chinese nationals were reportedly enrolled as third-year students in the Gwangju-based university’s four-year program in August 2025, with their admission and issuance of D-2 student visas based on certificates from a US college that
South Korean figure skater Cha Jun-hwan has signed with Fantagio, a major entertainment agency known for managing Hallyu stars such as Kim Seon-ho and Cha Eun-woo, sparking speculation about a potential expansion of his career into the entertainment industry, including acting. Fantagio’s roster includes actors and K-pop artists such as Lee Se-young, Kim Seon-ho, Cha Eun-woo, Ong Seong-wu and Lee Chang-sub, along with idol groups including Astro and I.O.I. Details regarding the skater's future ac
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday it will implement phased traffic controls around the Gwanghwamun area from midnight Saturday for 24 hours to accommodate the 2026 Easter Parade. The parade, organized by the United Christian Churches of Korea, is expected to draw large crowds across all age groups. To manage safety, the city will install pedestrian barriers and deploy personnel at key points to oversee crowd and traffic control. Several bus routes passing through Sejong-daero will
A man suspected of killing his mother-in-law in Daegu told police he assaulted her for "being noisy,” local reports said Thursday. In the ongoing investigation into a woman's body found in a suitcase in Sincheon, a stream in eastern Daegu, the suspect, the victim's son-in-law, told police that he beat her for about two hours with his hands and feet on March 18 at his residence in Jung-gu, Daegu. After admitting to the charges, he told investigators it was because she was noisy and "did not keep