Freshly crowned the world champion, South Korean badminton star An Se-young said Tuesday she will now turn her focus to defending her Asian Games title next month in Japan. An arrived back home early Tuesday, two days after winning her second career world title in the women's singles in New Delhi. An, world No. 1, defeated second-ranked Akane Yamaguchi of Japan 21-17, 21-14 in the final to cap a flawless, six-match run, during which she did not lose a game. It was An's first tournament back sinc

Hyundai Motor's ‌South Korean union said on Tuesday it has reached a tentative agreement with management, averting further production losses after staging its first full ‌strike in a decade on Friday, following a series of partial stoppages. The union had demanded higher bonuses, an increase in the retirement age, and ⁠job protections against artificial intelligence and automation. The tentative agreement includes a base salary increase of 100,000 won ($72.31) per month plus a performance bonus

A new study suggests that a combination of cognitive performance and educational background may help identify older drivers at a higher risk of serious crashes, according to researchers at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. In an analysis of police data involving 876 male drivers aged 60 and older, a team led by Kim Ki-woong and Han Ji-won, professors in the hospital’s department of neuropsychiatry, found significant differences in crash risk based on years of education and performance

Two bodies were found inside a studio apartment in Gyeonggi Province on Monday, with a preliminary investigation suggesting that one of the deceased killed the other and then took his own life. Local police found the body of a man in his 60s at his home in Siheung at 8:05 a.m., alongside the body of a woman in her 60s identified as an acquaintance. Officials found a note seemingly written by the man that reportedly centered on the despair he felt. There was no evidence to suggest a break-in. Pol

Tuide, a new girl group from Hybe, the K-pop powerhouse behind global superstars BTS, made its debut Monday with its first EP, "Tune & Play." It is the first girl group presented by ABD, a new label under Hybe, and the first from Hybe in two years following the U.S.-based group Katseye. Tuide consists of seven members -- Seohee, Seoyeon, Elena, Jia, Saki, Seah and Yi Hani. Seoyeon is a younger sister of JIhyo, a member of top-tier girl group TWICE. During a media showcase in Seoul, group leader

LG Household & Health Care is selling its Avon business in North America, operated independently as the Avon Company, as it shifts gears toward retail and digital channels for its Korean beauty and wellness brands, the company said Monday. In a regulatory filing, LG H&H USA signed a stock purchase agreement to sell its stake in the Avon Company to Regent affiliate Stratford Worldwide, the global investment firm that operates Avon International. The exact sale price will be finalized when the dea

Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho's resignation has been confirmed, weeks after the liberal bloc pushed through a controversial overhaul of the criminal justice system that strips the prosecution of its investigative powers without exception. According to Cheong Wa Dae chief spokesperson Kang Yu-jung on Monday, President Lee Jae Myung accepted Jung's resignation after the minister cited health issues that he said had left him unable to continue his duties. Kang added that Jung's successor would be "

Actor Kim Soo-hyun has made his first on-air television appearance in roughly a year, following his 2025 hiatus. Kim appeared as a special guest on the live broadcast "Mahakarya RCTI 37," a special program celebrating the 37th anniversary of RCTI, held in Jakarta on Sunday. RCTI is one of Indonesia’s leading privately owned commercial free-to-air television networks. During the event, Kim thanked the audience before performing “Dreaming,” a soundtrack from the 2011 hit drama "Dream High," in whi

Trump-Kim reset: Renewed outreach from US President Donald Trump could revive direct diplomacy with Kim Jong-un. Experts expect talks to focus on limiting North Korea’s arsenal rather than immediate denuclearization. Nuclear goals narrow: Washington may increasingly favor freezing nuclear production and pursuing gradual reductions, reflecting doubts that complete denuclearization remains achievable. Pyongyang holds leverage: Stronger military ties with Russia and closer relations with China have

Premium Korean beef and pork are gaining traction in Singapore, as exports make their debut in the market. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. (aT) said last week that marketing efforts targeting Singapore’s premium food market have accelerated since quarantine procedures for Jeju Island-produced hanwoo and handon — Korean beef and pork, respectively — were completed in November 2025. As of the end of June, hanwoo exports to Singapo

BUSAN — South Korea will launch its first pilot operation of a container ship through the Northeast Passage on Saturday, as the government steps up efforts to develop new Arctic shipping routes and assess their commercial potential. The Panstar Acro, 2,758 twenty-foot equivalent units in size, operated by Panstar Line.com Co., will depart from Busan New Port for a 45-day round trip to Europe via the Arctic route. The vessel will sail through the Northeast Passage and call at Felixstowe in Englan

Italian carmaker Ferrari unveiled its first electric sports car, the Ferrari Luce, in South Korea on Monday, highlighting the model’s high-performance electric powertrain and advanced display technology developed in collaboration with Samsung Display. Ferrari Korea presented the Luce at a media event at its showroom in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul, offering a first look at the vehicle in the Korean market. The Luce, which made its global debut in May, marks a new chapter in Ferrari’s shift tow

Actor Han So-hee said Monday that being cast alongside veteran actor Choi Min-sik in the Korean remake of the Hollywood hit "The Intern" (2015) felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity she could not pass up. In the Korean remake of the same name, Han portrays Sun-woo, a workaholic corporate executive who helms a successful fashion startup and comes to hire "silver intern" Ki-ho as part of company efforts to cut tax. Choi, meanwhile, plays Ki-ho, a retired family man in his late 60s, who had wo

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Monday gestured towards reconciliation with its conservative rival People Power Party and hinted at solidarity with the Rebuilding Korea Party. On Monday, Democratic Party chair Rep. Kim Min-seok met with People Power Party chair Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok and urged the two main parties to mend fences. Speaking at the meeting, Kim expressed hopes that the two parties would build an "indestructible bridge to continue dialogue," and that the parties' leaders shoul

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Monday pushed back against a ruling party-government proposal to transfer authority over redevelopment projects involving 500 or fewer households to district governments, warning that the move could undermine citywide planning standards. "It could lead to numerous side effects, including uncoordinated development and allegations of preferential treatment, if individual districts apply different standards based on local interests and project-specific demands,"

GOYANG, Gyeonggi Province — Big Bang kicked off its 20th anniversary world tour over the weekend with its first full-group concert in nearly nine years, signaling that the group's next chapter has only just begun. “XX: Cosmos,” held from Friday to Sunday at Goyang Stadium, drew more than 100,000 fans over three days. Toward the end of Sunday’s show, the members hinted that more music would be on the way after “Biiig,” the digital single released on the group's anniversary, Aug. 19. Daesung raise

EcoPro BM has begun upgrading its cathode production lines at its facility in Debrecen, Hungary, to produce high-nickel cathodes for a German luxury electric vehicle maker, signaling an aggressive push into Europe’s battery supply chain. During an investor conference held in Seoul on Friday, the company announced a 40 billion won ($29 million) investment to convert its nickel-cobalt-aluminum line into a hybrid NCA-nickel-cobalt-manganese line. This will allow the plant to supply NCM cathodes to

South Korea will restrict state scholarships and student loans for incoming students at 20 universities and junior colleges next year, after the institutions failed to meet accreditation or financial sustainability requirements, the Education Ministry said Monday. The ministry finalized its list of universities eligible for government-backed student aid for the 2027 academic year ahead of the early admissions season, assessing 308 institutions nationwide. Among them, 20 will face either full or

Coway is expanding its business-to-business operations with customized product recommendations, installation and maintenance services. The home appliance rental company is targeting growing demand from hotels, offices, schools and other commercial facilities seeking products and services tailored to their operating environments. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in appliance care, Coway recommends products based on factors such as available space, room layout and usage patterns. Its de

Samsung Electronics said Monday it is moving production of its eco heating system heat pump boilers to Korea, becoming the first heat pump manufacturer to participate in the government’s heating electrification program aimed at reshoring overseas production. The tech giant began trial production Wednesday at a newly built 2,132-square-meter production line at the second campus of its Gwangju plant. Mass production is scheduled to begin at the end of September after Samsung completes checks on ma

US President Donald Trump is moving toward levying a new tariff on China that would penalize the world’s second-largest economy for flooding the global market with underpriced goods, according to three people familiar with the matter. Two of the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations still being finalized, said Trump is considering setting the new tariff at 7.5 percent. It's a level administration officials believe would not endanger the one-year trade truc

US President Donald Trump's administration has proposed a fee of more than $103,000 on new H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers, a government notice on the Federal Register showed Monday. The Department of Homeland Security proposed a $103,265 fee for the H-1B visa program, designed for skilled professionals in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math, although a federal judge in June ruled that the fee was illegal. The department plans to receive public comments on the p

Last week, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that the city was giving away 2,000 free Broadway tickets to high school students. What was remarkable was that he recorded the video messages in Chinese (Mandarin), Spanish and Bengali. He does not speak these languages. This reminded me so much of K-pop idols delivering messages to their fans, often in languages that they do not speak. Both examples demonstrate the special effect on listeners when individuals try to communicate in a langu

National Police Agency data showed Monday that 99 percent of missing-person cases involving adults are closed within 30 days, as the recent disappearance and death of a woman on Jeju Island touched off concerns over how such cases are handled by police. Over 70,000 cases of missing adults were filed to with police each year from 2022 to 2024, with 41,894 cases filed from January to July this year, according to the NPA data submitted to Rep. Chung Choon-saeng of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party.

President Lee Jae Myung on Monday nominated prosecutor-turned-attorney Choi Kil-su for the post of independent inspector general. The post, which requires Assembly confirmation, has been vacant since 2016. If his appointment goes through, Choi, 59, will be tasked with inspecting any irregularities concerning first lady Kim Hea Kyung, Lee's families and relatives, as well as Cheong Wa Dae chief secretaries and senior secretaries. Cheong Wa Dae chief spokesperson Kang Yu-jung described Choi as the

Reconciliation push: Democratic Party chair Kim Min-seok called for frequent, informal talks with People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok, signaling a softer approach than his predecessor. Tone shift: Kim praised Jang for sharing the goal of ending former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law, contrasting former party chief Jung Chung-rae’s refusal to engage conservatives he linked to “insurrectionist forces.” Disputes persist: Despite conciliatory rhetoric, Kim and Jang clashed over Supreme C

Ties face stress: Japan’s rightward political shift under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is putting renewed pressure on Seoul and Tokyo’s effort to keep historical disputes separate from security and economic cooperation. Two-track strategy tested: South Korea’s Institute for National Security Strategy warns that political instability and conservative policies in Japan could weaken shuttle diplomacy and push bilateral relations toward deterioration. Yasukuni tensions flare: Takaichi avoided visit

Yeonnam Global Village Center will offer a free mental health education and screening session for foreign national residents and other center users in Seoul. Led by a psychiatrist, the session will include basic mental health education and screening, with referrals for counseling or other services available if needed. The program will be held Sept. 15 from 10:50 a.m. to noon at the center. Further details will be sent by text message after registration.

Ever wished Seoul's Korean-language notices were a little easier to decode? A new program at Seoul Global Center is offering foreign residents and students a chance to practice Korean using the kind of city information they actually need in daily life. The classes will use articles from "Nae Sonane Seoul," which literally means "Seoul in My Hands," the Seoul city government's official communication platform covering city policies, services, events and everyday information. Classes will be held e

North Korea and Belarus are set to sign a visa-waiver agreement, in the latest sign of rapidly expanding ties between Pyongyang and Moscow’s close ally as North Korea deepens a Russia-centered network of cooperation amid the war in Ukraine. According to Belarusian state media, Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov said the two countries were nearing an agreement allowing their citizens to travel visa-free, and that the issue was discussed during talks with North Korean Foreign Minister Cho

South Korea and Greece have launched a major exhibition tracing nearly 6,000 years of Greek civilization and its deep connection to the sea, marking the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Incheon National Maritime Museum are cohosting “The Greeks: Shaped by the Sea” in cooperation with Greece’s Ministry of Culture. The exhibition, which opened Tuesday, is being held in the Special Exhibition Hall of the Incheon Nationa

The presumed body of a missing woman was found Monday on the southern resort island of Jeju, police said, amid an intensive search for the missing person launched belatedly due to a police officer there prematurely, if not illegally, closing the case, allegedly without confirming her safety. The body was found at 10:46 a.m. in a forest located only about a kilometer away from the accommodation the 37-year-old Jang Mi-ran had stayed in before she went missing, according to the Jeju Provincial Pol

Samsung Electronics shares plunged during trading Monday as the company's plan to allocate up to 110 trillion won ($79 billion) for shareholder returns fell short of market expectations. Samsung Electronics shares were trading at 257,000 won, down 8.7 percent from the previous session, as of 2 p.m., according to the Korea Exchange. Its preferred shares fell 7.83 percent. The chipmaker's plunge sent other Samsung Group affiliates reeling. Samsung C&T fell 7.84 percent while Samsung Life Insurance

Renewed engagement between US and North Korean leaders could push Washington toward a more pragmatic approach to North Korea's nuclear arsenal, potentially exposing Seoul to a lasting nuclear threat, experts say. Kim Young-ho, a professor of security policy at Korea National Defense University, said US President Donald Trump's renewed interest in meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un should not be seen as a sudden shift. "North Korea was probably on his agenda from the beginning," professor Ki

A dozen humanoid robots line up onstage. Rose's "APT." starts playing, and they begin to dance in formation. After that, it's Saja Boys' "Soda Pop" and Yena's "Catch Catch," with the machines shifting positions and keeping pace with one another. At first, it looks awkward. Watch a little longer, though, and it becomes surprisingly compelling. This was the scene Friday at the official opening of Galaxy Robot Park, which Galaxy Corporation bills as the world's first robot-centered cultural complex

What says the Chuseok holidays quite like a family with a few days to kill and nowhere they have to be, and what suits that better than a remake of a Hollywood crowd-pleaser everyone already half-remembers liking? Nancy Meyers' 2015 workplace comedy was warm, wholesome, escapist stuff, a feel-good ode to well-meaning people doing nice things. The major draw, of course, was the pairing of Robert De Niro, as a widowed retiree who signs on to be a senior intern at a fashion startup, and Anne Hathaw

Kakao's plan to split into two listed companies, Kakao AI and Kakao X has prompted a streak of target price cuts from brokerage houses, citing concerns over a potential holding company discount and the profitability of its AI business. According to reports released by 11 securities firms on Kakao on Monday, five lowered their target prices for the company: Hana Securities, Kiwoom Securities, Samsung Securities, Meritz Securities and Daol Investment & Securities. Kiwoom Securities cut its target

A YouTuber with more than 1 million subscribers has come under fire after posting footage of a fall at a railway station that showed a social service worker trying to help him in his wheelchair, but inadvertently causing him to fall. Park Wi, a wheelchair user known for his advocacy work on disability awareness, uploaded the since-deleted video on Friday showing security footage of the incident, which occurred on Aug. 14, as he was getting off a railway platform on a temporary ramp. According to

South Korea added 292,000 wage jobs in the first quarter of 2026, driven by gains in the health and social welfare, accommodation, and food service sectors, while manufacturing and construction lost ground, official data showed Monday. The number of salaried jobs stood at 20.82 million as of February, up 292,000 from a year earlier, the Ministry of Data and Statistics said. According to the latest findings, 74 percent of the jobs were held by the same workers as a year earlier, while 15.3 percen

Ruling Democratic Party (DP) leader Kim Min-seok ordered the launch of a task force Monday aimed at achieving broader political unity and expanding cooperation with other parties. Kim made the remarks during a meeting of the party's supreme council, saying the task force, to be placed under his direct leadership, will spearhead a sweeping push to strengthen ties across political blocs. "We will build an unbreakable bridge of dialogue with the main opposition People Power Party, and a bridge of p

A man in his 30s was injured after being thrown from a “Disco Pang Pang” ride at an amusement park in Wolmido, Incheon, on Sunday, a notoriously rough ride that spins and bounces as riders cling to a railing. According to the Incheon Fire Department, the accident occurred at around 9:23 p.m. Sunday when the man was reportedly thrown from the ride by its rebound and fell to the ground. He complained of pain in his head and neck and was taken to a hospital by paramedics. He was reportedly not seri

The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States have agreed to continue "close" communication and cooperation to address North Korea's nuclear issue and promote peace on the Korean Peninsula during a call, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held phone talks on Monday (Seoul time), amid concerns that US President Donald Trump's administration could focus less on or shift away from the long-elusive goal of Pyongyang's denuc

In a Reuters photo from late July, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent can be seen holding a to-do list with just one item: purchase $5 billion-$10 billion worth of yen. As he explained soon thereafter, invoking the famous phrase that then-European Central Bank President Mario Draghi used to save the euro in 2012, the Trump administration will do “whatever it takes” to prop up the Japanese currency. Bessent’s public rationale for this surprise intervention was that the yen is undervalued, and th

A man presumed to be in his 70s was found dead in waters off Jeju City on Sunday, the Coast Guard said Monday, marking yet another case where a person reported to be missing on the island was found dead. The body was found at 3:04 p.m. by a local fisher. It was later discovered that the deceased had been reported as missing just the previous day. Four bodies of missing persons have been found on the southern island over the past three days, including a man in his 60s on Saturday, another man in

Korea University’s technology holding company plans to pay dividends for the first time after wiping out accumulated losses with gains from startup investments. The move marks a milestone in the university’s efforts to build a self-sustaining technology commercialization model. Korea University Holdings said Monday it generated 3.55 billion won ($2.6 million) in gains from selling stakes in five portfolio companies during the first half of this year, allowing it to fully offset accumulated defic

Tall trees, a long staircase and rows of tables fill the airy, three-story building, where high ceilings and broad passageways create the feel of a resort lobby. It is, however, a cafe — one of more than 10 sprawling bakery cafes situated along the Han River in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province, east of Seoul. These cafes are part of a growing phenomenon on the outskirts of the South Korean capital, where coffee shops have become destinations in their own right. Customers come not only for coffee and pas

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met his Mexican counterpart Roberto Velasco in Seoul on Monday to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation and strengthening coordination between the two middle powers. During talks at the Foreign Ministry, Cho said the relationship between South Korea and Mexico had become increasingly important amid growing uncertainty in the global economy. "With global economic uncertainty increasing in areas ranging from supply chains and energy to food and security, re

Kim Soo-hyun has made his first public appearance in 17 months after he nearly suspended activities following allegations linked to late actress Kim Sae-ron. The actor appeared on a live broadcast marking the 37th anniversary of the establishment of RCTI, a major Indonesian broadcasting station. On the program, Kim thanked the channel for inviting him and sang "Dreaming," an original soundtrack for the Korean school drama "Dream High" (2011) he starred in. "Thank you Kim Soo-hyun for coming to M

The Hanwoo Association has launched a campaign opposing the government’s push to expand beef imports through a possible Korea-Mercosur free trade agreement and the opening of the Brazilian beef market. The association’s board of directors passed a resolution last week calling for phased action against what it described as the government’s “beef market liberalization” policy, warning that increased imports from South America could threaten the survival of Korea’s domestic hanwoo industry. The gov

Busan has been selected to host the 2028 United Nations Ocean Conference, one of the world’s most important high-level gatherings on marine issues. South Korea was designated as the host country for the 2028 conference by the UN General Assembly in December 2025, and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced Monday the selection after a committee reviewing bids from Busan and Jeju chose South Korea's largest port city. The UN Ocean Conference is held every three years to promote the impleme

Seoul stocks closed sharply lower Monday as disappointment over Samsung Electronics' shareholder return plan triggered a sell-off in semiconductors. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) dipped 215.99 points, or 3.12 percent, to 6,696.96. After opening lower, the index extended losses as large-cap tech shares came under selling pressure from foreign and institutional investors. "The Kospi was weighed down by disappointment over Samsung

Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are gaining further bargaining power in the AI supply chain as rising memory costs feed into prices for Nvidia-based server systems. Bloomberg reported Saturday that server manufacturers had begun notifying major data center customers, including Microsoft, Google and Oracle, that prices for Nvidia-based AI systems would rise by more than 15 percent in many cases for shipments starting in early 2027. The increases will affect systems built on Nvidia's next-generat

South Korea's media watchdog said Monday it tracked down and banned access to 64 foreign websites that allow users to create pornographic content and deepfakes using artificial intelligence (AI). The decision was made at a communications deliberation subcommittee held on the same day, according to the Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC). Such websites were found to help users create fake sexual images and videos using photos of real people, with a significant number of the platforms

Foreign tourists are becoming an increasingly important source of growth for Korea’s convenience stores, with spending surging fastest in Seoul’s trendsetting Seongsu district. Foreign-card sales at CU stores in Seongsu jumped 115.1 percent on-year in the first half, according to data provided to The Korea Herald by BGF Retail, operator of Korea’s largest convenience store chain by outlet count. That far outpaced growth of 35.3 percent in Myeong-dong and 32.5 percent in Hongdae, Seoul’s other ma

A disability rights group in Seoul ended nearly five years of rush-hour subway protests Monday after reaching an agreement with Democratic Party of Korea members of the Seoul Metropolitan Council. At a joint news conference held at the city council at 11:30 a.m., Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination and the majority party announced the agreement, under which the party pledged to pass ordinances guaranteeing the rights of people with disabilities to mobility and employment. The group has

The Export-Import Bank of Korea will provide 300 billion won ($218 million) in financing for LS Cable & System's subsea cable plant in the United States, stepping up support for Korean companies seeking to tap growing power infrastructure demand in North America. The state-run lender said Monday it will provide facility and operating financing for the plant under construction in Chesapeake, Virginia, which is expected to become the largest subsea cable production facility in the US. Surging AI i

Seoul and Tokyo’s effort to keep historical disputes from derailing broader cooperation is facing a fresh test as Japan’s rightward political shift brings long-standing flashpoints back to the fore. An analysis released by South Korea’s Institute for National Security Strategy last week warned that growing political instability in Japan, coupled with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s conservative agenda, could weaken the momentum behind "shuttle diplomacy" and potentially spark a period o

Smart glasses were used in at least five cheating cases during South Korea's national technical qualification exams over a period of just two months, prompting the government to revise regulations to better address emerging technologies used for cheating. According to data submitted by the Human Resources Development Service of Korea to Rep. Kim So-hee of the main opposition People Power Party on Monday, five candidates were caught wearing or using smart glasses during exams in May and June. The

Hanmi Pharmaceutical said Monday it has inked an exclusive licensing agreement with Genentech for its obesity drug candidate HM17321 in a deal that could be worth up to $2.3 billion, setting new record for the firm for a licensing contract of a single drug candidate. Under the contract, Hanmi will receive an upfront payment of $190 million from Genentech, a US biotechnology subsidiary of Swiss multinational pharmaceutical giant Roche. The total value of the deal could reach as much as $2.3 billi

A 335-meter-long underground passage that remained closed beneath central Seoul for more than four decades opened Monday as a cultural venue, launching with an immersive exhibition to celebrate Big Bang’s 20th anniversary. Located 13 meters below Seoul Plaza between City Hall and Euljiro 1 (il)-ga stations, the formerly sealed-off space, now known as K-Culture Station, measures 9.5 meters wide and covers 3,261 square meters. The passage lies between Korea's first underground shopping arcade and