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COVER STORY Kids on stage: How young is too young to debut in K-pop?

A2O LITE, a K-pop act that debuted last week, gained attention not only because its debut single "Neon" topped Melon's Top 100 chart about 29 hours after its release, but also due to the fact that three of the nine members — Ayune, Oa and Aijing — are 13 years old. The group, launched by former SM Entertainment chief producer Lee Soo-man through A2O Entertainment, held its debut showcase on Oct. 12 and released its first single the following day. All nine members are minors. The lineup, which notably consisted of members born in 2013, has revived a question K-pop has long left unresolved — whether Korea's protections for child performers, built largely around weekly hour caps and contract clauses, are adequate for children who reach the stage before finishing middle school. Early debuts are nothing new, least of all for Lee. Solo singer BoA debuted under him at the age of 13 in 2000, while SHINee's Taemin and f(x)'s Krystal were 14 when they debuted in 2008 and 2009, respectively. NCT DREAM debuted in 2016 with its youngest members at 14. Culture critic Jung Duk-hyun said Lee's app

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PHP security flaws alert Korean government, firms

The Korean government has issued a nationwide security alert to businesses and website operators over critical vulnerabilities in PHP, a programming language widely used to build websites, as the flaws spark widespread alarm across the globe amid concerns that they could rank among the most severe software vulnerabilities in history. Experts warned that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and individual business owners operating websites without dedicated cybersecurity personnel could be particularly vulnerable. They strongly recommended prompt security updates, noting that a vulnerability in one company's website could also affect other businesses whose websites are hosted on the same server. In a statement released Thursday, the Ministry of Science and ICT urged domestic companies and institutions operating PHP-based websites to immediately apply security updates. “The latest PHP vulnerabilities could affect a vast number of websites in Korea,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon said. “An extremely urgent response is required as exploit co

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Coupang, affiliates found to have committed 205 workplace safety violations

The government said Thursday it will take criminal enforcement action over safety violations at Coupang and its affiliates, after inspections uncovered suspected cover-ups of workplace accidents and inadequate safeguards at logistics facilities. The Ministry of Employment and Labor found 205 violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act across 105 logistics centers and delivery camps. It said 61 violations would be subject to criminal enforcement action, while the remaining 144 would draw administrative fines totaling about 1.96 billion won ($1.48 million). Separate labor inspections also found that Coupang had failed to include key provisions of its performance improvement program (PIP) in its employment rules, in violation of the Labor Standards Act. The ministry said it will issue a corrective order and impose a fine. “Covering up workplace accidents or failing to report them not only prevents workers from receiving proper treatment and compensation, but also hinders efforts to determine their causes and identify and address hazards, making further accidents more likely,”

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Regulators weigh antitrust safeguards as Naver-Dunamu deal stalls

Financial authorities said Thursday that they are considering safeguards to address concerns over potential market dominance arising from the merger of Naver Financial and Dunamu. "The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) is currently conducting a thorough review of whether the proposed merger between Naver and Dunamu would restrict competition," the Financial Services Commission said in a written response to Rep. Lee Kang-ill of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. "Similarly, under the proposed Digital Asset Basic Act, we are considering safeguards to ensure that cryptocurrency exchanges, which serve as critical market infrastructure, maintain their public interest role and neutrality without being subject to undue influence from any particular company or shareholder," it added. Last November, Naver Financial announced plans to make Dunamu a wholly owned subsidiary through a comprehensive share swap. With the deal, Naver Financial aims to tap into new growth opportunities in digital assets. Dunamu would gain foundation to expand beyond its existing cryptocurrency exchange and integrate with Na

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S. Korea to send letter to UNSC urging N. Korea to apologize for DMZ mine blast

South Korea plans to send a letter to the president of the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) calling on North Korea to apologize for last month's land mine blast in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and take responsibility for its violation of the Armistice Agreement, the foreign ministry said Thursday. On Sept. 21, land mine blasts injured three South Korean soldiers, two of them seriously. A joint investigation by the South Korean military and the U.N. Command concluded that the explosions were caused by North Korean land mines planted south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in violation of the armistice agreement that halted the 1950-53 Korean War. The letter will explain that the blast was caused by land mines planted by North Korean troops, demand an apology and responsible action from Pyongyang, and call for dialogue to prevent further escalation and restore trust, ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon said during a regular press briefing. The letter, to be sent under the name of South Korea's ambassador to the United Nations, is expected to be dispatched Thursday (U.S. time), he added.

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US troops in S. Korea must be ready for missions beyond peninsula, commander says

The commander of the U.S. Eighth Army in South Korea said his troops must be ready for deployment outside the Korean peninsula if ordered, arguing that it would be "irresponsible" to focus "myopically" on threats there. Lt. Gen. Joe Hilbert said that while his command's focus was on fulfilling U.S. commitments under its mutual defense treaty with Seoul, the Eighth Army's location did not limit the missions it could undertake. It would be "irresponsible to focus myopically" on threats on the Korean peninsula alone, he told the South China Morning Post by email, or to "suggest that we cannot do other things simply because we are in Korea." Describing the Eighth Army as part of a "global force" that trains for "readiness so that we can deploy where needed by our national command authority," Hilbert cited the Eighth Army's participation in multinational exercises across the Asia-Pacific as an example of its activities beyond the peninsula. "We view readiness as largely threat-agnostic. If we have a trained, ready force capable of executing the Army's assigned missions, we can apply that forc

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BOK keeps rate steady at 3%, but further hikes remain on table

The Bank of Korea (BOK) held its benchmark interest rate steady at 3 percent on Thursday, describing the decision as the “payoff” from preemptive rate hikes in July and August that gave policymakers greater room to maneuver based on domestic economic conditions, rather than react to market pressures. The central bank stressed, however, that it is maintaining a hawkish stance as both economic growth and inflationary pressures strengthened further from August levels. The timing and pace of any further rate hikes would depend on incoming data, including third-quarter gross domestic product and October consumer price figures. “In August, I said we were using a hoe to tackle a problem while it was still small, before it escalated into one that would require a shovel. The October rate freeze can be seen as the fruits of that ‘hoe work,’” BOK Gov. Shin Hyun-song said during a press conference following the Monetary Policy Board meeting. “By raising rates preemptively in July and August, we secured greater room to maneuver that allowed us to set monetary policy in line with domest

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Yonsei University portal hack leaks data of 10,000 students, graduates

Personal information belonging to about 10,000 Yonsei University students and graduates has been leaked in a hacking of the university's portal service, the university said Thursday. Yonsei University's information and communications office said it has confirmed unauthorized access to the portal by an external party, resulting in the exposure of personal information of some members of the university community. It apologized for the concern and inconvenience caused by the breach. The exposed data includes student ID numbers, mobile phone numbers and email addresses of current students and graduates, as well as certain system management information, the university said. However, sensitive personal information, such as resident registration numbers, was not compromised, it said. After discovering the hack, the university took steps to block the point of intrusion and requested a police investigation. The university said details of the breach, including the specific types of personal information exposed for each affected individual, will be available on its website from 1 p.m. Thursday.

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Netflix turns everyday Korea into tourist attraction

On Tuesday, Zineb Baaout, a Moroccan-born travel content creator based in the U.S., posted an Instagram Reel showing her trip to Ttukseom Hangang Park in Seoul, where she enjoyed a bowl of instant noodles. She wrote to her followers: “600 K-dramas later, I finally got to see the hype around eating Ramyeon and watching the sunset at the Han River in person.” What used to be a humble late-night ritual for locals has now become a bucket-list experience for visitors. Driven by global Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming platforms, most notably Netflix, tourists are flocking to Korea in growing numbers and shifting away from traditional landmark-hopping to immerse themselves in the everyday lifestyles, convenience store eats and neighborhood haunts featured in Korean dramas. Korean dramas and idol groups such as BTS and BLACKPINK had already fueled global interest in Korean culture and tourism before Netflix entered the Korean market a decade ago. Yet the volume of tourists and the diversity of travel content inspired by Korean popular culture have grown exponentially with the rise of the strea

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Nvidia broadens ties with Korean component makers

Nvidia is expanding partnerships with domestic component makers LG Innotek and Samsung Electro-Mechanics, strengthening its supply chain for physical artificial intelligence (AI) applications and next-generation AI infrastructure. LG Innotek unveiled a lineup of sensing solutions incorporating Nvidia's latest Holoscan Sensor Bridge (HSB) technology at the U.S. chipmaker's annual GPU Technology Conference (GTC) in Berlin on Tuesday (local time). The solutions include 3-megapixel camera modules and a multimodal vision system that combines multiple cameras and sensors, targeting applications in physical AI and robotics. Nvidia's HSB technology allows sensor data to be sent directly to AI computers, bypassing the central processing unit and potentially speeding up how robots and autonomous vehicles process information and make decisions. The partnership reflects growing demand for advanced sensing technologies as AI expands beyond software and data centers into physical environments, where machines must perceive and respond to their surroundings in real time. LG Innotek said it plans to expan

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Busan shark returns to canal after brief exit

BUSAN — Bukang-i the shark, which was guided out of a canal in South Korea's southeastern city of Busan after more than a month there, has returned to the waterway. The shark was seen swimming Thursday morning in a narrow space between a flat floating platform installed near the canal's exit to prevent it from coming back and a net set up as a second backstop, a day after it was successfully guided out of the canal. Observers say the fish could have swum its way into the canal under the floating platform, known as a pontoon. The shark -- named Bukang-i after Bukhang, Korean for North Port -- was first spotted in the canal Sept. 18. Since then, the canal park, located about 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, has turned into a major attraction, drawing over 1.6 million visitors as of Sunday. After two previous attempts to guide the fish to the open sea failed, officials had waited for it to exit the canal on its own. But after it didn't, the officials made a third attempt over concern it could die if water temperatures fell further. On Wednesday, a joint team involving municipal and Coast

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Korea's int'l student boom puts universities to new test

SINGAPORE, LONDON, SEOUL — Korea reached its goal of attracting 300,000 international students ahead of schedule. Now comes the harder part. As the government shifts its focus from quantity to quality, universities face a tougher test of whether they can turn rising enrollment into quality education, meaningful career opportunities and long-term talent retention. Under its Study Korea 300K initiative launched in 2023, the government set a target of attracting 300,000 international students by 2027. It reached that milestone early, with enrollment climbing to 307,464 this year, according to the Ministry of Education. Yet the gap between recruitment and retention remains wide, raising questions about whether universities are equipped to deliver on the government's new priorities. Despite a surge in international enrollment, Korea continues to struggle to retain foreign graduates. Of the 36,271 international students who graduated from Korean universities between August 2023 and February 2024, 42.9 percent left Korea, while fewer than 5,000 secured employment in the country. The problem is

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Lee Soo-man's boy band A2O SOUL to release debut album Nov. 9

A2O SOUL, the 15-member boy group launched by K-pop mogul Lee Soo-man, will release its debut album "SUPERSTAR" on Nov. 9, less than a month after unveiling a prerelease single of the same name at its global debut showcase. The new album will be available at 6 p.m. on music platforms in Korea and abroad, according to the group's agency A2O Entertainment, Thursday. The five-track EP is led by "SUPERSTAR," which also serves as the prerelease single, and a second lead track, "Dancing in the Dark." The agency describes all five songs as "new synthwave," a genre label the group coined to define its musical identity. Lee, the founder of SM Entertainment, set the album's musical direction and personally picked songwriters he had never worked with before, the agency said. "SUPERSTAR," released Oct. 13, was co-written by longtime SM producer Yoo Young-jin, along with HAAN, who worked on The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber's hit "Stay," and GENT!, whose credits include songs for Drake and Doja Cat. The single climbed to No. 18 on YouTube's trending music chart and made a strong showing on China's QQ Mu

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Seoul claims top spot in global AI adoption, 3rd overall in 2026 AI Cities Index

Seoul has secured third place overall — and claimed the top spot worldwide in artificial intelligence (AI) adoption and implementation — in the newly released 2026 AI Cities Index compiled by Britain’s The Observer, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday. The benchmark evaluation, built on Tortoise Media’s established Global AI Index, assessed 57 major metropolitan centers across 36 countries using 50 indicators split into three core pillars: investment, innovation and implementation. San Francisco and New York claimed the top two global spots, while Seoul finished third, outranking major international hubs including Beijing, Paris and London, which filled out the fourth through sixth positions. The Observer, founded in 1791 as the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper, introduced city-level rankings for the first time this year, capturing a fundamental shift as AI power increasingly concentrates in urban centers. Seoul’s standout performance came in the implementation category, where it ranked first globally ahead of Tokyo (third) and Singapore (fifth). This metric measu

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Court rules against Lone Star in $125.9 mil. tax case

An appeals court on Thursday ruled against U.S. private equity firm Lone Star Funds in its suit against the Korean and Seoul city governments to return a combined 168.2 billion won ($125.9 million) in taxes. The Seoul High Court handed down the ruling against Lone Star after the Supreme Court returned the case to the appeals court for review in April last year. The Texas-based firm had earlier filed the suit against the state and the municipality, seeking the return of withheld taxes in connection with profits from its investments in Korea. Lone Star and affiliate firms purchased large shares of Korea Exchange Bank, Kukdong Engineering Construction and Starlease between 2002 and 2005, and made huge profits by selling some of the shares in 2007. They paid smaller taxes than local companies would have, citing the tax treaty that Korea has with Belgium where the company that made the investment was based. The National Tax Service (NTS) levied additional corporate taxes against Lone Star and its entities, offsetting them with withheld taxes. Lone Star then filed a suit seeking cancellation of

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Samsung chairman visits UAE, encourages employees

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong visited the Al Dhafra gas-fired power plant construction site in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on Wednesday (local time) to inspect construction progress and encourage employees working in the Middle East. Lee toured key facilities, checking construction schedules and safety measures, before meeting with executives from Samsung C&T and Samsung E&A to discuss regional market trends, growth strategies and new business opportunities. The Al Dhafra power plant is being built by Samsung C&T in a consortium with local construction firm Trojan General Contracting. It is designed to meet rising electricity demand amid the UAE's industrial growth and is expected to support energy-intensive industries, including artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. Samsung C&T previously demonstrated its construction capabilities through the Barakah nuclear power plant project in the UAE, while Samsung E&A uses the country as a key hub for its Middle East and Africa operations, undertaking projects in refining, gas and petrochemicals. Korea and the UAE m

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Foreign visitors to Korea top 17.1 mil. through September, nearing 2025 full-year level

Korea welcomed 17.11 million foreign visitors in the first nine months of this year, marking a 21.5 percent increase from the same period in 2025 and puts the country on track to pass last year's full-year total by October, the government said Thursday. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, 2.06 million foreign tourists arrived in September alone, up 21.1 percent from a year earlier, keeping monthly arrivals above the 2 million mark. The January-September total compares with 14.08 million a year earlier and 18.94 million for all of 2025. China remained the largest source market with 5.47 million visitors, up 29.2 percent. Japan followed with 3.12 million, up 16.9 percent, while visitors from Taiwan were recorded at 1.86 million, up 32.4 percent. Arrivals from the Americas rose 12 percent to 1.62 million and those from Europe climbed 20 percent to 1.19 million. Spending grew even faster. Foreigners’ card spending in tourism-related sectors, including online purchases, reached 15.94 trillion won ($12 billion) through September. That was up 47.7 percent from 10.79 tril

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Lotte World ramps up safety prep with hands-on fire, CPR drills

Lotte World employees put their emergency response skills to the test Wednesday, competing in rapid firefighting and CPR challenges designed to sharpen their readiness when lives are at stake. The amusement park operator held its 2026 Fire Safety Competition in partnership with the Songpa Fire Station. The annual exercise comes as theme parks and high-density public venues face growing scrutiny over crowds and facility safety, prompting major operators to move beyond routine compliance and build real-time tactical readiness among frontline staff. The competition centered on two core scenarios: rapid initial suppression using indoor hydrants and emergency first aid. In the firefighting challenge, employees simulated an active blaze by quickly connecting hydrant systems, deploying hoses and executing the critical steps needed to contain flames before first responders arrive. The medical segment tested teams on sudden cardiac arrest scenarios. Participants were evaluated on their precision and speed while performing CPR on training mannequins and deploying automated external defibrillators

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Merck opens new semiconductor materials facility in Korea

Merck opened a new production facility for key materials used in semiconductor deposition in Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province, Thursday, underscoring its commitment to expanding its presence in Korea's chip industry and strengthening a local-for-local supply chain. According to the company, the new facility produces molybdenum precursor solutions used in semiconductor manufacturing. New Merck Electronics CEO Benjamin Hein, Head of Thin Films Business Bing Han and other company executives attended the opening ceremony, while North Chungcheong Province Gov. Shin Yong-han delivered a congratulatory video message. This marks Hein's first visit to Korea since his appointment as Merck's Electronics CEO in May. During a press conference a day before the opening ceremony, Hein said customers increasingly want integrated solutions backed by local support, requiring closer cooperation between Merck's materials business and its delivery systems and services business. "What customers expect is that you provide an integrated solution. They don't just want to buy the precursor. They don't just wa

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Male ballet leads steal spotlight in new director's 1st 'Giselle' production

A single leading-role performance can rekindle the fading embers of one dancer’s dream and give another the confidence to discover his potential. The Korea National Ballet’s first regular production of "Giselle" since Kim Joo-won took over as artistic director, staged from Oct. 13-18, drew praise for casting a host of new faces in leading roles. Among them, corps de ballet members Na Dae-han, 34, and Kim Yoon, 19, stood out for their distinct interpretations of Albrecht, Giselle’s love interest. Their performances impressed audiences so much that some viewers said they had attended multiple performances to appreciate each male dancer’s individual style. The two dancers met on Tuesday at the rehearsal building for the National Arts Companies at the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho District, southern Seoul, after completing their first full-length ballet performances in leading roles. Na, who stands 182 centimeters tall, and Kim, at 190 centimeters, are striking figures even before they begin to dance. “My recent health checkup put my height at 191.1 centimeters,” Kim said with a

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Editor's Pick

[COVER STORY] French residents of Korea blame unresponsive gov't for unrest

COVER STORY French residents of Korea blame unresponsive gov't for unrest

The public anger in France spilling over into unrest has been brewing for a long time, with little response from the government over calls for reforms for better education and living conditions, French nationals living in Korea say. They generally agree that the French government's long-standing neglect and inaction have fueled mounting public anger, saying people's concerns have long gone unheard. "Government hasn’t listened enough to people’s concerns about the climate, the economy and now education. When people repeatedly feel unheard, frustration builds up," Hugo Adam, a graduate student at Seoul National University, told The Korea Times. A French filmmaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, agreed that the French government has failed to "listen to its people," despite the many protests that have taken place over the years. He said his family and friends back home are participating in the protests. The protests began in mid-September by students calling for a better education environment, including more teachers and improved school facilities. Illustrator Zoe Constans said it

3 MIN READ

Life in Korea

Seoul Architecture Festival draws 40,000 visitors in extended monthlong run

Seoul Architecture Festival draws 40,000 visitors in extended monthlong run

The 18th Seoul Architecture Festival drew about 40,000 citizens and architects during its run, which was extended to about a month this year, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday. The festival was held from Sept. 15 to Oct. 11 at the Seoul Hall of Urbanism & Architecture in central Seoul under the theme “Assembling Seoul: Discovering Seoul.” Last year’s two-week edition drew 19,505 visitors. Its centerpiece exhibition, created in collaboration with a photographer, placed photos of Seoul’s urban architecture throughout a maze-like space so that visitors could look at familiar city scenes in a new way. The festival’s director built the exhibition spaces from recycled wooden pallets to keep down costs and environmental impact. An exhibition of the 10 winners of the 44th Seoul Architecture Awards, the city’s annual prize for buildings, was led by the grand prize winner, the Seo-Seoul Museum of Art, designed by THE_SYSTEM LAB. A special exhibition featured last year’s grand prize winner, “Core Dismantling System” by FHHH Friends. The festival also highlighted you

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Lifestyle

Rarely opened gate links 2 Seoul palaces for exclusive night tours

Visitors will be able to walk between Changdeok Palace and Changgyeong Palace in central Seoul at night next month through a gate that is normally closed to the public, as part of a ticketed night tour, the Korea Heritage Service said Wednesday. The tour, called “Donggwol Dongnak,” runs from Nov. 10-15. It is organized by the agency’s Royal Palaces and Tombs Center and the Korea Heritage Agency. The two palaces were together known as Donggwol, or the “Eastern Palaces,” during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) because they stood east of Gyeongbok Palace, the main royal palace. The 110-minute program combines a guided tour of both palaces with free time to explore their rear gardens. Guides playing court painters from Dohwaseo, the Joseon-era royal bureau of painting, will lead participants through major halls of Changgyeong Palace and the rear garden of Changdeok Palace. Short plays about historical figures linked to each site will be staged at four stops along the route. During the free-viewing time, participants can pass through Yeongchunmun, a gate between the palaces’ rear g

2 MIN READ
Rarely opened gate links 2 Seoul palaces for exclusive night tours

K-Culture

IVE turns Seoul's futuristic DDP into K-pop comeback stage

Seoul is transforming one of its most iconic architectural landmarks into a high-octane venue for K-pop, partnering with girl group IVE to launch its latest comeback campaign at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in an effort to turn global fandom into tourism revenues and longer hotel stays. The Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Design Foundation are supporting the campaign, titled “DIVE IN TO LIGHT,” which began Monday at DDP and runs through Nov. 30. The building’s exterior displays special videos featuring IVE, with a more elaborate presentation planned to coincide with the release of the group’s new album on Monday, when synchronized laser effects and lighting will accompany its new music. A promotional booth is operating at DDP from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. through Nov. 1, featuring album-themed photo zones and displays of hero masks worn by IVE members. Visitors who post photos of the installations and DDP’s outdoor media displays on social media can receive commemorative postcards created through the collaboration, while Honey Presso, a cafe inside DDP Market, is offering

2 MIN READ
IVE turns Seoul's futuristic DDP into K-pop comeback stage

Celebrities

TWICE's Jihyo leaves JYP after 21 years to launch own agency

Jihyo, a member of K-pop girl group TWICE, said Wednesday she has left JYP Entertainment to establish her own agency. In a handwritten letter posted on social media, Jihyo said she had ended her contract with JYP, where she had been for 21 years since childhood. "I have established Emithaus," she wrote. "Through this new home, I hope to freely explore even the possibilities within myself that I have yet to discover." The 29-year-old singer added, "I will approach every future choice and activity with greater care and a stronger sense of responsibility, as I step out of a familiar environment and continue my work in a new way." Jihyo plans to pursue her solo music career under the new agency while continuing activities with TWICE. JYP Entertainment, one of Korea's major K-pop agencies, had managed Jihyo since she joined the company as a trainee before TWICE's 2015 debut.

1 MIN READ
TWICE's Jihyo leaves JYP after 21 years to launch own agency

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Opinion

Top 10 Stories

  1. Korea's int'l student boom puts universities to new test

  2. Publishers seek safeguards over suspected AI book-buying spree

  3. N. Korea to resume propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts toward S. Korea: Kim Yo-jong

  4. US troops in S. Korea must be ready for missions beyond peninsula, commander says

  5. Brunson refuses to back down on his position on OPCON transfer

  6. Cold wave advisory set to take effect Thursday night as temperatures drop 10 degrees

  7. Netflix turns everyday Korea into tourist attraction

  8. NK leader's sister warns of border countermeasures, loudspeakers to be ready within days

  9. Gangnam arson attack renews alarm over elderly men with grudges

  10. COVER STORY French residents of Korea blame unresponsive gov't for unrest

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