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Kim Jong-un's China trip reaffirms 'blood ties' as Beijing watches Moscow

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s trip to the Chinese border city of Dandong, made days before the anniversary of Chinese troops entering the 1950-53 Korean War, was aimed at reaffirming the historic blood ties between the two countries at a moment when Pyongyang’s alignment with Moscow has drawn Beijing’s attention, experts said. North's state-run Rodong Sinmun on Sunday reported Kim's visit to the Memorial Hall of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea in Dandong the previous day. The state media repeatedly emphasized Kim's paying tribute to fallen Chinese troops, remembering their shared history of fighting alongside North Korean forces and preserving ties forged in blood. Kang Dong-wan, a professor of North Korean studies at Dong-A University, said the focus on China’s role in the war was deliberate, coming after a period in which the Beijing relationship had weakened relative to Pyongyang’s deepening partnership with Moscow, including the North’s troop deployment to Russia. "Kim's decision to visit the Memorial Hall among other possible destinations appears to

3 MIN READ
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Korea's Q2 current account surplus tops Germany, Japan combined on chip boom

Korea’s current account surplus exceeded the combined total of manufacturing powerhouses Germany and Japan in the second quarter of this year for the first time since comparable data for all three countries became available in 1996, data showed Sunday. Booming semiconductor exports have pushed the trade surplus to record highs, while expanding overseas investments have boosted dividend and interest income. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects Korea's current account surplus to rank second globally behind China this year, with the largest increase among 190 countries. However, experts warned that a global slowdown in artificial intelligence (AI) investment or increased supply from rival chip exporters could threaten the gains, highlighting the need to diversify the country's industrial base. According to IMF data compiled by the Bank of Korea (BOK), Korea posted a current account surplus of $116.6 billion in the second quarter, ranking second behind China among 36 major economies for which data was available. Germany ranked third with $52.3 billion, followed by Japan with $50.6

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North Korea's evolving threat goes beyond missiles as Russia ties deepen

North Korea’s military cooperation with Russia is giving Pyongyang more than new weapons. From electronic warfare equipment to battlefield lessons learned in Ukraine, the partnership could change how North Korean forces fight, military experts say, although the extent of those gains remains difficult to verify. Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, recently warned that North Korea had received Russian-made jamming equipment and had gained experience in moving troops and supplies over long distances through its involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Speaking at a Center for Strategic and International Studies' event on Oct. 13, Brunson said the equipment marked a change in North Korea’s electronic warfare capabilities. “They didn’t have those jammers before. Those jammers were given to them by the Russians,” he said. Brunson also pointed to interference affecting movement in Korean territorial waters, saying the jamming activity had not reached its full potential. His remarks raised questions about how far Russian assistance has strengthened North Korea’s

3 MIN READ
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Major banks plan bigger cybersecurity budgets for 2027

Major Korean banks are preparing to raise their information security spending next year following a wave of suspected artificial intelligence (AI) agent-driven cyberattacks and data breaches across the financial sector, industry officials said Sunday. Some intend to commit at least 100 billion won ($75 million) each to bolstering cyber defenses. The lenders have also launched urgent inspections and taken certain services offline to address a recently disclosed security flaw in PHP, a programming language used to build applications that process requests on web servers, including user logins and online posts. Hana Bank aims to earmark more than 100 billion won for information security next year, an increase of more than 50 percent from this year. Priorities include developing AI-powered defenses against cyberattacks and hiring security specialists. NH NongHyup Bank is weighing a budget increase of around 20 percent, which would bring its spending to approximately 100 billion won. KB Kookmin Bank has already announced plans to set aside more than 100 billion won for security next year. At Wo

2 MIN READ
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Police step up crackdown on fake uniforms ahead of Halloween

Police will launch a nationwide crackdown on imitation uniforms and equipment ahead of Halloween amid concerns that such items could be used to impersonate officers or disrupt police operations. According to the National Police Agency (NPA) Sunday, the weeklong operation will run from Monday through Nov. 1, targeting the production, sale and distribution of imitation police gear in cooperation with provincial and metropolitan police agencies. Under the current law, civilians who wear or possess official or imitation police uniforms or equipment face up to six months in prison or fines of up to 3 million won ($2,260). The crackdown follows concerns raised after the deadly 2022 Itaewon crowd crush, when people costumed in police uniforms were reportedly mistaken for actual officers, causing confusion and hindering rescue operations. Similarly, Korea also restricts the unauthorized wearing of military uniforms under a separate law, which prohibits civilians from wearing official military attire or uniforms that could make them difficult to distinguish from actual service members. During the

2 MIN READ
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Netflix marks 10 years in Korea, unveiling new star-studded lineup

Netflix marked a decade of service in Korea with Netflix Janchi, a two-day fan festival held Saturday and Sunday in Seoul that brought together fans, actors, creators and executives to celebrate 10 years of Korean storytelling reaching global audiences. At the event, held at Oil Tank Culture Park in Seoul's Mapo District, key figures who led the global K-content phenomenon over the past decade through hit series such as "Squid Game" (2021), "KPop Demon Hunters" (2025) and "D.P." (2021) gathered to reflect on their journey as Netflix heralded a new leap forward for Korean original programming. During a panel looking back at iconic moments from "Squid Game" and sharing behind-the-scenes stories, lead actor Lee Jung-jae reflected on the cultural impact of the global phenomenon. "The moment that touched my heart most deeply was when fans living overseas told me, 'I am so proud to be Asian, to be Korean,'" Lee said. "It was immensely gratifying to receive emotions beyond imagination just from starring in a single series." Co-star Lee Byung-hun also recalled the massive global reaction to the

3 MIN READ
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Nearly half of new Korean AI services based on Chinese foundation models

Korea's artificial intelligence (AI) development ecosystem is increasingly relying on Chinese foundation models, with data showing that nearly half of the models newly released by local developers this year were built on them, raising concerns that the country's AI industry could become technologically subordinate to China. According to a recent report by think tank Rockbridge Network Korea, Sunday, 49.3 percent of the 1,845 models published by Korea-based accounts on Hugging Face between January and August were based on Chinese models, compared with 35.9 percent based on U.S. models and 14.9 percent on domestic models. The share of new models built on Chinese foundations has been rapidly growing in past years, surging from 1.2 percent in 2023 to 22 percent in 2025, before nearly doubling this year. Qwen was the most widely used foundation model, accounting for 46.8 percent of the total, or 864 models. Google's Gemma ranked second with 14.7 percent, followed by Meta's Llama with 13.8 percent. LG AI Research's EXAONE ranked fourth at 9.3 percent, while Kakao's Kanana accounted for 2.7 pe

3 MIN READ
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Foreign-language emergency calls more than double in Korea

As a record number of international tourists visit Korea, police are facing a growing demand for interpretation services, both for foreign-language emergency calls and at crime scenes. However, budget constraints have hindered efforts to recruit additional professional interpreters for languages other than English and Chinese, leaving officers to struggle with language barriers, particularly at crime scenes where interpreters are often difficult to secure on short notice. Foreign arrivals to Korea rose 21.5 percent year-on-year to 17.11 million in the first nine months of this year, up from 14.08 million in 2025, further increasing demand for police interpretation services. According to data submitted by the National Police Agency to Rep. Park Ju-min of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, police received 21,252 emergency calls in foreign languages last year, nearly double the 10,348 recorded in 2024. The surge has continued this year, with 21,012 foreign-language calls recorded through August, nearly equaling last year's annual total. Despite repeated requests for additional interpreter

2 MIN READ
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Korean Air breach exposes blind spot in airline cybersecurity

A recent data breach involving Korean Air and Asiana Airlines demonstrates the aviation industry’s structural vulnerability to cyberattacks targeting third-party IT providers. Carriers depend on external IT system operators to manage critical operations, as they have to share passenger booking and ticketing data with external partners for real-time global operation. Last week, Korean Air and Asiana said customer reservation information had been leaked through Amadeus IT Group, a global aviation technology provider that operates reservation and ticketing systems for airlines worldwide. The two carriers said Amadeus had notified them of the incident on Tuesday. The breach is believed to have involved unauthorized access using login credentials assigned to an account in Amadeus' system. The estimated incident window spans August 2023 to last month, although investigators have yet to establish the exact timing. Korean Air confirmed that some customers' booking reference numbers were among the exposed information, while the full scope of the leak and the number of affected customers remaine

2 MIN READ
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President Lee mulls picking justice minister nominee from 2 prosecutor-turned-lawmakers

President Lee Jae Myung is mulling over selecting a justice minister nominee from between two prosecutor-turned-lawmakers after his previous pick for the post withdrew his candidacy last month over lobbying allegations, a source at the presidential office said Sunday. Rep. Park Kyoon-taek and Rep. Yang Bu-nam of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) are the candidates that Lee is reviewing for justice minister, a source at Cheong Wa Dae told Yonhap News Agency. "After a lengthy deliberation, Lee is reviewing the choice between Park and Yang. An official nomination is expected to be made soon," the source said. In a Cabinet reshuffle in late August, Lee nominated Rep. Kim Seung-won of the DPK to lead the justice ministry. A parliamentary confirmation hearing was held last month, but Kim withdrew his candidacy amid controversy over various allegations, including lobbying for a COVID-19 treatment drug. Amid a two-month vacancy in the justice minister post, Lee is believed to be carefully reviewing the nomination while considering public sentiment. Park and Yang, both first-term lawmaker

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CJ CheilJedang steams sticky rice for global expansion

JINCHEON, North Chungcheong Province — CJ CheilJedang, which introduced the country’s first microwavable steamed rice bowls under the Hetbahn brand in 1996 and has dominated the market since, is accelerating exports to promote healthier diets for global consumers. Hetbahn now exports to 60 countries, with the United States the largest market. The rice bowls were rebranded as Bibigo and entered the country in 2017. Across the world, Hetbahn last year saw its exports out of overall sales jump to 15 percent from 8 percent in 2021, with an average annual growth of 30 percent during the period. CJ CheilJedang is positioning rice as a “better carbohydrate” compared to bread as part of its global expansion. The company cited global market research agency Mintel, which said 34.6 percent of American consumers who purchase rice see it as a “healthier option” and use it not only for Asian cuisines like fried rice or sushi but also for Western dishes like chicken, steak, burritos or rice bowls. The share of people in the country who ate rice at least once a week rose to 45 per cent las

3 MIN READ
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Granddaughter of Korean independence fighter brings Korean history to US schools

At the first Korea Book Festival in Vancouver, Canada, which runs through Oct. 31, a very meaningful book was exhibited: "Jessie’s Diary," reborn as a graphic novel. On Oct. 8, a session was held where readers read the original work and shared their impressions, receiving a great response. The graphic novel has been introduced in French, Chinese and Japanese, and preparations are underway to publish an English edition of the original work as well. "Jessie’s Diary" is a child-rearing journal kept for eight years, beginning in 1938 with the birth of the couple’s eldest daughter, Jessie, by Yang Woo-jo (1897-1964) and Choe Seon-hwa (1911-2003), a husband and wife who participated in the Korean Provisional Government. Alongside their deep love for their family, the diary chronicles the provisional government’s life in exile, the daily lives of independence activists and anecdotes about prominent figures in the independence movement, including Kim Gu and Ahn Chang-ho. It has been recognized for its historical value. The diary came to public attention in 1999 when Kim Hyun-ju, 54, the

4 MIN READ
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More than 400,000 protest across France, challenging Macron as Paris clashes erupt

PARIS — Clashes erupted in Paris as a mass march drew to a close Saturday, with more than 400,000 people rallying across France over school funding and soaring living costs in a fresh challenge to President Emmanuel Macron. Police made nearly 1,000 arrests, the government said. The Paris march began peacefully, a week after widespread rioting and looting during protests across the country. But near the demonstration's endpoint in eastern Paris, masked protesters hurled objects and fireworks at police, who answered with clouds of tear gas, deafening sound grenades and jets of water cannons. Officers with megaphones urged protesters to disperse. Some demonstrators panicked as tear-gas canisters landed in their midst, scattering with screams. Veteran protesters shouted after them: “Don’t run!” The Interior Ministry put nationwide turnout at 410,000 — fewer than the 550,000 it said protested last weekend — while the CGT union that helped organize some of Saturday's protests estimated nearly 800,000. The ministry’s estimate included 110,000 in Paris, where authorities confined

4 MIN READ
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Cattle farmers in Korea reeling from solar panel policy

At noon on Aug. 6 in a rural village in Naju, Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, a thermal imaging drone camera showed the home and Korean cattle barn of Kim Young-hee, 73, and her husband, Lim Jae-yeol, 70, glowing red like a blazing heat island. Surrounded on all sides by three solar power plants that resembled a black sea, their home was trapped in the middle, with its roof surface temperature soaring to as high as 65 degrees Celsius. The nearest solar panels extended almost to the boundary of their yard, just 3 to 5 meters from the front door. “When the sun rises in summer, both inside and outside our house become an unbearable sauna. Sweat makes it impossible to keep my eyes open, so I flee to the village community center during the day. As soon as the sun comes up, I get so dizzy and develop such severe headaches that I simply cannot endure it. This is something that kills people — a ‘torture device.’ Government officials say solar power poses no scientifically proven problems, but when I am suffering like this right in front of my kitchen window, how persuasive c

7 MIN READ
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Export push seeks to breathe new life into Korea's hollowed-out mining towns

Deep in the rugged, forested mountains of Gangwon Province, the hollowed-out shafts of abandoned anthracite mines stand as quiet monuments to Korea’s industrial birth. During their mid-20th-century heyday, these bustling towns fueled the nation’s postwar economic miracle, powering domestic hearths and heavy manufacturing alike. But as Korea’s energy needs shifted toward oil and gas in the 1980s, the region entered a long, steep decline. While a handful of major mines remained operational into the 2020s, the last state-run mine officially closed its shafts in mid-2025 — leaving behind steep valleys marked by demographic collapse and crumbling local economies. Now, trade officials and local leaders are trying a new approach to revive these quiet valleys: connecting their remaining small businesses directly to overseas markets. Rather than relying solely on local tourism or government aid, a national trade showcase last week in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, brought small-town entrepreneurs face-to-face with international buyers. At the center of the event was a targeted exhibition flo

2 MIN READ
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Incidents involving Koreans in 10 nations under travel advisory rise 50%: data

The number of accidents and incidents involving Korean nationals in 10 major countries under Seoul's travel advisory rose nearly 50 percent in 2025 from the previous year, data showed Sunday. In the 10 countries for which Seoul issued travel advisories the most over the past five years, the cases of accidents and incidents involving Korean nationals came to 4,016 in 2025, up 48.3 percent from 2024, according to the data from the foreign ministry and the National Police Agency to Rep. Kim Joon-hwan of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. The countries are Russia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cambodia, Thailand, China, El Salvador, Mexico, Lebanon, Iran and Laos. Cases of losing contact saw the sharpest rise, increasing to 617 in 2025 from the previous year's 248, the data showed. Kidnapping and confinement more than doubled to 553 last year from 246 in 2024. Cases of suspected missing jumped nearly five times to 188 in 2025. By country, accidents and incidents involving Koreans increased the most in China, with such cases rising to 1,580 from the previous year's 1,133. In Cambodia

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Editor's Pick

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

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

4 MIN READ

Life in Korea

Explore one of Seoul's trendiest spots through architect-led tour of Seongsu

Explore one of Seoul's trendiest spots through architect-led tour of Seongsu

On the paved narrow streets of Seongsu-dong, red-brick shoe factories built during Korea’s mid-century manufacturing boom now stand beside sweeping, glass-fronted flagships and repurposed industrial storehouses. Once a gritty hub for leather workers and cobblers, the neighborhood has earned a reputation as the "Brooklyn of Seoul" — a playground for architectural experimentation where old-world industrial heritage meets ultra-modern design. Now, local authorities are opening the doors to this urban metamorphosis, inviting residents to walk through the neighborhood's living architectural archive alongside professional designers. Seongdong District said it will host its 10th annual "Gagahoho" Architecture Academy from Oct. 26-31 in partnership with the Seongdong Architects Association. The weeklong initiative culminates on Oct. 31 with an architect-led walking tour through Seongsu-dong’s most famous structures, offering 20 local residents an insider’s look at the precinct's spatial evolution. Led by four professional architects, the tour will set off from the local Footwear Theme Pa

2 MIN READ

Lifestyle

Pharmacies emerge as new K-beauty stops for foreign tourists

In Seoul's bustling Namdaemun Market, a group of American tourists stepped out of a pharmacy and opened their shopping bags to show their haul: a box of Bacchus energy drinks and three packages of polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) skin care products. Inside, other foreign shoppers queued at the counters with acne treatments, scar gels and cosmetics in hand. Pharmacists in white coats scanned their purchases at the registers. Scenes like this are becoming increasingly common as Korean pharmacies emerge as a new stop on the K-beauty tourism route. Foreign visitors are seeking both over-the-counter (OTC) dermatological drugs available only at pharmacies and pharmacy-sold cosmetics promoted through social media. “Foreign tourists now account for 40 to 50 percent of our sales,” Park Jun-sun, who runs one of the pharmacies in Namdaemun Market, told The Korea Times. “There weren’t that many when I opened two years ago, but the number suddenly started rising about a year ago.” Even at larger pharmacies that cater mainly to Korean customers, foreign shoppers have become more visible. Staff

3 MIN READ
Pharmacies emerge as new K-beauty stops for foreign tourists

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

Korea's iconic trio still reigns: Kim Tae-hee, Song Hye-kyo and Jun Ji-hyun

Kim Tae-hee, Song Hye-kyo and Jun Ji-hyun — the three stars collectively nicknamed "Tae-Hye-Ji" in Korea — are back in the spotlight after making headlines within days of one another, showing why the trio remain among the country's most enduring celebrity icons. The nickname combines one syllable from each actress's name and has long been used in Korea to refer to the three leading actresses, who became defining beauty and entertainment icons of their generation. Kim was the first to step out, attending the 90th anniversary event of a high jewelry brand at Seoul Auction's Gangnam Center in Sinsa-dong, Seoul, on Thursday. She appeared in an ivory strapless gown that exposed her shoulders, pairing a fitted bodice with a voluminous floor-length skirt for an elegant look. Her hair was swept neatly away from her face, drawing further attention to her features. Jun offered a strikingly different look the following day. The actress attended an event celebrating the opening of an athleisure brand's pop-up store at Y173 in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, on Friday. Dressed in a navy crop top, short jacket

2 MIN READ
Korea's iconic trio still reigns: Kim Tae-hee, Song Hye-kyo and Jun Ji-hyun

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Opinion

Top 10 Stories

  1. Cattle farmers in Korea reeling from solar panel policy

  2. NK leader vows to advance ties with China during surprise Dandong visit

  3. Granddaughter of Korean independence fighter brings Korean history to US schools

  4. N. Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits China to inaugurate a new cross-border bridge

  5. Volunteers earn hours for future care as Seoul district pioneers exchange model

  6. CJ CheilJedang steams sticky rice for global expansion

  7. More than 400,000 protest across France, challenging Macron as Paris clashes erupt

  8. Macron sees France's future

  9. President Lee mulls picking justice minister nominee from 2 prosecutor-turned-lawmakers

  10. Yemen trapped in missile crossfire

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