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Seoul expects substantive progress on OPCON transfer at early 2027 defense talks with US

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said Friday that Seoul expects to make progress on the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) at defense talks with Washington early next year. Speaking at a press briefing at Cheong Wa Dae, Wi said the two countries plan to hold another defense ministers’ meeting in Washington in December, followed by the annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) in early 2027. “We expect to make substantive progress on the OPCON transfer,” Wi said. He said U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to the transfer during Wednesday’s meeting with Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul in Cebu, Philippines. A senior presidential official said Washington was not opposed to the transfer itself, although the allies still needed to meet the agreed conditions. Wi also said the allies completed an assessment for full operational capability (FOC) verification during this year’s Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, as part of the conditions-based transfer process. The SCM, traditionally held in the fall, had been expected to take place late

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Check-in system malfunction at Incheon airport causes major delays

A check-in system malfunction occurred at Incheon International Airport on Friday, causing major delays in passenger processing, the airport operator said. The malfunction began at 4:30 a.m. in an airline network connecting ticketing systems at the country's main gateway, leading to intermittent connectivity issues at eight airlines at Terminal 1 and five airlines at Terminal 2, according to Incheon International Airport Corp. By afternoon, ticketing was effectively halted at three airlines — China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and Air China. Long lines of passengers formed at check-in counters, with some protesting that their airlines were not informing them of expected recovery times despite their approaching departures. The airport operator said the disruption appeared to have been caused by a glitch in the global network of American aviation service provider ARINC and that it was looking for solutions.

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Tributes pour in for iconic actor Choi Bool-am, gov't bestows highest cultural merit award

Tributes are pouring in for veteran actor Choi Bool-am, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 87, with President Lee Jae Myung and figures within the industry honoring him as "a warm-hearted father figure" who defined Korean television for nearly seven decades. On Friday, he was posthumously awarded the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, the highest class of cultural honors from the Korean government, recognizing his pivotal contributions to the country's performing arts and public welfare. "We deeply mourn the passing of Choi Bool-am, who stood by the public for generations as the father figure of our time," President Lee wrote on his social media. "Whether playing a justice-seeking detective or a warm father, his image will remain in the hearts of the nation for a long time," Lee added, recalling Choi’s philosophy that "to become a good actor, one must first become a good human being." Choi, whose real name was Choi Young-han, died at around 10:30 p.m., Thursday at a hospital in Gangseo District, Seoul, after his health recently deteriorated. His memorial altar was set up at Asan M

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Defense minister says Hegseth dismissed talk of alliance strains as 'fake news'

Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said Friday that U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had dismissed recent speculation about strains in the Korea-U.S. alliance as “fake news” during their meeting earlier this week. Kang made the remarks to reporters as he arrived at the defense ministry in Seoul after attending the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in the Philippines. Asked whether the two sides had any disagreements, Kang said there were none. “Secretary Hegseth dismissed all the talk going around as ‘fake news,’” Kang said. “And I agree with him.” “I don’t believe such talk can shake the strength of the Korea-U.S. alliance, nor should it,” he added. Kang and Hegseth held their first face-to-face meeting Wednesday in Cebu, Philippines, on the sidelines of ADMM-Plus. The meeting lasted about 40 minutes, longer than the 15 minutes initially scheduled. Their talks came amid concerns about the state of the alliance, including the postponement of the annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), differences over the timeline for transferring wartime operatio

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Weekender

Beyond Korea: Foreign entrepreneurs turn Korean culture into business opportunities

The global popularity of Korean culture continues to grow, with K-pop, dramas, food and beauty products reaching audiences around the world. For some foreign nationals, that appeal goes beyond consumption. An increasing number of foreign entrepreneurs are turning their interest in Korean culture into business opportunities, finding new ways to bring the country's cultural assets to global markets. Yet starting a business in a foreign country comes with challenges, from unfamiliar administrative systems to differences in business culture. The Korea Times spoke with foreign entrepreneurs behind two businesses seeking to bring Korean culture to global markets, exploring the opportunities and challenges they have encountered along the way. Bringing K-dramas to European audiences French nationals Christophe Diez and Jeanne Dubresson are working to connect Korean content producers with overseas viewers through the streaming app Kyool. Diez's interest in Korea began in 2015, when he came across a Korean romantic comedy series while developing new stories. The project led him to explore Korean cul

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Police to deploy 7,800 personnel nationwide for crowd safety during Halloween

Police will deploy around 7,800 personnel across the nation to manage crowds celebrating Halloween over the weekend, officials said Friday, as the country prepares for its fourth Halloween since the deadly 2022 Itaewon crowd crush. The National Police Agency (NPA) said it will operate a special safety management period from Friday to Sunday. During the period, riot police, regional patrol teams and detectives will be dispatched mainly to 28 key areas, including 14 locations in Seoul. The government is seeking to prevent any recurrence of the Oct. 29, 2022, tragedy in Itaewon, a popular nightlife district in Seoul, where 159 people died in a surge through a narrow alleyway. Police will split pedestrian traffic in narrow bottleneck areas and guide crowds to walk in a single direction, officials said. If crowd density rises dangerously, police will restrict incoming traffic from the perimeter to secure open space for people to disperse. Police said they will share real-time data with relevant agencies and dispatch officers immediately to scenes in case of crowd-related reports. Officers will

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KOSPI falls 3.48% as US tech earnings fuel AI investment concerns

KOSPI fell more than 3 percent Friday as losses in U.S. technology stocks and concerns over returns on artificial intelligence (AI) investments triggered selling in heavyweight chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. The benchmark index ended at 5,730.74, down 206.92 points, or 3.48 percent. It opened 2.99 percent lower at 5,760.35 and extended its losses during the session. The sharp sell-off in KOSPI 200 futures triggered a sell-side sidecar at around 10:05 a.m., temporarily halting program sell orders. It was the first such activation in 11 trading sessions, following KOSPI’s 7.57 percent plunge on Oct. 15. Samsung Electronics lost 3.02 percent, while SK hynix dropped 7.08 percent. The declines followed earnings releases from U.S. technology giants that raised fresh doubts about the returns on their massive AI investments. Google parent Alphabet reported weaker-than-expected results and a wider free cash flow deficit. Amazon’s earnings and guidance also fell short of forecasts, drawing attention to the costs of expanding AI infrastructure. Wall Street’s three major indexes cl

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LIG D&A faces growing hurdles in global arms export amid bribery scandal

LIG Defense & Aerospace's (LIG D&A) overseas expansion plans could be in jeopardy, as an ongoing bribery scandal threatens to disrupt its defense development and production pipeline through a potential two-year government bidding ban. The Seoul Administrative Court will hold a hearing on Thursday to review the company's request to suspend the enforcement of a two-year restriction imposed by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). Last week, the defense authority imposed the penalty on allegations that the firm’s executives offered bribes worth hundreds of millions of won to a DAPA employee during the bidding process for a weapons development project. LIG D&A denied the allegations and has taken legal steps for a temporary suspension of the penalty, which was originally scheduled to take effect on Thursday. The suspension will remain in place until Nov. 20. The potential disruption carries significant implications for the company's business structure. Its government and public institution clients accounted for 64.5 percent, or 2.78 trillion won ($2.07 billion), of LIG D&A

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Goldman Sachs eyes Tmap Mobility acquisition by year-end

Goldman Sachs is seeking to acquire a controlling stake in Tmap Mobility, operator of Korea’s leading navigation app, from SK Square by the end of this year, seeing an investment opportunity in its lower valuation and vast trove of mobility data as autonomous driving advances, industry sources said Friday. For SK Square, SK Group’s investment arm and the largest shareholder of SK hynix, the sale is part of a broader strategy to focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors. The global investment bank is looking to invest between 600 billion won ($450 million) and 800 billion won to secure a 60 to 70 percent stake in Tmap Mobility. It is in talks to buy shares from SK Square, the largest shareholder with a 63.23 percent stake, as well as other financial investors, including Affirma Capital and EastBridge Partners, which each hold 9.83 percent, and KB Kookmin Bank, which owns 6.39 percent. Tmap Mobility traces its roots to a navigation service launched by SK Telecom in 2002. The telecom operator spun off its mobility business into a separate company in December 2020, and Tm

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Kia's Q3 profit jumps 24.3% on hybrid, SUV sales growth

Kia has achieved solid earnings growth in the third quarter, supported by rising sales of hybrids, electric vehicles (EVs) and popular SUV models across major markets, the carmaker said Friday in a regulatory filing. The carmaker said its operating profit between July and September jumped 24.3 percent to 1.82 trillion won ($1.36 billion). Sales also increased 10.2 percent to 31.6 percent during the same period. The automaker's earnings growth was driven by its diversified electrification strategy, as it helped sustain growth despite weakening global auto demand, Kia said. Global vehicle sales rose 7.9 percent to 847,355 vehicles in the third quarter on balanced sales growth of its hybrids, EVs and SUV models. Kia's SUV lineup, including the Sportage, Carnival and newly introduced Telluride Hybrid, helped drive sales in the United States, where retail sales rose 7.8 percent to approximately 234,000 units. The automaker's U.S. market share reached a quarterly record of 5.8 percent. Hybrid sales in the U.S. surged 118 percent to 69,000 vehicles, significantly outpacing the market's 27 percen

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Binance freezes assets after $6.3 bil. heist, crypto industry's biggest

SINGAPORE/HONG KONG — Hackers stole $6.3 billion from Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, in what analysts say is the biggest crypto hack ever, an attack that could prompt investors to rethink the risks of owning digital assets. The hackers behind the raid were from North Korea, according to U.S. blockchain analysis firms TRM Labs and Chainalysis. The attackers targeted Binance wallets on 10 blockchains and shifted most of the funds in about 20 minutes, TRM Labs said in a statement. Binance said it worked with partners to freeze the affected assets with about $3 billion located so far. It did not mention the status of the remaining $3.3 billion, and its co-founder Yi He said the exchange would cover "all hacking losses." Binance said its deposits were unaffected and it expects to resume withdrawal services in the next 48 hours. TRM said several features of the attack matched earlier heists linked to North Korea, including a 2025 hack of crypto exchange Bybit that the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation had attributed to Pyongyang. "We make this judgment with high conf

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Call of Duty publisher apologizes for using real footage of Itaewon crowd crush

The makers behind the Call of Duty video game apologized Friday for using real footage of the deadly 2022 Seoul crowd crush in its latest installment of the game and agreed to remove the footage. A short clip showing a paramedic performing CPR on a crowd crush victim lying on the street appeared in the opening moments of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. The footage was used to depict a scenario of civilian casualties during a fictional war with North Korea. "We deeply apologize to the victims and their bereaved families who must have suffered, as well as to everyone who we have caused concern," Activision Publishing Inc. said in a notice to local reporters. "The footage will be removed in our update set to be rolled out on Nov. 12." The publisher added it had no plans to evoke -tragic events, including the Itaewon crowd crush, when using news footage in its games, nor had it intended to ignore the pain caused by the accident. A total of 159 people were killed in a narrow alleyway in Seoul's night life district of Itaewon during Halloween festivities on Oct. 29, 2022. Bereaved families of

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'White Blast' promises gripping survival mystery set in snowy isolation

Director Hong Eui-jeong describes her latest mystery drama "White Blast" as a tense survival story where two characters engage in an unpredictable psychological game within a completely isolated space. "It is a story about people struggling to survive," Hong said during a press conference in Seoul, Friday. "Set in an isolated space, viewers will be able to watch a mystery survival game driven by two deeply human yet distinctive characters." "White Blast" centers around a remote rural train station trapped by a severe snowstorm. The story unfolds after Gap-soo (Kim Yoon-seok), the chief of the station, and Hyeon-taek (Koo Kyo-hwan), a newly assigned staff member, discover a mysterious corpse. The director expressed her hope that the movie will encourage viewers to question their own perceptions and moral judgments as the plot twists and turns. "I hope viewers will ask themselves questions like 'How could my judgment be so wrong?' or 'Is it right to root for this person?' as they watch the movie," Hong said. "Depending on their perspective, the story may look completely different.” Kim pl

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S. Korea, US, Japan discuss N. Korea's latest missile launches by phone

Senior diplomats from South Korea, the United States and Japan held telephone consultations Friday to share information and discuss responses to North Korea's latest ballistic missile launches, Seoul's foreign ministry said. On Thursday, North Korea fired around 10 short-range ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The North's state media reported Friday that it fired a 600-millimeter multiple rocket launcher, tactical cruise missiles and air-to-surface missiles during the weapons demonstration the previous day. Baek Yong-jin, director general for Korean Peninsula policy at Seoul's foreign ministry, spoke with David Wilezol, deputy assistant secretary for Northeast Asia at the U.S. State Department, and Takashi Ariyoshi, a senior official at Japan's foreign ministry, the ministry said. "The three officials shared relevant information and discussed future responses," the ministry said in a press release. "The foreign affairs authorities of the three countries operate a channel for promptly sharing information and

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Soaring living costs push first-time and returning Korean voters to US midterms

SEATTLE — For Lee Min-ha, a 46-year-old Korean living near Seattle, eating out has become a luxury her household can no longer afford. "Everything has gotten so expensive that eating out is completely out of the question," Lee said. "I've been buying groceries almost exclusively on sale for quite some time now. Living in America is getting harder and harder, and every day I wonder how things got this bad." A meal at a casual Korean restaurant can easily cost a family of four more than $100 once taxes and tips are included, making even an occasional family outing an increasingly expensive proposition. Lee's frustration reflects a widespread concern among Korean voters ahead of Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections. The 2026 Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Voter Survey, conducted by Asian & Pacific Islander American Vote and AAPI Data, found that 86 percent of Korean American registered voters considered inflation and the cost of living very or extremely important in deciding how to vote. The figure was 90 percent among Asian American respondents overall, underscoring the importance

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Moreno tries to deal with uncertainty in Korean football

Robert Moreno has had quite an introduction to Korean football. When interviewing for the national team job in the summer after the disaster of the World Cup, he apparently impressed Korea FA officials with his knowledge of the subject. Nothing, however, can prepare you for reality. The 49-year-old former coach of Spain was given the job until the end of November, a period that includes six games. Four have been played already, and results were mixed. There was a 3-0 win over Ecuador, a 4-1 loss to Uruguay, a goalless draw with Venezuela and then, on Oct. 6, a 2-0 victory against Uzbekistan. Performances were, however, encouraging in the sense that tactically, there were some positive signs, and a sense that after the perceived passiveness of Hong Myung-bo at the World Cup, he was a coach who looked to make things happen during games. Now, there are two left. On Nov. 13, the Taeguk Warriors will take on Saudi Arabia and then, four days later, will face Qatar. Both games will take place in Qatar as there are security concerns around Saudi Arabia at the moment, with the country coming und

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K-ART FOCUS Lee Ye-eun finds meaning and life in ordinary objects

A rice bowl, a pair of scissors and a notebook with vehicle numbers might seem ordinary. In Lee Ye-eun’s photographs, however, they became the faces of a border village between the two Koreas. Her outdoor exhibition, “People of Baegyeon-ri,” presented as part of “DMZ Open Exhibition: Staging,” brings together belongings lent by residents of a village in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. Also known as Tongil-chon, or Unification Village, Baegyeon-ri lies just south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), within a military-controlled area where civilian access is restricted. Established in 1973 to showcase South Korean agriculture to the North, the village is defined by its unusual geopolitical position. But Lee wanted to look beyond that distinction to the people who live and work there — growing crops, preparing meals and tending flowers. “Tongil-chon sounds like somewhere very special, but Baegyeon-ri sounds like a village you might find anywhere,” she said in a recent interview with The Korea Times. “These aren’t extraordinary people. They’re ordinary people working hard to make

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SK Group reshuffles energy leadership

SK Group conducted its annual executive reshuffle Friday, retaining the CEOs of major affiliates, including record-setting SK hynix, while reshuffling management at its energy-related units. Having replaced numerous affiliate CEOs last year, the group focused this time on maintaining leadership stability while promoting executives with specialized expertise to enhance business competitiveness. SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung, who has led the company since March 2022, will retain his post. SK Group's holding company, SK Inc., also retained CEO Jang Yong-ho. However, Jang will step down as CEO of SK Innovation, a position he had held concurrently, to focus on leading the holding company. SK Inc. promoted Kim Sun-hyuk, head of strategy at SKC, to president overseeing portfolio management as part of efforts to accelerate the group's portfolio restructuring. In the energy and chemicals sector, the group appointed executives with expertise in managing external risks and developing new businesses to key leadership positions. SK Innovation named Cheong Seung-il, president in charge of future growth at

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Sungkyunkwan University President Yoo reappointed for second term

Sungkyunkwan University President Yoo Ji-beom has been reappointed for a second four-year term. The university's board of trustees approved Yoo's reappointment at a meeting Thursday. His new term will run from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2030. The board credited Yoo with strengthening the university's research capabilities and global competitiveness, particularly through improvements in international university rankings. It also highlighted his vision for advancing institutional innovation in the artificial intelligence era. The university rose 19 places to 68th among 2,297 institutions worldwide in the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, released earlier this month. It ranked third in Korea and first among private universities, extending its streak of annual improvements in the rankings to four consecutive years. The university also ranked among the top five universities in education, research and graduate outcomes in The Korea Times University Rankings. Yoo graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in metallurgical engineering in 1982 and later earned a master

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Editor's Pick

US visa setbacks for ruling party lawmakers raise alliance concerns

US visa setbacks for ruling party lawmakers raise alliance concerns

Recent U.S. visa problems involving two lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) have drawn criticism over how Washington treats representatives of a key ally. The issue comes as relations between Seoul and Washington hit "turbulence," as described by U.S. Ambassador to Korea Michelle Steel, following a series of differing opinions over matters including the timeline of wartime operational control (OPCON) transfer, joint military exercises, the projects making up Korea's $350 billion investment commitment, intelligence sharing and Korea's regulations on American firms such as Coupang. Rep. Jin Sung-joon of the DPK, chair of the National Assembly’s National Defense Committee, said he received a visa refusal notice ahead of a planned visit to the country from Sunday to Thursday. The delegation, Jin and lawmakers from other parties, was due to visit the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii and meet its commander, Adm. Samuel Paparo. In a Facebook post Wednesday, Jin called the decision an affront to the Assembly. “It disregards the standing of Korea’s National Assembly

3 MIN READ

Life in Korea

Seoul unveils 110 autumn foliage trails spanning 167 kilometers

Seoul unveils 110 autumn foliage trails spanning 167 kilometers

Seoul is turning its streets, riversides and parks into an open-air autumn gallery, with the city government selecting 110 foliage trails stretching a combined 167 kilometers for residents and visitors seeking fall colors without leaving the capital. The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Friday that its 2026 selection features tree-lined streets, riverside paths, public parks and walking trails, with peak foliage expected from late October through early to mid-November. The routes feature a variety of trees, including ginkgo, zelkova, Yoshino cherry and metasequoia, offering different landscapes across the city. The government divided the 110 routes into four categories: 20 urban walking routes, 19 riverside trails, 28 park routes and 43 walking paths. Among the highlighted destinations are Samcheong-dong Street, Deoksu Palace Road and Itaewon-ro, while visitors seeking waterside scenery can follow trails along Jungnang Stream and Ui Stream. Seoul Forest and Haneul Park are among the recommended parks, while Walkerhill-ro and Hangeulbiseok-gil are highlighted for their walking route

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Lifestyle

Think flipping meat twice makes it juicier? Korean pork expert says the opposite

"Is it really true that meat tastes better if you flip it exactly twice? That might work for very thinly sliced pork belly. But with meat of ordinary thickness, juices move in the direction the heat is applied. If you want to keep the juices toward the center and make the meat moist, it's better to flip it frequently." Cha Ho-myung, a former chef with 26 years of experience who now leads the Meat&Food Food Solution Team at Sunjin Technology Research Institute, challenged a widely held belief about grilling meat as he taught the science behind cooking pork at Yaksan Dwaeji, a restaurant in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, on Oct. 14. The lesson was part of the practical training for "Grilling Meister," a private certification program introduced in 2021 by Sunjin, the agricultural and food company behind Sunjin Pork, Korea's first branded pork product. Candidates first take an online written test covering pork production, processing and nutrition. Then comes the centerpiece of the certification process: a practical exam for participants to demonstrate their skill in grilling "samgyeopsal", o

3 MIN READ
Think flipping meat twice makes it juicier? Korean pork expert says the opposite

K-Culture

BOYNEXTDOOR to launch 1st N. American tour

K-pop group BOYNEXTDOOR will kick off its first-ever North American tour Friday (U.S. time) with a show in Dallas, the group's agency, Koz Entertainment, said. Following the Dallas concert, the sextet is scheduled to perform in Florida, Chicago, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Mexico City through Nov. 24. "Every visit to the United States has given us meaningful memories and positive inspiration, so we are excited for this trip too," the group said in a release. "We will perform with passion and return with happy memories. We hope audiences look forward to our explosive energy and chemistry with them." The North American dates are part of BOYNEXTDOOR's first-ever world tour, titled "Knock on Vol. 2," which began in Seoul in July and continued across Japan. Following the North American leg, the group is set to perform in six other Asian regions into January 2027.

1 MIN READ
BOYNEXTDOOR to launch 1st N. American tour

Celebrities

Former BIGBANG members make headlines with love lives: T.O.P goes public, Seungri married with baby on the way

Two former BIGBANG members are drawing attention for dramatically different updates in their personal lives, with T.O.P going public with his relationship with singer-actress Nana and Seungri revealed to be legally married with a baby on the way. Ilgan Sports reported Wednesday that Seungri has registered his marriage with his pregnant wife, making them legally married. His wife is reportedly due to give birth in January. News of the pregnancy emerged before details of the marriage became public, prompting speculation that the couple had conceived before marriage. Seungri denied the speculation through the outlet and said the couple currently has no plans to hold a wedding ceremony. "As I am now responsible for a family, I feel an even greater sense of responsibility," Seungri said. "I deeply reflect on the disappointment and hurt I caused through my past wrongdoing, and I will show that I have changed by living a quiet and sincere life." "I would be grateful if people would watch over my life warmly going forward," he said. "At the same time, my family members are not public figures, so

2 MIN READ
Former BIGBANG members make headlines with love lives: T.O.P goes public, Seungri married with baby on the way

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Opinion

Top 10 Stories

  1. How Korea's special citizenship for outstanding foreign talent works

  2. WEEKENDER Beyond Korea: Foreign entrepreneurs turn Korean culture into business opportunities

  3. Soaring living costs push first-time and returning Korean voters to US midterms

  4. Legendary actor Choi Bool-am dies at 87

  5. WEEKENDER Iranian physicist turns scientific journey into new life in Korea

  6. Defense minister says Hegseth dismissed talk of alliance strains as 'fake news'

  7. Nvidia to make $1 bil. investment in Naver next week

  8. N. Korea showcases 'Sniper' rocket launcher in weapons demonstration

  9. Binance freezes assets after $6.3 bil. heist, crypto industry's biggest

  10. Check-in system malfunction at Incheon airport causes major delays

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