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Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon fined $6,760 in political funds case, threatening mayorship if upheld

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon was convicted Wednesday of violating the Political Funds Act and fined 10 million won ($6,760) over opinion polls conducted by political broker Myung Tae-kyun. The sentence, if upheld on appeal, would strip Oh of his mayorship, dealing a critical blow to the political career of one of the nation's most prominent conservative heavyweights. The five-term mayor said he would appeal immediately. The Seoul Central District Court found that Oh commissioned Myung to conduct five opinion polls ahead of the 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election and asked businessman and longtime supporter Kim Han-jung to cover 21 million won in polling costs. “The defendant requested his supporter to pay the polling costs,” the court said in the ruling, adding that the payment constituted an illegal political contribution under the act. “Having served as both a lawmaker and mayor, he had been well aware of the act, but he has kept denying his responsibility ... A sentence that would make him lose the public post is inevitable,” it said. Under Korean law, elected officials lose their office

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Industry minister heads to Washington to manage tariff risks, advance $350 bil. investment in US

Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan departed for Washington on Wednesday to address pending trade issues with the United States as the Donald Trump administration prepares to introduce a new Section 301 tariff regime for Korea under the U.S. Trade Act. During the four-day visit, the minister is also expected to flesh out Korea's $350 billion investment commitment to the U.S. that was agreed upon under last year's bilateral tariff agreement, while reaffirming the commitment to maritime cooperation under the Make American Shipbuilding Great Again (MASGA) initiative. Kim will meet U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Energy Secretary Chris Wright to discuss strategic investment, energy cooperation and other bilateral trade issues. The industry ministry said Kim will also conduct outreach to members of the U.S. Congress to explain Seoul's trade and investment stance. The visit comes as Washington prepares to replace a temporary 10 percent global tariff imposed under Section 122, which expires on Friday. New measures under Section 301 target what the U.S. describes as unfair trade practice

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Galaxy Z Fold 8 unfolds wider viewing experience

LONDON — Samsung Electronics unveiled the Galaxy Z8 series on Wednesday, introducing a wider addition to the lineup that delivers a more optimized viewing experience enabled by a redesigned display and aspect ratio. During the Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event here, Samsung introduced the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Flip 8 series, expanding its lineup previously comprised of the horizontally folding Galaxy Z Fold and vertically folding Galaxy Z Flip series. "As AI (artificial intelligence) continues to evolve, mobile devices will become the primary touchpoint that best understands users and seamlessly integrates into their daily lives," Samsung Electronics Co-CEO and Head of Device Experience Division Roh Tae-moon said. "The new Galaxy Z series represents Samsung's most refined foldable devices yet, elevating the mobile experience while delivering personalized services to usher in the next era of intelligence." With the launch of the Galaxy Z8 series, Samsung has reorganized its foldable lineup. The traditional Galaxy Z Fold form factor — which becomes a bar-type phon

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KOSPI fails to reclaim 7,000 as 5% intraday surge fades

The KOSPI failed to reclaim the 7,000 mark, Wednesday, paring most of its gains after surging more than 5 percent, as caution ahead of Alphabet's earnings and concerns over rising oil prices weighed on investor sentiment. The benchmark closed at 6,797.70, up 0.74 percent from the previous session. It opened 4.51 percent higher and extended its gains to the 7,000 level. A buy-side sidecar was triggered at 9:06 a.m., marking the 20th such activation on Korea’s main bourse this year. Foreign investors led the buying spree, purchasing 2.62 trillion won ($1.7 billion) worth of shares. Institutional and retail investors net sold 1.38 trillion won and 1.23 trillion won worth of shares, respectively. The secondary Kosdaq extended its decline, falling 0.3 percent to 751.09. Despite the efforts, the index returned to the level seen before President Lee Jae Myung's inauguration. Investor sentiment toward the semiconductor sector improved overnight after Nvidia announced that its Vera Rubin platform had entered mass production and begun shipping. Reports that TSMC had raised its chip foundry price

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S. Korea, US, Japan FMs reaffirm denuclearization of Korean Peninsula in Philippines

The foreign ministers of South Korea, the United States and Japan met in Manila, Wednesday, reaffirmed the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and deterrence against North Korea, during a meeting held on the sidelines of a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-related ministerial meetings. Discussions covered the Korean Peninsula, the Middle East, small modular reactors (SMRs) and cybercrime cooperation. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi convened on the margins of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the East Asia Summit foreign ministers' meeting and related gatherings in the Philippine capital. "The three ministers shared assessments of recent developments on the Korean Peninsula, reaffirming their commitment to the principle of denuclearization and their intent to maintain a robust deterrence against North Korea," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "They agreed to maintain close policy coordination on North Korea and to continue communication and cooperation to preserve peace and st

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Korea busts record 1 ton of smuggled drugs in 1st half of 2026

Korean customs authorities seized a record 1,007 kilograms of narcotics intended for the domestic market in 767 cases during the first half of the year, the Korea Customs Service (KCS) said Wednesday. While the number of cases rose 24 percent from a year earlier, the total weight fell 62 percent because last year's figures included drugs merely transiting through Korea. Excluding those transit shipments, this year's haul was the largest on record for drugs destined for the domestic market. KCS Commissioner Lee Jong-wook said during a media briefing that the increase was driven by traveler smuggling, vowing to step up inspections of arriving passengers by expanding a multilayer screening system, including random inspections immediately after arrival and X-ray screening of all checked baggage. The number of traveler smuggling cases jumped 79 percent, while the amount seized rose 23 percent from a year earlier. By contrast, seizures through international mail dropped sharply after customs strengthened secondary inspections at five international mail centers late last year, prompting traffic

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Former US diplomat indicted in defamation case against President Lee

Prosecutors have indicted Korean American professor Morse Tan on criminal defamation charges over false claims targeting President Lee Jae Myung. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (SCDPO) reportedly indicted Tan without detention Thursday on multiple defamation charges. Tan, who served as the U.S. ambassador-at-large for global criminal justice under the first Trump administration, is accused of spreading false allegations during a press conference in Washington, D.C., last year. He allegedly claimed that Lee had been involved in a gang rape and murder of a girl when he was a juvenile and had been sent to a juvenile detention center. Police had initially launched an investigation after receiving a criminal complaint from a civic group, but later closed the case in April without referring it to prosecutors, ruling that jurisdiction did not apply given that Tan is a foreign national and the statements were made in the U.S. However, prosecutors requested that the investigation be reopened, arguing that local authorities have jurisdiction since the alleged victim, President Lee,

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Shareholder group files criminal complaints over Samsung, SK hynix bonus deals

A shareholder advocacy group representing individual investors on Wednesday filed criminal complaints against the chief executives of Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, claiming profit-linked bonus agreements reached with labor unions were unlawful. The group, whose name translates roughly as the "Republic of Korea Shareholder Activism Headquarters," filed police complaints accusing SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Jun Young-hyun and CEO Roh Tae-moon of breaching their fiduciary duties to shareholders. It also filed a complaint against Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, alleging he abused his authority by intervening in Samsung's wage negotiations in May. Speaking at a press conference, Min Kyung-kwon, head of the group, argued that performance bonuses tied to corporate earnings should be treated as profit distributions, and thus should not be subject to collective bargaining. "Any profit-sharing arrangement should require shareholder approval, rather than being negotiated through collective barga

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What to know about rare ear disorder that side-tracked IU's return

K-pop singer and actor IU is drawing public attention for a rare ear disorder after worsening symptoms of patulous Eustachian tube (PET) dysfunction forced her to postpone her upcoming album release and cancel a scheduled September concert. With news of her ear condition already having disrupted her highly anticipated comeback plans, many are asking what exactly PET dysfunction is and why it poses such a devastating setback for a vocalist. On Monday, the 33-year-old artist opened up about her ongoing struggle on the fan communication platform Berriz. "While it does not affect my daily life, the symptoms persist day and night, making it difficult to maintain my condition when singing," IU wrote, apologizing to fans for the schedule changes. PET dysfunction occurs when the Eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the back of the nose and usually remains closed except during swallowing or yawning, stays abnormally open. This allows air and sound to flow continuously into the middle ear, causing autophony, a condition where a person hears their own voice or breathing abnormally loudl

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President Lee, biz leaders to meet Nvidia, OpenAI chiefs in San Francisco

President Lee Jae Myung and Korean business leaders will meet with executives of Big Tech firms during his visit to the United States later this week, his office said Wednesday, highlighting Korea’s growing role in the global artificial intelligence (AI) industry and strengthening ties with key players in the sector. Lee will embark on a five-nation trip on Friday, visiting Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Germany and the U.S. National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac and presidential chief of staff for policy Kim Yong-bum said Lee will meet Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and Broadcom CEO Hock Tan in separate meetings in San Francisco. The presidential office said the meetings are part of the president’s schedule to engage with global AI leaders and Silicon Valley venture capitalists. "Through meetings with CEOs of global Big Tech companies, the president will emphasize Korea's commitment to AI investment and global cooperation while securing tangible outcomes such as investment partnerships from key enterprises," Kim said. The presidential office sai

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As diets diversify, human rights watchdog calls for inclusive military meals

For generations of conscripts entering Korea’s mandatory military service, the mess hall offered little room for compromise. Meals were standardized, heavy on traditional staples and served without exception. But as dietary needs, ethical choices and personal convictions evolve among young Koreans, the nation’s top human rights agency is urging defense officials to overhaul what ends up on soldiers' trays. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea said Wednesday that it issued formal recommendations to the Minister of National Defense, service branch chiefs, the Marine Corps commandant and the Military Manpower Administration to establish a systematic, legally grounded framework supporting service members with specialized dietary needs. The guidelines, finalized in June following a comprehensive multiyear investigation into military dining environments, advocate for troops with specialized dietary requirements — including vegetarians, those adhering to religious diets, service members with food allergies and those requiring medical restrictions. Because soldiers residing in bar

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From mountain peaks to film sets, foreign tourists redefine Seoul itineraries

Foreign visitors are increasingly venturing beyond Seoul's crowded shopping districts and royal landmarks, embracing filming locations, traditional markets and mountain trails as the city's tourism landscape grows more diverse, according to a new data analysis released Wednesday. The Seoul AI Foundation said its analysis of foreign visitors' movements and online reviews found tourism demand spreading across a wider range of destinations throughout the capital in 2025. The study examined 16 major attractions using SK Telecom roaming-based mobility data and Google Maps reviews from foreign visitors. Myeong-dong attracted the largest average daily number of foreign visitors at 100,910. N Seoul Tower followed with 57,370 visitors, ahead of Samseong Station and Coex with 46,813, Gangnam Station with 41,210 and the Hongdae area with 40,213. The fastest growth was recorded at Dongdaemun Design Plaza, where foreign visitor traffic rose 12.1 percent. The Hongdae area and Naksan Park each posted 10.5 percent increases, while Gwangjang Market rose 10.4 percent. N Seoul Tower recorded the highest share

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Won tests foothold in 1,400s as dollar risks linger

The Korean won has recovered from its weakest level since the Asian financial crisis, trading below the psychologically important 1,500-won-per-dollar level for the first time in three weeks, analysts said Wednesday. The move was driven by easing foreign investor rebalancing and expectations of increased dollar inflows, they said. Still, they cautioned that further gains in the won may be limited, with geopolitical tensions and the possibility of higher U.S. interest rates likely to keep the dollar supported. The won closed at 1,555.8 per dollar on July 2, its weakest level since March 2009 based on onshore trading, according to the Seoul foreign exchange market. It fell below the 1,500 won mark on July 8, closing at 1,498.5, before briefly rebounding to 1,506.1 won the following day. The currency strengthened again to finish at 1,493 on July 14 and has since remained in the upper-1,400 won range. On Wednesday, it ended onshore trading at 1,480.1. The average won-dollar exchange rate based on onshore closing prices stood at 1,488.6 won in the third week of July, falling below the 1,500 wo

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Korea bets $108 mil. on AI to fuel next wave of K-culture

Korea has spent more than two decades perfecting the art of the cross-border pop phenomenon. Now, government officials are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and intellectual property rights to ensure the nation’s cultural juggernaut doesn't run out of steam. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Financial Services Commission (FSC) jointly announced, Wednesday, the launch of a 150 billion won ($108 million) K-Culture Value-Up Fund. The public-private vehicle represents Seoul’s largest target-driven effort to date aimed at pairing state-backed venture capital with emerging technology in the creative arts. Under the plan, the government will chip in 50 billion won from state coffers, flanked by 30 billion won from the state-run Korea Development Bank and the Advanced Strategic Industry Fund. Managing institutions hope to leverage that anchor seed into attracting more than 70 billion won in private capital. The strategy marks a structural pivot for Korea’s cultural policy. Previous state-guided venture funds in media and entertainment hovered around 50 billion won,

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Can MBK's last-minute Homeplus rescue mitigate regulatory sanctions?

As the financial regulator weighs sanctions against MBK Partners over its handling of the Homeplus acquisition, attention is turning to whether the private equity firm’s last-minute effort to keep the retailer afloat could influence the severity of the penalty. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) has recently begun reviewing disciplinary measures proposed by the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) on July 2. The FSS recommended a three-month suspension on MBK’s management of the Homeplus buyout fund, along with an institutional warning against MBK in its capacity as the general partner managing the private equity fund. If upheld, the warning would mark the first major regulatory sanction imposed on a domestic private equity fund manager. An institutional warning could affect MBK’s ability to raise capital from major limited partners, including the National Pension Service (NPS). At the center of the case is the firm’s treatment of redeemable convertible preferred shares (RCPS) — a type of preferred stock that can be redeemed by investors under certain conditions — issued

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Foreign holdings of domestic stocks push up Korea's financial liabilities

A surge in Korean stocks boosted the value of local equities held by foreign investors, swelling the nation's financial liabilities and pushing net financial assets lower for the first time in five years, data showed Wednesday. Net financial assets fell 20.4 percent to 1,271 trillion won ($858 billion) in 2025, a decline of 326 trillion won from a year earlier, according to the national balance sheet released by the Bank of Korea (BOK) and the Ministry of Data and Statistics. It was the biggest drop since the data series began in 2009. Net financial assets are calculated by subtracting financial liabilities, which include Korean equities held by foreign investors, from financial assets, which include overseas assets held by Korean residents. While financial assets rose by 2.79 quadrillion won, or 11.4 percent, to 27.318 quadrillion won, financial liabilities climbed by a larger 3.12 quadrillion won, or 13.6 percent, to 26.047 quadrillion won. "The won-denominated increase in the value of Korean equities held by foreign investors exceeded the increase in overseas equities held by Korean r

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World Cup gray wall: Tournament leaves poor residents behind

The 2026 FIFA World Cup concluded Monday after Spain claimed the title, capping an unprecedented 39-day tournament across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Expanded from 32 to 48 nations across 104 matches, the event raked in record revenue. FIFA generated $430 million in revenue from broadcast rights alone — up from $340 million during the 2022 Qatar tournament — while total revenue reached an estimated $13 billion. The commercial windfall funded a $727 million total payout to participating teams alongside a first-ever, star-studded halftime show featuring headliners BTS, Madonna, Shakira and Justin Bieber. Yet beneath the $13 billion spectacle, co-host Mexico actively worked to push vulnerable residents out of view. In Monterrey, the government of Nuevo León erected a gray wall stretching several kilometers through the Guadalupe Victoria neighborhood, running directly along the main route connecting the airport to the World Cup stadium. The barrier hid brick homes with rusting tin roofs from visiting spectators, forcing workers to take lengthy detours on their daily commutes

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OpenAI says AI models went rogue during testing, triggering 'unprecedented' breach at startup

WASHINGTON — OpenAI said on Tuesday that an autonomous agent powered by its advanced AI models went rogue during a security test and triggered a hack that compromised the infrastructure of AI startup Hugging Face last week. In a blog post, OpenAI said it was testing the capabilities of some of its most advanced models in a controlled environment but that the agent managed to escape containment, reach the internet and break into Hugging Face to try to satisfy its testing goal. OpenAI said the breakout was "an unprecedented cyber incident, involving state-of-the-art cyber capabilities" and that the company was reinforcing its safeguards. Hugging Face, a platform used to host open-source large language models and datasets, caused a stir in the cybersecurity community when it said in a blog post last week that it had been the target of a hack that "was different from anything we had handled before" in that "it was driven, end to end, by an autonomous AI agent system." In a post to X, Hugging Face cofounder Clement Delangue said the company suspected the hack "might have come from a frontie

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InterviewKorean proficiency opened doors for Moroccan engineer in Korea

Developing fluency in Korean, rather than simply earning a degree, was one of the biggest factors behind Moroccan engineer Hind Rbigui’s successful settlement in Korea. “Studying Korean and regularly taking part in Korean-language speech contests helped me greatly when I was looking for a job and ultimately became one of the most important factors in building a long-term life here,” Rbigui, a Moroccan who recently became a naturalized Korean citizen, said in an interview with The Korea Times. Her interest in Korea was first sparked by a television drama, but soon deepened into a fascination with the country’s rapid economic rise. “As an industrial engineering student, I wanted to understand how Korea had achieved such remarkable development in such a short period,” she said. “I felt I had to come and see it for myself.” Rbigui came to Korea in 2014 under the Korean Government Scholarship Program, now known as the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS). After a year of Korean-language training at Inha University, she pursued a doctorate in industrial engineering at the University

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Editor's Pick

'I was only 9': N. Korean defector recalls childhood memory of public execution

Interview'I was only 9': N. Korean defector recalls childhood memory of public execution

Kim Eun-joo was 9 years old when her teacher stopped their lesson and told the class to follow her outside. The children were marched to a public execution ground in North Korea. “I would cry even when our family dog died,” Kim said in a recent interview with The Korea Times. “But the first time I watched humans killing a human, I had no words for what I was feeling. It was the most brutal scene I have ever seen, in any movie or in real life.” The memory has stayed with her ever since. Now a human rights advocate after defecting from North Korea, Kim recently brought that childhood scene to the 9th World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Paris, where North Korea’s use of public executions and capital punishment was officially placed on the agenda for the first time. For Kim, that memory is not just trauma but a key to understanding of how Pyongyang uses death itself to intimidate and control its people. “The regime uses the executions to numb the feelings and ideas of human compassion and respect for life. That cruelty is indoctrinated and framed as something necessary,

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Life in Korea

Shark sightings off east coast nearly quadruple as waters warm

Shark sightings off east coast nearly quadruple as waters warm

Shark sightings off Korea's east coast have nearly quadrupled this year as climate change pushes more of the predators into Korean waters, prompting coastal municipal authorities to step up beach safety measures. According to the National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS), 46 large sharks were spotted off the east coast from January to June this year, compared with 12 in the same period last year. Shortfin mako sharks, rated “high” for the risk of attack in the agency's shark classification guide, were the most common, with 23 sightings. The surge in shark sightings tracks a broader warming trend in Korean waters. As temperatures climb, warm-water fish move further north along the east coast, and the large sharks that prey on them follow. The average sea surface temperature around the Korean Peninsula from January to June this year was 17.17 degrees Celsius, the highest level in 26 years. That marks an increase of 1.17 degrees from last year and 0.52 degrees from the previous record set in 2020, according to NIFS. Along the east coast, the average sea surface temperature from Apr

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Lifestyle

Seoul to turn into citywide art playground with Kiaf, Frieze in September

Seoul is gearing up for a blockbuster month of art and culture in September, as Kiaf Seoul and Frieze Seoul return with expanded citywide programs ranging from classical music and public art to film and late-night gallery events. This year’s Kiaf Seoul, Korea’s largest international art fair, runs from Sept. 2-6 at Coex in southern Seoul under the theme “Coexistence,” reflecting on the relationship between humans and technology in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). The Galleries Association of Korea is introducing two special exhibitions — “Humal” and “Virtual Vital” — that examine how human instinct, animal vitality and digital systems intersect in contemporary art. “Humal,” a portmanteau of “human” and “animal,” brings together seven Korean artists, including Kang Gun, Kwak Ji-soo and Hwang Soo-yeon, in sculpture, installation, painting and photography that foreground the body and primal sensibilities long suppressed by rationalism and civilization. “Virtual Vital” extends the questions raised in “Humal” into augmented reality, inviting vis

2 MIN READ
Seoul to turn into citywide art playground with Kiaf, Frieze in September

K-Culture

NewJeans signals return as 4-member group with new video, photos

Popular K-pop girl group NewJeans released a surprise video and photos featuring four members, including Minji, on the fourth anniversary of its debut Wednesday, signaling its possible return to the music scene. The video, titled "2026 Summer of NewJeans," was posted on the group's official YouTube channel at midnight without prior notice, according to music industry sources. New photos of the four members — Haerin, Hyein, Minji and Hanni — were also posted on the group's official homepage and Instagram account. The release marks the band's first group-based content in one year and four months. The move drew fresh attention because the group had effectively been on hiatus after a bitter dispute with its agency, ADOR, over the dismissal of former CEO Min Hee-jin and the status of its exclusive contracts. NewJeans announced in November 2024 that it was terminating its contracts with ADOR, but the court later sided with the agency in both an injunction case and the main lawsuit, restricting the group's independent activities. Following the ruling, members Haerin, Hyein and Hanni returned

2 MIN READ
NewJeans signals return as 4-member group with new video, photos

Celebrities

NCT Wish, RESCENE to headline pool party at Everland's Caribbean Bay this week

Everland’s iconic water park, Caribbean Bay, is dialing up the summer heat this week with an explosive lineup of top K-pop talent, Samsung C&T’s resort division said Wednesday. Returning for its second consecutive year in partnership with Samsung Card, the Water Music Pool Party offers a thrill unlike any other: Visitors can groove to live music while immersed in an artificial wave pool with swells reaching up to 2.4 meters high. The star-studded roster kicks off Friday with rising boy group NCT Wish, followed by boy band The Wind on Saturday. On Sunday, five-member girl group RESCENE takes center stage. Driven by a viral YouTube catchphrase and a social media following topping 10 million across YouTube and Instagram, RESCENE has dominated Korean music charts this year with hit tracks "Love Attack" and "Pretty Girl." Fans online have already dubbed a trip to the water park paired with a RESCENE performance the ultimate summer combo. The momentum continues into next week, featuring girl group Fifty Fifty on July 28 and BTOB's Minhyuk on July 31. Throughout August, weekend festival-go

2 MIN READ
NCT Wish, RESCENE to headline pool party at Everland's Caribbean Bay this week

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Top 10 Stories

  1. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon fined $6,760 in political funds case, threatening mayorship if upheld

  2. InterviewKorean proficiency opened doors for Moroccan engineer in Korea

  3. As diets diversify, human rights watchdog calls for inclusive military meals

  4. Korea busts record 1 ton of smuggled drugs in 1st half of 2026

  5. Shark sightings off east coast nearly quadruple as waters warm

  6. President Lee, biz leaders to meet Nvidia, OpenAI chiefs in San Francisco

  7. Ex-professor receives prison term for forcing students to write paper for daughter's admission

  8. Shareholder group files criminal complaints over Samsung, SK hynix bonus deals

  9. From mountain peaks to film sets, foreign tourists redefine Seoul itineraries

  10. Galaxy Z Fold 8 unfolds wider viewing experience

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