Consumer sentiment fell in October due mainly to a stock market correction and prolonged Middle East tensions, the central bank said Tuesday. The composite consumer sentiment index (CCSI) stood at 105.4 this month, down 1.2 points from September, according to a survey by the Bank of Korea (BOK). A reading above 100 indicates that optimists outnumber pessimists, while a figure below 100 suggests the opposite. "Pessimistic outlooks increased as the stock market correction and extended military tensions in the Middle East weighed heavily on consumer sentiment," the BOK said. The subindex for people's assessment of current economic conditions came in at 82 in October, down 1 point from a month earlier. The index for people's outlook for future economic conditions also fell 2 points to 88 over the same period. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) dropped 15.7 percent in the first three weeks of October on renewed concerns about the future of large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure investment. The BOK survey was conducted among 2,500 households from Oct. 13-20.

Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong on Tuesday marked his 4th anniversary at the helm of Korea’s largest conglomerate. With Samsung Electronics set to become one of the world’s most profitable companies with over 100 trillion won in operating profit in the third quarter, Lee’s efforts to restore the company’s competitiveness in semiconductor and foster future growth businesses are becoming increasingly evident. According to Samsung Electronics, the company will not hold an official ceremony to celebrate the anniversary, and Lee will also not issue a separate statement. Lee was promoted from vice chairman to executive chairman on Oct. 27, 2022, but both before and after his promotion, he has generally refrained from making public statements about the company at formal events, focusing instead on visiting business sites and meeting employees. When Lee has spoken publicly, it has generally been at times when the company faced a crisis. Upon taking on the chairmanship, he wrote a message calling for investments in technologies that did not yet exist. In March last ye

Korea’s reliance on semiconductor-driven growth, the accelerating spread of artificial intelligence (AI) and inflexible labor market institutions are weakening the quality of jobs available to young people, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said Monday. As economic growth fails to generate enough stable employment opportunities, more young job seekers are accepting temporary or daily work instead of holding out for regular positions. In its analysis of workers aged 15 to 29, the central bank classified regular employment as the primary labor market, and temporary and daily work as the secondary market. Since 2023, young people have shown a growing tendency to enter the latter, adjusting their expectations as hiring in the primary market remains sluggish. The report linked this deterioration to a combination of changes in the industrial landscape, advances in AI and rigid employment arrangements. One problem is the growing mismatch between the sectors powering the economy and those providing regular employment. Information technology (IT) manufacturing has become a stronger driver of growth but ge

The Korean medical drama “Doctor X: Mafia in White” has become the latest target of political controversy over how fictional works portray history, after a National Assembly petition demanded a halt to its airing over its depiction of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising. The petition, posted Saturday on the National Assembly’s petition website, calls for a review of the drama’s production and a halt to its broadcast. It has gathered the 100 supporters required to be made public. The petitioner said Episode 6, which aired Saturday, depicted the 1980 pro-democracy movement in Gwangju despite its having no connection to the plot. “The uprising remains a political issue, with the ruling and opposition parties and the left and right divided on some aspects,” the petitioner said. “Broadly, no one would dispute that it is a painful chapter of history, but it is hard to accept a drama abruptly using the uprising, which is still politically contested in its details.” The episode featured a character suffering the effects of a gunshot wound to the head sustained during the uprising, along w

WASHINGTON — An apparent supporter of Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) has been spotted shouting an allegedly racist remark at South Korean football star Son Heung-min following a Major League Soccer (MLS) match, a U.S. media outlet reported Monday. The New York Post published a report on a video circulating on social media, in which a football fan wearing LAFC clothing repeatedly shouted "ni hao," a Chinese word meaning hello, toward Son after the match against the Los Angeles Galaxy held on Sunday. The video drew accusations of racism on social media, with the outlet describing it as an incident of "insensitive and racist microaggression." It was not immediately clear whether LAFC or MLS had responded to the incident. Some fans have called for the person in question to have his season ticket holder status revoked if holding season tickets. The former Totteham Hotspur star disclosed in the past of facing racism while playing overseas. In 2024, the Korea Football Association asked FIFA to strengthen punishments for racist behavior in the sport.

The streets of Itaewon have gone through several iterations over the years — not just the place itself but the meaning attached to it. If you ask someone from the early 2000s or even the 2010s, they would paint a completely different landscape from the Itaewon that exists today. Itaewon is going through a period of social reconstruction, fueled by several factors — the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 Halloween crowd crush, U.S. military redeployment out of nearby Yongsan Garrison, commercial redevelopment and, the hot issue at the moment, the tightened restrictions placed on Itaewon businesses. Lasting impact Despite the heavy political atmosphere that lays over Itaewon like dark clouds before a storm, there are some local business owners who feel optimistic about its future. Linus Kim, who has operated Linus BBQ for more than a decade, expects the Halloween nightlife to be stronger than in the years immediately after the crowd crush tragedy. “Itaewon’s nightlife has seen a significant resurgence over the past year, driven partly by a new generation that came of age during COVID and

BRASILIA — President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's comeback to win Brazil’s presidential runoff Sunday is already facing its first hurdle as his competitor, Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, challenges the results, setting the stage for a possible showdown between the country’s two polarizing political forces. Lula, who convinced an extra 10.4 million voters to support him in the runoff, is expected to take office on Jan. 5, 2027, for his fourth non-consecutive term. He will serve as a counterweight in a region where leaders are shifting to the right and aligning with U.S. President Donald Trump. Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, promised to cozy up to the Trump administration. At a news conference Sunday, Bolsonaro said he planned to request an annulment of the election following a chaotic extension of voting at the request of both candidates. However, it's unclear what legal avenue he would have to do that. His father also contested his loss to Lula four years ago and now serves a 27-year prison sentence for a coup attempt. Early signs from Brazil’s institutions and from

PARIS — French student leaders said the government had offered a package of education proposals on Monday in response to weeks of street protests, but vowed to keep demonstrating as the measures had fallen short of their demands. Emerging from a meeting with government officials, the students said the proposals included capping the size of some classes, loans for renovating schools and the replacement of a university admissions system they saw as unfair. "Not all our demands were met. We'll go on for as long as it takes," Louis Letoublon, one of the representatives of high school students, said. There was no immediate confirmation of the education proposals from the government. A press conference to announce the details was delayed. There were no immediate details on how much funding any such education package would require. The hands of President Emmanuel Macron's minority government are tied by national debt approaching 120 percent of GDP and high new borrowing needs already making it difficult to agree a budget for next year. The protests, initially triggered by student discontent, h

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will host a Group of 20 (G20) foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta this week to discuss ways to advance cooperation on shared economic and security challenges, his office said Monday. Rubio will travel to Atlanta to host the two-day meeting starting Friday, the State Department said in a release, adding that Washington will work with G20 partners "to address geopolitical crises contributing to global economic shocks, including threats to freedom of navigation, energy and food security and supply chains." "Global security and economic prosperity are inextricably linked, and these discussions will set the stage for President Trump's G20 Leaders' Summit and the broader economic agenda that leaders will tackle," the department said. According to the Seoul foreign ministry, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun plans to attend the meeting to discuss ways to address global challenges with partner nations and strengthen international cooperation. Cho is also seeking bilateral meetings with his counterparts from major countries on the sideline

NEW YORK — Oil prices inched higher after falling more than $2 a barrel on Monday, as persistent attacks on key producer Saudi Arabia kept investors wary and prices near six-month highs, even as diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict in the Middle East resumed. Brent crude futures rose 49 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $117.21 at 12:51 p.m. ET (1637 GMT), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 35 cents, or 0.34 percent, at $102.92 per barrel. Both benchmarks retreated after strong gains on Friday, when Brent settled more than $3 higher to post a weekly gain of 6 percent, while WTI rose 2.3 percent for the week. Investor focus remained on escalating tensions in the Middle East after Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said they struck pumping stations on Saudi Arabia's East-West crude oil pipeline and Riyadh airport over the weekend. Saudi Arabia said on Sunday it had intercepted additional missiles and drones, while a Saudi-led coalition on Monday said it destroyed three drones targeting Riyadh and the kingdom's southern regions. In a move that could draw Egypt more directly

WASHINGTON — Democratic lawmakers called on Monday, eight days before crucial midterm elections, for the appointment of a special counsel to probe Republican US President Donald Trump's ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In a 53-page report, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee revived allegations of sexual misconduct made against Trump, a one-time close friend of the disgraced financier. Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges involving minors in what was determined to be a suicide. Trump fought for months to prevent release by the Department of Justice (DOJ) of the so-called "Epstein Files" but eventually signed a law passed by Congress requiring their publication. The 80-year-old president's name appears repeatedly in the documents but he denies any wrongdoing and has not been charged with any criminal offenses connected to the affair. Representative Jamie Raskin, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, accused the Justice Department of covering up "crimes to protect the president." "Five women have dire

NEW YORK — U.S. stocks are climbing Monday amid shaky trading for financial markets worldwide, as AI stocks keep swinging and Brazilian stocks tumble. The S&P 500 rose 0.8 percent and more than recovered its losses from last week , pulling within 1.6 percent of its all-time high set earlier this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 154 points, or 0.3 percent, as of 1:15 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.1 percent higher. The strongest lift for the market came from Nvidia, which rose 2.5 percent. That helped the chip company recover some of its drop from three straight losing weeks, its longest such streak since June, and maintain its position as the largest stock on Wall Street above Apple. But stocks elsewhere in the artificial-intelligence industry remained unsettled. They’ve been swerving on worries about whether their industry’s boom is under threat because of how expensive it’s become for companies to borrow money to build data centers and buy more AI chips. Meta helps lead the swings Meta Platforms bounced up and down after outlining plans to raise

NEW YORK — U.S. stocks are climbing Monday after oil prices eased back. The S&P 500 rose 0.9 percent and more than recovered its losses from last week, pulling within 1.6 percent of its all-time high set earlier this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 242 points, or 0.5 percent, as of 11 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.3 percent higher. Stocks got some breathing room after the price for a barrel of Brent crude fell 1.4 percent to $110.17. It, though, is still near the high end of its range since the war with Iran began. The highest price for the most actively traded contract in the market for Brent crude since then is nearly $120, reached in March. The pullback for oil prices helped companies with big fuel bills lead the way on Wall Street. Cruise-line operator Royal Caribbean Group rose 2.1 percent, while United Airlines climbed 3.2 percent and Delta Air Lines flew 2.3 percent higher. Other airline stocks also got a bump on speculation they may benefit from weakness for JetBlue Airways, whose stock tumbled 14.1 percent toward a record low. AI stocks keep s

PARIS — French authorities are bracing for more street unrest next weekend despite a huge security operation that helped contain nationwide demonstrations on Saturday, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Monday. The protests, which have rattled President Emmanuel Macron's government for weeks, show little sign of easing after violence nine days ago engulfed dozens of cities, leading to fears the state had lost control of the streets. In response to the turmoil, the interior ministry deployed 70,000 police for Saturday's demonstrations, which unions called to denounce the high cost of living and public services. The movement has grown far beyond initial student discontent, drawing in trade unions and"yellow vest" activists, known for their high-visibility jackets and mass demonstrations against economic pressures including high fuel costs. Far-right gangs confront far-left activists Nunez said the huge police presence prevented a repeat of violence seen earlier this month, but asked by BFM TV on Monday whether he expected further disturbances during demonstrations planned for October

SAN FRANCISCO — Artificial intelligence giant Anthropic filed papers Monday for what could be the biggest initial public offering of stock ever even as its top executive warns that advanced AI could pose an existential threat to humanity. The filing sets up the San Francisco company for a Wall Street debut next month, potentially eclipsing the SpaceX initial public offering in June that raised a record $86 billion. An Anthropic IPO would also put the company ahead of OpenAI in going public in what is expected to be a pair of blockbuster stock debuts for the rival AI labs. The filing comes weeks after CEO Dario Amodei argued in an essay for slowing the development of the most advanced AI models. An IPO could provide Anthropic with enormous resources to accelerate its expansion. The amount the company ultimately raises remains uncertain, as do its final valuation and offering price, but even at lower estimates, it would turn the five-year-old startup into one of the world’s most valuable companies and potentially boost the wealth of Amodei and his sister and co-founder, Daniela, by b

WASHINGTON — Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged South Korea to ensure wider access to abortion pills as the country moves to formally introduce the medication next year, describing the initiative as an important step but warning that restrictions could make abortion services inaccessible. In a press release issued Sunday, the New York-based international human rights group said the Seoul government's plan to formally introduce medication abortion in 2027 would help address a longstanding regulatory gap but criticized proposed restrictions on its use. "Allowing the use of abortion pills is an important step, but South Korean lawmakers need to ensure that regulations aren't so restrictive that abortions are inaccessible and unaffordable," Susanne Bergsten, acting women's rights research assistant at HRW, said in the release. "South Korea's National Assembly should swiftly align abortion legislation with international human rights standards to protect patients and providers," she added. Last month, the South Korean government announced a plan to formally allow the use of abortion pills by

Baritone Yang Joon-mo, 52, describes Alberich, the dwarf in Richard Wagner’s opera “Das Rheingold,” as a role that places considerable demands on singers, requiring them to navigate a wide vocal range and master the forceful articulation characteristic of German. He will share the role with Samuel Youn, 55, a world-renowned Wagnerian bass-baritone who holds the prestigious German title of Kammersänger, in the Korea National Opera’s production of “Das Rheingold,” opening Thursday. “Das Rheingold” is the first opera in Wagner’s four-part “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” or “The Ring,” which took the composer 26 years to complete. After being mocked by the three Rhinemaidens while attempting to woo them, the dwarf Alberich renounces love, steals their gold and forges it into a ring. When Wotan, king of the gods, takes the ring from him, Alberich curses its owner with destruction. As the curse drives the tragedy that unfolds through the remaining three operas — “Die Walküre,” “Siegfried” and “Götterdämmerung” — Alberich is a pivotal character who set

Gimbap has become onigiri, a revolving door has been replaced by an escalator and even Woo Young-woo's signature greeting has received a Japanese makeover. "Extraordinary Attorney Woo," the Korean drama that became a global hit in 2022 with its story of an autistic rookie lawyer with an extraordinary memory, has been remade for Japanese television — retaining much of the original while adapting some of its most recognizable details for a new audience. "Extraordinary Attorney Minami," which premiered Oct. 19 on Kansai TV and the Fuji TV network, is a remake of the ENA drama that aired in Korea in 2022. The Japanese adaptation follows Minamida Minami, a rookie lawyer on the autism spectrum, as she navigates prejudice, relationships and legal cases. But while the basic premise remains familiar, everyday details have been reworked to fit Japanese culture and life. Perhaps the most immediately recognizable change involves food. Woo Young-woo, played by Park Eun-bin in the Korean original, famously loves gimbap, the Korean dish of rice and various fillings rolled in dried seaweed. In the Japa