K-pop idols are stepping beyond the stage to explore Korean language and culture through a three-part YouTube series produced by the King Sejong Institute Foundation in collaboration with SBS. The series features popular artists engaging with Korean language learners worldwide through competitions, proficiency assessments and special lessons. The second episode, set for release Saturday at 2 p.m., will feature Ricky of AND2BLE and Mǎ Jingxiang of CLOSE YOUR EYES competing against eight outstanding Korean language learners. The participants were selected from the winners of the 2026 King Sejong Institute Korean Speaking and Writing Contest, which attracted 3,715 applicants from 75 countries and 178 institutions. The episode will also reunite Ricky and Mǎ Jingxiang, who previously competed on the same team in an audition program in 2023. In November, boy group VERIVERY will become honorary Korean language teachers at the King Sejong Institute in Jakarta, Indonesia. The five members will conduct a special class using their own song lyrics, explaining their meanings and introducing useful

Musinsa, which is preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) at an estimated valuation of around 10 trillion won ($7.49 billion), is drawing renewed attention in Korea's fashion and retail industries for its remarkable growth story. What began in 2001 as a small online sneaker community founded by a high school student has grown into a major platform that has helped protect Korea's domestic market from global retail giants while supporting an independent local fashion ecosystem. Its name originated from a Korean phrase meaning "a place where countless shoe photos are stored." Now marking its 25th anniversary, it has evolved into a major force in the fashion industry. According to industry sources Wednesday, Korea's fashion retail market is considered unusually resilient compared with those of other countries, where global fashion brands and large retail chains have gained stronger footholds. An analysis by global market research firm Euromonitor International shows that homegrown brands account for 70.1 percent of Korea's fashion retail market, significantly higher than the roughly

A check-in system malfunction that occurred at Incheon International Airport was fully resolved by Friday afternoon, the airport operator said, after causing major delays in passenger processing. 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 for eight airlines at Terminal 1 and five airlines at Terminal 2, according to Incheon International Airport Corp. By the afternoon, ticketing was effectively halted at three airlines -- China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and Air China. The airport later said all three had resumed ticketing operations. 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. As of 5 p.m., 38 flights had been delayed, leaving some 1,200 travelers stranded. The airport operator said the disruption appeared to have been caused by a glitch in the global network of American aviation service provider ARINC.

INCHEON — South Korea and the United States have complementary strengths and are capable of driving "great" progress in the nuclear sector amid a heated global race to develop next-generation reactors, a U.S. State Department official said. Christopher Klein, the deputy assistant secretary for nuclear nonproliferation and commercial competitiveness at the U.S. Department of State, made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday, saying the global landscape has transitioned into a "nuclear renaissance." "We are countries that both have a lot of experience and expertise, and when we work together ... we can achieve great things," Klein said during the interview on the margins of the International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power held in Incheon, west of Seoul. The three-day event, organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), was held in South Korea for the first time this year. Klein's comment comes amid growing attention to Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) — a new class of nuclear power plants — as countries seek reliable, carbon-fr

GWANGJU — On the brink of elimination from the South Korean baseball postseason, the Kia Tigers put together a much different lineup Friday than the ones from their earlier games. The Tigers are trailing the Samsung Lions 2-1 in the best-of-five series in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), having dropped two straight games after winning the first game Monday. The winner of this series will advance to the Korean Series starting next week. Manager Lee Bum-ho moved up his top three sluggers a spot each — with Kim Do-yeong batting second, Harold Castro batting third and Na Sung-bum in the cleanup spot against starter Chris Paddack. The Tigers have received almost nothing from the No. 2 spot, which has been occupied by different players in all three games so far. They have batted a combined 1-for-12. Kim is leading the Tigers in this series with five hits, including a home run. With Paddack pitching on three days' rest after losing Game 1, Lee said he wanted to lean on players who already saw the American pitcher in that opening game. Paddack was charged with the loss after allowing fiv

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

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

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

Korean auteur Lee Chang-dong's short film "Heartbeat" will be released on Netflix next week, days ahead of Lee's Venice-winning film "Possible Love," the streaming platform said Friday. The 2022 film centers around a young boy whose mother lives with depression and a father who stages labor strikes atop a tower crane. It is Lee's first short film. The 28-minute film, which premiered at the 23rd Jeonju International Film Festival without theatrical release, stars actors Jeon Do-yeon and Sul Kyung-gu, the leads for Lee's critically acclaimed feature "Possible Love." Lee helmed the film as part of a project by the World Health Organization and the Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation, which asked directors around the world to work on films themed on depression. "Heartbeat" will be available on Netflix from Monday, while "Possible Love" is set for release on Friday.

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

Under President Donald Trump's administration, stricter immigration policies have led to an increase in the U.S. rejecting visa applications for visitors from around the globe. It is one thing for a government to reject potentially dangerous travelers, but it is another matter when the applicants are lawmakers from allied countries whose travel is halted by a visa denial. Rep. Jin Sung-joon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and chairman of South Korea's National Assembly Defense Committee saw his visa application, submitted on Oct. 12, rejected. He planned to visit the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii from Sunday to Thursday with a delegation of members from the defense committee. "It disregards the standing of Korea’s National Assembly and undermines the mutual respect and trust that form the foundation of the U.S.-Korea alliance," Jin wrote in a Facebook post after the rejection. Former DPK chairman Rep. Jung Chung-rae also had his U.S. visa application denied ahead of his planned visit to the United States for a parliamentary audit of Seoul's diplomatic mission. Refus

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for a global political alliance to defend rules-based trade, urging Germany and Indo-Pacific economies to strengthen economic partnerships and diversify supply chains as geopolitical tensions and intensifying U.S.-China competition reshape the global economy. Speaking at the opening of the 19th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business (APK) in Seoul on Friday, Merz proposed establishing a "global political alliance for rules-based trade" to defend and strengthen the international trading system and coordinate joint action when it comes under threat. “When supply chains become political pawns, when access to key technologies is imperiled or when efforts to secure raw materials become a projection of power rather than of fair partnership, this jeopardizes growth, prosperity and, ultimately, the security,” he said. “Countries that decouple lose security, innovative strength, prosperity and scope for action. We do not wish to withdraw but rather to expand our freedom of action.” Turning to bilateral ties, the chancellor said Germany and Korea

Prosecutors on Friday indicted Rep. Jang Kyung-tae without physical detention over allegations that he sexually harassed a female aide of another lawmaker. Jang, an independent who left the ruling Democratic Party of Korea in March over the scandal, is accused of sexually harassing the aide at a restaurant in western Seoul in October 2024, according to the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office. The lawmaker also faces charges of partially exposing the aide's identity in violation of the sexual violence punishment law. The indictment comes after the aide filed a complaint with the police last year. A police committee, convened at the lawmaker's request, recommended in March that he be referred to prosecutors over the allegations. The prosecution said it decided to indict Jang, who has denied the sexual harassment allegations, after questioning those involved in the case and reviewing evidence, including video footage of the incident.

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

North Korea on Friday denounced the ongoing combined air drills between South Korea and the United States, vowing to "thoroughly" deter the allies' exercise with force, Pyongyang's state media reported. A spokesperson at North Korea's defense ministry issued the statement as Seoul and Washington launched the biannual Freedom Flag exercise on Monday for a two-week run. "The U.S. and the ROK military warmongers launched the provocative large-scale joint air drill Freedom Flag against our state on Oct. 26 by mobilizing huge air forces," read the statement carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). ROK is short for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea. North Korea said the drills involved the Army, Navy and Marines from allied forces and mobilized air refueling tanker and attack drones, citing them as evidence for their "military purpose" contrary to the defensive character as proclaimed by the allies. "Our armed forces will thoroughly deter threats with force and only act in such manner that the enemy states can understand," it said. North Korea has long

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

"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

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.

While artificial intelligence (AI) holds great potential to transform health care, its clinical adoption in Korea remains slow due to inadequate reimbursement and limited access to medical data, experts said. The remarks came during a symposium hosted by Eulji University Medical Center to mark its 70th anniversary, under the theme "Future Healthcare with AI," in Seoul. AI has already been transforming Korea's health care system. It has significantly improved public access to medical information, while helping physicians at primary and secondary health care institutions stay up to date with the latest medical research and developments. Despite these advances, AI adoption in clinical settings remains slow. While AI-based medical devices have gained regulatory approval in Korea, few are covered by national health insurance. Based on Ministry of Food and Drug Safety data, 549 AI medical devices have received regulatory approval until the first half of this year, but only 49 are covered by national health insurance. "This is a global challenge. Regulatory approval does not necessarily mean a t

Hanwha Systems has won a contract to develop synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites for Korea's microsatellite constellation aimed at enhancing national security and disaster response capabilities, data showed Friday. The defense solutions arm of Hanwha Group was selected for the SAR satellite development project commissioned by the state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD), according to the Public Procurement Service. The microsatellite development project is a joint initiative involving the defense ministry, the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) and the Korea Coast Guard to strengthen surveillance of security threats and natural disasters on the Korean Peninsula and in surrounding waters. SAR satellites can capture images of land and sea regardless of weather conditions or time of day. Operating a constellation of small satellites allows for more frequent monitoring of specific areas and faster intelligence gathering. Hanwha Systems has previously supplied SAR sensors and data links for Korea's military reconnaissance satellites.