Category: South Korea

Business

Singapore Steps Up Cabbage Tests After China Formaldehyde Scare — But Has Any Tainted Produce Reached Our Shelves?

SINGAPORE — A food-safety controversy that began with a viral video in northern China has now put cabbage imports under closer scrutiny in Singapore, after authorities confirmed that formaldehyde had been illegally used on some vegetables during transportation. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on September 1 that it had stepped up surveillance and testing of cabbages as part of its food-safety monitoring programme following reports about the practice in China. But there is an important dis

September 1, 2026

South Korea

JEJU OFFICER ADMITS CLOSING MISSING PERSON CASES TO AVOID EXTRA WORK

Jeju Police Officer Admits Faking Missing-Person Case Closures to Avoid Extra Work—25 More Cases Under Review JEJU, South Korea — A South Korean police officer has admitted to falsely closing missing-person cases because he wanted to avoid the additional workload of keeping them open, authorities said Tuesday. The revelation has intensified scrutiny of police procedures on Jeju Island after two missing people whose cases were allegedly mishandled were later found dead. The officer, identified

September 1, 2026

Business

EXPANSIONARY FISCAL PLAN PUSHES ANNUAL SPENDING PAST W1,000 tr BY 2030

Expansionary Fiscal Plan Pushes Annual Spending Past ₩1,000 Trillion by 2030 SEOUL — South Korea has unveiled its largest-ever annual government spending increase, proposing an 820.9 trillion won ($595–$598 billion) budget for 2027 as the country seeks to turn a semiconductor windfall into longer-term economic growth. The proposed budget would increase government spending by 12.8% from the 2026 main budget, a record pace that surpasses the 10.6% increase introduced during the aftermath of the

September 1, 2026

Politics

Unification Church Leader Gets 2 Years Over Political Cash and Luxury Gifts — But the Court’s Bigger Finding Could Haunt the Church

SEOUL — One of the most powerful figures in the global Unification Church has been sentenced to prison in South Korea, delivering another major blow to a religious movement already facing extraordinary legal and political pressure across Asia. The Seoul Central District Court on Monday, August 31, sentenced 83-year-old Han Hak-ja, leader of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, widely known as the Unification Church, to a combined two years in prison over illegal political fund

August 31, 2026

Business

South Korea May Give Deportees ₱280-Plus In-Flight Meals—But Not Everyone Is Happy About It

SEOUL — South Korean immigration authorities are considering expanding access to in-flight meals for foreign nationals awaiting deportation, a proposal that has quickly triggered debate over humanitarian treatment, security and the cost of providing meals to people facing forced removal from the country. The plan is being reviewed by the Incheon Airport Immigration Office under South Korea’s Ministry of Justice. It would apply to foreigners held in the airport’s departure waiting area before be

August 31, 2026