South Korea

Civic Groups Renew Push for UNESCO Listing of Comfort Women Records as Survivors Dwindle

SEOUL, South Korea — A coalition of civic groups is once again pressing UNESCO to move forward with a long-delayed effort to place historical records documenting Japan's wartime sexual slavery system on the Memory of the World Register. The renewed campaign comes as the number of surviving victims continues to fall, adding urgency to efforts to preserve their testimonies and related historical records. At a press conference in Seoul on Sept. 6, the groups called on UNESCO to accelerate conside

Entertainment

Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Surpasses 10 Million Admissions in Korea — And Its Record-Breaking Run Isn’t Over Yet

SEOUL, South Korea — Christopher Nolan's epic blockbuster “The Odyssey” has officially crossed the 10-million-admission mark in South Korea, becoming the second film released in the country this year to reach the prestigious milestone — and the first foreign movie of 2026 to do so. The achievement cements The Odyssey as one of South Korea's biggest box-office success stories of the year and marks a remarkable comeback for the country's movie theaters, which have struggled in recent years agains

South Korea

Family Waited 10 Days for the Worst — Then a Chinese Worker Was Found Alive Inside a Nepal Tunnel

KATHMANDU, Nepal — After 10 agonizing days of uncertainty, a family in China finally received the news they had been desperately hoping for: Lu Haitao was alive. The Chinese worker had been trapped inside a hydropower tunnel in Nepal after catastrophic floods devastated communities near the Nepal-China border, killing more than 1,300 people and leaving thousands more missing. For Lu's family, who had spent days fearing the worst and searching for information about his fate, the rescue was noth

South Korea

Blondie & Garfield Return to the Spotlight in Korea Times’ September 7 Comics Feature

SEOUL, South Korea — Two of the world's most recognizable comic favorites are back on the page as The Korea Times features its latest Blondie & Garfield comic installment dated September 7, 2026. The feature brings together two legendary names in newspaper comics, continuing the tradition of giving readers a daily dose of humor through some of the most enduring characters in syndicated entertainment. While the Korea Times listing is primarily a comics feature rather than a traditional news rep

South Korea

South Korea Closes In on Taiwan as AI Chip Boom Supercharges Exports — Could It Soon Take the Lead?

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea is rapidly closing the gap with Taiwan in one of Asia's most closely watched economic indicators, as a historic semiconductor boom powered by artificial intelligence pushes the country's exports and current-account surplus to new heights. Global investment banks have sharply raised their forecasts for South Korea's current-account surplus as a share of gross domestic product, with some analysts now expecting the country to overtake Taiwan this year. The big que

South Korea

An Se-young Wins China Masters Before Asian Games — 33 Straight Wins Put Korea’s Star on Historic Path

SHENZHEN, China — South Korea's badminton queen An Se-young has delivered another warning to her Asian Games rivals. The world No. 1 defeated Japan's Tomoka Miyazaki 21-17, 21-6 in Sunday's women's singles final at the China Masters in Shenzhen, winning her third consecutive title at the tournament and extending her remarkable winning streak to 33 matches. The victory was completed in just 45 minutes, and An did not drop a single game throughout the five-match tournament. More importantly, th

South Korea

South Korea Could Lead the World in AI for Older People — But There’s a Catch

South Korea's rapidly aging population could give the country an unexpected advantage in the global artificial intelligence race — if it can make sure AI works for older people rather than leaving them behind. That is the assessment of Zvezdan Pirtosek, the U.N. Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, who says South Korea is uniquely positioned to develop and test AI systems designed around the needs, rights and experiences of older adults. Pirtosek made the r

South Korea

Korean Firms Hold Onto Dollars as Won Surges to 23-Month High — Here’s What Could Happen Next

South Korean companies are accumulating U.S. dollars instead of rushing to convert their export earnings into won, creating an unusual twist in the country's rapidly changing foreign-exchange market. Dollar deposits at the country's five largest commercial banks reached a record $76.98 billion as of Thursday, according to financial-sector data reported Sunday. Corporate accounts accounted for the overwhelming majority, with business dollar deposits reaching a record $63.3 billion. The develop

South Korea

South Korea Police Launches Sweeping Reform Task Force as Investigative Power Shift Nears

SEOUL — South Korea's police are preparing to launch a dedicated reform task force this week, signaling a major internal overhaul as the agency faces mounting public scrutiny and prepares to assume significantly greater investigative responsibility. The Korean National Police Agency said Sunday that the new body will conduct a broad review of police systems, working practices, the chain of command and supervisory gaps. The task force will be led by an officer holding the rank of senior superin

Business

Japan Airlines Buys Into Korean Air’s Parent as Alliance Deepens — But the Timing Could Reshape a Brewing Hanjin KAL Power Contest

Japan Airlines Buys Into Korean Air’s Parent as Alliance Deepens — But the Timing Could Reshape a Brewing Hanjin KAL Power Contest SEO Meta Description: Japan Airlines has reportedly acquired an undisclosed stake in Korean Air parent Hanjin KAL while expanding its strategic alliance with Korean Air ahead of the December Asiana merger, raising questions about Hanjin Group’s shareholder balance. SEO Keywords: Japan Airlines Korean Air partnership, JAL Hanjin KAL stake, Korean Air Asiana merger,