South Korea

Lebanon’s Dabke Brings a Cultural Celebration to Korea as 19th Arab Cultural Festival Unfolds

SEOUL — Lebanon is bringing one of its most recognizable cultural traditions to Korean audiences this week, as celebrated dance troupe Hayakel Baalbeck tours the country for the 19th Arab Cultural Festival. The performances, running from Sept. 5 to 10, are part of a broader cultural exchange marking the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Lebanon and South Korea. The Lebanese Embassy in Seoul organized appearances in Seoul, Gwangju and Gyeongju, giving Korean audiences an opportun

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Business

South Korea’s Big Banks Just Saw Household Loans Drop by ₩728 Billion — But the Debt Problem Is Far From Over

SEOUL — Household borrowing at South Korea’s biggest banks has suddenly moved in the opposite direction. Outstanding household loans at the country's five major lenders stood at approximately 781.39 trillion won ($580.49 billion) as of Sept. 3, down 727.6 billion won from the end of August, according to data compiled by the banks and reported by Korea Herald and Yonhap. The lenders are KB Kookmin Bank, Shinhan Bank, Hana Bank, Woori Bank and NH NongHyup Bank. On the surface, the drop looks si

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South Korea

South Korea Tightens Vape Rules, but Nicotine-Imitation Products Create a New Regulatory Gap

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea has tightened its rules on electronic cigarettes, bringing natural and synthetic nicotine products under the country's tobacco-control framework. But regulators now face a new problem: products marketed as nicotine-free or using nicotine-like chemicals can fall outside the main tobacco law, even as testing has found actual nicotine in some products sold under “nicotine-free” labels. The emerging loophole is raising concerns about consumer protection, youth acce

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South Korea

Lee Jae Myung’s Inclusive Cabinet Faces a Credibility Test as Two Nominees Draw Fire

SEOUL, South Korea — President Lee Jae Myung's attempt to broaden his Cabinet is facing an unexpected credibility test, with two high-profile nominees becoming the focus of controversies that threaten to overshadow the political message behind his latest reshuffle. Lee announced a major Cabinet reshuffle on August 30, replacing six ministers as his administration entered its second year. The changes affected key portfolios including finance, justice, national defense, land and housing, gender e

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South Korea

South Korea Bill Could Let Parents Choose Mother’s Surname When Baby Is Born

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea could be moving toward a significant change in one of its most deeply rooted family traditions, after ruling-party lawmakers introduced legislation that would give parents more flexibility in deciding whether their child takes the mother's surname. The proposed amendment would allow married couples to make that decision when registering the child's birth, rather than requiring them to settle the issue at the time they register their marriage. The bill, introduc

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Business

South Korea Is Selling 60 Eggs for Just ₩9,990 Ahead of Chuseok — But Shoppers May Have to Move Fast

SEOUL — South Korean shoppers struggling with grocery bills are being offered an unusually aggressive deal ahead of the Chuseok holiday: 60 eggs for just 9,990 won, or less than 5,000 won per 30-egg tray. But there is a catch. The heavily discounted eggs are being distributed through roughly 4,000 neighborhood supermarkets, not the country’s major hypermarket chains, and the nationwide supply is limited to about 120,000 trays. The initiative, called “the Kind Egg” project, brings together Han

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Business

SK Is Bringing AI From Chips and Data Centers Into Korea’s Factories — But Ulsan’s Biggest Test Comes Next

ULSAN, South Korea — South Korea’s industrial heartland is preparing for an ambitious experiment: taking artificial intelligence beyond chatbots and software and putting it directly onto factory floors, production lines and industrial equipment. SK and the Ulsan Chamber of Commerce and Industry are set to bring manufacturers, policymakers, academics, AI companies and local leaders together on September 11 for the 2026 Ulsan Forum, where one of the central questions will be how quickly artificia

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South Korea

AI Could Democratize Legal Services in South Korea—But Regulation May Hold the Key

SEOUL, South Korea — Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how lawyers work around the world, and South Korea is facing a difficult question: Can AI make legal help more accessible without weakening the safeguards surrounding professional legal services? The debate was highlighted in a Sept. 6 Korea Times opinion column by Hong Dae-soon, a Kwangwoon University professor, who argues that South Korea should reconsider how its legal-services regulations apply to artificial intelligence. His

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South Korea

11-Year-Old Dies After Alleged Abuse at South Korean Church — But Authorities Had Already Received Multiple Warnings

An 11-year-old boy who had been living at a church in Cheonan, South Korea, died after what authorities say was a prolonged period of alleged abuse and neglect. A new report has now revealed additional details about the treatment the child allegedly endured in the days before his death — including claims that the pastor described him as a “demon.” The case has also triggered broader scrutiny of whether police, local authorities, the education system and the courts did enough after repeated warn

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Business

Tesla and BYD Gain Ground in South Korea as Hyundai, Kia Strikes Disrupt Auto Market

SEOUL, South Korea — A prolonged labor dispute at South Korea’s biggest automakers has created an unexpected opening for two of the world's most aggressive electric-vehicle competitors: Tesla and China’s BYD. Domestic vehicle sales plunged in August as strikes and production disruptions hit major Korean manufacturers, while imported-car sales moved in the opposite direction. The result was a striking shift in South Korea's auto market: Tesla and BYD captured a large portion of the growth in im

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