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Korean, global tech firms agree on $950 bil. cooperation projects: official

SAN FRANCISCO — Korean conglomerates and global tech giants, including Nvidia Corp., agreed Friday to pursue a series of cooperation projects that together are worth $950 billion, a senior presidential official said. The projects include a long-term deal under which SK Group will supply $750 billion worth of high-performance semiconductors to global tech firms, including Nvidia, presidential chief of staff for policy Kim Yong-beom said at a press briefing. The agreement was reached during a high-level meeting in San Francisco that brought together the chiefs of global tech firms and the heads of Korean conglomerates, including Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang were also among those who attended the meeting. During the meeting, Korean firms and global tech companies also agreed to pursue joint investment in large-scale AI data centers with a combined capacity of 5 gigawatts and 2 million graphics processing units (GPUs), Kim said. Korea's internet portal Naver will also establish globa

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UNESCO approves major expansion of Korea's tidal flats World Heritage site

BUSAN — A UNESCO committee approved a major expansion to Korea’s "Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats" World Heritage site on Saturday, adding four key coastal regions to bolster protection for endangered migratory birds and marine life. The decision by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, meeting for its 48th session in Busan, adopts a significant boundary modification for the natural heritage property first inscribed in 2021, which originally covered four zones: Gochang, Boseong-Suncheon and Sinan in Jeolla provinces and Seocheon in South Chungcheong Province. The Phase 2 expansion incorporates crucial tidal flats in Yeosu, Goheung and Muan in South Jeolla Province, as well as Seosan in South Chungcheong Province. The World Heritage Committee recognized that the tidal flats satisfy the World Heritage criterion for the conservation of biodiversity and endangered species. In particular, it highly valued the natural heritage site for contributing to the conservation of internationally important migratory waterbirds and diverse marine life as a key habitat within the West Sea ecosystem and the

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When culture loses to real estate: What closure of Han Kang's bookstore says about Korea

“Can the Han River ever beat the sea? Come visit Busan!” The celebratory remark by Busan's Kyungnam High School baseball team after winning a championship charmed many with its youthful wit. In reality, however, Nobel laureate Han Kang, who shares a name with the wide river running through Seoul, has been defeated by something else: real estate. Onul Books, the small independent bookstore run by Han in central Seoul's Seochon neighborhood, closed its doors this month after a change in ownership forced all tenants to vacate the building. It was not a closure the author had wanted. The bookstore first opened in Seoul's affluent Gangnam District in 2018. Struggling with mounting costs, it relocated in 2023 to a modest 33-square-meter space in Seochon, but could not survive there either. Once again, it fell victim to the power of money. When Han won the Nobel Prize in literature in 2024, the bookstore briefly shut its doors amid the public frenzy surrounding the award. The lights eventually came back on, that time. This time, they have gone out for good. During its final week, devoted p

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Justice minister offers to resign amid move to scrap prosecution's right to supplementary investigations: sources

Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho is said to have offered to resign, according to political sources Friday, amid a move by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) to scrap the prosecution's right to supplementary investigations. Jung recently offered his resignation to President Lee Jae Myung, according to the sources. Earlier in the day, the DPK adopted as its official party line a revision to the Criminal Procedure Act aimed at stripping the prosecution of its right to conduct direct investigations, including supplementary investigations. Jung has expressed concerns that scrapping the prosecution's right to supplementary investigations could negatively affect victims. The DPK has been pushing ahead with the prosecution reform legislation that calls for dismantling the prosecution and creating two new agencies each tasked with handling investigations and indictments.

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ReviewNolan reinterprets ancient myth as deeply human drama in 'The Odyssey'

Renowned director Christopher Nolan has returned to the big screen with "The Odyssey," taking on one of humanity's oldest epics and reinterpreting it into an immersive, deeply human drama. Based on Homer's ancient Greek epic poem, the 172-minute film follows Odysseus (Matt Damon) on his grueling 20-year journey back to his homeland of Ithaca after leading the Greeks to victory in the Trojan War. Along the way, Odysseus faces tough challenges from gods and monsters, including the giant Polyphemus, the witch Circe and the sea goddess Calypso. Meanwhile, back in his home of Ithaca, his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) stands up against dangerous men trying to take his throne, while his son Telemachus (Tom Holland) struggles with growing up without a father. Nolan uses his signature nonlinear storytelling to condense the vast 20-year narrative into a tight, compelling structure. Instead of showing Odysseus as an unbeatable mythic hero, the film focuses on the mind of a lonely, tired soldier. He is driven not by victory, but by trauma and a deep longing to find redemption and return home. The dir

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Daiso becomes go-to destination for tourists seeking K-diet products

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. Daiso has emerged as a must-visit shopping destination for foreign tourists visiting Korea, thanks to its reputation for offering a wide range of products at affordable prices. As interest in weight management and healthy eating continues to grow, diet-related products are also drawing attention. Reflecting the trend, domestic health supplement companies are introducing K-diet products through Daiso. Health Balance, a Korean health supplement company, recently launched V-Rex Press Pop Multivitamin under its secondary brand V-Rex by SkinnyLab, exclusively for Daiso. The product is available in apple and grape flavors at Daiso's online mall and stores nationwide. Each pack contains four capsules and is priced at 5,000 won. A key feature of the product is its use of the patented Pop Cap technology, which has won beverage manufacturing innovation awards at international food exhibitions including SIAL Paris and SIAL Jakarta. The cap attaches to the opening of a plastic bottle containing up to 500 milliliters of still or sparkling water. By pressin

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Defense export boom tests supply chain resilience

The explosion at Hanwha Aerospace’s missile production facility in Daejeon in June has raised fresh questions about the resilience of Korea’s defense supply chain, where many critical weapons components often rely on a single qualified manufacturer. Authorities have not confirmed any impact on production or export deliveries, but defense officials and industry sources say the accident has exposed a long-standing vulnerability at a time when Korea's defense exports are growing faster than ever. Guided missiles are produced through a network of specialized manufacturers responsible for propulsion systems, warheads, fuzes and guidance equipment. Because many of those components require proprietary technologies, dedicated production facilities and lengthy qualification processes, replacing a supplier is neither quick nor easy. “If one supplier stops production, another company cannot simply step in and make the same component,” an industry source familiar with the defense sector said. “This accident isn’t the real issue. The risk has always been there.” The issue resurfaced aft

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Drones target northern Iraqi city where US forces are based as US-Iran fighting escalates

IRBIL, Iraq — Drones carrying explosives targeted a city in northern Iraq where U.S. forces are stationed, and sirens rang out in Bahrain on Friday, hours after the American military said it finished its 13th night of strikes against Iran . The conflict has flared again over the past week, as the U.S. pounded Iran while Tehran attacked ships in the Strait of Hormuz and targeted U.S. assets and allies in the region. The strait, which is a crucial passage for the world’s energy supplies, is at the center of the latest fighting since Iranian attacks can effectively shut the waterway, sending fuel prices soaring worldwide and causing widespread economic turmoil. The Iranian-allied Houthi rebels added further pressure this week by targeting two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, making good on a threat to cut off an alternative route for the region’s oil. Despite the war's unpopularity — and its widespread damage to Iran and the global economy — the latest round of fighting has no clear off-ramp. Iran’s Health Ministry said 55 people have been killed and over 600 wounded in strikes in

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Climate ministry official's death sparks scrutiny of workload, workplace culture

The death of a junior official at the newly launched Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment has cast a harsh spotlight on its organizational culture, as allegations of workplace bullying surface alongside long-standing concerns about chronic understaffing. The official, in his second year of civil service and responsible for climate adaptation and energy policy, was found dead at his home in Sejong on July 16, according to police and the ministry. Following the official's death, allegations emerged within the ministry that the civil servant had been subjected to excessive workload and workplace bullying by a supervisor. Colleagues said the official had complained of personal attacks and unrealistic demands for high-quality work without sufficient guidance. They also alleged that requests for support were met with reprimands rather than support. The supervisor accused of workplace bullying has been relieved of duties pending investigation. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the official's death, including interviews with acquaintances and a review of relevant reco

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SK chairman ordered to pay $644 mil. in cash in property division retrial

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won was ordered Friday to pay 944 billion won ($644 million) to his former wife, Art Center Nabi Director Roh Soh-yeong, in a retrial of their high-profile property division lawsuit. The Seoul High Court handed down the ruling during a hearing, concluding the latest round of the long-running dispute over the division of the couple's marital assets. The court treated Chey's stake in SK Inc., the group's holding company, as property subject to division. The court said a third of Chey’s share property is subject to Roh and two thirds to him. The court added Chey should pay in cash for any insufficient amount of share due for Roh. The court said it has calculated the property division using an earlier appellate court's closing date of April 16, 2024. “Although SK’s share price rose significantly between the close of arguments in the appellate trial and that of the remanded trial, it cannot be said that Chey’s managerial contributions had no impact," the court said. The court, however, added that “to ensure an equitable division of marital property, the sub

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Why a Catholic priest says he is 'more interested in people than in God'

Fr. Matthew Hong Sung-nam, director of the Catholic Psycho-Spiritual Counseling Center in Seoul, says he is "more interested in people than in God." "I asked, 'God, what should I do?' and the answer that came back was, 'Make people happy,'" Hong said. "Since then, I have lived worrying about people instead of worrying about God." Born in 1953, Hong followed an unconventional path to his calling. He struggled with anxiety during his youth, describing himself as an "obnoxious Catholic fanatic." As a young adult seeking financial security, he apprenticed under a Korean shaman — a traditional folk spiritualist — before abandoning the training. After seeing Jesus in a dream, he entered a seminary and was ordained as a priest in 1987. Yet ordination did not bring him peace. The demands of parish ministry soon overwhelmed him. Hong began drinking heavily as his mental health deteriorated to the point of contemplating suicide. Professional therapy from a Jesuit priest helped him overcome the crisis. Reinvigorated, Hong earned a master's degree in psychological counseling and launched a new m

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Why 'Boys Over Flowers' star Lee Min-ho still beats Hyun Bin, IU overseas

Let's start with a quiz: Which Korean actor is the most popular among international fans of the Korean Wave? While recent hitmakers like Lee Jung-jae of the "Squid Game" series (2021–2025), Kim Ji-won of "Queen of Tears" (2024) and Park Bo-gum of "When Life Gives You Tangerines" (2025) might seem like obvious candidates, the survey data points elsewhere. According to the 2026 Overseas Hallyu Survey released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, global fans selected Lee Min-ho for a 13th consecutive year as their favorite actor. Actress Song Hye-kyo and singer-actress IU followed in second and third place, respectively, in the poll of 27,400 international viewers of Korean content across 30 countries. Respondents answered open-ended questions. The proportion of respondents who named Lee was 7.1 percent, more than double that of Song at 2.6 percent and IU at 2.3 percent. This indicates how strongly global consumers of the Korean wave regard Lee as Korea's leading actor. Lee's presence extended beyond acting. In the ranking of influential Korean wave figures, he placed second o

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InterviewAnua believes K-beauty is replacing French luxury

Korean beauty labels are replacing French luxury brands in the global cosmetic and skin care market, leveraging on their technical qualities and gaining over the European legacy labels, according to the North American marketing chief of K-beauty brand Anua. Michelle Miller, chief marketing officer for Anua in the United States and Canada, said the next generation increasingly values product performance over brand reputation and legacy. She has witnessed the shift in consumer preferences through Anua's nationwide expansion. The brand is now sold at all 1,500 Ulta Beauty stores across the United States, as well as on Amazon, Ulta and Anua's online store. Since it was launched by The Founders in 2019, Anua has rapidly gained ground against established French luxury brands such as Chanel, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Guerlain. “French beauty has historically defined luxury through heritage, elegance and prestige. K-beauty brings different kinds of premium values such as innovation, efficacy, advanced textures and a deep cultural expertise in skin care,” Miller said in an interview with T

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Korea's summers are getting longer and hotter, data shows

Korea's summers are becoming longer and more intense as heat waves arrive earlier, persist longer, with tropical nights growing increasingly common. A new analysis released by the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), Friday, compared heat wave and tropical night patterns from 2016 to 2025 with those recorded from 1973 to 1982. It found that heat waves now begin 10 to 30 days earlier nationwide and end about 10 days later than five decades ago. A heat wave is defined as a day with a high of at least 33 degrees Celsius, while a tropical night refers to one in which temperatures stay above 25 degrees overnight. In Gangneung and parts of the Yeongnam region, including Daegu, Hapcheon, Miryang, Yeongdeok and Pohang, where heat waves tend to arrive earlier than in other parts of the country, the onset of heat waves has shifted to early June over the past decade, more than 10 days earlier than during the 1973 to 1982 period, when they typically began in mid- to late June. A similar shift has been seen across inland central regions, including Seoul, Icheon, Chuncheon and Cheongju, where he

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4 in 10 Korean men paid for sex at least once; youth exploitation age drops to 14: survey

Nearly four in 10 adult Korean men have paid for sex at least once in their lifetime, while the starting age for sexually exploited minors dropped to 14, falling below the previous benchmark of 16, a recent survey showed. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family convened the third Specialized Committee on Prevention of Violence Against Women on Friday. The task force discussed measures to combat prostitution based on the triennial 2025 Sex Trade Survey, conducted between April and December 2025 by the Korean Institute of Criminology and Justice and the Hansei University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation. The survey of 1,500 adult Korean men showed 37.7 percent have paid for sex at least once in their lifetime. The rate remained virtually unchanged from 37.4 percent in 2022, but dropped 13 percentage points from 50.7 percent in 2016. Men who paid for sex within the past year accounted for 8.5 percent — or 128 respondents — marking a sharp decline from 20.9 percent in 2016. Men aged 20 to 24 recorded the highest rate of paying for sex for the first time at 45.4 percent, follo

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Editor's Pick

'I was only 9': N. Korean defector recalls childhood memory of public execution

Interview'I was only 9': N. Korean defector recalls childhood memory of public execution

Kim Eun-joo was 9 years old when her teacher stopped their lesson and told the class to follow her outside. The children were marched to a public execution ground in North Korea. “I would cry even when our family dog died,” Kim said in a recent interview with The Korea Times. “But the first time I watched humans killing a human, I had no words for what I was feeling. It was the most brutal scene I have ever seen, in any movie or in real life.” The memory has stayed with her ever since. Now a human rights advocate after defecting from North Korea, Kim recently brought that childhood scene to the 9th World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Paris, where North Korea’s use of public executions and capital punishment was officially placed on the agenda for the first time. For Kim, that memory is not just trauma but a key to understanding of how Pyongyang uses death itself to intimidate and control its people. “The regime uses the executions to numb the feelings and ideas of human compassion and respect for life. That cruelty is indoctrinated and framed as something necessary,

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Life in Korea

Yongsan District launches Seoul's 1st global education hub

Yongsan District launches Seoul's 1st global education hub

Nestled in the center of Korea’s capital, Yongsan District has long played an important role in the nation’s international identity. Home to dozens of foreign embassies, leafy diplomatic enclaves and vibrant multicultural corridors, it serves as the country's default gateway to the world. Now, local policymakers are attempting to translate that distinct feature into a bold educational blueprint. Yongsan District officials on Friday formally accelerated their push to become Seoul’s first designated Special International Education Zone. The effort anchors on the newly established Yongsan Global Education Support Center, an ambitious hub designed to transform the district’s unique cosmopolitan fabric into an incubator for globally minded youth. The initiative represents a fundamental shift in how local governments approach public education. Rather than treating global engagement as an afterthought, Yongsan is embedding international governance, digital fluency and cultural literacy directly into the local curriculum. "Education is the most valuable investment we can make for future

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Lifestyle

Pianist Yunchan Lim continues 'Mozart pilgrimage' with music for 2 pianos

The seating arrangement of the two pianos was the same as at their duo recital a year ago, but this time pianist Yunchan Lim, 22, and his teacher Sohn Min-soo, a professor at the New England Conservatory in Boston, took the stage not simply as teacher and student, but as artistic partners. At the KBS Symphony Orchestra's special concert marking its 70th anniversary at Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul, July 22, Lim stood at the center of the performance, revealing a more flexible and profound musical maturity, supported by Sohn's steadfast presence. Led by Japanese conductor Masato Suzuki, the orchestra also departed from its usual stage setup. The second violins were placed on the far right of the stage, while the cellos were moved beside the first violins to create a more spatially defined sound. The concert opened with the overture to Mozart's "Don Giovanni," an opera with historical significance for the orchestra, which performed it during the National Opera of Korea's first Korean production in 1962. The orchestra's nimble and energetic playing immediately set a celebratory tone. The high

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Pianist Yunchan Lim continues 'Mozart pilgrimage' with music for 2 pianos

K-Culture

'Biggest turning point in my life': After 22 years, ex-2NE1 member Sandara Park finally making her own music

It took Sandara Park 22 years to finally use her voice to sing a song of her own. Those years saw her debut and build a career in the Philippines, move to Korea, perform as a member of a K-pop group and eventually go solo. Now, the seasoned veteran is ready to let go of the industry’s established formulas for success, which she knows all too well, and embark on a new journey as an artist making music of her own. “This is the biggest turning point in my life,” Park said in an interview with the Hankook Ilbo. “Over the past 22 years, I’ve worn many hats, from singer and television host to variety-show personality and musical actor. But the one thing I never got to do was create my own music and sing my own songs.” Park had accumulated plenty of stories over the years, many of which she had kept to herself. There was no shortage of material. Whenever something came to mind, she made sure to write it down in her smartphone notes or diaries. The problem was that she did not quite know how to convey those thoughts to her listeners. That uncertainty was what had held her back from

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'Biggest turning point in my life': After 22 years, ex-2NE1 member Sandara Park finally making her own music

Celebrities

Lee Hyori apologizes a year after opening yoga studio, urges students to follow rules

Singer Lee Hyori expressed both regret and concern toward students at her yoga studio, asking them to respect its rules. On July 23, Lee posted a notice through the studio's social media account, saying, "There are occasionally people who come even though their membership has expired or they were unable to purchase a one-day pass. There are no exceptions, so please make sure to follow the studio's rules." She also offered a pointed reminder, writing, "If you came here to learn, you're a student. If you want to teach, please do so at your own yoga studio." Lee has previously spoken about the challenges of running the studio. On July 22, she shared, "At our Ananda Yoga studio, we meditated while listening to the sound of rain and birds and also practiced 30 minutes of stillness." She added, "Lately, I wonder if things have become a little overheated. I feel both sorry and grateful." Lee debuted as a member of the girl group Fin.K.L in 1998 and married singer-songwriter Lee Sang-soon in 2013. After showcasing their life on Jeju Island through various television programs, the couple wrapped

1 MIN READ
Lee Hyori apologizes a year after opening yoga studio, urges students to follow rules

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Opinion

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Top 10 Stories

  1. 4 in 10 Korean men paid for sex at least once; youth exploitation age drops to 14: survey

  2. USFK soldier fined for drunk driving from Gwangju to Busan

  3. SK chairman ordered to pay $644 mil. in cash in property division retrial

  4. Korea's summers are getting longer and hotter, data shows

  5. When culture loses to real estate: What closure of Han Kang's bookstore says about Korea

  6. Korea says US to honor 15% tariff cap regarding new Section 301 duties

  7. Defense export boom tests supply chain resilience

  8. Lee meets OpenAI, Nvidia CEOs, calls for greater roles in Korea's AI investment projects

  9. Nvidia chief says will announce $500 bil. partnership with SK Group in meeting with Lee

  10. US announces 12.5% tariffs on Korea, Japan over forced labor concerns

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