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AnalysisJeju missing person cases raise doubts over police readiness for sole investigative power

Distrust of police is deepening over the premature closure of multiple missing person cases on Jeju Island, raising questions about the force's readiness to take full control of criminal investigations. President Lee Jae Myung ordered the creation of a government body in charge of measures to reform the police on Tuesday, a day after police found the body of Jang Mi-ran, a 37-year-old woman missing for months. The case sparked controversy after it emerged that a police officer had closed it without confirming her whereabouts. Police said Tuesday they had removed all four officers in the chain of command at Jeju Seobu Police Station from their duties pending an investigation. The Jeju Provincial Police said Tuesday an autopsy on the body found at a palm farm on Jeju Island confirmed it was Jang. They said its position when found suggested she died by hanging. “The recent breakdown in police discipline and irresponsibility in public safety matters have become serious problems,” Lee said during a Cabinet meeting, adding that police are likely to wield more power than any other state ins

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Korea set to draw up 'super budget' of over $578 bil. on chip boom

Next year’s budget is projected to top a record 800 trillion won ($578 billion), with national tax revenue expected to exceed 600 trillion won on the back of higher corporate tax receipts fueled by the semiconductor boom, government insiders said Tuesday. They said the Ministry of Planning and Budget is in the final stages of preparing the budget proposal. Last month, the ministry suggested a spending increase of 10 percent or more from this year’s 729.9 trillion won initial budget, signaling that next year’s budget could exceed 800 trillion won. This would mark the first double-digit increase in total expenditure since 2009, when spending rose 10.9 percent amid the global financial crisis. Total spending increased 8.1 percent this year from the previous year’s initial budget. The drivers behind the so-called “super budget” include improving revenue conditions, fueled by a semiconductor-driven surge in corporate tax payments and higher transaction tax revenues amid a bullish stock market. Budget Minister Park Hong-geun had earlier projected tax revenues to top 500 trillion won

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North Korea denuclearization missing from US readout as Trump pushes for Kim talks

The United States conspicuously omitted any reference to "the denuclearization of North Korea" from its readout of a phone call between the top diplomats of South Korea and the U.S., raising speculation that Washington is creating diplomatic room for renewed engagement with Pyongyang. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke by phone Monday to discuss a range of bilateral issues, with both sides stressing the need for close coordination between the allies. The two governments, however, differed notably in how they described discussions on North Korea. According to South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cho and Rubio "agreed to preserve the strong South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture while maintaining close communication and coordination for peace on the Korean Peninsula and to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue." Cho also told Rubio that Seoul "would work to ensure that U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent messages toward Pyongyang could lead to the resumption of U.S.-North Korea dialogue and contribute to peace on the Korean

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COVER STORY President pressed to change course as approval rating hits record low

President Lee Jae Myung is grappling with a falling approval rating and no clear sign of a turnaround, as a string of disputed government-led initiatives continues to unsettle the public. This has prompted Cheong Wa Dae to pledge a renewed focus on livelihoods and tangible economic results. Disputes over policies have piled up rather than letting up, including controversies in the past weeks over a real estate tax overhaul, prosecution reform and a proposed merger of military academies. More recently, the controversies have spread to plans to build rental housing instead of parkland on a vast site in central Seoul’s Yongsan District, as well as the scaling back of South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises and Cheong Wa Dae’s clash with the Supreme Court over the nomination of new justices. Analysts said Tuesday that the president has limited options for making a breakthrough amid the disputed initiatives, as the public increasingly perceives them as threats to their economic interests and their access to justice and national security, rather than as ideological issues. The analysts s

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KOSPI edges higher despite US tech headwinds

Seoul shares ended higher Tuesday, recouping sharp early losses as leading chip stocks recovered from a sell-off, triggered by overnight weakness in U.S. technology shares. The benchmark KOSPI opened 2.4 percent lower at 6,535.93 and fell more than 4 percent at one point in morning trading before recovering in the afternoon. It closed at 6,742.74, up 45.78 points, or 0.68 percent, from the previous session. Foreign investors were net sellers, offloading a net 3.82 trillion won ($2.75 billion) worth of shares, while institutional and retail investors were net buyers, purchasing 1.17 trillion won and 1.05 trillion won, respectively. Overnight, U.S. stocks closed mixed as concerns over the profitability of artificial intelligence-related investments weighed on technology shares. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.26 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 0.76 percent. Samsung Electronics came under selling pressure in early trading despite plans for up to 110 trillion won in shareholder returns, as the scale and timing of its share cancellations remained undecided. SK hynix was also

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SK hynix unions reject wage deal over stock-based bonuses

Production workers’ unions at SK hynix on Tuesday voted down a tentative agreement reached between their delegates and management, sending the issue of how much of their hefty performance bonuses should be paid in treasury shares back to the negotiating table. According to industry officials, the tentative agreement was rejected after 50.08 percent, or 7,535 members, of the two unions voted against it. The two unions represent production workers respectively at the Icheon plant in Gyeonggi Province and Cheongju plant in North Chungcheong Province. The approval rate stood at 49.92 percent, or 7,510 votes, leaving a margin of just 25 votes. About 94 percent of the unions’ combined 16,083 members participated in the vote. The company’s third union, which represents office workers, was scheduled to complete its own vote on the agreement on Tuesday afternoon, but regardless of the outcome, the tentative deal is expected to be scrapped, with labor and management returning to negotiations. The tentative agreement was reached last Thursday, calling for a 6.3 percent wage increase. For perf

2 MIN READ
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Seoul warns mosquitoes may return as summer heat eases

Seoul is warning residents not to let their guard down against mosquitoes as temperatures ease, saying the insects could remain active into the fall and continue posing a risk of mosquito-borne diseases. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday that it will intensify mosquito surveillance and prevention efforts through late autumn as outdoor activity increases and cooler temperatures could revive mosquito populations after the summer heat. The warning comes after the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency detected genetic material from the malaria parasite in mosquitoes collected in Paju and Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, during the week of July 27 to Aug. 2. The agency issued a nationwide malaria alert Aug. 13, while noting that mosquito numbers remained lower than last year amid the heat wave. As of Aug. 1, Korea had recorded 201 malaria cases this year, down 43.4 percent from 355 cases during the same period last year, the agency said. But cooler weather does not necessarily end the risk, with last year’s Seoul cases showing that transmission continued into the fall. Of 70 m

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Higher prices, falling stocks dent consumer sentiment

A 33-year-old office worker in Yeouido, Seoul, surnamed Choi, has increasingly turned to her office cafeteria for lunch, as the rising cost of eating out has become burdensome. "I spend about 15,000 won ($11) on lunch when I eat out, but the office cafeteria costs about half as much," she said. Instead of traveling overseas this summer, Choi took a three-day trip to Goseong, Gangwon Province, opting for a domestic trip to keep costs down as her stock portfolio has made her more cautious about spending. "I've been in the red for several months. Every time I look at my stock app, I feel more reluctant to spend money on meeting friends or buying new clothes," she said. Choi's experience reflects a broader shift in consumer sentiment in Korea, as rising prices and stock market volatility weigh on household spending. According to data released by the Bank of Korea (BOK), Tuesday, the Composite Consumer Sentiment Index (CCSI) stood at 104.5 in August, down 2.3 points from the previous month. The index had risen for three consecutive months from May, before reversing course in August. A reading ab

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Lee Chang-dong explores power of human connection in 'Possible Love'

Master director Lee Chang-dong says his new feature film "Possible Love" explores how human affection and personal bonds can sustain people through economic hardship and societal pressure. "The movie is literally a story about love," Lee said during a press conference in Seoul, Tuesday. "It goes beyond romantic love to explore the love people experience throughout their lives, asking what kind of love is possible for us and how we can protect it." The story centers on a laid-off worker and his wife who cross paths with a wealthy couple living in a completely different social tier. Mi-ok (Jeon Do-yeon) works at a mask factory, while her husband Ho-seok (Sul Kyung-gu) suffers from severe trauma after losing his job during a violent strike crackdown. Their quiet struggle changes when they meet documentary filmmaker Ye-ji (Cho Yeo-jung) and her husband Sang-woo (Zo In-sung). When Ye-ji invites the struggling couple to Sang-woo's beachfront villa for a joint summer vacation, long-suppressed desires and deep-seated class tensions begin to surface. The project faced severe funding hurdles durin

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Hyundai Motor wage deal clears hurdle for new vehicle production

Hyundai Motor’s belated wage deal has removed a major risk to the carmaker’s production of new strategic vehicles, including the Avante, Grandeur and Tucson — three flagship models that will drive the carmaker’s earnings in the latter half of this year. According to the carmaker, Hyundai Motor’s management and its union reached a tentative wage agreement Tuesday, ending months of labor disputes that had disrupted vehicle production and increased financial pressure on workers and parts suppliers. The carmaker faced mounting production risks since July, when its union started strikes. Hyundai Motor’s lost sales are estimated to reach more than 1 trillion won ($723.5 million) due to the strike. However, with both sides compromising to restore normal production operations, the carmaker has avoided a worst-case scenario and cleared one of its biggest risks this year. Hyundai Motor plans to focus on assembling the key highly sought-after models for earnings recovery. One of the key issues that blocked the timely agreement was the introduction of new technologies, such as physical a

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Korea considers opening National Skills Competition to foreigners

INCHEON — Labor authorities said they will consider opening the country’s top vocational skills competition to foreign nationals, as demand grows for highly skilled overseas workers in manufacturing and other industries. Lee Byoung-hoon, president of the Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD Korea), a government agency overseeing the National Skills Competition, said Tuesday that the agency would consult relevant ministries on expanding eligibility for the annual state-run event. “Because this would require a review and amendment of relevant laws and regulations, we will discuss the matter with the ministries of labor and justice when the opportunity arises,” he said. Currently, foreigners are eligible to compete in regional skills competitions but are barred from participating in the national event under the Act on Encouragement of Skilled Crafts, which limits eligibility to Korean citizens. Mun Hyun-tae, a senior official in charge of global affairs at HRD Korea, said allowing foreign nationals to enter the national competition could help revitalize skills contests

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Sejong Institute Korean test expands nationwide as demand grows

The King Sejong Institute Foundation will administer its 13th Sejong Korean Language Assessment on Sept. 19 at 14 testing centers across seven cities and provinces, expanding access for foreign learners in Korea. Applications opened Monday at 9 a.m. and will remain available through Sept. 6 at 11:59 p.m. through the Sejong Korean Language Assessment website. The foundation introduced the assessment in Korea for the first time this year, after previously administering it only overseas, and the September test will be the second domestic administration following the June session. The number of testing centers has increased to 14 from five, the foundation said, as demand for Korean-language proficiency testing grows among foreign learners living in Korea. The Sejong Korean Language Assessment measures communication skills in four areas: listening, reading, writing and speaking. Scores are being used as eligibility criteria for admission, graduation and entry into majors by international students at universities including Korea University, Yonsei University and Ewha Womans University, accordin

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Gyeonggi deploys 300 officers to protect teachers from malicious complaints

The Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education launched the country's first dedicated teachers' rights protection officer system Saturday, bringing previously scattered support functions under a single channel. The system was one of Gyeonggi Superintendent Ahn Min-seok's core policy initiatives, pledged shortly after he took office amid growing cases of false child abuse reports and malicious complaints against teachers. “I made the decision to establish the dedicated teachers' rights protection officer system while thinking of the teachers who tragically passed away, unable to endure malicious complaints,” Ahn said at the inauguration ceremony. “I will delegate all substantive authority related to the superintendent's teachers' rights protection activities to you. At this very moment, I declare an all-out war against malicious complaints. Teachers, just teach. We will protect you.” The response far exceeded expectations. Open recruitment held from July 15-28 drew 1,823 applicants for 50 positions, a competition rate of more than 36 to 1. Citing the unexpectedly large pool of qualif

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Busan steps up push to host integrated LCC headquarters

The planned merger of Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul has reignited Busan’s push to host the headquarters of the integrated low-cost carrier (LCC) and build a second aviation hub outside Seoul. The issue has gained urgency, as Air Busan will soon be absorbed into Jin Air, leaving the southern port city without its own regional carrier. As Air Busan is set to disappear as a separate legal entity following the upcoming launch of the converged Jin Air in March next year, relocating the headquarters of the surviving Jin Air to Busan is emerging as the city’s last major option. However, the bid faces challenges, as Jin Air’s articles of association stipulate that its headquarters must be located in Seoul. Busan civic groups are calling for amendments to relevant laws to allow the integrated LCC to be headquartered in the southeastern city. With Gadeokdo New Airport under construction in Busan, local communities argue that a regional carrier is essential to ensuring the airport’s successful opening and early operations. The debate is also gaining political weight, as the government has

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Lawmakers suggest AI monitoring to protect children, create jobs for vulnerable groups

Lawmakers held a policy seminar Tuesday to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to protect children and teenagers from harmful online content while creating jobs for people with disabilities and older adults. Reps. Park Ji-won and Seo Mi-hwa of the Democratic Party of Korea co-hosted the seminar at the National Assembly Library in Seoul. The event focused on using AI to detect harmful content, including deepfake sex crimes, online grooming and illegal gambling, while leaving the final assessment to human reviewers. Under the proposed model, AI agents would monitor and analyze online content around the clock and flag potentially harmful material for human review. Organizers said the approach could address the limits of labor-intensive monitoring while creating remote and flexible jobs for people who have faced barriers to entering the workforce. “Having AI first detect and analyze large amounts of data, with people with disabilities and older adults conducting the final review and making judgments, shows how technology can complement people’s abilities rather than rep

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Lee Jaram brings pansori 'Snow, Snow, Snow' home after acclaimed run in Avignon

Pansori performer Lee Jaram will return to Seoul in October with “Snow, Snow, Snow,” her contemporary reimagining of Leo Tolstoy’s “Master and Man,” following a sold-out run and standing ovations at this July's Festival d’Avignon in France. The two-night production will be staged Oct. 23 and 24 at LG Arts Center Seoul’s LG Signature Hall in southwestern Seoul's Magok area. It will be the first large-scale performance in Seoul, following its 2025 premiere at the center’s smaller stage. Written, composed and performed by Lee, “Snow, Snow, Snow” follows Vasili, a merchant who becomes lost in a blizzard while pursuing a profitable forest deal with his servant Nikita. Lee transforms Tolstoy’s 1895 short story into a one-person pansori epic, moving among the merchant, servant, horse, dog, narrator and the snowstorm itself with a fan, voice and the percussion accompaniment of gosu, or drummer, Lee Jun-hyoung. In France, its four performances from July 17 to 22 sold out, with people reportedly lining up outside in hope of securing returned tickets and joining the performan

3 MIN READ
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How Daejeon evolved from 'boring city' to 'city of bread'

In 2019, Daejeon Metropolitan City made an unusual pitch to tourists, asking them to post their own flowchart for visits to what it jokingly called “Boring Daejeon.” It worked like a decision tree for visitors to Daejeon. Participants could answer “yes” or “no” to questions about the city and where to go, but no matter the path, it always ended the same way: “Stop by Sungsimdang — a historic bakery nestled in the heart of Daejeon.” The humorous chart reflected how Daejeon is widely seen even by its own residents as a dull and uninteresting city, a place without the standout attractions that drew people to other comparably-sized cities. Despite this reputation, last year the city drew 90.94 million visitors — the most since the Korea Tourism Data Lab began tracking the figures. Nearly half of those visits, 48.1 percent, were driven by food tourism. Much of Daejeon's draw is its bakery scene, led by Sungsimdang, a famed purveyor of bread with a legacy that traces back decades and highlights the city's history as a hub for flour-based foods. After the 1950-53 Korean War e

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Editor's Pick

[COVER STORY] Korea's AI ethics principles lack binding force, specificity

COVER STORY Korea's AI ethics principles lack binding force, specificity

The government's new artificial intelligence (AI) ethics principles provide a broad framework for responsible AI use but lack legal force and specific implementation standards, experts noted, raising questions about their practical impact. The government announced national principles for the ethical development and use of AI on Monday, setting out three core values and seven guidelines for AI use across industries and everyday life. The principles provide a common but nonbinding reference for developers, providers, users, government agencies and civil society, the Ministry of Science and ICT said. Choi Kyoung-jin, director of the Center for AI, Data and Policy at Gachon University, said the principles should be viewed as a broad declaration of values rather than a set of enforceable rules, with their effectiveness ultimately depending on how they are translated into sector-specific practices. “The principles should be understood as declaring the fundamental principles that we need to think about in this era,” Choi said. “Ethical principles are something that would be good to follow

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Life in Korea

Seoul invites 500 dog families to walk the Han River at autumn festival

Seoul invites 500 dog families to walk the Han River at autumn festival

Seoul is inviting 500 teams of dogs and their families to trade the city’s streets for a 4-kilometer walk along the Han River as its annual Animal Happiness Festa returns in October. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday that the third annual festival will take place Oct. 17 and 18 at the plaza in front of Mulbit Stage at Yeouido Hangang Park. Applications for the Animal Happiness Run will open at 11 a.m. Sept. 2 on the festival’s official website, with spots available on a first-come, first-served basis. The run will take place from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Oct. 17, when 500 teams of dogs and their families will walk together along the river, with commemorative gifts provided to participants. The festival will also feature a talk by veterinarian Seol Chae-hyun, a prominent animal behavior specialist, who will discuss dogs’ behavior, health and the relationship between pets and their owners. A “Second Chance in Life” showcase will give adopted dogs that have endured abandonment or abuse a chance to take the spotlight with their families. The program will accept 80 teams acr

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Lifestyle

Before taking away children's smartphones

Korea is moving to keep minors off social media and phones out of classrooms, but the adults writing those rules cannot look up from their own screens. A few days ago, heading home from work, I was standing seven stories underground at Daegok Station on Subway Line 3. Six elevators connect to the transfer platform, and long lines backed up at each. I picked the shorter one and waited. The elevator stayed on the second floor. Wrong line? Then I looked at the call button. Dark. Nobody had pressed it. Nobody waiting seemed to have noticed, or cared. Every person in that line was looking down at a phone. I stepped forward and pressed it myself. When the doors finally opened, the commuters filed in with blank faces, eyes still down. "Smombie" is a portmanteau of "smartphone" and "zombie," a term for people who walk without looking up. When the word arrived more than a decade ago, it was treated as a new phenomenon of the smartphone age, something to study. Now it is unremarkable. Anyone can be a smombie a dozen times before lunch, as those commuters were. We have given up the idle minutes betw

2 MIN READ
Before taking away children's smartphones

K-Culture

Original author hints at 'The Trauma Code' Season 2, raising questions over Ha Young's return

The original author of the Netflix drama “The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call” hinted at the filming schedule for its second season, raising questions about whether Ha Young, who has been embroiled in controversy over her great-grandfather’s activities as a pro-Japanese collaborator during Japan’s colonial rule over Korea, could remain with the project. Lee Nak-jun, a former ENT physician and the original author of the Netflix drama, is also one of the three doctors behind the YouTube channel Doctor Friends, which has 1.42 million subscribers. Appearing on Monday’s episode of KBS2’s “Malja Show,” Lee discussed the current production status of the drama’s second season. "Preproduction has now been completed, and we are scouting locations. Filming is expected to begin in October,” he said. Netflix, a day after the show aired, said that the specific filming schedule had yet to be decided. But Lee's comments about the drama’s production schedule drew attention, as questions remained over whether the project could proceed as planned after the controversy surrounding Ha erup

2 MIN READ
Original author hints at 'The Trauma Code' Season 2, raising questions over Ha Young's return

Celebrities

Jang Dong-yoon to marry actor Kim Seung-yoon in October

Actors Jang Dong-yoon and Kim Seung-yoon have announced that they will marry in October after quietly dating for years. Jang shared the news Tuesday through a handwritten letter posted on social media. “This October, I will marry someone I have been with for a long time,” Jang wrote. “We plan to hold a quiet Christian wedding attended by our families.” Jang said he had given the decision considerable thought. “As we spent more time together, we came to know and understand each other better and grew to cherish one another,” he wrote. “We have decided to stand by each other’s side and build a fun and happy life together,” Jang continued. “I understand that this sudden news may come as a surprise, but I would be grateful if you watched over us with warmth.” The announcement came as a surprise to fans, as the two had kept their relationship private. Jang and Kim, who have a five-year age gap, first met as director and actor through the 2023 short film “Please Be My Ear,” Jang’s directorial debut. Kim also played the lead role in “The Yeast,” Jang’s feature-leng

1 MIN READ
Jang Dong-yoon to marry actor Kim Seung-yoon in October

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Opinion

Top 10 Stories

  1. 4th missing person found dead on Jeju over 3-day span

  2. How Daejeon evolved from 'boring city' to 'city of bread'

  3. Before taking away children's smartphones

  4. 'No Permission to Dance': Venue closure in Busan leads to petition to change laws on live performances

  5. AnalysisJeju missing person cases raise doubts over police readiness for sole investigative power

  6. US Treasury chief vows to cut every 'economic lifeline' of Iran

  7. Hyundai Motor wage deal clears hurdle for new vehicle production

  8. Lee says police will be biggest power, stresses need for reform by gov't body

  9. COLUMN Trump-Kim deal at South Korea's expense?

  10. Seoul warns mosquitoes may return as summer heat eases

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