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Trump orders Pentagon to 'substantially' reduce S. Korea-US military exercises

U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that he has instructed the Pentagon to "substantially" reduce joint South Korea-U.S. military exercises, in what appears to be a conciliatory gesture toward North Korea. Trump made the remarks in a social media post, saying the exercises are not only "costly" but also send a "totally inappropriate and hostile" signal to the North. The post came as Seoul and Washington kicked off their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise, which Pyongyang has long decried as rehearsals for war. "Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, of North Korea, I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea," Trump wrote on Truth Social, referring to the North Korean leader. "These exercises are not only costly, with much of these costs paid for by the United States of America (as usual!), but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile, to a Country that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful," he added. Trump the

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Engineers over lawyers? Chip boom reshapes K-drama, dating market

"Hynix almighty!" The exclamation did not come from a church, but rather a luxury clothing store in Seoul. When a clerk spotted a customer wearing a vest with the logo of chipmaker SK hynix printed prominently across it, she gave him the royal treatment. She repeatedly exclaimed "Hynix almighty!" The clerk completely changed her attitude toward the balding man in a shabby jacket, whom she had previously greeted with a mocking tone. The scene, part of an April episode of Coupang Play comedy show "SNL Korea 8," satirizes a rapidly changing social climate. The public view of engineers — men once deemed as "engineering nerds" — has transformed due to the semiconductor industry boom and massive performance bonuses that came with it. Shift in office romance settings The global chip and artificial intelligence (AI) boom has reshaped the conventions of television romance. Electronics companies are emerging as new settings for office romance, recasting engineering graduates as romantic leads. TvN drama "See You at Work Tomorrow!," which concluded last month, embodies this shift. Office romance

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More than 800 mm of rain pummels Geoje, southeastern region; 1 killed in landslide

More than 800 millimeters of rain has pounded South Gyeongsang Province, including Geoje, over the weekend, triggering a landslide in the city that killed a resident, authorities said Monday. The city of Geoje, more than 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, received 805.7 mm of rain from Saturday through 8 a.m. Monday, while Tongyeong in the province received 671.9 mm during the same period, with other parts of the province receiving between 240 mm and 340 mm. Heavy rain warnings were in effect in five areas of the province, including Geoje and Tongyeong, as of Monday morning, while lower-level heavy rain advisories were also in effect across many parts of the region. Downpours battered Geoje, triggering a landslide in a neighborhood at 4:42 a.m. Monday that struck an apartment building. Police and firefighters rescued three residents from the landslide-hit apartment building, but one of them was found in cardiac arrest and was later pronounced dead at a hospital. Firefighters received more than 20 calls overnight from residents in Geoje seeking help over various rain-related accidents and

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Industry minister says Korea, US seek to resolve outstanding issues over investment plan

Korea's industry minister has said that Seoul and Washington need to resolve outstanding issues over a $200 billion investment plan agreed upon as part of their bilateral tariff negotiations. Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan made the remarks after arriving in Dallas, Texas, on Sunday (local time) as Korea faces continued tariff pressure from the United States amid several unresolved bilateral trade issues. Korea agreed with the United States last year to invest $350 billion in the U.S. as part of a trade deal that lowered the U.S. tariff rate on Korean imports to 15 percent from 25 percent. Of the $350 billion, $150 billion was allocated to cooperation in the shipbuilding sector, while the two countries have been negotiating details on how to implement the remaining $200 billion in investment. "We had previously said we were considering announcing the projects around the end of August or early September, but as we approach the final stage, various specific issues are emerging at the working level," Kim told reporters. Asked whether the investment projects could be announced as early as the

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Korean fan culture meets religion in Gen Z Buddhism

It takes an avid fan to know how to commit. That explains how the Buddha became the ultimate favorite for 28-year-old artist Gye So-young, a Gen Z creator who previously channeled her devotion into anime, K-pop icons G-Dragon and BLACKPINK's Jennie, and baseball star Shohei Ohtani. Gye, a Buddhist painter who runs the YouTube channel "Biguni Yeonseupsaeng" (Buddhist nun trainee), chronicles this spiritual shift in her debut essay collection, "The Buddha Is My Bias: An Otaku's At-Home Exploration of Buddhism," released July 30 by Bulkwang Publishing. The book departs from the usual solemnity of religious literature with its cheerful premise of an art student treating ancient philosophy as her latest obsession. The book stands out by offering a playful Gen Z take on Buddhist teachings. Gye maps the Buddhist idea of impermanence — the reality that all things change — to G-Dragon's hit song "Crooked" and its refrain about nothing lasting forever. She examines karma through a remark attributed to Ohtani, who likened picking up trash discarded by others to collecting the luck they left b

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Battling blazes after dark: Korea deploys nighttime helitankers to fight forest fires

When dusk fell across Korea's rugged mountainous landscape, aerial firefighting fleets were historically forced to land, leaving ground crews to battle encroaching blazes against the cover of darkness. That tactical gap is now closing as forestry authorities embrace specialized night operations. The Andong Regional Aviation Office, under the Korea Forest Service, said it has qualified two pilots for night vision goggle (NVG) operations aboard the S-64E Skycrane — a heavy-lift helitanker capable of dropping thousands of liters of water in a single pass. This establishes a dedicated nighttime firefighting capability centered in North Gyeongsang Province, a region historically vulnerable to destructive seasonal blazes. The certification marks the culmination of an intensive multi-stage training program conducted from late May through early August. Pilots underwent rigorous ground instruction, flight-simulator training and drills before progressing to advanced tactical night flights using NVGs. Central to the preparations were high-intensity exercises around Andong Lake and Imha Dam. Crew

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Korea relaunches hunt for assets accumulated by pro-Japanese collaborators

Sixteen years after winding down, Korea’s Investigative Commission on Pro-Japanese Collaborators’ Property will restart operations this December to examine and seize assets illegally amassed during Japan's occupation of Korea. The commission’s reactivation follows the scheduled enforcement of the Special Act on Asset Confiscation for Pro-Japanese and Anti-national Collaborators to the State on Dec. 3. The law targets wealth and property accumulated through cooperation with Japanese imperial forces during the 1910–1945 colonial period. Korea's renewed asset search is underscored by a stark, enduring socio-economic divide. Studies show nearly three-quarters of the descendants of independence activists live in low-income households, with many relying on state welfare — giving painful weight to the adage that "three generations are ruined by fighting for independence, while three generations prosper through collaboration." The special legislation was enacted to address a legal void after the first investigative commission was disbanded in 2010, just four years after its establishm

3 MIN READ
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Cash-only demand reportedly prompted SK chairman to appeal $666 mil. divorce payout ruling

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won’s last-minute decision to appeal his 944 billion won ($666 million) property division ruling reportedly stems from a sharp disagreement over how the massive payout should be settled. Chey offered a hybrid package consisting of both cash and SK stock, but his ex-wife, Art Center Nabi Director Roh Soh-yeong, apparently rejected the offer, demanding the entire payment in cash. Faced with a Friday midnight deadline, Chey’s legal team submitted an appeal to the Supreme Court with just one minute to spare. Chey had initially considered liquidating equity to raise the funds and conclude the nine-year legal dispute. However, selling a massive block of shares in a short period raised concerns about driving down stock prices and undermining the group's governance structure. To bridge the gap, Chey reportedly proposed giving Roh a mix of cash and shares, offering to compensate her if the stock price dropped, while forfeiting any claim to potential gains if the price rose. Roh apparently refused the compromise, insisting on the precise execution of the appellate

2 MIN READ
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Ex-PM claims narrow victory in DPK primary across Seoul, Gyeonggi

Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok won the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) primary across Seoul and Gyeonggi Province on Sunday. Kim secured a narrow victory with 46.61 percent (148,245 votes), edging out incumbent party leader Rep. Jung Chung-rae at 46.28 percent (147,038 votes) and former party chief Rep. Song Young-gil at 7.05 percent (22,410 votes). Kim’s total cumulative vote share reached 49.91 percent, excluding regional weighting for North and South Gyeongsang provinces and Daegu. Meanwhile, Jung followed at 41.51 percent, with the gap between them at 8.4 percentage points. Kim also secured a victory in the party primary in Gwangju and the Jeolla provinces Saturday, a region viewed as a litmus test for the party's leadership race. Kim captured 57.54 percent of the vote in the party stronghold, outpacing Jung, who received 32.65 percent, and former party chief Rep. Song Young-gil, who took 9.81 percent. Before Sunday's primary, Kim led with a cumulative 235,128 votes, or 52.21 percent, across Chungcheong Province, Busan–Ulsan–South Gyeongsang Province, Jeju, Incheo

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Young workers hit hardest as AI automation slashes jobs in Korea

More than half of the jobs lost by young Koreans in July were concentrated in industries heavily exposed to artificial intelligence (AI). This marks a dramatic departure from previous years, when youth employment dips were primarily driven by slowdowns in traditional manufacturing and in-person services. The latest figures from the Ministry of Data and Statistics reveal that the number of employed individuals aged 15 to 29 fell by more than 191,000 compared to the same period last year. Notably, the information and communications sector, which encompasses computer programming, telecommunications and digital media publishing, bore the brunt of this decline, shedding 74,517 positions. This represents the sector's steepest single-month drop since comparable tracking began in 2014. Simultaneously, employment in professional, scientific and technical services — covering fields such as legal advice, accounting, corporate consulting, and taxation — contracted by another 23,640 jobs. Together, these two knowledge-intensive sectors accounted for 51.3 percent of the total youth employment lo

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State-sponsored cyberattacks from N. Korea, China, Russia rise 7.5% in 1st half of 2026

Cyberattacks orchestrated by state-sponsored hacking groups from North Korea, China and Russia increased by 7.5 percent in the first half of this year, driven primarily by a sharp surge in early-year activity. According to a threat intelligence report by cybersecurity firm S2W, there were global Advanced Persistent Threat incidents between January and June, up from 147 in the preceding six months. The escalation was overwhelmingly concentrated in the first quarter, reflecting intensified digital offensives from Pyongyang and Moscow. North Korea remained the world’s most active state-backed threat actor, accounting for 99 incidents — a 13.8 percent jump from the previous six-month period. Pyongyang disproportionately targeted South Korea with 19 recorded attacks, followed by eight against the United States. To breach defenses, North Korean actors increasingly weaponized cutting-edge tools, leveraging generative artificial intelligence (AI), deepfakes, compromised code repositories and fraudulent job recruitment schemes. These sophisticated tactics focused heavily on infiltrating cry

2 MIN READ
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Will 'The Remarried Empress' repeat success of 'Moving'? Trailer draws cheers at Disney event

At D23, Disney’s largest fan event, which officially opened Thursday in Anaheim, California, the trailer for the Korean drama “The Remarried Empress” was unveiled for the first time during a media session, drawing enthusiastic applause from more than 200 media professionals and influencers from around the world. During the session, Disney executives unveiled upcoming Disney+ titles and major global content lineups for international media. The repeated mention of Korean content underscored the strong position Korean productions have established in the global content market. Disney executives highlighted Korean original titles including “Battle of Fates,” “House of Fates,” “The Remarried Empress,” “Perfect Crown” and “A Shop for Killers” as key examples of the platform’s global achievements. “The Remarried Empress,” a series based on the popular webtoon of the same name with a powerful global fan base, drew particular attention. Its trailer was unveiled for the first time at the event, putting the series in the international media spotlight. A central theme

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Samsung, SK hynix could deliver record $212 bil. in shareholder returns: reports

With Samsung Electronics and SK hynix expected to unveil new shareholder return plans as early as this month, analysts estimate that the two chipmakers could together return as much as 300 trillion won ($212 billion) to investors. Record second-quarter earnings — 89.5 trillion won in operating profit at Samsung and 60.5 trillion won at SK hynix — have strengthened their ability to reward shareholders. The prospect of outsized payouts is also raising hopes that the two stocks, which together account for more than half of the benchmark KOSPI’s total market capitalization, could help rekindle the broader Korean market rally. Samsung has pledged to return half of its free cash flow under its 2024-26 shareholder return policy, while SK hynix similarly plans to allocate 50 percent of its free cash flow generated from 2025 through 2027 to shareholders. That could leave Samsung with as much as 200 trillion won and SK hynix with up to 100 trillion won to distribute, according to market estimates. Kim Dong-won, head of research at KB Securities, expects Samsung’s new program to be large eno

2 MIN READ
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Vertical-format drama 'Father's Home-Cooked Meals' to hit theaters

Korean director Lee Joon-ik’s new short-form drama "Father’s Home-Cooked Meals" will be released in theaters before its digital release, marking the first time a short-form drama has received a theatrical release, Lezhin Snack announced Thursday. The project marks Lee’s first foray into directing a short-form drama and features a star-studded cast including Jung Jin-young, Lee Jung-eun and Byun Yo-han. Known for short runtimes and a vertical-screen format, short-form dramas have primarily been consumed on smartphones. The theatrical release is expected to offer audiences a different viewing experience. "Father’s Home-Cooked Meals" follows Ha-eung, a father who has spent 40 years expecting home-cooked meals three times a day. When his wife Soon-ae develops a condition that leaves her unable to cook, Ha-eung enters the kitchen for the first time in his life. His clumsy attempts to prepare meals himself turn the familiar routines of family life upside down in a humorous way. Based on the webtoon of the same name by Gorita, the drama has drawn considerable attention as Lee’s first

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What to watch out for when eating Koreans' beloved summer soup dishes

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. Friday marked the final of the traditional three hottest days of summer, known as "sambok." As the heat of summer wears you down and your appetite and energy levels decline, a bowl of nourishing food is a welcome way to replenish your strength. While "samgyetang" (chicken soup with ginseng) and grilled eel are favorites during the summer, those looking for something different might want to try octopus or duck. "Yeonpotang" is a clear soup made with octopus, Korean radish, napa cabbage and water parsley. The chewy octopus and fragrant water parsley add flavor, while the light broth can help revive an appetite dulled by the summer heat. "Baeksuk," meanwhile, is made by slowly simmering duck or other fowl with medicinal herbs, resulting in a rich broth and tender meat. A hearty serving can leave you feeling full and satisfied. Here is a look at the nutritional profiles of the two summer dishes, as well as what to watch out for when managing blood sugar. Yeonpotang: Watch sodium levels Octopus, the main ingredient in yeonpotang, is rich in protein

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Teen girl arrested after pouring boiling water on her mother

A teenage girl has been arrested after allegedly pouring boiling water over her mother, who tried to stop her from running away from home. The Namyangju Nambu Police Station in Gyeonggi Province said Aug. 15 that it had arrested the girl, identified only as A, and was questioning her on suspicion of aggravated injury to a parent. According to police, A allegedly poured boiling water from an electric kettle over her mother, identified as B, at their home in Namyangju at around 12:50 a.m. that day. The incident reportedly occurred after the two argued and A said she wanted to leave home. When B tried to stop her and take away her cellphone, A allegedly poured boiling water on her. Police arrived after a neighbor reported the incident and arrested A at the scene. Although A is a minor, she is not considered a juvenile below the age of criminal responsibility, according to police. Under Korean law, children aged 10 to under 14 are classified as “juvenile offenders” who cannot face criminal punishment but may be subject to protective measures. B suffered second-degree burns and was taken to

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Director Hong Sang-soo, actor Kim Min-hee win awards at Locarno film fest

Director Hong Sang-soo and actor Kim Min-hee have clinched awards at this year's Locarno Film Festival for their latest film, "Nowhere to Lay My Eyes." Hong received the award for best direction at the 79th edition of the film festival in Switzerland on Saturday, while Kim, the director's long-time partner, won best performance along with Italian actress Monica Bellucci for her role in Italian drama "Kettice." "Nowhere to Lay My Eyes," Hong's 35th feature, follows Sang-hee (Kim Min-hee), who heads to the southern Korean island of Jeju to find her divorcee mom whom she last saw 10 years ago. It marked the fifth time Hong was invited to the Locarno film fest to screen his work. He won the best director award for "Our Sunhi" (2013) and the top Golden Leopard prize for "Right Now, Wrong Then" (2015). Kim previously clinched the best performance award at the festival for her role in Hong's "By the Stream" (2024).

1 MIN READ
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Editor's Pick

NK aims to deepen ties with China, Russia by criticizing nuclear projects of S. Korea, Japan: experts

NK aims to deepen ties with China, Russia by criticizing nuclear projects of S. Korea, Japan: experts

North Korea’s recent criticisms against South Korea’s nuclear submarine plans and Japan’s consideration of non-nuclear policy revisions, coupled with its latest missile tests, are likely aimed at boosting ties with China and Russia and bolstering its nuclear narrative, experts said. They believe Pyongyang's recent actions were timed with the expected visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Seoul, as early as next week. In a commentary released by Pyongyang's state-run news outlet Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Wednesday, Jang Kum-chol, first vice minister of North Korea's foreign ministry, criticized Seoul’s nuclear-powered submarine development plan with the United States, saying, "South Korea’s push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines will inevitably trigger a nuclear domino effect across the Asia-Pacific region." The criticism came three months after Seoul unveiled in May the Jang Bogo N Program, an initiative to develop around three 8,000-ton nuclear-powered submarines. A piece published by the KCNA on Wednesday attributed to international affairs commentator R

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Life in Korea

[RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK] Geuni Sikdang offers a taste of North Korea in Cheonan

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK Geuni Sikdang offers a taste of North Korea in Cheonan

CHEONAN, South Chungcheong Province — In Cheonan, behind what can only be considered the most unassuming storefront in the country, lies a local favorite. This is Geuni Sikdang and it specializes in North Korean cuisine. Most will be familiar with Pyongyang naengmyeon (cold noodles), but this restaurant offers something a bit rarer: "eobok jaengban" (boiled meat platter). Eobok jaengban started in Pyongyang Market and was often shared when doing business deals to impress potential clients. It consists of beef brisket, beef broth, leafy vegetables and dumplings. When ours arrived, the beef cuts were splayed out beautifully around the outer edge of the pan and the fire underneath was immediately lit, both in the stovetop and in our appetites. We dug into the dumplings first and they were extremely subtle. A very mild kimchi was mixed in with tofu and bean sprouts. There was a surprising, yet welcome, parmesan flavor to the whole affair. The restaurant makes the broth every day and uses hanwoo 1++ Korean beef for this dish. Brisket and other “off-cuts” can be tough to use properly a

3 MIN READ

Lifestyle

'Busy vacations' can leave your body exhausted

A car cannot remain in good condition if it races at full speed without a break, suddenly shuts off and then accelerates again without warming up. The human body is much the same. If people spend the entire workweek under pressure, finally relax on the first day of vacation and then plunge straight back into their routine upon returning to work, their bodies can easily suffer. A 46-year-old civil servant surnamed Park experienced just that. Before his summer vacation, he cut back on sleep for several nights to finish a backlog of work. But when he finally arrived at his vacation destination, he developed a headache and flu-like aches. He ended up spending his entire first day at his accommodations. Although several days of rest might have been expected to help, he said that after returning to work his body felt as heavy as a waterlogged sponge and he struggled to concentrate. He had become sick during a vacation meant for rest and returned feeling even more fatigued rather than recharged. The phenomenon cannot simply be dismissed as psychological. Researchers at Tilburg University in the N

2 MIN READ
'Busy vacations' can leave your body exhausted

K-Culture

Stray Kids lands atop Billboard 200 with 'This & That,' group's 9th No. 1

K-pop band Stray Kids has landed atop the Billboard 200 with its new EP "This & That," the group's ninth No. 1 on the main chart, Billboard said. Billboard said in a chart preview published Sunday (U.S. time) that Stray Kids now has the second-most No. 1 albums among groups in Billboard 200 history, behind only the Beatles and tied with the Rolling Stones. Stray Kids was already the only K-pop group to have topped the chart eight times, and the latest feat extended the group's own record. "This & That," the group's 10th EP, consists of eight tracks led by the hip-hop-based, groovy title track of the same name, which the band said emphasizes a "chill" and "cool" mood. All eight tracks were produced by its in-house team 3Racha, made up of members Bang Chan, Changbin and Han.

1 MIN READ
Stray Kids lands atop Billboard 200 with 'This & That,' group's 9th No. 1

Celebrities

'KPop Demon Hunters' singer EJAE shows off wedding ring after '9 years together'

Singer EJAE, who gained global attention through the Netflix animated film "KPop Demon Hunters," has shared an update ahead of her wedding. On Friday, EJAE posted several photos on social media, writing, "So grateful to have someone I can call home." "9 years together and many more years to go," she wrote. The photos drew attention as EJAE showed off a wedding ring from a luxury jewelry brand. In one photo, she places her hand, wearing the ring, over that of her fiancé, while another shows the couple embracing, capturing their excitement ahead of the wedding. EJAE announced her engagement in January after sharing photos of a proposal from Korean American producer Sam Kim. The couple is reportedly set to marry in November. EJAE gained widespread recognition for writing, composing and performing "Golden," a song from the soundtrack of Netflix's "KPop Demon Hunters." "Golden" won best song written for visual media at the 68th Grammy Awards and best original song at the 98th Academy Awards. This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a gener

1 MIN READ
'KPop Demon Hunters' singer EJAE shows off wedding ring after '9 years together'

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Top 10 Stories

  1. Korea relaunches hunt for assets accumulated by pro-Japanese collaborators

  2. Trump orders Pentagon to 'substantially' reduce S. Korea-US military exercises

  3. Cash-only demand reportedly prompted SK chairman to appeal $666 mil. divorce payout ruling

  4. Young workers hit hardest as AI automation slashes jobs in Korea

  5. Ex-PM claims narrow victory in DPK primary across Seoul, Gyeonggi

  6. Teen girl arrested after pouring boiling water on her mother

  7. Engineers over lawyers? Chip boom reshapes K-drama, dating market

  8. Samsung, SK hynix could deliver record $212 bil. in shareholder returns: reports

  9. State-sponsored cyberattacks from N. Korea, China, Russia rise 7.5% in 1st half of 2026

  10. Korean fan culture meets religion in Gen Z Buddhism

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