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    S. Korea, US wrap up drills early, day after NK missile barrage

    SEOUL — The U.S. and South Korean militaries wrapped up their annual drill on Friday, six days earlier than initially scheduled, in a conciliatory gesture toward North Korea, though Pyongyang said the step isn't enough to persuade it to return to talks. U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier abruptly ordered the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise just before it began Monday. Trump cited what he described as a good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korea’s refusal to support him over the war in Iran. South Korea's military said the UFS, a command post exercise with the U.S., ended on Friday. This month's exercise was initially reportedly scheduled to be held in two phases for 11 days in simulation of North Korean attacks — the first part until Friday on defensive operations and the second part until Aug. 27 on counteroffensive operations. North Korea is extremely sensitive to the second phase. South Korea and the U.S. had also planned to hold 14 joint field training exercises during the UFS period. But they've ag

    3 MIN READBy AP
    S. Korea, US wrap up drills early, day after NK missile barrage
  • South Korea

    Which day is best for flight booking? Travel expert shares tips for finding cheaper airfares

    3 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    Which day is best for flight booking? Travel expert shares tips for finding cheaper airfares
  • Politics

    Lee to host all ruling party lawmakers for luncheon next week

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Lee to host all ruling party lawmakers for luncheon next week
  • South Korea

    How did ex-civil servant transition to YouTuber on car-related content?

    6 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    How did ex-civil servant transition to YouTuber on car-related content?
  • South Korea

    Choi Si-won stops tourist from smoking in front of Gyeongbok Palace

    2 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    Choi Si-won stops tourist from smoking in front of Gyeongbok Palace
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Politics

Cheong Wa Dae eyes Cabinet, aide reshuffle after local elections

Cheong Wa Dae is poised to carry out a broad reshuffle spanning both the Cabinet and the presidential office after Wednesday’s local elections, according to ruling party and government officials, Tuesday. The projected shakeup comes as President Lee Jae Myung approaches his first anniversary in office, Thursday, and looks to build fresh momentum for the remainder of his term. The prospect of a reshuffle has been fueled by growing speculation that Prime Minister Kim Min-seok will resign after the elections to run for the leadership of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). The leadership race has already begun to take shape, with Kim widely seen as a likely challenger to incumbent DPK Chairman Jung Chung-rae. Kim’s departure would require Lee to appoint a new prime minister, prompting speculation over potential successors, including Cabinet ministers and senior presidential aides. A chain of promotions and transfers would follow, leaving a number of posts to be filled across the government. “With the president marking his first anniversary in office, he will likely prefer someone

Jun 2, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Cheong Wa Dae eyes Cabinet, aide reshuffle after local elections
Society

Seoul moves to measure new form of inequality as AI divide widens

The traditional definition of the digital divide — the simple barrier separating those with high-speed internet from those without — is rapidly becoming obsolete. As generative artificial intelligence (AI) weaves its way into the fabric of daily commerce and public life, municipal authorities here are warning of a more complex and volatile disparity: an emerging "AI divide" that threatens to permanently disadvantage those unable to navigate the new algorithmic landscape. Seeking to quantify this friction point, the Seoul AI Foundation announced a joint initiative with researchers at Yonsei University to develop a formal analytical framework for measuring AI inequality. The ultimate goal is to establish a Seoul-specific "AI divide index" that can be used to shape future public policy and targeted municipal interventions. The project lands amid mounting anxiety from global institutions, including the United Nations and UNESCO, which have warned that the breakneck pace of AI development and use risks exacerbating deep-seated socioeconomic gaps if access to technical literacy remains u

Jun 2, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Seoul moves to measure new form of inequality as AI divide widens
Environment & Animals

Korea declares yellow-throated marten endangered species as habitats shrink

To glimpse a marten, known as "dambi" in Korean, moving through the misty ridges of the Baekdudaegan mountain range is to witness an exquisite contradiction. With its pale belly and striking collar of yellow fur, the creature resembles a plush toy brought to life. But beneath that cute exterior lies one of Korea’s most efficient and calculated apex predators, an agile hunter capable of bringing down prey several times its own size. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment has designated this remarkable mammal, scientifically classified as Martes flavigula, as its Endangered Wild Species of the Month for June. Known by a variety of different regional names, including yellow-throated or continental marten, its official designation has since been unified simply as "marten." Weighing up to six kilograms and measuring nearly a meter from its dark muzzle to the tip of its long, sweeping tail, this medium-sized carnivore occupies a vital niche in the local ecosystem. While martens possess a sweet tooth for seasonal forest fruits, they are also formidable pack hunters. Operating in ti

Jun 2, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Korea declares yellow-throated marten endangered species as habitats shrink
Campus

InterviewJeonbuk National University builds physical AI lab to keep students from leaving for Seoul

Jeonbuk National University is trying to reverse a pattern that has long defined regional higher education in Korea: training talented students who leave for the capital. The university in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, is positioning itself as a regional innovation hub, banking on physical artificial intelligence (AI), future mobility and industry-academia collaboration to attract talent, researchers and businesses into the region rather than losing them to opportunities in the capital. University President Yang O-bong said the effort reflects the government's initiative to strengthen regional flagship universities — commonly known as the "making 10 Seoul National Universities" plan. Under this plan, the Ministry of Education will select three universities in the second half of this year and provide each with 100 billion won ($66.5 million) annually for five years. Yang argued the program should be seen as more than just another higher education funding — it is a national strategy for balanced regional development, anchored by globally competitive universities. “Regional universit

Jun 2, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Jeonbuk National University builds physical AI lab to keep students from leaving for Seoul
Environment & Animals

S. Korea selected as chair of 2027 Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting

South Korea will host the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) next year as the chair country, leading discussions on research promotion and environment protection in the South Pole, government officials said Tuesday. The 49th ATCM will be held in Incheon, just west of Seoul, in May next year, along with the 29th Committee for Environmental Protection, according to the officials at oceans and other related ministries. It will mark the first time in 32 years that South Korea will host the ATCM. During the 28th ATCM held in Japan last month, Seoul participated in discussions on environment protection in the Antarctic, the response to climate change, the promotion of tourism and non-governmental activities in the region, science research cooperation and other issues as the vice chair, the officials said. South Korea jointed the Antarctic Treaty in 1986 and obtained the status of a consultative party of the treaty in 1989.

Jun 2, 2026By Yonhap
S. Korea selected as chair of 2027 Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting
South Korea

Arrest warrant sought for factory owner over alleged assault of foreign workers

Police and labor authorities said Tuesday they have filed for a warrant for the arrest of a textile company owner accused of repeatedly assaulting foreign employees over the past three years. The warrant application was filed Friday on suspicions of property damage and assault on employees in violation of the Labor Standards Act, according to the Incheon Seobu Police Station and the Jungbu Regional Office of Employment and Labor's branch office in Incheon, west of Seoul. The owner is accused of assaulting four Bangladeshi workers on seven occasions between March 2023 and April at a textile factory he operates in Incheon's western district of Gajwa. In particular, a video showing the owner attacking a worker in his 20s on April 24 sparked public outrage after it was reported by the media and circulated online. In the video, the owner is heard shouting at the worker, "What did you do yesterday?" and "What were you doing instead of answering the phone?" while repeatedly slapping him in the face and grabbing him by the hair. The owner is also accused of damaging factory property and verbally

Jun 2, 2026By Yonhap
Arrest warrant sought for factory owner over alleged assault of foreign workers
Law & Crime

Singer Psy referred to prosecution over alleged medical law violation

Singer-rapper Psy has been referred to prosecutors on suspicions of receiving prescription psychotropic drugs through third parties, police said Tuesday. The singer, whose real name is Park Jae-sang, is accused of having his manager and other third parties collect the psychotropic drugs Xanax and Stilnox after getting prescriptions through non-face-to-face treatment at a university hospital in Seoul between 2022 and 2025. The Seoul Seodaemun Police Station said it referred a total of six people, including Psy, his manager and the doctor who prescribed the drugs, to the prosecution Friday on suspicions of violating the medical law. Under the current law, only the patient who has seen a doctor can receive prescription drugs. Violations are punishable by a prison term of up to one year or a fine of up to 10 million won ($6,590). Xanax and Stilnox are psychotropic drugs used to treat sleep disorders, anxiety disorders and depression. Due to their high risk of dependence and addiction, face-to-face examinations and prescriptions are required. "The police investigation into the violation of the

Jun 2, 2026By Yonhap
Singer Psy referred to prosecution over alleged medical law violation
Society

Civil rights commission recommends gov't agencies share English test scores for hiring

The state civil rights commission has recommended that government agencies requiring English test scores for hiring come up with measures to share test scores after a single input without requiring applicants to register them with each agency repeatedly, officials said Tuesday. The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission issued the recommendation to the ministry of personnel management, the Human Resources Development Service of Korea and the Financial Supervisory Service so that TOEIC, TOEFL and TEPS scores can be shared among the agencies. Currently, these agencies maintain their own registration systems, requiring applicants to submit scores to each agency and forcing the agencies to verify their authenticity separately. These test scores, usually effective for two years, can be recognized for up to five years in government hiring once registered under the extended validity policy.

Jun 2, 2026By Yonhap
Civil rights commission recommends gov't agencies share English test scores for hiring
Defense

National security adviser to meet US under secretary of state

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac was set to meet with visiting U.S. Under Secretary of State Allison Hooker on Tuesday, informed sources said, with the two likely to discuss Seoul's push to build nuclear-powered submarines. Wi and Hooker, under secretary of state for political affairs, will meet at Cheong Wa Dae at 2 p.m. to discuss a range of pending issues, likely including Seoul's push to secure greater authority to enrich uranium and reprocess spent nuclear fuel for its envisioned nuclear-powered submarines, according to the sources. The discussion could also delve into the allies' plan to transfer wartime operational control of Korean troops from Washington to Seoul, they noted. Leading a U.S. delegation, Hooker arrived in Korea the previous day as the allies are set to begin follow-up negotiations on an agreement reached by President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump in October on Seoul's plan to build nuclear-powered submarines.

Jun 2, 2026By Yonhap
National security adviser to meet US under secretary of state
Politics

Lee urges stern punishment for intentional spreading of false information

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday called for stern punishment for those knowingly spreading misinformation, citing an ongoing police investigation into the circulation of online fake news claiming the government will force people to sell U.S. dollars. The president made the call on his X account, attaching a news article reporting that the police have identified 10 people suspected of circulating fake news claiming the government will issue an emergency order requiring the sale of dollars to address an economic crisis stemming from the Middle East conflict. "The act of intentionally spreading false information and causing social confusion and economic damage should be identified and punished sternly," Lee wrote on the account. The president insisted that spreading fake news to the detriment of the public cannot constitute freedom of expression or be tolerated. "Any acts that harm people or destroy public order and values are tantamount to serious crimes that should be punished severely, even if they were committed as a joke," Lee noted. As claims about the dollar sale circulated in onlin

Jun 2, 2026By Yonhap
Lee urges stern punishment for intentional spreading of false information
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