Seoul

Han Hak Ja Bribery Trial Begins In Seoul Court

December 1, 2025 1:22 am

A court in Seoul opened the bribery trial of Han Hak ja on Monday, beginning a case that touches the inner circle of former First Lady Kim Keon Hee and deepens the fallout from the political crisis that followed ex president Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration in late 2024. Prosecutors accuse Han, the leader of the Unification Church, of offering luxury gifts to secure political influence and business advantages.

The hearing marks one of several investigations launched by special prosecutors into Yoon, his wife and associates after his removal from office. The case has drawn intense public interest in …

North Korea Missile Launch Follows U.S.–South Korea Talks

November 7, 2025 3:47 am

North Korea launched at least one short-range ballistic missile into its eastern waters on Friday, according to South Korea’s military, days after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Seoul for annual security talks.

The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the missile flew about 700 kilometers (435 miles) toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. Japan’s Defense Ministry confirmed the launch, saying the projectile likely landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

Friday’s launch marks Pyongyang’s second provocation in a week, following its reported firing of 10 artillery rounds into western waters on Monday. Analysts …

South Korean Workers Caught in U.S. Raid Return Home

September 12, 2025 9:17 am

SEOUL — More than 300 South Korean workers detained in a sweeping immigration raid at a Hyundai factory site in Georgia last week are heading back to Seoul, their departure stirring diplomatic ripples and raising questions about the future of Korean investment in the United States.

A chartered Korean Air flight carrying the workers — along with 14 non-Koreans also swept up in the raid — left Atlanta on Thursday afternoon. It is scheduled to land at Incheon International Airport on Friday. One South Korean reportedly chose to remain in the United States to seek permanent residency.

The departure was …