South Korea

South Korea Birth Rate Remark Sparks Party Expulsion

South Korea Birth Rate Remark Sparks Party Expulsion

February 9, 2026 7:14 am

A senior South Korean local official has been expelled from the country’s main opposition party after suggesting that South Korea should “import young women” from Vietnam or Sri Lanka and marry them off to men in rural areas to address the nation’s record-low birth rate.

Kim Hee-soo, head of Jindo County in South Jeolla Province, made the remarks during a televised town hall meeting last week. The comments sparked swift domestic backlash, a diplomatic protest from Vietnam, and days of public criticism that culminated in his expulsion from the Democratic Party on Monday.

The incident has reignited debate over how …

Reuters/South Korea Japan Defense Cooperation Deepens With New Pact

South Korea Japan Defense Cooperation Deepens With New Pact

January 30, 2026 5:51 am

South Korea and Japan agreed on Friday to deepen defense cooperation and jointly develop advanced military technologies, marking another step in the rapid warming of ties between the two neighbors.

The agreement was reached during talks in Yokosuka, Japan, between South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu back and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, according to a statement from South Korea’s Defense Ministry. Both sides said they would expand collaboration on next generation weapons systems and enhance coordination at sea.

Read Also: Kim Keon Hee Trial Ruling Looms In South Korea

The move reflects a broader shift in regional security strategy …

US South Korea Trade Talks Stall After Tariff Threat

US South Korea Trade Talks Stall After Tariff Threat

January 30, 2026 1:00 am

Trade negotiations between the United States and South Korea ended their first day in Washington without a resolution, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported, after President Donald Trump warned of possible increases in tariffs on Korean exports. The talks are aimed at easing growing friction over the implementation of a trade agreement reached last year.

South Korea’s Industry Minister Kim Jung kwan met US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick at the Commerce Department on Thursday, but officials from both sides stopped short of announcing any concrete progress. Kim is expected to return for further discussions on Friday as negotiators attempt …

Kim Keon Hee Trial Ruling Looms In South Korea

Kim Keon Hee Trial Ruling Looms In South Korea

January 28, 2026 2:00 am

A South Korean court is set to deliver its long awaited verdict on Wednesday in the bribery and corruption trial of Kim Keon Hee, the wife of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, a decision that could send the former first lady to prison.

The ruling by the Seoul Central District Court marks a critical moment in a sweeping legal reckoning tied to the collapse of Yoon’s presidency and the scandals that engulfed one of the country’s most powerful political couples. Prosecutors have sought a 15 year prison sentence and heavy financial penalties if Kim is convicted.

At the …

South Korea Drone Investigation Targets Possible Civilian Flights

South Korea Drone Investigation Targets Possible Civilian Flights

January 12, 2026 4:52 am

South Korean authorities on Monday opened an investigation into whether civilians were responsible for drones that North Korea says crossed into its airspace, a case that has raised new security concerns on the Korean peninsula.

The inquiry comes after Pyongyang accused Seoul of carrying out provocations by sending unmanned aircraft across the border, an allegation South Korea’s military has firmly denied.

The Defence Ministry said the probe will focus on determining whether private individuals or groups may have operated the drones without government approval.

President Lee Jae Myung has ordered a swift investigation, warning that unauthorized drone flights would amount …

Xi Jinping Hosts South Korean President Amid Regional Strain

Xi Jinping Hosts South Korean President Amid Regional Strain

January 2, 2026 1:45 am

Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to host South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on a state visit beginning Sunday, a move widely seen as Beijing’s effort to tighten ties with Seoul as regional tensions rise over Taiwan and relations with Japan remain strained.

The visit comes barely two months after Xi and Lee last met, an unusually short gap for top level diplomacy that highlights China’s urgency in strengthening political and economic links with South Korea. Analysts say the timing also reflects Beijing’s desire to engage Seoul ahead of Lee’s expected visit to Japan.

China and Japan relations have …

South Korea Religious Political Links Investigation Widens

South Korea Religious Political Links Investigation Widens

December 10, 2025 2:38 am

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has ordered a sweeping investigation into suspected illegal ties between religious groups and politicians, directing authorities to examine all potential links regardless of political party or rank.

The move signals an effort by Lee to confront concerns about money and influence in politics at a time of heightened scrutiny following a series of high profile corruption investigations. His office said the inquiry would cover both ruling and opposition figures.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the presidential office said Lee instructed investigators to act without exemptions. The review, it said, should apply “no matter whether …

APEC: South Korea AI Initiative Call For Regional Cooperation

APEC: South Korea AI Initiative Call For Regional Cooperation

November 1, 2025 2:36 am

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday urged Asia-Pacific nations to strengthen cooperation on artificial intelligence and demographic issues, saying shared innovation and coordinated policies were essential for the region’s stability and growth.

Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Seoul, Lee said the “APEC AI Initiative,” proposed by South Korea, reflected his government’s goal of turning technological transformation into opportunity. “The APEC AI Initiative is the outcome of our strong will to transform a grand change into an opportunity,” he said at the opening of a session focused on AI and demographic change.

South Korea, the …

K-Pop Park Bom’s ‘$4.5 Quadrillion Lawsuit’ Sparks Confusion

K-Pop Park Bom’s ‘$4.5 Quadrillion Lawsuit’ Sparks Confusion

October 24, 2025 4:41 am

Singer Park Bom’s viral claim of a $4.5 quadrillion lawsuit against YG Entertainment was swiftly denied by her agency as fans questioned the bizarre post.

A viral social media post on Wednesday October 22, 2025, by K-Pop singer Park Bom claiming she had filed a $4.5 quadrillion lawsuit against her former management company, YG Entertainment, has ignited a wave of confusion and speculation across South Korea’s entertainment industry.

The extraordinary claim surfaced earlier this week when Bom, a member of the hit girl group 2NE1, shared what appeared to be a legal document on Instagram listing herself as a plaintiff

…
South Korea Secures Release Talks After US Hyundai Raid

South Korea Secures Release Talks After US Hyundai Raid

September 7, 2025 10:42 am

South Korea’s government announced it has completed negotiations with the United States to secure the release of hundreds of its citizens detained during a sweeping immigration raid at a Hyundai battery plant in Georgia.

Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik said that once the necessary administrative procedures are finalized, a chartered plane will be dispatched to bring the workers home. He added that Seoul is also reviewing visa policies to prevent similar incidents, stressing the government’s responsibility to safeguard its nationals abroad.

The raid, conducted last Friday by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), resulted in the detention of 475 …

Candlelight Vigils To Mourn South Korea Halloween Victims

Candlelight Vigils To Mourn South Korea Halloween Victims

November 5, 2022 9:23 pm

In lieu of the recent crowd stampede disaster in South Korea, some candlelight vigils and rallies have been held in South Korea on Saturday to fully commemorate the 156 people who had been killed in a Halloween crowd crush, with public anger growing over one of the country’s deadliest peacetime disasters.

The victims who had been mostly young people, were among the estimated 100,000 who had flocked to the capital Seoul’s popular Itaewon nightlife district to celebrate the first post-pandemic Halloween.

Read Also: World Bio Summit: President Buhari Jets Off To South Korea

South Korean law enforcement officials have also …

World Bio Summit President Buhari Jets Off To South Korea

World Bio Summit: President Buhari Jets Off To South Korea

October 23, 2022 12:52 am

The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari will on Sunday (today) depart Abuja for Seoul, South Korea, to participate in the First World Bio Summit 2022.

Africa Daily News, New York reports that the event which is jointly organised by the Government of the Republic of Korea and the World Health Organisation (WHO), the two-day Summit (October 25-26), has the theme: ‘The Future of Vaccine and Bio-Health.’

According to a statement by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, late Saturday, Nigeria was one of the countries invited to the Summit. According to him, the invitation was based on her selection with five other …

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