Posco chief calls for stronger Korea-Australia resource ties

Posco Group Chairman Chang In-hwa proposed strengthening resource supply chains at the 47th Korea-Australia Business Council annual joint meeting in Adelaide on Wednesday. About 200 government and business officials from both countries attended the meeting, including Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell and Martin Ferguson, chairman of the Australia-Korea Business Council. Chang emphasized supply chains that combine Australia’s resources with Korea’s ref

Sept. 2, 2026

Shinsegae to build Aman's first Korean property in high-end lifestyle push

Shinsegae Property, the real estate development arm of Shinsegae Group, is bringing ultra-luxury hospitality brand Aman's first Korean property to Seoul's Cheongdam-dong, under Chairman Chung Yong-jin's vision of setting a new standard for the country's high-end lifestyle market. The company announced Wednesday that it will develop Aman Seoul, handling planning, strategy and execution, while Aman will handle design and operations, managing the hotel and residences under a long-term agreement. Am

Sept. 2, 2026

Is reading really hip in Korea? Or is it just the goods?

Book-related events and merchandise are booming in Korea. Book fairs are drawing huge crowds, publishers' limited-edition goods are selling out, and the latest viral craze is, of all things, a pastry. Yet at the same time, the country's adult reading rate is falling sharply. The contradiction has prompted a growing debate: Is Korea's newfound enthusiasm for book culture getting more people to read, or simply turning literature into another lifestyle accessory? Among younger Koreans, visiting boo

Sept. 2, 2026

Samsung, LG take AI home race beyond appliances at IFA 2026

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are using IFA 2026 in Berlin to show how they want AI to work across the home, not just inside individual appliances. Samsung opened its main IFA exhibition Wednesday at Humboldt Carre in central Berlin, ahead of the trade show's Friday opening at Messe Berlin. The company is presenting "AI Living" across TVs, home appliances and Galaxy devices. Samsung first introduced the broader "Your Companion to AI Living" theme at CES in January. At IFA, it is bringin

Sept. 2, 2026

What Seoul Fashion Week's opening day suggests about spring 2027

One garment kept returning to the runway at the 2027 spring-summer Seoul Fashion Week, which kicked off on Tuesday at Dongdaemun Design Plaza. Across the Re Rhee, HolyNumber7 and Lie Sangbong shows, the trench coat appeared oversized in khaki, cropped in black leather and, in its most extreme form, sliced into three sections and reconnected with safety pins. Loose ties, long hems, crinkled fabric and power shoulders followed close behind, forming an early read on the 2027 spring-summer season. S

Sept. 2, 2026

Korea Herald kicks off 3rd Herald K-Art Competition

The Korea Herald has launched the third Herald K-Art Competition, appointing leading figures from Korea's traditional art community to its organizing committee. The appointment ceremony for the competition's organizing committee was held Tuesday at Herald Square in Seoul. Herald Media Group CEO Choi Jin-young and Art and Bridge CEO Yang Jeong-seok attended the event, along with prominent figures in the traditional art world who were appointed to the committee. The nationwide competition was crea

Sept. 2, 2026

Korea’s E-9 workforce hits record as sector gaps persist

The number of foreign workers in South Korea under the E-9 employment program reached a record 287,424 in July, but four in five remained concentrated in manufacturing, government data showed Wednesday. The figure has risen steadily from 159,463 in 2021 to 203,121 in 2022, 247,191 in 2023, 271,925 in 2024 and 282,839 last year, according to Labor Ministry data submitted to Rep. Kim Wi-sang of the main opposition People Power Party. Introduced in 2004, the Employment Permit System allows small an

Sept. 2, 2026

Kim Hye-seong misses Dodgers call-up

Kim Hye-seong will remain in Triple-A after the Los Angeles Dodgers chose infielder Alex Freeland for a September roster spot. The Dodgers added Freeland as active rosters expanded from 26 to 28 players Tuesday. They also reinstated catcher Will Smith from the 60-day injured list, along with catcher Dalton Rushing and left-hander Justin Wrobleski. Los Angeles created roster space by optioning outfielder Alek Thomas to the Oklahoma City Comets and designating catcher Ben Rortvedt for assignment.

Sept. 2, 2026

Suspected child abusers to be promptly separated from victim

South Korea will instruct police and child welfare officials to prioritize emergency protection when a child is the subject of two or more abuse reports within a year, after an 11-year-old boy in Cheonan died despite repeatedly seeking help. Under measures announced Wednesday, the government will revise its response guidelines this month to make temporary protection or emergency action the first consideration in cases involving repeated reports or a high risk of further abuse. The measures are n

Sept. 2, 2026

Fake Shinsegae bomb threat leaves man with W12.6m policing bill

A man in his 20s who posted a false threat to “blow up Shinsegae Department Store” has been ordered to pay the full cost of the police response. The Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of the government in a civil damages suit Friday, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Wednesday. The court awarded the entire 12,567,881 won ($9,170) sought by the agency, covering personnel costs, overtime pay, fuel and meals. According to police, it is the first ruling to grant full reimbursement o

Sept. 2, 2026

'Phantom of the Opera' returns to Seoul for 40th anniversary

"Phantom of the Opera" is coming back to South Korea as part of a celebration of the musical's 40th anniversary. The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical will open Dec. 22 at Blue Square in Seoul and run through Feb. 28, 2027, according to producer S&Co. The Korean-language production is a two-month, Seoul-only engagement — one of several special seasons staged in major cities around the world this year to mark the show's 40th anniversary. The show last played in Korea in 2023, when it ran in Busan befor

Sept. 2, 2026

US aircraft carrier arrives in Thailand after months at sea

A US aircraft carrier at the centre of controversy over conditions on board arrived in Thailand Wednesday for its first port call in nine months. The 5,000 sailors and Marines on board the USS Abraham Lincoln, arriving from the war in the Middle East, are headed for the Thai resort of Pattaya, a rest-and-recreation stop for US troops since the Vietnam War. Tugs guided the huge nuclear-powered carrier, dozens of warplanes lined up on its flight deck, towards the port of Laem Chabang on Wednesday

Sept. 2, 2026

UN faces contentious Iran nuclear vote ahead of General Assembly

France said Tuesday the UN Security Council will vote this month on renewing the mandate of a panel monitoring sanctions on Iran, setting up a potential showdown with Russia and China, which oppose the sanctions regime and oversight mechanisms. The ‌mandate of the panel, which supports the work of the UN sanctions committee on Iran, is due to expire on Sept. 26, during the annual meeting of world leaders at the UN General Assembly. The US-Israeli war with Iran is ⁠expected to top the agenda. Out

Sept. 2, 2026

Anti-gang force for Haiti won't reach staffing goal: spokesperson

A United Nations-backed armed force tasked with helping local police in Haiti to combat gangs will not be fully staffed by October as planned, its spokesperson said Tuesday. Announced by the UN Security Council last year, the Gang Suppression Force was expected to ramp up between April and October to a planned capacity of 5,500 uniformed personnel and 50 civilian staff. "We continue to receive new troops who will bolster the ranks," GSF spokesperson Igor Rugwiza told Radio Magik 9 in the Haitian

Sept. 2, 2026

Eom Ji-sung powers Swansea win

Eom Ji-sung scored one goal and created another for a second straight match Tuesday, powering Swansea City to a 2-0 home victory over Watford in England's second-tier Championship. Eom put Swansea ahead in the eighth minute at Swansea.com Stadium in Wales. Adam Idah broke through the Watford defense before finding Eom, who converted with a right-footed finish. The South Korean winger returned the favor in the 29th minute, releasing Idah with a precise through ball from near midfield. Idah comple

Sept. 2, 2026