Taeil, a member of K-pop boy band NCT, has left the team after being accused of sexual offense allegations, NCT's agency said Wednesday. "Our company recently found out that Taeil has been accused in a criminal case in relation to a sexual crime," SM Entertainment said. "In the process of verifying the details, the company reached the conclusion that (he) could no longer be part of the team, given the gravity of the incident." The company said the decision was made upon

Social Affairs Aug. 28, 2024

The chief executive of Haru Invest, a troubled South Korean cryptocurrency deposit service, was injured Wednesday after being stabbed during a fraud trial. The CEO, only identified by his surname Lee, was stabbed in the neck by a man in his 50s during the trial at the Seoul Southern District Court and was taken to a hospital. His injuries are not life-threatening, according to authorities. Police said they have arrested the assailant on charges of attempted murder and are investigating his motiv

Social Affairs Aug. 28, 2024

South Korean shares closed almost flat Wednesday ahead of US tech giant Nvidia's closely watched earnings announcement. The local currency fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 0.58 points, or 0.02 percent, to close at 2,689.83. Trade volume was moderate at 276.4 million shares worth 10.4 trillion won ($7.77 billion). Losers, however, outnumbered winners 625 to 260. Institutions sold a net 33.9 billion won worth of shares, while individuals and f

Market Aug. 28, 2024

President Yoon Suk Yeol has postponed his planned dinner with ruling People Power Party leaders until after the Chuseok holiday, his office said Wednesday, amid a row with the PPP leader over the issue of the medical school quota increase. Yoon had planned to host a dinner Friday with PPP leader Han Dong-hoon, floor leader Choo Kyung-ho, five Supreme Council members, and the party's policy chief, but the presidential office said the meeting has been put off to prioritize the issues of peopl

Politics Aug. 28, 2024

Three out of 10 deepfake victims who sought help from a state agency tackling digital sex crimes were minors, officials said Wednesday, underlining the seriousness of such crimes. A total of 781 deepfake victims asked for help from the Advocacy Center for Online Sexual Abuse Victims between Jan. 1 and Sunday, and 288 of them, or 36.9 percent, were minors, according to the Women's Human Rights Institute of Korea under the gender ministry. The number of underage victims of deepfake crimes rep

Social Affairs Aug. 28, 2024

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen a test-fire of a 240mm multiple rocket launcher with a new guidance system, state media reported Wednesday, amid speculation that the new artillery system could be provided to Russia for use in its war with Ukraine. Kim attended Tuesday's test of the multiple rocket launch system that is produced at defense industrial enterprises under the Second Economic Commission, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The weapon could put Seoul and its

North Korea Aug. 28, 2024

The United States takes threats from what North Korea calls "suicide drones" seriously, a Pentagon spokesperson said Tuesday, reiterating Washington's commitment to cooperating with South Korea and other allies to ensure regional security. North Korean state media reported Monday that leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a performance test of various drones on Saturday, calling for the development and production of more suicide drones to bolster the country's war preparedness. "We

North Korea Aug. 28, 2024

The government plans to supply a record amount of 170,000 tons of high-demand foodstuffs and provide a discount worth 70 billion won ($52.63 million) for the upcoming Chuseok holiday, the finance ministry said Wednesday. These measures are part of a broader effort to support the livelihoods of the people and curb inflation ahead of the major traditional holiday. The plan also includes providing financial support to small and midsized companies and micro-business owners. According to the plan, th

Economy Aug. 28, 2024

South Korean shares opened slightly higher Wednesday, led by gains in tech, autos, and other blue chips. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 1.38 points, or 0.05 percent, to 2,686.27 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Tech behemoth Samsung Electronics and chip rival SK hynix added 0.26 and 0.23 percent, respectively. Top automaker Hyundai Motor gained 1.21 percent, and its smaller affiliate Kia also rose 1.18 percent. Battery shares were mixed, with industry leader LG Energy So

Market Aug. 28, 2024

The defense ministry's prosecutors' office on Tuesday indicted a military intelligence official for allegedly leaking information of South Korean espionage agents operating overseas. The official at the Korea Defense Intelligence Command, whose identity is withheld, was arrested earlier this month on allegations of handing over personal information of "black agents" to a Chinese national of Korean descent, who is possibly an informant for North Korea's intelligence agenc

Defense Aug. 27, 2024

The plan to integrate the southeastern city of Daegu and surrounding North Gyeongsang Province has failed, the mayor of Daegu, Hong Joon-pyo, declared Tuesday. Hong said in a social media posting that "it would be hard to expect consent from the provincial assembly of North Gyeongsang Province" for the proposed integration of the local governments. The Daegu mayor had set a Wednesday deadline for his latest proposal, which calls for the establishment of unified provincial government of

Politics Aug. 27, 2024

North Korea has sent more than 13,000 shipping containers suspected of carrying arms to Russia since mid-2022 amid deepening bilateral military ties, a lawmaker said Tuesday, citing a military intelligence report. The North delivered the shipments that could hold more than 6 million 152-millimeter artillery shells through its eastern port of Najin over the roughly two-year period, according to a Defense Intelligence Agency report submitted to Rep. Kang Dae-sik of the ruling People Power Party. T

North Korea Aug. 27, 2024

A Seoul court on Tuesday ordered presidential chief of staff Chung Jin-suk to pay a fine of 12 million won ($8,998) for defaming the honor of the late President Roh Moo-hyun through a social media post, while overturning the initial ruling of a six-month prison term. The charges against Chung stemmed from a Facebook post he made in September 2017, in which he claimed that Roh's wife, Kwon Yang-sook, and their son had received bribes from a businessperson closely associated with Roh. In the

Politics Aug. 27, 2024

South Korean shares closed lower Tuesday to extend their losing streak to a third day, taking a cue from overnight losses on Wall Street. The local currency fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) shed 8.76 points, or 0.32 percent, to close at 2,689.25. Trade volume was light at 259.7 million shares worth 7.95 trillion won ($5.97 billion). Winners, however, outnumbered losers 434 to 423. Institutions bought a net 36.9 billion won worth of shares, while

Market Aug. 27, 2024

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Tuesday urged nurses and medical workers nationwide to call off a strike planned for this week, saying the government is doing everything it can to improve their working conditions. Han issued the appeal during a government meeting convened to address the strike planned for Thursday. The Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union, which has some 30,000 nurses and medical workers at 61 hospitals as members, voted in favor of the strike Saturday, demanding an impr

Politics Aug. 27, 2024