Payments are set to be issued starting Monday in the $115 million class action lawsuit against tech company Oracle that "millions" could have qualified for.

President Xi Jinping has expressed hope that the younger generation will advance Sino-US cooperation, foster mutual understanding and ensure steady, long-term development of bilateral ties, according to Chinese state media. Xinhua reported on Monday that Xi’s remarks came in his reply to a letter from students at 10 US universities who shared their thoughts and experiences after attending a youth exchange programme in China earlier this month. “Young people from China and the United States share...

Both parties are embracing the Supreme Court’s summer ruling that allows parties to coordinate and spend unlimited amounts of money with campaigns as marquee midterm races head into the home stretch.  The Senate Republicans’ campaign arm is spending more than $45 million in coordinated expenditures with candidates, according to a campaign report filed Sunday.  ...

Critics said a white triangular image created by lighting resembled a KKK hood, while the way a pair of sneakers dangled made them look like the feet of a lynching victim.

Major cryptocurrency super PAC Fairshake plans to spend $30 million in Ohio opposing former Sen. Sherrod Brown’s (D) bid to return to the Senate, the group confirmed to The Hill. Brown, who spent nearly two decades representing the Buckeye State before being ousted in 2024, is facing off against incumbent Sen. Jon Husted (R) in...

Major cryptocurrency super PAC Fairshake plans to spend $30 million in Ohio opposing former Sen. Sherrod Brown’s (D) bid to return to the Senate, the group confirmed to The Hill. Brown, who spent nearly two decades representing the Buckeye State before being ousted in 2024, is facing off against incumbent Sen. Jon Husted (R) in...

US first lady Melania Trump is set to lead key cultural diplomacy events during the coming official state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, marking their first visit to the White House since 2015. According to an official itinerary released by the first lady’s office, the three-day visit, scheduled from September 23 to 25, will feature extensive ceremonial honours alongside dedicated cultural exchanges highlighting Sino-American relations. Melania will join US...

Neel Kashkari, the president of the Federal Reserve’s Minneapolis branch, said Sunday that inflation is “still too high,” days after the central bank raised interest rates. “Even if we strip out energy, which is really volatile, and strip out food, they matter a lot, but in terms of where the economy is going, inflation is...

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said Sunday that the GOP needs to “do more” to lower costs for Americans with the midterms roughly six weeks away. During an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Barrasso acknowledged that people “around the country are feeling the pain,” noting he has heard concerns from Wyoming ranchers and...

Beyond warm meetings between their leaders, the countries are engaging in tit-for-tat measures that call into question the stability of their arrangement.

The strengthening Korean won is emerging as a fresh earnings risk for chipmakers, display firms and other electronics companies that rely heavily on dollar-denominated transactions, prompting brokerages to cut earnings estimates for the third quarter. According to data from the Bank of Korea, Sunday, the Korean currency traded at 1,480 won against the dollar on July 16, before strengthening to 1,413 won on Aug. 17 and 1,382 won on Sept. 17. This represents a 6.6 percent narrowing in the dollar-won exchange rate over the two-month period. The change in the dollar-won exchange rate accelerated particularly from August, with the Korean currency gaining value to 1,336 won per dollar on Sept. 9. This prompted brokerages that had based their earnings forecasts at 1,450 won per dollar to begin cutting their estimates, causing the third-quarter earnings consensus for major companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK hynix to drop. According to market tracker FnGuide, brokerages’ consensus on Samsung Electronics’ third-quarter operating profit stood at 122.35 trillion won ($88.27 billion) o

The global popularity of Korean food has reached a point where convenience store meal boxes, known as “dosirak,” have become part of a new market trend where signature Korean flavors and traditional recipes have become a hit with international visitors and popular in new markets. Min Jung-hwan, who plans and oversees dosirak production for GS25 at GS Retail’s Merchandise Headquarters, is seeing the shift firsthand. Rather than creating separate products for foreign customers, the retailer is increasingly offering the same dosirak that appeal to Korean consumers, reflecting growing interest in authentic Korean flavors. “We don’t make dosirak that are specially for foreigners because many of them like what Koreans enjoy. Even at GS25 stores in Vietnam and Mongolia, visitors are interested in authentic Korean-style dosirak. We try to meet such expectations so that they can feel they are inside a Korean convenience store,” Min said in an interview with The Korea Times. “To serve the rising number of foreigners coming to Korea, we are boosting a pipeline for those with banchan

Jeonbuk National University has partnered with 15 defense companies and related organizations to offer a career-linked industry-academia cooperation program covering education, scholarships, field training and employment. The university said Friday that its Department of Advanced Defense Technology and Industry hosted a workshop titled “Customized Talent Development and Recruitment-Linked Cooperation Program for the Defense Industry” at Shilla Stay Jeonju on Thursday. The workshop was attended by university officials and representatives from defense companies and related organizations that signed a memorandum of understanding with the university in June. A university official noted that the workshop was organized to translate the memorandum of understanding on the cooperation program, signed June 26, into tangible outcomes in education and recruitment. Fifteen defense companies and related organizations are participating in the partnership. The participants included Hyundai Rotem, Korea Aerospace Industries, LIG Defense & Aerospace, HS Hyosung Advanced Materials, Danam Systems, DN Sol

Kim Sung-wan, a journalist-turned-political commentator, has been appointed as the new presidential spokesperson, the presidential office said Monday. Kim — a former reporter with Media Today and later a radio host and political analyst —officially assumed his duties as presidential spokesperson on Monday, according to Cheong Wa Dae. "I have often had my words passed along to others, but knowing that I am now speaking directly to the media makes me feel a heavy sense of responsibility … As President Lee Jae Myung has said, I will do my best to communicate more with the public with humility," Kim told reporters. The post has remained vacant since April, when former presidential spokesperson Rep. Jeon Eun-su stepped down to prepare for the June 3 local elections. Kim's appointment adds to the current two spokespersons — Kang Yu-jung and Ahn Gwi-ryeong.

The government and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) agreed Monday to take a lenient approach to minor violations identified in an ongoing national farmland survey while cracking down on clear acts of land speculation. The country launched the comprehensive nationwide survey earlier this year in an effort to determine actual ownership of farmland and prevent it from being used as a speculative asset. The move, however, has faced criticism from the main opposition People Power Party, which has argued the survey has caused anxiety among farmers and could infringe on their property rights. "If the purpose of speculation is clear, (we) will take corrective action under the law and principles," Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung said in a policy meeting with DPK officials. "For minor or routine violations identified in the field, (we) will provide guidance or take alternative measures, such as making improvements to the system." The minister said the government would focus on ways to restore the intended purpose of farmland rather than immediately taking action against violations. Rep.

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating rose for the first time in 10 weeks last week, helped by his clarification of key political issues during a press conference, a pollster said Monday. In a poll conducted on 2,507 adults nationwide from last Monday to Friday, positive assessments of Lee's job performance rose by 1 percentage point from the previous week to 34.8 percent, while negative assessments rose 0.1 percentage point to 63.4 percent, Realmeter said. It marked the first time in 10 weeks that Lee's approval rating rose following a 48.9 percent rating on July 13. There was a gradual increase throughout the week from 32.9 percent Tuesday and 32.1 percent Wednesday to 35.3 percent Thursday and 37.2 percent Friday, the day he held the press conference. "At the start of the week, his approval rating continued to decline due to controversy over personnel vetting and the repercussion of the confirmation hearings," the pollster said. Lee's approval rating was beset by controversy surrounding the qualifications of Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won and Gender Equality Minister nomin

Samsung Electronics held a groundbreaking ceremony for a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) production line in the southwestern city of Gwangju on Monday. The company plans to invest approximately 240 billion won ($173 million) to build a 21,500-square-meter HVAC production line at its Gwangju operations site. The new production line, scheduled to begin operations in 2028, will manufacture HVAC products from FlaktGroup Holding GmbH, a Germany-based ventilation company that Samsung Electronics acquired last year. "The launch of the new FlaktGroup production line will serve as another milestone in advancing our HVAC business, a key growth driver for the company," Roh Tae-moon, co-chief executive officer of Samsung Electronics and head of its device experience (DX) division, said at the ceremony. Samsung said the new production line will strengthen its global production capabilities for advanced cooling equipment and centralized HVAC solutions as demand for cooling and HVAC solutions for artificial intelligence (AI) data centers continues to grow rapidly.

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said Monday the government will make seamless preparations to realize the country's "Global AI Hub" initiative, including selecting the best location for the envisioned hub through fair and transparent procedures. In May, Korea unveiled its vision to launch the Global AI Hub in the country in an effort to bring together the artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities of global organizations to address challenges, such as disease control and climate change. The envisioned hub seeks to promote cross-border cooperation in the AI sector with nine global organizations and five multilateral development banks and is expected to serve as a platform to provide AI-based solutions to pending issues under the vision of "AI for All, AI to Solve Global Challenges." "The time has come for us to take action beyond declaration," Han said during the first meeting of the preparation committee. "The government will make seamless preparations to launch the Global AI Hub by swiftly establishing a dedicated support system and selecting the optimal location through fair and transpar

A research team at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT) has developed a new cathode technology that could help batteries store more energy without increasing their size or weight, the institute said Monday. The team, led by senior researchers Moon San and Suk Jung-don, developed a new dry thick cathode technology that improves the movement of lithium ions inside electrodes. The research was featured as the cover article of the international academic journal Exploration in August, with post-master's researcher Eun Hye-ji as the first author. The technology uses graphitic carbon nitride as an additive in dry cathodes for the first time, helping the electrolyte penetrate deeper into the electrode and reducing the energy required for lithium ions to enter the cathode material. One way to produce high-energy-density batteries is to make electrodes thicker, as this allows more active material to be packed into the same area. However, as electrodes become thicker, lithium ions have more difficulty moving through them, preventing the battery from fully utilizing the energ

State-run Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) said Monday it will keep electricity rates unchanged in the fourth quarter despite higher raw material prices and its financial difficulties. The adjusted fuel cost, a key component of electricity rates, will remain at the maximum level of 5 won per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for the October-December period, KEPCO said. KEPCO has kept the adjusted fuel cost at 5 won per kWh for 18 consecutive quarters since the third quarter of 2022. The adjusted fuel cost is set before each quarter within a range of plus or minus 5 won per kWh, based on energy prices, including coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG), over the previous three months. KEPCO said rates were due to rise by 7.3 won per kWh in the fourth quarter under the fuel cost adjustment formula. The decision to freeze rates is expected to further weigh on the company's finances. The company's financial difficulties began after it continued to supply electricity at prices below production costs as global energy prices surged between 2021 and 2023 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. KEPCO and its power

More than 1,300 members of the Korean diaspora are set to converge in Incheon’s Songdo district next week for a five-day program bringing together political, business, cultural and community events. The Overseas Koreans Agency said Monday that World Korean Week will begin Sunday and run through Oct. 1 at Songdo Convensia, ahead of Oct. 5 World Korean Day. The program links the World Korean Association Leaders Conference, World Korean Business Convention, Future Leaders’ Conference and Korean Festival in one week. Participants include Korean community leaders and professionals working in business, culture, science and education, with organizers seeking to connect generations and industries while creating opportunities for dialogue with residents in Korea. The World Korean Association Leaders Conference will open Sunday and run through Tuesday, bringing community leaders from around the world together to discuss regional issues and share operating practices. For the first time, a private-sector steering committee representing the overseas Korean community will oversee planning and opera

The University of Seoul has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with George Washington University (GWU) to establish an academic and credit-transfer partnership for students seeking admission to graduate business programs. The University of Seoul said the MOU was signed by the two institutions at George Washington University on Sept. 15 as part of efforts to strengthen academic cooperation. The agreement will enable University of Seoul students to apply for GWU’s Preferred International Partnership program for international graduate students through academic and curricular collaboration between the two universities. Under the partnership, eligible University of Seoul students can take graduate-level courses at the university before enrolling in a graduate program at GWU. If they earn a grade of B or higher in those courses, up to six credits can be transferred toward their GWU graduate program. Students who enter a GWU graduate program through the credit-transfer arrangement can complete their master’s program at GWU and receive a degree upon fulfilling all graduation requireme

Kookmin University has joined forces with German research institutes and a Volkswagen Group Korea-affiliated nonprofit organization to nurture global talent in future automotive software, the university said. On Sept. 3, Kookmin University, together with Ajou University, Inha University and Chungbuk National University, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Niedersachsisches Forschungszentrum Fahrzeugtechnik (NFF) and the Institute of Automotive Engineering (IAE), both affiliated with TU Braunschweig, Germany’s oldest technical university, to launch the Automotive Future Talent Fostering Program. The Volkswagen Group WE: Foundation was also a signatory to the MOU. The signing ceremony was attended by Kookmin University President Jeong Seung-ryul; Till Scheer, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group Korea and chairman of the Volkswagen Group WE: Foundation; and Roman Henze, director of the IAE. The partnership aims to cultivate future mobility talent with international research experience and interdisciplinary practical skills. The initiative comes amid rapid changes across t

For many in Korea, the end of a major holiday means back to business — literally. In the days immediately following a major festive break, job seekers across the country launch into an intense hunt for their next career move, according to data released Monday by the hiring platform JobKorea, operated by Worxphere. Looking at resume postings and job applications around the last two years of Chuseok and Seollal — Korea's autumn harvest and Lunar New Year holidays, both multiday breaks when many workers return to hometowns — JobKorea found new resume registrations consistently spike on the first Monday after each holiday. The sharpest jump came after Chuseok 2024, when resume postings on Sept. 23 that year more than doubled the average weekday rate, and ran about 3.7 times the average daily rate during the holiday itself. Similar patterns followed: resume postings rose 46 percent above the weekday average on Feb. 3, 2025, the Monday after that year's Seollal; 20 percent after Chuseok 2025; and 29 percent after Seollal 2026. Job applications followed the same pattern, peaking on the fi

LG Energy Solution has completed the establishment of its energy storage system (ESS) production network in North America, accelerating its push to capture growing demand in the rapidly expanding ESS market. Following the opening ceremony for LG Energy Solution Michigan-Lansing on Aug. 18, the plant is now ramping up operations. The Lansing plant serves as a combined manufacturing hub for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for ESS applications and nickel cobalt manganese batteries for electric vehicles (EVs), with an annual battery cell production capacity of more than 35 gigawatt-hours. The plant began producing pouch-type LFP batteries for ESS applications this year and plans to begin mass production of prismatic LFP batteries next year, marking LG Energy Solution's first prismatic battery production in North America. The company has also secured orders to supply EV batteries to Toyota. LG Energy Solution Michigan operates two production sites in the state, in Holland and Lansing. LG Energy Solution Michigan President Choi Dae-sik said that operating two plants in different locatio

Peugeot’s signature 308 Hybrid hatchback stands out with its impressive fuel efficiency and remarkably agile performance, offering a distinctive alternative in the compact hybrid segment. Powered by a 1.2-liter gasoline engine paired with a 48-volt battery system, the 308 Hybrid hatchback is capable of operating in electric mode for roughly half of typical city driving conditions. The vehicle delivers an official fuel economy rating of 15.2 kilometers per liter, boasting its efficiency-focused engineering. During a round-trip drive of approximately 400 kilometers between Seoul and Daejeon, the vehicle demonstrated exceptional real-world efficiency, with the fuel tank remaining more than half full upon completion of the journey. Some may question whether a 1.2-liter gasoline engine can provide sufficient performance. However, the moment the gas pedal is pressed, the electric motor intervenes instantly, delivering brisk and responsive acceleration that exceeds expectations. Depending on the battery’s state of charge, the 308 Hybrid can travel short distances using only the electric mot

Starbucks Korea has launched a customer-participation campaign to donate up to 1 million cups of coffee to people and communities in need. Under the “My Star Coffee” campaign, for every cup of Today’s Coffee purchased at Starbucks stores nationwide on Mondays, beginning Sept. 28, the company will donate an equivalent amount of coffee. The campaign is based on the idea of giving a cup of coffee to a personal “star” — someone who has offered quiet support and encouragement. For every cup of brewed coffee purchased by a customer, Starbucks will donate one additional cup of coffee to people and communities in need, allowing customers and the company to jointly build up the donations. The accumulated cups of “My Star Coffee” will be delivered to people serving local communities, welfare facilities, disaster and emergency sites, farms and other places in need. Starbucks said the initiative is intended to allow customers to take part in sharing activities through everyday coffee purchases, while extending support to people who contribute to their communities. The company’s mobi

A Seoul court on Monday sentenced five former military commanders to heavy prison terms after finding them guilty of playing key roles in an insurrection under former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed 2024 martial law bid. The Seoul Central District Court handed out an 18-year prison term for Yeo In-hyung, former commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, and a 15-year term for Lee Jin-woo, former chief of the Capital Defense Command. It also gave a 12-year term for Moon Sang-ho, former commander of the Defense Intelligence Command, a 10-year term for former Army Chief of Staff Park An-su, who served as the martial law commander, and a nine-year term for Kwak Jong-keun, former commander of the Army Special Warfare Command. The court found the defendants guilty of multiple charges, including sending troops to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission and organizing and operating arrest teams for politicians after Yoon's martial law declaration on Dec. 3, 2024. Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team had sought 30-year terms for Yeo and Lee, a 25-year term for Park, a

The government will expand its fleet of 3,000-ton-class patrol vessels to 17 from the current 11 by 2030 in the West Sea as it moves to strengthen maritime sovereignty in key areas and step up efforts to counter illegal foreign fishing vessels, the Ministry of Planning and Budget said Monday. The ministry said the budget proposal for the Coast Guard for next year, which includes the fleet expansion, stands at 2.23 trillion won ($1.6 billion), representing a 6.7 percent increase from this year’s 2.09 trillion won. The buildup is designed to bolster the Coast Guard’s ability to conduct longer-range and longer-duration patrols in the wider waters of the West Sea and other areas with unsettled maritime boundaries, including the Korea-China Provisional Measures Zone. The government has traditionally focused on replacing aging vessels when adding large patrol ships, but the latest plan puts greater emphasis on expanding operational capabilities to safeguard maritime security and national sovereignty. Under the plan, 51.2 billion won has been set aside in next year’s budget to launch cons

A South Korean military helicopter mistakenly crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) during wildfire operations in a border area earlier this year, a lawmaker said Monday, citing the outcome of an audit. The Army Surion helicopter mistakenly entered the buffer zone on March 23 in the border county of Yeoncheon, some 60 kilometers north of Seoul, according to audit results submitted to Rep. Kang Sun-young of the main opposition People Power Party. The helicopter, carrying two pilots, was deployed to put out wildfires at the 5th Infantry Division, but it mistakenly entered the nearby 25th Infantry Division inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), according to the audit by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The Surion chopper entered the DMZ without approval from the U.N. Command, which oversees operations inside the heavily fortified area. It reportedly crossed to the northern side of the MDL and continued firefighting operations there for a while. The Army's Ground Operations Command and front-line corps in charge of flight control were not aware of the MDL crossing at the time. They were