High-speed rail authority wasted money on first-class flights, trips to nightclub, report finds

CJ ENM, the Korean entertainment powerhouse behind hits like "Parasite" and Studio Dragon dramas, is widening its reach into Central and Eastern Europe. Following its participation in the 2026 Korea-Poland Brand Week in Warsaw on Tuesday and Wednesday, the media company announced plans Thursday to accelerate content distribution and forge local production alliances across the region. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA). During the two-day event, CJ ENM signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korean Cultural Center in Poland and KOCCA to expand the reach of Korean content in the country. Under the agreement, the company plans to widen exchanges with European institutions and broaden the footprint of Korean content through screenings, promotional events and other programs. CJ ENM ran experience booths tied to its dramas "Lovely Runner" and "The Legend of Kitchen Soldier," letting visitors engage directly with the shows. It also held a special screening of "The Legend of Kitchen Soldier," alongsi

Senior executives from Hansae Yes24 Group attended a Korea-Uzbekistan business forum in Seoul as the conglomerate moves to expand investment and localize operations in Uzbekistan, the group said Thursday. Hansae Yes24 Holdings Vice Chairman Kim Suk-hwan, Hansae Vice Chairman Kim Ik-whan and Hansae Mobility CEO Sung Nag-gon joined the forum at the Shilla Seoul hotel on Tuesday. The event, jointly hosted by Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Korean Prime Minister Han Seong-sook, brought together government officials and business leaders from the two countries to discuss Uzbekistan’s investment environment and ways to broaden strategic economic cooperation. Hansae Mobility, one of the group’s future growth engines, has worked with Uzbekistan automaker UzAuto Motors since its early stages. The Korean company began localizing production of key automotive components late last year and started full-scale mass production this month. Hansae Mobility plans to invest a total of $25 million in Fergana Province. It has invested $13 million in the first phase this year and plans to add $1

Hanwha Systems will team up with the United Arab Emirates’ state-run defense conglomerate EDGE to establish an integrated air defense network, covering long- and medium-range capabilities as well as counter-drone defenses. According to Hanwha Systems, Thursday, the CEOs of the two companies signed a term sheet for the air defense network project during a ceremony in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday (local time). The term sheet outlines the direction of the planned introduction of weapons systems for the integrated air defense network and review agendas at each stage of the project. The two sides plan to determine details of the project in line with the direction of defense cooperation between the two countries. Through government approvals and consultations, the two companies will pursue establishing a local joint venture and discuss its operation and local production. Through the partnership, Hanwha Systems plans to expand its role from supplying individual weapons systems to participating in the integrated air defense network, by linking ground weapons systems, including the Chunmoo multiple roc

Korean Air has finalized contracts to purchase 103 next-generation Boeing aircraft and aircraft engines and maintenance services from U.S. companies in deals worth a combined $44.8 billion, completing a major U.S. procurement plan announced last year. The airline said Wednesday that it signed final agreements covering $36.2 billion worth of Boeing aircraft and $8.6 billion in spare engines and engine maintenance services from GE Aerospace and CFM International. The deals finalize the $44.8 billion U.S. purchase plan announced by Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Won-tae in Washington in August 2025, during President Lee Jae Myung's visit to the United States. Korean Air said the signing ceremony was held Tuesday at the Conrad Seoul hotel in Yeouido and jointly hosted with Boeing. Senior executives attending the event included Cho, Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Stephanie Pope and CFM International President and CEO Gaël Méheust. Government and financial officials from Korea and the United States also attended, including Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources Kim Jung-k

Musinsa, the Korean e-commerce titan that built an empire out of Seoul’s trendsetting streetwear scene, is doubling down on physical retail in China. The company will open locations on Oct. 31 for both its flagship multibrand boutique and its private-label basic line, Musinsa Standard, side by side in Shenzhen — marking its expansion beyond eastern China into the country's southern fashion hub. The Korean fashion platform said Thursday that both stores will open at ONE AVENUE, a major mixed-use shopping complex in Shenzhen’s Futian central business district. The move marks Musinsa’s first offline expansion into southern China after establishing retail operations centered on Shanghai and Hangzhou. The company said Shenzhen, a major economic and industrial center in southern China, has a large population of young consumers with strong purchasing power. Musinsa Store will initially carry about 30 Korean fashion brands, with plans to add more based on customer response and demand. The store is intended to serve as an offline base for introducing Korean fashion labels to Chinese consume

Noul, a Korean medtech firm specializing in artificial intelligence (AI)-driven diagnostic tools, has entered the Indonesian market through its first supply agreement for an automated cervical cancer screening system as the Southeast Asian nation works to scale up preventive care. The company said Thursday it signed the agreement with an Indonesian medical device distributor and plans to supply at least 50 miLab CER units to local medical institutions and laboratory networks over three years. Noul said it will initially work with hospitals, screening centers and laboratory networks before seeking opportunities in Indonesia’s public procurement market. The company said it has secured regulatory approvals for miLab CER in several Southeast Asian markets, including Vietnam and the Philippines, providing a foundation for further expansion across the region. Indonesia, with about 280 million people, is Southeast Asia’s largest health care market, according to Noul, which said cervical cancer places a significant burden on women in the country. Noul said Indonesia plans to include cervical

Domestic sales of Samsung Electronics' new Galaxy Z foldable smartphone have increased following the unveiling of Apple's first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, industry sources said Thursday. Sales of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 in Korea rose about 10 percent in the week following the unveiling of the iPhone Duo from the previous week, according to the telecommunications industry. The increase is believed to have been driven in part by consumers who had delayed their purchases while waiting for Apple's new product and subsequently opted for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 instead. The iPhone Duo's price and hardware specifications are also considered factors in Korean consumers' purchasing decisions, they said. The iPhone Duo is priced at 3.29 million won ($2,380) for the 256-gigabyte model in Korea, more than 1 million won above the 2.28 million won price of the 256GB Galaxy Z Fold 8. The 2-terabyte iPhone Duo model is priced at 5.09 million won. The price gap in Korea is relatively wide compared with the United States, where the 256GB models of the two smartphones differ by about $100 in price.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Lee Kyung-chul, special representative for Middle East peace at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have been named the inaugural recipients of the Lee Hong-koo Diplomacy Award. The Seoul Forum for International Affairs (SFIA), a private diplomatic think tank, announced it has rebranded its Youngsan Diplomat Award, which recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Korean diplomacy, in honor of former Prime Minister Lee Hong-koo. Lee Hong-koo, who died in May at the age of 91, served as the founding chairman of SFIA. The awards were presented Wednesday at FKI Tower in Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo District during an event marking SFIA’s 40th anniversary. About 100 guests from Korea and abroad attended, including former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Rice served as national security advisor under former U.S. President George W. Bush before becoming U.S. secretary of state from 2005 to 2009. She is now director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. Lee was appointed Korea's special representative for Middle Ea

Korean and U.S. troops have conducted joint explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) drills designed to improve interoperability and strengthen cooperation among relevant agencies, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Thursday. The EOD drills took place at the Army's I Corps and 9th Infantry Division in Goyang, just north of Seoul, from Wednesday to Thursday, according to the JCS. Some 200 personnel, including officials from each branch of the military, the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division and the Korea Airports Corp., participated in the drills. During the drills, EOD teams trained under simulated scenarios involving explosives planted in an urban area, with Korean and U.S. troops conducting joint operations to achieve a shared objective. The troops also took part in a seminar to share information on explosives and discuss ways to improve the EOD teams' operational capabilities in peacetime and wartime. Officials said the drills were not related to recent security developments, including the reportedly ongoing review on the possible deployment of Korean troops to the Strait of Hormuz, noting they hav

President Lee Jae Myung is facing a high-stakes dilemma over his justice minister nominee: push forward with Kim Seung-won's appointment at the cost of further eroding his approval ratings or withdraw the nomination and lose momentum on his flagship prosecution reform agenda. Political insiders suggest Lee will press ahead regardless. Analysts say he is likely to frame the standoff as a defining battle for prosecutorial reform — a direct confrontation with what his camp describes as political prosecutors resistant to change. “The (ruling) Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) appears poised to push forward with the appointment, while opposition parties are expected to gauge public sentiment following President Lee’s press conference scheduled on Friday before deciding whether to launch full-fledged street protests,” Seo Yang-ho, a political commentator and former mayor of Seoul’s Jung District, was quoted saying on a TV news program. “At its core, Kim Seung-won's nomination is not simply a Cabinet appointment; it represents a fundamental clash between forces driving President Lee

The National Assembly on Thursday passed the confirmation motion for Supreme Court Justice nominee Kim Sung-soo. During a plenary session, the Assembly endorsed the confirmation motion for Kim in a 227-28 vote, with 13 abstentions. Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae last month recommended Kim to President Lee Jae Myung for appointment as the successor to former Supreme Court Justice Lee Heung-ku. Kim's parliamentary confirmation hearing took place Monday and rival parties adopted his confirmation hearing report Wednesday. Kim will become the first Supreme Court justice to take office since the launch of the Lee administration if the president approves his appointment.

As Korea prepares to introduce abortion pills, women’s rights groups and doctors are welcoming the move but remain divided over how broadly the drugs should be made available. Women's rights advocates are calling for wider eligibility and eased prescription rules, while doctors are urging tighter medical oversight, reflecting a broader debate over how to balance reproductive autonomy with patient safety. The government on Wednesday announced a plan to allow the use of abortion pills for pregnancies of nine weeks or less, as early as the first quarter of next year. The move follows a prolonged legislative vacuum since the Constitutional Court ruled in 2019 that the criminalization of abortion was unconstitutional. Lawmakers have remained gridlocked over the deeply divisive issue, leaving follow-up legislation on matters such as permissible gestational limits stalled for years. Amid that vacuum, abortion pills have circulated illicitly, fueling calls for their formal introduction. President Lee Jae Myung instructed officials to discuss allowing Mifegyne during a Cabinet meeting in July. M

POSCO Group Chairman Chang In-hwa is bringing together the group’s senior executives to map out the next phase of its three-pronged growth strategy, as geopolitical shifts and technological change reshape global competition for resources. The group’s annual POSCO Forum began Thursday and will run for two days in Incheon. The event brings together senior executives to discuss future growth and innovation while hearing from outside experts. This year’s forum will focus on turning the strategy announced in July into concrete action plans. Chang's three-part strategy centers on areas of industrial resources such as steel; strategic resources including lithium, cathode and anode materials and rare earths; and energy resources such as liquefied natural gas and renewable energy. “The ability to execute quickly is the key to survival at a time of major change, as geopolitics and technological paradigms are shifting,” Chang said. “To successfully implement the strategy and expand our businesses around resources, we need to anticipate the direction of change and find clear answers on w

JB Financial Group has teamed up with Upstage, a leading artificial intelligence (AI) company, to develop AI-based tools for practical use across the financial sector as part of its broader effort to accelerate company-wide AI transformation, the group said Thursday. JB Financial Chairman Kim Ki-hong and Upstage CEO Kim Sung-hoon signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday, laying the groundwork for cooperation in financial AI technology and new business opportunities. JB Financial identified AI transformation as one of its key priorities at its executive strategy meeting in August. The partnership will bring together the financial group and its major subsidiaries, including Jeonbuk Bank, Kwangju Bank and JB Woori Capital, to create a group-wide AI collaboration network. Using Upstage’s proprietary large language model (LLM) technology, the companies will work on developing AI agents customized for banking and other financial services. The two sides also agreed to pursue a range of joint projects, including developing and testing new AI applications for finance, exchanging employees

Korean Air is counting on its existing shareholder base to contain Hoban Group’s growing influence, as the builder continues to increase its stake in Hanjin KAL to challenge Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Won-tae's control over the aviation conglomerate. Hoban has raised its Hanjin KAL stake to 20.15 percent, just 0.42 percentage point below the 20.57 percent held by Cho and his related parties. The narrowing gap has fueled speculation that Hoban could eventually seek a greater role in the management of Korean Air, the flagship carrier controlled by Hanjin KAL. An official from the airline said the most favorable scenario for the company would be for Korea Development Bank (KDB) not to sell its stake. KDB has long held a 10.58 percent stake in Hanjin KAL. If the state-run bank continues to hold its stake, Cho’s side would retain a significantly larger bloc of friendly shares than Hoban, reducing the immediate threat to the current management’s control. Delta Air Lines, which holds a 14.9 percent stake in Hanjin KAL, is widely considered a long-term ally of Korean Air. KDB, which received

Grand Korea Leisure (GKL), the state-run operator of the foreigner-only Seven Luck casino brand, is teaming up with traditional market merchants ahead of Chuseok, Korea's harvest holiday, on a joint marketing campaign aimed at drawing foreign tourists and boosting local businesses, the company said. From Sept. 22-26, GKL will hold the "K-Traditional Market Dessert Festa" at its Seven Luck Casino Gangnam Coex branch, introducing foreign visitors to the food culture of Korea's traditional markets. About 10 stalls from the Yeongdong Traditional Market merchants association in Nonhyeon-dong, Seoul's Gangnam District, will serve visitors Korean snacks including rice cakes, sweet and crispy fried chicken, twisted doughnuts and steamed buns. The event will also give away 200 sets of hand-pressed, domestically produced sesame oil. GKL President Yoon Doo-hyun said the event aims to boost tourist satisfaction and support the local economy by giving foreign visitors to Seven Luck an unusual chance to experience Korean traditional snacks. The event follows a visit by employees from GKL's Seoul Dragon

SAN JOSE — "Stop playing games." Roblox game developer Gold Octopus, whose real name is Cho Young-gwang, says his parents rarely nagged him to stop playing games. While his parents were at work and often came home late, he spent his time on online games. The middle school student developed games before the platform became widely known in Korea. That childhood hobby became a profession, bringing the 20-year-old digital creator an income of more than 100 million won ($67,800). Roblox reported about 144 million daily active users in March, making it a major platform in the creator economy. Gold Octopus, an early developer on the platform, spoke with the Hankook Ilbo in an interview Friday at the Roblox Developers Conference 2026 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in California. He taught himself game development instead of going to college. He also taught himself Japanese and recently began collaborating with a Japanese company. The young developer built his reputation with his flagship game, Sol's RNG, winning Best Experience of the Year and Outstanding Creator of the Year at the

President Lee Jae Myung met with International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol on Thursday and discussed their responses to the global energy crisis. During the meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Lee said Korea has faced challenges in its transition to renewable energy sources due to the energy crisis sparked by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. He asked Birol to share his views on how to respond to the crisis and how he expects the situation to develop, saying Korea will spare no effort to cooperate with the IEA's strategic plans. The IEA chief noted the emergence of electrification, or the switch from fossil fuels to electric power, as a key policy implication for energy security. He praised the Korean government for moving toward electrification, saying the initiative will not only support the country's sovereignty and economy but also contribute to the response to climate change. The meeting was arranged as a follow-up to Lee's proposal during the Group of Seven summit in June to discuss ways to cooperate to strengthen the resilience of Asia-Pacific nations' energy su

Naver has decided not to acquire a stake in Korea's largest food delivery platform, Baemin, four months after a report alleged that the mobile platform company was considering forming a consortium with Uber to take over Baemin. “We reviewed scenarios on acquiring a stake in Baemin, but we have decided not to proceed with the acquisition, due to changes in the business environment and other factors,” Naver said in a regulatory filing Thursday. The filing came in response to a news report in May that Naver and Uber were considering forming a consortium with a 20-80 ownership split to acquire a stake in Baemin operator Woowa Brothers from its German parent company, Delivery Hero. At the time, Naver said it was reviewing various measures to strengthen its business competitiveness and that no concrete decisions had been made. However, the situation changed when Uber agreed in July to acquire a 100 percent stake in Delivery Hero for $14.8 billion. If completed, the deal would also bring the German group’s wholly owned Korean subsidiary, Woowa Brothers, under Uber. Uber said the deal is ex

The alliance between Korea and the United States is expanding beyond its traditional security role, as the two countries deepen cooperation in trade, technology and other strategic industries, senior political and business leaders said at a gathering in Seoul on Thursday to mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. The Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) hosted the commemorative dinner in Seoul, bringing together about 180 officials from the political, business and military communities from both countries. Prime Minister Han Seong-sook, U.S. Ambassador to Korea Michelle Steel and U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson attended the event, along with former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Among Korean business leaders were Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Won-tae, LS Group Chairman Koo Ja-eun and Korea Zinc Chairman Choi Yun-beom. Ranking executives from Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor and LG also attended the event. The gathering highlighted the military foundation of the bilateral relationship. Six veterans of the 1950-53 K

And the day Jill ran.

A police officer has been charged after allegedly assaulting his five-week-old daughter.

A woman who is believed to be the mother of a baby who was found dumped in Sydney's west has been located.

NSW Police have said the wrong address was targeted in a botched organised crime killing.

The 24-year-old was arrested after an exhaustive review of CCTV footage. Charges are expected to follow.

Progress towards reunifying with Taiwan hinges on factors like the island’s level of provocation, retired PLA major general Luo Yan told the South China Morning Post, warning that Taiwan’s leader had challenged Beijing’s red lines. Speaking on the sidelines of the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing on Wednesday, Luo said the timeline for reunification with mainland China was shaped by “the development of our national strength, our defence needs, the global security environment, as well as the degree of...

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's call for an antitrust waiver for AI firms to work together on a safety standard is being met with skepticism in Washington, where policymakers are questioning tech leaders' intentions. Congress has failed repeatedly to pass AI regulations for years, but some lawmakers are balking at the idea of technology companies taking...

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's call for an antitrust waiver for AI firms to work together on a safety standard is being met with skepticism in Washington, where policymakers are questioning tech leaders' intentions. Congress has failed repeatedly to pass AI regulations for years, but some lawmakers are balking at the idea of technology companies taking...

Young and working-class Latina voters in California care more about protecting immigrant communities and fighting President Trump's agenda than their male counterparts, according to a UCLA study.

As UC regents reconsider test-free admissions, faculty cite rising math failure rates while admissions officials report stable overall graduation rates.

Jordan Herrera-Hu was waiting at a bus stop in Hunters Hill on a Sunday when he was punched by an unknown man.

Are you across the week’s current affairs? Find out with this multiple-choice challenge.

“It’s laughable. I think we’re all growing weary of the whole debate,” one councillor said.

Redevelopment plans for one of Melbourne’s biggest public housing towers envision 800 new flats, but it is unclear if any will be public.

Sharangan Maheswaran is a key link to many troubled folk facing this Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry.

Their meeting in Washington is a golden opportunity for the two leaders to make real progress towards an AI risk reduction framework.

The backdown follows weeks of criticism from veterans, politicians and advocates.

Kevin M. Warsh, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, on Wednesday left open-ended how much more interest rates may have to rise to tame inflation.

Many countries blunted the most painful effects of the energy shock from the war in Iran. But prices remain elevated and risks are multiplying.