Toss has joined South Korea's list of large corporate groups for the first time, riding a prolonged stock market rally that lifted assets across the financial sector. The Fair Trade Commission designated Toss operator Viva Republica as a publicly disclosed business group on Wednesday. The label applies to conglomerates with combined assets above 5 trillion won ($3.38 billion). The designation takes effect May 1. Toss was one of 11 newly added groups. Daou Kiwoom Securities moved up to a stricter

In one of the most moving scenes in "Billy Elliot," a young boy meets his older self in a dreamlike duet — his hesitant, searching steps echoed and lifted by graceful, assured movement. For a brief moment, the two dance as one before drifting apart, tracing a quiet arc of longing, distance and the self he is still becoming. The scene — among the production’s most striking moments — was performed on Wednesday at a press call. Lim Sun-u, a principal dancer with Universal Ballet, played the adult B

Bankrupt discount carrier Spirit Airlines ceased operations on Saturday, the industry's first casualty linked to the Iran war, after failing to secure creditor support for a US government bailout plan. The collapse of ‌the first carrier due to a doubling in jet fuel prices during the two-month-old Iran war will cost thousands of jobs. It is a blow to President Donald Trump, who had proposed $500 million to save Spirit despite opposition from some of his closest advisers and many Republicans in C

North Korea commemorated the 136th International Workers’ Day with nationwide events, underscoring the working class’ role in advancing its economic development plan. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a ceremony marking the May Day was held on Friday at the People’s Palace of Culture. Senior government officials, including Premier Pak Thae-song and Workers’ Party Secretary Ri Il-hwan, attended the event, along with members of foreign diplomatic missions in Pyongyang and Koreans

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the withdrawal of about 5,000 American troops from Germany, the Pentagon said Friday, two days after President Donald Trump said his administration was weighing a reduction of its service members in the allied country. Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell issued a statement on the drawdown, which he said is expected to be completed over the next six to 12 months. The US has around 36,000 troops stationed in Germany. "The Secretary of War has orde

South Korea's financial regulator has again ordered Hanwha Solutions to revise its share sale plan, citing insufficient disclosures, the company said Friday. The Financial Supervisory Service previously made a similar request on April 9 over the company's plan to raise 2.4 trillion won ($1.6 billion) through share issuance. The company reduced its share offering size to 1.8 trillion won in its revised plan. The FSS said the company's securities registration statement under its revised plan faile

When much of the world still treats environmental compliance as a cost center, Yang Hee-gyoung, CEO of KARI Corp., a specialist in resource recovery from high-salinity wastewater, is making a more pragmatic case that pollution can pay. Speaking ahead of H.EcoTech Festa 2026, a forum on climate solutions and economic opportunity, Yang said converting environmental value into economic gain is now “a very realistic conversation.” In his view, that shift is most evident in industrial wastewater, lon

May is widely referred to as ‘Family Month’ in South Korea, with a cluster of family-related observances including Children’s Day (May 5), Parents’ Day (May 8), Teachers’ Day (May 15) and Couples’ Day (May 21). It is a time when the cultural calendar shifts noticeably toward children and parents, with museums, outdoor festivals and performance venues tailoring programs accordingly. Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul leads the month with programming designed for family viewing. The Se

A US expert said Thursday that the transfer of wartime operational control to South Korea from the United States would not "unzip" the bilateral alliance, downplaying concerns that the move could weaken America's security commitment to the Asian ally. Bruce Klingner, senior fellow at the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation, made the remarks during a forum, citing Washington's pledge to offer "enduring" defense capabilities to South Korea, the bilateral mutual defense treaty and the presence of

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating slipped 3 percentage points to 64 percent this week, with concerns over "excessive" welfare policies cited as a key factor for the decline, a poll showed Friday. The survey, conducted by Gallup Korea from Tuesday through Thursday on 1,002 people aged 18 and older, found 64 percent rated Lee's performance positively. Diplomacy and economic policy tied as the leading reasons for the positive assessments, each at 17 percent. Negative assessments rose 1 perc

South Korea's top envoy to the UN on Thursday reaffirmed Seoul's commitment to "peaceful coexistence" on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization, as he explained its policy to reduce military tensions and build trust with North Korea. Ambassador Cha Ji-hoon delivered a speech during a UN Security Council meeting in New York, as the United States and other countries marked two years since a UN expert panel, tasked with monitoring the enforcement of sanctions on North Korea, was disbanded follow

South Korea's exports exceeded US$80 billion for the second consecutive month in April, jumping nearly 50 percent from a year earlier on the back of robust shipments of semiconductors, government data showed Friday. Outbound shipments totaled $85.89 billion last month, up 48 percent on-year, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources. The April tally marks the second-highest monthly export figure for the country, following an all-time high of $86.6 billion re

Travel is increasingly becoming an experience-driven part of everyday life for South Korea’s Generation Z, according to Agoda’s 2026 Travel Outlook Report. Nearly half of South Korean Gen Z — generally adults born from 1997 onward, though not specified here — respondents (49 percent) said they plan to travel both domestically and overseas this year, 10 percentage points higher than the Asian average. Their travel motivations were led by outdoor activities (41 percent), cultural experiences (40 p

Gyeongbokgung will open at night for a special seasonal program from May 13 to June 14. Online reservations open at 10 a.m. on Saturday on a first-come, first-served basis. Night admissions run from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., with last admission at 8:30 p.m. The palace will be closed every Monday and Tuesday. Beginning May 20-23, May 27-30 and June 4-5 (a total of 10 sessions), musicians from the National Gugak Center will perform court music and court dance at Sujeongjeon Hall. Tickets for the night

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday ordered officials to swiftly address abuses against migrant workers and called for “stern punishment” for any unlawful acts uncovered, according to Cheong Wa Dae. Lee’s remarks came amid repeated cases of violence and human rights abuses against foreign laborers in South Korea. The presidential civil affairs office reported measures to strengthen protections for foreign workers during a weekly meeting with senior aides and secretaries, senior pres

Seoul police will deploy about 200 traffic officers on Labor Day as the country’s two major umbrella unions plan large rallies and marches in the capital, raising the prospect of heavy congestion in central Seoul and Yeouido. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions plans to hold preliminary rallies from 1 p.m. Thursday around Jongno, Euljiro and Yulgok-ro, before staging its main rally at 3 p.m. on Sejong-daero between the Sejong and City Hall intersections. The group is scheduled to begin marc

The prosecution is seeking a three-year prison sentence for a man in his 30s accused of hugging and touching multiple women at a Starbucks in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. During a final hearing at the Suwon District Court on Wednesday, prosecutors argued that the defendant poses a high risk of reoffending and should be given a custodial sentence. The man is charged with touching the hands and shoulders of several women at a Starbucks branch in Gwanggyo, eastern Suwon, at around 6 p.m. on Jan. 16. H

Police are investigating whether a deadly apartment fire in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, was deliberately set after a note believed to have been written by one of the deceased residents was found at the scene. The fire broke out at around 10:30 a.m. Thursday inside a unit on the 14th floor of a 20-story apartment building in Naeson-dong, killing a married couple and injuring five other residents, according to Uiwang Police Station and the Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters. A man in his 60s w

Southern Gyeonggi Province is becoming a key swing region in the June 3 by-elections, as a semiconductor boom and a wave of younger voters redraw the politics of a region once seen as conservative-leaning. Southern constituencies in the province are home to South Korea’s expanding chip mega-cluster, anchored by Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, and have experienced rapid industrial growth, new-town development and an influx of voters in their 30s and 40s. The region also carries outsized symboli

South Korea has carried out a reshuffle of senior officials handling US affairs, replacing key diplomatic posts in both Seoul and Washington at a time of mounting frictions in the bilateral relationship. According to the Foreign Ministry on Thursday, new appointments have been made for minister-counselor positions at the South Korean Embassy in Washington — including economic affairs, public diplomacy and political affairs — alongside a change in the director-general for North American affairs a

Three weeks before Samsung Electronics' largest union plans to halt the world's biggest memory chip operation for 18 days, the dispute is quickly expanding beyond the company. Three factors have lined up against the strike at once. The Suwon District Court on Wednesday set its ruling on Samsung's injunction request for sometime between May 13 and 20, meaning the decision could arrive just one day before the walkout begins. Polling firm Realmeter released a survey showing 69.3 percent of South Ko

The future of aviation fuel may turn less on how it is produced than on how its raw materials are collected, according to ReFeed CEO Lee Chung-ho. The company is building a business around used cooking oil -- or what Lee calls "liquid gold" -- an increasingly critical feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF. With SAF mandates expanding in Europe and set to begin in Korea in 2027, demand for such feedstocks is expected to increase. "The success of the SAF industry depends not on producing

An Iranian military official said Saturday that a renewed conflict with the United States was "likely", as peace talks remain stalled and President Donald Trump criticised Iran's latest proposal in negotiations. "A renewed conflict between Iran and the United States is likely, and evidence has shown that the United States is not committed to any promises or agreements," Mohammad Jafar Asadi of the military's central command centre, Khatam al-Anbiya, was quoted as saying by Iran's Fars news agenc

Yang Hyang-ja, a member of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP)'s supreme council, was nominated as the party's candidate for Gyeonggi Province governor in the June 3 local elections, the party said Saturday. The PPP's nomination committee announced the results of a primary held from Thursday to Friday. Yang is widely known for rising to the rank of an executive at Samsung Electronics in 2014 after joining the company as a vocational high school graduate without a college degree in 1985.

Unionized workers at Samsung Biologics, the biotech arm of Samsung Group, continued to stage a strike Saturday for a second day, according to union officials, with the union and the company showing little signs of bridging gaps over wages and other issues. The union of Samsung Biologics began the strike on Friday, marking the first walkout since the company's establishment in 2011. The union is seeking a 14 percent increase in both base and performance-related pay, a one-off cash incentive of 30

"The Devil Wears Prada 2" (US) Opened April 29 Comedy/Drama Directed by David Frankel Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) returns to Runway as Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) fights to keep the magazine afloat in a changing media landscape. "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" (US) Opened April 29 Animation/Adventure Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic Mario and Luigi venture into outer space, where they cross paths with Princess Rosalina and go up against Bowser and his son. "Ran 12.3" (Korea) Opene

Hollywood's flirtation with AI has gotten serious over the last few years. It started with de-aging older actors, cleaning up visual effects and fine-tuning accents in post. Now things have moved well past that. The Russo brothers are sinking $400 million into building AI tools for filmmakers. Doug Liman is shooting a feature he claims AI trimmed from a $300 million budget down to $70 million. So where does that leave the Korean film business? As it happens, CJ ENM, the country's leading enterta

Korea has long been associated less with a sense of ease than with a culture of "bbali, bbali" ("hurry, hurry"). Speed often feels less like a preference than a condition of everyday life. The phrase has become familiar shorthand, echoed in everything from same-day delivery services to a digital ecosystem. Faster is better, waiting is discomfort and stillness feels like delay. Yet, ironically, traditional Korean dance is still often trapped in a set of stereotypes as slow, dull, sleepy. So chore

Seoul Plaza became the heart of the city's new outdoor library program on Friday, marking the venue's opening as a reading and cultural space through Children's Day on May 5. At the open reading space, visitors can sit on beanbags and browse freely, with the stage also doubling as a reading area when no performances are scheduled. Family-oriented programs will take place throughout the holiday, including book talks, performances and interactive activities designed to draw visitors into the space

Foreign investors increased their exposure to South Korean government bonds in the first month following the country’s entry into the FTSE World Government Bond Index, or WGBI, with both net purchases and holdings moving higher. Government and industry data show that foreign investors bought a net 10 trillion won ($6.8 billion) worth of Korean Treasury bonds on a trade basis between March 30 and Monday. On a settlement basis, net purchases totaled 7.9 trillion won. The pace of inflows built stea

President Lee Jae Myung on Friday pledged unwavering commitment to workplace safety in his address to mark Labor Day at Cheong Wa Dae. "I will neither compromise nor make concessions on workplace safety," he said, vowing to build a "normal" country where no worker ever has to risk their life at work. "Safeguarding workers is the most basic responsibility of any nation and any business," he said. The president also pushed back against the notion that worker welfare and business growth are incompa

The 40th Icheon Ceramic Festival runs through May 5 at the Icheon Ceramic Art Village and Sagimakgol Pottery Village in Icheon, Gyeonggi province. Admission is free. Icheon, long known for its fine clay and kiln traditions, marks the milestone year with exhibitions tracing the festival's history and the future of Korean ceramics. About 240 studios open their doors for sales and demonstrations. Hands-on programs include pottery sessions and ceramic cup making. Visitors can also see master worksho

This year is the 30th anniversary of the start of English education in elementary schools in South Korea. The pivotal year when English classes began in nearly all elementary schools was 1996, with the official national rollout completed in March 1997. At the time, I was teaching in Japan, where the topic was big news in education circles. The 1990s were a period of rapid change and development in South Korea. The other important reform in English education was the adoption of listening comprehe

Arts Council Korea said it has begun recruiting writers for the second half of its Arko Literary Residency program. Launched in 2014 as a corporate-sponsored arts initiative at the Hotel Prince Seoul, the residency program has since expanded through partnerships signed in 2025 with Hyeopseong Marina G7 in Busan and Hotel Jeonggwanru on Nami Island in Gangwon Province. For the second half of this year, the program will select a total of 14 writers: six each in Seoul and Busan, and two on Nami Isl

A South Korean’s annual meat consumption produces greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to about 10 flights across the country and back, a report showed Wednesday, highlighting the heavy climate footprint of Korea’s meat-heavy diet. Meat consumed in South Korea generated an estimated 56.94 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions in 2024, according to Solution for Our Climate. The estimate was based on 3.08 million tons of beef, pork and chicken consumed in the country. The total is equ

Senior officials from the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran returned home after allegedly being subjected to unfair treatment during immigration procedures at an airport in Toronto while traveling to attend the FIFA Congress, Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported. The Iranian federation said its delegation — including president Mehdi Taj, secretary-general Hedayat Mombeini, and deputy secretary-general Hamed Momeni — had obtained official visas and arrived in Toronto. However, it claimed

A Seoul court ruled Thursday in favor of Bithumb, temporarily halting a six-month partial business suspension imposed by regulators, allowing the crypto exchange to continue operations pending a final ruling. The Seoul Administrative Court said it accepted Bithumb's request to suspend the partial business suspension imposed by the Financial Intelligence Unit, an anti-money laundering body under the Financial Services Commission. "We plan to faithfully present our position throughout the remainin

Gwacheon in Gyeonggi Province offers the best environment in South Korea for children to grow up, according to a new private-sector analysis that shows child development conditions remain heavily concentrated in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area. ChildFund Korea said Thursday it released the country’s first comprehensive private-sector index assessing child growth environments across 229 cities, counties and districts. Nine of the top 10 municipalities were in Seoul or Gyeonggi Provinc

The South Korean Army envisions drones becoming as common as personal firearms for its troops, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Kim Gyu-ha said Wednesday, as the military moves to train personnel to operate unmanned systems across battlefield roles. “Drones should be considered personal firearms in the future,” Kim said during a policy briefing at Army headquarters in Gyeryongdae, South Chungcheong Province. “There are drones for surveillance, reconnaissance, strikes and sustainment support, and combat

"The Devil Wears Prada 2" has marched into Korean theaters in formidable fashion, opening atop the local box office Wednesday with the year's biggest opening day to date. The 20th Century Studios sequel sold 150,769 tickets on its opening day, according to the Korean Film Council's box office tracker. It edged past the opening-day haul of homegrown phenomenon The King's Warden — the period drama that has dominated the market since its February bow and now sits as the highest-grossing Korean rele

Throughout its long history, Kazakhstan has been a place where East and West have met and blended, shaped by exchanges along the Silk Road and the nomadic traditions of the steppe. That legacy continues today in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, which is emerging as a growing stopover destination for travelers between Asia and Europe, helped by its central location. The city is drawing more transit travelers with its distinctive appeal, marked by the contrast between steppe heritage and a futuristic

Spring is the season when Seoul's mountains come alive. Within minutes of dense urban neighborhoods, hiking trails open into panoramic views, blooming ridgelines and quiet forest paths. For travelers looking to experience Seoul beyond its cafes and palaces, these mountains offer a deeper glimpse into how locals embrace the season: hiking, picnicking and ending the climb with a well-earned meal. Here are four mountains in Seoul that combine accessibility, scenery and a full day’s worth of explora

US President Donald Trump said Friday he was "not satisfied" with a new Iranian negotiating proposal, as peace talks remain frozen despite a weeks-long ceasefire. Iran delivered the draft to mediator Pakistan on Thursday evening, the IRNA news agency reported, without detailing its contents. "At this moment I'm not satisfied with what they're offering," Trump told reporters, blaming stalled talks on "tremendous discord" within Iran's leadership. "Do we want to go and just blast the hell out of t

US President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration will raise tariffs on cars and trucks from the European Union to 25 percent next week, claiming that the regional bloc is not complying with a bilateral trade agreement with the United States. Trump made the announcement in a social media post, reiterating that if countries produce automobiles in the US, there will be no tariffs. "I am pleased to announce that, based on the fact the European Union is not complying with our fully agree

Growing up, my most prized possessions were my books and my music CDs. Heaven take mercy on you if you failed to return either one. A borrowed CD was a small act of trust. Back then, music ownership meant something tactile. You could feel it in the weight of a jewel case, in the flipping through liner notes, in the faint scratches you so desperately tried to avoid. There was even that brief mechanical pause, the soft whirr as the CD slotted into the player and spun itself to speed, just enough t

SINGAPORE — Philips on Wednesday unveiled a new artificial intelligence-backed patient monitoring innovation strategy, underlining its commitment to help hospitals improve health care coordination to offer better care for more people and more effectively cope with projected workforce shortages worldwide. “We need to start with where the pain sits in health care,” Stephanie Sievers, managing director of Philips Asia Pacific, told reporters on the sidelines of the company’s Innovation Summit in Si

Korea Herald correspondent SEATTLE — The cabin lights dim to a warm amber. A lantern glows softly beside the seat as a flight attendant pours a chilled glass of sparkling wine. A sliding door closes, and for a moment, the hum of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fades away. This is Alaska Airlines’ new international business-class suite, which debuted April 25 as part of the carrier’s long-haul rebrand. The airline introduced the suite on its first long-haul international route, Seattle-Incheon, follo

JPMorgan, BNP Paribas, HSBC, Circle, Cumberland, Goldman Sachs and the Depository Trust & Clearing Corp. These are major institutions with massive public footprints that all have something in common: They’ve worked with Canton Network. Canton is a blockchain protocol linking Daml applications — Daml is an enterprise-grade, open-source smart contract language — defining who is entitled to see, and who is authorized to change any given contract. In practice, this allows transactions on shared infr

South Korean travelers are facing sharply higher airfares starting this month as fuel surcharges roughly double due to surging oil prices tied to escalating tensions in the Middle East. Tickets issued this month carry fuel surcharges at Tier 33, up from Tier 18 in April — the highest level since the current system was introduced in 2016. Fuel surcharges, which airlines add to base fares to offset rising fuel costs, are set monthly based on oil prices and adjusted individually by carriers. At Kor

A key drug supplier linked to infamous trafficker Park Wang-yeol was repatriated from Thailand on Friday to face investigation and possible criminal charges in his home country. The suspect, surnamed Choi, arrived at Incheon International Airport earlier in the day and was escorted directly to a police vehicle. He did not answer questions from reporters about his alleged ties to Park. Choi is accused of smuggling and distributing illegal drugs worth 10 billion won ($6.77 million) since 2019. Pol

Unionized workers at Samsung Biologics, the biotech arm of Samsung Group, began a five-day general strike Friday, demanding higher wages and expanded performance-based compensation. The walkout marks the first labor strike since the company's establishment in 2011. Samsung Biologics said it is deploying all available personnel to minimize disruption but acknowledged that some impact to operations may be unavoidable. The company estimated that losses from a full-scale strike could exceed 640 bill

Sofitel Ambassador Seoul to screen French films under the stars Sofitel Ambassador Seoul will host French Movie Night in its sixth-floor garden from May 7 through May 28, marking the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and France. The lineup includes Michel Gondry's "The Book of Solutions," the culinary film "The French Soup" and "Attila Marcel," released locally as "Madame Proust's Secret Garden." Guests can pair the screenings with Whispering Angel rose, served through a partner

South Korea hosted a two-day event for former prisoners of war from the 1950-53 Korean War, the Defense Ministry said Thursday. The event, held Wednesday and Thursday, was organized to honor the sacrifices and contributions of repatriated POWs and express gratitude for their service to the nation. Around 30 former POWs and their family members attended the event, which was arranged ahead of May, a month widely associated with family in South Korea, and June, when the country honors patriots and

Korea's five major banking groups pledged to commit a combined 1 trillion won ($675.3 million) to support the country's venture and startup ecosystem, joining a government-led push to revive venture investment with private capital. KB, Shinhan, Hana, Woori and NH Financial Groups signed a memorandum of understanding Thursday with the Financial Services Commission and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, according to the companies and government agencies. Policy financing and guarantee institutions

The Ministry of National Defense on Thursday clarified that Seoul and Washington have not discussed any possible reduction of US Forces Korea troops, amid renewed concerns over potential changes to the US military posture overseas. “There have been no discussions whatsoever between South Korea and the United States on a reduction of US Forces Korea,” ministry spokesperson Chung Binna said during a briefing at the ministry’s headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul. “As you know, the main mission of US For

YG Entertainment is preparing to debut its first new boy group in six years, executive producer Yang Hyun-suk announced Friday. In a video interview posted on the agency’s official blog, Yang said the company plans to introduce a five-member group in September, marking its first boy group launch since Treasure. “We previously mentioned plans to launch a new boy group this fall,” Yang said. “As of now, we are aiming to introduce a five-member team in September.” The upcoming group will depart fro

Seoul stocks dipped by more than 1 percent Thursday to snap their gains of three consecutive days, after touching a fresh all-time high, as investors cashed in gains amid a sharp rise in international oil prices. After choppy trading, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 92.03 points, or 1.38 percent, to end at 6,598.87, after rising as high as 6,750.27. Trade volume was heavy at 676.2 million shares worth 34.7 trillion won ($23.4 billion), with losers outnumbering winners 666 to

Her YouTube duet with French pianist Julien Cohen has been viewed more than 17 million times. She has performed for world leaders at APEC alongside robots, won grand prizes at competitions across continents, and earned standing ovations in cities where she could not pronounce the street names. She just turned 12 in April. Her name is Kim Yeonah, the same Korean name as the beloved figure skater Kim Yuna, who won South Korea's first Olympic gold in figure skating. Her mother chose it on purpose.

South Korea's benchmark Kospi swung sharply Friday, opening at a record high and climbing above 6,750 points for the first time, before turning course and going lower in the afternoon as foreign and institutional investors stepped up profit-taking. As of 2 p.m., the index was hovering around 6,613 points, down 1.1 percent from the previous close. The Kospi had opened at a fresh high of 6,739.39 and climbed as high as 6,750.27, marking an all-time intraday peak. The retreat followed a mixed sessi

● Updated Law: Customs Act What it does: Expands duty exemptions for medicines used to treat rare and intractable diseases Took effect: April 1 South Korea has expanded tariff exemptions to cover medicines used to treat rare and intractable diseases, easing the financial burden on patients. Previously, while some medicines qualified for duty exemptions, this did not apply to “self-treatment medicines” that are not distributed domestically. As a result, patients importing such medicines through t