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South Korea

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South Korea
South Korea
Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on South Korea, covering politics, economy, society, K-pop and Seoul’s relationships with North Korea, Japan, China and the United States.
Capital
Seoul
Head of State
Lee Jae-myung
Lee Jae Myung
Head of Government
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok
Cargo ships at sea near the Strait of Hormuz, as viewed from a rocky shoreline near Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates. Photo: AP
Seoul

Seoul says ‘explosion and fire’ on South Korean ship in Hormuz strait

The vessel is a cargo ship of almost 180 metres (590 feet) sailing under the flag of Panama.

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United States

Wall Street hesitates, oil prices rise amid uncertainty in Strait of Hormuz

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North Korea

Pitch perfect diplomacy? North Korean footballers head to South Korea

China-Middle East relations

How lost Yiddish songs from a Ukrainian ghetto revive links to Shanghai’s past

The city, once home to thousands of Jewish refugees, will be one of the first places in East Asia where the songs are brought back to life.

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Songwriter and musician Psoy Korolenko and the University of Toronto’s Anna Shternshis led the project to bring the songs to life. Photo: Daniel Rosenberg
Korean peninsula

Video | South Koreans snooze their way through power-nap contest

South Korea is one of the most overworked and sleep-deprived nations among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) members and its people have some of the fewest sleep hours.

Mainland China

South Korean team behind new stroke research, treatment cites Chinese interest

Animals given an experimental drug have shown significant improvement in motor function, with their brain damage reduced.

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Human rights

‘Stay to end’: South Korean agency pledges funeral support for foreign workers

Foreign workers, who comprise roughly 3.5 per cent of the workforce, account for over 10 per cent of annual workplace fatalities.

Park Jong-kil pays his respects at a memorial altar for Nguyen Van Tuan at Incheon International Airport on March 20. Photo: K-Comwel
China-North Korea relations

Why a 5-year defence pact between North Korea and Russia could make China uneasy

Rare cooperation plan with Moscow could accelerate Pyongyang’s military modernisation on multiple fronts, analysts say.

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Asia travel

The Irish-American pub helping put a quiet Seoul suburb on the cultural map

Seoul’s Nowon district has never been known for nightlife. Irish-American Brendan Kelly shares how his bar, Kelly’s Pub, is changing that.

Indonesia

Indonesia’s aim to lure more K-pop concerts spurs chorus of doubts

While Indonesian K-pop fans applaud Jakarta’s intention, they cite safety, venue capacity and bureaucracy as some of the key hurdles.

Indonesian K-pop idol Carmen poses for photos alongside Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and his South Korean counterpart Lee Jae Myung at a state luncheon in Seoul on April 1. Photo: Instagram/2_jaemyung
Japan

Common threats help Japan, South Korea overlook historical rows

Both appear willing to put past differences aside as they confront an assertive China, North Korea and an unpredictable US.

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Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (left) and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung visit the Horyu-ji temple in Ikaruga, Nara prefecture, on January 14. Photo: EPA
Defence

Will Japan’s new arms export rules spark a high-end defence boom?

Updated regulations give Tokyo greater scope to sell lethal weapons overseas, prompting rebuke from China, but the industry still faces hurdles.

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United States

Opinion | Why US may regret pushing allies towards greater defence autonomy

The challenge for US policymakers in the aftermath of Trump’s presidency may be to restore US importance among like-minded countries.

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China technology

‘It’s hard to compete’: how China is using AI to churn out 500 dramas per day

In China, micro drama companies are harnessing AI to create shows at jaw-dropping speed and cost – often with the help of lavish subsidies.

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A still from the 2024 Chinese micro drama ‘The Divorced Billionaire Heiress’. China’s micro drama producers are now rapidly integrating AI tools to make production of new shows faster and cheaper. Photo: Handout
Diplomacy

The big shift in Xi Jinping’s travel plans and what it means for China

Data analysis by the SCMP reveals a changing dynamic in Beijing towards high-level diplomatic meetings.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Korean drama reviews

Filing for Love: Shin Hye-sun, Gong Myung lead workplace comedy K-drama

Gong Myung plays a star auditor humbled by Shin Hye-sun’s feared executive in this show exploring corporate dynamics in South Korean society.

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Semiconductors

Samsung, SK Hynix flag record supply squeeze in memory market as AI demand soars

South Korea’s memory chip giants warn of a prolonged crunch, with worried Samsung customers already pre-booking memory capacity for 2027.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Macroscope | How the AI boom is helping Asia weather the Iran war energy shock

The war in Iran might as well be over for investors as positive sentiment, strong corporate earnings and the AI boom lift Asian markets.

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Currency traders work near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index and the dollar-won exchange rate at the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul on April 29. Photo: AP
Donald Trump

Why King Charles’ ‘Trump bell’ gift amuses Chinese internet users

The king’s present – which came just days after the third assassination attempt on Trump – is a Chinese homophone for ‘attending the dying’.

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North Korea

Could a ‘reckless’ Trump’s ‘destroy-and-deal’ tactics target North Korea?

A Korean-American leader said the strategy was influenced by ‘new neocons’, urging Seoul to prioritise risk management over diplomacy.

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China-Australia relations

Why China’s jet fuel deal with Australia underscores Canberra’s balancing act

Meeting between top diplomats Wang Yi and Penny Wong signals continuing thaw in bilateral relationship after years of diplomatic freeze.

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Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong meets her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on Wednesday. Photo: Xinhua
US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | Why an era of managed Hormuz disruption wouldn’t bode well for Asia

As the Gulf moves from war to managed disruption, the risk may become more enduring for markets, governments and companies.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
New Zealand

New Zealand officials reject statue remembering Japan’s WWII sex slaves

The government said feedback for the statue application included formal representations from Japan.

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SCMP Highlights

China’s EV makers to cut charging times; Li Auto’s expansion: 7 EV reads

From BYD’s first-quarter profit to Xpeng’s August goal to overtake self-driving tech in China, here are seven EV stories you may have missed.

Yoon Suk-yeol

South Korea’s Yoon has jail term raised to 7 years in obstruction case

A court increased the ex-president’s sentence from five to seven years on charges related to his botched martial law bid.

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Supporters of South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk-yeol wave flags near the Seoul High Court in Seoul on Tuesday. Photo: AFP
US, Israel war on Iran

Why UAE’s exit from Opec is good news for oil-thirsty Asia

Once free of Opec’s production caps, the world’s sixth-largest oil producer plans to flood the market with 5 million barrels a day.

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An oil technician climbs down a tower at a refinery in Jebel Ali, UAE. Photo: AP
Samsung Electronics

How Samsung clan made a US$45 billion financial comeback in 1 year

The Lee dynasty is now Asia’s third-richest family, up from 10th last year, thanks to an AI-driven upswing in semiconductor valuations.

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Japan

Why Japan’s travellers are rushing abroad for ‘golden week’ despite falling yen

The operator of Narita airport anticipates that 1.59 million travellers will pass through the airport over the two-week holiday season.

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