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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
A former South Korean “comfort woman” holds the hand of a statue symbolising Japan’s wartime sex slaves in Seoul in 2021. Photo: Reuters
Japan

Japan-South Korea ‘comfort women’ row stoked by statues abroad

The removal of wartime sex slave memorials in Germany and New Zealand has electrified certain LDP hardliners, risking a diplomatic rift.

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Semiconductors

Chinese memory module makers ramp up production with new CXMT DRAM

Diplomacy

Opinion | North Korea is not Iran. The same pressure tactics won’t work

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Hong Kong transport

HK Express cuts surcharge by 12.8% as fuel prices ease amid Mideast war

Adjustment follows similar moves by Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines, which have both announced reductions in fuel surcharges.

Hong Kong Express counters at Hong Kong International Airport. Photo: Eugene Lee
War and conflict

‘Like whale bones’: South Korea’s war memorial sparks conflict over symbolism

Critics argue the Korean war memorial should not be in a space in Seoul long associated with pro-democracy protests and its imperial past.

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Leaving so soon? US, China hold briefest trade talks yet before leaders’ summit

The two delegations met in Seoul’s Incheon Airport, spoke for a few hours and skipped the press conferences typically held after earlier sessions.

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Extreme weather

South Korea adds ‘extreme heat emergency’ to first major alert update in decades

Over the past five years, the average number of heatwave days and tropical nights has surged nearly threefold compared to the 1970s.

Children play in a fountain at Gwanghwamun Plaza in Seoul on April 26. Photo: Yonhap/EPA
China trade

Asia needs ‘institutional toolbox’ to survive global shocks, China experts warn

Ahead of Trump’s China visit, experts at an RCEP forum discuss a supply-chain overhaul, looking to insulate the world’s biggest trading bloc.

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Defence

South Korea signals ‘phased’ support for US-led Hormuz mission after ship attack

Defence Minister Ahn said the support could include political backing, personnel dispatches and sharing of information and military assets.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

China and US teams race to find easy summit deliverables at meeting in Seoul

The two sides will seek to ‘iron out any last-minute issues’ in single day of talks, economist says.

Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent last met in person in Paris on March 16. Photo: Handout
2026 Xi-Trump summit

China-US trade talks kick off in Seoul ahead of high-profile leaders’ summit

Trade deals, export controls on critical minerals and the Iran war likely to be talking points as senior officials sit down for negotiations.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent arrives at Incheon International Airport in Seoul on Wednesday, ahead of a scheduled meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and trade talks with Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng. Photo: Reuters
US-China relations

US confirms delegation to Apec meeting in China as Trump sets off for Beijing

US representatives to attend Apec trade and investment meetings in Shanghai and Suzhou this month as key Trump-Xi summit looms.

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China-EU relations

In a bind over rare earths, Europe watches US-China tussle from the sidelines

As Xi Jinping and Donald Trump prepare to meet in Beijing, one European diplomat says the bloc is aware ‘we have little leverage here’.

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Asian cinema: Korean films

How The King’s Warden sold 16 million tickets and saved the Korean box office

Producer Lim Eun-jung, director Jang Hang-jun and actor Yoo Hae-jin explain why the historical drama struck a chord with Korean audiences.

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Yoo Hae-jin in a still from The King’s Warden, which has revitalised a sluggish Korean film industry.
China stock market

Emerging markets rebound on inflows as Xi-Trump talks eyed for momentum

Mainland China, Hong Kong stock markets may benefit from Xi-Trump meeting as renewed interest in AI shows investors keen to re-engage, analysts say.

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People walk beneath a large screen showing stock exchange and economic data in Shanghai. Asia-Pacific markets have seen gains in recent months as geopolitical panic over the Iran war dissipates. Photo: EPA
SCMP Highlights

Philippine pageant debate, Chinese stealth jets in Pakistan: 7 Asia highlights

From controversy about a Philippine pageant winner to Japan’s social recluses, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

US, Israel war on Iran

South Korea cautious on blaming Iran for ship strike ahead of US-China summit

Seoul has footage of the May 4 attack on the HMM Namu but analysts say it is biding its time, hoping ‘the dust will settle’.

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Viral stories

‘Are you still hiring?’: K-pop king G-Dragon gifts flats to staff, sparks online buzz

Known for his exceptional loyalty, the pop icon has developed a strong bond with his long-term team.

K-pop superstar G-Dragon’s investment in gifting flats to long-serving staff has caused an online buzz, with many netizens asking to work for him. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/IG@xxxibgdrgn
2026 Xi-Trump summit

Trump taps Musk, Cook and other leaders for high-stakes China trade mission

Business delegation spanning tech, aviation and finance joins Beijing trip as trade, investment and supply chains top agenda.

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China shipbuilding

The US tried to rein in China’s shipyards. Now, they are even more dominant

China’s shipyards secured a staggering 85 per cent of global orders in the first quarter, as demand for oil tankers surges amid the Iran war.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

US-China negotiations seek a quick Seoul search for deals ahead of Trump’s visit

Setting stage for presidential summit with Xi in Beijing, Bessent and He to meet in South Korea, and the ‘3 Bs’ could be on the cards.

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Vice-Premier He Lifeng (right) gestures alongside US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent before a meeting to discuss trade relations and tariffs on May 10, 2025, just over one year ago. Photo: AFP
2026 Xi-Trump summit

China readies for Trump visit amid rebound in trade growth

Surging Chinese exports will bolster the nation’s position with the US as the two countries ready for trade talks and a presidential summit this week.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (left) and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng (right) last year. Photo: Keystone via AP
Robotics

Robots to the rescue? South Korea looks for solutions to falling army numbers

South Korea’s standing forces have shrunk by 20 per cent in the past six years to 450,000 amid a record-low birth rate.

The Philippines

Remote control: the inmates running crime empires from Philippine prison

What do a South Korean drug ring and a Japanese robbery syndicate have in common? They were both allegedly run from Philippine prison cells.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

China, US confirm Seoul trade talks days before Trump-Xi summit in Beijing

Meeting follows Paris round in March and a video call in April as both sides prepare for Trump’s state visit.

US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, left, with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in 2025. The pair will meet again this week in South Korea. Photo: Keystone via AP
Middle East

‘Unidentified aircraft’ hit Korean cargo ship in Hormuz on Monday: Seoul

Iran has denied responsibility for the attack, with its embassy in Seoul stating that it rejects and denies any allegations of involvement.

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Iranian ambassador to South Korea Saeed Koozechi (centre) leaves the Foreign Ministry in Seoul on Sunday. Photo: AFP
US-China relations

Opinion | China shouldn’t view a tired US as signifying a Europe ready to pivot

As fractures within the US’ network of alliances deepen, China’s strategic window opens a little wider, with some key caveats.

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World of performing arts

Pioneering South Korean soprano Sumi Jo joins K-pop label, sings with Exo’s Suho

Sumi Jo opens up on great moments in her 40-year career, her new album Continuum, and why she signed with K-pop label SM Entertainment.

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