Advertisement
Advertisement
-
South Korea
TOPIC
 / location

South Korea

Related Topics:
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
Illustration: Henry Wong
China travel

China’s expat pilots arrived on a red carpet – now, they’re taking a red-eye out

Well-paid foreign pilots once flocked to Chinese airlines – but winds have shifted as domestic talent steps up and airlines limit fleet expansions.

videocam
China manufacturing

Stern rebuke: China shrugs off 2025 US threats to anchor shipbuilding dominance

videocam
4
South Korean celebrities

Agency defends South Korean star Kim Seon-ho over tax evasion claims

Asian Football Confederation (AFC)

South Korea football bosses in talks to avert Women’s Asian Cup boycott

Team has previously complained of having to pay for their own kit and being given ‘inadequate’ accommodation while on international duty.

South Korea’s women complained last year about their treatment when compared with their male counterparts. Photo: AFP
SCMP Highlights

Korean travel boom in China, PLA tightens fuel rules: 5 weekend reads you missed

From China’s visa-free access drawing Koreans to Hong Kong’s seat belt law U-turn, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.

Greater Bay Area

Open Questions | Lawrence Lau on why China must ‘work smarter’ and how it can invent from scratch

China must shift from quantity to quality by focusing on 12-year schooling, more basic research and GBA integration, renowned economist says.

videocam
7
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
US-China relations

Pentagon eyes expanded role for South Korea-based US forces to help deter China

US defence policy chief signals ‘model ally’ Seoul should take the lead on North Korea as Washington refocuses on first island chain.

34
South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back (left) speaks with US undersecretary of defence for policy Elbridge Colby (right) during their meeting in Seoul on January 26. Photo: AFP/ South Korean Defence Ministry
Art

Samsung family’s Korean art collection sees light of day in world tour

Joseon-era treasures and modern paintings feature in Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared, which has made its first stop in the US.

China travel

China’s visa-free waivers spark Korean travel boom, underpin tourism revival

Shanghai bookings surge as visitors flock to cosmopolitan streets and affordable dining, with analysts predicting the trend will spread inland.

videocam
8
Korean peninsula

SKY’s the limit: behind push to end academic elitism in South Korean hiring

Hiring practices have traditionally been centred around which school a candidate attended, with higher-paying jobs going to elite alumni.

High-school seniors sit for a nationwide mock test in Seoul on June 4, 2025, ahead of the national college entrance exam. Photo: Yonhap/EPA-EFE
Hong Kong

2016 trends from Pokemon Go to poke bowls amid viral internet nostalgia

Looking back at 2016 is viral online, but what was hot back then? We look at food, travel, health and pop culture trends from a decade ago.

People play Pokemon Go in Hong Kong on July 25, 2016, the day it was released in the city. The online game was one of the hottest trends in the city 10 years ago. Photo: Nora Tam
Trip Inspiration

From devil-mouth caves to deer-filled parks, these sites deserve more love

From ancient temples in Bali to royal tombs in Korea, Asia’s World Heritage sites reveal rich histories beyond the spotlight.

North Korea

Kim Jong-un set to signal stronger nuclear deterrence posture at congress

After viewing a test of a multiple rocket launcher system, Kim is likely to unveil ICBM plans capable of hitting the US, analysts say.

videocam
Japan

Video | South Korea and Japan’s defence ministers face off in table tennis

The defence ministers of Japan and South Korea agreed to strengthen cooperation with the United States amid growing security risks, particularly with North Korea.

Japan's Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and South Korea's Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back pose after playing table tennis at the headquarters of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, in Yokosuka District, Tokyo, January 30, 2026. Eugene Hoshiko/Pool via REUTERS
01:49
Japan

Japan and South Korea bolster defence ties amid regional tensions

Defence chiefs agree to joint AI, space, and drone development, aiming to stabilise the region against growing missile threats.

Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (right) and South Korea’s Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back shake hands before their meeting at Japan’s Yokosuka naval base near Tokyo on Friday. Photo: AFP
Cambodia

South Korea forced to act after Cambodian worker’s death in freezing dorm

Seoul has apologised and pledged to improve foreign worker housing following the woman’s death in a makeshift dwelling in 2020.

Hong Kong stock market

Hong Kong stocks end 7-day rally as investors resort to profit-taking

Despite the setback, the Hang Seng Index is set for its best monthly performance since September 2025.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Parenting: newborns to toddlers

Rich South Korean mums face ‘worst nightmare’ over European baby food recall

Parents fret over ‘Gangnam formula’, a brand associated with wealthy families, after French firm Danone recalled it over toxin fears.

Aptamil’s recall in Europe over toxin fears has alarmed South Korean parents. Photo: AFP
Japan

Japan child suicides reach record high as experts warn of mounting pressures

The rise in child deaths contrasts with a broader decline in suicides, prompting scrutiny of school pressure and mental health support.

videocam
Fame and celebrity

Meet Son Sook, grandma to Bridgerton’s Yerin Ha and award-winning actress

The war survivor fell in love with acting in high school and has won numerous awards, including South Korea’s equivalent of the Oscars.

Korea Times

Why South Korea’s Gen Z steer towards bus driving as job market shifts

Bus driver licenses for people in their 20s and 30s rose 43 per cent in three years, driven by better pay, job security, and changing attitudes.

A bus driver walks between parked buses at the Yangcheon Public Garage in Seoul. Photo: The Korea Times
China-EU relations

How Europe, not the US, became China’s No 1 trade headache

Electric vehicles, critical minerals and chips have become flashpoints in the relationship, survey shows.

videocam
4
China and the EU have faced mounting trade disputes in recent years, spanning electric vehicles, rare earths, chips and agricultural goods. Photo: Shutterstock
Art

Remembering Korean artist Chung Sang-hwa, master of monochrome

Korean modern art icon Chung Sang-hwa was known for his ‘dansaekhwa’ paintings, which demanded ‘foolishly endless repetition’.

Trade

Macroscope | Trump weaponises trade as globalisation becomes more fractured

As recognised by Canada, the fracturing of the global economy is in full swing. Policymakers and businesses should expect it to continue.

Crime

Jewellery store heists sweep South Korea amid soaring gold prices

Teenagers and adults are stealing gold to convert it into cash, with one robbery turning fatal in Bucheon.

Gold jewellery on display at a store in Seoul, South Korea, on Monday. Photo: AFP
Asean

Just 1 visa to rule them all? How European-style pass could help Asean tourism

While Asean members such as Malaysia and Vietnam have shown strong post-pandemic growth, tourist numbers have lagged in the Philippines.

Tourists have fun in the Cambugahay Falls on the Philippine island of Siquijor on December 10 last year. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong stock market

Hong Kong stocks rise for seventh day, briefly cross 28,000 mark

Zijin, CNOOC, PetroChina, Longfor and China Overseas Land lift Hang Seng Index from early slump.

Japan

Why more Japanese than ever support strengthening the military

A record-high survey result reflects how the war in Ukraine and regional tensions have reshaped Japan’s once cautious security outlook.

videocam
5
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement