KOREA TODAY
South Korea’s 821 Trillion Won Budget Opens Parliamentary Showdown
A proposed future fund, welfare spending and debt repayment divide the parties as President Lee prepares to seek support from lawmakers.
AI map links about 3,400 illegal lending groups in South Korea
Financial regulators connected repeated Telegram, phone and bank account details across victim reports to trace networks behind abusive private loans.
South Korea Finalizes Screening Rules for Nuclear Waste Site Search
Twelve exclusion criteria will guide the initial search, with candidate areas due to be narrowed before applications open next year.
Kospi plunges 16% in October as AI concerns deepen
The benchmark recorded its seventh-largest monthly decline as heavy losing sessions and worries over US technology spending overwhelmed strong Korean chip earnings.
Seven in 10 Koreans Report Mental Health Problems in Past Year
A national survey found growing reports of multiple mental health problems, significant disruption to daily life and limited use of outside support.
WEEKLY
What changed in Korea, and why it matters
WHAT'S ON
Events, festivals and things to do across Korea
PLACES
Venues, institutions and public spaces worth knowing
GUIDES
Clear answers for living and working in Korea
RECENT STORIES
DAILY LEADS
Hanwha wins first US Navy shipbuilding contract
Alphabet shock sends Kospi down 3.48% as chip shares slide
North Korea Fires About 10 Projectiles After Ignoring Talks Offer
South Korea Orders Emergency Review After Bithumb and Daishin Cyber Incidents
Guryong Village fire displaces more than 100 Seoul residents
KB Kookmin Bank breach expands to 2,210 people as insurer confirms leak
ESSENTIAL STORIES
Gangnam Clinic Data Leak Used in Intimate-Photo Extortion Threat
Police are investigating after a patient’s surgery photographs and identifying information were allegedly used to demand cryptocurrency.
South Korea, US and Japan renew North Korea denuclearization pledge
The three foreign ministers paired sanctions enforcement and support for renewed diplomacy with cooperation on critical minerals, nuclear technology, artificial intelligence and the Pacific Arctic.
Metropolitan Label Masks Incheon’s Medical Access Divide
Island evacuations, doctor shortages and limited specialist capacity leave some Incheon communities far from timely essential care
Semiconductor Earnings Drive Surge in South Korea’s Corporate Tax Revenue
National tax receipts rose 33% through September as corporate tax collections accounted for more than half of the increase
Eight former officers acquitted in martial law cases
A Seoul court found that prosecutors had not proved the former officers shared a purpose of subverting the constitutional order
Faulty Calculations Led to Deadly Ulsan Power Plant Collapse
Investigators found that overstated column strength, underestimated weight and weak oversight caused a boiler tower to collapse during demolition preparations, killing seven workers
GS Engineering & Construction Reports Resident Data Exposure After Apartment System Hack
Unauthorized access to a community reservation platform may have exposed personal, account and building-access information, while the number of affected residents remains under investigation.
Ajou pediatric emergency center director resigns after disputed police search
Police apologized for their handling of the search, but the center director said key questions about the unannounced warrant remained unanswered
South Korea Opens Review of 821 Trillion Won Budget
Lawmakers are divided over a proposed future investment fund and an opposition target to cut 134 trillion won from the government plan.
Special counsel again seeks death penalty for former President Yoon
The appellate demand challenges the life sentence imposed over Yoon Suk Yeol's 2024 martial-law declaration and disputes the trial court's mitigating findings.
South Korea Plans Mandatory External Funding of Retirement Benefits by 2030
The phased proposal would begin with workplaces of at least 100 employees in 2028 and extend to the smallest businesses in 2030, with financial support offered to ease the transition.
Police Refer 51 People Over Fatal Gwangju Library Collapse and Alleged Corruption
The investigation widened from construction failures that killed four workers to alleged bribery, preferential treatment and illegal contracting practices.
Gyeonggi bus strike called off after overnight wage deal
Labor and management agreed to a 3.2 percent raise and additional driver benefits before the first services were due to stop
Rescued disabled man finds no public shelter for men in Busan
A suspected exploitation case exposed how the absence of a male disability-abuse shelter can block both immediate protection and access to residency-based support.
Gyeonggi bus unions move closer to a general strike
A final mediation session on October 29 will determine whether buses stop on October 30
Seven of Nine Specialists Signal Exit From Ajou Pediatric Emergency Center
A disputed police search tied to an infant’s death has triggered resignation notices that could destabilize pediatric emergency care in southern Gyeonggi Province.
Audits Find 25,206 Improper Claims at 20 Care Hospitals
Ministry data documented false admissions, fabricated staffing records and charges for treatments that were never provided across Gwangju and South Jeolla.
South Korea extends operating life of Kori reactors 3 and 4
The nuclear regulator approved 10-year extensions in a five-to-two vote, but both reactors must pass on-site checks before restarting.
Naver seals $9 billion Brookfield deal for AI infrastructure
The financing structure limits upfront GPU spending but leaves Naver backing cloud usage payments for up to eight years
Gyeonggi bus union threatens October 30 strike affecting 4,200 vehicles
A final mediation meeting on October 29 will determine whether workers at 29 bus companies walk out from the next morning’s first services.
South Korea breaks annual foreign tourist record two months early
Foreign arrivals exceeded the previous 18.94 million peak as regional travel, spending and entries outside the capital area all increased
Lee Orders Full Investigation Into Military Procurement Suppliers
Unrelated businesses won contracts for military equipment, prompting on-site inspections and a review of bidding safeguards
Antidepressant prescription proposed after a 57-second telehealth call
An SBS investigation found weak screening and limited side-effect guidance as students encounter false claims that psychiatric drugs can improve concentration.
All 22 Hands-On Zoos Surveyed Violated Approved Program Rules
A civic group found unauthorized feeding or contact activities at every facility examined, exposing gaps in oversight after initial approval.
Prior violence identified in nearly one in five killings
Police data covering 2023 through September 2026 found domestic violence, dating violence, stalking or sexual violence before 543 killings.