KOREA TODAY
Two missing as heavy rain spreads damage across North Jeolla
Jeongeup and Gochang reported missing people, flooding and evacuations as the latest southern downpours shifted west
Jeju police say missing woman’s cause of death remains undetermined
The finding undercuts an earlier public emphasis on suicide and adds pressure to an already troubled review of missing-person cases
THIS WEEK IN KOREA
The essential events and decisions ahead
WEEK 36 >
MONTH IN REVIEW
The stories that changed Korea this month
SEP 2026 >
PRACTICAL GUIDES
Clear answers for living and working in Korea
EXPLORE >
EVENTS IN KOREA
Concerts, exhibitions, festivals and events across Korea
EXPLORE EVENTS >RECENT STORIES
DAILY LEADS
Lee reshuffles six ministries in a broad reset of his second-term team
Korail worker dies during shunting work at Uiwang Station
Lee asks chief justice to nominate a new Supreme Court candidate
Bank of Korea raises base rate to 3% after back-to-back hikes
Nine Koreans remain out of contact after deadly Nepal flood
Korea’s 2027 budget points to a bigger bet on AI, industry and regional growth
ESSENTIAL STORIES
Lee orders faster housing supply and a public-buying backstop for a price slump
The president paired a push to expand supply with preparations for large public purchases if housing prices fall sharply
Extreme rain floods parts of South Jeolla and Gwangju as Boseong hits 124.6 mm in an hour
Flooding and isolation reports replaced the earlier forecast story with a real-impact emergency across the southwest
Landslide alert raised across central and southwest Korea
Daejeon, Sejong, the Chungcheong provinces and North Jeolla were moved to the caution level as heavy rain approaches
Old-age pension payments set to become more automatic
Reports say eligible recipients will no longer need to apply in the same way, while rural Gangwon residents over 75 are also getting a cash-delivery option
Korea opens public deliberation on university admissions reform
The debate is weighing limits of the current CSAT system against concern that essay and written-response alternatives could create new burdens
Korea plans 43.3 trillion won youth support package for 2027
The government says it will expand youth-related spending by more than 50 percent next year, with support spanning jobs, housing and asset building.
SKT, Kakao and KT picked for nationwide free AI services
The government selected three consortiums to build public-facing AI services intended for nationwide use, turning a policy push into a concrete deployment program.
Muan chosen as candidate site for Gwangju military airport move
The relocation plan is tied to redevelopment of the current Gwangju air base site, but several formal steps remain before a move can happen.
Court opens JTBC rehabilitation as broadcaster moves toward sale
A court has allowed the cash-strapped broadcaster to begin rehabilitation proceedings, while JTBC says a sale is part of its plan to restore financial stability.
SK Hynix starts Indiana HBM plant with 2029 production target
The more than $4 billion project is designed to put advanced HBM production closer to major US AI customers as the company expects memory tightness to last through 2030.
Former 707 commander Kim Hyun-tae gets 12 years over Assembly blockade
A Seoul court imposed prison terms on several military officers over their roles in the Dec. 3 martial-law operation, stressing that unlawful orders do not erase individual responsibility.
Korea proposes regional industrial power discounts of up to 10%
A new KEPCO design would cut industrial electricity prices more outside the capital region, reviving a debate over where the boundary should fall.
Korea maps regional growth engines for its 5+3 development strategy
The government has assigned priority industries to regional blocs and plans to concentrate fiscal, financial, tax and regulatory support around them.
Coupang challenges FTC surprise inspections as legal fight escalates
The retailer blocked repeated field-inspection attempts over advance-notice rules, prompting a lawsuit, a threatened criminal complaint and a proposed law change.
Jeju false closures push Korea toward wider missing-person audits and police reform
The case has moved beyond one officer: regional forces are reviewing thousands of closed files, commanders face scrutiny and the government is considering new controls as police powers expand.
Education chiefs mobilize against Korea’s plan to rewrite local school funding
The dispute has become a direct fight over who should bear the risk when student numbers fall: local school systems want the tax-linked formula preserved, while university leaders welcome a shift toward higher education if funding is stable.
Chinese graduate student found dead after Daegu disappearance; murder suspect arrested
Police found the woman at a suspect’s residence in Gyeongsan and arrested a man in his 30s on suspicion of murder. Investigators are now reconstructing the days between her disappearance and the discovery.