KOREA TODAY
162 Trillion Won Fund Exposes Gap in Parliamentary Budget Review
Major programs moved into the Future Response Fund can escape full scrutiny by the committees overseeing the ministries that deliver them
SM Entertainment and affiliates report employee data breach
Unauthorized access exposed documents that may contain identity, financial and employment information, with the affected fields varying by person.
South Korean Teaching Hospitals Face a Cardiac Anesthesia Succession Gap
Only three of 68 surveyed training hospitals had a cardiac anesthesia fellowship applicant in 2026 as aging specialists carried broad surgical and emergency duties.
Nearly One in Three Korean Stocks Hit Annual Lows
A broad November selloff drove 844 Kospi and Kosdaq companies to intraday lows for the year, with former market leaders also caught in the decline.
Cheongju removes garbage truck step only after worker's death
The city knew rear-step travel was dangerous, but operational pressure kept the practice in place until a temporary sanitation worker was fatally injured.
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
Mirae Asset Securities breach exposes data of 39,055 customers and workers
South Korea Assembly Passes Special Prosecutor Bill
US Blue Wave Sends South Korean Stocks Tumbling
Special prosecutor searches election commission over alleged polling record alterations
South Korea Approves New Workplace Protections for Older Workers, Parents and Harassment Victims
Passport Details of 168 Presidential Aircraft Passengers Exposed Online
ESSENTIAL STORIES
Five childcare teachers charged over alleged abuse of infants in Gangneung
Three teachers were detained as parents cited hundreds of suspicious scenes in nursery surveillance footage
KOSPI and KOSDAQ Plunge More Than 11% in One Week
Korean equities joined a wider market retreat as the won weakened, bond yields fell and gold advanced
Highly pathogenic bird flu confirmed at Yeoju egg farm
About 260,000 laying hens are being culled after South Korea confirmed its third highly pathogenic avian influenza case this winter.
Parents of Adults With Developmental Disabilities Fear the Care Gap After Death
Families in Incheon are seeking workable guardianship, trust, housing and employment systems that can protect their adult children when parental care ends.
Parties Clash After Passage of Special Prosecutor Bill
Democrats call the inquiry an independent check on alleged abuse of state power, while the People Power Party says it could influence pending trials
Gyeongkuk National University Wins Approval for New Medical School
The Education Ministry allocated 40 annual places and set 2030 as the target for the first entering class
GOPAX halts trading and transfers after hacking threat
The South Korean crypto exchange moved customer assets into offline storage and introduced manual withdrawals, with no confirmed intrusion or loss reported
Thirteen Incheon Airport Facilities Flagged for Earthquake Risk
A preliminary review found possible collapse or severe damage risks at 13 older facilities, prompting detailed assessments and a broader inspection plan through 2030.
Special Prosecutor Bill Heads Toward Vote After Filibuster
The opposition says the 17-case inquiry could benefit President Lee Jae Myung, while the governing bloc says disputed prosecution powers were removed
Yoon defends martial law in final appeal statement
The former president denied leading an insurrection as the Seoul High Court scheduled its ruling for Jan. 26, 2027
Daeguro breach exposes 25,000 merchant bank records
The public delivery app’s operator delayed notifying affected merchants while suspending registrations and investigating the intrusion route
Man arrested in Seoul stalking murder two weeks after tracker order ended
The victim was under high-risk police management, while the suspect had previously been detained and required to wear a location-tracking device.
Emergency room search prompts mass resignation threat and police regret
Seven pediatric emergency specialists signaled plans to resign after police searched an Ajou University Hospital emergency center during an infant-death investigation
South Korea proposes lower copayments for rare and severe diseases
A planned reduction from 10 percent to 7 percent could benefit 1.36 million registered patients, but the amendment is still under review.
South Korea selects two universities for new regional medical schools
Sunchon National University receives 60 places and Gyeongkuk National University 40, but faculty recruitment and graduate retention remain central challenges.
South Korea and Türkiye Sign Nuclear Financing Agreement After Seoul Summit
The leaders expanded energy and defense cooperation, but the nuclear memorandum is not a construction contract.
South Korea Sets November 13 Start for Cornerstone Investors in IPOs
New rules permit earlier institutional price discovery and allocated shares with multi-month holding obligations.
South Korea Imposes One-Year Credit Sanctions on 777 Habitual Wage Defaulters
The first major decision under a new system penalizes repeated wage arrears without requiring final criminal convictions.
Special counsel raids election commission over 905.8 million won in stipends
Investigators searched 18 departments and a former official’s residence while examining whether activity allowances lacked a legal basis and relied on diverted funds.
South Korea Maps 2028 Shift to Next-Day Stock Settlement
Market institutions plan a T+1 settlement cycle for shares, ETFs and ETNs, alongside lower-cost loans that provide earlier access to sale proceeds.
Korean judges report widespread encounters with AI-generated fake precedents
A Supreme Court survey found nonexistent or false legal authorities appearing in court filings, prompting calls for verification duties and sanctions.
South Korea Launches Defense Drone Headquarters Amid Capability Gaps
The military is reorganizing drone development as failed demonstrations, slow procurement and counter-drone shortfalls expose the scale of the challenge
South Korea's new criminal justice system slows cases after one month
Supplementary investigation requests have increased as prosecutors send evidence gaps back to police, while victims face uncertainty over submitting new material at trial.