Korea Times

The Korean government said Sunday that a joint investigation team has concluded that two unidentified airborne objects struck the stern of the Korean-operated bulk carrier HMM Namu near the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government team conducted an on-site inspection on Friday and determined that the unidentified objects hit the vessel’s rear section on May 4. The ministry said there are limitations in determining the exact type and physical size o

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will take its annual study abroad fair to Taipei from May 30 to 31, bringing together 14 Seoul-based universities and two related institutions. Launched in 2024, the Seoul Study Abroad Fair has been held in several overseas cities, including Jakarta, Chennai, Ulaanbaatar and Ho Chi Minh City, with Taipei and Fukuoka the scheduled stops this year. With Seoul ranked No.1 in the QS Best Student Cities 2026, the city government expects strong interest from internati

South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Sunday that Seoul and Washington have made “systematic, stable and consistent” preparations for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON), emphasizing that accelerating the transition process would not pose major difficulties. Ahn made the remarks to reporters at Incheon International Airport before departing for the United States for his first official visit since taking office last July. He said the allies had achieved “considerable pro

Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have led Korea’s recent stock market rally on the back of surging global demand for advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips, but the broader AI industry must ultimately prove it can translate technological promise into scalable and sustainable profit models for current lofty valuations to hold over the long term, according to a Harvard economist. In a recent exclusive interview with The Korea Times and its sister publication, the Hankook Ilbo, at the Korea Ca

Seoul strengthened partnerships with Washington and Ottawa in the shipbuilding sector following Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan’s weeklong visit to North America. While discussing Korea’s plan to invest $350 billion in the United States in exchange for tariff reductions, Kim also sought to persuade lawmakers there of the need for the ongoing investigation into Coupang. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said Sunday that Kim held in-depth discussions with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard

What once appeared to be a near-certain landslide victory for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is becoming more competitive as the June 3 local elections approach, with conservative candidates narrowing the gap in several key battlegrounds. The shift comes as backlash grows over the DPK’s push for a special counsel bill tied to what the ruling party calls “fabricated prosecutions” under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration. The controversy has energized conservative voters in part

Korea’s latest attempt at constitutional reform collapsed in the National Assembly last week, undone by the very partisan calculations that make reform necessary in the first place. At the heart of the failed amendment was a proposal both modest and profoundly important: to tighten constitutional safeguards on the use of martial law. Under the current Constitution, the president retains broad authority to declare martial law in times of war or national emergency, subject only to later review by

A seven-member team of South Korean officials has completed an on-site investigation into the recent explosion and fire aboard an HMM-operated vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, and the results are under review, a presidential official said Sunday. The inspection began after the HMM Namu, a Panama-flagged cargo ship operated by South Korean shipping firm HMM Co., was towed from the strait to a port in Dubai on Friday. "We have received the preliminary results of the on-site inspection," the officia

Lisa joining the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony is drawing major attention in Korea, with many fans looking back at the rare moments K-pop artists have appeared on football’s biggest global stage. FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed through his official account that Lisa will perform at the opening ceremony in Los Angeles alongside artists including Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, Rema and Tyla. The Thai K-pop star is also reportedly preparing music for an official World Cup soundtrack w

CNN launched a new four-part documentary series, “K-Everything,” exploring the creative power and historical journey of Korean culture from its traditional origins to its current global dominance, with Hyundai Motor as the project's sole sponsor. CNN said it decided to develop the documentary, which began airing Saturday, to showcase the underlying forces behind Korea’s cultural rise. The documentary series covers various aspects of the Korean wave including music, film, food and beauty. It high

National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik plans to visit the Netherlands and Kenya this week for talks on cooperation in semiconductors and other sectors, his office said Sunday. Woo plans to depart the same day on a seven-day trip that will first take him to the Netherlands, where he will meet with the Dutch parliamentary leaders to discuss ways to expand cooperation, especially in the semiconductor industry. The Netherlands is home to chipmaking equipment companies such as ASML, while South Korea

Controversy continues to surround HMM’s relocation from Seoul to Busan, despite the nation’s largest container shipping company having secured union approval last month and shareholder approval Friday to revise the head office location in its articles of association. During his announcement on April 30 that the union had agreed to the relocation plan, HMM CEO Choi Won-hyok said a Seoul branch would remain necessary for sales and finance functions. His remarks have been widely interpreted as sign

The domestic cryptocurrency industry is grappling with mounting concerns over a market downturn as trading activity sharply weakens amid the ongoing stock market boom and as financial authorities move to tighten regulations, industry officials said Sunday. According to data the Bank of Korea submitted to Rep. Cha Gyu-geun of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party, both domestic investors’ crypto holdings and transaction volumes have fallen by more than half over the past year. The value of digital ass

A Korean activist has left for the Gaza Strip despite a government travel ban on the territory in the second such incident this year, officials said Sunday. Kim Dong-hyeon, a pro-Palestinian activist, headed for Gaza on Friday aboard the Kyriakos X, part of a humanitarian flotilla, according to the foreign ministry and a civic group advocating for Palestinian liberation. The ministry reportedly plans to take measures to ensure his safety in consultation with the Israeli and other relevant govern

The 27th Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) wrapped up its 10-day run on Friday, reinforcing its identity as a hub for independent and alternative cinema by shining a spotlight on the hidden realities of disappearing spaces and those suffering in the shadows of society. This year’s festival, held under the slogan "Beyond the Frame," showcased 237 films from 54 countries. The festival recorded a high seat occupancy rate of 82.1 percent, with 442 out of 610 screenings selling out. The festi

Global brewing giant AB InBev, parent company of OB Beer, has been named the 2026 Creative Marketer of the Year by the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Cannes Lions is the world’s largest and most prestigious creativity festival The honorary title recognizes marketers that have built a sustained body of iconic, Lion-winning work. AB InBev secured 37 Lions at last year’s festival, underscoring its continued commitment to using creativity as a growth driver across its global port

The number of overseas elementary, middle and high schools offering Korean language classes either as part of the regular curriculum or through after-school programs reached 2,777 at the end of last year, a 54 percent increase over the past four years. The figures come from data submitted by the Ministry of Education to Rep. Kim Moon-soo of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, compiled annually by Korean Education Centers and overseas diplomatic missions. The data shows that growth has accelera

I remember watching "The Devil Wears Prada" in 2006 at a newly opened theater inside a shopping mall in Sinchon, Seoul. At the time, the building itself felt like a symbol of something new. It was sleek, bright and full of anticipation. Going there was not simply about watching a Hollywood film. It felt like stepping into a future that had just arrived. That building still stands today, but it no longer feels the same. Revisiting "The Devil Wears Prada" nearly two decades later produces a simila

The other day, I listened to a YouTube video about how to maximize the potential of customary replies. The speaker stated that the utterance “You’re welcome,” after someone thanks you, is now viewed as a no-no. The video explained that instead one should say, “It’s my pleasure,” or perhaps, “I was happy to help you. I know you’d do the same for me.” This new convention in English usage today seems widespread. I looked a bit on the internet and read related articles going back over a decade. Ther

Hana Financial Group has begun recruiting participants for the fifth edition of “Hana Social Venture University,” its flagship entrepreneurship support initiative aimed at fostering young startup founders, the company said Sunday. As part of the initiative, the group entered into a strategic partnership with Kyung Hee University to strengthen regional startup ecosystems. Launched in 2022 in cooperation with the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the program partners with leading universities acro