President Yoon Suk Yeol called for all-out measures to protect Korean nationals amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, the presidential office said Saturday. Earlier in the day, Israel launched a series of airstrikes against Iran in return for the Islamic Republic's ballistic missile barrage on Israel earlier in the month. "The top priority is to protect Korean nationals (in Iran and Israel), and all necessary measures should be drawn up to prepare for worsening situations

Politics Oct. 26, 2024

"APT.," a new song released by Blackpink's Rose in collaboration with global superstar Bruno Mars, ranked No. 4 on Britain's Official Singles Chart this week, hitting the highest-ever spot by a K-pop female musician. The song, a prerelease track for Rose's upcoming solo album, claimed the fourth spot, following "Taste" by Sabrina Carpenter, "Sailor Song" by Gigi Perez, and "Die with a Smile" by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, according to the ch

K-pop Oct. 26, 2024

North Korea lambasted South Korea and the United States on Saturday for staging a joint air exercise, accusing Washington of driving the Korean Peninsula into an "uncontrollable" situation. The Freedom Flag exercise kicked off this week to run through next Friday, with the air forces of South Korea and the US, as well as Australia, participating. The two-week joint drill, which is taking place for the first time, replaces regular large-scale air exercises between South Korea and the

North Korea Oct. 26, 2024

The Samsung Lions homered their way past the Kia Tigers 4-2 at home on Friday for their first win in the Korean Series after dropping two straight games. The Lions launched four solo home runs to tie the Korean Series record to back starter Denyi Reyes, who threw seven innings of one-run ball and struck out eight at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, 235 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The Lions will look to even the best-of-seven series in Game 4, which starts at 2 p.m. in Daegu. They are tryi

Baseball Oct. 25, 2024

North Korea's foreign ministry said Friday any alleged deployment of North Korean troops to Russia would align with international law, making the first official comment over the issue. A senior official from North Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement issued through the Korean Central News Agency if international media's reports about North Korea's troop dispatch were accurate, such action would "comply with international law and norms." The official respon

North Korea Oct. 25, 2024

Samsung Lions slugger Park Byung-ho tied the Korea Baseball Organization postseason home run record with his 14th career dinger Friday. Park belted a solo home run off Kia Tigers reliever Jeon Sang-hyun in the bottom of the seventh inning in Game 3 of the Korean Series at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, 235 kilometers southeast of Seoul. With 14 homers, Park has pulled into a tie with the retired Lions legend Lee Seung-yuop. Park has one home run in the wild card round, nine in the first ro

Baseball Oct. 25, 2024

The foreign ministry on Friday submitted a questionnaire to the United Nations human rights office, urging North Korea to disclose the whereabouts of South Korean detainees. The document was submitted to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights ahead of the Universal Periodic Review on North Korea, scheduled for next month, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The UPR is a mechanism requiring each UN member state to undergo a peer review of its human rights

Diplomatic Circuit Oct. 25, 2024

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday intelligence indicates Russia is expected to deploy the first batch of North Korean soldiers in combat zones within a few days. Zelenskyy shared the assessment on social media platform X, citing a report from Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. "According to intelligence, the first North Korean soldiers are expected to be deployed by Russia to combat zones as early as Oct. 27–28," Zelenskyy wrote. "This is a c

Diplomatic Circuit Oct. 25, 2024

Two of the greatest players in Samsung Lions history participated in a pregame ceremony before the first Korean Series game in a new home stadium. Former Lions ace Kim Si-jin threw out the ceremonial first pitch, and his former catcher Lee Man-soo crouched behind the plate to do the catching before Game 3 of the Korean Series against the Kia Tigers at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, 235 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Jang On-yu, grandson of the late Lions outfielder Jang Hyo-jo, stood in th

Baseball Oct. 25, 2024

Seoul shares closed slightly higher Friday on retail buying amid waning bets on the Federal Reserve's rate cuts. The Korean won fell to the lowest point in almost four months against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 2.24 points, or 0.09 percent, to 2,583.27. The main index has fallen 0.4 percent this week. Trade volume was moderate at 454.58 million shares worth 10.14 trillion won ($7.3 billion), with losers outpacing gainers 617 to 258. Institutions and i

Market Oct. 25, 2024

North Korea's parliament has convened a meeting to adopt a new law on its national anthem, state media reported Friday, in what observers believe was aimed at upholding leader Kim Jong-un's "two hostile states" stance. The Standing Committee of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly held its 33rd session in Pyongyang on Thursday, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The report did not provide details about the new law on the national anthem, but observers speculated

North Korea Oct. 25, 2024

South Korea's Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok has met with the new Japanese finance chief, Katsunobu Kato, and discussed ways to strengthen economic ties between the two countries, his office said Friday. Choi held his first meeting with Kato in Washington, DC, on Thursday on the sidelines of the Group of 20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. During the meeting, the two sides agreed to maintain close communication and make

Foreign Affairs Oct. 25, 2024

KAZAN, Russia -- President Vladimir Putin did not deny US claims that North Korea had sent troops to Russia but said on Thursday it is up to Moscow how to run its mutual defence clause with Pyongyang and accused the West of escalating the Ukraine war. The United States said on Wednesday that it had seen evidence that North Korea has sent 3,000 troops to Russia for possible deployment in Ukraine, a move that the West is casting as a significant escalation of the Ukraine war. Asked by a reporter a

Foreign Affairs Oct. 25, 2024

The United Nations Secretariat expressed its opposition Thursday to the "further militarization" of the ongoing war in Ukraine amid growing concerns that North Korean troops could be deployed to support Russian forces in the armed conflict. Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for Secretary General Antonio Guterres, made the remarks as Seoul and Washington have confirmed that some 3,000 North Korean troops were sent to eastern Russia by ship earlier this month -- a development reaffirming d

Foreign Affairs Oct. 25, 2024

A fire at a US Forces Korea warehouse in the southeastern port city of Busan has been brought under control, with no casualties reported, officials said Friday. The Busan Metropolitan City Fire Disaster Headquarters said the fire was nearly under control by 7:24 a.m., with the fire response system also lifted as of 7:34 a.m. The blaze occurred at 6:31 p.m. Thursday at the USFK's facility in Busan, 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, prompting authorities to dispatch over 160 personnel and 51

Social Affairs Oct. 25, 2024