More than one in ten foreign students who entered South Korea to study at universities or language institutes have become undocumented residents, raising concerns that the country’s international student policy has focused on expansion rather than stability. A recent academic report shows that the number of undocumented residents who originally entered Korea on student-related visas has increased more than fivefold over the past decade, with Vietnamese nationals accounting fo

South Korea’s automotive industry has welcomed the conclusion of the improved Korea–UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), viewing it as a major turning point that could significantly expand access to the British market and strengthen export competitiveness, particularly for future mobility vehicles such as electric cars. Industry groups say the agreement, finalized in December, comes at a critical time as global trade conditions become more uncertain and competition intensifies in k

Bali, one of the world’s most popular honeymoon and resort destinations, is facing growing controversy after local authorities confirmed they are considering a new rule that would require foreign tourists to submit proof of their financial status before entering the island. According to international media reports, the Bali provincial government is reviewing a draft regulation that would obligate overseas visitors to disclose bank account balances from the past three months,

Busan is buzzing with excitement after news broke that BTS will perform in the city as part of their first full-group world tour in four years, a move that is already reigniting debate over whether South Korea’s second-largest city has a venue capable of hosting global-scale K-pop events. According to BigHit Music, BTS will kick off their new world tour in April at Goyang Sports Complex before traveling across North America, Europe, South America, and Asia, with a total of 79

Seoul’s city bus services are set to return to normal from the first bus on January 15 after labor and management reached a last-minute agreement, bringing an end to a two-day strike that disrupted commuting across the capital. The Seoul City Bus Labor Union and the Seoul City Bus Transport Association finalized a wage and collective agreement shortly before midnight on January 14, following more than nine hours of negotiations at a special mediation meeting held by the Seoul

A massive ₩100 billion donation to Seoul National University has ignited a nationwide debate in South Korea, not over the scale of the contribution, but over whether a donor’s ethical record should matter when accepting such a gift. On January 13, Hong Beom-jun, CEO of the education publishing company Goodbook Sinsago, donated the funds to Seoul National University, stating that the purpose was to support researchers and students in the natural sciences and help cultivate fut

South Korea’s mobile telecom market has entered a full-scale subsidy war, with cash incentives reaching as high as ₩1 million for customers who switch carriers. The aggressive competition was triggered by KT’s decision to waive contract cancellation fees, prompting rival operators to roll out unprecedented promotions to attract defecting users. According to industry sources, SK Telecom is offering subsidies of up to ₩1 million, alongside payback events that refund the first m

A local government in South Korea is drawing attention with a policy that offers substantial financial support to elderly drivers who voluntarily surrender their driver’s licenses. Gongju City in South Chungcheong Province announced that it will provide transportation subsidies of up to ₩1.8 million to eligible senior residents as part of an effort to prevent traffic accidents involving older drivers. According to the city on January 13, the program targets residents aged 70

At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, visitors were willing to wait up to an hour—not to see a new vehicle, but to catch a glimpse of Hyundai Motor Group’s humanoid robot, the all-new Atlas. According to industry insiders who attended the event, the crowd at Hyundai’s booth remained dense throughout the show, with wait times of at least 45 minutes just to see the robot in action. The unexpected attention came despite Hyundai unveiling no major new passenger vehicles at the world’s larges

A simple habit—wrapping cash in newspaper and storing it away—ended up destroying millions of won and contributed to a nationwide loss totaling trillions. According to the Bank of Korea, damaged and unusable banknotes worth ₩2.84 trillion were destroyed in 2025 after being deemed unfit for circulation. One case involved a resident in North Chungcheong Province who had kept ₩18.92 million in cash wrapped in newspaper inside a storage space. When the money was later retrieved,

Danielle, a former member of the girl group NewJeans, has spoken publicly for the first time since being notified of contract termination by her agency ADOR, amid an ongoing legal dispute involving a ₩43 billion damages lawsuit. On Jan. 7, Danielle addressed fans through a live broadcast on social media, sharing her thoughts and current situation following the termination of her exclusive contract. The broadcast, which lasted approximately nine minutes, was streamed via her p

Goyang-ri, Yeoju, South Korea, A small rural village in South Korea is drawing national attention for a community-led solar power model that generates steady income while funding shared welfare services for residents. Goyang-ri, located in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, is home to about 70 households and 120 residents. By installing solar panels on community-owned assets such as the village hall, warehouses, sports facilities, and parking areas, the village operates six solar powe

Rising prices of commodity memory chips are reshaping profitability expectations in the semiconductor market, with analysts suggesting that conventional memory could soon outperform high-bandwidth memory (HBM) in operating margins. Lee Se-chul, Managing Director at Citi Group Research, said during a television interview on Monday that commodity memory, which has historically generated lower margins than HBM, may now deliver higher profitability due to a sharp price surge. He

The number of first-grade students entering elementary school in South Korea this year has fallen below 300,000 for the first time on record, underscoring the accelerating impact of the country’s prolonged low birth rate on its education system. According to the Ministry of Education’s 2025 revised student population projections, the estimated number of first-grade elementary students nationwide this year stands at 298,178. This marks a sharp decline from previous years and b

South Korean authorities have issued a public warning over a new form of QR code–based phishing attack linked to North Korean hacking groups, following similar alerts previously released by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). According to the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA), multiple cases have been identified in which attackers impersonated government agencies and policy think tanks to lure victims into scanning malicious QR codes. The technique, known as

A citywide bus strike in Seoul triggered widespread commuting disruption Tuesday morning, forcing thousands of residents to walk long distances or crowd into subway stations amid freezing winter conditions. The Seoul City Bus Labor Union entered an indefinite, full-scale strike after wage and collective bargaining negotiations with the Seoul Bus Transport Association collapsed at around 1:30 a.m. As a result, all city buses were suspended from the first service of the day. In

New Breast Cancer Drug Changes Outcomes but Raises Cost Concerns SEOUL — A breakthrough breast cancer drug is transforming treatment outcomes for advanced-stage patients in South Korea, but high out-of-pocket costs are forcing some to abandon therapy, according to a leading oncologist. In an interview, Professor Shin Jung-hoon of Samsung Medical Center said the antibody-drug conjugate Enhertu has dramatically improved survival and quality of life for patients with advanced br

Immigration Era Arrives in Korea as Local Acceptance Shapes Outcomes SEOUL — As South Korea heads toward an era in which its foreign resident population is projected to reach 3 million within four years, regional differences in how immigrants are integrated are becoming increasingly visible, according to field reports and policy data. A recent case study contrasts Yeongam County in South Jeolla Province with Jeju Island, highlighting how legal status, community interaction, a

Korea’s Housing Market Shows Record-Level Polarization SEOUL — South Korea’s housing market is showing unprecedented polarization, with apartment prices ranging from levels lower than luxury handbags to tens of billions of won, according to official transaction data. An apartment complex in Yakmok-myeon, Chilgok County, North Gyeongsang Province, recorded the lowest home sale price nationwide, government data showed. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Trans

South Korea Intensifies Crackdown on Homemade Guns After Songdo Murder SEOUL — South Korean authorities have arrested 19 individuals and seized hundreds of illegal firearms and weapon-related items as part of a nationwide crackdown on homemade gun manufacturing and distribution, officials said Friday. The joint task force—comprised of the National Police Agency, the Korea Customs Service, and the National Intelligence Service—was launched in September last year following a de