The defense ministry said Wednesday it is "closely" monitoring for signs of North Korea possibly sending troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine, following media reports of Russia forming a battalion of North Koreans. Ukrainian media outlets earlier reported that Russia is organizing a special battalion that is expected to include up to 3,000 North Koreans due to manpower shortages amid concerns over deepening military cooperation between the two countries. "As there

Butler.Lee CEO Lee Dong-woo shares possibilities and challenges in managing hanok hotels

A new series based on an internationally recognized novel, exploring the romantic life of a young gay man in Seoul, is set to hit streaming service Tving next week. “Love in the Big City” centers on Go Young, a novelist navigating the highs and lows of romance with various partners, from a club-goer to a member of a royal family, over the course his life. The series is adapted from the bestselling novel by author Park Sang-young, which has sold over 100,000 copies since its 2019 rele

Cabbage prices alert When the weather starts to cool, one particular product becomes critically significant to South Korea’s price monitoring authorities: cabbages. As the main ingredient in the most widely consumed type of kimchi, napa cabbage prices directly influence the cost of living here, with ripple effects felt in far-reaching areas, from school cafeterias to military barracks. Signs of strain are already visible this week with more than a month to go until the nationwide kimch

In the wake of the launch of weight loss drug Wegovy in South Korea, the government said it will crack down on illegal activities surrounding the much sought-after medicine. Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it plans to monitor closely the safety of GLP-1 type drugs like Wegovy, particularly focusing on its side effects and misuse, on Tuesday. The authorities also warned it will crack down on illegal online sales and advertisements. Wegovy, produced by Danish drugmaker Novo Nor

After former US President Donald Trump called South Korea a "money machine," Korean news outlets on Wednesday grappled with how to best capture the nuance of his words for the Korean audience through translation. Trump made the remarks during an interview with Bloomberg News at the Economic Club of Chicago while discussing the costs of maintaining US troops in South Korea. "If I were there (in the White House) now, they (South Korea)’d be paying us $10 billion a year. And

Reports of illegal online gambling in South Korea have nearly tripled over the past four years, according to government data on Wednesday. The figure comes amid growing public concern, especially following comedian Lee Jin-ho’s recent admission to illegal online gambling. According to data by the National Gambling Control Commission submitted to Rep. Min Hyung-bae of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, reported cases of illegal online gambling surged by threefold from 13,064 in

In an interview with Swedish public television broadcaster SVT, this year's Nobel Prize laureate in literature Han Kang said that she "doesn't want to be in the spotlight right now." "I would like to live in peace quietly, and I need some time to reflect on what this prize means," Han told SVT. According to the SVT report on Sunday, the interview took place at Han's home in Seoul and was conducted in English. Regarding initial reports about her father's co

NCT Wish will host a tour around Asia starting in Japan next month, announced label SM Entertainment Wednesday. Tour LOG In will begin Japan where the band will visit six cities -- in Ishikawa, Kyoto, Kanagawa, Hyogo, Fukuoka and Aichi -- for two concerts each, from Nov. 3 to Dec. 13. The six members will then hold a concert early next year and tour more cities in the region per an itinerary that will be announced soon. Last week, the youngest NCT subunit came in first place in a television musi

Klik, Korea’s largest foreign talent recruitment service, operated by Job Korea, announced Wednesday that it will host a networking event for international students and job seekers on Oct. 24. Organized to ease the often difficult process of job hunting for foreigners and create stronger ties within Korea’s expatriate community, “Klik Happy Hour” will offer practical tips for job seekers, including guidance on how to effectively use the Klik platform. In addition to infor

In a potential sign of improving work-life balance in Korea, big data reveals that commuters in five office districts in and around Seoul are leaving the workplace 19 minutes earlier than they did five years ago. KB Kookmin Card, the nation’s second-largest card issuer, released the analysis on Wednesday of card usage data collected from January to August each year between 2019 and 2024. The study tracked subway users in Gangnam, Gwanghwamun, Yeouido and Guro in Seoul, and Pangyo in Gyeo

To enhance the nation's digital skills and competitiveness, South Korea is rolling out a new initiative aimed at improving digital capabilities among adults aged 30 and older. The government will invest over 110 billion won ($80 million) to build a comprehensive digital lifelong learning ecosystem, the Ministry of Education announced on Wednesday. The initiative, dubbed the "AI-Digital (AID) 30+ Project," seeks to provide extensive retraining opportunities and digital education to