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A Korean Air plane at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Photo: Shutterstock
China travel

China, South Korea agree to more flights per week as tourism to Japan dwindles

The additional flights are the first increase between the two countries since before the Covid pandemic.

South Korea

‘It’s annoying’: South Koreans sweat over US$779,000 prison cooling plan

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Japan

Japan’s PM Takaichi eyes India trip for talks with leader Modi

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South Korea

South Korea’s Lee scores ‘flawed’ poll win, setback for his property tax plan

The defeat in the Seoul election came after the incumbent mayor promised to act as a counterbalance to Lee’s administration.

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Election officials carry ballot boxes at a counting station in Seoul after voting in the national local elections closed on Wednesday. Photo: EPA
Election officials carry ballot boxes at a counting station in Seoul after voting in the national local elections closed on Wednesday. Photo: EPA
Japan

Typhoon Jangmi churns along Japan’s Pacific coast, leaves dozens hurt

Heavy rain continued in the Tokyo metropolitan area in the morning, with flood danger warnings for several rivers in the capital.

South Korea

South Korea’s ruling party set for local election gains

The vote is widely seen as an assessment of President Lee Jae-myung’s first year in office.

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North Korea

Tears in North Korea as Kim meets footballers after historic title win

Naegohyang Women’s FC became the first North Korean side to win Asia’s top club title last month.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un congratulates the football players who won the AFC Under-17 Women’s Asian Cup in Pyongyang on Monday. Photo: KCNA/KNS/AFP
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un congratulates the football players who won the AFC Under-17 Women’s Asian Cup in Pyongyang on Monday. Photo: KCNA/KNS/AFP
China trade

China’s AI chip demand is surging – and South Korea is riding the wave

Strong demand for memory chips has reshaped South Korea’s exports to China – but analysts warn the gains could be short lived.

Japan

Japanese MP’s claim China eyes Antarctic ‘treasure trove’ dismissed

A polar law expert says the continent’s strict mining ban has no expiry date, despite concerns raised in Japan’s parliament.

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Japan

‘Harassment exploded out of nowhere’: Muslims face rising prejudice in Japan

Growing anti-Muslim discrimination fuelled by hate speech worries residents, who fear the hostility may escalate into violence.

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Muslims pray at a mosque in Tokyo, Japan, on March 20. Photo: Anadolu via Getty Images
South Korea

US general’s ‘dagger’ remark tests South Korea’s China balancing act

A top commander’s blunt remark spotlights a fundamental disagreement over the true purpose of the 28,500 US troops based in South Korea.

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General Xavier T. Brunson speaks at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, in 2024. Photo: AFP
General Xavier T. Brunson speaks at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, in 2024. Photo: AFP
Japan

Japan runs low on ethylene, putting bananas at risk of disappearing from homes

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has squeezed the supply of the naphtha-derived gas that Japan uses to ripen the fruit.

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Japan

Is UK a ‘reliable partner’? Fighter jet delays test Japan’s patience

Tokyo is concerned as its ageing fighters need to be replaced and the project lacks a clear development plan and schedule, analysts say.

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South Korea

Fire kills 5 in South Korea after blast at defence giant’s factory

At least two others were injured in a fire following a suspected propellant explosion at the defence giant’s plant in Daejeon.

A firefighting vehicle enters the main gate at the Hanwha Aerospace plant in Daejeon, South Korea, on Monday. Photo: Yonhap/AFP
South Korea

Festival promoting Korean ceramic culture faces fury over Chinese-made prizes

Organisers of the Yeoju Ceramic Festival apologised amid public backlash and calls for accountability.

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A miniature moon jar bearing a “Made in China” sticker that was received as a prize from an event held during the Yeoju Ceramic Festival in South Korea. Photo: Threads
A miniature moon jar bearing a “Made in China” sticker that was received as a prize from an event held during the Yeoju Ceramic Festival in South Korea. Photo: Threads
South Korea

From submarines to trade, South Korea and US remain deadlocked ahead of talks

The two allies are also expected to discuss the transfer of military control and a data breach involving a US firm at their talks next week.

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China-Japan relations

China and Japan aren’t talking. Will their rare earth trade go quiet?

With bilateral relations at a low and Beijing already enacting limited export controls on critical minerals, fears of a broader ban grow.

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Japan

Japan PM vows ‘breakthrough’ with North Korea in abduction issue

Japan officially lists 17 Japanese nationals as having been abducted by North Korea, with five returned in 2002.

Sakie Yokota (left), whose daughter Megumi was abducted by North Korea in 1977 at age 13, speaks at a rally on the abduction issue in Tokyo on May 30, 2026, where Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (front row, middle) also attended. Photo: Kyodo
Sakie Yokota (left), whose daughter Megumi was abducted by North Korea in 1977 at age 13, speaks at a rally on the abduction issue in Tokyo on May 30, 2026, where Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (front row, middle) also attended. Photo: Kyodo
South Korea

Professor disciplined after saying ‘8 in 10 Korean women’ engaged in sex work

The faculty member was barred from teaching classes, providing academic counselling and performing other student guidance duties.

The Philippines

How Philippines and Japan future-proofed ties amid China tensions, US wavering

Manila and Tokyo forge a comprehensive strategic partnership, boosting defence and economic cooperation, as Indo-Pacific challenges mount.

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Japan

Japan’s hefty visa fees, digital entry system move closer to implementation

Once the fee changes are rolled out later this year, the upper limit will be set at US$630 for visa renewals.

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A traveller walks past an image of Mount Fuji in the arrivals terminal at Haneda Airport in Tokyo on May 20. Photo: AFP
Japan

Is self-censorship behind Japan’s ‘problematic’ press freedom ranking?

Media insiders say Japan’s press is rarely overtly repressed, but access pressures and newsroom caution still shape what gets reported.

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A Japanese newspaper staff distributes copies of the extra issue on Sanae Takaichi being elected Japan’s first female prime minister, in Tokyo, on October 21, 2025. Photo: AP
A Japanese newspaper staff distributes copies of the extra issue on Sanae Takaichi being elected Japan’s first female prime minister, in Tokyo, on October 21, 2025. Photo: AP
South Korea

‘Transitory euphoria’: South Korea’s strong economic outlook masks key hurdles

The surge in demand for semiconductors is cyclical, while other sectors in the country are lagging, analysts say.

South Korea

Desperate search for Busan rooms: ‘obscenely high’ prices anger BTS fans

‘I wanted to explore the city, but I’m now forced to find accommodation elsewhere,’ a K-pop fan says.

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Japan

Japan Airlines wants to blast human culture into space and land it on the moon

The carrier is selling payload space to preserve Earth’s heritage from climate change and war, but sceptics dismiss it as a PR stunt.

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An illustration of Japan Airlines’ lunar transportation container. Photo: Handout
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