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South Korea
South Korea
Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on South Korea, covering politics, economy, society, K-pop and Seoul’s relationships with North Korea, Japan, China and the United States.
Capital
Seoul
Head of State
Lee Jae-myung
Lee Jae-myung
Head of Government
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok
A drone view shows the Manzanillo seaport in Mexico in April. Photo: Reuters
US-ally trade wars

Mexico’s 50% tariff shock shuts Asia’s North American trade bypass

A tariff wall will soon separate protected partners like CPTPP members Singapore and Malaysia from exporters facing a shutout.

Vietnam

Vietnamese influx surges as South Korea’s foreign population hits record high

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SCMP Highlights

US singer marries sultan, paraglider’s 28,000ft stunt: 8 viral stories in 2025

Obituaries

In memoriam: 29 beloved celebrities we lost in 2025

We remember stars from the worlds of Hollywood, TV, music, fashion and more, from Jane Goodall to Giorgio Armani and Hulk Hogan.

Ozzy Osbourne, Diane Keaton, and Robert Redford are just three of the celebrities we lost this year. Photos: EPA, TNS, AFP
Asia travel

‘Limits’ to hospitality: 10 times Asia overtourism became a problem in 2025

From Japan to Indonesia, excessive tourism has created issues in some of Asia’s travel hubs this year.

Hong Kong stock market

Hong Kong stocks cap longest win streak in 3 weeks as US inflation cools

Soft US inflation data strengthens the case for monetary easing as the Hang Seng Index gains for a third day.

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Yoon Suk-yeol

South Korea’s top court seeks to restore trust after martial law controversy

The changes target high-stakes national security cases amid mounting criticism over delays and alleged bias.

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South Korea’s Constitutional Court justices attend a hearing in Seoul on Thursday to deliver a verdict on the impeachment of former police chief Cho Ji-ho over his role in former president Yoon Suk-yeol’s failed martial law bid. Photo: EPA
Semiconductors

China to remain biggest buyer of chipmaking equipment through 2027: SEMI

China chipmakers are projected to continue outspending the world on wafer fab equipment through 2027, report says.

South Korea martial law 2024

South Korea’s police chief removed for supporting martial law plot

Cho Ji-ho was removed for sending officers to disrupt parliament and undermine the election commission’s independence, the Constitutional Court ruled.

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Artificial intelligence

Macroscope | Fears of an AI bubble in Asian stock markets are misplaced

The concentration risk so prevalent elsewhere is mitigated in Asia by a diverse equity landscape and the unique strengths in China.

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An employee debugs the AI-powered live-streaming machines at a Rexso workshop on December 8 in Huangshan in China’s Anhui province. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
Viral stories

Viral golden logo find turns old AC units into hot property in South Korea

A YouTube video revealing a pure gold logo on certain LG air conditioners has sparked a nationwide hunt for the 20-year-old units.

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A gold shop owner examines gold letters taken from an LG air conditioner. Photo: YouTube/Ringring Unnie
United States

Trump gives himself high marks in 2025 report card, with his eyes on 2026 fight

In a White House speech, the president claimed economic and foreign policy wins while urging voters to back his agenda in the midterms.

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Food and Drinks

Mouthing Off | American cuisine better than Vietnamese, Korean? New ‘best’ list stirs tempers

The ‘100 Best Cuisines in the World’ list from TasteAtlas is angering people with its contentious food rankings. Singapore at number 90?

European Union

Opinion | A complicated new EU-China showdown is quietly taking shape

For now, both sides still need each other and there is nowhere else to turn. But behind this reliance, irritation and paranoia are rising.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Nordic nations

Finnish PM apologises for MPs’ ‘racist’ gestures in Miss Finland scandal

PM Petteri Orpo offers regrets to Japan, China and South Korea after MPs mimic ousted beauty queen Sarah Dzafce’s offensive squinting gesture.

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Miss Finland Sarah Dzafce wears an evening gown during the 74th Miss Universe 2025 preliminary competition in Thailand in November. Photo: EPA
TV shows and streaming video

‘Hollywood’s the dream’: how Korean actors are finally achieving it

Shows like Squid Game and KPop Demon Hunters are helping South Korean actors overcome barriers and find new opportunities in the US.

Jobs

Vietnamese woman’s death amid raid in South Korea spurs visa policy debate

The 25-year-old, who reportedly hid at a factory’s air-conditioning unit, was just two weeks into her illegal part-time job when she died.

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Korea Times

South Korea reopens debate on lifting ban on North Korean media

Lawmakers move to ease North Korean web access. Supporters cite freedom of information, but critics fear propaganda risks.

North Korean students read coverage of Kim Jong-un’s Hanoi summit with US President Donald Trump in the Rodong Sinmun newspaper, in Pyongyang, in February 2019. Photo: AFP
Yoon Suk-yeol

South Korean court rules Yoon’s ‘self-coup’ illegal as walls close in

Judges are fast-tracking verdicts to beat statutory time limits, dashing the ex-president’s faint hopes of walking free early next year.

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Japan

‘Hard to go back’: frustrated with South Korea, men seek work, love in Japan

South Korea’s tough job market and marriage expectations have prompted many to settle down in the neighbouring country.

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China travel

Why South Korea is becoming China’s new bargain travel hotspot amid Japan spat

A slump in the won is making South Korea increasingly affordable for mainland tourists just as China warns against travel to Japan.

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A large crowd of tourists walks through a street in Seoul. South Korea is expected to receive an uptick in Chinese tourism over the coming months. Photo: Reuters
US-China relations

‘Resilient balance’: why China-US ties are likely to stay stable under Trump

US world view on outside ties undergoing ‘fundamental, even transformative’ paradigm shift, American affairs expert tells forum in China.

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Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping meet in October in Busan, South Korea, where the two leaders agreed to lower the temperature in their trade war. Photo: AFP
Japan

Japan boosts scrutiny after Chinese buyers lead property rush near critical sites

Japan to require nationality disclosure for land near key sites after study finds Chinese nationals bought half of 3,498 such properties in 2024.

China-South Korea relations

China’s build-up of Yellow Sea facilities tipped to fuel South Korean suspicions

Report notes increasing number of buoys with possible military uses in waters both sides claim as part of their exclusive economic zones.

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SCMP Highlights

Malaysia’s dress code row, South Korea falls out with K-pop: 7 Asia highlights

From ex-NBA player’s cancer treatment to backlash against Malaysia’s ‘moral police’, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

Lawyers say Melaka police have overstepped the mark after officers barred two women wearing skirts from entering a police station to report a car accident. Photo: Handout
Japan

Japan and South Korea clash over islets as old grievances resurface

Analysts warn the squabble is a ‘step backwards’ that offers Beijing a chance to drive a wedge between the two US allies.

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South Korean armed forces hold a defensive drill on the Liancourt Rocks, known as Dokdo or the Takeshima Islands, in 2019. Photo: South Korean Navy/EPA-EFE
Taiwan

‘Boycott this unjust law’: Taiwan’s attempt to curb draft evasion draws flak

Proposed changes would also mandate alternative service for transgender and intersex people, a move that has sparked backlash.

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Hong Kong stock market

Hong Kong stocks slump to 3-week low as China growth jitters dampen sentiment

Caution prevails as investors weigh China’s growth prospects after key economic data showed a deceleration across the board.

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