https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/523680/feed The latest news and top stories on Korea University. A South Korea-based private research university, Korea University is dedicated to fostering talent, research excellence and social development. Its main areas of focus include diverse programs in liberal arts, business, law and engineering. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk South Korea has surpassed its 2027 target of attracting 300,000 international students a year ahead of schedule, and universities must now find ways to retain and develop them, a new rankings assessment has shown. First launched last year and described as the country’s most internationalisation-focused assessment to date, The Korea Times University Rankings assess institutions on seven indicators, including the ratio of exchange and international students to total enrolment, diversity of the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3368268/south-korea-beats-foreign-student-target-struggles-keep-them https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3368268/south-korea-beats-foreign-student-target-struggles-keep-them Mon, 21 Sep 2026 10:30:36 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall South Korean citizens’ groups have called for the abuse of wartime “comfort women” to be recognised by Unesco, as analysts say the ongoing feud between Seoul and Tokyo threatens to upset recent improvements in their relations. They also suggest that the two nations would benefit from working together at a time of unprecedented regional and global security and economic challenges, although they admit that may be impossible. On Sunday, a coalition of South Korean citizens’ groups called on the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3366655/can-japan-south-korea-move-past-comfort-women-issue https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3366655/can-japan-south-korea-move-past-comfort-women-issue Tue, 08 Sep 2026 01:30:10 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea is banking on moonshots in a post-AI economy to stem sluggish growth potential amid an ageing population and deepening reliance on its semiconductor exports. From quantum chips and fusion power to a lunar landing, Seoul this week unveiled a strategy to build seven next-generation industries over the coming decades. The aim is to secure a foothold in technologies shaping a post-AI world before superpowers the United States and China pull further ahead. The move marks mounting urgency... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3363902/south-koreas-moon-landing-quantum-chips-seoul-bets-big-post-ai-economy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3363902/south-koreas-moon-landing-quantum-chips-seoul-bets-big-post-ai-economy Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Defending champions National Chengchi University battled into the final four of the Asian University Basketball League in Hangzhou on Thursday, but they were pushed all the way by their Yonsei University rivals. The Taiwan students eked out a 72-67 victory over their South Korean rivals, in a game that was in the balance until the final minute. Chengchi’s five-point lead at half-time vanished into a four-point deficit, as their opponents started the third quarter with a 17-8 run. The title... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/basketball/article/3363198/defending-aubl-champions-national-chengchi-university-hold-make-final-four https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/basketball/article/3363198/defending-aubl-champions-national-chengchi-university-hold-make-final-four Thu, 06 Aug 2026 13:00:06 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan The head coach of reigning champions National Chengchi University (NCCU) said the Asian University Basketball League (AUBL) remained the strongest college tournament they had ever taken part in after securing a quarter-final berth on Tuesday. Playing against tournament debutants National University of Mongolia, NCCU from Taiwan dominated almost from the start before cruising to an 83-51 win at Binjiang Gymnasium. They have now won both their group matches, after also beating mainland side... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/basketball/article/3362935/asian-university-basketball-league-toughest-college-event-coach-title-holders-nccu-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/basketball/article/3362935/asian-university-basketball-league-toughest-college-event-coach-title-holders-nccu-says Tue, 04 Aug 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan A team of Hong Kong students crashed into several human walls in a landslide loss on the opening day of the Asian University Basketball League (AUBL) in Hangzhou on Sunday. The Chinese University of Hong Kong were humbled by Peking University in a 101-59 loss, as they failed to deal with the massive difference in their opponents’ height and physique, leaving the players “out of sorts” on the court, according to their head coach. “The entire opposite team was taller and stronger than us; we never... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/basketball/article/3362714/hong-kong-students-humbled-opening-day-asian-university-basketball-league https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/basketball/article/3362714/hong-kong-students-humbled-opening-day-asian-university-basketball-league Sun, 02 Aug 2026 13:30:07 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong Barely four months into its implementation, South Korea’s new labour-friendly law is coming under growing scrutiny as workers’ demands for bonuses tied to a fixed percentage of corporate profits spread across the country. If left unchecked, critics warn, the revised Trade Union and Labour Relations Adjustment Act – commonly known as the Yellow Envelope Act – could fuel labour disputes, create uncertainty for businesses and threaten an economy that is only beginning to recover. At the heart of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3361662/south-korean-unions-use-new-labour-rules-push-envelope-bonus-demands https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3361662/south-korean-unions-use-new-labour-rules-push-envelope-bonus-demands Fri, 24 Jul 2026 04:30:06 +0000 Judy Xue Judy Xue For many K-pop fans in South Korea, the hunt for concert tickets has turned into a high-stakes battle, one where logging on early is no longer enough and ordinary fans find themselves outmatched by organised resellers, bots and shadowy workarounds that can send prices soaring far beyond face value. Previous solutions have failed to rein in the problem, but the government is hoping that the threat of massive fines may finally free ticket seekers from the grips of predatory scalpers. From August... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3360219/south-korean-ticket-touts-face-music-when-new-penalties-come-play https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3360219/south-korean-ticket-touts-face-music-when-new-penalties-come-play Sun, 12 Jul 2026 02:30:06 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong A top US general’s description of South Korea as a “dagger in the heart of Asia” aimed at China has laid bare the differences in how Washington and Seoul view their alliance and Beijing. US Forces Korea commander General Xavier Brunson made the blunt remarks in a podcast interview hosted by the US Army War College on May 22, drawing a backlash both from Beijing and from Seoul itself. South Korea’s presidential office said on Saturday that it was “aware” of Brunson’s remarks and that close... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3355650/us-generals-dagger-remark-tests-south-koreas-china-balancing-act https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3355650/us-generals-dagger-remark-tests-south-koreas-china-balancing-act Tue, 02 Jun 2026 05:43:11 +0000 Donghyun Park,Kwanho Shin Donghyun Park,Kwanho Shin Population ageing is fast becoming a global phenomenon. Even regions currently enjoying youthful demographics will eventually undergo demographic transition – and this is increasingly relevant for developing countries too. Some Southeast Asian economies, Thailand and Vietnam among them, have already reached the intermediate stages of this transition. It has begun even in younger economies such as the Philippines, where the fertility rate has now fallen below replacement level. Conventional... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/opinion/article/3354533/asias-silver-dividend-can-offset-ageings-economic-toll https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/opinion/article/3354533/asias-silver-dividend-can-offset-ageings-economic-toll Sun, 24 May 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong In South Korea, the clock is ticking on what threatens to become the most consequential labour dispute in recent history – and Seoul is running out of patience. With 50,000 workers at Samsung Electronics poised to walk off the job on Thursday in an 18-day strike, the government of President Lee Jae Myung finds itself cornered by a crisis it cannot afford to mishandle, with up to 100 trillion won (US$66.7 billion) in projected economic damage on the line, plus the potential disruption to global... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3353960/south-korea-stifling-samsung-workers-us400000-bonus-strike-risks-wider-crisis https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3353960/south-korea-stifling-samsung-workers-us400000-bonus-strike-risks-wider-crisis Mon, 18 May 2026 09:00:07 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee The young woman in the stands simply sighed, turned her head and sat there, looking impossibly composed, while 15 million strangers fell briefly in love with someone who had never existed. She was, according to the caption accompanying one of many posts, “the average Korean woman”. Her admirers quickly crowned her a “baseball goddess”, analysing her every feature with the forensic enthusiasm reserved for internet obsessions, as the five-second clip went viral across South Korea’s online... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3353740/reality-deficit-how-south-korea-lost-plot-ai https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3353740/reality-deficit-how-south-korea-lost-plot-ai Sun, 17 May 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong At least 26 South Korean tankers are thought to be stranded near the Strait of Hormuz. That fact alone may best explain why President Lee Jae Myung walked into a diplomatic firefight with Israel last week, analysts say. The row erupted on Friday when Lee commented on a grainy clip that appeared to show Israeli soldiers pushing a body from a rooftop. The footage, which dates to September 2024, was originally posted by a Palestinian activist account alongside a caption falsely claiming it showed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3349989/what-really-behind-south-koreas-row-israel https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3349989/what-really-behind-south-koreas-row-israel Tue, 14 Apr 2026 04:22:47 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times The Korea Times is hosting its third Korean Language Speaking Contest, offering participants a chance to showcase their Korean language skills and compete for prizes worth a total of 12 million won (US$8,150). The contest, which runs until May 7, drew about 1,800 applicants last year, reflecting growing global interest in Korean language and culture, according to The Korea Times. This year, one award recipient currently enrolled in a Korean university or graduate school will be offered a summer... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/article/3345659/korean-language-speaking-contest-offers-prizes-and-internship-non-native-speakers https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/article/3345659/korean-language-speaking-contest-offers-prizes-and-internship-non-native-speakers Fri, 06 Mar 2026 11:15:08 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee It has been just over a month since Lee Hyun-jun* was discharged from his mandatory military service, but the 22-year-old college student already feels he has hit an invisible wall regarding his future. “Whenever I search for jobs, internships or fellowship programmes on online platforms, they always ask for the name of your university,” Lee told This Week in Asia. “Looking at the comments section, people are saying most places prioritise which school you graduated from. They say you might as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3341877/south-korea-fights-academic-pedigree-hiring-bias-turns-everyone-losers https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3341877/south-korea-fights-academic-pedigree-hiring-bias-turns-everyone-losers Sun, 01 Feb 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Yerin Ha may not be the “diamond of the season” in the upcoming highly anticipated fourth instalment of Netflix’s hit regency era series Bridgerton, but the Australian actress’ role as the mysterious “lady in silver”, aka Sophie Baek, has piqued the interest of long-time fans of the show. Online snoopers have already figured out that the 28-year-old actress comes from a family of actors – in fact, her maternal grandmother is award-winning veteran actress Son Sook who starred in The Glory... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3341620/who-son-sook-bridgerton-star-yerin-has-grandmother-and-award-winning-actress https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3341620/who-son-sook-bridgerton-star-yerin-has-grandmother-and-award-winning-actress Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:00:13 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong Former South Korean prime minister Han Duck-soo’s conviction and unexpectedly harsh prison sentence have sent shock waves through the political establishment and darkened the outlook for impeached ex-president Yoon Suk-yeol, who faces his own insurrection verdict next month. Analysts say the ruling dismantles Yoon’s legal narrative that his short-lived martial law decree was a legitimate exercise of presidential authority and signals that the courts are prepared to impose heavy penalties for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3340769/fate-south-koreas-yoon-almost-foregone-conclusion-after-hans-shock-prison-term https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3340769/fate-south-koreas-yoon-almost-foregone-conclusion-after-hans-shock-prison-term Thu, 22 Jan 2026 04:00:18 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong Prosecutors on Friday demanded a 10-year prison sentence for former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol in the first of four trials linked to his failed attempt to impose martial law, as a potential ruling against Yoon next month could keep him behind bars even before his most serious case is concluded. This first case focuses on Yoon’s actions before and after the martial law decree was issued on December 3 last year, including obstructing his arrest, bypassing Cabinet procedures and forging... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3337790/south-koreas-ex-president-yoon-faces-10-year-jail-over-first-4-failed-coup-trials https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3337790/south-koreas-ex-president-yoon-faces-10-year-jail-over-first-4-failed-coup-trials Fri, 26 Dec 2025 07:08:07 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong Once South Korea’s top prosecutor and head of state, Yoon Suk-yeol now faces the courtroom reckoning of a lifetime, as successive rulings brand his failed attempt to impose martial law “unconstitutional and unlawful”, setting the stage for a verdict that could carry the death penalty. In one of the most consequential legal findings since the country’s return to democracy in 1987, the 21st Criminal Court of Seoul Central District Court on Monday declared that the 2024 martial law decree... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3336740/south-korean-court-rules-yoons-martial-law-illegal-walls-close https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3336740/south-korean-court-rules-yoons-martial-law-illegal-walls-close Wed, 17 Dec 2025 07:02:56 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong A year after former president Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law, South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is pushing ahead with a bill to create a separate court dedicated to handling cases linked to the decree, in response to widespread public distrust of what critics describe as a “biased” judiciary. President Lee Jae-myung warned on social media ahead of the December 3 anniversary of the decree: “If we leave hidden acts of insurrection as they are, insurrection will certainly... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3334859/south-korea-proposes-separate-court-tackle-martial-law-decree-cases-after-cries-bias https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3334859/south-korea-proposes-separate-court-tackle-martial-law-decree-cases-after-cries-bias Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:14 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea is watching with mounting alarm as tensions between China and Japan escalate over the Taiwan Strait, a development that threatens to test Seoul’s pragmatic diplomacy and its balancing act between Beijing and Washington, observers warn. The dispute is unfolding just as Seoul has worked to stabilise long-strained relations with both regional powers, raising fears that renewed rivalry could force South Korea into unwelcome geopolitical crossfire, they add. Analysts say the flare-up is... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3333739/china-japan-row-escalates-south-korea-fears-being-dragged-unwanted-flare https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3333739/china-japan-row-escalates-south-korea-fears-being-dragged-unwanted-flare Sat, 22 Nov 2025 02:30:16 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea’s conservative opposition party is facing mounting backlash over a proposed bill that aims to tighten restrictions on Chinese nationals, with critics accusing it of stoking xenophobia to galvanise support ahead of next year’s local elections. The People Power Party (PPP) has unveiled legislation – dubbed the “Three Shopping Prevention Law” – targeted at Chinese citizens, claiming that they had been abusing the country’s national health insurance system and making speculative property... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3328830/south-koreas-opposition-ppp-slammed-targeting-chinese-through-xenophobic-bill https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3328830/south-koreas-opposition-ppp-slammed-targeting-chinese-through-xenophobic-bill Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:12 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk A new set of university rankings released in South Korea aims to provide prospective international students with clearer guidance on study options, as the country’s institutes of higher learning expand their efforts to attract global talent amid a shifting academic landscape. The K-universities Global Excellence Rankings, developed by The Korea Times and released on Wednesday, are described as the country’s most internationalisation-focused assessment to date, with more than 60 per cent of the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3326703/new-south-korea-university-rankings-reflect-goal-drawing-more-international-students https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3326703/new-south-korea-university-rankings-reflect-goal-drawing-more-international-students Wed, 24 Sep 2025 10:18:16 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has slammed as “submissive” the notion that Seoul cannot defend itself without American troops, in a message aimed at both Washington and domestic audiences. The remarks come as Seoul and Washington remain deadlocked over tariff talks and cost-sharing for United States forces, with the White House reportedly pressing for US$350 billion in South Korean investments and wider shouldering of the defence burden. In a social media post written before departing for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3326431/south-koreas-lee-pans-submissive-reliance-us-troops-comments-aimed-washington https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3326431/south-koreas-lee-pans-submissive-reliance-us-troops-comments-aimed-washington Tue, 23 Sep 2025 01:30:13 +0000