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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
Tourists crowd an alley in Seoul’s popular Bukchon Hanok village. Chinese outbound tourism is expected to grow in 2026. Photo: The Korea Times
China travel

China’s outbound travel set to soar by 10 million trips – but halve in Japan

Chinese tourist flows to Japan could plunge to as low as 4.8 million this year from 9.3 million in 2025 amid political dispute, survey finds.

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World of performing arts

Frozen, Spirited Away among shows lighting up Seoul’s theatre stages in 2026

China-South Korea relations

North Korea: the elephant in the room when Xi met Lee in Beijing

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North Korea

North Korea revives drone claims in rebuff to Seoul’s outreach

Analysts dismiss the ‘implausible’ breach involving low-tech devices as a ploy, backing Seoul’s denial that its military was involved.

An image released by North Korean state media that claims to show one of the drones Pyongyang’s military said it had intercepted from South Korea. Photo: KCNA/Handout
Japan

Fisherman, defector or spy? Mystery ‘ghost ship’ discovery puzzles Japan

Korean writing on the boat led to conjecture that it was a ‘ghost ship’ similar to those that washed up on Japanese shores in the past.

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Scams and swindles

Editorial | Regional cooperation led to arrest of alleged scam kingpin Chen Zhi

The cross-border nature of his alleged criminal network required governments and law enforcement agencies to work together.

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Aviation accidents

Jeju Air crash ‘man-made’: 179 deaths may have been avoided, report finds

Families seek justice as government-commissioned report blames the fatal Jeju Air crash on a concrete mound at the end of the runway.

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Firefighters remove tarpaulin sheets covering the debris of a Jeju Air passenger plane at Muan International Airport in Muan, South Korea, on January 13, 2025. Photo: EPA-EFE/Yonhap
China shipbuilding

China’s shipyards still lead the world, but US threats took a toll in 2025

Chinese shipbuilders saw their market share dip for the first time in five years in 2025, as uncertainty over US port fees roiled the industry.

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Asia housing and property

Southeast Asia reels in buyers turfed out by Seoul’s housing crisis

Southeast Asian developers target South Koreans with luxury overseas investments, offering attractive payment plans.

Accidents and personal safety

Passenger injured in fire sparked by power bank on Incheon-Hong Kong flight

Accident occurred on Asiana Airlines flight OZ745 on Thursday night, with passenger sustaining burns as crew put out fire with extinguisher.

An Asiana Airlines plane. Photo: Shutterstock
SCMP Highlights

China’s ‘sweep and kill’ weapon, Malaysians opting for Singapore: 7 highlights

From China’s long game after Trump’s Venezuela operation to Eric Tsang leaving TVB, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

The high-power microwave system was showcased during the September 3 Victory Day parade in Beijing. Photo: Xinhua
Venezuela

Top Seoul official calls Venezuela raid ‘violent atrocity’, stirring unease

Park Seok-woon, head of a panel in the Prime Minister’s Office, faces scrutiny for denouncing US toppling of Maduro at a rally in Seoul.

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China trade

With US focused on Venezuela, China has window to pressure Japan: analysts

Beijing’s trade actions raise stakes with Tokyo, as China’s rare earth power and Japan’s chip dominance are seen as potentially key levers in their bilateral dispute.

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Diplomacy

Editorial | For South Korea to reset relations with China, it must withstand US pressure

The South Korean president’s visit to China was a sign of a more pragmatic approach that departs from that of his US-leaning predecessor.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (left) takes a selfie with Chinese President Xi Jinping using a Xiaomi smartphone following a state dinner in Beijing, China, on January 5. Photo: EPA/Yonhap/Pool
North Korea nuclear crisis

Opinion | Maduro’s fate in Venezuela hardens North Korea’s nuclear resolve

It confirms Pyongyang’s belief that leaders seen as thorns in the US side who lack nuclear weapons ultimately fall victim to US intervention.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Korea Times

South Korea’s proposed foreign crime bill sparks xenophobia fears

Critics say a bill to publish crime stats on foreign nationals stigmatises immigrants and ignores data showing their lower crime rates.

China stock market

Macroscope | Chinese stocks could be biggest winner of Venezuela fallout

Amid rising fears over an AI bubble and geopolitical strife, China’s push for self-reliance has left it more insulated from global storms.

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Yoon Suk-yeol

South Korea’s conservatives attempt break from Yoon with martial law apology

Yoon Suk-yeol’s former ruling party has offered a belated mea culpa, but critics see the move as nothing more than a cynical election ploy.

A supporter of South Korea’s ex-president Yoon Suk-yeol attends a rally in Seoul last month marking the first anniversary of his short-lived declaration of martial law. Photo: AFP
China-North Korea relations

China’s role in Korean peninsula stability tested amid nuclear submarine moves

Seoul’s calls for Chinese mediation seen to underscore Beijing’s central role in preserving stability between two Koreas.

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North Korea nuclear crisis

Opinion | As denuclearisation stalls, China will shape stability on Korean peninsula

South Korean leader’s Beijing visit makes clear need to manage inter-Korean tensions and establish stability en route to denuclearisation.

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US-Venezuela conflict

The US, Venezuela and why China is even less keen on talk of a G2

Beijing may seize on growing distrust of Washington and pitch itself to Global South as the more stable power, observers say.

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Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro arrives for a US court hearing in New York on Monday after being forcibly removed from power on Saturday. Photo: Reuters
China-South Korea relations

Beijing urges Seoul to be ‘patient’ over Pyongyang nuclear talks

President Lee Jae Myung says he asked his Chinese counterpart to act as a mediator to help restart talks about Pyongyang’s arsenal.

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South Korean President Lee Jae Myung speaks to journalists at a hotel in Shanghai on Wednesday. Photo: AFP
China-South Korea relations

Lee’s bid for South Korea-China reset can only go so far

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s success in improving relations with China means little when it comes to the issue of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal.

United States

Opinion | Why Asia should be concerned about the US attack on Venezuela

Venezuela matters less as a case in itself than as a signal of how energy is being repositioned amid intensifying US-China competition.

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US-Venezuela conflict

The Maduro effect: US raid accelerates Asia’s drift away from Washington

Cambodia, Laos and North Korea are expected to tighten their embrace of Moscow and Beijing amid growing distrust of the US.

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Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro is led into custody by US Drug Enforcement Administration officers at an airbase in New York on Saturday. Photo: Handout/Reuters
China trade

China, South Korea sign US$44 million in trade deals after years of friction

High-level summit strengthens bilateral ties after years of strained relations, as China shores up regional relationships amid row with Japan.

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(L-R) South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and his wife, Kim Hea Kyung take a selfie with Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, by using a Xiaomi smartphone following a state dinner in Beijing on Monday. Photo: EPA/Yonhap/South Korea Out
Singapore

Singer Henry Lau calls out Singapore concert venue over blocked views

Lau says he is speaking out ‘for the sake of future artistes’ after the venue layout affected his interactions with fans.

Mainland China

Video | China-South Korea summit wraps with a selfie

South Korea’s Lee snapped the selfie on a Xiaomi smartphone he received as a gift from Xi last year.

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