Former lawmaker's sentence confirmed over Moon-Trump call in 2019

South Korea’s Supreme Court has finalized a suspended prison sentence for former lawmaker Kang Hyo-sang for leaking the contents of a confidential phone call between then-President Moon Jae-in and former US President Donald Trump. The Supreme Court in January upheld a lower court ruling sentencing Kang, a former member of the Liberty Korea Party — the predecessor of the People Power Party — to six months in prison, suspended for one year, on charges including leaking diplomatic secrets. A former

March 11, 2026

'Ghana Chocolate' for Ghana's president

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung presented Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama with specially produced chocolate during their summit in Seoul, Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday. Mahama arrived in South Korea a day earlier for talks with Lee. According to presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung, Ghana chocolate was chosen as a symbolic gift because in South Korea, Ghana is closely associated with the popular brand, which uses over 80 percent Ghanaian cacao beans in its product. The packaging was

March 11, 2026

Men tied to Myanmar fraud hub indicted over romance scam

South Korean prosecutors have indicted several young men accused of working for a romance scam ring based in Myanmar, part of a growing network of overseas fraud operations targeting Korean victims. The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office said Wednesday that nine men aged 23 to 34 who operated out of a crime compound known as KK Park near the Myanmar-Thailand border were charged with joining and participating in a criminal organization. Five suspects were indicted in detention, while thre

March 11, 2026

Deterrence posture against N. Korea won't be hindered, Cheong Wa Dae says amid reports of THAAD move

The deterrence posture against North Korea will not be hindered regardless of a potential shift of military assets owned by the US military stationed in South Korea, a senior official at Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday, amid media reports that the US Forces Korea has shipped out some of its air defense assets from the Korean Peninsula. "Given our level of military capability, defense spending, defense industry capacity and the high morale of our troops, there is no problem with deterrence against N

March 11, 2026

Caregiver shaved her unconscious mother. Daughter’s fury ends in court

A South Korean woman was issued a fine of 1.5 million won ($1,010), suspended for one year, for assaulting a caregiver who shaved her unconscious mother’s head. The caregiver had also earlier received a suspended fine from the court for shaving the unconscious mother’s head. According to legal sources Tuesday, the Busan District Court showed leniency toward the daughter despite her conviction for special assault, which is a more serious charge than simple assault. The act was upgraded because it

March 11, 2026

Nearly half of Korean high school students use AI weekly for studies: survey

Nearly half of South Korean high school students regularly use artificial intelligence in their studies, a recent study found. According to research released Wednesday by the Jinhak Educational Assessment Research Institute, 47.7 percent of students said they use artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT and Gemini, for studying at least once a week. By frequency, 25.2 percent said they use AI tools one to two times a week, 14.4 percent reported using them three times or more weekly and 8

March 11, 2026

Appeal trial begins for ex-PM Han over insurrection charges

An appellate trial for former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo began Wednesday on charges that he played a key role in an insurrection by abetting former President Yoon Suk Yeol's 2024 imposition of martial law. The first hearing opened at the Seoul High Court after both Han and special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team appealed a 23-year prison sentence handed down by a district court in January. Han was found guilty of taking part in an insurrection by proposing that Yoon convene a Cabinet meeting before

March 11, 2026

N. Korea supports Iran's choice of new supreme leader amid raging war in Middle East

North Korea said Wednesday it respects the Iranian people's election of their new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who was named earlier this week to succeed his father, who was killed during US-Israeli attacks on Tehran. A spokesperson at the North's foreign ministry made the remarks after Khamenei, a son of late former leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was named the country's new supreme leader by the Assembly of Experts on Sunday. "With regard to the recent official announcement that Iran's Ass

March 11, 2026

N. Korea's Kim oversees cruise missile test from destroyer

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen another test-firing of strategic cruise missiles from the Choe Hyon destroyer, state media reported Wednesday, as South Korea and the United States have kicked off their annual springtime military drills. The North's leader observed the test via video Tuesday, stressing that it is important to maintain and expand a "powerful and reliable nuclear war deterrent," according to the Korean Central News Agency. Photos published by state media showed Kim's d

March 11, 2026

Iran operation will end when Trump determines military objectives have been met: White House

The US military operation against Iran will end when President Donald Trump determines that military objectives have been met and the Islamic Republic is in a position of "unconditional surrender" whether Tehran says it or not, the White House said Tuesday. During a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also said that the US military is drawing up additional options to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, stressing that the recent rise in oil and gas prices is "temporary." Her

March 11, 2026

Pentagon says USFK maintaining 'combat-credible' force posture in Korea amid THAAD redeployment report

US Forces Korea remains focused on ensuring a "combat-credible" force posture in South Korea, a US defense official said Tuesday, following a report that the Pentagon is moving parts of a key missile defense system from South Korea to the Middle East. Citing two officials, The Washington Post reported that part of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system stationed in South Korea were being moved, raising concerns that it could weaken deterrence against North Korea amid the US-Israel military

March 11, 2026

[Graphic News] Air traffic tops 1 million flights for first time

South Korea’s annual air traffic surpassed 1 million flights for the first time last year, government data showed. The total number of flights reached 1,013,930 in 2025, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The country averaged 2,778 flights per day, up 6.8 percent from a year earlier. The annual figure exceeded the previous high of 842,041 recorded in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. The growth was driven by a rebound in international travel. International flights

March 11, 2026

Seoul hosts Ramadan iftar for OIC diplomats amid Middle East tensions

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun hosted a Ramadan iftar dinner Tuesday evening for diplomats from member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Seoul, as South Korea seeks to strengthen ties with the Islamic world amid rising tensions in the Middle East. The event, held at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, is part of the Foreign Ministry’s annual outreach to OIC member states during Ramadan. The ministry has hosted the gathering since 2004 to promote friendship and cooperation wi

March 10, 2026

About 6,300 S. Koreans leave Middle East over past 7 days

About 6,300 South Korean nationals have left countries across the Middle East over the past seven days amid the ongoing military conflict in the region, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. The number of South Koreans remaining in 14 countries in the region stood at about 14,700 as of Monday, down from some 21,000 last Tuesday, the ministry said, as many seek to return to their home country due to the widening conflict. The number of South Korean short-term travelers in those countries fell to rou

March 10, 2026

Prosecutors indict woman accused of fatally drugging 2 men

Prosecutors on Tuesday indicted a 20-year-old woman accused of murdering two men by giving them drug-laced drinks. The Seoul Northern District Prosecutors Office said Kim So-young was indicted under physical detention on charges of murder, special bodily injury and violating the Narcotics Control Act. Kim is accused of handing the drinks containing benzodiazepine, a depressant, to three men on separate occasions between last December and last month, resulting in two deaths. One of the three men

March 10, 2026