The commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) on Monday called for more geographically dispersed military exercises across South Korea, citing lessons from the war in Ukraine and the need to adapt to evolving battlefield threats. Gen. Xavier Brunson made the remarks during a panel discussion at the Association of the United States Army's (AUSA) annual conference in Washington, as he discussed ways to improve the readiness and deterrence posture of U.S. and South Korean forces. "I think what we recognize is that largely the two big exercises every year in Korea focus on large command posts. We've got to move away from that," Brunson said. The general suggested that the allies consider conducting exercises across a much broader geographical area rather than in fixed locations. "What would it look like if we train from Jeju all the way up to Gyeonggi Province in the north?" he said. "So just imagine if we trained across the entirety of the peninsula." South Korea and the United States hold large-scale combined exercises every year -- the Freedom Shield and the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) -- to tr

U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) said Monday that North Korea launched two ballistic missiles recently while stressing that the move poses no immediate threat to the United States or its allies. "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea launched two ballistic missiles on October 12, 2026 (KST)," the command said in a statement, referring to North Korea by its official name. The command said it was aware of the launches and was consulting closely with its allies and partners. "Based on current assessments, this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies," it said. It added that the U.S. remains "committed to the defense of the U.S. homeland and our allies in the region." South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Monday (Korea time) it detected the launch at about 9:20 a.m. from the Pyongyang area and that at least one of the missiles flew more than 900 kilometers. The North's latest missile launch came after it fired one ballistic missile from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea on Oct. 3.

A Sejong University professor has collaborated with a researcher at Finland’s Aalto University to examine how university students’ academic backgrounds relate to their problem-solving approaches. The researchers are Jang Hye-won, a professor at Sejong University’s Office of Educational Innovation, and Petter Holme, a professor of computer science at Aalto University. They analyzed 84 written solutions from a first-year physics course at Harvard University, systematically organizing information about students’ assumptions and reasoning sequences to examine how their approaches differed by academic background. The study was published online last month in the International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education under the title “Through Different Lenses: Connecting Educational Backgrounds to Fermi Problem-Solving Pathways.” The study used a Fermi problem, which requires people to make reasonable assumptions and arrive at approximate answers despite limited information. Such problems require learners to identify relevant variables, make reasonable estimates and assess whether

Drought conditions have been reported in 97 regions across the country, with the situation particularly severe in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, the interior ministry said Tuesday. Water storage levels in agricultural reservoirs nationwide stood at just 70 percent of the average for a normal year, the ministry said in its October drought report. The cumulative precipitation nationwide over the six months from April 2 to Oct. 1 totaled 783.3 millimeters, or 72.5 percent of the normal year average, the ministry said. As a result, meteorological drought conditions had been observed in 97 regions across the country as of Oct. 1. Of the 97 regions, 74 were classified as experiencing mild drought and 22 as moderate drought, while Yeongcheon, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, was experiencing severe drought. However, the drought in Yeongcheon is expected to ease by the end of the year, as precipitation is forecast to be above normal in November and December, the ministry said.

The arms procurement agency said Tuesday it will speed up the development of nuclear-powered submarines and acquisition of artificial intelligence (AI)-based combat assets, including unmanned and counter-drone systems. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) unveiled the plan in a parliamentary audit, as part of a broader road map to secure core capabilities for "self-reliant" defense amid Seoul's efforts to retake wartime operational control (OPCON) of troops from Washington and North Korea's evolving military threats. "The agency will leverage existing organizations and capabilities to develop a nuclear propulsion system and establish a blueprint to construct nuclear-powered submarines," DAPA said in a document submitted to lawmakers. "We plan to launch a full-scale acquisition of combat unmanned systems, such as combat uncrewed surface vessels and small attack drones, as well as anti-drone networks, including laser air defense weapons and integrated counter-drone systems for front-line border areas," the agency said. South Korea is pushing to build nuclear-powered attack

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday stressed the importance of the country's alliance with the United States but also noted a submissive stance should be shunned in pursuing diplomacy. The president made the remarks at a Cabinet meeting, amid concerns over apparent friction in the Seoul-Washington alliance, highlighted by South Korea facing limitations in intelligence sharing by the U.S. Lee said diplomacy should be focused on safeguarding national interests, while emphasizing that differences can arise between countries. "Diplomacy should be pursued in a way that always upholds South Korea's dignity and safeguards its national interests (while) any submissive or kowtowing stance should be shunned," the president noted. "The guiding principle of South Korea's diplomacy is pragmatism. The most important thing for South Korea is its national interests," Lee stressed. His remarks come as South Korea continues to face restrictions on intelligence sharing by Washington, reportedly over the South Korean unification minister's previous remarks identifying North Korea's Kusong as a site housing a

CJ OliveNetworks, the information technology services affiliate of CJ Group, is running a hands-on coding camp for elementary school students in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, to teach them how artificial intelligence (AI) and self-driving cars work, the company said Tuesday. The AX Creative Camp is part of the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education’s Sinnaneun Gongyu Hakgyo, or “Exciting Sharing School,” program. AX refers to “AI transformation,” the use of AI across business operations. This is the second year the company has held the camp, in which employees use their AI expertise to teach coding classes as part of its corporate social responsibility work. The education office’s program is an after-school learning platform built with local community groups to help students find their interests and learn on their own. Some 130,000 students took part in about 7,200 programs last year, covering arts, sports and AI. This year’s camp is open to elementary students in the area covered by the Bucheon office of education. Lessons move step by step from the basic principles of sel

Exposure to the artificial intelligence (AI) supply chain is splitting the third-quarter earnings outlooks for LG Innotek and Samsung Electro-Mechanics. The former faces weaker earnings prospects because of its optics-heavy sales mix and sensitivity to foreign exchange fluctuations, while the latter is offsetting currency-related pressure with a growing contribution from multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) and semiconductor substrates. According to market tracker FnGuide on Tuesday, brokerages’ consensus estimate for LG Innotek’s third-quarter operating profit stood at 202.9 billion won ($152 million), down 32.8 percent from 302 billion won a month earlier. The revenue forecast was also lowered to 6.1 trillion won from 6.32 trillion won over the same period. The worsening earnings outlook weighed on LG Innotek shares, which plunged 15.47 percent on Monday. The biggest factor appears to be foreign exchange fluctuations, as raw materials and inventories purchased or produced when the won was weaker are being reflected in sales at a stronger won, hurting profit margins. “The sharp de

LG Uplus is upgrading the artificial intelligence (AI) search engine in its customer app into an active agent that completes tasks rather than just answering questions, the company said Tuesday. Korea’s third-largest mobile carrier is gradually converting the AI search in U+one, its all-in-one customer app, into what it calls an “actionable AI agent.” Through U+one, subscribers can check their plans and bills, make payments and sign up for services such as roaming and add-ons. The company launched a bill payment agent in August and a roaming agent in September. The previous AI search answered queries and then sent users to the relevant app screen. The new agents analyze customers’ actual usage data, recommend services and complete payments or sign-ups once the user confirms, all within a single conversation. The bill payment agent answers questions such as “How much is my bill this month?” When a bill has changed from the previous month, it explains why by breaking down items such as roaming, add-on services, small mobile payments and device installments. Users can pay without

As artificial intelligence (AI) drives demand for ever-faster computing, Kim Joung-ho, a professor from Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST), credited with helping lay the foundations for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), will receive a science and technology innovation award recognizing his contributions to Korea’s semiconductor industry. The Daejeon Development Committee will present the Science and Technology Innovation Award to Kim at 11 a.m. on Thursday at Lotte City Hotel Daejeon, honoring the professor for his research and role in advancing the development and commercialization of HBM. Kim, a professor in KAIST’s School of Electrical Engineering, has spent three decades researching next-generation memory technologies, including HBM, high-bandwidth flash and high-bandwidth SRAM, according to the committee. He proposed core concepts and the basic architecture of HBM and participated in key design and technology validation work during its development in 2009, contributing to SK hynix’s commercialization of the technology in December 2013, which the committee des

Samsung Electronics showcased next-generation memory and storage technologies at the 2026 OCP Global Summit in the United States on Monday (local time), highlighting its efforts to improve artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and expand cooperation with global technology companies. The Korean tech giant jointly demonstrated a memory expansion solution with AMD and displayed products related to AI chipmakers Groq and Nvidia at the event, where Samsung participated as a Diamond Sponsor. As AI models grow larger and AI agents handle increasingly complex tasks, demand is rising for memory capacity, faster data processing and more efficient storage. Samsung presented technologies designed to address these challenges across three areas: computing speed, memory expansion and data storage. A key highlight was the joint demonstration with AMD of a Compute Express Link (CXL)-based memory expansion solution. CXL allows processors and other computing components to share memory resources, helping AI systems access additional capacity without relying solely on memory installed directly in indi

Sales of bonds and certificates of deposits (CDs) in Korea rose more than 11 percent in the third quarter of this year from a year earlier, data showed Tuesday. The value of debt instruments issued during the third quarter came to 178.3 trillion won ($134 billion), up 11.1 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Securities Depository. Bond sales jumped 13.8 percent on-year to 166.4 trillion won, while CD issuance sank 16.8 percent to 11.9 trillion won. Compared with a quarter ago, however, sales of bonds and CDs fell 1.9 percent. The Bank of Korea lifted its key rate to 3 percent over two straight meetings in July and August, marking the first back-to-back rate hikes since January 2023.

SK earthon, a Korean oil exploration and production (E&P) company, said Tuesday oil production has recently begun at an offshore field in Vietnam where it holds a stake. U.S.-based Murphy Oil Corp., the operator of Block 15-1/05, began production at the Lac Da Vang field in the Cuu Long Basin late last month, SK earthon said in a press release. SK earthon holds a 25 percent stake in the block, having invested in the project in 2007. Murphy Oil and Vietnam's state-run PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corp. (PVEP) hold 40 percent and 35 percent stakes, respectively. The block is estimated to contain total oil reserves of 60 million barrels, with production expected to reach up to 25,000 barrels per day when the project is fully developed, the company said. "We will continue to expand its oil exploration and development activities in Vietnam to secure a stable energy supply amid rising geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions," a company official said. SK earthon has been expanding its E&P operations in China and Southeast Asia to help improve the profitability of its parent com

LS Electric said Tuesday it has signed a 185.3 billion-won ($138.7 million) contract with global power solutions provider Bloom Energy to supply switchgear and distribution transformers. With the latest deal, the Korean electrical equipment maker's cumulative orders from Bloom Energy have exceeded $500 million since April last year. Under the contract, LS Electric will supply power equipment for a fuel cell-based on-site power generation project at a major U.S. technology company's data center in Pennsylvania. The Korean company plans to deliver 38-kilovolt (kV) high-voltage switchgear and distribution transformers between April and July 2027.

Korean police are working with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to trace the hackers behind recent cyberattacks targeting Korea's financial institutions, sources said Tuesday. According to the sources, Korean authorities, including the Korean National Police Agency, have recently launched the process for cooperation with the FBI. The move aims to obtain critical investigation data, such as account details and access logs of major U.S.-based global cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI) companies. U.S. cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike earlier suggested that a 26-year-old Chinese man from China's Guangdong Province might be behind the attacks, but the person has denied involvement. Local authorities are reportedly considering the possibility of other or different individuals being responsible for the recent cyberattacks, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Police are analyzing data used by CrowdStrike to estimate the hackers' identities, as well as documents suggesting ties to a Chinese distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack group. When ask

The Presidential Security Service (PSS) will open a 1.32-kilometer-long mountain trail near the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae to the public, nearly six decades after it was designated off-limits, officials said Tuesday. The upcoming public opening of the trail in the southwestern part of Mount Bukak, located behind Cheong Wa Dae, marks the latest and final opening of the three major trails on Mount Bukak previously off-limits to the public, according to PSS officials. A 2.2-km trail in the northern part of Mount Bukak was first opened to the public in 2020, followed by a 3-km trail in the southeastern part of the mountain in 2022. The public will be allowed access to the new southwestern trail around the clock starting on Saturday, according to the PSS. With the upcoming opening, Mount Bukak will be fully open to the public, PSS chief Hwang In-kwon noted.

Discarded festival banners are getting a second act as limited-edition accessories, with the Seoul Museum of History transforming last year’s European Film Festival promotional materials into card wallets and mini bags that combine distinctive designs with a push toward sustainability. The museum will begin selling the upcycled merchandise at its museum shop on Thursday, using recycled materials to reduce waste from exhibitions and cultural events. The products were developed in collaboration with Van a Banner, an upcycling company led by Lee Ban-seok, which helped turn the used polyvinyl chloride banners into practical everyday items. Recycled fabric is used for the products’ linings and mesh components, extending the reuse effort beyond the original banner material. Because different sections of the banners are cut and incorporated into each item, the finished products vary in color and pattern, making each piece unique, the museum said. The card wallet features a mesh pocket for cards and a zippered compartment for small belongings, while the mini bag has a magnetic flap designed f

Jeonbuk National University's Business Incubation Center is helping promising local startups enter global markets by developing overseas sales channels and strengthening their brand competitiveness. The university said the center is working to expand growth opportunities for local businesses by turning meetings with overseas buyers into export partnerships and providing follow-up support. These efforts are part of the 24th World Korean Business Convention Participation Support Project, which is being carried out under the 2026 Specialized Capacity BI Support Program. The project is jointly run by the Business Incubation Center, the Jeonbuk Institute for Food-Bioindustry, the Korea Institute of Convergence Textiles and Jeonbuk Science College. The initiative aims to identify and nurture promising local businesses with innovative products and strong entrepreneurial capabilities and help them expand into domestic and overseas markets. Three participating companies — JK Nanobio, Global Clam and CellCore — met with overseas buyers at the 24th World Korean Business Convention in Incheon las

The foreign, unification and defense ministries will relocate from Seoul to the central administrative city of Sejong by 2031 as part of a broader government agency relocation plan affecting nearly 10,000 public servants, the interior ministry said Tuesday. The ministry announced the plan following last month's decision to relocate some government ministries and public institutions to Sejong, about 110 kilometers south of Seoul, starting next year. A total of 44 ministries and agencies will relocate in phases between next year and 2031, depending on the requirements of the particular agency and the availability of office space. "The relocation of central administrative bodies to Sejong is a key national strategy aimed at overcoming the capital area-centered system and efficiently using our land to achieve sustainable growth and a new leap forward," Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung said at a press briefing at the government complex in Seoul. Of the 44 subject to relocation, 27 ministries and agencies will start moving to temporarily rented office spaces in Sejong next year. In the first half

HD Hyundai and Siemens Digital Industries Software opened a joint center in Busan on Tuesday as part of their efforts to accelerate digital transformation in the shipbuilding industry. HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding intermediate holding company, held an opening ceremony for the Global Marine Center, attended by key officials from both companies, including CEO Kim Hyung-kwan and Siemens Digital Industries Software Chief Revenue Officer Robert Jones. The center will house about 50 professionals from both companies specializing in ship design, production, artificial intelligence (AI) platforms and product lifecycle management. It will serve as a key hub for combining HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding expertise with Siemens’ digital engineering technology. The two companies signed an agreement in July to work together on establishing a next-generation marine platform, a project that aims to connect all aspects of shipbuilding, from design, production and supply chain management to quality control and maintenance with AI and digital technology. The cente

A Seoul-based AI startup has joined a prestigious New York City commercialization program, opening a rare doorway to test its products with American companies and court global investors. NextPayments was the only Korean company among 14 startups selected for NYC AI Nexus, a program organized by the New York City Economic Development Corp., from more than 200 applicants worldwide, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday. Beginning in November, NextPayments plans to conduct pilot projects with local companies, focusing on retail and food service, to test its technology and assess demand in the U.S. market. The company develops AI platforms that integrate data from offline businesses, including orders, payments, products, staffing, logistics and customer behavior, into a unified system. Through the yearlong program, selected startups receive local office space, strategic advice, introductions to potential business partners, help with proof-of-concept projects, expert consultations and assistance in attracting investment. The New York City Economic Development Corp. plans to select as

The Korea Asset Management Corporation (KAMCO) is expanding its cooperation with Asian financial authorities, drawing on nearly three decades of experience managing nonperforming loans (NPL) to help countries strengthen their financial systems, the state-run agency said Monday. Vietnam offers a clear example of that approach. In April, KAMCO signed a consulting agreement worth around $400,000 with the Asian Development Bank to help establish a legal framework for asset-backed securities (ABS) in the country. Over the next 25 months, the agency is set to assess Vietnam’s financial and legal environment, recommend regulatory improvements and help develop guidelines for issuing ABS. The project will also include training programs to strengthen local expertise. KAMCO is working to improve the infrastructure for actual transactions as well. In a consortium with Shinhan DS, it is undertaking a 2.5 billion won ($1.86 million) project to upgrade the Vietnam Asset Management Company’s online platform for NPL trading. The agency is also extending its work beyond individual markets through a br

Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, will host the 2026 Jinju International Forum on Entrepreneurship from Oct. 18 to 20, bringing together United Nations officials, global business leaders and scholars to discuss entrepreneurship amid geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions and intensifying artificial intelligence (AI) competition. The Jinju K-Entrepreneurship Foundation said Tuesday that the forum will explore how businesses, governments and local communities can turn these challenges into opportunities for innovation and shared prosperity. Under the theme “An Era of Global Uncertainty and Digital Transformation: What Is the Role of Entrepreneurship?” the three-day forum will examine how entrepreneurship can foster innovation and shared prosperity. A key session will bring together former U.N. Economic and Social Council presidents Nestor Osorio and Martin Sajdik, former Argentine ambassador to the U.N. Martin Moritan and U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development Navid Hanif. They will discuss opportunities and inequalities arising from AI, the sustainable deve

Shinhan Financial Group has officially launched Shinhan Financial Group Indonesia, becoming the first Korean financial group to establish a local financial holding company in the Southeast Asian country, the company said Tuesday. The launch ceremony was held in Jakarta on Monday, attended by Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Jin Ok-dong and local financial authorities. The new structure places Shinhan Indonesia Bank at the center of the group's Indonesian operations, with the bank taking on the additional role of a holding company overseeing its local card and securities businesses. The restructuring follows the Indonesian government's announcement requiring financial groups to establish holding companies in December 2024. Shinhan began reorganizing its local governance structure in response to the requirement and received approval from Indonesian financial authorities in September 2025. The transition was completed on Sept. 16 following the transfer of stakes in the group's local affiliates, according to the company. Under the new structure, Shinhan Indonesia Bank acquired additional stak

Shinhan Financial Group Inc., a major banking group, has decided to take over a midsize non-life insurer for 693 billion won ($518 million) to diversify its business portfolio, industry sources said Tuesday. Shinhan Financial's board of directors approved the acquisition of a 77.04 percent stake in Lotte Insurance, from private equity firm JKL Partners, and then the banking group plans to buy the remaining 22.96 percent depending on regulatory approval.

Lexus Korea has launched its first all-electric ES sedan, expanding the luxury carmaker’s electrification strategy beyond its established hybrid lineup, as it moves to strengthen its position in the increasingly competitive electric vehicle (EV) market, the company said Tuesday. The eighth-generation All-New ES lineup comprises the ES 350e and ES 500e EVs alongside the ES 350h hybrid, offering customers a choice between fully electric and hybrid powertrains. The launch carries strategic significance for Lexus, which has built its reputation in Korea largely on hybrid vehicles. While the Japanese luxury brand is well established in the premium hybrid sedan segment, it has been a latecomer to the all-electric market. “EVs are not a sudden move for Lexus Korea,” Lexus Korea CEO Manabu Konoyama told reporters during a media event. “Rather, they represent the next step, built on the experience and expertise we have accumulated through our hybrid vehicles.” The ES 350e, the entry-level electric model, starts at 71.6 million won ($53,500) and offers a driving range of 478 kilometers on

Gyeonggi Province, Korea's most populous province, narrowly averted disruptions to essential welfare programs with the passage of a supplementary budget on Monday. But restoring funding for the rest of 2026 has not resolved the fundamental problem behind the crisis: falling revenue, growing spending obligations and fewer resources to bridge the gap. With the provincial government required to submit next year’s budget proposal by Nov. 11, residents and welfare providers remain concerned and question whether the province's Gov. Choo Mi-ae can prevent further funding shortfalls. What did Monday’s agreement resolve? The provincial council approved the supplementary budget after last-minute negotiations restored 21.6 billion won ($16 million) for livelihood-related programs, including support for child care and postpartum care. The agreement broke a monthlong impasse over funding needed to keep essential services running through the final quarter. Some welfare programs had been allocated only nine months of funding, leaving them facing suspension this month and prompting protests by child

The Lee Jae Myung administration on Tuesday began the process of selecting its first prosecutor general, a post that has remained vacant for one year and three months. The justice ministry announced the formation of a nine-member committee, including a chairperson, to recommend candidates for prosecutor general in accordance with the law. Former Prosecutor General Moon Moo-il, who served as the first prosecutor general under the former Moon Jae-in administration, will chair the committee, the ministry said. The post has remained vacant after former Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung, who was appointed by former President Yoon Suk Yeol, resigned in July last year. The new prosecutor general will head the Prosecution Service, which was launched Oct. 2 as part of a recent reform aimed at stripping prosecutors of their independent investigative powers. The prosecutor general will serve a two-year term, as before. The justice ministry will accept public recommendations for candidates for eight days from Wednesday. Candidates must have at least 15 years of experience in the legal profession. The r

One person went into cardiac arrest and seven others were injured after a man went on a stabbing spree in a supermarket building in Incheon, west of Seoul, on Tuesday, police said. The suspect, believed to be in his 60s, attacked people with knives fastened to both his hands at 1:40 p.m. while moving on an escalator between the second basement floor — where a Homeplus supermarket is located — and the second floor above ground, according to Namdong Police Station. The man was subdued by shoppers and later apprehended by police officers, who were questioning him in custody. All eight victims were taken to hospitals. An emergency medical center has been set up on the building's first floor in case of additional casualties.

Two college applicants were caught cheating this month by wearing prohibited artificial intelligence (AI) glasses while taking college entrance exams at two different schools in Seoul, sources said Tuesday. According to the sources, a test-taker at Yonsei University in western Seoul wore normal glasses before the start of the mathematics essay portion on Saturday but switched to AI glasses after the exam began. Proctors reported the student to the school, and the person admitted to having worn AI glasses, the sources said. Yonsei University is currently reviewing possible action against the examinee. A similar incident occurred during an entrance exam at the University of Seoul on Oct. 3 where an applicant wore regular glasses while supervisors checked the IDs of test-takers and switched to smart glasses later. The University of Seoul immediately removed the student from the test site and banned the applicant from taking its entrance exam for the next three years.