Applications for Hung Shui Kiu uni town campuses open

RTHK - Sep 17, 2026

Institutions interested in building campuses in Hung Shui Kiu, one of three university towns that have been prioritised for development in the Northern Metropolis, can begin submitting applications, Secretary for Education Christine Choi said on Thursday. Speaking at a press conference on initiatives in Hong Kong’s first five-year plan and the annual Policy Address, she said authorities have released three areas where eligible institutions can apply to develop campuses in the university town. The first lies west of the planned Hung Shui Kiu station on the Tuen Ma line and comprises 11 sites. The second, north of the station project, consists of three sites and is adjacent to enterprise and technology sites and housing sites. The third is a single site next to the modern logistics cluster. Choi said institutions may apply for land in one area or in several areas at the same time for different purposes, such as building permanent campuses, relocating existing campuses, providing or upgrading teaching and ancillary facilities, and constructing student hostels. Institutions looking to set themselves up in the university town will, she pointed out, be required to promote complementary advantages and coordinated development across its areas through curricula, talent cultivation, industry-academia-research collaboration and shared facilities. The university towns, Choi stressed,...

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Taipei donates coastguard vessel to Manila amid South China Sea tensions

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5-year term upheld for drunk driver who killed Japanese woman

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Korea, France stage joint air drills to enhance interoperability

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Sungkyunkwan University research offers design guidelines for organic solar cells

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9 sent to prosecution for alleged extortion targeting foreigners in Yangsan, Gimhae

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Korea Foundation honors US Peace Corps vets for decades of grassroots diplomacy

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Seoul city to hike Han River ferry fares for weekends starting next year

Confirmation hearing reports adopted for justice, defense minister nominees

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Confirmation hearing reports adopted for justice, defense minister nominees

Doosan Corp. bets $700 mil. on chip substrate material biz

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Doosan Corp. bets $700 mil. on chip substrate material biz

LG chairman stresses 'prompt, tenacious execution' in AI investment

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LG chairman stresses 'prompt, tenacious execution' in AI investment

KT joins state project to build AI-driven 'dark factory' solutions

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KT joins state project to build AI-driven 'dark factory' solutions

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Hansae Mobility increases commitment in Uzbekistan

Hanwha, EDGE to build UAE's integrated air defense network

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Korean Air finalizes $44.8 bil. purchase plan announced last year

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Korean Air finalizes $44.8 bil. purchase plan announced last year

Seoul's streetwear titan Musinsa expands physical footprint to Shenzhen

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Seoul's streetwear titan Musinsa expands physical footprint to Shenzhen

Noul brings AI cervical cancer screening technology to Indonesia

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Noul brings AI cervical cancer screening technology to Indonesia

Sales of Galaxy Z Fold 8 increase following unveiling of Apple's 1st foldable smartphone

Domestic sales of Samsung Electronics' new Galaxy Z foldable smartphone have increased following the unveiling of Apple's first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, industry sources said Thursday. Sales of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 in Korea rose about 10 percent in the week following the unveiling of the iPhone Duo from the previous week, according to the telecommunications industry. The increase is believed to have been driven in part by consumers who had delayed their purchases while waiting for Apple's new product and subsequently opted for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 instead. The iPhone Duo's price and hardware specifications are also considered factors in Korean consumers' purchasing decisions, they said. The iPhone Duo is priced at 3.29 million won ($2,380) for the 256-gigabyte model in Korea, more than 1 million won above the 2.28 million won price of the 256GB Galaxy Z Fold 8. The 2-terabyte iPhone Duo model is priced at 5.09 million won. The price gap in Korea is relatively wide compared with the United States, where the 256GB models of the two smartphones differ by about $100 in price.

Sales of Galaxy Z Fold 8 increase following unveiling of Apple's 1st foldable smartphone

Condoleezza Rice, Lee Kyung-chul receive inaugural Lee Hong-koo Diplomacy Award

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Condoleezza Rice, Lee Kyung-chul receive inaugural Lee Hong-koo Diplomacy Award

Korean, US troops conduct annual explosive ordnance disposal drills

Korean and U.S. troops have conducted joint explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) drills designed to improve interoperability and strengthen cooperation among relevant agencies, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Thursday. The EOD drills took place at the Army's I Corps and 9th Infantry Division in Goyang, just north of Seoul, from Wednesday to Thursday, according to the JCS. Some 200 personnel, including officials from each branch of the military, the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division and the Korea Airports Corp., participated in the drills. During the drills, EOD teams trained under simulated scenarios involving explosives planted in an urban area, with Korean and U.S. troops conducting joint operations to achieve a shared objective. The troops also took part in a seminar to share information on explosives and discuss ways to improve the EOD teams' operational capabilities in peacetime and wartime. Officials said the drills were not related to recent security developments, including the reportedly ongoing review on the possible deployment of Korean troops to the Strait of Hormuz, noting they hav

Korean, US troops conduct annual explosive ordnance disposal drills

Lee faces no-win dilemma as justice minister nominee row threatens prosecution reform

President Lee Jae Myung is facing a high-stakes dilemma over his justice minister nominee: push forward with Kim Seung-won's appointment at the cost of further eroding his approval ratings or withdraw the nomination and lose momentum on his flagship prosecution reform agenda. Political insiders suggest Lee will press ahead regardless. Analysts say he is likely to frame the standoff as a defining battle for prosecutorial reform — a direct confrontation with what his camp describes as political prosecutors resistant to change. “The (ruling) Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) appears poised to push forward with the appointment, while opposition parties are expected to gauge public sentiment following President Lee’s press conference scheduled on Friday before deciding whether to launch full-fledged street protests,” Seo Yang-ho, a political commentator and former mayor of Seoul’s Jung District, was quoted saying on a TV news program. “At its core, Kim Seung-won's nomination is not simply a Cabinet appointment; it represents a fundamental clash between forces driving President Lee

Lee faces no-win dilemma as justice minister nominee row threatens prosecution reform

Assembly passes confirmation motion for Supreme Court justice nominee

The National Assembly on Thursday passed the confirmation motion for Supreme Court Justice nominee Kim Sung-soo. During a plenary session, the Assembly endorsed the confirmation motion for Kim in a 227-28 vote, with 13 abstentions. Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae last month recommended Kim to President Lee Jae Myung for appointment as the successor to former Supreme Court Justice Lee Heung-ku. Kim's parliamentary confirmation hearing took place Monday and rival parties adopted his confirmation hearing report Wednesday. Kim will become the first Supreme Court justice to take office since the launch of the Lee administration if the president approves his appointment.

Assembly passes confirmation motion for Supreme Court justice nominee

Korea plans abortion pill rollout as doctors, women's groups clash over access

As Korea prepares to introduce abortion pills, women’s rights groups and doctors are welcoming the move but remain divided over how broadly the drugs should be made available. Women's rights advocates are calling for wider eligibility and eased prescription rules, while doctors are urging tighter medical oversight, reflecting a broader debate over how to balance reproductive autonomy with patient safety. The government on Wednesday announced a plan to allow the use of abortion pills for pregnancies of nine weeks or less, as early as the first quarter of next year. The move follows a prolonged legislative vacuum since the Constitutional Court ruled in 2019 that the criminalization of abortion was unconstitutional. Lawmakers have remained gridlocked over the deeply divisive issue, leaving follow-up legislation on matters such as permissible gestational limits stalled for years. Amid that vacuum, abortion pills have circulated illicitly, fueling calls for their formal introduction. President Lee Jae Myung instructed officials to discuss allowing Mifegyne during a Cabinet meeting in July. M

Korea plans abortion pill rollout as doctors, women's groups clash over access

POSCO Group accelerates resource strategy as global competition shifts

POSCO Group Chairman Chang In-hwa is bringing together the group’s senior executives to map out the next phase of its three-pronged growth strategy, as geopolitical shifts and technological change reshape global competition for resources. The group’s annual POSCO Forum began Thursday and will run for two days in Incheon. The event brings together senior executives to discuss future growth and innovation while hearing from outside experts. This year’s forum will focus on turning the strategy announced in July into concrete action plans. Chang's three-part strategy centers on areas of industrial resources such as steel; strategic resources including lithium, cathode and anode materials and rare earths; and energy resources such as liquefied natural gas and renewable energy. “The ability to execute quickly is the key to survival at a time of major change, as geopolitics and technological paradigms are shifting,” Chang said. “To successfully implement the strategy and expand our businesses around resources, we need to anticipate the direction of change and find clear answers on w

POSCO Group accelerates resource strategy as global competition shifts

JB Financial partners with Upstage to develop AI solutions for finance

JB Financial Group has teamed up with Upstage, a leading artificial intelligence (AI) company, to develop AI-based tools for practical use across the financial sector as part of its broader effort to accelerate company-wide AI transformation, the group said Thursday. JB Financial Chairman Kim Ki-hong and Upstage CEO Kim Sung-hoon signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday, laying the groundwork for cooperation in financial AI technology and new business opportunities. JB Financial identified AI transformation as one of its key priorities at its executive strategy meeting in August. The partnership will bring together the financial group and its major subsidiaries, including Jeonbuk Bank, Kwangju Bank and JB Woori Capital, to create a group-wide AI collaboration network. Using Upstage’s proprietary large language model (LLM) technology, the companies will work on developing AI agents customized for banking and other financial services. The two sides also agreed to pursue a range of joint projects, including developing and testing new AI applications for finance, exchanging employees

JB Financial partners with Upstage to develop AI solutions for finance

Korean Air counts on allied shareholders to contain Hoban's influence

Korean Air is counting on its existing shareholder base to contain Hoban Group’s growing influence, as the builder continues to increase its stake in Hanjin KAL to challenge Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Won-tae's control over the aviation conglomerate. Hoban has raised its Hanjin KAL stake to 20.15 percent, just 0.42 percentage point below the 20.57 percent held by Cho and his related parties. The narrowing gap has fueled speculation that Hoban could eventually seek a greater role in the management of Korean Air, the flagship carrier controlled by Hanjin KAL. An official from the airline said the most favorable scenario for the company would be for Korea Development Bank (KDB) not to sell its stake. KDB has long held a 10.58 percent stake in Hanjin KAL. If the state-run bank continues to hold its stake, Cho’s side would retain a significantly larger bloc of friendly shares than Hoban, reducing the immediate threat to the current management’s control. Delta Air Lines, which holds a 14.9 percent stake in Hanjin KAL, is widely considered a long-term ally of Korean Air. KDB, which received

Korean Air counts on allied shareholders to contain Hoban's influence

GKL partners with traditional markets to mark Chuseok holiday

Grand Korea Leisure (GKL), the state-run operator of the foreigner-only Seven Luck casino brand, is teaming up with traditional market merchants ahead of Chuseok, Korea's harvest holiday, on a joint marketing campaign aimed at drawing foreign tourists and boosting local businesses, the company said. From Sept. 22-26, GKL will hold the "K-Traditional Market Dessert Festa" at its Seven Luck Casino Gangnam Coex branch, introducing foreign visitors to the food culture of Korea's traditional markets. About 10 stalls from the Yeongdong Traditional Market merchants association in Nonhyeon-dong, Seoul's Gangnam District, will serve visitors Korean snacks including rice cakes, sweet and crispy fried chicken, twisted doughnuts and steamed buns. The event will also give away 200 sets of hand-pressed, domestically produced sesame oil. GKL President Yoon Doo-hyun said the event aims to boost tourist satisfaction and support the local economy by giving foreign visitors to Seven Luck an unusual chance to experience Korean traditional snacks. The event follows a visit by employees from GKL's Seoul Dragon

GKL partners with traditional markets to mark Chuseok holiday

How a young Korean turned Roblox into lucrative career

SAN JOSE — "Stop playing games." Roblox game developer Gold Octopus, whose real name is Cho Young-gwang, says his parents rarely nagged him to stop playing games. While his parents were at work and often came home late, he spent his time on online games. The middle school student developed games before the platform became widely known in Korea. That childhood hobby became a profession, bringing the 20-year-old digital creator an income of more than 100 million won ($67,800). Roblox reported about 144 million daily active users in March, making it a major platform in the creator economy. Gold Octopus, an early developer on the platform, spoke with the Hankook Ilbo in an interview Friday at the Roblox Developers Conference 2026 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in California. He taught himself game development instead of going to college. He also taught himself Japanese and recently began collaborating with a Japanese company. The young developer built his reputation with his flagship game, Sol's RNG, winning Best Experience of the Year and Outstanding Creator of the Year at the

How a young Korean turned Roblox into lucrative career

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