'Peace Train-2026' aims to enhance China-Laos joint rescue
MEXICO CITY — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday expressed regret that Ukraine has disclosed the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea, calling it a breach of a non-disclosure agreement that he said may lead to many problems. "It was appropriate in every aspect not to disclose, considering many problems it may cause when disclosed, and (we) had agreed to do so," Lee said in a post on his X account, a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York that Ukraine recently sent the two North Korean soldiers to South Korea. Shortly after Zelenskyy's speech, the Ukrainian presidential office said the transfer of the two North Korean prisoners to South Korea was carried out through direct dialogue with Seoul. "(Ukraine) disclosed the transfer in breach of a non-disclosure agreement," Lee wrote. "I don't know the reasons (for the disclosure), but I regret it." Lee said the issue is a very sensitive matter that could immensely affect diplomacy and national security, as well as th
MEXICO CITY — President Lee Jae Myung reaffirmed Thursday that he will not seek reelection through constitutional reform. The president made the remarks during a meeting with South Korean residents in Mexico while on a state visit. "Those who are worried, don't be," the president said. "There will never be a case of my (term) going beyond June 2, 2030." Lee has repeatedly said he has no intention of seeking reelection through constitutional revision amid opposition accusations that he may seek a second term through the push for a constitutional revision by his administration and his ruling Democratic Party. The Constitution currently stipulates any changes to the presidential system shall not apply to the president in office at the time of a revision. Lee took office in June last year for a five-year term. The president also warned against radicalism in pursuing reforms, saying: "(One) needs to restrain himself properly. If one goes too far or too hastily, he would face backlash. "While minimizing resistance and backlash, (reforms) should be pursued in a way that is effective, practical a
MEXICO CITY— President Lee Jae Myung pledged to work harder to "illuminate" every citizen's life regardless of differences in opinion in a video message released Thursday to mark the Chuseok holiday. Appearing alongside first lady Kim Hea Kyung in the video, Lee said, "As president, I am truly grateful and deeply honored to share this moment with all of you, our great people of the Republic of Korea, who have built today's Korea and are shaping the Korea of tomorrow. "I will work even harder to ensure that every citizen's life is illuminated brightly, regardless of their qualifications or conditions and whatever their opinions or thoughts," he said. "Though our places of residence, occupations and chosen paths may differ, we are united by our love for the country," he added. The president wished citizens "a wonderful Chuseok holiday," expressing his hope that they can reach out to those they miss and share precious moments of happiness with those they love. He delivered the message while spending the holiday in Mexico on a state visit aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation. He is sched
Heavy traffic clogged expressways across South Korea on Friday, the second day of the Chuseok holiday, as people headed to their hometowns for family reunions, with trips from Seoul to the southeastern city of Busan estimated to take eight hours and 40 minutes. As of 9 a.m., travel times from Seoul were estimated at six hours and 40 minutes to Mokpo, eight hours and 20 minutes to Ulsan, seven hours and 40 minutes to Daegu, and six hours and 10 minutes to Gwangju, according to the Korea Expressway Corp. This year's holiday for Chuseok, the Korean equivalent of Thanksgiving, runs from Thursday to Sunday. The holiday is marked by visits to hometowns, family reunions, ancestral rites and traditional holiday foods. Trips to Seoul were expected to take seven hours and 50 minutes from Busan, seven hours from Mokpo, seven hours and 30 minutes from Ulsan, and six hours and 50 minutes from Gwangju. The state-run company said congestion was expected to peak between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. and ease between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. An estimated 6.84 million vehicles were expected to travel on roads nationwide Frid
Hyundai Motor Group is poised to overtake Ford Motor in quarterly vehicle sales in the United States for the first time, underscoring the growing presence of the Korean automaker in the world’s largest car market. Cox Automotive estimates that the group’s three brands — Hyundai Motor, Kia and Genesis — will sell 511,421 vehicles in the U.S. between July and September, up 6.5 percent from a year earlier. By contrast, Ford is projected to sell 504,172 vehicles, down 7.1 percent, according to the market researcher’s latest forecast. If the estimates hold, Hyundai Motor Group would rank third in quarterly U.S. sales behind General Motors, with 671,706 vehicles, and Toyota Motor, with 642,707. The result would mark the first time the Korean group has surpassed Ford on a quarterly basis. The shift comes as U.S. consumers increasingly favor fuel-efficient vehicles amid elevated gasoline prices. Utilizing the market condition, Hyundai Motor Group has been going all-out to expand hybrid sales in the U.S. However, Ford sells much fewer hybrid or fuel-efficient vehicles there. Cox Automotiv
The government is weighing an increase in admission fees at major palaces and royal tombs next year, officials said Friday, as officials and experts argue current prices are low by global standards and point to shifting visitor patterns. If increased, it would mark the first change in two decades, according to the officials. Under current rates, adult admission to both Gyeongbok Palace and Changdeok Palace is 3,000 won (US$2.20), while the UNESCO-listed Jongmyo Shrine, Changgyeong Palace and Deoksu Palace charge 1,000 won. Joseon-era royal tombs (1392–1910) range from 500 won to 2,000 won for adults. Kim Jae-kyu, head of the private National Heritage Planning and Evaluation Institute, said at a recent public forum hosted by the Korea Heritage Service that South Korea's palace and tomb fees are very low even by international standards. Using the Big Mac index as a benchmark, Kim noted that France's Versailles equates to about nine Big Macs and Japan's Nijo Castle to roughly 1.2, while fees at Gyeongbok and Changdeok palaces amount to about half a Big Mac. Kim also pointed to changing vis
More than 100,000 people flocked to a waterfront park at Busan’s North Port on Wednesday, the first day of the Chuseok holiday, hoping to catch a glimpse of a shark nicknamed “Bukangi” that has been spotted in a canal there. The turnout was about 50 times the park’s usual holiday visitor count. According to the Busan Facilities Corporation on Thursday, approximately 93,000 people had visited the waterfront park in Dong District by 6 p.m. Wednesday. Including visitors who arrived later, the total was estimated at around 102,000. The park typically receives about 2,000 visitors on a holiday. The shark, which was spotted at North Port and given the nickname Bukangi, has become a local attraction, drawing crowds even during the holiday period. The waterfront park is about 500 meters from Busan Station and is within walking distance. As crowds gathered around the park Wednesday afternoon, Busan Metropolitan City sent a safety alert urging people to avoid driving and to use public transportation, warning of severe congestion in the area. To prevent safety accidents, the city has restri
A fire suspected to have been caused by a power bank broke out aboard an Air Seoul flight bound for Da Nang before takeoff at Incheon International Airport, industry sources said Friday. The fire started at around 9 p.m. Thursday in a passenger's bag stored under a seat aboard flight RS511, operated by low-cost carrier Air Seoul Inc., as the aircraft prepared for takeoff, according to the sources. Cabin crew extinguished the fire, and firefighters arrived at the scene to check on passengers. No casualties were reported. The aircraft was carrying 221 passengers and seven crew members. Air Seoul later deployed a replacement aircraft, which departed two hours and 50 minutes behind schedule.
Marie Perruchet was born in Seoul, but Korea was not the place that taught her how to be Korean. Sent overseas for adoption at 18 months and raised in Normandy, France, Perruchet grew up without the language, traditions or beauty rituals of her birth country. She later lived in 10 countries, worked as a correspondent for the BBC and spent years in Silicon Valley before eventually returning to Korea as an entrepreneur. When she arrived, she was not coming back to a childhood home. She was discovering one. That experience became part of the story behind Clapoti, the wellness brand she founded in 2022. She describes it as "loved in Paris and perfected by Korean heritage," incorporating Korean manufacturing innovation, French sensory and scent tradition and an American instinct for functional, no-nonsense packaging. Perruchet's relationship with beauty had already been shaped by moving between cultures. Growing up in France, she said she rarely saw herself represented in beauty magazines. Some products weren't designed for her skin tone, and she remembered a stylist admitting she didn't know
Chinese President Xi Jinping broke into rare laughter as his US counterpart Donald Trump showed him a framed “autopen” displayed in place of the former American leader Joe Biden’s portrait during a White House tour. The viral moment stood out against the Chinese leader’s otherwise restrained demeanour during his first state visit to the United States in more than a decade. A video released by the White House on social media showed Trump taking Xi along the White House colonnade on Thursday...
The US president’s eldest daughter Ivanka Trump had a front-row seat at a White House welcome ceremony for President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan on Thursday, wearing a dress by Chinese fashion designer Guo Pei. Trump, in a robin’s egg blue dress and matching jacket, and her 15-year-old daughter Arabella Kushner occupied a prominent position at the ceremony, alongside Vice-President J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha Vance. The arrangement drew attention since members of Donald Trump’s cabinet...
