UNHCR official to discuss global forced displacement for RAS Korea lecture

The Korea Times - Sep 30, 2026

Stefan Maier hopes to see millions of refugees in long-term displacement move beyond dependence on humanitarian assistance over the next nine years, under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) "50 by 35" vision. "By 2035, we want to halve the number of refugees who have been displaced for prolonged periods and remain unable to meet their basic needs without humanitarian assistance," Maier, deputy representative for the UNHCR in Korea, told The Korea Times in a recent written interview. "We live in an intensely interconnected world," the Austrian national said. "Forced displacement may begin locally, but its consequences rarely remain local. Conflicts and persecution can uproot millions of people and have repercussions far beyond the countries and regions in which they originate." He cited the arrival of around 550 Yemenis on Jeju in 2018. "I relate to that episode quite personally because I worked in Yemen from 2015 to 2017, at the height of a devastating war and humanitarian crisis," he said. "It illustrates how a conflict that may initially seem geographically dist

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Kazakh worker killed as concrete ceiling collapses at Seoul construction site

A Kazakhstani worker died Tuesday after part of a concrete ceiling collapsed on him at an apartment construction site in southern Seoul, authorities said. The man, in his 30s, was waiting to begin cleaning inside a unit on the 23rd floor of the site in Seoul's Seocho district when part of the concrete ceiling fell and hit him at around 9:45 a.m., according to the labor ministry. The ministry said it immediately suspended work at the site and began an investigation into the incident with police and construction safety authorities. Police and the labor ministry plan to investigate the cause of the accident and look into whether the companies involved violated workplace safety laws.

Kazakh worker killed as concrete ceiling collapses at Seoul construction site

Young Koreans use digital placebos to curb spending

Office worker Lee Joo-hyun, 25, opens a mobile app when hunger strikes, even though she is trying to lose weight. Lee browses the menu, selects food and hits the order button. A notification pops up notifying her that the food is being prepared, followed by a real-time map tracking a delivery driver picking up the meal and moving toward her home. The food, however, never arrives. Lee is not charged, either. The platform Lee used is not a standard delivery service but "FoodNeverArrives" — an application designed to simulate the ordering process. Instead of a meal, Lee receives a virtual receipt tallying the money and calories saved. "Looking at the numbers written on the receipt makes me proud. I'm happy even without eating the food," she said. As inflation remains high, digital placebos that curb impulse spending through virtual consumption are gaining popularity among budget-conscious consumers. The simulations provide a sense of satisfaction and amusement without costing money or raising health concerns. For people in their 20s and 30s who self-deprecatingly joke that "only breathin

Young Koreans use digital placebos to curb spending

Planned cut to bank hours sparks debate among customers

A planned 30-minute reduction in bank branch hours is drawing mixed reactions from customers, with many worrying that shorter service hours could make it harder to get in-person banking services. Under a tentative labor-management agreement reached Monday, bank branches will open at 9:30 a.m. starting April next year, instead of the current 9 a.m., while closing hours will remain unchanged at 4 p.m. Some customers said the shorter hours could worsen already long waits as banks continue to reduce the number of branches and staff. "Even when I go in the morning, there are already long lines, and there are fewer employees available during lunch breaks. I don't understand why they are shortening the hours. If anything, they should keep the branches open until later," said Park, an office worker in Seoul. Some online users suggested that if banks are going to shorten their operating hours, they should instead open later and close later, saying longer evening hours would make it easier for office workers to visit branches after work. The issue is particularly relevant for customers looking for

Planned cut to bank hours sparks debate among customers

Starlink Wi-Fi raises cost dilemma for LCCs

Korea’s low-cost carriers (LCCs) are caught in a dilemma over rising demand for Starlink in-flight Wi-Fi, as the service carries hefty installation and operating costs for most budget airlines. Korean Air started introducing the service for the first time among local carriers in mid-September, initially focusing on long-haul routes. The flag carrier is expected to face few difficulties in expanding the service across its fleet stably due to the airline’s stronger financial resources than LCCs. Korean Air plans to expand its free Wi-Fi service to most of its fleet by the end of 2027 following its integration with Asiana Airlines. The service will also be introduced to its LCC affiliates. Jin Air plans to begin installing Starlink on its Boeing 737-8 aircraft, while Air Busan and Air Seoul are reviewing suitable aircraft for the system. The three LCCs will be merged into converged Jin Air following the integration of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. However, other LCCs controlled by smaller parent firms than Korean Air are widely expected to face a tougher cost challenge when introducin

Starlink Wi-Fi raises cost dilemma for LCCs

AMD chief to visit Korea next month: sources

Lisa Su, chief executive officer of Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD), is expected to visit Korea next month to meet with Korean semiconductor companies and government officials, industry sources said Wednesday. The visit would come about seven months after her previous trip to Korea in March. According to government and semiconductor industry sources, a meeting attended by Su is being considered for Oct. 8 in Seoul. The meeting is expected to include the CEOs of major Korean artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor companies, including Rebellions Inc., FuriosaAI and Mobilint. Su is also expected to meet with Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon around the time of the meeting, the sources said. During her visit, Su is also coordinating meetings with heads of major Korean companies, including Samsung Electronics Co. When she visited in March, the AMD chief met with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong. Samsung Electronics has supplied HBM3E chips to AMD for its latest AI solutions since 2025, with the two companies maintaining a close business relationship.

AMD chief to visit Korea next month: sources

Less than half of S. Koreans say unification with N. Korea necessary: poll

Less than half of South Koreans believe unifying the divided Koreas is necessary, a poll showed Wednesday, marking the second consecutive year that those in favor of unification fell short of 50 percent. According to the poll conducted by the Korea Institute for National Unification, 48.2 percent of those surveyed said unification with North Korea is necessary. The reading also marks a slight drop from 49 percent in 2025. By age, over 60 percent of those born in 1960 or before said unification with North Korea was necessary, while less than 40 percent of those born in 1991 or later said they saw the need. When asked if they agreed with an argument that unification will "not" be necessary if the two Koreas can peacefully coexist, 66.9 percent of respondents said yes, up from 63.2 percent a year earlier, according to the survey. Also, 70.3 percent of respondents said they were not interested in North Korea, marking a 2.2 percentage point increase from last year and the highest figure since the institute began conducting the annual survey in 2014. Additionally, 71.6 percent of those surveyed

Less than half of S. Koreans say unification with N. Korea necessary: poll

UN Command says Armistice Agreement violation occurred over DMZ mine blast

The United Nations Command (UNC) said Wednesday it found a violation of the Armistice Agreement has occurred over last week's mine blast inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). "Based on the findings of the investigation, UNC determined that an Armistice Agreement violation occurred. UNC is addressing the violation through established Armistice mechanisms," it said in an emailed statement. The UNC said a joint investigation team with the South Korean military identified an active North Korean mine on the South Korean side of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). "UNC remains committed to maintaining and enforcing the Armistice Agreement and fulfilling its responsibilities to preserve stability and prevent escalation on the Korean Peninsula," it said. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff released Monday its preliminary findings on the joint investigation with the UNC on the Sept. 21 mine blast. It determined that North Korean resin antipersonnel mines "highly likely" caused the two explosions that injured three South Korean soldiers. Two of them suffered critical injuries. North Korea denied it

UN Command says Armistice Agreement violation occurred over DMZ mine blast

Int'l tribunal dismisses Iranian investor's $566 mil. claim against Seoul

An international arbitration body has dismissed a 770 billion-won ($566 million) damages claim by an Iranian investor against Seoul in a case stemming from a failed takeover of a Korean company, the justice ministry said Wednesday. A panel under the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruled in favor of Korea in the case brought by six members of Iran's Dayyani family in 2021, seeking compensation for Seoul's delayed transfer of funds over a prior arbitration, according to the ministry. The panel sided with Korea in the case and ordered the Dayyanis to pay about 4 billion won to Korea for legal expenses and around 800 million won in administrative fees, the ministry said. The original case traces back to 2015, when the Dayyanis, a major shareholder of Entekhab Industrial Group, filed for arbitration after Korea's state-run Korea Asset Management Corp. canceled a contract to sell a major stake in Daewoo Electronics to Entekhab in 2011. In a 2018 arbitration, Seoul was ordered to pay 73 billion won plus interest in compensation to the Dayyanis over the failed takeover of Daewoo

Int'l tribunal dismisses Iranian investor's $566 mil. claim against Seoul

Spy agency says Ukraine first requested confidentiality over transfer of N. Korean POWs

Ukraine was the first to ask the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea be kept a secret, Seoul's spy agency said Wednesday, adding the two countries had a shared understanding to keep the transfer confidential from the beginning of the transfer process. In a briefing to the National Assembly's intelligence committee, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) also said the two North Korean soldiers arrived in South Korea in mid-September and had no major health problems, according to Rep. Youn Kun-young of the ruling Democratic Party and Rep. Yoo Yeong-ha of the main opposition People Power Party. "From the early stages of the talks, Ukraine asked that strict confidentiality be maintained, citing concerns over the potential impact on future negotiations on the exchange of POWs," Rep. Yoo told reporters after the briefing. "The NIS worked with the foreign ministry on their repatriation, and both South Korea and Ukraine held related discussions from the beginning under the shared understanding that the issue would remain confidential," he added. The NIS said the

Spy agency says Ukraine first requested confidentiality over transfer of N. Korean POWs

Honey Jam Sam reflects on foreign experience in Korea in latest album

Seoul is one of the world's largest cities, but when you're in a creative community or other subculture, it can feel almost more like a small town. Right in the center of this metropolis, in a hillside neighborhood that once was a refugee settlement, Rob Nichols, the British frontman of local alt-country band Honey Jam Sam, lives in a rooftop apartment overlooking a two-lane road, where he can encounter people from all walks of life. In his apartment, he has set up his own home recording studio, which he named Sky Cottage Studios. "Somehow we have our own little community, and I have my own little space within that," he told The Korea Times. "Sometimes it doesn’t feel real, disconnected from the larger picture. I guess I’m just carving out my own little niche with my band while I can." He's preparing for the release of Honey Jam Sam's latest album, due out on Saturday, titled "East of Yeadon." The name is a reference to Yeadon Airport, now Leeds Bradford Airport in Yeadon, West Yorkshire, where he began his journey to Korea in 2009. "I was looking for a title that incorporated both el

Honey Jam Sam reflects on foreign experience in Korea in latest album

Korea-born twin pandas to be transferred to China in December

Twin pandas born at a Korean amusement park in Yongin, just south of Seoul, will be sent to China in the third week of December, a park official said Wednesday. China has ownership of all pandas, including those born outside of China, and sends them to other countries only on a lease basis. Rui Bao and Hui Bao, who were born in Korea on July 7, 2023, will leave before they turn four, when pandas' reproductive maturity begins, as required. Everland amusement park said the exact travel date and destination will be finalized based on factors including their health. The park plans to host farewell programs for visitors. "We ask for your great interest and warm support for the twin pandas' new start," a park official said. Previously, their older sister, Fu Bao, who triggered a massive fandom craze in Korea, returned to China in April 2024 before reaching her fourth birthday.

Korea-born twin pandas to be transferred to China in December

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