South Korea's Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jin-a will visit the U.S. next week to discuss bilateral economic cooperation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday. During her visit from Sunday to Wednesday, Kim is scheduled to meet with U.S. Undersecretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Jacob Helberg next Monday to explore ways to strengthen supply chains and expand mutually beneficial economic ties. Kim will also attend an ec

President Lee Jae Myung will hold a series of bilateral talks with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. next week on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Manila, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong said in a written press briefing Friday. The meetings slated for next Monday are expected to focus on improving bilateral ties, expanding practical cooperation, and discussing re

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has signed a series of memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Indonesia's aerospace company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) to expand cooperation, the state-run defense contractor said on Friday. The latest agreements cover local production of KF-21 structural components, joint simulator development and technical exchanges, as well as potential business opportunities in the civil aviation market including the development of a mi

Five habitual prank callers have been reported to police for making a combined 8,710 nonemergency calls to the 119 emergency hotline over the past year, disrupting emergency response operations, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said on Friday. One caller alone made 2,661 phone calls and sent 2,886 text messages between September 2025 and August 2026. The city government said it repeatedly warned the callers to stop but filed criminal complaints after they continued

South Korea's rice production fell 0.9 percent to 3.51 million tons this year, marking a fifth consecutive annual decline and the lowest level since 2020, according to data released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics on Friday. Output dropped 31,000 tons from 3.54 million tons a year earlier, as the rice-planted area shrank 1.1 percent to 670,470 hectares amid government efforts to curb overproduction and encourage farmers to switch to alternative crops. The

President Lee Jae Myung's job approval rating fell 2 percentage points to 39 percent, while disapproval remained unchanged at 50 percent, a Gallup Korea poll showed on Friday. Real estate policy was the most frequently cited reason for disapproval, accounting for 17 percent, followed by the economy and livelihoods at 15 percent and ethical issues and his avoidance of his own trial at 12 percent. Among supporters, the economy and livelihoods were the leading reas

South Korea’s Prime Minister’s Office said Thursday it will respond with zero tolerance to cheating in the national college entrance exam on November 19, after this year’s top scorer in the state tax accountant exam missed just one of 160 questions, fueling suspicions that smart glasses were used. The office said it will quickly draw up government-wide measures to root out cheating using smart devices in state-run exams.

South Korea has appointed Ki Hye-kyung as director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) for a three-year term starting Friday, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said. Ki, a curator and Korean modern art historian, previously spent about 13 years at the MMCA before serving as director of the Busan Museum of Art and a senior official at Seoul's Buk Seoul Museum of Art. She has also taught at Hongik University since 2023. Culture M

Rain that began on the resort island of Jeju on Friday morning is expected to spread across the country later in the day. Most parts of the country are forecast to see rain overnight, with precipitation expected to ease in most areas by Saturday, although it could linger into the weekend in some southern areas. Accumulated rainfall is forecast to range from 10 to 60 millimeters, depending on the region. Daytime temperatures are expected to range from 15 to 20 degree

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) startup Wrtn Technologies will participate as a main sponsor of this year's G-STAR next week, the company said on Friday. At the country's largest game exhibition, which kicks off its four-day run on Nov. 19 at BEXCO in Busan, the startup will promote its AI entertainment platform "Crack" through exhibitions and presentations featuring interactive content creation zones and a large LED display. The main-stage