Policy & regulation, International, Disasters & accidents, Consumer
549 storiesDefense ministry to pursue cut, abolition of alternative service for arts, sports
South Korea’s Defense Ministry said on Oct 6 that it plans to ultimately pursue a reduction and abolition of supplementary military service, including arts and sports personnel, and to reflect it in the defense reform basic plan. Spokespers…
One worker injured in rock collapse at Vostochny mine in Russia's Primorye
A rock collapse at the Vostochny mine in Primorsky Krai injured one worker, with no fatalities reported. Twenty-two people were in the shaft at the time; rescuers brought the injured miner to the surface and handed him to ambulance crews. P…
Nippon Ham to cut Schauessen pack weight by 10g, keeping price unchanged
Nippon Ham said it will reduce the contents of its flagship “Schauessen” sausages from 117 grams to 107 grams per pack for deliveries from October 1, leaving the reference retail price of 702 yen including tax for two bundles unchanged — an…
China, Laos open military facilities at Lao airport; experts cite possible overseas base
China's defence ministry said on Sept 29 that it and Laos had begun operating a “joint support training centre” and an “aviation academy” at Bunkun airport, about 50 km north of Vientiane, with the two countries jointly maintaining the faci…
Netherlands proposes civilian reserve of 150,000 for emergencies
The Netherlands has proposed creating a civilian reserve for crises, with RTL reporting a target of 150,000 reservists for emergency situations, according to TASS. The reported roles include drivers, security guards and mechanics. RBC repor…
Trump signs order allowing tax-free red-dyed diesel on highways
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday temporarily allowing off-road red-dyed diesel to be used for highway driving and deferring the federal excise tax on that fuel through the end of 2026 without interest or penalties.…
Three typhoons active near Japan as Typhoon 27 moves north, JMA says
The Japan Meteorological Agency announced on Oct. 5 that Typhoon 28 (Nolo) and Typhoon 29 (Koguma) had formed, making three active typhoons near Japan with Typhoon 27 (Choi-wan). Typhoon 27 was large and very strong, moving north-northwest …
Gulf tropical depression forecast to become Atlantic season’s first hurricane
A tropical depression formed in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday afternoon and is forecast to become the Atlantic season’s first hurricane later this week, with a possible US landfall early Saturday, according to the National Hurricane Center.…
Typhoon No. 27 moves north near Ogasawara as typhoons 28 and 29 form
Typhoon No. 27, described by the Japan Meteorological Agency as large and very strong, moved north over waters near the Ogasawara Islands and was forecast to approach the islands at very strong intensity from the evening of Oct. 5 to early …
Trump says he told South Korea it must pay a price for lower tariffs
US President Donald Trump said on Oct 6 that he told South Korea it must pay a price to have tariffs lowered, and that South Korea recently provided $150 billion, all of it going to shipbuilding. Korean outlets link the remarks to MASGA, th…
Asian Games gold row widens as parties in South Korea seek exemption review
South Korea beat Japan 1-0 on October 3 to win a fourth consecutive Asian Games men's football gold, a result that exempts most of the squad from military service. A locker-room photo of Park Seung-su in a discharge hat, captain Lee Ki-hyuk…
Fishing boat capsizes off Jeju; nine rescued, two missing as search continues
A 29-tonne fishing vessel registered in Sacheon capsized at about 03:04 on October 5 about 65 kilometres northwest of Chagwido, off Jeju, with 11 people aboard. Nine crew — eight Indonesians and one Vietnamese — were rescued and taken to Ha…
South Korea's Lee orders CPTPP talks restarted from the beginning amid farm concerns
President Lee Jae-myung instructed at a cabinet meeting on Oct 6 that the government should not fix a conclusion on joining the CPTPP and should “restart dialogue from the beginning,” saying the pact's strategic value is cited alongside ver…
Ukraine criticizes South Korea over reported diesel shipments to Russia
Ukraine's presidential office sanctions adviser, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, publicly criticized South Korea over a Guardian report that seven tankers carried more than 176,000 tonnes of petroleum products, mostly diesel, from South Korean ports to …
President Lee vows to keep pledge to end “real estate speculation republic”
President Lee Jae-myung said on Oct. 5 in a post on X that his government will keep its promise to escape the “real estate speculation republic,” saying the country cannot be made to face a “lost 30 years” from real-estate bomb-passing even…
Egypt's Sisi to make state visit to South Korea Oct 7-9, summit with Lee on Oct 8
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will make a state visit to South Korea from Oct 7 to 9 at President Lee Jae-myung's invitation, the Blue House said in a written briefing on Tuesday. The two leaders will hold a summit on Oct 8, prece…
Trump repeats Alaska LNG charge threat as Vance says Korea details unresolved
US President Donald Trump said on 2 October that if South Korea does not invest in the Alaska LNG project, Washington can charge it more, and Seoul should be told the amount will double if it does not agree soon. Korean outlets reported tha…
Trump says a phone call with Putin is planned “very soon”
US President Donald Trump said a telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin is planned and will take place “very soon”. Trump gave no date or agenda. Russian outlets carried the announcement without reporting any Kremlin comment o…
Trump says US still working on Ukraine settlement, end is approaching
US President Donald Trump said Washington is continuing work on settling the Russia-Ukraine conflict and that a conclusion “really is approaching”, speaking at an event in the state of Maryland. TASS reported he acknowledged he had expected…
Two Gyeongbuk public institutions win top grade in provincial evaluation
The Gyeongbuk Credit Guarantee Foundation and the Gyeongbuk Women's Policy Development Institute received the highest grade in Gyeongbuk province's evaluation of its public institutions, according to three local outlets. The reports gave no…