Sept 16, 2026 Eunyo Hwang www.koreajoongangdaily.com Seoul apartment prices have continued to climb, putting the city close to setting a new record for the longest period of consecutive price increases. However, the latest data shows a growing difference between expensive districts in southern Seoul and more affordable areas elsewhere in the city. According to the Korea Real Estate Board, apartment sale prices in Seoul rose by an average of 0.16% during the second week of Sep

Sept 17, 2026 Hajin Kim www.chosun.com Korea has launched the world's first AI Framework Law to protect people from potential risks associated with AI products and services. However, as the law takes shape, citizens and industry experts are expressing mixed views and concerns. First, while establishing safety boundaries is viewed as a positive step, many worry there is not enough preparation time. Furthermore, while local companies face penalties for violations, enforcing Sou

June 15, 2026 Doyoung Lim biz.chosun.com El Niño, the natural Pacific weather pattern that pushes up global temperatures, has officially begun, according to the US scientists. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has declared that El Niño conditions are now underway in the tropical Pacific, with sea surface temperatures having risen sharply in recent months. Many forecasts suggest this could end up as a super El Niño and even be among the strongest ev

June 13, 2026 Hajin Kim www.reuters.com President Lee Jae-myung met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on June 12. During the meeting, the two leaders signed four Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) to increase cooperation between South Korea and Italy. One of the agreements focuses on science and technology. The two countries agreed to work together in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology, biotechnology, life science, and space techn

June 11, 2026 Doyoung Lim www.rnz.co.nz On the 3rd of June, when the main voting for the local elections took place, chaos continued at around 10 polling places. Citizens who waited over an hour to vote continued to protest, and a significant number of voters left without exercising their right to vote. Some polling places affected by the ballot shortage extended the voting deadline from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. According to the people, there were 17 polling stations where voting wa

June 6, 2026 Dogeon Lim apnews.com To mark the 100th anniversary of the death of Antoni Gaudí i Cornet, the renowned Catalan architect from Spain known as the “Architect of God,” a ceremony will be held to celebrate the completion of the central tower of his masterpiece, Sagrada Família. Each year about 4.9 million people visit the Sagrada Família, making it the most visited paid attraction in Spain. About 20 million additional visitors come to its exterior. Korean travelers

June 6, 2026 Dogeon Lim www.koreatimes.co.kr A tragic accident happened on Tuesday afternoon when a part of the Seosomun Overpass in Seoul fell down during a demolition project. The Seosomun Overpass collapse resulted in three workers dying and three others getting hurt. The emergency people said that a section of the road above the ground near the Chungjeongro railroad crossing fell down all of a sudden at around 2:33 p.m. The fire fighters quickly launched a rescue operatio

June 6, 2026 Doyoung Lim www.koreatimes.co.kr Incheon International Airport Corporation is expanding a shared bicycle service around Korea’s main international gateway, connecting with World Bicycle Day, a United Nations-designated observance held annually on June 3, and in response to the country’s energy-saving strategy. The corporation is partnering with BongMobility, operator of the Ddadong Bicycle bike-sharing program, to extend bicycle pickup and return zones across the

June 6, 2026 Hajin Kim en.sedaily.com Recently, the semiconductor market is growing very fast, and foreign investors are more interested in the Korean stock market than ever before. To follow this trend, Korean financial companies are starting to offer "foreign omnibus accounts" (integrated accounts) one after another. This service helps foreigners buy Korean stocks much more easily and conveniently. A foreign omnibus account is a shared account that a foreign financial compa

June 6, 2026 Hajin Kim amro-asia.org South Korea's economy is becoming more divided. The semiconductor industry continues to grow because of strong production and exports, but many other industries are still struggling due to high oil prices and weak domestic spending. The conflict in the Middle East has increased production costs and created concerns about inflation. At the same time, South Korea is becoming more dependent on the semiconductor industry. This has raised conce