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MILAN — Following the end of his free skate Friday night, marred by an early mistake with a jump, Cha Jun-hwan remained on the ice for a few extra moments, his legs stretched out and his hands propping him up. The Korean figure skater appeared to be soaking up the cheers from the crowd at Milano Ice Skating Arena at the conclusion of his Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Cha deserved all the adulation that came his way, as he finished in fourth place overall with 273.92 points. He received 181.20 points in the free skate, the fifth-highest mark among the 24 skaters, despite his failure to land a quadruple toe loop cleanly. Cha ended up only 0.98 point back of the bronze medalist from Japan, Shun Sato. Cha later explained he was simply too spent, emotionally and physically, at the end of his free skate. In his own words, "My battery just died." "I poured everything onto the ice," he said. "After falling down early, I did everything in my power to salvage the rest of my program. I think I executed all the other elements really well. Even after the mistake, I knew I was supposed to do my ab
Two Korean movies, "The King's Warden" and "Humint," are competing for first place at the domestic box office during the Lunar New Year holiday, data showed Saturday. "The King's Warden," a historical drama, is leading the box-office chart, with an advance ticket sales rate of 44 percent as of 9 a.m., outperforming the 28.7 percent logged by action thriller "Humint." Directed by Jang Hang-jun, the former reimagines historical events through a fictional lens, following the unlikely friendship between village chief Eom Heung-do (Yoo Hai-jin) and the young, deposed King Danjong (Park Ji-hoon) during the latter's exile in the village. It has attracted nearly 1.5 million viewers since its Feb. 4 release, becoming the first Korean film this year to surpass the 1 million admission milestone. The runner-up, Ryoo Seung-wan's action thriller "Humint," has drawn a cumulative audience of 304,738 since it was released Wednesday. Short for human intelligence, "Humint" follows Manager Cho (Zo In-sung), a South Korean national intelligence officer who forms an unlikely cooperation with Park Gun, a North
MILAN — Korean speed skating sprinters Kim Min-sun and Lee Na-hyun will be in pursuit of their first Olympic medal on the oval at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Sunday. The two will compete in the women's 500 meters at Milano Speed Skating Stadium in Milan, trying to following in the footsteps of Lee Sang-hwa, who won gold medals in that race in 2010 and 2014, and then added a silver in 2018. Kim, 26, has been seen as the heir apparent to Lee, and while Kim has had several victories at International Skating Union World Cup events, Olympic success has eluded her. Kim finished 16th in the 500m in her Olympic debut in 2018 and then seventh in 2022. Lee, 20, is the emerging star in the 500m who set the world junior record in that distance in January 2024. They both competed in the 1,000m as their first race in Milan on Monday, with Lee finishing ninth with a time of 1:15.76 and Kim ranking 18th in 1:16.24. Both skaters said afterward they came away feeling more confident about their chances in the 500m. Also on Sunday, freestyle skier Jung Dae-yoon will compete in the men's dual mogul
MILAN — Korea did not add to its medal total at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday, with a figure skater and a snowboarder coming up shy of a podium finish. Cha Jun-hwan came the closest in the men's singles figure skating, where he ended up in fourth place with 273.92 points, only 0.98 point behind the bronze medal winner, Shun Sato of Japan. Cha fell while trying to land a quadruple toe loop early in his free skate but executed other elements cleanly to score 181.20 points in the free skate, the fifth-best mark in the field. Snowboarder Lee Chaeun finished sixth in the men's halfpipe event with 87.50 points at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, some 140 kilometers north of Milan. The 12 finalists each performed three times and the best score out of their three became their final score. After failing to complete either of his first two runs, Lee executed all five of his tricks in the third run. That still wasn't enough for a medal. Also on Friday, Korea beat Britain 9-3 for its second straight win in the women's curling tournament at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d'Amp
MILAN — Snowboarder Lee Chaeun finished in sixth place in the men's halfpipe event at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday, as his late-gasp rally wasn't enough to put him on the podium. Lee, 19, scored 87.50 points in the final at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, some 140 kilometers north of Milan. Yuto Totsuka of Japan won the gold medal with 95.00 points, and Scotty James took the silver medal with 93.50 points. Another Japanese athlete, Ryusei Yamada, got the bronze medal with 92.00 points. Lee and the 11 other finalists each performed three times, and only the best score of the three counted as their final score. The highest and lowest of the six judges' scores were discarded after each run. Lee earned his score in the third run after failing to complete his first two attempts. In halfpipe, boarders perform acrobatic spins, flips and board grabs on a 22-foot, U-shaped structure. They are judged on the degree of difficulty, height and execution of their moves. Lee, the 2023 world champion and the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic gold medalist, fell trying to land his third move of the
MILAN — Cha Jun-hwan finished fourth in the men's singles figure skating event at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday, topping his own record for the best performance by a Korean male figure skater but coming up just short of a medal. Cha scored 181.20 points in the free skate at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan for his season-best total of 273.92 points. He had the sixth-highest short program score of 92.72 points on Tuesday. With one medal contender after another falling left and right, Cha finished only 0.98 point behind the bronze medalist from Japan, Shun Sato. Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan soared to an unlikely gold medal with 291.58 total points, after leading everyone in the free skate with 198.64 points. Yuma Kagiyama of Japan got the silver with 280.06 points. Ilia Malinin of the United States, who topped the short program with 108.16 points, had a disastrous free skate to earn only 156.33 points and finished in eighth place with 264.49 points. For his free program, Cha received 95.16 points in the technical element score (TES), which evaluates skaters' execution of
“Please place your hands on the shoulders of the person in front of you and close your eyes. Follow me carefully inside. Once I leave, the game will begin. If there’s an emergency, contact us immediately. Good luck escaping.” When the door shuts and I open my eyes, I find myself standing in what looks like a neighborhood alley. For the next 60 minutes, I am a detective tasked with identifying the culprit in a murder case. My first challenge is unlocking a cabinet that contains files on potential suspects. Scenes like this are common inside so-called “escape room cafes.” Despite the name, these venues do not sell beverages. Instead, they offer themed puzzle experiences in which participants solve clues to escape a locked space within a set time limit. Themes range from horror and fantasy to action, mystery and comedy. Participation typically costs about 20,000 won ($15) per hour. The games can be played alone or in groups, and their role-playing element — allowing participants to feel like protagonists in a drama — has fueled their popularity. That helps explain why reservat
The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has rolled out a fresh campaign aimed at reintroducing Hong Kong as an outdoor destination where urban energy meets nature, collaborating with Korean YouTube channel “Together With Sean” to highlight running routes that connect the city’s skyscrapers, mountains and coastline. In a new video posted on his channel on Feb. 2, singer and marathoner Sean — who leads the running group “Unknown Crew,” which is widely known in Korea for its roster of athletes and entertainers — takes viewers on routes that showcase Hong Kong’s natural and urban charms. The project comes as part of HKTB’s effort to capture the attention of Korea’s growing community of runners and revive travel demand that has dropped off since the pandemic. In the past, Hong Kong was a favorite short-haul getaway for Korean tourists seeking luxury shopping, art districts and urban discovery. Before the pandemic, Korea consistently ranked among the top five sources of non-mainland visitors, helping push the city to a record 65.1 million visitors in 2018. That momentum has yet
Technology is reshaping nearly every stage of how we eat — from distribution and selection to purchase and consumption. Lunch arrives with a tap on a delivery app. Groceries appear at the door hours after an online order. Some consumers now pay using nothing more than their face, while others ask artificial intelligence (AI) assistants what to eat or which coffee beans suit their taste. For Lee Ki-won, a food tech professor at Seoul National University (SNU), this is not a passing phase but a preview of where the global food industry is headed. With an academic background in food science and biotechnology, he founded the FoodTech Department at SNU six years ago and runs the FoodTech Emergence Center on campus, where students are trained to build food tech businesses. Food tech refers to technologies applied to food consumption and distribution, which Lee distinguishes from traditional food technology. “Food technology has more to do with production, using engineering and science, often traditional science,” Lee told The Korea Times in an interview in Seoul, Feb. 9. “Food tech is a
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Former CNN host turned independent journalist Don Lemon pleaded not guilty to federal civil rights charges Friday, accused in a protest at a Minnesota church where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official is a pastor. Four other people are also set to be arraigned in the case. Lemon did not comment to reporters as he entered the courthouse accompanied by his attorney, Joe Thompson. Roughly two dozen protesters stood outside the building, chanting “Pam Bondi has got to go” and “Protect the press." Also scheduled for arraignment Friday is civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong. The prominent local activist was the subject of a doctored photo posted on official White House social media that falsely showed her crying during her arrest. The picture is part of a deluge of AI-altered imagery that has circulated since the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers in Minneapolis amid the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Lemon's attorney did not return calls this week seeking comment. Arraignments in federal court typicall
WASHINGTON — Two Democratic senators urged the Trump administration on Friday to abandon a proposal to require millions of foreign visitors to provide social media handles used over the past five years. The proposed policy from U.S. Customs and Border Protection would require travelers from countries in the visa waiver program to submit the social media data. "By requiring travelers to disclose their personal social media information, CBP will force people who simply want to visit family in the United States, conduct business with U.S. companies, or attend events such as the upcoming World Cup to submit to sweeping digital surveillance," said Senators Ed Markey and Ron Wyden. "No doubt many Americans would be outraged if countries such as Great Britain, France, or Australia imposed a similar policy on American tourists." The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately comment. In December, the department said the proposal could take effect as early as this month. Earlier, a group representing the U.S. travel and tourism industry warned the proposal could have a "chilling effect"
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon's policy chief on Friday renewed calls for a new version of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) that stresses allies' efforts to increase defense spending and take greater security responsibilities so as to adapt to "new" geopolitical realities. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby reiterated Washington's pursuit of "NATO 3.0" in social media posts, as he recapped his trip to Brussels this week, during which he attended the NATO defense ministerial talks on behalf of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. His remarks came as Seoul and Washington are working on "modernizing" the bilateral alliance — an effort likely to see South Korea undertake "primary" responsibilities to deter North Korea at a time when President Donald Trump's administration seeks to focus on defending the U.S. homeland and the Western Hemisphere, and deterring China. "At the Defense Ministers meeting, I delivered remarks on the changing security environment and how NATO must return to its founding vision: allied burden-sharing through well-resourced and capable Europe
The Trump administration sued Harvard University on Friday, accusing it of failing to comply with a federal investigation and seeking documents to determine whether the university had illegally considered race in its admissions process. The move comes less than two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump said his administration was seeking $1 billion from Harvard to settle probes into school policies, after a news report that said Trump had dropped his demand for a payment from the Ivy League school. A Harvard spokesperson said the university is committed to following the law and has been responding to the government’s inquiries in good faith. “The university will continue to defend itself against these retaliatory actions which have been initiated simply because Harvard refused to surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights in response to unlawful government overreach," the spokesperson said. Trump's administration has been threatening to withhold federal funds from Harvard and several other universities over issues including pro-Palestinian protests against I
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday he was sending a second aircraft carrier group to the Middle East — warning it would be a "bad day for Iran" if it fails to make a deal on its nuclear program. Trump has upped the military threat against the Islamic republic in the wake of Tehran's deadly crackdown by security forces on protests last month that rights groups say killed thousands. "In case we don't make a deal, we'll need it," Trump told journalists at the White House when asked about reports the USS Gerald R. Ford would be moved from the Caribbean to the Middle East. "It'll be leaving very soon. We have one out there that just arrived. If we need it we'll have it ready, a very big force." Trump said he believed the talks with Iran would be "successful" but added: "If they're not, it's going to be a bad day for Iran, very bad." The US leader had already sent one aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, to the Middle East, as part of a fleet of 12 US Navy ships in the region. The four vessels led by the Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, have been in the Car
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's repeal of the foundation for federal climate regulation will immediately free automakers from costly tailpipe emissions standards, but the move could spark lawsuits and force businesses to navigate an uncertain future of multiple state and regional rules. Trump's Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday finalized its repeal of the "endangerment finding" for vehicles, a 2009 determination that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health. The finding gave the agency authority to regulate emissions from vehicles, as well as other sectors that burn or produce fossil fuels. Trump said the country's "biggest deregulatory action" in history would save companies over $1 trillion in compliance costs. Environmental groups denounced the move, which was cheered by some industry groups but greeted with caution by others. Ten lawyers and analysts interviewed by Reuters said companies face a bumpy ride, citing imminent court challenges and the possibility that a patchwork of state and regional emissions rules will replace one federal rule. "This federal wi
MILAN — Soon after winning his first Olympic medal in Milan on Thursday, short track speed skater Rim Jong-un received hundreds of text messages from family and friends congratulating him on his accomplishment. The bronze medalist in the men's 1,000 meters at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics had not read any of them as of early Friday afternoon — he went to bed right after a late dinner the night before and had to come back out for a training session starting at noon the next day at Milano Ice Skating Arena. But the 18-year-old did find some time to watch the highlights of another South Korean medalist from Thursday night: the 17-year-old halfpipe snowboard champion Choi Gaon. Choi overcame a lower body injury sustained in a frightening fall during her first run at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, about 140 kilometers north of Milan, and posted an impressive 92.50 points in her third and final run for South Korea's first gold medal of this year's Olympics — and also the country's first gold in a snow event. The dramatic and emotionally-charged performance — Choi, who later said sh
MILAN — Preparations start months in advance to ensure Korean athletes at the Olympics have a plentiful supply of their favourite food from home. Under a project first introduced at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and expanded to the Winter Games in Sochi in 2014, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee sets up dedicated cooking facilities close to their athletes' residences. For the Milano Cortina Games, the top three locations — Milan, Cortina and Livigno — each have their own facility, from which insulated bags depart twice a day to bring athletes the comfort of their accustomed food. "It only takes 15 or 20 minutes from the kitchens to each ... Olympic Village," said Lee Dahyun, a manager at Korea's national training centre, standing in the airy Milan cooking facility at a small guesthouse with glass walls facing a leafy courtyard. Before a van can drive the meals, the kitchen chefs meticulously distribute the contents of several large trays among the various compartments of neatly lined lunch boxes which then get stacked up in the bags alongside steel thermos holding soups. "Ko
WASHINGTON — U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Friday that any decision to narrow the scope of U.S. metals tariffs would be made by President Donald Trump, but added that there could be some modifications to the duties. Bessent, asked on CNBC about a Financial Times report that Trump is planning to roll back some of his 50 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum products, said he spoke to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer about the matter and added: "We'll see if there is a narrowing." "If anything is done, I think it would be some sort of clarification on some incidental objects, but again, that's going to be the president's decision," Bessent said. A spokesperson for the U.S. Commerce Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the FT report, which cited unnamed sources as saying that the Trump administration was reviewing the tariffs and would exempt some items. The U.S. Trade Representative's office also did not immediately respond. The Commerce Department oversees the Section 232 national security tariffs that Trump doubled last year on ste
MILAN — South Korea handily beat Britain for its second consecutive win in the women's curling tournament at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday. Led by skip Gim Eun-ji, South Korea cruised to a 9-3 victory over Rebecca Morrison's Britain at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d'Ampezzo, some 260 kilometers northeast of Milan. South Korea began the tournament by losing to the United States but has since defeated Italy and Britain in succession. South Korea and Britain were tied at 3-3 through five ends, before South Korea scored three points in the sixth end when Gim's last stone gave South Korea three rocks in the scoring area against none for Britain. An unsuccessful hit-and-roll shot by Morrison gave South Korea another point in the seventh end for a 7-3 lead. South Korea scored twice more in the eighth end to close out the easy win, as Britain conceded the match with two ends remaining. In this 10-team competition, teams will each play nine round-robin matches and the best four nations will progress to the semifinals. South Korea's next match will be against Denmark on
Short track speed skater Choi Min-jeong doesn't often show her emotions after races. And when she cries out of disappointment over a loss, it goes to show you how much that particular event must have meant to her. Choi shed tears after getting eliminated in the semifinals of the women's 500 meters at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Thursday night. She was the only South Korean out of three in that distance to even get that deep into the competition. Sout
South Korea raised its travel alert for Cuba due to concerns over worsening shortages of electricity and other basic necessities, the foreign ministry said Friday. A Level 2 alert, advising travelers to exercise caution, has been issued for the whole country as shortages of electricity and fuel have disrupted transportation, health care and communications services, the ministry said in a release. The measures took effect at 5 p.m. Friday. The ministry advised South Korean nationals planning to v
Star pansori performer Kim Jun-su, until recently with the National Changgeuk Company of Korea, is striking out on his own. His first project as an independent actor is “Macbeth with Sword,” a production by the Korean theater company Playfactory Mabangzen, led by the celebrated theater director Ko Sun-woong. The show will run at the National Theater of Korea in Seoul from Feb. 27 through March 15. It also marks Kim’s first foray into theater. Speaking at a recent press event at Mapo Arts Center
After winning the put option dispute with Hybe, Min Hee-jin may face legal consequences that extend beyond the 25.5 billion won ($17.6 million) payout now owed to her, with another major lawsuit between the two parties still under review. On Thursday, the Seoul Central District Court sided with Min, former Ador CEO and current head of Ooak Records, ruling that Hybe must honor the shareholder agreement and buy back Min’s 20 percent stake in Ador. Hybe is the parente company of Ador. In doing so,
Samsung Electronics shares surged past the 180,000 won threshold on Friday, setting a record high after the company announced the world's first mass production and shipment of sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory, a key component for AI chips. The stock climbed above 180,000 won in after-hours trading Thursday and extended gains during Friday's session, marking a historic milestone driven by strong institutional and foreign buying. The stock closed at 181,200 won, up 1.46 percent, after touchi
Government data has suggested a looming labor shortage due to a population cliff in the next decade, but another survey indicated Friday that young workers entering the labor market are struggling to find full-time jobs. A medium- to long-term labor supply outlook released by the Korea Employment Information Service indicated South Korea will face shortage of 1.22 million workers by 2023. Even accounting for advances in artificial intelligence that could replace some human labor, the supply of t
The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Korea announced Thursday that Christine Sun Kim was chosen for the MMCA X LG OLED Series 2026, a project dedicated to presenting experimental practices in contemporary art. As a Korean American artist, Kim has explored the structures of communication across a wide range of media, including sound, language, drawing and performance. Based in Berlin, Kim draws on her personal experience navigating between signed and spoken languages to question establi
As the standard of Korean architecture has advanced in recent years, Kim Jin-ai, chief commissioner of the Presidential Commission on Architecture Policy, called Friday for a fundamental shift in how the country approaches public architecture — urging planners to prioritize process and long-term planning over headline-grabbing iconic designs. “Politicians are often preoccupied with building projects to rack up visible achievements of their own, without enough consideration of why a particular pu
South Korean stocks closed lower Friday, snapping a four-day winning streak despite briefly touching a fresh high during midday trading as investors braced for a five-day closure of the market for the Lunar New Year holiday. The local currency fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 15.26 points, or 0.28 percent, to end at 5,507.01, after reaching a record high of over 5,580 during intraday trading. Trade volume was heavy at 1.28 billion shares worth 30.3
In an era of franchise-driven programming, sequels often face an uphill battle, with follow-ups frequently falling short of the momentum and expectations set by a breakout debut. Breaking through that curse in Korea are dating reality formats, which have proven to be a notable exception. Among the most resilient is "I'm Solo," which has remained on air since 2021 and is currently airing its 29th cohort, with each seaon's storyline unfolding over seven or eight episodes. "EXchange" has likewise d
![[단독] 항일 의병 이끈 홍범도 정부 기록 ‘혼선’...출생지·출생연도 기관마다 제각각](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2026%2F02%2F14%2Fnews-p.v1.20260213.973a628e0c5547658dbd7828575df760_T1.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
항일 무장투쟁을 이끌었던 홍범도 장군의 출생지와 출생연도가 기관마다 서로 다르게 표기되고 있는 것으로 확인됐다. 독립유공자 기본 이력조차 일관되게 관리되지 않고 있다는 점에서 국가 예우 체계 전반에 대한 논란이 제기된다. 13일 코리아헤럴드 취재를 종합하면 서울 용산구 전쟁기념관 본관에 설치된 홍 장군 흉상 설명문에는 출생지가 ‘평안남도 안덕’으로 표기돼 있다. 전쟁기념관은 국방부 산하 기관이다. 반면 홍범도장군기념사업회는 출생지를 평양으로 보고 있다. 국가보훈부 산하 독립기념관에 소장된 ‘홍범도 장군 일지’에도 출생지는 평양으로 기록돼 있다. 평양과 안덕은 조선 후기 행정구역상 서로 다른 지역이며 지리적으로도 약 80km가량 떨어져 있다. 기념사업회 역시 공식 홈페이지에 홍 장군의 출생지를 평양으로 명시하고 있다. 기념사업회 인물 프로필 감수에 참여한 반병률 한국외대 사학과 명예교수는 일지 기록의 사료적 가치를 강조했다. 반 교수는 코리아헤럴드와의 통화에서 “1995년 카자흐스탄
![[Exclusive] War Memorial says independence fighter Hong Beom-do was born in Andok. His journal says otherwise](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2026%2F02%2F14%2Fnews-p.v1.20260213.0bec5be65af44137a46a722de4510ca1_T1.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
South Korea’s War Memorial is facing criticism over its description of the birthplace of Gen. Hong Beom-do as historical records regarding his origins remain disputed. Hong is an independence fighter who led armed resistance against Japanese forces during the late Joseon era (1392-1910) and early Japanese colonial period (1910-1945). A description attached to Hong’s bust at the memorial’s headquarters in Yongsan, central Seoul, states that he was born in Andok, South Pyongan Province, in what is
Pizza Hut’s Korean unit, currently under court-led rehabilitation, is moving to sell its business rights to a newly formed private-equity-backed vehicle in a bid to preserve the brand while containing its debt burden. According to industry sources on Friday, local private equity firms Kclavis Investment and Winter Gold have formed a new entity, PH Korea, to acquire the operating rights of Pizza Hut’s Korean business for 11 billion won ($7.6 million). The deal followed a court-supervised process
Ahead of an upcoming concert by K-pop superstars BTS, accommodation prices in Busan have surged, with some properties raising rates up to seven times their usual levels, a government survey showed Friday. The average nightly rate for the June 13-14 concert weekend reached 433,999 won, about 2.4 times higher than the previous weekend (240,320 won) and the following weekend (231,180 won), according to a survey of 135 hotels, motels and pensions in the city unveiled by the Fair Trade Commission and
Citi Korea said Friday it has launched a new Korea Desk in Chicago, expanding its on-the-ground financial support for South Korean companies entering the North American market. The new office expands Citi Korea’s regional footprint and complements its New York City operations, enhancing its ability to serve Korean corporate clients throughout the US and beyond. Citi Korea opened its first Korea Desk in New York in 1993 and has since expanded similar operations across major financial centers in E
Former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min nodded during his sentencing on Thursday when the presiding judge asked whether he wished for the court’s not-guilty ruling on the abuse of power charge to be publicly disclosed. Moments earlier, the court had sentenced Lee to seven years in prison for playing what it described as a “key role” in an insurrection and committing perjury. He was acquitted of the abuse of power charge. Lee, who maintained a largely blank expression throughout the hearing, showed
서울고등법원이 14일 불법 정치자금 수수 및 2021년 더불어민주당 전당대회 금품 살포 의혹과 관련해 기소된 송영길 전 5선 의원 겸 더불어민주당 대표에 대해 1심의 유죄 판결을 뒤집고 무죄를 선고했다. 이번 판결은 2025년 1월 1심에서 내려진 유죄 판결을 파기한 것이다. 송 전 대표는 징역 2년형의 일부를 복역한 뒤 지난해 6월 보석으로 석방된 상태였다. 서울고법은 판결문에서 검찰이 제출한 증거의 증거능력을 인정하기 어렵다고 판단했다. 검찰은 송 전 대표에게 징역 9년을 구형한 바 있다. 송 전 대표는 2021년 더불어민주당 전당대회를 앞두고 당 대표 선출 과정에서 투표권을 가진 당 소속 의원들에게 총 6천600만 원이 넘는 현금이 담긴 봉투를 살포한 혐의를 받았다. 또한 싱크탱크로 위장한 외곽 조직을 통해 회계 처리 없이 약 8억6천300만 원의 정치자금을 수수한 혐의도 제기됐다. 1심 재판부는 당 대표 선거 과정에서의 금품 살포 의혹에 대해서는 무죄로 판단했으나, 불법 정치
The Seoul High Court on Friday overturned an earlier guilty verdict against Song Young-gil, former five-term lawmaker and chair of the Democratic Party, over allegations of receiving illegal political funds and being involved in a bribery scandal during the 2021 Democratic Party convention. Friday's ruling overturned the lower court's January 2025 guilty verdict. Song has been on bail since June last year after serving part of a two-year jail term. Evidence against Song was deemed inadmissible i
국회 행정안전위원회는 13일 밤 비수도권 3대 메가시티 출범을 위한 특별법안을 의결했다. 상임위 문턱을 넘으면서 해당 법안은 국회 본회의 통과를 위한 막바지 절차에 들어갔다. 더불어민주당을 중심으로 한 범여권은 이달 말까지 국회에서 법안을 처리한다는 방침이다. 법안은 충청남도와 대전광역시, 전라남도와 광주광역시, 경상북도와 대구광역시를 각각 통합하는 내용을 담고 있다. 통합이 이뤄질 경우 해당 메가시티는 서울특별시와 동등한 ‘특별지위’를 부여받게 되며, 성장 촉진을 위한 예산 지원도 함께 이뤄질 예정이다. 인구 규모는 대전과 충청남도를 합하면 350만 명을 넘고, 광주와 전라남도는 약 320만 명, 대구와 경상북도는 480만 명 이상에 달한다. 이재명 대통령은 지난해 12월 수도권 집중에 따른 경제적 불균형을 해소하고 국가 균형발전을 이루기 위한 방안으로 지역 통합 구상을 제시한 바 있다. 김민석 국무총리는 지난 1월 통합을 유도하기 위한 재정 인센티브로 4년간 최대 20조 원(13
더불어민주당 소속 재선 의원인 최민희 의원이 부적절한 청탁 및 권한 남용 의혹과 관련해 당 윤리심판원으로부터 ‘경고’ 처분을 받았다. 민주당 윤리심판원은 최 의원이 국회의원으로서의 품위 유지 의무를 위반했다고 판단했다. 경고는 당이 소속 의원에게 내릴 수 있는 네 단계 징계 가운데 가장 낮은 수위다. 이번 경고 처분은 당 최고위원회의 의결을 거쳐 최종 확정된다. 민주당 수석대변인 박수현 의원은 14일 최 의원에 대한 징계가 오는 2월 23일 공식 확정될 예정이라고 밝혔다. 최 의원은 자신이 위원장을 맡고 있는 국회 과학기술정보방송통신위원회의 지난해 국정감사 대상 기관 관계자들에게 딸의 결혼식 청첩장을 보낸 사실이 알려지면서 논란에 휩싸였다. 또한 해당 관계자들로부터 결혼식에서 현금 축의금을 받은 의혹도 제기됐다. 일부는 1인당 최대 100만 원(693달러)을 낸 것으로 전해졌다. 특히 최 의원 딸의 결혼식이 지난해 10월 18일, 국정감사 기간 중 국회에서 열린 점도 논란을 키웠다.
As the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics enter their second week, South Korea's medal picture is coming into focus. So far, the standout storyline of the Games has been Korea's long-awaited breakthrough in snowboarding. Choi Gaon stormed to gold in the women's snowboard halfpipe on Thursday night, delivering South Korea's first-ever gold in a snow event and the country's first gold medal of the Milan Cortina Games. Snowboarder Kim Sang-kyum captured a surprise silver medal in the men's parallel
The National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee approved special bills aimed at launching three megacities in non-capital regions Thursday night. With the committee approval, the bills are in the final stretch of the passage, as the liberal bloc aims to pass the bills at the National Assembly by the end of this month. The legislation aimst o merge South Chungcheong, South Jeolla and North Gyeongsang provinces with nearby metropolitan cities: Daejeon, Gwangju and Daegu, respe
Rep. Choi Min-hee, a two-term lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, has been reprimanded by the party's ethics panel over alleged acts of improper solicitation and abuse of power. The liberal party's ethics panel found that Choi violated her duty to maintain dignity as a lawmaker. A warning is the lightest of the four disciplinary actions the party can impose on its lawmakers. Her warning will be finalized after the party's supreme council approves the independent panel's decision. T
Police are investigating two Chinese men accused of assaulting a security guard at Gyeongbokgung, Seoul's main Joseon-era royal palace, authorities said Thursday. Seoul Jongno Police Station said the two men, in their 50s and 60s, are being investigated on suspicion of assault. The incident occurred at about 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 2, when the men were taking photographs and allegedly crossed a control line set up to protect cultural assets. When a guard tried to stop them, they allegedly pushed him a
A South Korean court on Friday ordered the state to pay compensation of 15 million won ($10,390) to the victim in an attempted rape and murder case in Busan, saying errors in the investigation led to a ruling that favored the perpetrator. The civil case division of the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of the victim, who said the police investigation excluded her and left out crucial details related to the brutal attack in 2022. The then-30-year-old attacker surnamed Lee assaulted the
The 63-year-old man who murdered his son and attempted to kill other members of his family appealed the recent ruling by the district court, arguing the life sentence he received is excessive for his crime. It was reported Friday that the defendant submitted the appeal to the Incheon District Court on Thursday, which means the case will now be handled by the Incheon division of the Seoul High Court. He reportedly claimed that the punishment was too harsh, although the specifics of the appeal hav
E-commerce giant Coupang denied parliamentary allegations that a suspect tied to its data breach sought to extort the company by threatening to expose private data relating to thousands of customers. In a statement Thursday, Coupang said the claim, that the suspect behind the data breach compiled a list of about 3,000 customers who had purchased adult products in an attempt to blackmail the company for money, was baseless. “Neither the findings of the recent joint public-private investigation no
LG Energy Solution said Friday that its Canadian manufacturing subsidiary NextStar Energy has produced its millionth battery cell, reaching the milestone just three months after beginning full-scale operations. Located in Windsor, Ontario, NextStar Energy produces lithium iron phosphate battery cells for energy storage systems. The company, which began commercial production in November, credits the speed at which it reached 1 million cells to its efforts to stabilize production yield and access
Busan Metropolitan City said Thursday that three local junior colleges had been selected for a Justice Ministry pilot to foster specialists, with foreign students being eligible for improved visa access. The mechanical engineering departments at Kyungnam College of Information and Technology, Dong-Eui Institute of Technology, and the automotive engineering department at Busan Institute of Science and Technology, were selected for the program encompassing 16 university departments across the nati
As Korean snowboarders rack up medals at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, attention has turned to a Buddhist monk who has supported winter sports athletes for more than two decades. Ven. Hosan, head monk of Bongseonsa Temple, said, “Our athletes have worked so hard,” in an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Thursday. At this year’s Games, several medalists are part of the so-called “Dharma Kids.” They include Kim Sang-gyeom, who won Korea’s first medal of the Games and the country’s 400th Ol
Chungju city government official Kim Seon-tae — known as “Chungju Man” — who runs the city’s YouTube channel with nearly 1 million subscribers, has submitted his resignation, officials said Friday. According to the Chungju city government, Kim, a member of the city’s new media team, submitted his resignation a day earlier and began using his remaining leave. A city official said the resignation had not yet been finalized but will be processed in accordance with procedures after Kim expressed his
The KBS Symphony Orchestra will present “Soul of Russia” on Feb. 28 at 5 p.m. at the Seoul Arts Center, pairing Rachmaninoff’s early 20th-century meditation on mortality with Shostakovich’s mid-century confrontation with historical trauma. On the podium will be Eliahu Inbal, the 90-year-old Israeli conductor whose career spans more than six decades and includes long tenures with major European orchestras such as the Frankfurt Radio Symphony. The program opens with Rachmaninoff’s “The Isle of the
At just 17, Choi Gaon clinched South Korea’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in a snow event, winning the women's halfpipe snowboarding event at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Thursday night. It was South Korea's first gold medal at the Olympic Games. Choi also became the youngest women’s halfpipe Olympic champion, breaking the previous mark set by two-time gold medalist Chloe Kim at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics by about seven months. But the teen rider's victory unfolded more l
Twice reached 100 million views on YouTube with the music video for “This Is For,” according to label JYP Entertainment on Friday. The group now has 26 videos with over 100 million views, extending its record as the female group with the most music videos at that level worldwide. “This Is For” is the main track from the eponymous fourth studio album, released in July last year. The LP entered Billboard 200 at No. 6, becoming the nine-member group’s seventh consecutive album to reach the top 10 o
The final concert of Riize’s first international tour will be available for viewing in cinemas, label SM Entertainment said Friday. The six-member act is set to go live in Seoul on March 6-8, concluding the tour “Riizing Loud,” and the second night of the sold-out run will be livestreamed in 32 theaters nationwide. The three-night run will wrap up the tour that began in Seoul last year and took the bandmates to 21 cities around the world. On Feb. 21-23, the group will give an encore show in Japa
A woman suspected of causing two deaths via drug-laced drinks was arrested Thursday, with investigators suspecting murderous intent against her boyfriend and two other men with whom she was acquainted. The suspect surnamed Kim is accused of causing death resulting from bodily injury and violating the Narcotics Control Act for giving the victims drinks laced with sleep-inducing medication, according to the Seoul Gangbuk Police Station. She allegedly struck three times between December and Februar
South Korea’s Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Kang Dong-gil has been removed from duty over allegations of involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Dec. 3, 2024 martial law declaration, the Defense Ministry said Friday. According to the ministry, Kang is accused of having been involved in the formation of the martial law command structure at the time, when he was serving as head of the Military Support Headquarters under the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the martial law episode. “The ministry pla