Ex-DSWD official guilty of misusing P5-M ‘pork’

Inquirer.net - Oct 2, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has found a former Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) official guilty of graft and malversation over the misuse of P5 million in pork barrel funds intended for low-income Pasay City residents in 2007. In a decision promulgated on Oct. 1, the court’s Fifth Division found Honorita Bayudan guilty

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Seoul looks to foreign entrepreneurs to fuel its next economic engine

Oct 2, 2026

Seoul looks to foreign entrepreneurs to fuel its next economic engine

Armed with an artificial intelligence (AI) platform designed to predict fall risks for the elderly, a Ukrainian entrepreneur walked away from a Seoul pitch competition this week with something far more valuable than cash: a golden ticket toward permanent residency in Korea. The winning startup, NeuroDetectYO, was named top entry at Seoul’s second annual "Jump Up, Start Up" foreign entrepreneurship competition. Founder Oleksandr Yuhai received a 2 million won ($1,500) cash reward, but the most crucial prize was 30 points toward Korea’s notoriously difficult D-8-4 technology startup visa — a vital bridge allowing foreign founders to convert ambitious ideas into permanent Korean businesses. As domestic birth rates plummet and economic growth slows, Seoul is aggressively pivoting outward, attempting to transform itself into Asia's premier hub for global tech talent. City officials are actively rolling out the red carpet for foreign founders, believing that international perspectives can ignite the capital’s next wave of growth. "Foreign entrepreneurs are creating new business opportu

Lee warns of 'additional measures' if Ukraine refuses to apologize for NK POW transfer disclosure

Oct 2, 2026

Lee warns of 'additional measures' if Ukraine refuses to apologize for NK POW transfer disclosure

President Lee Jae Myung warned Friday that South Korea will take "additional measures" should Ukraine continue to refuse to officially apologize for denying its agreement to keep the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) secret. The South Korean president issued the warning on his X account amid a diplomatic wrangle with Ukraine over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's surprise disclosure last week of the transfer of two North Korean POWs to South Korea. Seoul has since accused Ukraine of breaching a bilateral agreement to keep the transfer secret, but Ukraine has denied the existence of the confidentiality agreement. "If (Ukraine) continues to deny the fact and refuse to offer an official apology, (Seoul) will take additional measures," Lee said. Lee affirmed that Ukraine unilaterally disclosed the transfer despite having previously demanded confidentiality from South Korea, and then made the head of state of the counterpart country a "liar" by saying the nondisclosure agreement did not exist. "In response to a demand to acknowledge the agreement and apologize, it has in

From screen to street food, Korea brings its dynamic storytellers to London

Oct 2, 2026

From screen to street food, Korea brings its dynamic storytellers to London

London is set to spend October immersed in contemporary Korean culture, with dramas, literature and food brought together for a monthlong program featuring screenings, author talks and Korean street-food experiences. The Korean Cultural Centre UK said Friday that Curated Korea 2026 will introduce works, creators and ideas shaping Korean culture through programs spanning television, books and food. The program opened Thursday with a screening and discussion of Tving original drama “The Ordinary Jackpot” at the Korean Cultural Centre, which will be followed by a screening of “Study Group” at Foyles Charing Cross on Oct. 8. Renowned K-drama director Jang Tae-yoo — best known for hits like "My Love from the Star" — will attend a screening and Q&A session for his upcoming series “Bon Appétit, Your Majesty” at the Royal Society of Arts on Oct. 9. The event series continues on Oct. 16 at Garden Cinema with a screening of “Dear X,” a psychological thriller adapted from a webtoon, followed by a panel discussion. Literary events will feature Kim Cho-yeop, author of “If We Ca

[K-ART FOCUS] For Dew Kim, K-pop, faith and queer bodies meet onstage

Oct 2, 2026

[K-ART FOCUS] For Dew Kim, K-pop, faith and queer bodies meet onstage

JEONNAM-GWANGJU SPECIAL METROPOLITAN CITY — A pink microphone, a K-pop light stick and a glowing circular light each crown three white, soft-edged bodies that may be either collapsing into or growing out of the floor, entangled in chains and pierced by spindly metal structures with smartphone screens. The figure in Dew Kim’s “Legion, Nowhere Whole” (2026) evokes images of wounded idols, saints and soldiers. One form resembles a horse, another suggests a person or an animal caught in a moment of metamorphosis. Together, they form Kim’s response to a world in which people are continually asked to put themselves on display through social media, performance and the pursuit of recognition. “The title was inspired by Roman legions and soldiers,” Kim said in an interview with The Korea Times. “They were expected to fight until their bodies were no longer intact. I thought that was similar to how we are constantly required to show ourselves, to be recognized and validated, until there is almost no part of the body left whole.” The work is part of “The Look is A Li(k)e” at

Traditional fireworks tours to draw 1,800 Japanese visitors to Andong, Haman

Oct 2, 2026

Traditional fireworks tours to draw 1,800 Japanese visitors to Andong, Haman

About 1,800 Japanese travelers are heading to Andong and Haman this month on specialized tours built around centuries-old flame festivals, marking a major government effort to drive foreign tourism into historic regions located 190 to 280 kilometers south of Seoul, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) said Friday. In Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, about 300 visitors will watch "Hahoe Seonyu Julbul Nori" on five dates through the end of October. In the tradition, which dates to the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), pouches of charcoal powder hung on ropes over the Nakdong River burn slowly, showering sparks onto the water at Hahoe Folk Village, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi watched the display in May during a summit with President Lee Jae Myung in Andong. The package, developed by the KTO's Japan offices and the Japan Association of Travel Agents, includes a dedicated viewing zone and traditional souvenirs. In Haman, South Gyeongsang Province, a record 1,500 Japanese tourists will attend a special "Haman

Seokguram exhibition opens in Paris to mark 140 years of Korea-France ties

Oct 2, 2026

Seokguram exhibition opens in Paris to mark 140 years of Korea-France ties

An exhibition on Seokguram Grotto, an eighth-century Buddhist cave temple among Korea's first UNESCO World Heritage sites, opened in Paris on Thursday (local time), alongside a weeklong Korean heritage festival, the Korea Heritage Service (KHS) said Friday. The exhibition, "The Millennium Mystery of Buddhist Art: Seokguram," runs through March 13, 2027, at the Korean Cultural Center in France. The KHS organized it with the center and the Gyeongju city government to mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France. Seokguram is an artificial granite grotto on Mount Toham in Gyeongju, the capital of the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935). It was added to the UNESCO list in 1995. The show features a 3D immersive video recreating the grotto's interior and a reconstruction of green-glazed tiles depicting Buddhist guardian deities that once decorated a wooden pagoda base at the Sacheonwang Temple Site in Gyeongju. Korean Ambassador to France Kwon Hyuk-woon gave opening remarks, followed by congratulatory speeches from Rep. Kim Seok-ki, Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nak-young and

K-brands gain new shield against overseas counterfeits

Oct 2, 2026

K-brands gain new shield against overseas counterfeits

As global demand for K-beauty, K-food and K-fashion soars, Korea is launching a joint government crackdown to protect small businesses from overseas knockoffs and trademark theft. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Korean Intellectual Property Office said Friday they will launch a joint council to share cases of trademark and design infringement and coordinate support for small businesses expanding overseas. The council held its inaugural meeting Friday afternoon at Government Complex Daejeon, bringing together the ministry, Korea SMEs and Startups Agency, Korean Intellectual Property Office and Korea Intellectual Property Protection Agency. The agencies said they will use overseas centers operated by the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency and overseas intellectual property centers operated by the Korean Intellectual Property Protection Agency to share information and respond to cases involving unauthorized trademark registrations, counterfeits and other infringements. The Korea SMEs and Startups Agency operates 22 Global Business Centers in 14 countries, while the Korean Intellectual

5 explosive allegations from Trillanes after impeachment trial withdrawal

Oct 2, 2026

5 explosive allegations from Trillanes after impeachment trial withdrawal

Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV's media briefing paints a picture of what his impeachment trial testimony would have been like

Indonesian cabinet reshuffle: how Prabowo is looking to restore credibility amid criticism

Oct 2, 2026

Indonesian cabinet reshuffle: how Prabowo is looking to restore credibility amid criticism

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s reshuffling of his cabinet signals an urgent need to address criticism and dipping ratings by banking on experienced technocrats and trusted figures in key positions, observers say. But although the appointment of a new foreign minister raises hope of some restraint on Prabowo’s more “impulsive” foreign policy decisions, the president’s self-imposed role as “chief diplomat” is likely to remain unchanged. In his second senior cabinet change in under three...

DPWH exec admits relying on contractor reports

Oct 2, 2026

DPWH exec admits relying on contractor reports

MANILA, Philippines — The project engineer in the allegedly substandard road dike project in Oriental Mindoro told the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division on Thursday that he had to rely on the reports of contractor Sunwest at times when he or his staff could not personally monitor or inspect construction work. Felisardo Casuno, who used to be

No contact apprehension policy back in effect in 6 NCR cities

Oct 2, 2026

No contact apprehension policy back in effect in 6 NCR cities

MANILA, Philippines — The No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) will again be enforced on some Metro Manila roads starting Oct. 5, as announced by the local government units (LGUs) of Manila, Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Quezon City, San Juan and Valenzuela. Under the policy, video and images taken by closed-circuit television and digital cameras are used to

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