MANILA, Philippines — Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez has an aide who is on call 24 hours a day to attend to his medical needs, a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) official told the Sandiganbayan Third Division on Monday. BJMP Chief Superintendent Maria Lourdes Pacion clarified her earlier testimony that Romualdez’s aide, Arvin

MANILA, Philippines — The civil society group August Twenty-One Movement (Atom) slammed the alleged “special treatment” given to former House Speaker Martin Romualdez at the New Quezon City Jail, questioning why he was reportedly allowed to have an assistant stay with him inside his detention cell. “In other countries, these types of incidents are not

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday led the nationwide distribution of laptops to public school teachers, beginning with the ceremonial turnover of 209 Apple MacBook Neo units in Dagupan City, Pangasinan. The event, held at Dagupan City National High School, kicked off the distribution under the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Computerization Program.

The controversy has intensified scrutiny of Mr. Huang’s ties to Beijing and sparked mixed reactions across Asia, where he is widely popular.

MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Cempaka entered the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Monday morning and was given the local name Samuel, the state weather bureau said. READ: Amihan to bring cooler weather to much of Luzon on Nov. 9 According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Samuel was last spotted

For Ken Alonso of Proudly Promdi, staying curious is key in unlocking the possibilities of local spirits

MANILA, Philippines — Defense counsel and spokesperson Michael Poa said on Monday that it was too early to discuss whether the defense would call Vice President Sara Duterte to testify in her impeachment trial. He made the statement before the defense team began presenting its evidence-in-chief on the 40th day of Duterte’s trial, when asked

MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Assessor Engr. Jaime Adalin takes his oath as the first witness for Vice President Sara Duterte as her impeachment trial resumes on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026./dp WATCH: Escudero says Sara Duterte defense submits 24-witness list

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has received at least 500 pieces of information related to the manhunt for Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said. “As I mentioned, there are no less than 500 [pieces of] information. These were properly validated; we went to the locations

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate impeachment court has received a list of 24 witnesses from Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team as the trial resumes on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026. Presiding officer Francis Escudero informed the chamber of the developments during the court’s recess, including matters involving the sub judice rule and the presentation of

TACLOBAN CITY – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) recovered 250 kilos of oil-contaminated materials from the shoreline of Barangay Tugas in Tabango, Leyte, following an oil leak involving an underwater submarine cable belonging to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP). The Marine Environmental Protection Unit-Western Leyte continued its shoreline cleanup operations on Monday,

MANILA, Philippines — The defense panel in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial on Monday called a Davao City assessor as its first witness to debunk allegations of Duterte’s unexplained wealth. Davao City Assessor Engr. Jaime Adalin is set to testify that Duterte’s property in Matina Crossing was disclosed in her statement of assets, liabilities

MANILA, Philippines — Over P27 billion worth of projects were allegedly inserted for former House Speaker Martin Romualdez upon the instructions of late Public Works Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, a witness told the Sandiganbayan on Monday. READ: Cabral attempted suicide at home, says lawyer Peter Paul Cortez, chief of the Department of Public Works and

Hwang Woo-suk, the disgraced South Korean scientist dismissed from Seoul National University in 2005 over a stem cell research fabrication scandal, has lost his Korean citizenship after acquiring nationality in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), it was belatedly revealed. His loss of Korean citizenship took effect in April. According to the government's electronic gazette on Monday, Hwang's name appeared on a list of individuals who had lost their Korean nationality, published by the Cheongju Immigration Office under the Ministry of Justice on Aug. 13. The list included a man named Hwang Woo-suk, born in 1953 in Buyeo, South Chungcheong Province. His birthplace and year of birth strongly suggest that he is the former Seoul National University professor. The notice listed April 9 as the date he lost his Korean citizenship, citing his acquisition of UAE nationality. Under Article 15 of Korea's Nationality Act, Korean citizens automatically lose their nationality upon voluntarily acquiring foreign citizenship. Hwang currently serves as CEO of the UAE Biotech Research Center in Abu Dhabi, which

If you happen to be in Korea on Nov. 11, you might notice store shelves overflowing with boxes of thin, chocolate-coated biscuit sticks. Welcome to Pepero Day, one of Korea’s most vibrant and fun informal holidays. First launched by Lotte Wellfood in 1983, Pepero has grown from a simple brand name into a household term representing all long, thin biscuit sticks here. Legend has it that the phenomenon started in the 1990s when middle school students in Yeongnam began exchanging the biscuit sticks with a sweet wish, "May we both grow tall and slender!" Today, the tradition has evolved into a nationwide celebration of friendship, romance and affection, where exchanging Pepero sticks is the ultimate way to show someone you care. Whether you are looking for a quick wallet-friendly treat or an over-the-top artisan gift, here is your complete guide to navigating Pepero Day. Convenience store favorites Participating in Korea’s most popular November tradition does not require breaking the bank. Ahead of Nov. 11, the country’s leading convenience store chains — CU, GS25, 7-Eleven and Emart24

Five Seoul subway stations will host farmers markets through Nov. 28, where people can buy regional farm products at prices up to 30 percent below retail, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday. The pop-up market, named Seoro Itda Local Market, is run with five local governments: Ganghwa County in Incheon, Hongcheon County in Gangwon Province, the city of Gongju in South Chungcheong Province and Uiseong and Cheongsong counties in North Gyeongsang Province. In the name, “seoro” combines the first letters of Seoul and “local” and also means “each other” in Korean. “Itda” means “to connect” and plays on the English word “eat.” The market is linked to Seoul Pick, a program run by Seoul Metro, the city’s subway operator, that turns unused space in stations into pop-up shops for regional farmers. Because farmers sell directly to shoppers, the middlemen are cut out, which lets them offer lower prices. A preview market with 14 farms from all five regions runs Monday and Tuesday at Gwanghwamun Station on Seoul Metro Line 5. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and the heads of

District authorities in central Seoul are stepping up crowd control and safety inspections across Namdaemun Market, where a social media phenomenon has driven an unprecedented influx of foreign tourists and young domestic shoppers into the historic commercial district. Jung District Office said Monday that it has intensified monitoring and field patrols across the expansive open-air market to manage heavy foot traffic, remove physical hazards blocking narrow corridors and position safety marshals during peak shopping hours. Long known as one of Korea's premier traditional markets, Namdaemun is seeing renewed popularity among younger shoppers and international visitors seeking bargains. The recent surge in congestion has centered largely around Hanyangsa, a small shop selling scarves whose proprietor gained widespread online fame for his witty sales pitch. The resulting influx of onlookers and buyers briefly forced the merchant to suspend operations due to severe crowding. In response to potential safety hazards in the market's tight alleyways, district officials met with local shop owner

Once college entrance exams are behind them, students in Seoul will have more than textbooks and university applications to think about, as Seoul’s autumn arts festival offers performances, discounts and cultural events to mark the end of the academic year. The Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture said Monday that its 2026 Seoul Autumn Festa is offering special ticket discounts and events linking performances with local businesses, particularly targeting students finishing the College Scholastic Ability Test on Nov. 19. Running through Nov. 29, the 73-day festival began Sept. 18 under the theme “Autumn in Seoul, City Becomes Art,” bringing performances and cultural events to venues across the capital. Among the featured programs is the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance of Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet,” conducted by Hannu Lintu, at Lotte Concert Hall on Nov. 19 and 20. Students interested in theater can also catch “Your Letter,” a musical based on the popular Naver Webtoon, at Plus Theater in Daehangno through Nov. 29. Another recommendation is Gongnori Club’

Cumulative ridership on the Hangang Bus, Seoul’s ferry service on the Han River, has surpassed 800,000, and the city will reduce daily trips and simplify the timetable for the winter season, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Sunday. As of Oct. 31, the service had carried 802,117 passengers, a rise the city attributed to added trips and expanded night operations. From Dec. 1 last year through Feb. 28, the number of daily trips will drop from 40 to 32, as earlier sunsets allow passengers to see the river’s night views earlier in the evening. The eastern route will run from 11 a.m. to 9:04 p.m., instead of 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., while the western route will operate from 11:22 a.m. to 8:42 p.m., instead of 11:20 a.m. to 9:39 p.m. Intervals between boats, which had ranged from 20 minutes to 90 minutes, will be standardized at one hour, and the transfer wait between the eastern and western routes will be fixed at 18 minutes. Seoul Forest Pier will be added to the regular route, and boats will stop at both Oksu and Apgujeong piers rather than alternating between them. The city also plans

Korea’s national tourism agency has secured major promotional agreements with leading Southeast Asian online travel platforms, airlines and financial institutions as part of an aggressive push to convert growing regional interest in Korean culture into actual travel bookings. The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) said Monday that President Park Sung-hyeuck led a delegation to Jakarta and Manila from Tuesday to Saturday to expand the country’s footprint in Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing outbound travel markets. The sales drive comes as tourism from the region surges. Visitor arrivals from Indonesia reached 330,629 through September, a 23.4 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, the Philippines remains Korea’s top source of tourists in Southeast Asia, with arrivals rising 15.6 percent year-over-year following a record 615,141 visitors last year. To capitalize on the momentum, the agency signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday with Traveloka, Southeast Asia’s dominant online travel agency. Leveraging Traveloka’s commercial network across f

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's past comments about his wife are drawing renewed attention in Korea after he admitted to an extramarital affair amid allegations that he was targeted by Chinese intelligence. The controversy has cast a new light on Huang's appearance on tvN's popular talk show "You Quiz on the Block" in June, when he appeared alongside his wife, Lori, shared the story of how their relationship began. On Sunday (local time), Nvidia's board of directors announced an independent investigation following reports that Huang had allegedly been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation. The investigation will be overseen by a committee of independent directors with assistance from outside legal counsel. The board said it had no reason to believe that U.S. national security or Nvidia's confidential information had been compromised, but that the investigation would examine all available information. Huang also admitted to being unfaithful to his wife in an email to employees. "I owe my family and all of you an apology. I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. Th

A scarf vendor at Seoul's Namdaemun Market has become an unlikely celebrity, drawing crowds so large that police have been called to the scene and private security guards hired to maintain order. His popularity has also caught the attention of Korean entertainers, some of whom have visited his stall to meet him in person. The vendor has gone viral on social media for his witty remarks, playful interactions with customers and charismatic salesmanship. His growing fan base has earned him the nickname "Namdaemun idol," turning an ordinary scarf stall at one of Seoul's oldest traditional markets into an unexpected tourist attraction. The frenzy has become so intense that the vendor temporarily closed his stall on Thursday amid safety concerns after police were called to manage the crowds. When business resumed the following day, three private security guards were reportedly stationed outside the shop to help maintain order. Comedian Kim Hye-sun was among the latest celebrities to experience the phenomenon firsthand. In a video uploaded to her YouTube channel "Grace Sun" on Friday, Kim visite

Sogang University has ranked No. 1 in the university category for the 13th consecutive year in the Korean Standard-Service Quality Index (KS-SQI) survey conducted by the Korean Standards Association (KSA). The university said it earned an overall score of 86.5 points in this year's survey, maintaining its top position in the category since 2014. It received particularly high scores in accuracy, friendliness and social value. The second-half survey covered 238 organizations across 58 general and platform service industries. The 2026 KS-SQI certification ceremony was held on Wednesday at the Grand Ballroom of Signiel Seoul in Lotte World Tower in southern Seoul. It drew about 200 attendees, including representatives of award-winning organizations. The KS-SQI is a service quality measurement model jointly developed by the KSA and Seoul National University’s Institute of Management Research. Designed to reflect the characteristics of Korea’s service industry and consumers, the index serves as a comprehensive measure of service quality nationwide. Since 2000, the KSA has conducted the surve

Itaewon Global Village Center will offer free internal medicine check-ups for all foreign residents this Saturday as part of its Community Closet event. The check-ups will cover only seasonal illnesses such as fever, colds, coughs, the flu and related issues, and medicine will be provided free of charge in partnership with CCC AGAPE, a Korean medical service group. Marking its eighth edition, the Community Closet event, held twice a year in spring and autumn, is built around a simple but powerful principle: foreigners helping foreigners. Since 2023, the initiative has continued to grow, helping residents access essential items while encouraging a culture of sharing and reuse. Designed as a more dignified way to share, it is a free shopping event that allows foreign residents in need to receive donated clothes and household items in a welcoming environment. “For foreign residents navigating life in South Korea, finding a sense of belonging can be just as important as finding practical support," Katherine Ann Corteza, the center’s director, told The Korea Times. Originally from the Phi

Kwak Su-ryang, a professor in Kookmin University’s Department of Integrative Biotechnology, has been named to the 2026 World’s Top 2% Scientists list jointly released by Stanford University and Elsevier. The list recognizes the top 2 percent of researchers in their respective fields based on a comprehensive assessment of research performance, including citation metrics and publication output, using data from Elsevier’s Scopus database. Kwak’s research focuses on designing functional microorganisms and biomaterials using synthetic and computational biology, and evaluating their potential applications in precision medicine through multi-omics approaches. His notable achievements include a study published in Microbiome in 2020 that identified the effects of fecal microbiota transplantation on the gut microbiome and resistome, or the collection of antibiotic resistance genes in the human digestive system. Another study, published in Biomaterials in 2022, used metabolic engineering to identify and enhance the prebiotic properties of oligosaccharides in yeast cell walls. “I am gratefu

The University of Seoul held an admissions information session at the University of Languages and International Studies of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Oct. 30, as part of its efforts to attract talented students from overseas. The University of Seoul said the event drew approximately 360 participants, including students enrolled in Korean language departments at local Vietnamese universities. The information session was organized to introduce local students firsthand to the university’s academic strengths and admission procedures, while expanding its efforts to attract talented international students. Faculty members from six colleges and the university’s Korean Language and Culture Program engaged with local students and provided one-on-one consultations for students interested in studying in Korea. The six colleges were the College of Government and Economics, the College of Business Administration, the College of Humanities, the College of Natural Sciences, the College of Artificial Intelligence and the College of Engineering. By having its faculty members directly introduc

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating fell to 35.9 percent last week likely due to an intense political standoff over legislation and stock market volatility, a pollster said Monday. Positive assessments of Lee's job performance dropped by 1 percentage point from the previous week in the poll conducted on 2,528 adults from last Monday to Friday, according to Realmeter. Negative assessments rose by 0.5 percentage point to 60.6 percent, while 3.4 percent of respondents said they were not sure. Realmeter attributed the lower approval rating to last week's standoff between the ruling and main opposition parties over a bill calling for a special counsel investigation into alleged fabricated indictments targeting the president and others. The bill passed the National Assembly on Friday, led by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). The pollster also attributed the decline to last week's sharp fall in the KOSPI stock market index to below 5,000 points and other volatility in the financial sector. Meanwhile, support for the two largest parties came to 36.5 percent for the DPK and 39.7 per

President Lee Jae Myung on Monday vowed to hire more firefighters and increase investment in strengthening their capabilities to ensure public safety amid diverse disaster risks. Lee made the pledge during a ceremony marking the 64th Day of Firefighting in the central city of Sejong, attended by government officials, firefighters, those who died while on duty and their bereaved families. The president stressed the ongoing climate crisis is increasing the diversity and scale of disasters, likely making them more complicated and difficult for firefighters to combat. "Preparing for and responding to changes a step ahead of time would be the way to protect the people's lives and ensure their safety," Lee said. He pledged to hire more firefighters, strengthen their command system and expand investment to enable them to respond more promptly and systematically to disasters and ensure public safety. Through the investment, the government plans to harness artificial intelligence (AI) and drones to identify risk factors, and undertake dangerous rescue operations while deploying cutting-edge defense

Leaders of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) gathered outside Cheong Wa Dae on Monday to protest the recent passage of a bill calling for a special counsel investigation into alleged fabricated indictments targeting President Lee Jae Myung and others. The PPP leadership held a Supreme Council meeting outside the presidential office, after the ruling Democratic Party of Korea railroaded the bill through a plenary session of the National Assembly on Friday. The legislation calls for appointing an independent counsel to investigate suspicions the prosecution under former President Yoon Suk Yeol fabricated evidence or induced false testimonies to build cases against then opposition leader Lee and others. The PPP has denounced the effort as a pretext to cancel all of Lee's indictments, as his trials have been suspended under an article of the Constitution that exempts a sitting president from criminal prosecution except in cases of insurrection or treason. Lee faces charges of involvement in corrupt development schemes, illegal remittances to North Korea, and the misuse of a govern

Justice Minister nominee Lee Yong-cheol on Monday expressed reservations about nullifying indictments against President Lee Jae Myung following last week's passage of a special counsel bill to investigate allegations of fabricated indictments, including those that currently involve the president. The nominee, who currently serves as head of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), said the special counsel should focus exclusively on uncovering the truth. He was tapped Friday to become the justice minister, a post that has remained vacant for more than two months since Lee's first justice minister, Jung Sung-ho, resigned in late August. The National Assembly passed the special counsel bill on the same day amid protests from the main opposition People Power Party, which suspects the legislation is aimed at canceling all indictments against the president. "I believe it is appropriate for the special counsel to focus solely on uncovering the truth from now on, while all other matters should be handled in accordance with the law and established principles," the justice minister