Haze in Singapore: PSI hits 184 in central region, a new high for 2026

The Business Times - Oct 9, 2026

Highest hourly PM2.5 reading to date in 2026 was recorded in the west at 2 am on Oct 9, peaking at 171

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N. Korea reports test-firing of 'tactical' ballistic missile to improve weapons systems

Oct 13, 2026

N. Korea reports test-firing of 'tactical' ballistic missile to improve weapons systems

North Korea has test-fired a tactical ballistic missile to upgrade a key component of its weapons systems, which it called a "big success," the country's state media reported Tuesday. The report came a day after South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) detected multiple ballistic missiles launched from the Pyongyang area toward the East Sea. North Korea's missile administration "test-fired a tactical ballistic missile on Oct. 12 to confirm the success in the research for the technical upgrading of an important core element," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. The administration claimed that the upgrade "was a big success heralding an important change in improving the performance and sophistication of all offensive weapon systems," it added, describing the test as part of regular activities. The North did not disclose further details about the test-firing. The JCS earlier noted that North Korea launched multiple types of ballistic missiles, with one specific kind of missile flying more than 900 kilometers, and that South Korean and U.S. authorities were conducting a detailed

USFK chief calls for more dispersed military drills across S. Korea, citing Ukraine war lessons

Oct 13, 2026

USFK chief calls for more dispersed military drills across S. Korea, citing Ukraine war lessons

The commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) on Monday called for more geographically dispersed military exercises across South Korea, citing lessons from the war in Ukraine and the need to adapt to evolving battlefield threats. Gen. Xavier Brunson made the remarks during a panel discussion at the Association of the United States Army's (AUSA) annual conference in Washington, as he discussed ways to improve the readiness and deterrence posture of U.S. and South Korean forces. "I think what we recognize is that largely the two big exercises every year in Korea focus on large command posts. We've got to move away from that," Brunson said. The general suggested that the allies consider conducting exercises across a much broader geographical area rather than in fixed locations. "What would it look like if we train from Jeju all the way up to Gyeonggi Province in the north?" he said. "So just imagine if we trained across the entirety of the peninsula." South Korea and the United States hold large-scale combined exercises every year -- the Freedom Shield and the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) -- to tr

US Pacific Command says N. Korea fired 2 ballistic missiles, reaffirms defense commitment

Oct 13, 2026

US Pacific Command says N. Korea fired 2 ballistic missiles, reaffirms defense commitment

U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) said Monday that North Korea launched two ballistic missiles recently while stressing that the move poses no immediate threat to the United States or its allies. "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea launched two ballistic missiles on October 12, 2026 (KST)," the command said in a statement, referring to North Korea by its official name. The command said it was aware of the launches and was consulting closely with its allies and partners. "Based on current assessments, this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies," it said. It added that the U.S. remains "committed to the defense of the U.S. homeland and our allies in the region." South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Monday (Korea time) it detected the launch at about 9:20 a.m. from the Pyongyang area and that at least one of the missiles flew more than 900 kilometers. The North's latest missile launch came after it fired one ballistic missile from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea on Oct. 3.

Study links academic backgrounds to problem-solving pathways

Oct 13, 2026

Study links academic backgrounds to problem-solving pathways

A Sejong University professor has collaborated with a researcher at Finland’s Aalto University to examine how university students’ academic backgrounds relate to their problem-solving approaches. The researchers are Jang Hye-won, a professor at Sejong University’s Office of Educational Innovation, and Petter Holme, a professor of computer science at Aalto University. They analyzed 84 written solutions from a first-year physics course at Harvard University, systematically organizing information about students’ assumptions and reasoning sequences to examine how their approaches differed by academic background. The study was published online last month in the International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education under the title “Through Different Lenses: Connecting Educational Backgrounds to Fermi Problem-Solving Pathways.” The study used a Fermi problem, which requires people to make reasonable assumptions and arrive at approximate answers despite limited information. Such problems require learners to identify relevant variables, make reasonable estimates and assess whether

Drought conditions reported in 97 regions nationwide

Oct 13, 2026

Drought conditions reported in 97 regions nationwide

Drought conditions have been reported in 97 regions across the country, with the situation particularly severe in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, the interior ministry said Tuesday. Water storage levels in agricultural reservoirs nationwide stood at just 70 percent of the average for a normal year, the ministry said in its October drought report. The cumulative precipitation nationwide over the six months from April 2 to Oct. 1 totaled 783.3 millimeters, or 72.5 percent of the normal year average, the ministry said. As a result, meteorological drought conditions had been observed in 97 regions across the country as of Oct. 1. Of the 97 regions, 74 were classified as experiencing mild drought and 22 as moderate drought, while Yeongcheon, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, was experiencing severe drought. However, the drought in Yeongcheon is expected to ease by the end of the year, as precipitation is forecast to be above normal in November and December, the ministry said.

Arms agency to accelerate development of nuclear-powered subs, AI-driven combat systems

Oct 13, 2026

Arms agency to accelerate development of nuclear-powered subs, AI-driven combat systems

The arms procurement agency said Tuesday it will speed up the development of nuclear-powered submarines and acquisition of artificial intelligence (AI)-based combat assets, including unmanned and counter-drone systems. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) unveiled the plan in a parliamentary audit, as part of a broader road map to secure core capabilities for "self-reliant" defense amid Seoul's efforts to retake wartime operational control (OPCON) of troops from Washington and North Korea's evolving military threats. "The agency will leverage existing organizations and capabilities to develop a nuclear propulsion system and establish a blueprint to construct nuclear-powered submarines," DAPA said in a document submitted to lawmakers. "We plan to launch a full-scale acquisition of combat unmanned systems, such as combat uncrewed surface vessels and small attack drones, as well as anti-drone networks, including laser air defense weapons and integrated counter-drone systems for front-line border areas," the agency said. South Korea is pushing to build nuclear-powered attack

Lee stresses importance of US alliance, says submissive stance should be shunned

Oct 13, 2026

Lee stresses importance of US alliance, says submissive stance should be shunned

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday stressed the importance of the country's alliance with the United States but also noted a submissive stance should be shunned in pursuing diplomacy. The president made the remarks at a Cabinet meeting, amid concerns over apparent friction in the Seoul-Washington alliance, highlighted by South Korea facing limitations in intelligence sharing by the U.S. Lee said diplomacy should be focused on safeguarding national interests, while emphasizing that differences can arise between countries. "Diplomacy should be pursued in a way that always upholds South Korea's dignity and safeguards its national interests (while) any submissive or kowtowing stance should be shunned," the president noted. "The guiding principle of South Korea's diplomacy is pragmatism. The most important thing for South Korea is its national interests," Lee stressed. His remarks come as South Korea continues to face restrictions on intelligence sharing by Washington, reportedly over the South Korean unification minister's previous remarks identifying North Korea's Kusong as a site housing a

Police working with FBI to trace hackers behind recent cyberattacks

Oct 13, 2026

Police working with FBI to trace hackers behind recent cyberattacks

Korean police are working with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to trace the hackers behind recent cyberattacks targeting Korea's financial institutions, sources said Tuesday. According to the sources, Korean authorities, including the Korean National Police Agency, have recently launched the process for cooperation with the FBI. The move aims to obtain critical investigation data, such as account details and access logs of major U.S.-based global cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI) companies. U.S. cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike earlier suggested that a 26-year-old Chinese man from China's Guangdong Province might be behind the attacks, but the person has denied involvement. Local authorities are reportedly considering the possibility of other or different individuals being responsible for the recent cyberattacks, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Police are analyzing data used by CrowdStrike to estimate the hackers' identities, as well as documents suggesting ties to a Chinese distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack group. When ask

Last off-limit mountain trail near Cheong Wa Dae to open to public after nearly 60 years

Oct 13, 2026

Last off-limit mountain trail near Cheong Wa Dae to open to public after nearly 60 years

The Presidential Security Service (PSS) will open a 1.32-kilometer-long mountain trail near the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae to the public, nearly six decades after it was designated off-limits, officials said Tuesday. The upcoming public opening of the trail in the southwestern part of Mount Bukak, located behind Cheong Wa Dae, marks the latest and final opening of the three major trails on Mount Bukak previously off-limits to the public, according to PSS officials. A 2.2-km trail in the northern part of Mount Bukak was first opened to the public in 2020, followed by a 3-km trail in the southeastern part of the mountain in 2022. The public will be allowed access to the new southwestern trail around the clock starting on Saturday, according to the PSS. With the upcoming opening, Mount Bukak will be fully open to the public, PSS chief Hwang In-kwon noted.

Seoul museum gives discarded festival banners second life as designer accessories

Oct 13, 2026

Seoul museum gives discarded festival banners second life as designer accessories

Discarded festival banners are getting a second act as limited-edition accessories, with the Seoul Museum of History transforming last year’s European Film Festival promotional materials into card wallets and mini bags that combine distinctive designs with a push toward sustainability. The museum will begin selling the upcycled merchandise at its museum shop on Thursday, using recycled materials to reduce waste from exhibitions and cultural events. The products were developed in collaboration with Van a Banner, an upcycling company led by Lee Ban-seok, which helped turn the used polyvinyl chloride banners into practical everyday items. Recycled fabric is used for the products’ linings and mesh components, extending the reuse effort beyond the original banner material. Because different sections of the banners are cut and incorporated into each item, the finished products vary in color and pattern, making each piece unique, the museum said. The card wallet features a mesh pocket for cards and a zippered compartment for small belongings, while the mini bag has a magnetic flap designed f

Business Incubation Center helps local startups enter global markets

Oct 13, 2026

Business Incubation Center helps local startups enter global markets

Jeonbuk National University's Business Incubation Center is helping promising local startups enter global markets by developing overseas sales channels and strengthening their brand competitiveness. The university said the center is working to expand growth opportunities for local businesses by turning meetings with overseas buyers into export partnerships and providing follow-up support. These efforts are part of the 24th World Korean Business Convention Participation Support Project, which is being carried out under the 2026 Specialized Capacity BI Support Program. The project is jointly run by the Business Incubation Center, the Jeonbuk Institute for Food-Bioindustry, the Korea Institute of Convergence Textiles and Jeonbuk Science College. The initiative aims to identify and nurture promising local businesses with innovative products and strong entrepreneurial capabilities and help them expand into domestic and overseas markets. Three participating companies — JK Nanobio, Global Clam and CellCore — met with overseas buyers at the 24th World Korean Business Convention in Incheon las

44 government agencies to relocate to Sejong by 2031

Oct 13, 2026

44 government agencies to relocate to Sejong by 2031

The foreign, unification and defense ministries will relocate from Seoul to the central administrative city of Sejong by 2031 as part of a broader government agency relocation plan affecting nearly 10,000 public servants, the interior ministry said Tuesday. The ministry announced the plan following last month's decision to relocate some government ministries and public institutions to Sejong, about 110 kilometers south of Seoul, starting next year. A total of 44 ministries and agencies will relocate in phases between next year and 2031, depending on the requirements of the particular agency and the availability of office space. "The relocation of central administrative bodies to Sejong is a key national strategy aimed at overcoming the capital area-centered system and efficiently using our land to achieve sustainable growth and a new leap forward," Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung said at a press briefing at the government complex in Seoul. Of the 44 subject to relocation, 27 ministries and agencies will start moving to temporarily rented office spaces in Sejong next year. In the first half

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