Palace defends ‘jet-setter’ PCUP official amid lifestyle criticism

Inquirer.net - Oct 20, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Tuesday defended the appointment of Zofia Canlas as commissioner of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP), amid public scrutiny over her lavish lifestyle and alleged lack of relevant experience for the role. A biology graduate of De La Salle University in 2024, Canlas drew criticism over her “lavish”

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Oriental Mindoro town seeks DA fuel subsidy over drought threat

Oct 20, 2026

Oriental Mindoro town seeks DA fuel subsidy over drought threat

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — The Bulalacao municipal government in Oriental Mindoro is asking the Department of Agriculture to secure fuel subsidies for farmers, as a prolonged dry spell threatens crop production and the town’s water supply.  On his social media page, Mayor Lumelito Cabagay posted that the local government is coordinating with the Municipal

Lee welcomes 'dramatic rebound' in potential growth outlook

Oct 20, 2026

Lee welcomes 'dramatic rebound' in potential growth outlook

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday welcomed a rise in the country's potential growth rates as "a dramatic rebound" in the national economy's "basic physical strength." Lee wrote the message on his X account, referring to a recent upward revision of the country's potential growth rate projections by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to 2.14 percent this year and 2.2 percent in 2027. The figures mark the first consecutive annual increases in about 40 years. The president "welcomed" the projections, describing them as marking the first back-to-back increases since the late 1980s, when the country benefited from low oil prices, low interest rates and a strong won against the U.S. dollar. "It marks a dramatic rebound in the Korean economy's basic physical strength," he said, describing the trend as "a very positive sign." Based on the improvements, Korea will have to focus on sustaining growth and ensuring that its benefits are shared fairly by all, he noted.

Battery CEO's 4-year sentence upheld over fire that killed 23, mostly foreigners

Oct 20, 2026

Battery CEO's 4-year sentence upheld over fire that killed 23, mostly foreigners

The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a four-year prison sentence for Park Soon-kwan, CEO of lithium battery maker Aricell, over a factory fire that killed 23 workers, mostly foreigners, more than two years ago. The court dismissed appeals by prosecutors and the defendants, leaving intact an appellate ruling that sentenced Park's son, Park Joong-un, a senior executive at the company, to seven years in prison, along with a fine of 1 million won ($750). The court also upheld an 800 million won fine against Aricell. The fire at the company’s factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, on June 24, 2024, killed 17 Chinese nationals, one Lao national and five Koreans, and injured nine others. The blaze began on the second floor of Building No. 3, where workers inspected and packaged finished batteries, and spread rapidly as batteries exploded. The CEO was indicted on charges of failing to fulfill his statutory safety obligations, including checking for workplace hazards and preparing a manual for responding to serious accidents. The Supreme Court affirmed the lower court’s ruling that the chief e

Korea to launch military satellites aboard homegrown Nuri rocket in 2031

Oct 20, 2026

Korea to launch military satellites aboard homegrown Nuri rocket in 2031

Korea plans to launch military reconnaissance satellites aboard its homegrown Nuri rocket in 2031 to bolster its space surveillance capabilities, the aerospace agency said Tuesday. Oh Tae-seok, administrator of the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA), unveiled the plan during a Cabinet meeting following Nuri's successful fifth launch earlier this month, which placed five Earth observation microsatellites into orbit. The plan calls for at least one Nuri launch annually through 2032. Nuri's 11th launch, scheduled for 2031, will carry four electro-optical (EO) reconnaissance microsatellites. Korea has previously relied on foreign launch vehicles to deploy its military satellites. The rocket's 12th launch in 2032 will carry three companion satellites designed to operate alongside the Arirang 8 multipurpose satellite, which will be equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) capable of capturing images regardless of weather conditions or daylight. As part of its broader launch schedule, KASA also plans to deploy five additional Earth observation microsatellites in the second half of 2027 a

Gov't to promote pay transparency in job ads under 'nation normalization project'

Oct 20, 2026

Gov't to promote pay transparency in job ads under 'nation normalization project'

The government will seek to promote pay transparency in job ads, crack down on illegal street structures and root out the practice of disguising imported goods as locally made or laundering their country of origin as part of its "nation normalization project," officials said Tuesday. The prime minister's office announced a second batch of 30 tasks to tackle under the normalization project launched after President Lee Jae Myung ordered in March the correction of abnormal practices and systems, and deep-rooted illegal and illicit acts to improve the everyday lives of the people. Since then, the government had identified the first batch of 164 tasks, including adjusting speed limits in school zones, the standardization of beach umbrella fees, improving the opaque management system of studio apartments and banning illegal use of the Onnuri gift certificates the government issues to revitalize traditional markets. The additional 30 tasks announced Tuesday were selected from about 200 suggestions with a focus on resolving everyday public grievances, including preventing local council members

2 arrested over late-night mass brawl in Pyeongtaek

Oct 20, 2026

2 arrested over late-night mass brawl in Pyeongtaek

Police said Tuesday they have arrested two people for their alleged involvement in a late-night mass brawl between Central Asian nationals in Pyeongtaek earlier this month. The brawl, involving 21 suspects, took place at around 11:40 p.m. on Oct. 3 at a children's park in the city, about 60 kilometers south of Seoul, raising safety concerns among residents. The Pyeongtaek Police Station said it caught five suspects allegedly involved in the brawl -- all of whom are Kazakh or Kyrgyz nationals in their 20s or 30s. It placed two of the five under arrest for alleged assault. Police officials have issued exit bans on two other suspects while investigating the whereabouts of 14 others. They believe the fight broke out over a past dispute and is unrelated to gang activity. Most of the suspects are believed to be day laborers, with three of the five apprehended suspects being undocumented migrants.

Kookmin University professor named among World's Top 2% Scientists

Oct 20, 2026

Kookmin University professor named among World's Top 2% Scientists

Lee Do-youn, a professor at Kookmin University’s College of General Education, has been named to the 2026 World’s Top 2% Scientists list jointly released by Stanford University and Elsevier. The list identifies the top 2 percent of researchers in their respective fields based on a comprehensive analysis of research impact, including citation metrics and research output, using data from Elsevier’s Scopus database. Kookmin University said Lee has broadened her research beyond physical therapy and rehabilitation science to encompass epidemiology and public health. Her research has focused on chronic diseases, major health risk factors, long-term trends in disease burden and the effectiveness of rehabilitation treatments. More recently, she has analyzed large-scale health care data from Korea and other countries to examine trends in disease incidence and prevalence, the burden of mortality and disability, and health disparities by age and gender. She also conducts evidence-based health care research by synthesizing and evaluating scientific evidence on various health issues to support d

Sejong University program helps international freshmen adapt to campus life

Oct 20, 2026

Sejong University program helps international freshmen adapt to campus life

Sejong University said Sunday that its Sejong Korean Language and Culture Education Center, part of Daeyang Global College, completed a Campus Survival program last month to help newly enrolled international students adjust to university life in Korea. Held from Sept. 11-25, the program provided 408 international freshmen with practical Korean expressions and information about university life. It also gave them opportunities to interact with senior students. The program was selected as an outstanding initiative in a competition organized by the Ministry of Justice’s immigration integration division to promote early adaptation programs. The center ran the program in five sessions alongside the Campus Life Seminar, a required course for all newly enrolled international students. The sessions focused on helping students navigate everyday university life through practical information and useful Korean expressions. Five senior international students served as mentors, meeting with freshmen in small groups. They shared information on academic options and student support programs, including dou

Inaugural SCIA chief attends Cabinet meeting amid political neutrality concerns

Oct 20, 2026

Inaugural SCIA chief attends Cabinet meeting amid political neutrality concerns

Kim Ji-yong, the inaugural chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency (SCIA), attended a Cabinet meeting presided over by President Lee Jae Myung for the first time Tuesday, sparking controversy over the agency's political neutrality. Kim, who received his letter of appointment from Lee on Monday, was scheduled to hold his inauguration ceremony Tuesday afternoon. The SCIA was launched Oct. 2 as part of an overhaul of the criminal justice system that removed prosecutors' independent investigative powers. Kim emphasized the agency's political neutrality and independence before his appointment, saying he would decide whether to attend the Cabinet meeting after reviewing relevant laws and consulting with concerned agencies. Concerns have been raised that the participation of investigative agency and prosecution chiefs in Cabinet meetings could undermine their political neutrality and independence. In principle, even officials at the presidential office can be subject to investigation and prosecution, and holding weekly in-person meetings with the president itself could place political p

President Lee calls for all-out efforts to boost housing supply

Oct 20, 2026

President Lee calls for all-out efforts to boost housing supply

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday stressed the need to cut the time required for administrative procedures in building homes, calling for all-out efforts to boost housing supply. The president made the call during a Cabinet meeting as runaway housing prices persist despite the government's efforts to cool the market. "Stable housing is the foundation for practical improvements in people's lives," Lee said, citing a decline in housing construction permits and the supply of new land for real estate development over the past three years as reasons for disruptions in housing supply. "In order to resolve the current problems in the real estate market, created by various factors that have accumulated over the years, consistent market management policies and large-scale housing supply measures should be implemented promptly," he added. Lee instructed officials to make all-out efforts to boost housing supply by cutting the time needed to prepare land for development and granting administrative permits for house construction as quickly as possible, "without being constrained by customary practic

Lee to hold 2nd plenary meeting on deregulation this week

Oct 20, 2026

Lee to hold 2nd plenary meeting on deregulation this week

President Lee Jae Myung will attend a meeting this week aimed at easing regulations to help nurture advanced industries and ensure balanced development, his office said Tuesday. The second plenary meeting of the regulation rationalization committee will be held Friday following the first session in April, according to Cheong Wa Dae. The upcoming meeting is expected to discuss ways to ease regulations to support the Lee administration's development plan focusing on regional growth, as well as its push to secure absolute global leadership in cutting-edge industries. As part of the discussion, officials will present solutions to regulatory obstacles to advancing growth-engine industries, including robotics, semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, self-driving vehicles and biotechnology, the presidential office said. They are also expected to delve into discussions on rationalizing unnecessary regulations to promote the growth of venture companies. Friday's meeting will bring together officials from Cheong Wa Dae and the finance, science, interior, industry, health, labor,

Man sent to prosecutors for allegedly murdering mother-in-law, kidnapping wife

Oct 20, 2026

Man sent to prosecutors for allegedly murdering mother-in-law, kidnapping wife

Police on Tuesday referred a man to the prosecution for allegedly murdering his mother-in-law and kidnapping his wife, officials said. The man, identified as 26-year-old Kim Sung-woo, is accused of stabbing his mother-in-law to death at her home in southern Seoul on Oct. 11 before kidnapping his wife who had been staying there, according to the Seoul Songpa Police Station. Kim allegedly assaulted his wife in the face when she was confined in his vehicle before police rescued her and took him into custody in Yangyang County, about 150 kilometers east of Seoul, hours after the alleged murder. The police station said it recommended charges of retaliatory murder, retaliatory confinement, aggravated assault and violations of laws on stalking and domestic violence against Kim to the prosecution. Kim's wife had applied for divorce mediation in August before withdrawing it to seek an annulment of their marriage. The suspect had stalked his wife on 18 occasions between Sept. 16 to Oct. 11, waiting for her near his in-law's home, the police said. Investigators are putting weight on the possibility t

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