Provinces brace for drought, farm losses

Inquirer.net - Sep 30, 2026

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Agriculture and health officials in several parts of the country are stepping up preparations as El Niño intensifies, with the weather phenomenon expected to reach a “very strong” state before the end of 2026 and possibly persist into 2027. The Department of Agriculture (DA) said Western Visayas, the Negros Island Region,

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125th Balangiga anniversary honors courage, resilience

Sep 30, 2026

125th Balangiga anniversary honors courage, resilience

TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE, Philippines — The legacy of the Balangiga Encounter, one of the most significant episodes of the Philippine-American War, continues to shape the identity of Eastern Samar and offers lessons on unity, courage, resilience and service, Cabinet Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. said on Monday. Speaking during the 125th anniversary commemoration of the

Kazakh worker killed as concrete ceiling collapses at Seoul construction site

Sep 30, 2026

Kazakh worker killed as concrete ceiling collapses at Seoul construction site

A Kazakhstani worker died Tuesday after part of a concrete ceiling collapsed on him at an apartment construction site in southern Seoul, authorities said. The man, in his 30s, was waiting to begin cleaning inside a unit on the 23rd floor of the site in Seoul's Seocho district when part of the concrete ceiling fell and hit him at around 9:45 a.m., according to the labor ministry. The ministry said it immediately suspended work at the site and began an investigation into the incident with police and construction safety authorities. Police and the labor ministry plan to investigate the cause of the accident and look into whether the companies involved violated workplace safety laws.

Young Koreans use digital placebos to curb spending

Sep 30, 2026

Young Koreans use digital placebos to curb spending

Office worker Lee Joo-hyun, 25, opens a mobile app when hunger strikes, even though she is trying to lose weight. Lee browses the menu, selects food and hits the order button. A notification pops up notifying her that the food is being prepared, followed by a real-time map tracking a delivery driver picking up the meal and moving toward her home. The food, however, never arrives. Lee is not charged, either. The platform Lee used is not a standard delivery service but "FoodNeverArrives" — an application designed to simulate the ordering process. Instead of a meal, Lee receives a virtual receipt tallying the money and calories saved. "Looking at the numbers written on the receipt makes me proud. I'm happy even without eating the food," she said. As inflation remains high, digital placebos that curb impulse spending through virtual consumption are gaining popularity among budget-conscious consumers. The simulations provide a sense of satisfaction and amusement without costing money or raising health concerns. For people in their 20s and 30s who self-deprecatingly joke that "only breathin

Military demands NK apology over DMZ mine blast as UNC confirms Armistice violation

Sep 30, 2026

Military demands NK apology over DMZ mine blast as UNC confirms Armistice violation

South Korea’s military on Wednesday demanded an apology from North Korea over a recent mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that seriously injured South Korean soldiers, calling on Pyongyang to halt its ongoing border fortification activities. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said North Korea has continued laying mines and carrying out what it calls the “fortification of its border” near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), saying such activities have heightened tensions along the inter-Korean border. “This is a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement and undermines the spirit of existing inter-Korean agreements, and must be stopped immediately,” the JCS said. It also urged the North to offer an apology and take “responsible measures” over the Sept. 21 blast. The United Nations Command (UNC), which conducted a joint on-site investigation with the South Korean military, said investigators found an active North Korean anti-personnel mine on the South Korean side of the MDL. “Based on the findings of the investigation, UNC determined that an Armistice Agreement v

Less than half of S. Koreans say unification with N. Korea necessary: poll

Sep 30, 2026

Less than half of S. Koreans say unification with N. Korea necessary: poll

Less than half of South Koreans believe unifying the divided Koreas is necessary, a poll showed Wednesday, marking the second consecutive year that those in favor of unification fell short of 50 percent. According to the poll conducted by the Korea Institute for National Unification, 48.2 percent of those surveyed said unification with North Korea is necessary. The reading also marks a slight drop from 49 percent in 2025. By age, over 60 percent of those born in 1960 or before said unification with North Korea was necessary, while less than 40 percent of those born in 1991 or later said they saw the need. When asked if they agreed with an argument that unification will "not" be necessary if the two Koreas can peacefully coexist, 66.9 percent of respondents said yes, up from 63.2 percent a year earlier, according to the survey. Also, 70.3 percent of respondents said they were not interested in North Korea, marking a 2.2 percentage point increase from last year and the highest figure since the institute began conducting the annual survey in 2014. Additionally, 71.6 percent of those surveyed

UN Command says Armistice Agreement violation occurred over DMZ mine blast

Sep 30, 2026

UN Command says Armistice Agreement violation occurred over DMZ mine blast

The United Nations Command (UNC) said Wednesday it found a violation of the Armistice Agreement has occurred over last week's mine blast inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). "Based on the findings of the investigation, UNC determined that an Armistice Agreement violation occurred. UNC is addressing the violation through established Armistice mechanisms," it said in an emailed statement. The UNC said a joint investigation team with the South Korean military identified an active North Korean mine on the South Korean side of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). "UNC remains committed to maintaining and enforcing the Armistice Agreement and fulfilling its responsibilities to preserve stability and prevent escalation on the Korean Peninsula," it said. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff released Monday its preliminary findings on the joint investigation with the UNC on the Sept. 21 mine blast. It determined that North Korean resin antipersonnel mines "highly likely" caused the two explosions that injured three South Korean soldiers. Two of them suffered critical injuries. North Korea denied it

Int'l tribunal dismisses Iranian investor's $566 mil. claim against Seoul

Sep 30, 2026

Int'l tribunal dismisses Iranian investor's $566 mil. claim against Seoul

An international arbitration body has dismissed a 770 billion-won ($566 million) damages claim by an Iranian investor against Seoul in a case stemming from a failed takeover of a Korean company, the justice ministry said Wednesday. A panel under the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruled in favor of Korea in the case brought by six members of Iran's Dayyani family in 2021, seeking compensation for Seoul's delayed transfer of funds over a prior arbitration, according to the ministry. The panel sided with Korea in the case and ordered the Dayyanis to pay about 4 billion won to Korea for legal expenses and around 800 million won in administrative fees, the ministry said. The original case traces back to 2015, when the Dayyanis, a major shareholder of Entekhab Industrial Group, filed for arbitration after Korea's state-run Korea Asset Management Corp. canceled a contract to sell a major stake in Daewoo Electronics to Entekhab in 2011. In a 2018 arbitration, Seoul was ordered to pay 73 billion won plus interest in compensation to the Dayyanis over the failed takeover of Daewoo

Spy agency says Ukraine first requested confidentiality over transfer of N. Korean POWs

Sep 30, 2026

Spy agency says Ukraine first requested confidentiality over transfer of N. Korean POWs

Ukraine was the first to ask the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea be kept a secret, Seoul's spy agency said Wednesday, adding the two countries had a shared understanding to keep the transfer confidential from the beginning of the transfer process. In a briefing to the National Assembly's intelligence committee, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) also said the two North Korean soldiers arrived in South Korea in mid-September and had no major health problems, according to committee members. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed during a United Nations address last week that Ukraine has sent the two North Korean soldiers captured last year to South Korea. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and his office have since said Ukraine breached a nondisclosure agreement aimed at keeping the transfer a secret to protect the soldiers from dangers they could face if their transfer were to be disclosed. A Ukrainian presidential official was later reported to have denied the existence of a nondisclosure agreement. The foreign ministry on Monday calle

Honey Jam Sam reflects on foreign experience in Korea in latest album

Sep 30, 2026

Honey Jam Sam reflects on foreign experience in Korea in latest album

Seoul is one of the world's largest cities, but when you're in a creative community or other subculture, it can feel almost more like a small town. Right in the center of this metropolis, in a hillside neighborhood that once was a refugee settlement, Rob Nichols, the British frontman of local alt-country band Honey Jam Sam, lives in a rooftop apartment overlooking a two-lane road, where he can encounter people from all walks of life. In his apartment, he has set up his own home recording studio, which he named Sky Cottage Studios. "Somehow we have our own little community, and I have my own little space within that," he told The Korea Times. "Sometimes it doesn’t feel real, disconnected from the larger picture. I guess I’m just carving out my own little niche with my band while I can." He's preparing for the release of Honey Jam Sam's latest album, due out on Saturday, titled "East of Yeadon." The name is a reference to Yeadon Airport, now Leeds Bradford Airport in Yeadon, West Yorkshire, where he began his journey to Korea in 2009. "I was looking for a title that incorporated both el

Korea-born twin pandas to be transferred to China in December

Sep 30, 2026

Korea-born twin pandas to be transferred to China in December

Twin pandas born at a Korean amusement park in Yongin, just south of Seoul, will be sent to China in the third week of December, a park official said Wednesday. China has ownership of all pandas, including those born outside of China, and sends them to other countries only on a lease basis. Rui Bao and Hui Bao, who were born in Korea on July 7, 2023, will leave before they turn four, when pandas' reproductive maturity begins, as required. Everland amusement park said the exact travel date and destination will be finalized based on factors including their health. The park plans to host farewell programs for visitors. "We ask for your great interest and warm support for the twin pandas' new start," a park official said. Previously, their older sister, Fu Bao, who triggered a massive fandom craze in Korea, returned to China in April 2024 before reaching her fourth birthday.

Who will be BARMM’s first elected chief minister?

Sep 30, 2026

Who will be BARMM’s first elected chief minister?

The new members the BARMM parliament enter a period of negotiations before choosing their chief minister on October 30, when they hold their first regular session

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