Solar irrigation boosts Eastern Visayas farmers’ El Niño resilience

Inquirer.net - Oct 11, 2026

TACLOBAN CITY — The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is expanding solar-powered irrigation and other projects in Eastern Visayas to help farmers maintain agricultural production amid the threat of El Niño and prolonged dry conditions. Among these is the Guintigui-an Solar Pump Irrigation Project (SPIP), which was turned over to 87 farmers in Barangay Guintigui-an, Ormoc

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Digital goodies give travelers permanent piece of Korea's coastal hub

Oct 11, 2026

Digital goodies give travelers permanent piece of Korea's coastal hub

Among domestic travelers in Korea, a popular catchphrase has taken root to describe the post-vacation blues: Busan fever. The term captures the lingering nostalgia visitors feel for the southern port city's coastal views, vibrant night markets and laid-back atmosphere long after their trips have ended. Starting this week, the Busan Metropolitan Government is offering a digital remedy for that homesickness. City officials launched Busan Kku, a dedicated online platform distributing free downloadable digital merchandise — ranging from smartphone wallpapers to tablet stickers — designed to help domestic and international travelers bring a piece of Busan into their daily lives. The initiative taps directly into a popular youth culture trend in Korea known as "ponkku" (decorating smartphones) and "keomkku" (customizing computers and tablets). Moving away from traditional, text-heavy public relations, municipal planners collaborated with local Busan illustrators to craft high-quality digital goods that appeal to Gen Z and digital natives. Downloads include aesthetic illustrations of iconi

4 papers co-authored by Hankuk University of Foreign Studies professor accepted in 3 AI conferences

Oct 11, 2026

4 papers co-authored by Hankuk University of Foreign Studies professor accepted in 3 AI conferences

Four papers co-authored by Lee Jun-hyun, a professor in the Division of Computer Engineering at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), have been accepted at three of the world’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) conferences this year, the university said Wednesday. The three conferences are the International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR), the International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML) and the Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS). Together, they are known as the “Big Three” AI conferences. Researchers from academia and industry worldwide present their latest findings at the conferences, where papers undergo rigorous peer review, the university said. Lee was the corresponding author of all four papers: one accepted at ICLR 2026, one at ICML 2026 and two at NeurIPS 2026. This marks the first time Lee has had papers accepted at all three conferences in a single year, highlighting the breadth of his research in AI system evaluation and collaboration, efficient information exchange and model compression. The studies were conducted

Sungkyunkwan University holds Southeast Asia round of Korean writing contest in Hanoi

Oct 11, 2026

Sungkyunkwan University holds Southeast Asia round of Korean writing contest in Hanoi

Sungkyunkwan University hosted the Southeast Asia regional round of the 2026 Sungkyun Hangeul Essay Contest at Thuongmai University and the Grand Plaza Hanoi Hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Oct. 1. The university said the contest brought together 47 outstanding students selected from leading universities in five Southeast Asian countries — Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia and Laos — to demonstrate their Korean-language writing skills. Launched in 2007, the Sungkyun Hangeul Essay Contest is one of the university’s flagship international exchange programs, encouraging young people to express their thoughts and dreams in Korean and deepen their understanding of Korean culture. Participants spent two hours writing personal essays on the topic “Two Paths,” which was announced on the day of the competition. Drawing on moments of choice they had faced in life and their personal experiences, the students crafted thoughtful essays in Korean that deeply moved the judges. The grand prize, known as the Jangwon Prize, went to Ta Thi Bich, a student at the University of Languages and Intern

University of Seoul students showcase achievements of overseas exploration program

Oct 11, 2026

University of Seoul students showcase achievements of overseas exploration program

The University of Seoul held a showcase Wednesday to highlight the experiences and achievements of students who took part in its 2026 GO (Global Odyssey)-UOS overseas study tour program. The university said the event, held for the first time this year, gave the 25 participating teams an opportunity to present their projects and exchange ideas after completing their overseas trips during the summer break. This year’s GO-UOS program involved 100 students divided into 25 teams, which visited 33 cities in 12 countries, including the United States, Australia, Spain, Portugal, Japan and China. Each team carried out a range of activities tailored to its specific theme and objectives. All 25 teams presented the results of their overseas projects at the showcase. Ten teams were selected for awards based on a combination of peer evaluations of promotional materials submitted in advance and on-site assessments. Through their presentations, students shared what they had learned during their overseas trips and how the experiences had contributed to their personal growth. “This trip went beyond a sim

Lee vows to communicate more directly with public: official

Oct 11, 2026

Lee vows to communicate more directly with public: official

President Lee Jae Myung has vowed to communicate more directly and actively with the public, a presidential official said Sunday. Lee made the remarks during his flight back to Seoul after his state visit to Mexico late last month, according to Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations and communication. "I will communicate more actively and directly with the public," Lee was quoted as saying by Seong. "What the president seeks is not simply 'social media politics' but dialogue that bridges the gap between the public and the president, and communication that lowers the barrier between state affairs and the people," Seong wrote on X. He added that social media is just one of many channels for communicating with the public. Lee has recently stepped up his posts on social media to express his views on political, diplomatic and real estate-related issues, prompting concerns among some over the frequency of his posts. On Saturday, Lee said in a post on X that he would continue to communicate with the public via social media despite criticism that such outreach lacks dig

Cheong Wa Dae makes rare disclosure of Lee's golf outing ahead of opposition attack

Oct 11, 2026

Cheong Wa Dae makes rare disclosure of Lee's golf outing ahead of opposition attack

Cheong Wa Dae on Sunday took the unusual step of disclosing information on President Lee Jae Myung’s private golf schedule, shortly before an opposition lawmaker held a news conference questioning his whereabouts when a ceiling collapsed at a supermarket in Daegu. The office confirmed that Lee visited Taereung Golf Club with his family Saturday, about the time reports that the ceiling of a commercial building collapsed in Daegu, injuring dozens of people. Lee was briefed on the accident at the course and called acting National Police Agency chief Kim Jong-chul to check on casualties and injuries, Cheong Wa Dae said. He then ordered authorities to focus on rescue efforts and ensure a swift, safe response. “We normally do not confirm the president’s undisclosed schedule or private holiday activities,” the presidential office said, explaining that it made an exception “to prevent unnecessary controversy.” “We regret that the president’s private, undisclosed schedule is being used for political disputes,” it added. The announcement came shortly before Rep. Joo Jin-woo of the

Experts see no quick fix to Korea-US intelligence rift

Oct 11, 2026

Experts see no quick fix to Korea-US intelligence rift

Although the South Korean government insists its alliance with the United States remains strong despite six months of restrictions on North Korea-related intelligence sharing, experts see little prospect of a quick resolution, warning that Washington’s mistrust runs deep and the dispute reflects broader structural strains in the alliance. Nam Sung-wook, a chair professor at Sookmyung Women’s University, said the restrictions reflect deep-seated U.S. mistrust of specific figures in the Lee Jae Myung administration and warned the situation was unlikely to improve soon. “The U.S. is showing a deep-seated distrust toward key figures such as Unification Minister Chung Dong-young and National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief Lee Jong-seok in the Lee Jae Myung administration and claiming that they cannot have high-level intelligence-sharing meetings. It is worrisome as it is also fundamentally hurting the allies,” he said. He said Seoul has strong reasons to resolve the restrictions quickly but warned that Washington’s concerns may be difficult to overcome in the near term. “It will

Rights groups call for release of 3 detained activists in Hong Kong, Thailand

Oct 11, 2026

Rights groups call for release of 3 detained activists in Hong Kong, Thailand

Two human rights groups called Sunday for the immediate release of three detained Gwangju Prize laureates in Hong Kong and Thailand. The May 18 Memorial Foundation and the Network of Laureates of the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights said the detentions of Chow Hang-tung of Hong Kong and Thai activists Arnon Nampa and Jatupat Boonpattararaksa "reflect a crisis of democracy in Asia." Jatupat, a Thai activist and the 2017 recipient of the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights, and Arnon, a Thai human rights lawyer who won the prize in 2021, are detained in Thailand. Chow, a Hong Kong human rights lawyer and the 2023 laureate, is detained in Hong Kong. "We stand in solidarity with activists striving to defend democracy and human rights in Thailand, Hong Kong and Myanmar despite violence, imprisonment and restrictions on basic rights," the groups said in a joint statement. The prize was established in 2000 to promote the spirit of the May 18 pro-democracy uprising in the southwestern Korean city of Gwangju in 1980, during which a military crackdown on demonstrators left more than 200 civilians dead an

7 in 10 workers get no extra pay for covering parental leave: survey

Oct 11, 2026

7 in 10 workers get no extra pay for covering parental leave: survey

Most Korean workers who took on additional duties while colleagues were on parental leave or working reduced hours for childcare received no extra compensation, with 7 in 10 going unpaid for the added workload. According to a survey released by workplace advocacy group Gabjil 119 on Sunday, 47.8 percent of 1,000 workers said their workloads had increased due to colleagues taking maternity or parental leave. The survey was conducted nationwide from Sept. 1 to 7. The results suggest that employers are shifting the burden of staffing shortages caused by parental leave or reduced working hours onto existing employees rather than hiring replacements or adjusting workloads. Of the 478 respondents who reported taking on additional duties, just 29.5 percent said they had received extra compensation, such as allowances, while the remaining 70.5 percent received no additional pay. Awareness of government subsidies aimed at compensating workers who take on extra duties was also limited. Only 37 percent of respondents were aware of the government’s workload-sharing subsidy for parental leave, while

Korea's role in combined command set to grow after OPCON transfer

Oct 11, 2026

Korea's role in combined command set to grow after OPCON transfer

As Korea prepares to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States, questions remain over how the leadership and organization of their combined military command will change. The Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) is expected to retain its integrated command structure, with Korean officers potentially taking more senior staff positions, military experts said. The outlook comes after Seoul and Washington disclosed that they have agreed on a provisional organizational plan for the post-transfer command. While the two countries have already agreed to put a Korean general in charge, the division of responsibilities beneath the commander has yet to be made public. Gen. Kim Seong-min, the CFC’s deputy commander, told a parliamentary audit Wednesday that the provisional arrangement would be finalized during the Full Mission Capability (FMC) assessment, the final stage of the three-phase evaluation process for OPCON transfer. He described the plan as a draft and dismissed suggestions that the combined command would be dissolved after the handover. Kim Jung-sup, directo

Candon City gives diesel subsidy to rice farmers amid El Niño threat

Oct 11, 2026

Candon City gives diesel subsidy to rice farmers amid El Niño threat

SAN ILDEFONSO, Ilocos Sur — The city government of Candon in Ilocos Sur has started rolling out an emergency diesel subsidy program for rice farmers to help sustain agricultural operations amid concerns over the possible effects of El Niño. Under the initiative, qualified rice farmers will receive 20 liters of diesel fuel each for October

2 nabbed in Occidental Mindoro drug sting

Oct 11, 2026

2 nabbed in Occidental Mindoro drug sting

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — Police arrested two suspected drug dealers during a buy-bust operation in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, on Saturday, Oct. 10. The Sablayan Municipal Police Station said its Municipal Drug Enforcement Team conducted the operation at 1:25 p.m. in Barangay Santo Niño, in coordination with other police units and the Philippine Drug Enforcement

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