Washington’s transactional Taiwan policy puts Indo-Pacific at risk, ex-US officials warn

South China Morning Post - Oct 8, 2026

Washington’s policy towards Taiwan is increasingly tied to its relationship with Beijing, according to former American officials who also warn that the war on Iran is weakening US military readiness for a potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait. During a fireside chat in an annual symposium hosted by the Global Taiwan Institute in Washington on Wednesday, Brent Christensen, former director of the Taipei Office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), said Washington’s policy towards the...

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Why some Koreans look beyond their culture to Islam

Oct 12, 2026

Why some Koreans look beyond their culture to Islam

An estimated 45,000 ethnic Koreans born and raised in South Korea have changed their faith to Islam. Among them is Yusuf, an ethnic Korean in his 30s who converted to Islam in 2014. “Most of the men do it to find wives," Yusuf said. Disillusioned with Korea's competitive dating culture, especially in Seoul, many of the men seeking out Islam are also seeking a return to what Yusuf described as a simpler path to marriage. At Seoul Central Masjid in Itaewon, between five and 25 new converts arrive every month for the training course in basic Islamic tenets. Students may choose to recite the Shahada — the Muslim declaration of faith and the first of the five pillars of the religion — and officially convert to Islam at the end. Most of them are men. Female converts, while not explicitly motivated by marriage, also cited “simplicity” when asked about why they became Muslim. Two interviewees said they found the basic premise of Islam — one God — appealing. Areum, a Korean follower in her 30s, said Islam’s respect for elders also aligned well with her native Korean culture, makin

Chungbuk Nat'l University's AI, business programs draw 1,800 int'l students

Oct 12, 2026

Chungbuk Nat'l University's AI, business programs draw 1,800 int'l students

Chungbuk National University is seeing tangible results from its efforts to attract international students, with its School of International Studies playing a central role and the expansion of degree programs in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), software and global business. The university enrolled more than 1,800 international students from approximately 40 countries this year, reflecting its efforts to expand its global student population. The university introduced a master’s program in global business in September 2024, followed by graduate programs in convergence software and global education in September last year. It also broadened its offerings in March this year with the introduction of two undergraduate majors in convergence software and global education. Following the expansion, the university enrolled 385 new students across five undergraduate and graduate programs for the fall 2026 semester, including 109 in the master's program in convergence software, which has drawn growing interest amid rising demand for AI-related education. Students at the School of Interna

FTC head vows stern action against unfair practices burdening people

Oct 12, 2026

FTC head vows stern action against unfair practices burdening people

The head of Korea's antitrust watchdog said Monday his agency will take stern action against unfair market practices, such as price fixing, that add to people's financial burdens. Ju Biung-ghi, head of the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), made the remarks during a parliamentary audit at the National Assembly, noting the watchdog will work to revamp policies to root out such abuses. "To fundamentally address deep-rooted price fixing in the market, the FTC will develop more effective policy measures, such as revoking the registrations of businesses repeatedly engaging in price fixing, seeking business suspensions or ordering companies to reset their prices," Ju said. The chairperson added the commission will proactively address unfair practices in sectors closely linked to people's daily lives, including the wedding, leisure and funeral industries. Ju said the FTC's policy goals include giving vulnerable groups, including small businesses and the self-employed, a stronger voice. "To ease the imbalance of power among market players, we aim to establish an environment where they can compete fairl

Lee's approval rating falls for 2nd straight week: poll

Oct 12, 2026

Lee's approval rating falls for 2nd straight week: poll

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating fell for the second consecutive week to 35.2 percent, a poll showed Monday, amid controversies over judicial independence and last month's mine blast near the border. In the poll conducted on 1,504 adults nationwide from last Tuesday to Thursday by Realmeter, positive assessments of Lee's job performance fell by 2.2 percentage points from the previous week. Negative assessments rose 1.6 percentage points to 61.4 percent. "Controversies surrounding judicial independence involving Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, disputes between rival parties over mine explosions in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), as well as rising rental and housing prices in the Seoul metropolitan area, all came under the spotlight during parliamentary audits, leading to the decline in approval ratings," the pollster said. In a separate survey of 1,004 adults conducted last Wednesday and Thursday, support for the ruling Democratic Party fell 7 percentage points to 35.5 percent, while that of the main opposition People Power Party rose 2.9 percentage points to 41.3 percent.

BOK chief to attend G20, IMF-WBG meetings in Bangkok

Oct 12, 2026

BOK chief to attend G20, IMF-WBG meetings in Bangkok

Korea's top central banker will attend a meeting of the Group of 20 (G20) finance ministers and central bank chiefs to be held in Thailand this week, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said Monday. BOK Gov. Shin Hyun-song will join the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting, set to take place in Bangkok, where participants will discuss global economic conditions, growth and global imbalances, according to the central bank. He will also attend the International Monetary Fund-World Bank Group (IMF-WBG) meetings, where discussions will focus on the global economic outlook and financial stability. While in Bangkok, the BOK governor is scheduled to hold separate talks with high-ranking officials from the Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and other major central banks to exchange views on recent international developments. He will also participate in CNN's Global Perspectives, a live event series convening leaders, CEOs and innovators for conversations on issues covering culture, technology and business, along with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria, director-general of the World T

Foreign suspects in violent crimes up 12% in 5 years

Oct 12, 2026

Foreign suspects in violent crimes up 12% in 5 years

The number of foreign nationals suspected of committing violent crimes in Korea has risen by nearly 12 percent over the past five years, increasing from 689 in 2021 to 771 last year. A total of 645 foreign suspects had been apprehended for violent crimes between January and September this year, according to the Korean National Police Agency. By nationality, Chinese nationals accounted for the largest number of violent crime suspects last year, at 250, followed by Uzbekistan nationals at 62, U.S. nationals at 60 and Vietnamese at 53. The number of foreign nationals suspected of crimes overall increased as well. The figure rose more than 7 percent, from 32,470 in 2021 to 34,760 last year. By nationality, Mongolian suspects recorded the largest increase, rising around 38 percent from 1,007 to 1,397. Meanwhile, the number of Thai suspects fell over 20 percent, from 2,482 to 1,979. Police mainly attribute the rise to the growing number of foreign nationals living in Korea, not necessarily to a higher rate of offending. The number of foreign nationals residing in Korea increased 42.2 percent,

From sharks to otters: How Busan's Gen Z is turning urban wildlife into viral sensations

Oct 12, 2026

From sharks to otters: How Busan's Gen Z is turning urban wildlife into viral sensations

BUSAN — A woman in her 20s sits quietly with her dog along the safety fences of North Port Waterfront Park in Busan, patiently scanning the artificial waterway for any sign of "Bukangi." Kim Yeon-ji, a local middle school student who also visited the site the day before, chatted animatedly with a friend while waiting nearby. "Sometimes you only have to wait 20 to 30 minutes, or at most an hour, before Bukangi appears," Kim said. "This isn't a shark trapped in an artificial facility like an aquarium. When else would we get the chance to see a wild shark up close like this? I come here with my friend almost every day after school just to see Bukangi." When a distinct dorsal fin finally broke the surface, several onlookers gasped in excitement, shouting, "It's here!" Some began running along the perimeter of the channel, keeping pace with the shark's movements. The long queues of spectators waiting for a glimpse of the creature evoked the dedicated fans waiting outside a K-pop idol concert. "I had no idea there would be this many people," said Choi Ho-yoon, an office worker visiting from

Overseas piracy of K-content nears 500 mil. cases in 2025: lawmaker

Oct 12, 2026

Overseas piracy of K-content nears 500 mil. cases in 2025: lawmaker

The number of Korean content that was illegally distributed overseas reached nearly 500 million cases last year, the highest number since 2022, a lawmaker said Monday. The number of reported cases hit 493.6 million in 2025, up 19.2 percent from the previous year, according to the data submitted to Rep. Jeong Jun-ho of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea by the Korea Copyright Protection Agency. The figure is the highest since 477.1 million in 2022, when the agency began compiling relevant data. Of the total, piracy cases involving webtoons accounted for the majority at 66.5 percent, followed by films and broadcasts at 33.5 percent. By language, 46.6 percent of the reported cases involved content distributed in English, followed by Chinese at 20.4 percent and languages of Southeast Asian nations at 15.7 percent. While the number of content illegally distributed in English fell 17 percentage points on-year, the portion of those distributed in languages of Southeast Asian and European nations, such as Vietnamese, Thai, Spanish and French, rose. Despite a surge in digital piracy cases, the nu

LIVE UPDATES: Impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte

Oct 12, 2026

LIVE UPDATES: Impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte

Bookmark this page for Rappler's comprehensive coverage of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial at the Senate

Marcos back in PH following working visit in Singapore

Oct 12, 2026

Marcos back in PH following working visit in Singapore

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. returned to the Philippines on Monday after his working visit to Singapore, where he discussed cargo and energy expansion and investment opportunities with business leaders.

‘Just a little spark’: disability advocate on inclusion, belonging in Hong Kong

Oct 12, 2026

‘Just a little spark’: disability advocate on inclusion, belonging in Hong Kong

Greater awareness of disability in Hong Kong has not necessarily made it easier for people with disabilities to find work, according to advocate Faride Shroff, who says tighter corporate budgets and a difficult job market have made the next stage of inclusion more challenging. Shroff, founder of SENsational Foundation, said employers that recruit people with disabilities also need to provide guidance, suitable workplace arrangements and roles that match individual strengths. “Every person has...

India’s Youth Protests Challenge Narendra Modi

Oct 12, 2026

India’s Youth Protests Challenge Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India has long succeeded in isolating and undermining opponents. The Gen Z protests pose a challenge unlike any he has faced before.

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