Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.
South Korea readies stablecoin framework; bill set for October
South Korea is reportedly preparing to introduce a regulatory framework for a won-backed stablecoin, with its financial regulator set to introduce a government bill in October. On Monday, South Korean news portal MoneyToday reported that the...

South Korea, US begin joint military exercises -DW
South Korea and the United States began the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercise on Monday, aimed at strengthening readiness against North Korean threats. Both countries say the 11-day military program, which includes computer simulations...

South Korea’s biggest banks to meet Circle over stablecoin partnership
South Korea’s four largest banks—KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, and Woori—are allegedly getting ready to meet Circle to discuss a potential alliance in the stablecoin market. The meeting, which is planned to occur during Tarbert’s visit to Seoul this...
South Korea’s Jeju City targets crypto holdings of alleged tax dodgers
Tax officials in Jeju City, the capital of the South Korean island province of Jeju, have reportedly started the process of freezing and seizing the crypto of those it believes to be dodging tax requirements. The move is part of a broader...

South Korea to devise 'phased denuclearization' strategy for North: Foreign Minister Cho
Published: 18 Aug. 2025, 17:05 Foreign Minister Cho Hyun delivers remarks during a National Assembly session of the foreign affairs and unification committee at the National Assembly building in western Seoul on Aug. 18. [YONHAP] Foreign Minister...
South Korea: inclusion of exports under infringing acts in Patent Act and key court decisions set to improve enforcement landscape
In summary Recent patent law developments have substantially improved the patent enforcement environment in Korea. Patent litigation in Korea often involves simultaneously handling an infringement action before the district court and an...
South Korea: a closer look at wilful patent infringement and punitive damages under the Patent Act
In summary The Korean Patent Act introduced punitive damages, under which enhanced damages may be rewarded upon a finding of wilful infringement. Although the concept of ‘wilfulness’ in this context may appear similar to the wilfulness required...

South Korean Navy to take part in U.S.-led maritime exercise in waters off Guam
Published: 18 Aug. 2025, 18:15 The 14,500-ton ROKS Marado amphibious landing ship, left, and the 4,400-ton ROKS Wang Geon destroyer, right, are seen departing from a port in Jinhae to attend the Talisman Sabre exercise on June 18. [YONHAP] Korea's...

South Korea And US Begin Large-Scale Ulchi Freedom Shield Joint Military Drills | Kim | North Korea
South Korean police launch 100-day nationwide crackdown on migrant worker abuse
SEOUL - South Korean police will launch a 100-day special crackdown on abuses against migrant workers, the Korean National Police Agency said on Aug 18. Each of South Korea’s 18 regional police agencies has formed a special unit that will operate...

GEN Restaurant Group opens three new outlets in South Korea
GEN Restaurant Group, parent company of GEN Korean BBQ, has announced the opening of three new international outlets in South Korea. This expansion is the company’s first entry to the city and brings the total number of GEN Korean BBQ locations to...

Meet the real-life MERMAIDS: South Korean female sea-divers swim 65ft to the ocean floor and back without breathing apparatus for six hours a day...until they are 90
They might not look like the Disney character Ariel, but these women truly are real–life mermaids. Known as Haenyeo, or 'women of the sea', the group of South Korean female divers swim up to 65 feet (20 metres) to the ocean floor and back around...

U.S. Seeks Shipbuilding Expertise From South Korea, Japan to Counter China
WASHINGTON (AP) — American lawmakers are using a trip to South Korea and Japan to explore how the United States can tap those allies’ shipbuilding expertise and capacity to help boost its own capabilities, which are dwarfed by those of China....

New battery tech: South Korean lab breakthrough promises greater energy density and service life
According to Advanced Science, the core principle behind a new system developed by South Korean researchers is an in-situ "interlocking electrode-electrolyte" (IEE) structure, in which the electrode and electrolyte components are permanently...
Tengku Zafrul: Malaysia concludes free trade deal talks with South Korea, signing set for October
SINGAPORE, Aug 18 — Malaysia has concluded negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) with South Korea and is expected to sign the agreement in October, said Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz. Speaking during...

Malaysia finalises FTA with South Korea, signing set for October
SINGAPORE: Malaysia has completed negotiations for a free trade agreement with South Korea, with the signing expected in October. Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz announced the development during a fireside...

An Unprecedented Crackdown in South Korea: Former President and First Lady Jailed, 5 Million Party Members Targeted
President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee (Credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Bellino) Guest post by Kim Yu-jin, Citizen of South Korea Can you imagine a former president and...

US tariffs tighten screws on Japanese and South Korean captive finance
As US auto tariffs bite and global competition intensifies, the finance arms of Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, and Kia must pivot fast. When Toyota’s chief financial officer addressed investors in early August, his message was anything but...

Tinubu Flags Off WAGL’s 40,000 CBM LPG Vessel In South Korea
1 …Lauds Company’s Partners for Expanding Africa’s Role in Clean Energy CHIDI UGWU President Bola Ahmed Tinubu says Nigeria is poised to deliver clean and sustainable energy solutions not just in-country but also across Africa and beyond....

Crypto Clampdown: South Korea’s Jeju City Goes After Suspected Tax Evaders
Jeju City tax officials have moved to freeze and seize cryptocurrencies tied to people they believe owe unpaid taxes, part of a wider probe that checked nearly 3,000 residents. According to local reports, authorities looked into 2,962 people who...