Korean ring smuggled bulk cigarettes to Australia, making $6m in profit

South Korean customs authorities have uncovered a smuggling ring that bought cigarettes in bulk from domestic convenience stores and illegally exported them to high-priced markets such as Australia and New Zealand, generating about 10 billion won ($6.78 million) in profit. The Korea Customs Service’s Incheon regional office said Wednesday that it had referred 11 suspects, including a ringleader in his 30s, to prosecutors without detention on charges of violating the Customs Act. The group allege

March 11, 2026

Jamsil mega convention center, dome stadium set for 2032 completion

A 3.3 trillion-won ($2.2 billion) sports and convention complex featuring South Korea’s largest domed baseball stadium is planned for completion in Seoul by 2032 after the city finalized long-delayed negotiations for the Jamsil Sports and MICE Complex redevelopment. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday it had concluded four years of negotiations with Seoul Smart MICE Park, a consortium led by Hanwha Construction Division selected as the preferred bidder for the privately funded proje

March 11, 2026

In Busan's Gijang, spring comes with anchovies

Spring comes in many forms: cherry blossoms, pale pastel outfits appearing after months of winter drab, or the first green shoots on the dinner table. In a fishing town of Gijang, Busan, however, the season announces itself with a far more pungent sign: the salty, briny smell of fresh anchovies. Dae-byeon Village and its bustling namesake port account for about 60 percent of South Korea’s anchovy catch, harvested using drift-net fishing. Anchovies, which live for only one year, are caught primar

March 11, 2026

Different electricity bills for different regions? Plan raises concerns

South Korea’s plan to introduce regionally differentiated electricity prices is raising concerns that inland provinces and public utilities in the greater Seoul area could face higher power costs, as the government pushes ahead with reforms to ease regional imbalances in energy supply. The proposal centers on offering cheaper electricity to areas near major power generation facilities to encourage industries to relocate from the capital region to provincial areas. Many of these regions have beco

March 11, 2026

Korea helps end dog slaughter in Indonesia

Two long-running dog slaughter and meat-selling businesses in Indonesia have been shut down, marking what activists say is the first overseas application of South Korea’s dog meat industry transition model. Humane World for Animals, a South Korea-based nonprofit, said Wednesday it supported the closure of a dog meat restaurant and slaughterhouse, rescuing 10 dogs that were awaiting slaughter. The operation in Kupang, on Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara island, was conducted in partnership with Jak

March 11, 2026

Rights watchdog urges broader stimulus aid for foreign residents

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea said Wednesday that it had advised the interior minister and other relevant officials to expand eligibility for government relief payments, including the so-called “consumption coupons for livelihood recovery,” to cover more foreign residents. The government distributed coupons worth up to 550,000 won ($375) to Korean residents in 2025 as part of efforts to stimulate domestic consumption. The policy largely excluded foreigners, though it allowed limi

March 11, 2026

Men tied to Myanmar fraud hub indicted over romance scam

South Korean prosecutors have indicted several young men accused of working for a romance scam ring based in Myanmar, part of a growing network of overseas fraud operations targeting Korean victims. The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office said Wednesday that nine men aged 23 to 34 who operated out of a crime compound known as KK Park near the Myanmar-Thailand border were charged with joining and participating in a criminal organization. Five suspects were indicted in detention, while thre

March 11, 2026

Caregiver shaved her unconscious mother. Daughter’s fury ends in court

A South Korean woman was issued a fine of 1.5 million won ($1,010), suspended for one year, for assaulting a caregiver who shaved her unconscious mother’s head. The caregiver had also earlier received a suspended fine from the court for shaving the unconscious mother’s head. According to legal sources Tuesday, the Busan District Court showed leniency toward the daughter despite her conviction for special assault, which is a more serious charge than simple assault. The act was upgraded because it

March 11, 2026

Appeal trial begins for ex-PM Han over insurrection charges

An appellate trial for former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo began Wednesday on charges that he played a key role in an insurrection by abetting former President Yoon Suk Yeol's 2024 imposition of martial law. The first hearing opened at the Seoul High Court after both Han and special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team appealed a 23-year prison sentence handed down by a district court in January. Han was found guilty of taking part in an insurrection by proposing that Yoon convene a Cabinet meeting before

March 11, 2026

[Graphic News] Air traffic tops 1 million flights for first time

South Korea’s annual air traffic surpassed 1 million flights for the first time last year, government data showed. The total number of flights reached 1,013,930 in 2025, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The country averaged 2,778 flights per day, up 6.8 percent from a year earlier. The annual figure exceeded the previous high of 842,041 recorded in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. The growth was driven by a rebound in international travel. International flights

March 11, 2026

Prosecutors indict woman accused of fatally drugging 2 men

Prosecutors on Tuesday indicted a 20-year-old woman accused of murdering two men by giving them drug-laced drinks. The Seoul Northern District Prosecutors Office said Kim So-young was indicted under physical detention on charges of murder, special bodily injury and violating the Narcotics Control Act. Kim is accused of handing the drinks containing benzodiazepine, a depressant, to three men on separate occasions between last December and last month, resulting in two deaths. One of the three men

March 10, 2026

Inside Korea’s migrant population: 10 key takeaways from latest survey

The Ministry of Statistics and the Ministry of Justice on Tuesday released the results of their annual Survey on the Residence and Employment Status of Migrants, offering a snapshot of how foreign residents and naturalized citizens live and work in South Korea. The government has conducted the survey since 2017, examining demographic, visa and employment trends among migrants aged 15 and older who have stayed in the country for at least 91 consecutive days. Here are some key findings from the 20

March 10, 2026

Last registered resident of Dokdo dies at 88

The last registered resident of Dokdo, South Korea’s easternmost islets, has died, leaving the outpost without a legal resident for the first time since the 1960s. According to Ulleung-gun in North Gyeongsang Province on Tuesday, Kim Shin-yeol died last week at the age of 88. A former haenyeo, or female free-diver who harvests seafood, from Jeju Island, she had been registered as a resident of the islets since moving there in 1991 to join her husband, Kim Sung-do. Kim Sung-do had lived on the is

March 10, 2026

How war in Iran is affecting Korea

As the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran shows signs of prolonging, the ripple effects of soaring global oil prices are being felt acutely across South Korea, especially hitting workers in transport, agriculture, fisheries and island communities, whose livelihoods depend heavily on fuel. For many, the crisis triggered by the Middle East conflict is materializing in the form of rising operational costs that cannot be passed on to consumers. Truck drivers and delivery workers,

March 10, 2026

Yellow Envelope Act takes effect as labor-business tensions rise

The government’s major revision to labor law took effect Tuesday, allowing subcontractors to negotiate directly with contractors and expanding the scope of permissible labor disputes. But mixed views persist over potential disruptions to business operations. The government promulgated the revision to the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act, commonly called the "Yellow Envelope" bill, on Sept. 9. 2025. Since then, authorities have continued to clarify ambiguous provisions in the law, e

March 10, 2026