Three former officials convicted of forcibly repatriating North Korean fishermen in 2019 defended the move Thursday, describing it as a deportation of criminals. Chung Eui-yong, former national security adviser, Suh Hoon, former National Intelligence Service director, and Kim Yeon-chul, former unification minister, made the assertion in a statement issued a day after the Seoul High Court sentenced them to suspended prison terms for their involvement in the case. "The reality of this case is not a simple forced repatriation of North Korean defectors," the statement said. "It was a deportation measure against criminals who fled to the South after committing serious inhumane crimes." The three served in former President Moon Jae-in's administration in November 2019, when Seoul deported two North Korean fishermen back to North Korea after they were captured near the eastern maritime border. The fishermen had been accused of killing 16 crew members. The move sparked outcry from critics as the fishermen had expressed their intent to defect to South Korea, which maintains a policy of accepting

The government said Thursday it will take criminal enforcement action over safety violations at Coupang and its affiliates, after inspections uncovered suspected cover-ups of workplace accidents and inadequate safeguards at logistics facilities. The Ministry of Employment and Labor found 205 violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act across 105 logistics centers and delivery camps. It said 61 violations would be subject to criminal enforcement action, while the remaining 144 would draw administrative fines totaling about 1.96 billion won ($1.48 million). Separate labor inspections also found that Coupang had failed to include key provisions of its performance improvement program (PIP) in its employment rules, in violation of the Labor Standards Act. The ministry said it will issue a corrective order and impose a fine. “Covering up workplace accidents or failing to report them not only prevents workers from receiving proper treatment and compensation, but also hinders efforts to determine their causes and identify and address hazards, making further accidents more likely,”

Nvidia is expanding partnerships with domestic component makers LG Innotek and Samsung Electro-Mechanics, strengthening its supply chain for physical artificial intelligence (AI) applications and next-generation AI infrastructure. LG Innotek unveiled a lineup of sensing solutions incorporating Nvidia's latest Holoscan Sensor Bridge (HSB) technology at the U.S. chipmaker's annual GPU Technology Conference (GTC) in Berlin on Tuesday (local time). The solutions include 3-megapixel camera modules and a multimodal vision system that combines multiple cameras and sensors, targeting applications in physical AI and robotics. Nvidia's HSB technology allows sensor data to be sent directly to AI computers, bypassing the central processing unit and potentially speeding up how robots and autonomous vehicles process information and make decisions. The partnership reflects growing demand for advanced sensing technologies as AI expands beyond software and data centers into physical environments, where machines must perceive and respond to their surroundings in real time. LG Innotek said it plans to expan

Korean cosmetics and other beauty product companies will seek export deals at an annual industry exhibition that opened Thursday in North Chungcheong Province, the provincial government said. The Cosmetics & Beauty Expo Osong Korea 2026 that runs through Saturday is underway in Osong, a district of Cheongju, 83 kilometers south of Seoul. The event aims to connect local companies with international buyers, according to the provincial government. "We will help K-beauty products reach global markets and attract international buyers to North Chungcheong Province, a hub for the industry, to facilitate export deals," Gov. Shin Yong-han said. More than 250 companies are participating in the business-to-business (B2B)-focused event, held under the theme "K-Beauty Osong Seeks Growth Along With Global Partners," the provincial government said. This year's expo, the largest to date, will give local companies opportunities to expand into overseas markets while allowing visitors to experience K-beauty products, Jang Woo-sung, director general of the provincial government's bureau of biologics, food a

Financial authorities said Thursday that they are considering safeguards to address concerns over potential market dominance arising from the merger of Naver Financial and Dunamu. "The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) is currently conducting a thorough review of whether the proposed merger between Naver and Dunamu would restrict competition," the Financial Services Commission said in a written response to Rep. Lee Kang-ill of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. "Similarly, under the proposed Digital Asset Basic Act, we are considering safeguards to ensure that cryptocurrency exchanges, which serve as critical market infrastructure, maintain their public interest role and neutrality without being subject to undue influence from any particular company or shareholder," it added. Last November, Naver Financial announced plans to make Dunamu a wholly owned subsidiary through a comprehensive share swap. With the deal, Naver Financial aims to tap into new growth opportunities in digital assets. Dunamu would gain foundation to expand beyond its existing cryptocurrency exchange and integrate with Na

Samsung SDI said Thursday that it has signed an agreement with the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity (KOFAC) and the Korean Chemical Society (KCS) to sponsor Korea’s team for the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO). The signing ceremony was held at the Korea Science and Technology Center in Seoul and attended by Samsung SDI Vice President and Head of the People Team Kim Hun-kyu, KOFAC President Chung Woo-sung and KCS President Keum Kyo-chang. Beginning in January, Samsung SDI will support the selection and training of Korea’s IChO team, organized by the KCS, as well as the team’s participation in the international competition. The company will also provide scholarships to students who win medals. The sponsorship reflects Samsung SDI’s commitment to nurturing young talent in basic sciences and helping students compete on the global stage, while contributing to Korea’s scientific and technological competitiveness. The IChO is an annual competition in which high school students from around the world test their chemistry knowledge and skills. Korea

Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong visited the Al Dhafra gas-fired power plant construction site in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on Wednesday (local time) to inspect construction progress and encourage employees working in the Middle East. Lee toured key facilities, checking construction schedules and safety measures, before meeting with executives from Samsung C&T and Samsung E&A to discuss regional market trends, growth strategies and new business opportunities. The Al Dhafra power plant is being built by Samsung C&T in a consortium with local construction firm Trojan General Contracting. It is designed to meet rising electricity demand amid the UAE's industrial growth and is expected to support energy-intensive industries, including artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. Samsung C&T previously demonstrated its construction capabilities through the Barakah nuclear power plant project in the UAE, while Samsung E&A uses the country as a key hub for its Middle East and Africa operations, undertaking projects in refining, gas and petrochemicals. Korea and

Lotte World employees put their emergency response skills to the test Wednesday, competing in rapid firefighting and CPR challenges designed to sharpen their readiness when lives are at stake. The amusement park operator held its 2026 Fire Safety Competition in partnership with the Songpa Fire Station. The annual exercise comes as theme parks and high-density public venues face growing scrutiny over crowds and facility safety, prompting major operators to move beyond routine compliance and build real-time tactical readiness among frontline staff. The competition centered on two core scenarios: rapid initial suppression using indoor hydrants and emergency first aid. In the firefighting challenge, employees simulated an active blaze by quickly connecting hydrant systems, deploying hoses and executing the critical steps needed to contain flames before first responders arrive. The medical segment tested teams on sudden cardiac arrest scenarios. Participants were evaluated on their precision and speed while performing CPR on training mannequins and deploying automated external defibrillators

President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday that the recent rebound in the country's potential growth rates signals a recovery in the national economy's fundamentals and that the trend should help promote balanced growth of both large and small firms. The president made the remarks at a meeting with his senior aides, citing a recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report projecting the country's potential growth rate at 2.14 percent this year and 2.2 percent in 2027. The figures mark the first consecutive annual increases in about 40 years. "The rebound in potential growth rates, which can be viewed as basic physical strength for an economy, is welcome news that indicates the foundation for the growth of our economy is getting stronger," Lee said. The president stressed that this trend should serve as a steppingstone to promote sustainable, balanced growth by further solidifying the competitiveness of artificial intelligence and other advanced industries while focusing financial and policy resources on sectors that are slower to recover. "In order for the rare rebound in potential growth rat

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will deploy artificial intelligence crowd (AI)-monitoring cameras, airborne drones and mobile command buses across 14 major nightlife hubs starting Friday as part of an intensive safety management campaign ahead of Halloween. The special safety management period, running from Friday through Nov. 1, comes as city officials brace for large weekend crowds fueled by a surge in international tourism. Monthly foreign visitor arrivals to Korea recently topped 2 million for three consecutive months, bringing total inbound travel between May and September past 10 million. The heightened vigilance reflects lingering national trauma from the October 2022 crowd crush in Itaewon, which claimed 159 lives in a narrow, sloped alleyway. That tragedy prompted a sweeping overhaul of Korea’s municipal safety protocols, transforming Halloween from a loosely managed commercial event into one of the country's most heavily policed and technologically monitored public gatherings. The targeted zones include eight high-density priority areas — Itaewon, Hongdae, Seongsu-dong,