8 ex-NPA rebels surrender in Northern Samar

Inquirer.net - Sep 17, 2026

TACLOBAN CITY — Eight former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) surrendered to authorities in Northern Samar and turned over 13 high-powered firearms. The Philippine Army described this development as another significant development in its campaign against communist insurgency in the province. The 8th Infantry Division (8ID), based in Catbalogan City, Samar, said the

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Sep 17, 2026

Bayan to Palace: Focus on anti-corruption drive, not Sept. 21 rallies

MANILA, Philippines — Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) on Thursday slammed Malacañang for urging protesters to maintain peace in rallies expected to mark the 54th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law on Monday, September 21. “Ang dapat na rendahan nila yung mga kurakot, yung mga abusado sa kapangyarihan,” Bayan Secretary-General Mong Palatino said on the

Sep 17, 2026

Legal scholar urges review of legitimacy rules in Philippine family law

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine family law should look beyond traditional labels of legitimacy and give greater weight to the actual circumstances and best interests of children, a legal scholar and human rights advocate said. Ateneo de Manila University professor Atty. Amparita S. Sta. Maria raised the issue at the opening of the university’s new “Ateneo

Sep 17, 2026

Camarines Norte robbery-shooting suspect nabbed after 8 hours

LEGAZPI CITY — An eight-hour manhunt ended with the arrest of a man suspected of shooting a driver of a public utility during a robbery in Basud town, Camarines Norte, on Tuesday, a belated report says. Police cornered the suspect at 5:35 p.m. in Purok 1, Barangay Napolidan in the municipality of Lupi, about 43

Sep 17, 2026

NK leader's sister dismisses IAEA's denuclearization calls, reiterates nuclear status

Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, on Thursday rejected international calls for denuclearization as "all noises," calling the regime's nuclear status "absolute." She made the remarks in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) as the 70th regular session of the IAEA General Conference is currently under way in Vienna, Austria. The conference has voiced concern over North Korea's expanding nuclear capacity, urging Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner in compliance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Ahead of the session, the agency also released the IAEA Director General's Safeguards Report on North Korea, detailing a substantial increase in Pyongyang's uranium enrichment capacity and the expansion of its core nuclear facilities. The North Korean leader's sister dismissed the calls as "all noises, not surprising and not new." "No matter how desperately the IAEA and the West may hold periodic meetings and talk about the denuclearization according to the fixed scenario, th

Sep 17, 2026

Korea's 2nd Nepal relief team to return; efforts to locate 9 missing Koreans to continue

Korea will maintain a joint government response team in Nepal to continue efforts to locate nine Korean nationals who have remained missing since massive floods hit the country last month, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday. The move comes as the second contingent of the Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) is set to wrap up its seven-day mission later in the day and return home, in line with a decision made by a joint public-private emergency relief council last week, according to the ministry. Nine Koreans — six employees of Doosan Enerbility and three of Korea South-East Power — went missing Aug. 26 after massive floods and landslides struck Rasuwa District near the Nepal-Tibet border while they were working at a hydropower plant construction site. The government response team, which was dispatched earlier for search-and-rescue operations separately from the KDRT, will remain in Nepal and work closely with Nepalese authorities, while also supporting the families of the missing, the ministry said. The team will consist of eight members — three from the ministry, two from the Nat

Sep 17, 2026

FM Cho heads to Washington for talks with Rubio on investment, Hormuz, N. Korea

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun left for Washington on Thursday for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio that are expected to cover a range of pending issues, including bilateral economic and security arrangements, North Korea and the Middle East conflict. Cho will make a three-day visit to Washington through Saturday, with his itinerary including a meeting with Rubio on Friday (U.S. time), according to the ministry. "We will have in-depth discussions on various pending issues between the two nations, as well as consultations on issues concerning the Korean Peninsula, regional affairs and the international situation," Cho told reporters before departing from Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. The meeting comes as Seoul and Washington have a number of outstanding issues on which the two sides have differing positions, including Seoul's role in securing the Strait of Hormuz and its U.S.-bound investment plans. As the Donald Trump administration has pressured South Korea to contribute to efforts to restore freedom of navigation through the strategic waterway, the Seoul governm

Sep 17, 2026

Ieodo Int'l Seminar highlights need for practical cooperation amid gray zone threats

JEJU ISLAND — Maritime security experts called for stronger practical cooperation to counter gray zone coercion and prevent maritime tensions from escalating, as they gathered in Jeju last week for the 10th Ieodo International Seminar. The seminar, held from Sept. 10 to 12, brought together specialists from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam to discuss rising maritime security challenges in East Asia, including China’s gray zone activities, maritime disputes, the role of international law and the security of sea lines of communication (SLOC). Co-organized by the Jeju-based think tank Society of Ieodo Research and The Korea Times, the seminar was held under the theme “Maritime Security Cooperation Strategies among East Asian Countries: Responding to Intensifying Maritime Security Threats.” In his opening remarks, Koh Choong-suk, president of the Society of Ieodo Research, said the seminar’s 10th edition reflected the growing international importance of Ieodo — also known as Socotra Rock — and the broader maritime issues surrounding the region. “The discussio

Sep 17, 2026

Foreign ministry says Hormuz talks focus on navigation, energy security over US ties

Discussions over Korea's potential role in securing the Strait of Hormuz are focused on safe navigation, energy security and the safety of nationals, rather than its relations with the United States, a senior foreign ministry official said Thursday. The Seoul government has been weighing whether to deploy military assets to the crucial waterway amid pressure from the Donald Trump administration for Seoul to make a contribution. "The government is looking at the issue basically not from the perspective of Korea-U.S. relations, but in terms of ensuring safe navigation, the security of energy supply routes and the safety of our people," First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo told the National Assembly's foreign affairs and unification committee. Addressing the widespread use of the term "deployment" in Korea, Park said the government has been in close talks with the international community on how to make a "contribution" to restoring stability in the region. Media reports have said assets under consideration for possible deployment included maritime patrol aircraft, explosive ordnance di

Sep 17, 2026

Passengers rescued after vessel runs aground in Occidental Mindoro

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — A passenger ship ran aground after midnight on Thursday near Sitio Sigman in Barangay Udalo, Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro, local disaster management officials said. The shipping company of the distressed vessel Roromaster 5 had initially reported that the grounded ship was carrying 80 passengers and 24 rolling cargo units from

Sep 17, 2026

‘Provocation’ could accelerate Taiwan reunification, retired PLA major general says

Progress towards reunifying with Taiwan hinges on factors like the island’s level of provocation, retired PLA major general Luo Yan told the South China Morning Post, warning that Taiwan’s leader had challenged Beijing’s red lines. Speaking on the sidelines of the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing on Wednesday, Luo said the timeline for reunification with mainland China was shaped by “the development of our national strength, our defence needs, the global security environment, as well as the degree of...

Sep 17, 2026

[READOUT] Where businesses can plug into the Luzon Corridor

Of the initiative’s roughly $20 billion worth of disclosed opportunities, 99% are in transport, logistics, and energy projects, underscoring how much of the corridor’s high-tech potential still depends on getting the basics right first

Sep 17, 2026

Washington balks at giving AI firms waiver to create safety standard

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's call for an antitrust waiver for AI firms to work together on a safety standard is being met with skepticism in Washington, where policymakers are questioning tech leaders' intentions. Congress has failed repeatedly to pass AI regulations for years, but some lawmakers are balking at the idea of technology companies taking...

Sep 17, 2026

Gov't work on September 28 suspended starting 1 p.m. for National Family Week

Malacañang on Thursday suspended government work on September 28, starting at 1 p.m. to commemorate the 34th National Family Week.

Sep 17, 2026

DFA alarmed by Israel's West Bank settlement plan, says it could violate int'l law

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday expressed alarm over the Israeli government's settlement plan in the West Bank, citing it could violate international law.

Sep 17, 2026

DITO Gaming Modem: who is it for?

The DITO Gaming Modem is a peculiar device. Behind the Team Liquid partnership and branding, the device is essentially a 5G wireless modem with one RJ45 LAN port. Because it runs on a 5G DITO SIM card, it’s portable and plug and play. It also goes without saying that this device works best in areas

Sep 17, 2026

Marcoleta won't ask court to let him participate in VP Sara impeachment trial

Senator Rodante Marcoleta on Thursday said he won"t ask the Sandiganbayan Third Division to allow him to participate in the impeachment trial of his ally, Vice President Sara Duterte.

Sep 17, 2026

Macalintal asks Marcos to veto 5-year term for barangay, SK officials

Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal on Thursday asked President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to veto the measure seeking to "fix" the term of office of barangay officials and members of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) to five years.

Sep 17, 2026

8 ex-NPA rebels surrender in Northern Samar

Sep 17, 2026

EU Commission proposes under-13s social media ban

Under the proposal, which will need to be negotiated with EU countries and the European Parliament in the coming months before it can become law, accounts for children between 13 and 15 will be under parental control

Sep 17, 2026

NEA seeks extra P7 billion to eliminate non-technical system losses

NEA says eliminating non-technical system losses will require a phased transition, with cooperatives needing billions in loans for metering and other upgrades before they can absorb the costs

Sep 17, 2026

Senators to have caucus on impeachment voting threshold

Following a consultation with amici curiae or friends of the court, the senator-judges will have a meeting regarding the voting threshold needed to either convict or acquit Vice President Sara Duterte in her impeachment trial.

Sep 17, 2026

Senators react to Rodrigo Duterte's first in-person appearance before ICC

Some senators on Thursday shared their reactions after former president Rodrigo Duterte made his first in-person appearance before the International Criminal Court.

Sep 17, 2026

Taipei donates coastguard vessel to Manila amid South China Sea tensions

Taiwan has quietly acknowledged donating a coastguard vessel to the Philippines, potentially adding to Manila’s maritime patrol capacity amid its long-running stand-off with Beijing in the South China Sea. Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration said on Wednesday that “this case” was being handled in line with previous transfers of vessels to the Marshall Islands, Palau and Tuvalu. Unlike those three Pacific states, which all maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taipei, the Philippines recognises...

Sep 17, 2026

Makati’s No. 4 most wanted arrested in Puerto Princesa

CALAPAN CITY — Police arrested Makati City’s No. 4 most wanted fugitive, who is facing a robbery with homicide case, during a manhunt operation in Puerto Princesa City on Wednesday afternoon. The 22-year-old suspect, a resident of Puerto Princesa, was arrested in Barangay Model based on a warrant issued on June 11, 2024, by the

Sep 17, 2026

First chemotherapy center in Occidental Mindoro to rise in Mamburao

CALAPAN CITY — Occidental Mindoro’s first chemotherapy center is set to be established in Mamburao, giving cancer patients access to treatment without having to travel outside the province, local officials said. The planned Prime Care Mamburao Chemotherapy Center is expected to provide chemotherapy services to patients from Mamburao and nearby municipalities. Among the services announced

Sep 17, 2026

Singapore Management University president highlights growing role of social sciences in AI era

SINGAPORE — As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes how businesses operate, governments make policy and people work, the skills needed to navigate its impact are extending far beyond technology — putting greater emphasis on human judgment, critical thinking and an understanding of society. Singapore Management University (SMU) President Lily Kong believes that shift will make the social sciences and management increasingly important in the AI era, as universities are tasked not only with teaching students how to use the technology, but also to question its output, understand its consequences and apply it responsibly. “I think that the more capable that AI becomes, the more valuable human judgment becomes,” Kong said in a recent interview with The Korea Times. For Kong, AI is not just a technological shift. As it reshapes workplaces, business decisions and public policy, universities must equip students to understand and manage its broader impact on society. She said SMU’s focus on management, social sciences and technology puts it in a strong position to prepare students for t

Sep 17, 2026

5-year term upheld for drunk driver who killed Japanese woman

A court of appeals on Thursday upheld a five-year prison sentence for a man in his 30s who was indicted for drunk driving in downtown Seoul and hitting a Japanese woman and her daughter last year, killing the mother. The appellate division of the Seoul Central District Court issued the ruling after dismissing the appeal filed by the man identified only by his surname Seo, saying there were no grounds to reduce his sentence or grant him leniency. Seo is accused of drunk driving after consuming three bottles of soju on the night of Nov. 2 last year and hitting the two Japanese women as they crossed a pedestrian crosswalk near Dongdaemun Station in Seoul's Jongno Ward. The mother in her 50s was taken to a nearby hospital in cardiac arrest and later died, while her daughter in her 30s sustained minor injuries. Seo's blood alcohol concentration was 0.212 percent, well above the 0.08 percent legal threshold for license revocation. The accident reportedly occurred on the first day of the two women's three-day trip to Korea. In early May, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Seo to five ye

Sep 17, 2026

Korea, France stage joint air drills to enhance interoperability

Korea and France staged a joint aerial exercise this week aimed at enhancing interoperability between their troops, the Korean Air Force said Thursday. The three-day drills, which kicked off Tuesday, took place at an air base in Cheongju, about 110 kilometers south of Seoul, according to the armed service. It marks the first joint drills between Korea and France in three years. The Air Force mobilized its F-35A stealth jets and KC-330 Cygnus multirole aerial tankers, among others, while the French Air Force deployed two Rafale fighter jets and an A-330 aerial refueling tanker for the drills. The French team was mobilized as part of France's "Pegase" mission designed to inspect its interoperability and deterrence capabilities with allied forces. The exercise is scheduled to take place across nine countries, including Canada, the United States and Japan, from Sept. 8 through Oct. 15. On Wednesday, the Korean and French air forces conducted mutual aerial refueling designed to enhance the understanding of their respective aerial refueling systems. The air forces also staged joint tactical flig

Sep 17, 2026

Korea's 1st unmanned military ground vehicle gets ready for battlefield

CHANGWON, South Gyeongsang Province — As an employee walked across a test track at Hanwha Aerospace’s Changwon Plant 2, a four-wheeled vehicle trailed several meters behind, matching his path without anyone at the controls. The vehicle was the Arion-SMET, Korea’s first multipurpose uncrewed ground vehicle selected for military deployment. “The Arion-SMET can autonomously follow a soldier in front without any intervention from the operator,” said Lee Yun-su, a research engineer at Hanwha Aerospace’s Manned-Unmanned Teaming R&D Center, during the demonstration Monday. The vehicle then picked up speed under remote control. It can travel at up to 60 kilometers per hour, allowing it to leave dangerous areas or deliver supplies, according to the company. A 7.62-millimeter remote-controlled weapon station mounted on top swiveled toward a target on the test ground. Even as the vehicle moved, the weapon remained trained on it. For the final demonstration, another Hanwha employee loaded supplies onto the vehicle and pressed a button on its side. With no driver aboard, the Arion-SMET mov

Sep 17, 2026

Lee vows to crack down on transnational crimes, scalping

President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday that he will root out transnational crimes, including voice phishing targeting Koreans. Lee made the remarks on social media while sharing a video showing the arrest of members of a scam ring hiding in Kazakhstan in a joint operation with the local government. "The notion that one can avoid capture by staying abroad must now be abandoned," Lee said, adding that anyone who commits crimes against Koreans will be thoroughly tracked down and punished, no matter where in the world they are hiding. Lee expressed gratitude to Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the Kazakh authorities for their active cooperation in busting the large-scale voice phishing ring. The Korean National Police Agency announced on Aug. 5 that investigators from a governmentwide special task force on transnational crimes apprehended 14 members of the Korean scam ring in the joint operation in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on July 23. Lee also vowed to crack down on scalpers, while sharing a news report about the arrest of a scalper who had made several billion won by purchasing tickets t

Sep 17, 2026

Sungkyunkwan University research offers design guidelines for organic solar cells

A Sungkyunkwan University research team has analyzed an ultrafast process through which electricity is generated in organic solar cells, offering design guidelines for developing more efficient materials. The university said Monday that the team, led by chemistry professors Kim Tae-yeon and Ko Doo-hyun, conducted the analysis, providing insights for the development of higher-performance solar cell materials. Organic solar cells are a next-generation clean energy technology prized for their flexibility and transparency. The silicon solar panels commonly seen on rooftops are heavy and rigid. Organic solar cells, by contrast, use lightweight, thin films that can be bent and shaped, making them a promising technology that could be integrated into windows or even clothing. More recently, non-fullerene acceptors have emerged as a new class of materials that can significantly improve the efficiency of converting sunlight into electricity. However, exactly how electricity is generated in these materials at the moment they absorb sunlight has remained uncertain. To unravel this mystery, the researc

Sep 17, 2026

9 sent to prosecution for alleged extortion targeting foreigners in Yangsan, Gimhae

Police have referred nine individuals to the prosecution on suspicion of intimidating and extorting money from foreign nationals operating unregistered motorcycles in the southeastern cities of Yangsan and Gimhae, local authorities said Thursday. According to the Yangsan Police Station, two suspects in their 20s allegedly extorted about 2 million won ($1,450) from foreign riders on 24 occasions between June and July in the city located some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul by threatening to report them to police. They actually did so when victims claimed they had no money. The suspects apparently targeted foreigners knowing they would not be reported to the police as the victims feared their own undocumented status or operation of unregistered motorcycles would be exposed. Similarly, seven teenagers in Gimhae, about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, were transferred to the prosecution on suspicion of intimidating foreign motorcyclists without license plates, such as by kicking their vehicles, in September 2025 and June 2026, according to the Gimhae Seobu Police Station. Police noted, h

Sep 17, 2026

Illegal imports of weight-loss drugs top 5,000 through Aug.: customs agency

Korea's customs agency said Thursday the number of attempted illegal imports of weight-loss medications, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, surged from a year earlier to exceed 5,000. A total of 5,030 cases involving the illegal import of weight-loss drugs through overseas direct purchases and other illicit channels were detected in the January-August period, far exceeding the 1,189 cases tallied for all of last year, according to data compiled by the Korea Customs Service. The customs agency has been working closely with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to inspect imported medications as part of efforts to protect public health from unauthorized products. While Wegovy and Mounjaro are prohibited from being brought into the country in travelers' hand luggage, a growing number of Koreans have attempted to purchase the medications from neighboring countries due to price differences. "The customs agency conducts X-ray scans and baggage inspections and returns or discards products that do not meet import requirements," the agency said. "If violations go beyond a failure to meet import requireme

Sep 17, 2026

Gov't supports bill easing restrictions on civilian contact with N. Koreans: lawmaker

The government has expressed support for a bill that would ease restrictions on South Koreans seeking to contact North Korean residents by removing its authority to block such contacts, officials said Thursday. Under the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act, South Korean nationals planning to make contact with North Koreans are required to file a report in advance with the unification ministry. The ministry may reject such requests if there are clear concerns that the contact may undermine inter-Korean cooperation or pose a threat to national security, public order or public welfare. A revision proposed by Rep. Kim Joon-hyung of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party seeks to remove the government's authority to reject such requests, and the government has decided to support the move, Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo of the main opposition People Power Party said, citing a report from the unification ministry. The ministry confirmed its position, saying, "The government supports the proposed revision, considering the law's purpose of promoting inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation, operating a system

Sep 17, 2026

President Lee set to meet IEA chief to discuss energy security

President Lee Jae Myung will meet with International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol on Thursday to discuss energy security and other global issues, his office said. The meeting at Cheong Wa Dae was arranged as a follow-up to Lee's proposal during the Group of Seven summit in June to discuss ways to cooperate to strengthen the resilience of Asia-Pacific nations' energy supply chain, it said in a press release. Lee and Birol plan to share views on ways to strengthen global energy security amid the intensifying energy and climate crises seen in the recent war in the Middle East and devastating flood in Nepal. Birol has been at the forefront of efforts to overcome the global energy crisis, such as by getting IEA member countries to release 400 million barrels of oil from their emergency reserves in response to the Middle East conflict in March, the presidential office said.

Sep 17, 2026

Special counsel team raids election watchdog in probe into ballot shortages

A special counsel team on Thursday raided the national election watchdog and other local election commissions as part of its probe into shortages of ballots during the June 3 local elections. It marked the first raid by special counsel Lee Tae-han's team after its launch on Sept. 7 to investigate the shortages that sparked major public outcry after some voters were forced to turn back without casting their votes. Lee's team sent investigators to nine locations, including the National Election Commission (NEC) based in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, and the local election commissions of Gyeonggi Province, Incheon, Busan and Daegu. Investigators seek to seize internal records in connection with the ballot shortages. During the elections, the shortages led to voting disruptions at some polling stations in Gyeonggi that surrounds the capital, the western city of Incheon, and the southeastern cities of Busan and Daegu. The special counsel team is tasked with investigating the election watchdog's management of ballot papers and suspected tampering of voter turnout data during the local election

Sep 17, 2026

Korean Catholic Church voices 'deep concerns' over abortion bill plan

The Korean Catholic Church has expressed "deep concerns" over government plans to formally introduce abortion pills and urged for a reconsideration. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea (CBCK) made the call in a statement issued Wednesday after the government announced plans to allow the use of abortion pills by women up to nine weeks pregnant. "The CBCK voices deep concerns as this measure would only institutionalize abortion in an 'orderly' manner, without changing its fundamental nature, while allowing a disregard for life to be more deeply rooted in our society," the organization said. The Korean Catholic Church said the phased introduction of abortion pills is merely a "road map" to expand them, stressing that regardless of how well the process is built, it does not change the fact that the pill kills a human life in the womb. The CBCK said a society that truly respects humans is not one that gets rid of the most vulnerable life to ease the difficulties of women but one that takes the responsibility so that women would not have to give up on new life. In such a regard, it asked

Sep 17, 2026

Chungnam National University students complete AI research program in US

Chungnam National University on Tuesday welcomed students who had returned from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) in the United States after completing research projects there. The welcome ceremony was organized by the university’s National Center of Excellence in Software project team and its affiliated Convergence Security Research Center. Chungnam National University said the ceremony brought together students in the Global Software & AI Talent Program and related university officials. Twenty-four students participated in the AI and Generative Models: From Algorithms to Applications research program. Students from the School of Computing and Artificial Intelligence and the Department of Artificial Intelligence in the College of Engineering were selected to participate in the four-week program at UIUC, beginning July 10. Upon their return, they presented the final results of the projects they carried out during their stay at the U.S. university, while also sharing their experiences there. The students conducted a range of advanced research projects focused on generati

Sep 17, 2026

Ex-President Yoon indicted over wife's luxury bag case

Prosecutors on Thursday indicted former President Yoon Suk Yeol on anti-graft charges in connection with his wife's alleged acceptance of a luxury bag in 2022, officials said. It marks the latest criminal indictment against the jailed former president, who is standing multiple trials following his failed 2024 martial law bid and subsequent ouster from office. In the latest case, Yoon faces charges of failing to report former first lady Kim Keon Hee's alleged receipt of the Dior bag, worth 3 million won ($2,170), from a pastor in 2022 as required by the anti-graft law, according to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office. Prosecutors had decided not to pursue charges over the case in October 2024, when Yoon served as president, citing a lack of connection to his official duties. The latest move comes after a Seoul district court in June convicted Kim on charges of accepting the luxury bag among other valuables in exchange for favors. The case is currently under review at an appellate court. Separately, prosecutors decided not to indict Yoon on charges of violating the election law fo

Sep 17, 2026

Busan unites foreign workers through sports, culture, safety

On the factory floors and shipyards of Korea’s second-largest city, foreign laborers power key sectors of the regional economy. Home to over 60,000 foreign residents, the southeastern port city of Busan relies heavily on migrant workers to keep its industrial hubs running. This weekend, city authorities are swapping heavy machinery for tug-of-war ropes, traditional folk dances and workplace safety quizzes to help those workers feel more at home. The city of Busan said Thursday that it will host its third annual Sports and Cultural Festival for foreign workers Sunday. Running from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Hwaam Park in the Gangseo District — a heavy industrial heartland housing hundreds of manufacturing plants — the event is expected to draw roughly 700 foreign workers, their families and local community leaders. Organized by the Busan Foreign Worker Support Center and backed by the city government along with local labor unions, the gathering aims to build community bridges in a country rapidly turning to overseas labor to offset its shrinking domestic workforce. The festival blends recr

8 ex-NPA rebels surrender in Northern Samar

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