China protests UK border searches, phone seizures amid growing espionage tensions

South China Morning Post - Oct 20, 2026

China has lodged a formal representation with the UK after British border authorities subjected Chinese citizens to extended questioning and seizures of personal electronic devices, including mobile phones. According to a statement from China’s embassy in Britain, multiple Chinese nationals – including trade delegates, tourists and people visiting relatives – have experienced long delays, as well as questioning by Border Force officers and confiscation of phones and other devices. The embassy...

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Laguna de Bay water level drops to 12.20 meters amid El Niño

Oct 20, 2026

Laguna de Bay water level drops to 12.20 meters amid El Niño

LUCENA CITY — The water level of Laguna de Bay dropped to 12.20 meters on Monday afternoon (Oct. 19), remaining below the 12.50-meter critical-high threshold, according to the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA).  The latest reading, recorded at 1 p.m., was 30 centimeters below the critical-high level, according to an LLDA advisory. READ: El Niño

Super Typhoon Champi’s trough to bring rain to parts of Luzon, Visayas

Oct 20, 2026

Super Typhoon Champi’s trough to bring rain to parts of Luzon, Visayas

MANILA, Philippines — The trough of Super Typhoon Champi, which is being monitored outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), will bring rain to most part of Luzon and Visayas on Tuesday, according to the state weather bureau.  In the 5 a.m. weather forecast of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration, weather specialist

N. Korea, Russia discuss ways to expand exchanges in education

Oct 20, 2026

N. Korea, Russia discuss ways to expand exchanges in education

The education ministers of North Korea and Russia have met in Pyongyang and discussed ways to expand exchanges in the education field, the North's state media reported Tuesday, amid deepening cooperation between the two nations. North Korean Education Minister Ri Yong-chol and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Kravtsov, held talks the previous day, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). A Russian delegation, led by Kravtsov, arrived in Pyongyang on Monday. "At the talks, the successes and experience gained by the two countries in the field of education were shared, and the issues of further boosting bilateral exchange and cooperation were discussed," the KCNA reported, without disclosing other details. In a separate dispatch, the KCNA said the Russian delegation toured the Pyongyang University of Education No. 2, a major educational institution for training teachers in the North, the previous day. The two nations signed a "supplementary agreement" to establish and operate a Russian education center in North Korea under a partnership between the Pyongyang university and Russia'

Lee welcomes 'dramatic rebound' in potential growth outlook

Oct 20, 2026

Lee welcomes 'dramatic rebound' in potential growth outlook

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday welcomed a rise in the country's potential growth rates as "a dramatic rebound" in the national economy's "basic physical strength." Lee wrote the message on his X account, referring to a recent upward revision of the country's potential growth rate projections by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to 2.14 percent this year and 2.2 percent in 2027. The figures mark the first consecutive annual increases in about 40 years. The president "welcomed" the projections, describing them as marking the first back-to-back increases since the late 1980s, when the country benefited from low oil prices, low interest rates and a strong won against the U.S. dollar. "It marks a dramatic rebound in the Korean economy's basic physical strength," he said, describing the trend as "a very positive sign." Based on the improvements, Korea will have to focus on sustaining growth and ensuring that its benefits are shared fairly by all, he noted.

Battery CEO's 4-year sentence upheld over fire that killed 23, mostly foreigners

Oct 20, 2026

Battery CEO's 4-year sentence upheld over fire that killed 23, mostly foreigners

The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a four-year prison sentence for Park Soon-kwan, CEO of lithium battery maker Aricell, over a factory fire that killed 23 workers, mostly foreigners, more than two years ago. The court dismissed appeals by prosecutors and the defendants, leaving intact an appellate ruling that sentenced Park's son, Park Joong-un, a senior executive at the company, to seven years in prison, along with a fine of 1 million won ($750). The court also upheld an 800 million won fine against Aricell. The fire at the company’s factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, on June 24, 2024, killed 17 Chinese nationals, one Lao national and five Koreans, and injured nine others. The blaze began on the second floor of Building No. 3, where workers inspected and packaged finished batteries, and spread rapidly as batteries exploded. The CEO was indicted on charges of failing to fulfill his statutory safety obligations, including checking for workplace hazards and preparing a manual for responding to serious accidents. The Supreme Court affirmed the lower court’s ruling that the chief e

Korea to launch military satellites aboard homegrown Nuri rocket in 2031

Oct 20, 2026

Korea to launch military satellites aboard homegrown Nuri rocket in 2031

Korea plans to launch military reconnaissance satellites aboard its homegrown Nuri rocket in 2031 to bolster its space surveillance capabilities, the aerospace agency said Tuesday. Oh Tae-seok, administrator of the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA), unveiled the plan during a Cabinet meeting following Nuri's successful fifth launch earlier this month, which placed five Earth observation microsatellites into orbit. The plan calls for at least one Nuri launch annually through 2032. Nuri's 11th launch, scheduled for 2031, will carry four electro-optical (EO) reconnaissance microsatellites. Korea has previously relied on foreign launch vehicles to deploy its military satellites. The rocket's 12th launch in 2032 will carry three companion satellites designed to operate alongside the Arirang 8 multipurpose satellite, which will be equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) capable of capturing images regardless of weather conditions or daylight. As part of its broader launch schedule, KASA also plans to deploy five additional Earth observation microsatellites in the second half of 2027 a

1 in cardiac arrest, 18 others injured in 2 building fires in southern Seoul

Oct 20, 2026

1 in cardiac arrest, 18 others injured in 2 building fires in southern Seoul

One person went into cardiac arrest and 18 others were injured Tuesday after separate fires broke out at two buildings in southern Seoul, fire authorities said. One of the fires began on the third floor of a building in Seoul's southern ward of Gangnam at 11:54 a.m., forcing some 60 people to evacuate, according to the authorities. The blaze left one person in cardiac arrest and 10 others injured. The second fire broke out on the fourth floor of a building located about 200 meters away at 12:01 p.m., leaving eight people injured. Authorities dispatched 115 firefighters to put out the fires after receiving a report that someone had started a fire. A fire official said in a briefing that the two fires so far appeared to be unrelated but that police will determine if they are, following their investigations. The police said they plan to investigate the exact causes, including the possibility of arson, once the fires are fully extinguished.

Gov't to promote pay transparency in job ads under 'nation normalization project'

Oct 20, 2026

Gov't to promote pay transparency in job ads under 'nation normalization project'

The government will seek to promote pay transparency in job ads, crack down on illegal street structures and root out the practice of disguising imported goods as locally made or laundering their country of origin as part of its "nation normalization project," officials said Tuesday. The prime minister's office announced a second batch of 30 tasks to tackle under the normalization project launched after President Lee Jae Myung ordered in March the correction of abnormal practices and systems, and deep-rooted illegal and illicit acts to improve the everyday lives of the people. Since then, the government had identified the first batch of 164 tasks, including adjusting speed limits in school zones, the standardization of beach umbrella fees, improving the opaque management system of studio apartments and banning illegal use of the Onnuri gift certificates the government issues to revitalize traditional markets. The additional 30 tasks announced Tuesday were selected from about 200 suggestions with a focus on resolving everyday public grievances, including preventing local council members

2 arrested over late-night mass brawl in Pyeongtaek

Oct 20, 2026

2 arrested over late-night mass brawl in Pyeongtaek

Police said Tuesday they have arrested two people for their alleged involvement in a late-night mass brawl between Central Asian nationals in Pyeongtaek earlier this month. The brawl, involving 21 suspects, took place at around 11:40 p.m. on Oct. 3 at a children's park in the city, about 60 kilometers south of Seoul, raising safety concerns among residents. The Pyeongtaek Police Station said it caught five suspects allegedly involved in the brawl -- all of whom are Kazakh or Kyrgyz nationals in their 20s or 30s. It placed two of the five under arrest for alleged assault. Police officials have issued exit bans on two other suspects while investigating the whereabouts of 14 others. They believe the fight broke out over a past dispute and is unrelated to gang activity. Most of the suspects are believed to be day laborers, with three of the five apprehended suspects being undocumented migrants.

Kookmin University professor named among World's Top 2% Scientists

Oct 20, 2026

Kookmin University professor named among World's Top 2% Scientists

Lee Do-youn, a professor at Kookmin University’s College of General Education, has been named to the 2026 World’s Top 2% Scientists list jointly released by Stanford University and Elsevier. The list identifies the top 2 percent of researchers in their respective fields based on a comprehensive analysis of research impact, including citation metrics and research output, using data from Elsevier’s Scopus database. Kookmin University said Lee has broadened her research beyond physical therapy and rehabilitation science to encompass epidemiology and public health. Her research has focused on chronic diseases, major health risk factors, long-term trends in disease burden and the effectiveness of rehabilitation treatments. More recently, she has analyzed large-scale health care data from Korea and other countries to examine trends in disease incidence and prevalence, the burden of mortality and disability, and health disparities by age and gender. She also conducts evidence-based health care research by synthesizing and evaluating scientific evidence on various health issues to support d

Sejong University program helps international freshmen adapt to campus life

Oct 20, 2026

Sejong University program helps international freshmen adapt to campus life

Sejong University said Sunday that its Sejong Korean Language and Culture Education Center, part of Daeyang Global College, completed a Campus Survival program last month to help newly enrolled international students adjust to university life in Korea. Held from Sept. 11-25, the program provided 408 international freshmen with practical Korean expressions and information about university life. It also gave them opportunities to interact with senior students. The program was selected as an outstanding initiative in a competition organized by the Ministry of Justice’s immigration integration division to promote early adaptation programs. The center ran the program in five sessions alongside the Campus Life Seminar, a required course for all newly enrolled international students. The sessions focused on helping students navigate everyday university life through practical information and useful Korean expressions. Five senior international students served as mentors, meeting with freshmen in small groups. They shared information on academic options and student support programs, including dou

Inaugural SCIA chief attends Cabinet meeting amid political neutrality concerns

Oct 20, 2026

Inaugural SCIA chief attends Cabinet meeting amid political neutrality concerns

Kim Ji-yong, the inaugural chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency (SCIA), attended a Cabinet meeting presided over by President Lee Jae Myung for the first time Tuesday, sparking controversy over the agency's political neutrality. Kim, who received his letter of appointment from Lee on Monday, was scheduled to hold his inauguration ceremony Tuesday afternoon. The SCIA was launched Oct. 2 as part of an overhaul of the criminal justice system that removed prosecutors' independent investigative powers. Kim emphasized the agency's political neutrality and independence before his appointment, saying he would decide whether to attend the Cabinet meeting after reviewing relevant laws and consulting with concerned agencies. Concerns have been raised that the participation of investigative agency and prosecution chiefs in Cabinet meetings could undermine their political neutrality and independence. In principle, even officials at the presidential office can be subject to investigation and prosecution, and holding weekly in-person meetings with the president itself could place political p

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