Red tide warning up over Samar’s Irong-Irong Bay

Inquirer.net - Oct 17, 2026

TACLOBAN CITY — A red tide warning has been issued for Irong-Irong Bay in Catbalogan City, Samar, after shellfish samples tested positive for paralytic shellfish toxin, prompting authorities to ban the gathering, sale and consumption of all types of shellfish and alamang from the affected waters. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in

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Lacson hits 3 minority senators over bid to oust Erwin Tulfo

Oct 17, 2026

Lacson hits 3 minority senators over bid to oust Erwin Tulfo

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Saturday questioned the motives of three minority senators who voted in favor of reconsidering a petition seeking to unseat Sen. Erwin Tulfo, saying their decision undermined justice and fairness. In a post on X, Lacson criticized the three senator-members of the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) who supported

Tourism Infra Authority, Ilocos Norte LGU to rehabilitate Paoay Golf Course 

Oct 17, 2026

Tourism Infra Authority, Ilocos Norte LGU to rehabilitate Paoay Golf Course 

SAN ILDEFONSO, Ilocos Sur — The provincial government of Ilocos Norte and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) will rehabilitate the Paoay Golf Course. The plan is to restore it as a public-access recreational destination and boost local tourism. In a statement on Saturday, Gov. Cecilia Araneta-Marcos said she and TIEZA Chief Operating

Most wanted man in Oriental Mindoro falls; ex-rebel turns himself in

Oct 17, 2026

Most wanted man in Oriental Mindoro falls; ex-rebel turns himself in

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — A man listed as Oriental Mindoro’s most wanted person was arrested, while a former communist rebel surrendered in Occidental Mindoro on Friday, Oct. 16, police said. In a report on Saturday, the Police Regional Office Mimaropa said the 48-year-old wanted man was nabbed at 6:10 p.m. in Barangay Pag-asa, Bansud,

Incheon stabbing raises questions over effectiveness of electronic ankle monitors

Oct 17, 2026

Incheon stabbing raises questions over effectiveness of electronic ankle monitors

The recent stabbing rampage in Incheon by a repeat violent offender wearing an electronic ankle monitor has raised doubts about the system's ability to prevent violent crime. The case has sparked calls for tighter supervision of high-risk offenders, beyond simply tracking their movements. On Tuesday, a man in his 50s previously convicted of attempted murder went on a stabbing attack at a shopping complex in Incheon, injuring nine people. The suspect was wearing an electronic ankle monitor despite having repeatedly violated his supervision conditions and recently been booked by police for possessing a weapon. The suspect was sentenced to four years in prison in 2015 for attempting to murder his ex-wife by stabbing her. After his release in 2019, he was required to wear an electronic ankle monitor until 2029. Despite the monitoring, he was fined in 2021 for violating his curfew four times and was booked by police last month for possessing a weapon. He also reportedly met with his probation officer on the day of the attack. The case has sparked public criticism over whether electronic ankle

Korean 'haenyeo' diver honored by UN for work in food systems, rural life

Oct 17, 2026

Korean 'haenyeo' diver honored by UN for work in food systems, rural life

When Sung Jung-hee slips into the cold waters off Korea’s eastern coast, she wears no oxygen tank — just a mask, a weight belt and four decades of practical instincts from making her living harvesting the ocean floor by hand. That lifetime of hard labor and leadership earned international recognition earlier this week when the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations named Sung one of 100 women honored globally for their contributions to food systems and rural life. Timed to mark the International Year of the Woman Farmer, the distinction recognizes 100 visionary leaders, scientists and community advocates driving sustainable change across global food and maritime networks. Selected from nearly 600 nominees submitted by member nations, Sung is the only honoree from Korea. Sung also serves as head of the Guryongpo fishing community and president of the Gyeongbuk Haenyeo Association. Beyond her daily dives, she has spent years improving working conditions, expanding welfare support for fellow divers and elevating the public profile of women in coastal industries. Her sel

N. Korea tests new precision-guided torpedo using AI: KCNA

Oct 17, 2026

N. Korea tests new precision-guided torpedo using AI: KCNA

North Korea said Saturday it has conducted an underwater test of a new high-speed precision-guided torpedo weapon system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology, noting that the test heralds a "significant" change in the North's naval capabilities. North Korea test-fired the Zam-2.0 super-speed precision-guided torpedo weapon system Thursday to confirm the successful technical upgrade of the weapon, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). It did not disclose further details of the weapon. Key national defense officials who oversaw the weapon test assessed that it "served as a great success foreseeing a significant change in the actual development of the Navy," the KCNA said. North Korea said AI technology was applied to the target detection and the guidance function of the torpedo. "The test proved the core technology for raising the efficiency of propulsion and the performance of rocket propulsion devices," the KCNA said, adding more than 180 rounds of related tests have been conducted over the past five years. Experts said the newly disclosed weapon system could be

Securing equipment emerges as new variable for Korea's chip expansion plans

Oct 17, 2026

Securing equipment emerges as new variable for Korea's chip expansion plans

Securing equipment for manufacturing advanced memory chips is emerging as a new variable in Korea's plans to expand semiconductor production capacity through large-scale industrial clusters, after ASML, the dominant supplier of advanced chipmaking equipment, warned that its current production plans may not be sufficient to meet demand in 2027 and 2028. During its earnings call Wednesday, ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet said the company's plans to increase its production capacity for advanced chipmaking equipment by 30 percent in 2027 and another 30 percent in 2028 would likely not be enough to meet customer demand. “Last quarter, we talked about 30 percent more capacity next year, and also the aspiration to have another 30 percent increase in 2028,” Fouquet said. “But to be honest, it's becoming very clear that 30 percent in 2027, 30 percent in 2028 will not allow us to meet our customer demand.” According to the company, the planned capacity increases cover both low-numerical-aperture extreme ultraviolet (low-NA EUV) lithography equipment and deep ultraviolet (DUV) immersion system

Sejong relocation set to worsen KTX seat shortage

Oct 17, 2026

Sejong relocation set to worsen KTX seat shortage

Civil servants commuting from Seoul to Sejong face growing concerns over an already severe shortage of high-speed rail tickets, as the government prepares to relocate thousands of officials to the administrative city. Kim, a 52-year-old civil servant who commutes from his home in Seoul to Government Complex Sejong, said he was worried after the government recently announced its second-phase relocation plan for central government agencies. Even now, securing a high-speed train ticket departing from Seoul is difficult. The large-scale transfer of government personnel could make finding a seat even harder. “If you let your guard down and miss the ticket reservations, which open a month in advance, you could end up arriving late to work or having to take a half-day off,” Kim said. “If nearly 3,000 civil servants move to Sejong next year alone, the morning commute will be nothing short of a battle.” The government's second-phase relocation plan has stirred concern among officials in Sejong. Many are expected to continue commuting from Seoul and other existing places of residence, at l

Dispute intensifies over street food stalls near Seoul elementary school

Oct 17, 2026

Dispute intensifies over street food stalls near Seoul elementary school

As autumn reaches its peak, street food stalls across from Yeomni Elementary School in Seoul's Mapo District begin lighting up one by one in the early evening. On Oct. 8, the aroma of spicy rice cakes spread through the street. Office workers heading home and nearby residents gathered at the stalls, where drinking sessions continued late into the night. As the cooler season draws more visitors to outdoor dining spots, a long-running dispute between local residents and street vendors near the school has intensified once again. In the spring, parents launched a petition calling for the removal of the stalls, citing pedestrian safety and concerns about children's exposure to drinking and smoking. This autumn, vendors have countered with their own petition campaign, urging authorities to protect their livelihoods. The stalls have stood near Yeomni Elementary School for decades, but tensions have escalated recently after the area gained popularity on social media as a cherry blossom-season outdoor dining destination, dubbed the "cherry blossom night market." A sudden influx of visitors durin

Musinsa teams up with Japan's ZOZOTOWN for 1st Korean pop-up

Oct 17, 2026

Musinsa teams up with Japan's ZOZOTOWN for 1st Korean pop-up

Fashion platform Musinsa has teamed up with ZOZOTOWN, one of Japan's leading online fashion retailers, to open a pop-up store in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, a popular destination for young consumers. Musinsa opened the doors to ZOZOTOWN in Musinsa, the Japanese platform’s first official pop-up store in Korea, to the media on Friday. The pop-up will run through Oct. 31, while an accompanying online promotion will continue until Nov. 16. Launched in 2004, ZOZOTOWN features more than 11,000 brands and serving over 13 million customers annually. Fifteen Japanese fashion brands available on the platform, including Snidel and Grancy, are participating in the event. The pop-up’s concept, ZOZO is Coming to Town, draws inspiration from Korean streets. Crosswalks, road markings and oversized three-dimensional typography have been incorporated into the space to create the impression of an intersection where Korean and Japanese fashion meet. The pop-up follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two platforms in December 2024 to establish a strategic partnership. In November last y

Number of deepfake sex videos up for review exceeds last year's figure in 8 months

Oct 17, 2026

Number of deepfake sex videos up for review exceeds last year's figure in 8 months

The number of deepfake sex crime videos pending review by a Korean media regulator has surpassed 17,000 as of August this year, already surpassing last year's total, data showed Saturday. The state-run Korea Communications Standards Commission has received 17,378 cases of sex crime videos using deepfake technology for review from January to August, according to data submitted to Rep. Lee Yeon-hee of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. This represents a nearly 9.9 percent increase from last year's total of 15,808 cases. The number of videos sent for review had gradually increased from 1,913 in 2021 to 3,574 in 2022, 7,187 in 2023 and 23,109 in 2024 before falling to 15,808 cases in 2025. "With the number of reviews of deepfake sexual content already exceeding last year's annual total, it is essential to closely examine the current situation and response mechanisms," Rep. Lee said, calling for effective measures to prevent the spread of the content and protect victims.

Korea expresses regret over Japan PM's offering to controversial war shrine

Oct 17, 2026

Korea expresses regret over Japan PM's offering to controversial war shrine

The Korean government expressed regret Saturday after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent a ritual offering to a war shrine seen as a symbol of Japan's imperialistic past. Takaichi sent the offering earlier Saturday in her capacity as prime minister to mark the start of the Yasukuni Shrine's three-day autumn festival. But she plans to refrain from visiting the shrine in person during the festival, Japan's Kyodo News reported, citing sources close to the prime minister. The Yasukuni Shrine honors some 2.46 million Japanese war dead, including 14 Class A criminals convicted by international tribunals for their roles in World War II. In a statement, Seoul's foreign ministry said it "once again expresses deep disappointment and regret" that responsible Japanese leaders have "repeatedly sent offerings to or visited Yasukuni Shrine, which glorifies Japan's past war of aggression and enshrines war criminals." It urged Japan's leaders to "face history squarely and demonstrate humble reflection on and sincere remorse for the past through action." "We once again stress that such steps are a

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