Asia Viral News - Most Recent

Most Recent

Sep 16, 2026

Korea welcomes Central Asia's leaders

The presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan gathered in Seoul on Wednesday for the first Korea-Central Asia Summit, elevating their partnership that began with the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992 to the highest level. Held under the slogan "Walking Together Toward the Future: Partnership for Trust and Prosperity," the summit aims to chart a shared path forward in trade, supply chains, digital innovation and people-to-people exchanges, opening a new chapter built on three decades of cooperation. Kazakhstan Central Asia's largest economy and major energy producer Capital: Astana Population: 20.59 million (ethnic Korean population: 122,554) President: Kassym-Jomart Tokayev Establishment of diplomatic relations with Korea: Jan. 28, 1992 Trade volume: $4.36 billion (2025) Exports to Kazakhstan: $3 billion Imports from Kazakhstan: $1.36 billion Kyrgyz Republic Mountainous terrain with significant water resources and gold production Capital: Bishkek Population: 7.37 million (ethnic Korean population: 18,434) President: Sadyr Japarov Establishment of diplomatic

Sep 16, 2026

Korea, Central Asia to chart shared path at inaugural summit

Korea and five Central Asian nations are set to hold their first-ever summit in Seoul on Wednesday, elevating nearly two decades of institutional cooperation to the leadership level as both sides seek closer ties in critical minerals, supply chains and Eurasian connectivity. Korean President Lee Jae Myung will host Kazakhstan's Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyzstan's Sadyr Japarov, Tajikistan's Emomali Rahmon, Turkmenistan's Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Uzbekistan's Shavkat Mirziyoyev for the meeting under the slogan “Walking Together Toward the Future: Partnership for Trust and Prosperity.” The six leaders are expected to adopt a joint Seoul Declaration outlining an expanded framework for cooperation. Why Central Asia matters now The summit comes at a time of intensifying global interest in Central Asia. With a combined population of some 80 million, the region's energy reserves, mineral wealth and position at the crossroads of major continental trade routes have drawn a wave of summit-level diplomacy from the world's largest economies in recent years. The result is a new diplomatic norm

Sep 16, 2026

Power of short-form videos sends 13-year-old K-pop song up the charts

“We wanted so badly to make the top 100 when we were promoting this song. I never imagined it would climb the charts all these years later…” Former BESTie member Uji shared her excitement on social media after “Love Options” entered the charts on Melon, Korea’s largest music streaming platform, 13 years after its release. Released in 2013 as the group’s second single, “Love Options” is enjoying the attention that eluded it during BESTie’s active years. In a music scene flooded with new releases, such belated breakthroughs are rare. Their unpredictability is also part of the appeal: There is no telling when an old song will catch on or what will set it off. “Love Options” entered Melon’s daily chart on Aug. 27 and climbed to No. 175 as of Sept. 7. It has also appeared on Apple Music’s Top 100 chart for Korea and YouTube Music’s weekly chart, while reaching No. 1 on music recognition service Shazam’s charts in both Korea and Vietnam. The spark was a fan-made short video that paired a performance of Hearts2Hearts’ “Lemon Tang” with “Love Options.” T

Sep 16, 2026

Seoul bus strike averted after last-minute wage deal

Seoul city buses will operate normally Wednesday after labor and management reached a last-minute wage agreement early in the morning, averting a strike that had been scheduled to begin at 4 a.m. The two sides reached the agreement at around 1:50 a.m. after nearly 12 hours of negotiations at the Seoul Regional Labor Relations Commission. Under the deal, wages will rise 3.2 percent in 2026, up 0.3 percentage point from last year's 2.9 percent increase. The two sides, however, left unresolved a key dispute over the number of monthly working hours used to calculate ordinary wages. They agreed to determine the calculation standard after a related Supreme Court ruling expected later this year. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it has lifted emergency transportation measures prepared for the strike and that public transportation will operate as usual.

Sep 16, 2026

Parliamentary committee adopts confirmation hearing report for Supreme Court justice nominee

A parliamentary committee on Wednesday adopted a confirmation hearing report for Supreme Court Justice nominee Kim Sung-soo, paving the way for his appointment to the top court. The approval came after the special parliamentary committee held a confirmation hearing for Kim on Monday. In the report, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea made a positive assessment of Kim, saying his "sincere and thoughtful responses" demonstrated his commitment to political neutrality and judicial independence. The main opposition People Power Party, however, said he was unfit for the post, raising questions over his qualifications and political neutrality as a Supreme Court justice. Kim's appointment will be finalized after a vote in a parliamentary plenary session expected to take place Thursday, followed by his formal appointment by President Lee Jae Myung. If approved, Kim will become the first Supreme Court justice to take office under the Lee administration.

Sep 16, 2026

Korea, OECD hold seminar on governance of state-run enterprises

The finance ministry said Wednesday it hosted a seminar on the governance of state-run enterprises with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), sharing perspectives on managing such enterprises in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). The Ministry of Finance and Economy said the Korea-OECD Seminar on Corporate Governance of State-Owned Enterprises took place in Paris on Tuesday, bringing together policy officials from 28 countries and organizations to share their experiences. During the meeting, Korea emphasized the need for countries to share their experiences to help state-run enterprises provide reliable public services and deliver sustainable results amid climate change and digital transformation. The participants discussed the opportunities and risks AI technologies present for state-run firms, including cybersecurity and the responsible use of AI. Participants shared their experiences in balancing the enterprises' commercial and noncommercial objectives, with Korea outlining its methods for evaluating the companies and providing incentives. "The governme

Sep 16, 2026

Marine Corps, Navy hold large-scale amphibious landing drills on southeast coast

The Navy and Marine Corps are currently undertaking a joint regular amphibious landing exercise on the country's southeast coast, with a focus on incorporating manned and unmanned combat systems to enhance joint capabilities, the armed forces said Wednesday. The division-level landing drills kicked off last Thursday and will run through Saturday, with about 5,700 troops deployed to Pohang, about 270 kilometers southeast of Seoul, the Marine Corps and the Navy said in a statement. The drills involve the 14,000-ton Marado amphibious assault ship, Marine helicopters, P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, FA-50 light attack fighters and C-130 transport aircraft, among others. The joint amphibious landing exercise culminates in the "Decisive Action" phase, where landing forces execute coordinated assault operations by sea and air. This complex sequence requires exceptional teamwork and joint interoperability among all participating forces, the armed forces said. Reflecting the changing modern warfare, the joint exercise incorporated uncrewed systems tied to experimental combat concepts, veri

Sep 16, 2026

Ex-President Yoon acquitted of perjury in appellate trial

An appellate court on Wednesday acquitted former President Yoon Suk Yeol of committing perjury during the insurrection trial of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. The Seoul High Court ruled that Yoon did not appear to have given false testimony during the November trial when he claimed to have intended to convene a Cabinet meeting before he declared martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. The ruling is consistent with a lower court's acquittal in May. "It is difficult to believe that the defendant, given his status and experience, did not know a declaration of martial law should be preceded by deliberations at a Cabinet meeting," the appellate court said. "In fact, he likely tried to meet the minimum requirements for declaring martial law." Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team had indicted the former president on charges of perjury, saying he had initially called only six Cabinet members to his office but later changed his mind at Han's suggestion to meet the quorum for a full Cabinet meeting. The team had requested a 10 million-won ($7,332) fine for Yoon. The appellate court sided with the former pre

Sep 16, 2026

Korea expands China routes, gives more flight rights to LCCs

The transport ministry said Wednesday it has allocated rights for 25 international routes to 10 airlines, opening more lucrative opportunities for low-cost carriers on flights linking Korea and China. The allocation includes additional services connecting Incheon, Korea's main international gateway, with major Chinese cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Dalian, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Flight entitlements on the Incheon-Beijing route increased from 38 to 52 flights per week, while those on the Incheon-Shanghai route rose from 56 to 63 per week. Weekly flight entitlements also increased from 21 to 28 flights each for Guangzhou and Dalian, from 11 to 14 flights for Nanjing, and from 10 to 14 flights each for Changsha and Hangzhou. Among the low-cost carriers receiving flight rights to China were Parata Air Co., Jeju Air Co., Jin Air Co., Eastar Jet Co. and Air Premia Co. The allocation follows a recent agreement between South Korea and China to expand bilateral flight rights for the first time in seven years. It also comes as the governme

Sep 16, 2026

N. Korea slams US over S. Korea, Japan's nuclear submarine push

North Korea on Wednesday accused the United States of instigating South Korea and Japan to push for acquiring nuclear-powered submarines, using the criticism to justify its own nuclear buildup. The North made the criticism after a U.S. Navy official assessed Seoul and Tokyo's pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines in a meeting with reporters in Hawaii on Thursday. The official said Seoul needs a clear operational rationale for pursuing nuclear-powered submarines, rather than treating them as a "status symbol," while voicing a more favorable view of Tokyo's push to acquire them. In a commentary carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a North Korean analyst on international affairs claimed discussions were "intended to instigate" both countries "to possess nuclear submarines," and accused Washington of serving as "the major chieftain of the worldwide nuclear proliferation." The analyst also claimed Washington was using AUKUS, a security partnership comprising the U.S., Britain and Australia, to extend nuclear submarine technology to its allies, like South Korea and Japan. "The real

Page 1