BIFF names Chinese auteur Zhang Yimou as Competition jury chief

The Korea Times - Sep 17, 2026

Renowned Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou has been tapped as jury president for the main Competition section of the upcoming Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), organizers said Thursday. Zhang will lead a seven-member jury that also includes Chinese filmmaker Bi Gan, Japanese director Kei Ishikawa, Vietnamese producer Tran Thi Bich Ngoc and Korean director July Jung, according to BIFF. Also serving on the jury are Korean actor Choi Hee-seo and Kazakhstani actor Samal Yeslyamova, it added. The jury will choose the winners for the Busan Award among 13 films shortlisted for the Competition section that was first introduced last year. Zhang has won top prizes at prestigious film festivals, including the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival for his directorial debut "Red Sorghum" (1987) and the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival for "The Story of Qiu Ju" (1992) and "Not One Less" (1999). He also received the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival for "To Live" (1994). The 31st edition of BIFF, Asia's biggest film fest, will run in the southeastern po

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Seoul city to hike Han River ferry fares for weekends starting next year

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Confirmation hearing reports adopted for justice, defense minister nominees

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

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

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

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

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Wendy, fromis_9 agency warn of legal action over privacy violations

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Condoleezza Rice, Lee Kyung-chul receive inaugural Lee Hong-koo Diplomacy Award

Condoleezza Rice, Lee Kyung-chul receive inaugural Lee Hong-koo Diplomacy Award

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Lee faces no-win dilemma as justice minister nominee row threatens prosecution reform

Lee faces no-win dilemma as justice minister nominee row threatens prosecution reform

President Lee Jae Myung is facing a high-stakes dilemma over his justice minister nominee: push forward with Kim Seung-won's appointment at the cost of further eroding his approval ratings or withdraw the nomination and lose momentum on his flagship prosecution reform agenda. Political insiders suggest Lee will press ahead regardless. Analysts say he is likely to frame the standoff as a defining battle for prosecutorial reform — a direct confrontation with what his camp describes as political prosecutors resistant to change. “The (ruling) Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) appears poised to push forward with the appointment, while opposition parties are expected to gauge public sentiment following President Lee’s press conference scheduled on Friday before deciding whether to launch full-fledged street protests,” Seo Yang-ho, a political commentator and former mayor of Seoul’s Jung District, was quoted saying on a TV news program. “At its core, Kim Seung-won's nomination is not simply a Cabinet appointment; it represents a fundamental clash between forces driving President Lee

Assembly passes confirmation motion for Supreme Court justice nominee

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The National Assembly on Thursday passed the confirmation motion for Supreme Court Justice nominee Kim Sung-soo. During a plenary session, the Assembly endorsed the confirmation motion for Kim in a 227-28 vote, with 13 abstentions. Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae last month recommended Kim to President Lee Jae Myung for appointment as the successor to former Supreme Court Justice Lee Heung-ku. Kim's parliamentary confirmation hearing took place Monday and rival parties adopted his confirmation hearing report Wednesday. Kim will become the first Supreme Court justice to take office since the launch of the Lee administration if the president approves his appointment.

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The Red Ribbon on the Earth | Seizing the Luding Bridge

The Red Ribbon on the Earth | Seizing the Luding Bridge

Held up on the banks of the Dadu River by a lack of ferries to carry its soldiers and equipment across, the Central Red Army was under imminent threat from a vast, rapidly-approaching enemy force. To open up an alternative route across the river, the Red Army's 4th Regiment was ordered to capture the Luding Bridge, 120 kilometers away.

The Long March History | Capturing Luding Bridge

The Long March History | Capturing Luding Bridge

In late May 1935, the Central Red Army reached the banks of the Dadu River in Sichuan Province. However, their attempts to cross were severely hampered by the limited number of boats available and the river's swift, turbulent current.

The Red Ribbon on the Earth | Held Up at the Dadu River

The Red Ribbon on the Earth | Held Up at the Dadu River

In late May 1935, the Central Red Army reached the banks of the Dadu River in Sichuan. However, the possibility of crossing it was complicated by a severe shortage of available ferries.

Intl. media outlets highlight China's role in BRICS cooperation

Intl. media outlets highlight China's role in BRICS cooperation

Intl. media outlets highlight China's role in BRICS cooperation

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Japan’s Natuna port proposal highlights Indonesia’s balancing act on China

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Hong Kong aims to raise innovation spending to 3% of GDP by about 2030

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