China close to matching US spending on ‘new way of war’, Republican senator warns

South China Morning Post - Oct 20, 2026

The United States is lulling itself into a “sense of false security” over its military rivalry with China, according to a Republican senator who called for more spending on modern warfare systems and closer cooperation with allies. Speaking at the Hudson Institute after a recent trip to Japan and South Korea, Dave McCormick, a Pennsylvania senator and West Point graduate, claimed up to 90 per cent of US defence spending funded decades-old equipment and technologies. “We convince ourselves; we...

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Korea to launch military satellites aboard homegrown Nuri rocket in 2031

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

President Lee calls for all-out efforts to boost housing supply

President Lee calls for all-out efforts to boost housing supply

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday stressed the need to cut the time required for administrative procedures in building homes, calling for all-out efforts to boost housing supply. The president made the call during a Cabinet meeting as runaway housing prices persist despite the government's efforts to cool the market. "Stable housing is the foundation for practical improvements in people's lives," Lee said, citing a decline in housing construction permits and the supply of new land for real estate development over the past three years as reasons for disruptions in housing supply. "In order to resolve the current problems in the real estate market, created by various factors that have accumulated over the years, consistent market management policies and large-scale housing supply measures should be implemented promptly," he added. Lee instructed officials to make all-out efforts to boost housing supply by cutting the time needed to prepare land for development and granting administrative permits for house construction as quickly as possible, "without being constrained by customary practic

Lee to hold 2nd plenary meeting on deregulation this week

Lee to hold 2nd plenary meeting on deregulation this week

President Lee Jae Myung will attend a meeting this week aimed at easing regulations to help nurture advanced industries and ensure balanced development, his office said Tuesday. The second plenary meeting of the regulation rationalization committee will be held Friday following the first session in April, according to Cheong Wa Dae. The upcoming meeting is expected to discuss ways to ease regulations to support the Lee administration's development plan focusing on regional growth, as well as its push to secure absolute global leadership in cutting-edge industries. As part of the discussion, officials will present solutions to regulatory obstacles to advancing growth-engine industries, including robotics, semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, self-driving vehicles and biotechnology, the presidential office said. They are also expected to delve into discussions on rationalizing unnecessary regulations to promote the growth of venture companies. Friday's meeting will bring together officials from Cheong Wa Dae and the finance, science, interior, industry, health, labor,

Man sent to prosecutors for allegedly murdering mother-in-law, kidnapping wife

Man sent to prosecutors for allegedly murdering mother-in-law, kidnapping wife

Police on Tuesday referred a man to the prosecution for allegedly murdering his mother-in-law and kidnapping his wife, officials said. The man, identified as 26-year-old Kim Sung-woo, is accused of stabbing his mother-in-law to death at her home in southern Seoul on Oct. 11 before kidnapping his wife who had been staying there, according to the Seoul Songpa Police Station. Kim allegedly assaulted his wife in the face when she was confined in his vehicle before police rescued her and took him into custody in Yangyang County, about 150 kilometers east of Seoul, hours after the alleged murder. The police station said it recommended charges of retaliatory murder, retaliatory confinement, aggravated assault and violations of laws on stalking and domestic violence against Kim to the prosecution. Kim's wife had applied for divorce mediation in August before withdrawing it to seek an annulment of their marriage. The suspect had stalked his wife on 18 occasions between Sept. 16 to Oct. 11, waiting for her near his in-law's home, the police said. Investigators are putting weight on the possibility t

[COVER STORY] Should women serve? Korea's female conscription debate is back as troop pool shrinks

[COVER STORY] Should women serve? Korea's female conscription debate is back as troop pool shrinks

South Korea’s decade-old debate over female conscription resurfaced during a National Assembly audit this month, amid growing concerns that a shrinking draft-eligible population could undermine military readiness. During a National Assembly defense committee audit on Oct. 12, opposition lawmakers raised the issue, arguing that the time has come for a public discussion as the eligible male population continues to fall. Defense ministry data shows the pool of 20-year-old men eligible for service dropped from 332,000 in 2019 to 257,000 in 2022, and is projected to fall further to 228,000 by 2035 and 120,000 by 2043. Rep. Yoo Yeong-ha of the main opposition People Power Party said, "Now, we must officially put female conscription on the table. This will also require broad societal consensus." Rep. Chun Ha-ram of the Reform Party used the term “gender-equal conscription” — meaning mandatory service for both men and women — to call for a broader discussion on reforming the system. “If we continue wringing a dry towel without even considering gender-equal conscription as an option,

Unification ministry urges N. Korea to halt armistice violations, respond to dialogue efforts

Unification ministry urges N. Korea to halt armistice violations, respond to dialogue efforts

The unification ministry on Tuesday urged North Korea to refrain from escalating tensions along the inter-Korean border and respond to Seoul's efforts to resolve issues related to the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). The appeal came a day after Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, threatened to deploy more tactical weapons near the southern border and consider resuming loudspeaker broadcasts targeting South Korea in response to the South Korean military's warning shots and broadcasts over North Korean troops' repeated crossings of the MDL. "To fundamentally resolve tensions and the risk of clashes related to the MDL, the two sides need to reconcile their positions on the MDL and establish a communication system for its peaceful management as soon as possible," the ministry said. The ministry also called on Pyongyang to respond to efforts "to prevent unnecessary escalation and achieve an effective resolution of the issues," stressing that North Korean acts violating the Armistice Agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War must cease immediately. In a state

Key gov't-led DMZ projects remain stalled as UNC denies clearance over safety risks

Key gov't-led DMZ projects remain stalled as UNC denies clearance over safety risks

Several government-led environmental and historical initiatives inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) have been stalled for over two years as the U.S.-led United Nations Command (UNC) continues to withhold clearance, citing safety risks, Seoul officials said Tuesday. South Korea launched a series of DMZ initiatives in 2020, ranging from ecological and forestry studies to the recovery of lost villages and exploring potential UNESCO World Heritage candidate sites, to implement a 2018 inter-Korean summit agreement to transform the tense border area into a peace zone. The projects had proceeded throughout the years, except for the winter seasons, and continued even during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the projects were suspended in May 2024 after the UNC, which holds authority over DMZ entry control under the Armistice Agreement — a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War — refused to give clearance, citing changes to the security situation along the heavily fortified border. Tensions had flared up between the two Koreas at the time, triggered by South Korea-based civic groups' sending of anti-

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