Demerit system for contractors ‘not ruled out’, Hong Kong development chief says

South China Morning Post - Nov 8, 2026

Hong Kong authorities have not ruled out introducing a demerit points system for contractors, the development chief has said, after an independent inquiry into last year’s deadly Tai Po fire identified unscrupulous consultants and building professionals as the main culprits of the tragedy. Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said on Sunday that the government was also considering introducing new conditions for homeowners who applied for its building maintenance subsidy scheme,...

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Gov't weighs tighter social media restrictions for minors, targeting addictive features

Gov't weighs tighter social media restrictions for minors, targeting addictive features

The government is considering expanding restrictions on minors’ social media use beyond age limits for account registration to include regulations on recommendation algorithms and platform features to curb excessive use. However, questions remain over how the proposed measures can effectively protect minors from excessive social media use while safeguarding their freedom of expression and access to information. According to the Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC), Sunday, it is considering amendments to the Information and Communications Network Act to prohibit children under 14 from creating social media accounts and require platform operators to verify users’ ages. The commission first proposed the measures during a presidential policy briefing in July. The proposed measures also include disabling personalized recommendation algorithms that analyze users’ interests and browsing histories, as well as features such as infinite scrolling that could encourage excessive use, by default for accounts belonging to users aged 14 to 19. It aims to finalize the measures by the

Defense committee chair says OPCON agreement stands despite US midterm outcome

Defense committee chair says OPCON agreement stands despite US midterm outcome

The United States acknowledged that certain policy-related variables could affect the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to Seoul, but reaffirmed its commitment to the existing bilateral agreement that the handover will proceed based on agreed conditions, a Korean lawmaker said Sunday. Rep. Jin Sung-joon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), who chairs the National Assembly’s National Defense Committee, briefed reporters at the National Assembly on the outcome of a parliamentary delegation’s trip to the United States from Nov. 1 to 5. He said the delegation was granted entry approval only at the last minute, but was still able to proceed with its scheduled visit to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and its subordinate component commands in Hawaii. Asked whether the Democratic sweep in the U.S. midterm elections could affect the OPCON transfer process, Jin said he did not expect any significant changes. "Korea and the U.S. have discussed and reached agreements over OPCON transfer for more than 20 years. A Democratic victory (in the U.S.) would not affect the existing bil

Rare view of N. Korean artillery draws 13,000 visitors to border park

Rare view of N. Korean artillery draws 13,000 visitors to border park

More than 13,000 people visited Aegibong Peace Ecopark in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, over a 10-day period, to catch a rare glimpse of a North Korean self-propelled howitzer visible from the observatory. Despite the heightened tensions between the two Koreas, a total of 13,243 people visited the park from Oct. 26 to Nov. 4, up 7.5 percent from 12,321 during the same period last year, according to Gimpo city, Sunday. The increase came after images published by local media showing a North Korean self-propelled howitzer stationed along the North Korean coast, about 1.5 kilometers from the observatory, went viral. Weekday visits rose sharply, with daily number of visitors reaching 1,000 to 1,200, up as much as 35 percent from a year earlier. Weekend attendance, however, fell nearly 10 percent to 4,200 due to entry restrictions, as the park is currently limiting the number of visitors on-site to 500 at a time for safety reasons. The artillery is close enough to be seen through binoculars and telescopes from the observatory. However, North Korean troops recently covered the weapon with camouflag

'Dune 3,' 'Avengers: Doomsday' set to shake up year-end box office

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Korean theaters are bracing for a massive year-end at the box office, capped by a rare same-day clash between Hollywood blockbusters "Dune: Part Three" and "Avengers: Doomsday" on Dec. 16. With domestic distributors setting the pace in November with major releases, local theaters are building strong momentum toward one of their highest-grossing year-end finishes. According to data from the Korean Film Council, cumulative attendance reached 105.77 million as of Sunday, nearing last year’s full-year total. Powered by hit movies such as "The King's Warden" and "The Odyssey," the local box office surpassed the 100 million mark in October, reaching the milestone more than two months earlier than last year. Among the upcoming titles, Korean cinema takes the spotlight first in November. Mystery drama "White Blast," starring Kim Yoon-seok and Koo Kyo-hwan, hits screens on Nov. 18. Directed by Hong Eui-jeong, whose debut feature "Voice of Silence" earned widespread critical acclaim, the film reunites the two lead actors five years after their collaboration on the hit action film "Escape from Mo

Hong Kong must build ‘reassuring’ environment amid political criticism: Paul Lam

Hong Kong must build ‘reassuring’ environment amid political criticism: Paul Lam

Hong Kong must focus on the “practical work” of building a safe and convenient environment and reassuring the international community amid criticism of its legal system, the justice minister has said, after 10 countries issued a joint statement decrying the latest jail sentence handed to opposition activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung. “It is inevitable that their criticism will continue … Political realities have to be dealt with, but I do not think we should allow them to distract us from our focus,”...

Hong Kong makes further in-roads in AI, aviation at mainland Chinese expo

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Hong Kong is forging deeper ties with the mainland across artificial intelligence (AI), aviation and professional services, industry insiders at China’s global import expo have said. Tech executives and accounting veterans discussed how to leverage Hong Kong’s strategic position, such as through the Northern Metropolis megaproject near the mainland Chinese border, while the city’s flag carrier introduced its refrigerated sea logistics link to Dongguan, Guangdong province. These were signs of a...

Only a fraction of World Heritage sites are in Africa. China wants to fix that

Only a fraction of World Heritage sites are in Africa. China wants to fix that

Africa is home to ancient cities, rock art and striking natural landscapes, yet its sites are sorely under-represented on Unesco’s World Heritage List. According to data released by the UN body, of the 1,273 sites on the list – which are formally protected under the World Heritage Convention treaty – just 115 are in Africa. But as Beijing seeks closer cultural ties with the continent, it is offering help to change this through funding, guidance on how to navigate the nomination process and...

Hong Kong’s Margaret Chan voted to lead World Health Organization in 2006 – SCMP archive

Hong Kong’s Margaret Chan voted to lead World Health Organization in 2006 – SCMP archive

This article was first published on November 9, 2006. Margaret Chan wins WHO race in coup for China, HK by Mary Ann Benitez Hong Kong’s former director of health Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun made history yesterday (November 8, 2006) when she was nominated World Health Organisation director-general in a resounding victory that saw her lead all the way in four rounds of voting. Dr Chan, 59, is expected to be endorsed today by the 193-member World Health Assembly, making her the first Chinese to lead...

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