Does Hong Kong’s economy serve the people or profit?

South China Morning Post - Oct 14, 2026

China has lifted nearly 800 million people out of extreme poverty, arguably the greatest achievement in poverty reduction in human history. Even so, no mainland Chinese economist has won the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. Across the Pacific, the United States has produced about 75 per cent of Nobel economics laureates, even as its economy staggers under mounting public debt, chronic fiscal deficits, and recurring financial crises and government shutdowns. Of the 99 economics laureates ever...

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Trump press secretary Katie Zacharia says she passed bar exam in China, raising eyebrows

Trump press secretary Katie Zacharia says she passed bar exam in China, raising eyebrows

Katie Zacharia, US President Donald Trump’s newly appointed White House press secretary, faces questions about her legal credentials after telling reporters on Tuesday that she passed a bar exam “when I moved to China”, without identifying the jurisdiction. Zacharia, who has repeatedly described herself as a lawyer, made the remark after her first official White House press briefing. According to her LinkedIn profile, she worked as an associate at Zhong Lun Law Firm, one of China’s largest, in...

Peru governor touts Chinese interest in deep-water port pitched as Chancay alternative

Peru governor touts Chinese interest in deep-water port pitched as Chancay alternative

A planned US$844 million port in southern Peru has drawn interest from several foreign investors, including Chinese companies, a regional governor said on Monday, as the government began promoting the project abroad. “Several companies have approached us. We have investors from the US, China and India who are very interested,” Rohel Sanchez, the governor of Arequipa, told reporters after signing an agreement with the state investment agency Proinversion. He said firms from Turkey and the...

Is this the best time for US strategists to push for abandoning ambiguity on Taiwan?

Is this the best time for US strategists to push for abandoning ambiguity on Taiwan?

For nearly five decades, the United States’ Taiwan policy has centred on strategic ambiguity by not declaring whether it would intervene militarily in a potential Taiwan conflict. This policy – designed to deter Beijing from using force while preventing Taipei from formally declaring independence – is being challenged by realist US strategists amid a broader debate over America’s role in the world, growing constraints on US military might and a shifting regional balance of power driven by...

US Army receives 1st Hanwha-made mobile howitzer system: report

US Army receives 1st Hanwha-made mobile howitzer system: report

The U.S. Army has received its first South Korean-made mobile howitzer system as part of efforts to replace its aging artillery systems, a U.S. defense news outlet reported Monday. The Mobile Tactical Cannon (MTC), manufactured by Hanwha Defense USA, a U.S. subsidiary of South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace Co., was displayed at a U.S. Army event held in Washington earlier this month, Defense News reported, citing U.S. Army officials. "We're excited to have that and get ready to test it," Brig. Gen. Robert Mikesh Jr., the Army's portfolio management executive for offensive fires, was quoted as saying. "And get that soldier feedback, that we think is so important." In August, Hanwha Defense USA was selected to provide prototypes based on a wheeled variant of the bestselling K9 Thunder self-propelled artillery for the MTC program, which aims to develop a highly mobile 155 mm artillery system to replace the Army's aging M777 towed howitzers. The contract calls for the delivery of six MTC prototypes, with an option for an additional 12 systems, and has a cumulative value of up to $262.9 million, a

Adding 'jeong' to technology

Adding 'jeong' to technology

This year, the combined operating profits of Korea’s semiconductor companies are expected to soar well beyond 500 trillion won ($373 billion), reaching unprecedented levels. Some have likened this extraordinary performance to winning a lottery. But I see it differently. What we are witnessing today, I believe, is not a stroke of good fortune. Rather, it is the culmination of decades of perseverance, sacrifice and dedication. As Koreans know well, countless companies, engineers and technicians have worked since the 1970s to build the foundations of the nation’s semiconductor industry. After nearly half a century of accumulated effort, the seeds they planted are finally coming to fruition. A similar story of long-term commitment can be found in the rapid growth of international students choosing to study in Korea. In 2023, the Ministry of Education launched the Study Korea 300K Project, setting a goal of attracting 300,000 international students by 2027. That target has already been achieved ahead of schedule, with the number of international students in Korea surpassing 300,000 this

N. Korea reports test-firing of 'tactical' ballistic missile to improve weapons systems

N. Korea reports test-firing of 'tactical' ballistic missile to improve weapons systems

North Korea has test-fired a tactical ballistic missile to upgrade a key component of its weapons systems, which it called a "big success," the country's state media reported Tuesday. The report came a day after South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) detected multiple ballistic missiles launched from the Pyongyang area toward the East Sea. North Korea's missile administration "test-fired a tactical ballistic missile on Oct. 12 to confirm the success in the research for the technical upgrading of an important core element," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. The administration claimed that the upgrade "was a big success heralding an important change in improving the performance and sophistication of all offensive weapon systems," it added, describing the test as part of regular activities. The North did not disclose further details about the test-firing. The JCS earlier noted that North Korea launched multiple types of ballistic missiles, with one specific kind of missile flying more than 900 kilometers, and that South Korean and U.S. authorities were conducting a detailed

USFK chief calls for more dispersed military drills across S. Korea, citing Ukraine war lessons

USFK chief calls for more dispersed military drills across S. Korea, citing Ukraine war lessons

The commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) on Monday called for more geographically dispersed military exercises across South Korea, citing lessons from the war in Ukraine and the need to adapt to evolving battlefield threats. Gen. Xavier Brunson made the remarks during a panel discussion at the Association of the United States Army's (AUSA) annual conference in Washington, as he discussed ways to improve the readiness and deterrence posture of U.S. and South Korean forces. "I think what we recognize is that largely the two big exercises every year in Korea focus on large command posts. We've got to move away from that," Brunson said. The general suggested that the allies consider conducting exercises across a much broader geographical area rather than in fixed locations. "What would it look like if we train from Jeju all the way up to Gyeonggi Province in the north?" he said. "So just imagine if we trained across the entirety of the peninsula." South Korea and the United States hold large-scale combined exercises every year -- the Freedom Shield and the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) -- to tr

US Pacific Command says N. Korea fired 2 ballistic missiles, reaffirms defense commitment

US Pacific Command says N. Korea fired 2 ballistic missiles, reaffirms defense commitment

U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) said Monday that North Korea launched two ballistic missiles recently while stressing that the move poses no immediate threat to the United States or its allies. "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea launched two ballistic missiles on October 12, 2026 (KST)," the command said in a statement, referring to North Korea by its official name. The command said it was aware of the launches and was consulting closely with its allies and partners. "Based on current assessments, this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies," it said. It added that the U.S. remains "committed to the defense of the U.S. homeland and our allies in the region." South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Monday (Korea time) it detected the launch at about 9:20 a.m. from the Pyongyang area and that at least one of the missiles flew more than 900 kilometers. The North's latest missile launch came after it fired one ballistic missile from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea on Oct. 3.

Study links academic backgrounds to problem-solving pathways

Study links academic backgrounds to problem-solving pathways

A Sejong University professor has collaborated with a researcher at Finland’s Aalto University to examine how university students’ academic backgrounds relate to their problem-solving approaches. The researchers are Jang Hye-won, a professor at Sejong University’s Office of Educational Innovation, and Petter Holme, a professor of computer science at Aalto University. They analyzed 84 written solutions from a first-year physics course at Harvard University, systematically organizing information about students’ assumptions and reasoning sequences to examine how their approaches differed by academic background. The study was published online last month in the International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education under the title “Through Different Lenses: Connecting Educational Backgrounds to Fermi Problem-Solving Pathways.” The study used a Fermi problem, which requires people to make reasonable assumptions and arrive at approximate answers despite limited information. Such problems require learners to identify relevant variables, make reasonable estimates and assess whether

Drought conditions reported in 97 regions nationwide

Drought conditions reported in 97 regions nationwide

Drought conditions have been reported in 97 regions across the country, with the situation particularly severe in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, the interior ministry said Tuesday. Water storage levels in agricultural reservoirs nationwide stood at just 70 percent of the average for a normal year, the ministry said in its October drought report. The cumulative precipitation nationwide over the six months from April 2 to Oct. 1 totaled 783.3 millimeters, or 72.5 percent of the normal year average, the ministry said. As a result, meteorological drought conditions had been observed in 97 regions across the country as of Oct. 1. Of the 97 regions, 74 were classified as experiencing mild drought and 22 as moderate drought, while Yeongcheon, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, was experiencing severe drought. However, the drought in Yeongcheon is expected to ease by the end of the year, as precipitation is forecast to be above normal in November and December, the ministry said.

Arms agency to accelerate development of nuclear-powered subs, AI-driven combat systems

Arms agency to accelerate development of nuclear-powered subs, AI-driven combat systems

The arms procurement agency said Tuesday it will speed up the development of nuclear-powered submarines and acquisition of artificial intelligence (AI)-based combat assets, including unmanned and counter-drone systems. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) unveiled the plan in a parliamentary audit, as part of a broader road map to secure core capabilities for "self-reliant" defense amid Seoul's efforts to retake wartime operational control (OPCON) of troops from Washington and North Korea's evolving military threats. "The agency will leverage existing organizations and capabilities to develop a nuclear propulsion system and establish a blueprint to construct nuclear-powered submarines," DAPA said in a document submitted to lawmakers. "We plan to launch a full-scale acquisition of combat unmanned systems, such as combat uncrewed surface vessels and small attack drones, as well as anti-drone networks, including laser air defense weapons and integrated counter-drone systems for front-line border areas," the agency said. South Korea is pushing to build nuclear-powered attack

Lee stresses importance of US alliance, says submissive stance should be shunned

Lee stresses importance of US alliance, says submissive stance should be shunned

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday stressed the importance of the country's alliance with the United States but also noted a submissive stance should be shunned in pursuing diplomacy. The president made the remarks at a Cabinet meeting, amid concerns over apparent friction in the Seoul-Washington alliance, highlighted by South Korea facing limitations in intelligence sharing by the U.S. Lee said diplomacy should be focused on safeguarding national interests, while emphasizing that differences can arise between countries. "Diplomacy should be pursued in a way that always upholds South Korea's dignity and safeguards its national interests (while) any submissive or kowtowing stance should be shunned," the president noted. "The guiding principle of South Korea's diplomacy is pragmatism. The most important thing for South Korea is its national interests," Lee stressed. His remarks come as South Korea continues to face restrictions on intelligence sharing by Washington, reportedly over the South Korean unification minister's previous remarks identifying North Korea's Kusong as a site housing a

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