From laser shields to iPhone detectors: inside China’s booming secrecy industry

South China Morning Post - Oct 12, 2026

A group of Chinese officials are in the middle of a highly sensitive meeting involving critical decisions yet to be made behind closed doors, with documents stamped “classified” spread across the table. Suddenly, an invisible laser beams into the room, sweeping across a glass window and allowing the contents of the meeting to be transmitted elsewhere. China’s Ministry of State Security laid out this seemingly futuristic scenario six months ago, warning government departments and other entities...

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Why some Koreans look beyond their culture to Islam

Why some Koreans look beyond their culture to Islam

An estimated 45,000 ethnic Koreans born and raised in South Korea have changed their faith to Islam. Among them is Yusuf, an ethnic Korean in his 30s who converted to Islam in 2014. “Most of the men do it to find wives," Yusuf said. Disillusioned with Korea's competitive dating culture, especially in Seoul, many of the men seeking out Islam are also seeking a return to what Yusuf described as a simpler path to marriage. At Seoul Central Masjid in Itaewon, between five and 25 new converts arrive every month for the training course in basic Islamic tenets. Students may choose to recite the Shahada — the Muslim declaration of faith and the first of the five pillars of the religion — and officially convert to Islam at the end. Most of them are men. Female converts, while not explicitly motivated by marriage, also cited “simplicity” when asked about why they became Muslim. Two interviewees said they found the basic premise of Islam — one God — appealing. Areum, a Korean follower in her 30s, said Islam’s respect for elders also aligned well with her native Korean culture, makin

Chungbuk Nat'l University's AI, business programs draw 1,800 int'l students

Chungbuk Nat'l University's AI, business programs draw 1,800 int'l students

Chungbuk National University is seeing tangible results from its efforts to attract international students, with its School of International Studies playing a central role and the expansion of degree programs in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), software and global business. The university enrolled more than 1,800 international students from approximately 40 countries this year, reflecting its efforts to expand its global student population. The university introduced a master’s program in global business in September 2024, followed by graduate programs in convergence software and global education in September last year. It also broadened its offerings in March this year with the introduction of two undergraduate majors in convergence software and global education. Following the expansion, the university enrolled 385 new students across five undergraduate and graduate programs for the fall 2026 semester, including 109 in the master's program in convergence software, which has drawn growing interest amid rising demand for AI-related education. Students at the School of Interna

'The Assassin(s)' slips to No. 2 at weekend box office

'The Assassin(s)' slips to No. 2 at weekend box office

The Korean film "The Assassin(s)" attracted more than 400,000 admissions over the weekend, despite controversy over its historical details, but slipped to No. 2 at the box office, industry data showed Monday. The film garnered 407,680 admissions over the weekend, bringing its cumulative total to 2,992,544 as of Sunday, according to the Korean Film Council. The council's weekend chart compiles ticket sales from Friday through Sunday. "The Assassin(s)" centers on the 1974 assassination attempt on then South Korean President Park Chung-hee that resulted in the death of the first lady. Blending the actual event with fictional elements, the film has drawn backlash, mostly from conservative critics, over alleged historical inaccuracies. Following its release on Sept. 23, the film had topped the weekend box office chart for two consecutive weeks. It drew 412,004 admissions the previous weekend. The Japanese animation "Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island" topped the chart by a narrow margin, drawing 407,895 admissions and bringing its cumulative ticket sales to 1,281,485. Other K

FTC head vows stern action against unfair practices burdening people

FTC head vows stern action against unfair practices burdening people

The head of Korea's antitrust watchdog said Monday his agency will take stern action against unfair market practices, such as price fixing, that add to people's financial burdens. Ju Biung-ghi, head of the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), made the remarks during a parliamentary audit at the National Assembly, noting the watchdog will work to revamp policies to root out such abuses. "To fundamentally address deep-rooted price fixing in the market, the FTC will develop more effective policy measures, such as revoking the registrations of businesses repeatedly engaging in price fixing, seeking business suspensions or ordering companies to reset their prices," Ju said. The chairperson added the commission will proactively address unfair practices in sectors closely linked to people's daily lives, including the wedding, leisure and funeral industries. Ju said the FTC's policy goals include giving vulnerable groups, including small businesses and the self-employed, a stronger voice. "To ease the imbalance of power among market players, we aim to establish an environment where they can compete fairl

Lee's approval rating falls for 2nd straight week: poll

Lee's approval rating falls for 2nd straight week: poll

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating fell for the second consecutive week to 35.2 percent, a poll showed Monday, amid controversies over judicial independence and last month's mine blast near the border. In the poll conducted on 1,504 adults nationwide from last Tuesday to Thursday by Realmeter, positive assessments of Lee's job performance fell by 2.2 percentage points from the previous week. Negative assessments rose 1.6 percentage points to 61.4 percent. "Controversies surrounding judicial independence involving Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, disputes between rival parties over mine explosions in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), as well as rising rental and housing prices in the Seoul metropolitan area, all came under the spotlight during parliamentary audits, leading to the decline in approval ratings," the pollster said. In a separate survey of 1,004 adults conducted last Wednesday and Thursday, support for the ruling Democratic Party fell 7 percentage points to 35.5 percent, while that of the main opposition People Power Party rose 2.9 percentage points to 41.3 percent.

Cheong Wa Dae urges N. Korea to immediately halt illegal missile launches

Cheong Wa Dae urges N. Korea to immediately halt illegal missile launches

The presidential National Security Office (NSO) demanded Monday that North Korea immediately stop its ballistic missile launches, calling them a grave violation of international sanctions. The NSO issued the call during an emergency meeting, shortly after the South Korean military detected multiple ballistic missiles launched from the Pyongyang area over the East Sea. "North Korea's repeated ballistic missile launches are grave acts that violate U.N. Security Council resolutions and are of no help to managing the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, and (the NSO) demanded they be halted immediately," presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing. The meeting brought together officials from the defense ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff and reviewed the country's readiness posture and security situation in light of North Korea's recent successive missile launches, according to the spokesperson. The NSO called for taking all necessary measures while analyzing and assessing the latest launch's impact on South Korea's security. North Korea last fired a ballistic

Russian delegation visits Pyongyang to discuss cooperation on disaster management

Russian delegation visits Pyongyang to discuss cooperation on disaster management

A delegation from Russia's emergency ministry visited Pyongyang to discuss ways to expand cooperation in disaster management, the North's state media reported Monday. The delegation, led by Aleksandr Kurenkov, minister of extraordinary situation, arrived in Pyongyang on Sunday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The delegation was greeted by Kim Chol-nam, the North's minister of disaster management, and Vladimir Topekha, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Russian Embassy in North Korea. The same delegation visited Pyongyang in July last year, inspected the North's disaster prevention and response sites and held discussions on cooperation in science and technology. Pyongyang and Moscow have stepped up cooperation in a number of fields, including military and economy, following back-to-back summits between their leaders in September 2023 and June 2024. The ongoing visit by the Russian delegation comes after the Russian ministry and the North's corresponding ministry signed an agreement on specialist training and scientific and technical cooperation in December. North Korea,

Xdinary Heroes explores desire, youth in 9th mini album 'IMPULSE'

Xdinary Heroes explores desire, youth in 9th mini album 'IMPULSE'

K-rock band Xdinary Heroes is making a bold return to the global music scene with the release of its ninth mini album "IMPULSE" on Monday. The five-member group — Jungsu, Gaon, O.de, Jun Han and Jooyeon — has established a unique footprint in modern rock with their explosive instrumentals and self-produced tracks. The band has also performed on prominent stages — from Lollapalooza Chicago to opening for British rock icons Muse in Korea. Xdinary Heroes is releasing its newest mini album alongside the lead single, "Obsessed with Youth." Centered on raw instincts, longing and the chaotic beauty of youth, the seven-track project reflects the band's growth both visually and musically. Below, the members share the inspiration behind the album, their songwriting process and memories from their biggest performance milestones. Q: With your new mini album "IMPULSE," you explore instinctual emotions. What message did you want to share most, and how have your music and visuals evolved since your last release, "DEAD AND"? Xdinary Heroes: We wanted to use "desire" as a keyword to express a wide s

ATEEZ announces 2027 world tour, sets January kickoff in Incheon

ATEEZ announces 2027 world tour, sets January kickoff in Incheon

K-pop group ATEEZ will return to the global stage in 2027 with a world tour spanning Asia, Europe and the Americas, extending its momentum ahead of a new album scheduled for release next month. KQ Entertainment announced the tour, titled “2027 ATEEZ WORLD TOUR ‘ZERO TO ALL,’” on its official social media accounts on Saturday, unveiling a poster outlining the initial schedule. The tour will open with three concerts in Incheon from Jan. 22-24, before moving to Tokyo on Feb. 2 and 3 and Kobe on Feb. 13 and 14. ATEEZ will then travel to Europe in April, North America from July to August and South America in September, with additional dates and cities expected to be announced. The tour’s name reverses “All to Zero,” a phrase from the group’s debut album, “TREASURE EP.1: All to Zero,” released after ATEEZ debuted in 2018. The title reflects the group’s journey of continued challenges and growth since its debut, while raising expectations for new music and performances on the upcoming tour. ATEEZ demonstrated strong ticket demand during its previous “IN YOUR FANTASY” wor

NCT WISH drops new mini-album 'I SPY' ahead of landmark Gocheok Sky Dome concert

NCT WISH drops new mini-album 'I SPY' ahead of landmark Gocheok Sky Dome concert

Boy group NCT WISH will drop its fourth mini-album, "I SPY," at 6 p.m. Monday, followed by its debut performance at Seoul’s iconic Gocheok Sky Dome in January, according to its management agency SM Entertainment. The six-track album will be available on streaming platforms, with physical copies on sale the same day. Along with the title track of the same name, it includes “We Own This Street,” “UPGRADE,” “Super Major,” “Hubble Time” and “Like A Dream.” The agency described “I SPY” as a hybrid dance-pop song about the moment of falling for someone, when every sense turns toward that person. The lyrics convey excitement, curiosity and a wish to invite the other person into one’s own world, it said. Ahead of the release, the group held a fan event titled “I SPY YOU” on Saturday and Sunday at Korea University’s Hwajeong Gymnasium in Seoul. The three shows drew a combined 11,400 people, the agency said. The venue was set up as a physical version of “WISH LAND,” a fictional digital world used in the album’s promotion, with six rooms — one for each membe

BOK chief to attend G20, IMF-WBG meetings in Bangkok

BOK chief to attend G20, IMF-WBG meetings in Bangkok

Korea's top central banker will attend a meeting of the Group of 20 (G20) finance ministers and central bank chiefs to be held in Thailand this week, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said Monday. BOK Gov. Shin Hyun-song will join the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting, set to take place in Bangkok, where participants will discuss global economic conditions, growth and global imbalances, according to the central bank. He will also attend the International Monetary Fund-World Bank Group (IMF-WBG) meetings, where discussions will focus on the global economic outlook and financial stability. While in Bangkok, the BOK governor is scheduled to hold separate talks with high-ranking officials from the Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and other major central banks to exchange views on recent international developments. He will also participate in CNN's Global Perspectives, a live event series convening leaders, CEOs and innovators for conversations on issues covering culture, technology and business, along with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria, director-general of the World T

Foreign suspects in violent crimes up 12% in 5 years

Foreign suspects in violent crimes up 12% in 5 years

The number of foreign nationals suspected of committing violent crimes in Korea has risen by nearly 12 percent over the past five years, increasing from 689 in 2021 to 771 last year. A total of 645 foreign suspects had been apprehended for violent crimes between January and September this year, according to the Korean National Police Agency. By nationality, Chinese nationals accounted for the largest number of violent crime suspects last year, at 250, followed by Uzbekistan nationals at 62, U.S. nationals at 60 and Vietnamese at 53. The number of foreign nationals suspected of crimes overall increased as well. The figure rose more than 7 percent, from 32,470 in 2021 to 34,760 last year. By nationality, Mongolian suspects recorded the largest increase, rising around 38 percent from 1,007 to 1,397. Meanwhile, the number of Thai suspects fell over 20 percent, from 2,482 to 1,979. Police mainly attribute the rise to the growing number of foreign nationals living in Korea, not necessarily to a higher rate of offending. The number of foreign nationals residing in Korea increased 42.2 percent,

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