N. Korea appears 'flustered' by S. Korea's DMZ blast findings, mine-clearing: defense minister

The Korea Times - Oct 7, 2026

North Korea appears to be taken aback by South Korea's investigation results blaming Pyongyang for a recent mine blast near the inter-Korean border and its subsequent mine-clearing operation in the area, Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said Wednesday. Kang's remarks came after the North repeatedly denied responsibility for the Sept. 21 explosion that severely injured two South Korean soldiers, dismissing Seoul's findings as a "farce" designed to fabricate results and shift the blame to Pyongyang. The North's foreign ministry made such claims in a statement released through state media late Tuesday, a day after the South's military concluded land mines deliberately planted by North Korean troops were the cause of the blast south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). The military also conducted an operation Monday to remove additional mines at the blast site. "We assess that they were quite flustered by our responses," Kang told lawmakers during a parliamentary audit. "Unlike previous statements issued swiftly, (North Korea) released the (latest) statement about a day after we announced

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N. Korea's Kim vows to deepen 'strategic' ties with Russia in letter to Putin

N. Korea's Kim vows to deepen 'strategic' ties with Russia in letter to Putin

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Emmy Award-winning documentarian explores hidden stories of Korean adoptees

Emmy Award-winning documentarian explores hidden stories of Korean adoptees

Deann Borshay Liem spent much of her childhood believing she was an orphan. Adopted from Korea to the United States in 1966, Liem discovered in the early 1980s that her birth mother and siblings were alive. She also learned that her identity had been switched with another child during the adoption process and that her adoption documents had been falsified. That discovery found its way into Liem's work as a documentary filmmaker, through which she explored her own past and the broader history of Korea's overseas adoptions. "Trying to understand the truth about my adoption was part of the motivation for making my first film 'First Person Plural'," Liem said in a recent email interview with The Korea Times. Released in 2000, the documentary followed her search for and reunion with her Korean family. In 2010, she made "In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee," which traced the identity of the girl whose name had been substituted for hers. "These two films were intimate first-person explorations of my adoption and a means to recuperate my personal history and identity," she said. Her work also extended b

3 municipalities added to list of 'depopulation' areas, total at 92

3 municipalities added to list of 'depopulation' areas, total at 92

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Korea targets 170 ticket scalpers in 1st mass police referral

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Teen drug offenders caught in Jan.-July near 80% of 2025 total

Teen drug offenders caught in Jan.-July near 80% of 2025 total

The number of teenagers apprehended by police for drug-related offenses in the first seven months of this year reached nearly 80 percent of last year's annual total, a lawmaker said Wednesday, citing data from the Korean National Police Agency. According to the police data released by Rep. Kim Jun-hyuk of the ruling Democratic Party, 370 teenagers were apprehended for drug offenses between January and July, equivalent to 78.7 percent of the 470 teenagers apprehended for such offenses throughout last year. The number of teenage drug offenders stood at 309 in 2021 and 294 in 2022, but surged to 1,066 in 2023. It subsequently decreased to 442 in 2024 before rising again to 470 last year. The total number of drug offenders rose from 10,626 in 2021 to 12,387 in 2022 and 17,817 in 2023. The number then fell to 13,512 in 2024 and 13,353 last year, while 8,426 offenders were apprehended in the first seven months of this year. Students accounted for a significant share of those apprehended. As of July this year, 295 students had been apprehended for drug offenses, or 63 percent of the 468 students

Sejong University ranks 8th in Korea, 281st globally in THE World University Rankings 2027

Sejong University ranks 8th in Korea, 281st globally in THE World University Rankings 2027

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Former 'Produce X 101' contestant Kang Hyun-soo starts new career as civil servant

Former 'Produce X 101' contestant Kang Hyun-soo starts new career as civil servant

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BTS to kick off first-ever Peru concerts as Lima rolls out 'BTS Avenue'

BTS to kick off first-ever Peru concerts as Lima rolls out 'BTS Avenue'

Global K-pop sensation BTS will launch its first-ever concerts in Peru on Wednesday (local time), as the capital Lima rolled out a weeklong "BTS Avenue" and purple-lit landmarks to honor the group's historic visit. BigHit Music said the septet will perform at Estadio San Marcos in Lima on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday as part of its "Arirang" world tour. It marks the band's first shows in the South American country since its 2013 debut. To mark the occasion, the city's Santiago de Surco district temporarily renamed Sacramento Street as "BTS Avenue" from Oct. 5-11, installing signs along the route. Arco Morisco, a landmark structure in the district's Friendship Park, was illuminated in the group's signature color of purple on Monday and will host daily light shows through Sunday, while the Fountain of Fantasy at Lima's Fountain Park will run a BTS-themed show with music, lights and water screens during the same period. BTS opened the South American leg of the tour with two-day shows at Estadio Nemesio Camacho El Campin in Bogota last weekend, attracting around 100,000 fans.

Appeals court acquits ex-President Yoon in 'free opinion polls' case

Appeals court acquits ex-President Yoon in 'free opinion polls' case

An appellate court overturned a lower court ruling Wednesday, acquitting former President Yoon Suk Yeol of charges related to receiving free opinion polls ahead of the 2022 presidential election in violation of the political funds law. The Seoul High Court found Yoon not guilty of violating the Political Funds Act, which bans improper political donations, reversing the Seoul Central District Court's conviction in July that had sentenced him to two years in prison. Following the appellate ruling, special counsel Min Joong-ki's team indicated it would file an appeal to the Supreme Court, while Yoon's legal team welcomed the acquittal. Yoon had been indicted on charges of colluding with his wife and receiving 58 opinion polls worth about 270 million won ($202,000) in total for free from self-proclaimed power broker Myung Tae-kyun between April 2021 and March 2022. The appellate court ruled that Myung's provision of opinion polls could not be seen as political donations under the political funds law as they could not be categorized as having a benefit in terms of property. "While the politica

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S. Korea plans shipment of medical equipment to NK hospital next month

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Top diplomats of Korea, Canada vow to boost energy, defense, AI cooperation

Top diplomats of Korea, Canada vow to boost energy, defense, AI cooperation

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Senior S. Korean, IAEA officials discuss cooperation on N. Korean nuclear issues

Senior S. Korean, IAEA officials discuss cooperation on N. Korean nuclear issues

South Korea's deputy nuclear envoy met with the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) deputy director general in Seoul on Wednesday to discuss ways to cooperate on North Korean nuclear issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said. Jeong Yeon-doo, vice foreign minister for diplomatic strategy and intelligence, briefed Massimo Aparo, IAEA deputy director general and head of IAEA's safeguards department, on the recent situation on the Korean Peninsula and Seoul's efforts for peaceful coexistence with North Korea, according to the ministry. Jeong noted that the IAEA has been drawing international attention to the North Korean nuclear issue, including through reports issued by the IAEA director general, the ministry said. Aparo expressed support for South Korea's diplomatic efforts to promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and stressed that the North Korean nuclear issue is an important agenda item for the IAEA. He also explained the IAEA's efforts to maintain enhanced readiness for verification of North Korea's nuclear program, according to the ministry. "The two sides agreed to

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