Report says 'Celebrity A,' not Kim Soo-hyun, was behind 2016 chats with Kim Sae-ron

The Korea Times - Oct 13, 2026

A twist has emerged in the controversy surrounding actor Kim Soo-hyun and the late actress Kim Sae-ron: KakaoTalk messages previously presented as evidence that the two were involved while Kim Sae-ron was a minor were reportedly exchanged with another celebrity, identified only as "Celebrity A." Dispatch reported Tuesday that police identified Celebrity A, not Kim Soo-hyun, as the person who exchanged the 2016 messages with Kim Sae-ron. The chats had previously been released by the YouTube channel HoverLab, also known as Garo Sero Research Institute, as purported evidence of a relationship between the two actors. According to Dispatch, police conducted a forensic examination of electronic devices used by Kim Sae-ron and recovered past conversations, photographs and other data. The report said investigators found no evidence on the devices showing that Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron were dating during the period in question. It also said Kim Sae-ron maintained close relationships with at least four men during that period. Police analysis reportedly identified Celebrity A as the sender of th

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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

Assembly speaker discusses defense, shipbuilding cooperation with Greek president

Assembly speaker discusses defense, shipbuilding cooperation with Greek president

National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik has met with Greek President Constantine Tassoulas and the Greek parliamentary leader to discuss bilateral cooperation in defense and shipbuilding, his office said Tuesday. During his meeting with Tassoulas in Athens on Monday (local time), Cho expressed hope that the participation of Korean companies could contribute to strengthening Greece's defense amid intensifying security threats in Europe. Cho highlighted the two countries' "blood-forged" ties during the 1950-53 Korean War, pointing out that Greece dispatched some 10,000 troops to Korea despite not having established diplomatic relations with Seoul at the time. "We look forward to further deepening cooperation in the shipbuilding and shipping sectors and expanding it into future industries, including defense," Cho was quoted as telling the Greek president. In a separate meeting with his parliamentary counterpart, Nikitas Kaklamanis, Cho said the two countries should expand bilateral cooperation beyond shipbuilding and shipping into areas of advanced technologies and defense. Cho is on a four-

S. Korea, US, Japan hold consultations over N. Korea's latest missile launches

S. Korea, US, Japan hold consultations over N. Korea's latest missile launches

Senior diplomats from South Korea, the United States and Japan held telephone consultations Tuesday to share information and discuss responses to North Korea's latest ballistic missile launches, Seoul's foreign ministry said. On Monday, North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the East Sea, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The North said Tuesday it test-fired a "tactical" ballistic missile the previous day to verify technological improvements to a key component of its weapons systems. Baek Yong-jin, director general for Korean Peninsula policy at Seoul's foreign ministry, spoke with David Wilezol, deputy assistant secretary for Northeast Asia at the U.S. State Department, and Takashi Ariyoshi, a senior official at Japan's foreign ministry, the ministry said. "The three officials shared relevant information and discussed future responses," the ministry said in a press release. "The foreign affairs authorities of the three countries operate a channel for promptly sharing information and assessments whenever North Korea launches ballistic missiles," it add

N. Korea, Russia agree to expand cooperation in disaster response

N. Korea, Russia agree to expand cooperation in disaster response

North Korea and Russia have signed an agreement to expand bilateral cooperation on disaster management for the next three years, the North's state media reported Tuesday. Kim Chol-nam, the North's minister of disaster management, and Aleksandr Kurenkov, the Russian minister of extraordinary situations, signed the agreement in Pyongyang the previous day to boost cooperation on the matter from 2027-2029, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The "successes and experience gained by the two countries in the work to prevent disaster were exchanged and the issues of boosting bilateral exchange and cooperation were discussed," according to the report. A delegation from Russia's emergency ministry arrived in Pyongyang on Sunday for talks with its North Korean counterpart on ways to deepen cooperation in disaster management. The visit came as the Russian ministry and the North's corresponding ministry signed an agreement on specialist training and scientific and technical cooperation in December.

N. Korea opens new defense museum featuring ICBMs, other advanced weaponry

N. Korea opens new defense museum featuring ICBMs, other advanced weaponry

North Korea has opened a new defense museum featuring a wide range of weaponry, including its new intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), with leader Kim Jong-un in attendance, state media reported Tuesday. An opening ceremony of the National Defense Revolution Museum took place Sunday, according to the Korean Central News Agency, on the occasion of the 81st founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), which falls on Oct. 10. Kim inspected the museum with the party's central leadership, including the secretaries of the WPK central committee and commanding officers of the North's national defense ministry, among others. His wife and daughter, Ju-ae, were also present for the event. Kim touted the new defense museum as a "revolutionary treasure" that can only be possessed by the WPK and a "precious monument" that he said can only be built by the "powerful state and people with their absolute strength powerful enough to defend themselves." The North Korean leader emphasized that it was a "due obligation" of the WPK to build the defense industry into the most powerful one

'100 Days of Deception' blends intrigue with historical resonance

'100 Days of Deception' blends intrigue with historical resonance

The new tvN weekend drama "100 Days of Deception" directed by Yoo In-sik and written by Rheu Bo-ri has captured viewers, breaking through a 7 percent viewership rating in just two episodes. Set in 1932 Gyeongseong, Seoul's old name, the drama seamlessly weaves tense espionage with a deeply moving storyline, sparking enthusiastic reviews among K-drama fans. The series immediately grabs attention with its stylish direction. The opening sequence mixes black-and-white film footage reminiscent of historical documentaries with upbeat music, creating an engaging atmosphere without feeling overly heavy. Set 13 years before liberation, 1932 was an era when Japanese colonial control over Gyeongseong reached its peak, while secret independence movements stirred deep underground. The storyline introduces fresh character archetypes into this historical whirlwind, notably a pragmatic pickpocket turned spy and a former street beggar turned Japanese elite official. The opening episodes delivered exceptionally emotional resonance through the powerful acting of Kim Hyun-joo and Lee Mu-saeng. Kim Hyun-joo

Police working with FBI to trace hackers behind recent cyberattacks

Police working with FBI to trace hackers behind recent cyberattacks

Korean police are working with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to trace the hackers behind recent cyberattacks targeting Korea's financial institutions, sources said Tuesday. According to the sources, Korean authorities, including the Korean National Police Agency, have recently launched the process for cooperation with the FBI. The move aims to obtain critical investigation data, such as account details and access logs of major U.S.-based global cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI) companies. U.S. cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike earlier suggested that a 26-year-old Chinese man from China's Guangdong Province might be behind the attacks, but the person has denied involvement. Local authorities are reportedly considering the possibility of other or different individuals being responsible for the recent cyberattacks, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Police are analyzing data used by CrowdStrike to estimate the hackers' identities, as well as documents suggesting ties to a Chinese distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack group. When ask

K-pop agencies win authority to self-rate music videos under new law

K-pop agencies win authority to self-rate music videos under new law

Korean entertainment agencies will soon be able to bypass government review boards and release music videos on their own schedule under a new self-rating policy approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday. The milestone amendment to the Music Industry Promotion Act establishes a self-rating framework that empowers registered media distributors to classify their own music videos and release them directly to the public, dismantling a regulatory process that often delayed digital music drops. Korea’s strict oversight of music videos dates back to 2012, when the government mandated predistribution rating checks to protect minors from explicit sexual content, violence and dangerous behaviors in visual media. While intended as a public safety barrier, the prescreening requirement increasingly clashed with the fast-paced realities of the digital era, where sudden teaser drops and synchronized global rollouts are critical to a song’s commercial success. Under the overhauled system, qualified entertainment agencies and digital platforms registered with the Korea Media Rating Board can independently a

Last off-limit mountain trail near Cheong Wa Dae to open to public after nearly 60 years

Last off-limit mountain trail near Cheong Wa Dae to open to public after nearly 60 years

The Presidential Security Service (PSS) will open a 1.32-kilometer-long mountain trail near the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae to the public, nearly six decades after it was designated off-limits, officials said Tuesday. The upcoming public opening of the trail in the southwestern part of Mount Bukak, located behind Cheong Wa Dae, marks the latest and final opening of the three major trails on Mount Bukak previously off-limits to the public, according to PSS officials. A 2.2-km trail in the northern part of Mount Bukak was first opened to the public in 2020, followed by a 3-km trail in the southeastern part of the mountain in 2022. The public will be allowed access to the new southwestern trail around the clock starting on Saturday, according to the PSS. With the upcoming opening, Mount Bukak will be fully open to the public, PSS chief Hwang In-kwon noted.

Seoul museum gives discarded festival banners second life as designer accessories

Seoul museum gives discarded festival banners second life as designer accessories

Discarded festival banners are getting a second act as limited-edition accessories, with the Seoul Museum of History transforming last year’s European Film Festival promotional materials into card wallets and mini bags that combine distinctive designs with a push toward sustainability. The museum will begin selling the upcycled merchandise at its museum shop on Thursday, using recycled materials to reduce waste from exhibitions and cultural events. The products were developed in collaboration with Van a Banner, an upcycling company led by Lee Ban-seok, which helped turn the used polyvinyl chloride banners into practical everyday items. Recycled fabric is used for the products’ linings and mesh components, extending the reuse effort beyond the original banner material. Because different sections of the banners are cut and incorporated into each item, the finished products vary in color and pattern, making each piece unique, the museum said. The card wallet features a mesh pocket for cards and a zippered compartment for small belongings, while the mini bag has a magnetic flap designed f

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