Scott Kennedy on China’s ‘slow tech dragon’ and 2 more Xi-Trump meetings

South China Morning Post - Sep 27, 2026

Scott Kennedy is a senior adviser and trustee chair in Chinese business and economics at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. His areas of focus include China’s hi-tech drive, US-China relations and global economic governance. Open Questions first appeared in SCMP Plus. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here. How would you characterise the outcomes of the China-US summit compared to expectations going in? Is it largely a continuation of that track or do you...

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Lee heads home after wrapping up state visit to Mexico

Lee heads home after wrapping up state visit to Mexico

MEXICO CITY — President Lee Jae Myung headed home Saturday, wrapping up his two-nation trip that earlier took him to New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly. Lee addressed the 81st U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, reaffirming his envisioned role as a "pacemaker" to help the U.S. resume dialogue with North Korea. The president also presented his phased approach to denuclearizing North Korea, beginning with a halt and reduction of North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. The same day, Lee held a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in New York, during which Trump reaffirmed his commitment to dialogue with North Korea, according to South Korean officials. On a state visit to Mexico that began Wednesday, Lee held summit talks with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum the following day and adopted a joint action plan calling for efforts to deepen economic cooperation and expand bilateral collaboration into artificial intelligence (AI), the defense industry and other sectors. Lee is scheduled to return home on Sunday.

US issuance of nonimmigrant visas for Koreans falls by 8%

US issuance of nonimmigrant visas for Koreans falls by 8%

The United States' issuance of nonimmigrant visas for Koreans fell nearly 8 percent from a year earlier in 2025 following the inauguration of the new U.S. President Donald Trump administration, data analyzed by a lawmaker's office showed Sunday. The office of Rep. Hong Kee-won of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea said it recently analyzed U.S. State Department data on visa issuance per country and found that 68,130 nonimmigrant visas had been issued to Koreans last year, down 7.95 percent from 74,015 issued in 2024 during former President Joe Biden's administration. The number fell across most categories, including the B-1 business visa and the B-2 tourism visa. During the months following last September's surprise detention of hundreds of Korean workers in the U.S. state of Georgia, however, the numbers appeared to grow, according to the lawmaker's office. In December, Korea and the U.S. launched a visa support desk at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul to help Korean companies investing in the U.S. with smoother entry procedures. The State Department data showed average monthly B-1 and B-2 vi

Lee holds coffee meeting with reporters in Alaska en route to Seoul

Lee holds coffee meeting with reporters in Alaska en route to Seoul

President Lee Jae Myung held a coffee meeting with reporters in Anchorage, Alaska, Saturday on his way home from a weeklong two-nation trip. The meeting came as Lee's presidential plane briefly stopped for refueling in Alaska en route to Seoul. Since Monday, Lee had been visiting the United States and Mexico, which included an address at the United Nations General Assembly in New York and a summit with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in Mexico City. Lee left Mexico on Saturday.

Researchers develop technology for real-time monitoring of Parkinson's treatments

Researchers develop technology for real-time monitoring of Parkinson's treatments

Sungkyunkwan University researchers have developed a biochip technology that enables real-time monitoring of Parkinson’s disease treatment responses. The university said Tuesday that the “organoid-on-a-chip” technology combines stem cell-derived “mini-brains” with a nanoplasmonic sensor that maximizes light-matter interactions, enabling real-time monitoring of treatment responses. The findings were published in ACS Nano, a leading international journal in nanoscience. The study was conducted by two research teams at the university, each led by Kim In-ki and Park Jong-chan, professors in the Department of Biophysics. The teams included Ph.D. candidates Cho Han-jun and Kim Young-jun and master’s candidate Yoon Na-hyun, who were both first authors of the paper. “This study is significant in that it opens a path to continuously monitoring drug responses in living human tissue over time using an ultra-precision optical sensor,” professor Kim said. “We will further develop the technology into a key platform for patient-specific drug development and disease treatment,” he adde

Chipotle's Seoul store uses long-grain rice developed by Sejong University professor

Chipotle's Seoul store uses long-grain rice developed by Sejong University professor

Locally grown long-grain rice is gaining attention after U.S. restaurant chain Chipotle selected it for use at its first location in Asia. The long-grain variety used in Chipotle’s burritos and burrito bowls in its restaurant in Seoul is less sticky and has longer, more slender grains than the short-grain rice commonly consumed in Korea. The variety remains unfamiliar to many Korean consumers. However, efforts to cultivate and commercialize the rice have been underway in Haenam, Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, since 2021. The new rice is called IPS and is an indica variety developed by Chin Joong-hyoun, a professor in the Department of Integrative Biological Sciences and Industry at Sejong University. The university said the development of IPS was aimed at addressing the challenges posed by climate change and increasingly unstable agricultural production conditions. Key concerns included flooding associated with climate change and fertilizer shortages stemming from disruptions to global supply chains. To address these challenges, Chin developed IPS, which can withstand flood c

Undercover investigations by police into digital sex crimes more than triple this year

Undercover investigations by police into digital sex crimes more than triple this year

The number of undercover investigations conducted by the police has more than tripled this year from a year earlier, data showed Sunday, as Korea continues to grapple with digital sex crimes, often involving deepfake technology. The National Office of Investigation under the Korean National Police Agency said it carried out 598 undercover investigations from January to August this year, compared with 179 cases during the same period last year. The police first introduced such undercover investigations in 2021 following the "Nth room" case, in which underage girls were coerced into obscene acts in front of cameras and the footage was shared in paid online chatrooms. Since adopting the measure, the police have conducted 1,503 undercover investigations through the end of August, apprehended 2,873 suspects and formally arrested 164 of them. In the first eight months of this year, police apprehended 338 suspects through undercover investigations for engaging in conversations with children and adolescents for the purpose of sexual exploitation, six of whom were formally arrested. Police said th

'The Ordinary Jackpot' turns lottery windfall into workplace catharsis, not escape

'The Ordinary Jackpot' turns lottery windfall into workplace catharsis, not escape

What would you do if you won the lottery? For many office workers, the answer would be to quit their job. The Tving’s new workplace drama "The Ordinary Jackpot" begins with that familiar dream, but quickly turns it into something much more realistic. Its protagonist wins big and shows up to work anyway, using his newfound money not to abandon his career, but to stop unfair treatment at his workplace. Based on a popular web novel of the same title, the 10-epidose series follows Gong Eun-tae (Lee Jun-hyuk), the youngest team leader at an apparel company. Gong earned his title through sheer diligence, but his fast promotion left him facing disdain from older colleagues. Tired of office politics and approaching burnout, his routine life takes an unexpected turn when he unthikingly purchases a lottery ticket and hits a jackpot of around 1.3 billion won ($960,000). The windfall is not enough to retire forever, but the money serves as a solid financial safety net. Rather than resigning, Gong uses the prize money as a psychological shield, walking back into the office the next morning with the

Korea-Japan Festival turns 20 in Tokyo with K-pop makeovers, hanbok

Korea-Japan Festival turns 20 in Tokyo with K-pop makeovers, hanbok

TOKYO — Hundreds of Japanese visitors lined up outside the Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo each morning from Friday through Sunday, eager to try on hanbok (Korean traditional attire), get K-pop-inspired makeovers and meet young Koreans face-to-face at the annual Korea-Japan Festival. Drawing visitors ranging from young adults to families, the three-day festival offered hands-on experiences designed to showcase both contemporary trends and traditional Korean culture. Visitors could speak directly with young volunteers from Korea and Japan, experience professional K-pop-style makeovers and take part in cultural activities. Organizers expect nearly 6,000 visitors across the three days of the festival. This year marked the festival's 20th anniversary, with the event having launched in 2005 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan. In a departure from previous years, the event moved from Hibiya Park to the Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo as organizers experimented with a new format. The indoor venue allowed the festival to place greater emphasis o

POW transfer, DMZ blast complicate Lee's peace initiative

POW transfer, DMZ blast complicate Lee's peace initiative

President Lee Jae Myung’s trip to the United Nations and Mexico, where he emphasized peace on the Korean Peninsula and renewed U.S.-North Korea dialogue, was overshadowed at home by controversy over the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war and a suspected land mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Experts said the incidents drew attention to the challenges facing Lee’s peace initiative as Pyongyang maintains its hostile stance toward Seoul. They also questioned whether renewed U.S.-North Korea talks would adequately address South Korea’s security concerns. Nam Sung-wook, a professor at Sookmyung Women’s University, said North Korea would be unlikely to respond positively to peace overtures under normal circumstances, and that the incidents have likely added to the tension. “I don’t think North Korea would have shown much enthusiasm toward the Lee Jae Myung government even if these two incidents had not happened,” Nam said. “North Korea is already playing a bigger game with President Trump.” Nam said Pyongyang is more interested in negotiating directly

'The Assassin(s)' claims Chuseok box office crown as admissions top 1.3 mil.

'The Assassin(s)' claims Chuseok box office crown as admissions top 1.3 mil.

The Chuseok holiday box office has found its clear winner. Director Hur Jin-ho's historical thriller "The Assassin(s)" held the top spot for four consecutive days since its Sept. 23 release, drawing 432,341 admissions on Saturday alone to garner a total of over 1.3 million, according to data from the Korean Film Council. “The Assassin(s)” has also topped advance ticket sales for eight straight days as of Sunday morning. That streak began well before its theatrical premiere and has not been challenged by any other Chuseok title, including the casino crime sequel "Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub." Opening on the same day, the "Tazza" sequel attracted 663,140 viewers through Saturday to take a distant second place. Starring Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho, "The Assassin(s)" reimagines the investigation into the 1974 shooting that killed first lady Yuk Young-soo. The story follows courageous journalists and detectives who risk their careers and safety to expose the truth behind the attack. Crossing the 1 million admissions milestone just four days after release, the film is on track

S. Korean military, UNC conduct joint probe on DMZ blast site: JCS

S. Korean military, UNC conduct joint probe on DMZ blast site: JCS

South Korea's military has conducted a joint on-site investigation with the U.N. Command (UNC) into the cause of a suspected mine blast inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) last week, with further probes planned, officials said Sunday. A survey team comprising some 40 personnel reached the vicinity of the suspected explosion site inside the DMZ but failed to reach the actual site of the incident, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a text message sent to reporters. The joint probe comes just six days after the explosion occurred south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) separating the two Koreas, leaving two officers seriously injured. The survey team — comprising South Korean troops, the UNC's Military Armistice Commission and relevant investigative agencies — inspected the area using mine detectors and conducted route-clearance operations in the DMZ from around 9 a.m. until sundown, according to the JCS. However, the team decided to resume the operation at a later date, citing the high risk posed by the possibility of unidentified land mines in the area and the extreme fatigu

Marine Corps commandant leaves for Philippines for talks on military, defense industry cooperation

Marine Corps commandant leaves for Philippines for talks on military, defense industry cooperation

Korea's Marine Corps chief left for the Philippines on Sunday to discuss ways to expand bilateral military and defense industry cooperation, officials said. During the trip, which runs through Wednesday, Lt. Gen. Ju Il-suk will meet with Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Bayani V. Curaming, deputy commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps, according to the Marine Corps. The agenda for talks will include ways to strengthen coordination between the two forces and expand defense industry cooperation. Ju will also visit a Korean War memorial and pay his respects to Philippine soldiers who died fighting alongside South Korean troops in the 1950-53 Korean War.

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