Trump, Takaichi reaffirm US-Japan ties in phone call after Xi state visit

South China Morning Post - Sep 26, 2026

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said she and Donald Trump had reaffirmed their collaboration on issues relating to Beijing in a phone call on Saturday. The call followed the US president’s nostalgic invocation of the World War II alliance with China during his summit with Xi Jinping, remarks that sent shock waves through Tokyo. Trump made the references as he welcomed the Chinese president to the White House on Thursday for his first state visit to Washington in over a decade. In a social...

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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.

Lee returns from two-nation trip

Lee returns from two-nation trip

President Lee Jae Myung returned home Sunday from his two-nation trip that took him to the United States and Mexico. From Monday to Wednesday, Lee visited New York to attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly, where he also held bilateral talks with U.S. President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The president then made a three-day state visit to Mexico, becoming the first Korean president to make a state visit to the country in 16 years. Lee and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum held a summit on Thursday, in which the leaders agreed on an action plan to expand their countries' bilateral cooperation in advanced industries, including AI, digital technology, aerospace and defense. Also on the sidelines of the summit, Korea and Mexico signed a total of 17 memorandums of understanding and documents, including those on economic cooperation, defense, aerospace and AI.

Hong Kong police hunt for man who stole HK$10,000 from claw machines using key

Hong Kong police hunt for man who stole HK$10,000 from claw machines using key

Hong Kong police are searching for a man who used a key to steal about HK$10,000 (US$1,275) from four claw machines’ deposit boxes at a store on Sunday. The force said that the store owner, a 46-year-old man surnamed Cheung, had filed a police report at around 11.10am after witnessing the theft via surveillance cameras in the shop at 159 Tai Kok Tsui Road. Cheung said he saw a man in his thirties use a key to open deposit boxes in four claw machines and make off with the money. Police are...

Giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang touch down in the US under new loan deal

Giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang touch down in the US under new loan deal

Two giant pandas have arrived in Atlanta to take up residency at the southern US city’s zoo. The pandas, male Ping Ping and female Fu Shuang, left Chengdu in China’s southwest on Sunday, within days of Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapping up his three-day state visit to the United States. During the visit, Xi said the pandas would arrive “in a few days”. Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, whose names mean peace and double blessings, arrived at Atlanta International Airport on a chartered flight, state...

How Beijing is neutralising Washington’s sanctions machine

How Beijing is neutralising Washington’s sanctions machine

Last week, the president of the United States stood at the podium of the United Nations General Assembly and asked aloud whether he should “annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly”. Donald Trump then turned to Venezuela’s oil and declared: “To the victor belong the spoils, you’ve all heard that …” He spoke as the Iran war neared its eighth month, a week after the UN Human Rights Council found “reasonable grounds to believe” that the US had committed war crimes. In the same speech,...

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