Whistle-blower Jason Poon and wife charged over HK$6 million Covid-19 loan fraud

South China Morning Post - Sep 25, 2026

Hong Kong businessman Jason Poon Chuk-hung and his wife have been charged with defrauding a government financing scheme for businesses out of HK$6 million during the Covid-19 pandemic, the South China Morning Post has learned. A source said on Friday that construction businessman Poon, 56, and his 54-year-old wife, both out on bail, had been charged with conspiracy to defraud and money laundering and would appear at Kowloon Court on Monday. Poon, director of mask manufacturer Lockill...

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Gov't weighs raising admission fees to palaces, royal tombs for 1st time in 20 years

Gov't weighs raising admission fees to palaces, royal tombs for 1st time in 20 years

The government is weighing an increase in admission fees at major palaces and royal tombs next year, officials said Friday, as officials and experts argue current prices are low by global standards and point to shifting visitor patterns. If increased, it would mark the first change in two decades, according to the officials. Under current rates, adult admission to both Gyeongbok Palace and Changdeok Palace is 3,000 won ($2.20), while the UNESCO-listed Jongmyo Shrine, Changgyeong Palace and Deoksu Palace charge 1,000 won. Joseon-era royal tombs (1392-1910) range from 500 won to 2,000 won for adults. Kim Jae-kyu, head of the private National Heritage Planning and Evaluation Institute, said at a recent public forum hosted by the Korea Heritage Service that South Korea's palace and tomb fees are very low even by international standards. Using the Big Mac index as a benchmark, Kim noted that France's Versailles equates to about nine Big Macs and Japan's Nijo Castle to roughly 1.2, while fees at Gyeongbok and Changdeok palaces amount to about half a Big Mac. Kim also pointed to changing visitor

Shark fever hits Busan as 102,000 rush to see 'Bukangi' at start of Chuseok break

Shark fever hits Busan as 102,000 rush to see 'Bukangi' at start of Chuseok break

More than 100,000 people flocked to a waterfront park at Busan’s North Port on Wednesday, the first day of the Chuseok holiday, hoping to catch a glimpse of a shark nicknamed “Bukangi” that has been spotted in a canal there. The turnout was about 50 times the park’s usual holiday visitor count. According to the Busan Facilities Corporation on Thursday, approximately 93,000 people had visited the waterfront park in Dong District by 6 p.m. Wednesday. Including visitors who arrived later, the total was estimated at around 102,000. The park typically receives about 2,000 visitors on a holiday. The shark, which was spotted at North Port and given the nickname Bukangi, has become a local attraction, drawing crowds even during the holiday period. The waterfront park is about 500 meters from Busan Station and is within walking distance. As crowds gathered around the park Wednesday afternoon, Busan Metropolitan City sent a safety alert urging people to avoid driving and to use public transportation, warning of severe congestion in the area. To prevent safety accidents, the city has restri

Suspected power bank fire breaks out on Da Nang-bound flight before departure

Suspected power bank fire breaks out on Da Nang-bound flight before departure

A fire suspected to have been caused by a power bank broke out aboard an Air Seoul flight bound for Da Nang before takeoff at Incheon International Airport, industry sources said Friday. The fire started at around 9 p.m. Thursday in a passenger's bag stored under a seat aboard flight RS511, operated by low-cost carrier Air Seoul Inc., as the aircraft prepared for takeoff, according to the sources. Cabin crew extinguished the fire, and firefighters arrived at the scene to check on passengers. No casualties were reported. The aircraft was carrying 221 passengers and seven crew members. Air Seoul later deployed a replacement aircraft, which departed two hours and 50 minutes behind schedule.

Coming home through self-care: How a Korean adoptee built a wellness brand between cultures

Coming home through self-care: How a Korean adoptee built a wellness brand between cultures

Marie Perruchet was born in Seoul, but Korea was not the place that taught her how to be Korean. Sent overseas for adoption at 18 months and raised in Normandy, France, Perruchet grew up without the language, traditions or beauty rituals of her birth country. She later lived in 10 countries, worked as a correspondent for the BBC and spent years in Silicon Valley before eventually returning to Korea as an entrepreneur. When she arrived, she was not coming back to a childhood home. She was discovering one. That experience became part of the story behind Clapoti, the wellness brand she founded in 2022. She describes it as "loved in Paris and perfected by Korean heritage," incorporating Korean manufacturing innovation, French sensory and scent tradition and an American instinct for functional, no-nonsense packaging. Perruchet's relationship with beauty had already been shaped by moving between cultures. Growing up in France, she said she rarely saw herself represented in beauty magazines. Some products weren't designed for her skin tone, and she remembered a stylist admitting she didn't know

Only 3 researchers assigned to collect historical records linked to Korea's independence movement

Only 3 researchers assigned to collect historical records linked to Korea's independence movement

The veterans ministry has assigned only three personnel to collect and review materials related to Korea's independence movement against Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule, data showed Friday, raising concerns over a shortage of personnel to sift through the vast amount of historical records. Only three of the 37 personnel in the ministry's Patriots and Veterans Archives Management Division are tasked with collecting and managing records on the country's independence movement, the ministry told Yonhap News Agency. "We typically collect some 300,000 records over the course of a year," a ministry official said, suggesting a possible disparity between the workload and the number of personnel assigned for the task. Put simply, this means each researcher is responsible for handling some 100,000 historical records a year. The revelation comes after the ministry earlier announced plans to honor more than 600 independence activists who have not previously been recognized by the state this year, up from 502 in 2025. Separate data submitted to Rep. Kim Joon-hyung of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party show

Parties clash over secret repatriation of North Korean POWs from Ukraine

Parties clash over secret repatriation of North Korean POWs from Ukraine

Ruling and opposition parties clashed over the government’s decision to keep the repatriation of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) from Ukraine confidential. After Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the arrangement, the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) questioned whether Seoul had been too concerned about provoking Pyongyang. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) defended the decision, saying it was necessary to protect the two men and safeguard national security. President Lee Jae Myung expressed regret over Kyiv’s disclosure, saying Zelenskyy had broken a bilateral agreement to keep the transfer confidential. Lee also criticized opposition politicians for questioning the government's decision, saying those who jeopardize lives and national security for the sake of taking credit are "murderers and traitors." DPK spokesperson Shin Hyun-young defended the government's approach, saying its priority was to protect the two former North Korean soldiers. "(President Zelenskyy's disclosure) was an act that betrayed trust between the two countries and was d

Presidential official pledges prompt, thorough probe into DMZ explosions

Presidential official pledges prompt, thorough probe into DMZ explosions

MEXICO CITY — A presidential official has pledged a prompt and thorough investigation into who was responsible for the recent explosions in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that injured three South Korean soldiers. "An objective, prompt and thorough investigation is underway," the presidential official told reporters in Mexico City on Thursday while accompanying President Lee Jae Myung on his ongoing state visit to Mexico. The official's remark came in response to suspected mine explosions in the DMZ on Monday that injured three South Korean soldiers, prompting forensic analysis of collected mine fragments to determine whether they were of South or North Korean origin. "A thorough fact-finding is needed to determine whether they were mines, and if they were mines, what kinds of mines they were, as well as whether they were buried by North Korea, and if not, what happened," he said. The investigation is being carried out carefully in coordination with the United Nations Command because the site of the explosions is a new reconnaissance route, making it dangerous to tread on, the official sa

Lee says Ukraine disclosed transfer of 2 NK soldiers in breach of nondisclosure agreement

Lee says Ukraine disclosed transfer of 2 NK soldiers in breach of nondisclosure agreement

MEXICO CITY — President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday expressed regret that Ukraine disclosed the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea, calling it a breach of a nondisclosure agreement that he said may lead to many problems. "It was appropriate in every aspect not to disclose, considering many problems it may cause when disclosed, and (we) had agreed to do so," Lee said in a post on his X account, a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York that Ukraine recently sent the two North Korean POWs to South Korea. Shortly after Zelenskyy's speech, the Ukrainian presidential office said the transfer of the two North Korean prisoners to South Korea was carried out through direct dialogue with Seoul. "(Ukraine) disclosed the transfer in breach of a nondisclosure agreement," Lee wrote. "I don't know the reasons (for the disclosure), but I regret it." Lee said the issue is a very sensitive matter that could immensely affect diplomacy and national security, as well as the security environment

Foreign visitors flock to Seoul's royal palaces as tourism rebounds

Foreign visitors flock to Seoul's royal palaces as tourism rebounds

Gyeongbok Palace drew a record 2.78 million foreign visitors last year, making it the most visited tourist attraction among international visitors to Korea, as attendance at four of Seoul’s major royal palaces continued to rise. According to the data from the Culture Ministry and the Korea Heritage Service, a total of 6.89 million people visited Gyeongbok Palace in 2025, up 6.88 percent from 6.44 million a year earlier. Foreign visitors accounted for 2.78 million of the total, which is a 37.34 percent increase from 2.03 million in 2024. Domestic visitors also rose 7.11 percent to 4.10 million. The other three major palaces — Deoksu, Changdeok and Changgyeong — also drew millions of visitors last year. Visitor numbers are not tracked at Gyeonghui Palace. Deoksu Palace attracted 3.56 million visitors, up 5 percent from the previous year, including about 378,000 foreign visitors, up 1 percent. Changdeok Palace recorded 2.22 million visitors, including about 666,000 foreign nationals, while Changgyeong Palace drew 1.60 million visitors, of whom about 270,000 were foreign. Combined attend

JCS chief visits Army unit ahead of on-site probe into suspected DMZ land mine blast

JCS chief visits Army unit ahead of on-site probe into suspected DMZ land mine blast

Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Jin Yong-sung on Friday visited a front-line Army unit where a suspected land mine explosion occurred earlier this week and inspected readiness ahead of an on-site probe, officials said. Jin visited the 25th Infantry Division, along with other field commanders, and inspected the progress for an impending on-site inspection to look into the cause of the suspected land mine blast, according to the JCS. The explosion occurred south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in the western sector of the DMZ on Monday, leaving two officers seriously injured, including one who lost an ankle. The JCS chief underscored the need to conduct a "thorough" investigation by preparing command-and-control and safety procedures while ensuring troop safety. "The on-site inspection task force, led by the vice JCS chief, is carrying out its duties during the Chuseok holiday," the JCS said, adding that "an on-site investigation team will begin its mission once safety measures are in place." The South Korean military earlier said it had detected changes in terrain in some

Traffic to hometowns eases, back to cities still heavy on Chuseok evening

Traffic to hometowns eases, back to cities still heavy on Chuseok evening

Expressway traffic headed to people's hometowns eased somewhat Friday evening, the second day of the Chuseok holiday, though traffic back to the cities remained heavy, the expressway operator said. As of 7 p.m., travel times from Seoul were estimated at 4.5 hours to the southeastern city of Busan, four hours and 10 minutes to Ulsan, three hours and 40 minutes to Mokpo, 3.5 hours to Daegu, and three hours and 20 minutes to Gwangju, according to the Korea Expressway Corp. This year's holiday for Chuseok, the Korean equivalent of Thanksgiving, runs from Thursday to Sunday. The holiday is marked by visits to hometowns, family reunions, ancestral rites and traditional holiday foods. Trips to Seoul were expected to take five hours and 50 minutes from Busan, 5.5 hours from both Mokpo and Ulsan, and five hours and 10 minutes from Gwangju. The state-run company said traffic congestion on roads leaving the Seoul area was expected to clear between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., and in the opposite direction, between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. the following day. An estimated 6.84 million vehicles were expected to travel

N. Korea building new warships on both coasts: NK News

N. Korea building new warships on both coasts: NK News

North Korea has begun construction on two new warships on the east and west coasts, a U.S. news outlet said Friday, citing satellite imagery. According to NK News, Planet Labs imagery shows construction under way at the Nampho Shipyard on the west coast as well as at the Chongjin Shipyard on the east coast. At Nampho, large hull sections have been staged and assembled since early July, with the ship likely to be the North's first 10,000-ton cruiser, though it is too early to determine, the outlet said. It noted that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stated plans in June to build such cruisers. The warship under construction at the Chongjin Shipyard, meanwhile, did not appear until mid-August, with satellite imagery showing red ship hull materials being assembled. Though it is also too early to determine, the ship could be the North's long-planned second destroyer, the fourth of the 5,000-ton class, or a 10,000-ton cruiser, the outlet said. Upgrades have also been taking place at both shipyards after the North Korean leader declared at a Central Military Commission meeting in July that the mi

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