White House Historical Association reclaims Rockwell sketches for $7.25 million at auction

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House Historical Association has reclaimed a series of sketches by American painter and illustrator Norman Rockwell, spending a whopping $7.25 million at auction on Friday. The four 1940s-era sketches titled "So You Want to See the President!" were displayed in the West Wing for years, but were removed in 2022 after a family dispute over who owned them. The sketches show a variety of people -- journalists, military officers and even a Miss America Pageant winner and

Nov. 16, 2025

UK's King Charles III marks 77th birthday

LONDON (AFP) -- King Charles III enjoyed a busy 77th birthday on Friday, seemingly determined to carry on working despite ongoing cancer treatment. Gun salutes rang out in London to formally mark the occasion, while the monarch inaugurated a train depot in the rain in south Wales. Charles also attended a reception with Queen Camilla for the 200th anniversary of Cyfarthfa Castle, considered a Welsh historical jewel. Charles has maintained a relatively busy schedule of royal duties since his retur

Nov. 16, 2025

Pope returns 62 artifacts to Indigenous peoples from Canada as part of reckoning with colonial past

VATICAN CITY (AP) -- The Vatican on Saturday returned 62 artifacts from its vast ethnographic collection to Indigenous peoples from Canada, as part of the Catholic Church's reckoning with its role in helping suppress Indigenous culture in the Americas. Pope Leo XIV gave the artifacts, including an iconic Inuit kayak, and supporting documentation to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, which said it would return the items to Indigenous communities "as soon as possible." A joint statement

Nov. 16, 2025

Another round of testing

For South Korea's college hopefuls, taking the Suneung — the national College Scholastic Ability Test — may be only the first hurdle. Just days after finishing the high-stakes college entrance exam, many students face "nonsul," university-specific essay tests administered as part of the early decision admission track. The nonsul exams follow Thursday's Suneung, which drew 554,174 applicants nationwide. While Suneung scores establish the baseline qualifications, individual universities conduct ad

Nov. 15, 2025

Full text of joint fact sheet on Korea-US agreements

Below is the full text of a joint fact sheet, released by the White House on Friday, following last month's summit talks between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump. -- Ed. President Lee Jae Myung of the Republic of Korea welcomed President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America for a State Visit to ROK on Oct. 29. This marks the first time in Korean history that a State Visit has been hosted in Gyeongju and follows on the two leaders’ first meeting in Wa

Nov. 14, 2025

[Graphic News] Son becomes 2nd-highest-paid MLS player

The MLS Players Association revealed that Son Heung-min earns $11.15 million per year with Los Angeles FC, making him the second-highest-paid player in Major League Soccer, behind Lionel Messi of Inter Miami, who earns $20.45 million. MLS 선수협회(MLSPA)가 공개한 자료에 따르면, 로스앤젤레스 FC에서 뛰고 있는 손흥민은 연봉 1,115만 달러를 받으며 메이저리그사커(MLS) 전체에서 리오넬 메시(인터 마이애미·2,045만 달러)에 이어 두 번째로 많은 연봉을 받는 선수로 집계됐다. Son’s salary, the highest among 2025 summer transfers, reflects his record $26.5 million move from Tottenham Hotspur. Si

Nov. 14, 2025

[Robert J. Fouser] Choosing green space over development

A Supreme Court ruling on Nov. 6 has thrust Jongmyo, the stately Confucian royal shrine in central Seoul, into the heart of a debate over heritage preservation and development. The court ruled in favor of a city ordinance to relax height restrictions near Jongmyo as part of a redevelopment plan for the area around Sewoon Sangga. The ruling prompted a strong response from the Korea Heritage Service, the central government agency in charge of heritage preservation. Jongmyo became one of the first

Nov. 14, 2025

[Editorial] The silent war

It began with a flicker on a smartphone screen. A counselor for North Korean defectors found her device suddenly wiped clean, her contacts hijacked and a fake “stress relief program” sent to friends through her account. Days later, an activist’s phone met the same fate. Both had unknowingly become pawns in North Korea’s newest front: a conflict fought not with missiles or tanks, but with malware. These attacks marked a disturbing evolution. The hackers were traced to Konni, a network tied to Kim

Nov. 14, 2025

It's over!

Test-takers who finished Suneung, South Korea's nationwide college entrance examination, are celebrating the culmination of years of hard work, with an end to the grueling exam that lasted more than eight hours for some. This year’s test, held at 1,310 venues across the country, saw 554,174 applicants — the highest number since 2019. Test results, to be released Dec. 5, will serve as an assessment factor for college entrance in 2026.

Nov. 13, 2025

ASEAN-Korea Media Forum explores regional collaboration

Journalists from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and South Korea convened to explore collaborative strategies and deepen mutual understanding across various sectors at the ASEAN-Korea Media Forum. Held on Jeju Island on Wednesday, the forum was a key highlight of the ASEAN-Korea Week 2025 events. Following opening remarks by ASEAN-Korea Center Secretary-General Kim Jae-shin and Korea Press Foundation Executive Director Nam Jeong-ho, journalists were invited to share perspectives on th

Nov. 13, 2025