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Trump govt. notifies S. Korea of decision to end development cost waiver for US arms purchases: sources
US President Donald Trump's administration has notified South Korea of its decision to abolish a development cost waiver for certain US arms purchases, multiple sources have said, a move bound to raise the financial burden on the Asian ally that has committed to buying more US weapons. It told the Seoul government in August that it will end the waiver of "non-recurring" costs -- one-time expenses associated with the research, development or production of certain defense equipment, according to t
Nov. 16, 2025 -
Colby praises S. Korea as 1st non-NATO treaty ally to commit to 3.5% of GDP defense spending
A senior Pentagon official on Friday praised South Korea as the first non-NATO treaty ally that has committed to increasing defense spending to 3.5 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), highlighting the Trump administration's desire to work with "partnerships" rather than "dependencies." Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby made the remarks during an event celebrating the Korean National Day and Armed Forces Day in Washington, casting the Seoul-Washington alliance as a "fo
Nov. 15, 2025 -
Senior US diplomat hails joint fact sheet release as opening 'new chapter' in S. Korea-US alliance
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said on Wednesday that South Korea and the United States have opened a "new chapter" in their alliance with the release of a joint fact sheet on bilateral security and trade agreements. On Thursday (Washington time), the two countries released the document outlining the outcomes of the two summits that President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump held at the White House in August and in Korea's southeastern city of Gyeongju last month ahea
Nov. 15, 2025 -
Korean students anxious as Trump pushes tougher US visa controls
When 24-year-old Kim Yeon-joo, not her real name, opens her laptop each morning to resume drafting her personal statement, the first website she checks is no longer her dream university’s admissions page. Instead, she scrolls through the news. For many Korean students hoping to pursue higher education in the United States, a path once seen as competitive but predictable has become increasingly uncertain. Under US President Donald Trump’s renewed push to tighten immigration controls, prospective
Nov. 15, 2025 -
4 in 10 Dongduk students say school alone should cover protest damage repairs
Four in 10 students at Dongduk Women’s University say the campus damage caused by students protesting against the school’s plan to adopt coeducation should be repaired at the school’s expense, according to local news reports Friday. A survey conducted by the student council on Wednesday showed that 95.2 percent of 725 respondents said the campus needs lacquer coating as part of the restoration. Students cited the overall appearance of the campus, the school’s image and the arrival of new student
Nov. 15, 2025 -
Authorities locate last missing person in Ulsan power plant collapse
Authorities said Friday they have located the last remaining person buried under the collapsed boiler tower at a thermal power plant in the southeastern city of Ulsan, with operations under way to recover the individual from the debris. The search had continued to find the last of the seven workers who were trapped when the 63-meter tower collapsed on Nov. 6. The bodies of the six others have been recovered. Firefighting authorities said they are cutting through metal structures around the spot
Nov. 14, 2025 -
Allies accelerate OPCON transition with 2nd-phase test next year
South Korea and the United States will move ahead next year with the second-phase assessment of Seoul’s readiness to take over wartime operational control, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Friday. The allies set out their agreement in the joint communique from the 57th Security Consultative Meeting, held in Seoul on Nov. 4 during US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s visit to South Korea. Although the SCM communique is typically released immediately after the meeting, its publication was delayed
Nov. 14, 2025 -
US endorses Korean uranium enrichment, reprocessing: why it matters — and what comes next
The United States has, for the first time, formally backed South Korea’s right to pursue civil uranium enrichment and spent-fuel reprocessing, opening the door for the allies to launch negotiations on expanding Seoul’s long-sought nuclear-fuel autonomy. Washington’s greenlight appeared in a carefully worded clause in the joint fact sheet released Friday, more than two weeks after the summit between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang P
Nov. 14, 2025 -
Top prosecutor steps down over Daejang-dong fallout, cites concern over 'rushed reform'
Acting Prosecutor General Noh Man-seok voiced strong concerns over the Lee Jae Myung administration’s prosecution reform plans during his resignation speech Friday, warning of potential impacts on the public. “It is frustrating to see continued focus solely on abolishing the prosecution, without adequate discussion or preparation regarding the inconvenience this could cause the public,” Noh said during a ceremony at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in Seoul. Although not explicit, his comments si
Nov. 14, 2025 -
Out of tough US tariff negotiations, South Korea advances key defense priorities
South Korea and the United States on Friday unveiled a joint fact sheet outlining their agreements on trade and security, concluding months of tense negotiations that began after US President Donald Trump raised tariffs and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung offered a pledge of $350 billion investment in the US. While the document contains details of South Korean spending and lowered US tariffs on key Korean items, including automobilies, the fact sheet also includes significant security-relat
Nov. 14, 2025 -
Cold snap to grip S. Korea early next week; Tuesday morning to be season's coldest
After a warmer-than-usual weekend, South Korea is bracing for a strong cold snap next week, with the season's coldest morning forecast for Tuesday. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on Friday, this weekend will see average or slightly cooler weather, with daytime highs in Seoul and other major cities reaching 14-16 degrees on Sunday. Cooler conditions are expected to set in from Sunday afternoon, as a low-pressure system currently situated in the north moves in toward the Kore
Nov. 14, 2025 -
Seoul to raise defense spending as allies map out alliance modernization
South Korea will increase its defense spending and provide more financial support for US soldiers stationed here, while working toward regaining wartime operational control from the US, according to a fact sheet on President Lee Jae Myung’s summit with US President Donald Trump in Gyeongju last month. The document, unveiled Friday, comes after months of speculation that Seoul and Washington were preparing to outline elements of a broader plan to modernize the 72-year-old South Korea-US alliance.
Nov. 14, 2025 -
Flu season hits early and hard; cases double in a week
Seasonal influenza is spreading rapidly among children and teenagers in Korea, with cases more than doubling in just one week. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Friday, about 51 out of every 1,000 outpatients visiting 300 monitoring hospitals between Nov. 2 and 8 showed influenza-like illness, defined as having a fever of 38 degrees Celsius or higher accompanied by symptoms such as a cough or sore throat. The figure marks a 122.4 percent increase from the previous w
Nov. 14, 2025 -
Highlights from Korea-US joint fact sheet
South Korea and the United States on Friday released a joint fact seet on trade and security agreements, concluding months of negotiations. Here are the key points from the document, agreed upon by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump, unveiled on the webite of the White House. • $150 billion of Korean investment in the US shipbuilding sector • $200 billion in additional "strategic" Korean investment, under an MOU expected to be signed by both countries • Korea's an
Nov. 14, 2025 -
Gwangju district criticized for using female officials as mayor’s backup dancers
A district office in Gwangju is under fire after eight female civil servants appeared as backup dancers during a performance by Gwangju Buk-gu District Mayor Moon In. The performance took place on Nov. 6 at Donggang University during filming for the KBS program “National Singing Contest,” which drew more than 1,000 audience members. Moon took the stage to sing Yoon Soo-il’s 1985 hit “Apartment,” with the officials dancing behind him. The women, wearing sunglasses and headscarves and holding pomp
Nov. 14, 2025