Accidental fighter jet bombing leaves 29 injured, including 15 civilians: defense ministry

The defense ministry said Friday a total of 29 people, including 15 civilians, have been injured from an accidental fighter jet bombing of a northern village earlier this week. On Thursday, two KF-16 fighter jets "abnormally" dropped eight MK-82 bombs outside a training range in Pocheon, some 40 kilometers north of Seoul, leading to multiple injuries and damage to buildings. As of Friday morning, 15 civilians and 14 service members had been injured from the bombing, including two civilians who w

March 7, 2025

Govt. to devise response measures to US auto tariff plan next month

The government will come up with measures next month to respond to the United States' plan to impose tariffs on auto imports, the industry ministry said Friday, as the new US tariffs are expected to deal a severe blow to the South Korean automotive industry. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced the move at a meeting with officials from automakers, including local industry leader Hyundai Motor Co. and GM Korea Co., the South Korean unit of General Motors Co., according to ministry

March 7, 2025

S. Korean firms' Mexican operations hit by uncertainties from unpredictability in Trump tariffs

South Korean companies with manufacturing bases in Mexico, along with around 100 local partner firms, are struggling to deal with business uncertainties stemming from the unpredictability of US President Donald Trump's tariff policy on the neighboring country, industry officials said Thursday. Earlier in the day, Trump signed executive actions to delay 25 percent tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods covered under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement until early next month. The reprieve came after a p

March 7, 2025

S. Korea slips to 2nd place in global shipbuilding orders in Feb.

South Korea fell to second place in new global shipbuilding orders in February, with China taking over the lead, industry data showed Friday. South Korean shipyards clinched orders totaling 290,000 compensated gross tons for seven ships, accounting for 14 percent of the global total at 2.07 million CGTs last month, according to London-based Clarkson Research Services. China ranked No. 1 with 1.35 million CGTs for 37 vessels, taking up 65 percent of the global total. South Korea's monthly perform

March 7, 2025

KBO preseason to open Saturday with pitch clock, other rule changes in play

The prelude to the 2025 regular season in South Korean baseball will begin Saturday, with the pitch clock, the most prominent new feature of the year, set to take effect. All 10 teams in the Korea Baseball Organization are scheduled to play 10 preseason games each from Saturday to March 18. All games were initially scheduled for 1 p.m., but some teams have already asked the league to move their games to the evening hours so that their players can get used to playing under lights before the regul

March 7, 2025

S. Korea, ASEAN launch joint research platform on economic, trade policies

South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have launched a joint research platform on economic and trade policies as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation, Seoul's industry ministry said Friday. The ASEAN-ROK Think-tank Dialogue on Economic and Trade Policy held a two-day kick-off meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia from Thursday and discussed measures to bolster collaboration on research on economy and trade issues in the region, according to the Ministry of Trade, Indus

March 7, 2025

N. Korean POW says used anti-drone jamming guns in battle against Ukraine: lawmaker

A North Korean soldier captured by Ukraine has said he used jamming guns to neutralize Ukrainian drones, a South Korean lawmaker who recently met the soldier said Friday, in a rare glimpse into the North's battlefield tactic to aid Moscow's war against Kyiv. Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the ruling People Power Party made the remark in an interview with Yonhap News Agency as he released an audio clip of his talks with the soldier, identified only by his surname Ri. Ri is one of the two North Korean soldi

March 7, 2025

Acting president orders additional steps to resolve FX imbalances

Acting President Choi Sang-mok called for close monitoring of financial markets Friday amid heightened uncertainties, while instructing measures to revamp regulations regarding foreign exchange flows, his office said. Choi made the remarks during a meeting on macroeconomic and financial issues, which was attended by Bank of Korea Gov. Rhee Chang-yong, and the chiefs of the Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. "Amid

March 7, 2025

Seoul shares open lower on US tariff uncertainties

South Korean stocks opened lower Friday, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street sparked by uncertainties from swings in the US administration's tariff policies. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 21.62 points, or 0.84 percent, to 2,554.54 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, major US shares sank as investor sentiment soured after the Donald Trump administration went back and forth on its plan to impose tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, increasing uncertaintie

March 7, 2025

N. Korea warns S. Korea, US will pay 'horrible price' over next week's joint military drills

North Korea threatened Friday that South Korea and the United States will pay a "horrible" price for their joint military exercise slated for next week, saying the drills will soon bring a "storm" that deteriorates the security situation on the Korean Peninsula. The North's warning came a day after the militaries of the allies announced that the annual Freedom Shield exercise will kick off Monday for an 11-day run, involving computer-simulated drills and on-field training. The Korean Central New

March 7, 2025