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Eleven countries, including the US, South Korea and Japan, issued a joint alert warning that North Korean IT workers, using stolen identities and AI, generate revenue for Pyongyang's weapons programmes. North Korea rejected the alert as 'false information' and accused the US of militarizing cyberspace.
North Korea's state media, KCNA, has criticized the US Forces Japan (USFJ) for expanding its command structure, calling the move a 'sinister' plan for 'an all-out war in the Asia Pacific region.' The criticism follows the USFJ commander's comments about increasing personnel and preparing for a potential regional crisis.
The South Korean won strengthened to a nine-month high against the U.S. dollar, with analysts and officials pointing to possible coordinated intervention by Seoul and Tokyo and a surge in foreign purchases of local stocks. The yen also hit a multi-year high.
A Seoul administrative court upheld a travel ban barring Korean-American professor Morse Tan from leaving South Korea, while he awaits trial for criminal defamation against President Lee Jae Myung. The court ruled the public interest in the ban outweighs the disadvantage to the professor, who has shown an uncooperative attitude toward judicial proceedings, according to Yonhap.
Hanwha Aerospace reported its first quarterly operating profit above 1 trillion won in Q2, driven by its ground defense business. Separately, the company terminated urban air mobility component deals with Britain's Vertical Aerospace, while signing an MOU to continue their partnership.
South Korean forces nearly engaged a US reconnaissance drone flying near the inter-Korean border, mistaking it for an enemy aircraft. Both Seoul and Washington are investigating the incident, which has drawn political criticism and highlighted potential gaps in allied communication protocols.
South Korea will launch a three-month special crackdown on drugs starting this weekend, focusing on foreign smuggling, drug use at bars and clubs, and illegal circulation of medical-purpose drugs like ketamine. Authorities reported 5,203 drug offenders apprehended in the first half of 2026, a 7.8% increase from the previous year, with over 60% of offenders in their 20s and 30s.
South Korean stocks traded nearly 13% higher Friday morning, driven by semiconductor shares after Microsoft's strong earnings report eased AI spending fears. The KOSPI recovered some of its sharp losses after a three-session sell-off.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met Argentine President Javier Milei in Buenos Aires, agreeing to deepen cooperation on critical minerals and crude oil imports. The visit marks the first by a South Korean president in 22 years and concludes a three-nation South America tour.
South Korea's finance minister has pledged preemptive measures against energy supply disruptions and market volatility, while defending the country's economic fundamentals. The government raised its 2025 growth forecast to 3% amid record exports, but faces criticism over policy missteps linked to stock market swings.
Michelle Park Steel, the new U.S. ambassador to South Korea, arrived in Seoul on Thursday and called for a 'results oriented' and 'forward leaning' alliance, while progressive civic groups protested her appointment. Steel, the first U.S. envoy under Trump's second term, faces pending security, trade, and technology issues.
South Korea's industrial output rose 2.3% in June from May, snapping two months of decline, led by strong automobile and semiconductor production. Retail sales and facility investment also gained, indicating a broad improvement in economic activity.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced that South Korea and Chile have agreed to reactivate a joint committee to discuss modernizing their free trade agreement, which has been in effect since 2004. The leaders also agreed to deepen cooperation in critical minerals, defense, infrastructure, and public security, while the US tariff on Chilean imports adds a geopolitical backdrop.
Sarah Rogers, nominee to lead the U.S. Agency for Global Media, told a Senate hearing that free information can transform closed societies, citing North Korean defectors. She pledged to expand USAGM into new media formats and keep Asia a top priority, while also sharpening the agency's challenge to China's propaganda.
A QatarEnergy-controlled LNG tanker has exited the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since July 11, according to ship-tracking data. Reports indicate Pakistan reached an agreement with Iran to ensure the safe passage of at least one Qatari tanker amid regional tensions.
SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won purchased 3,620 shares of SK hynix in the open market, his first such move, valued at around 4.8 billion won. The purchase comes as the chipmaker's shares have fallen by more than half from a record high, despite nearly tripling since the start of the year. Chey has previously expressed confidence in the long-term prospects of memory chips.
The Korea Football Association has begun accepting applications for a temporary head coach for the men's national team, with a deadline of Aug. 9. The caretaker staff will lead the team through two FIFA international match windows, and the vacancy follows Hong Myung-bo's resignation after the World Cup group-stage exit.
Former Korea Football Association president Chung Mong-gyu and ex-head coach Hong Myung-bo faced intense questioning from lawmakers over the KFA's opaque management and South Korea's early World Cup exit. The hearing also highlighted a controversial text exchange between Chung and an opposition lawmaker, prompting accusations of potential lobbying.
K-pop group BTS announced they will not submit music for the 2027 Grammy Awards, saying they want their work to be heard 'for what it is' rather than divided by region or language. The decision comes amid fan criticism of the Recording Academy's new best Asian pop music performance category, which some see as a racialised barrier. BTS, who have never won a Grammy despite five nominations, have not commented further.
Sony's 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' has set multiple box-office records in South Korea, becoming the fastest film of 2026 to reach 1 million and 2 million admissions, and topping the weekend chart with over 3 million attendees in four days. The fourth Spider-Man installment starring Tom Holland also posted the year's biggest opening day, drawing 688,000 moviegoers.