Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol, who also serves as deputy prime minister for economic affairs, speaks during a meeting of economy-related ministers on price controls affecting household livelihoods at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, 11 February 2026. File. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
Feb. 23 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s government said Sunday it would maintain round-the-clock market monitoring after the Supreme Court of the United States ruled reciprocal tariffs invalid, adding that the immediate impact on global markets appeared limited.
U.S. and European equities rose on the day of the ruling, while the dollar index remained stable, officials said. Still, Seoul warned that trade uncertainty persists amid signals from Washington about possible new tariff measures and the continuation of sector-specific duties.
First Vice Minister of Economy and Finance Lee Hyung-il chaired an emergency market review meeting in Seoul attended by officials from the central bank and financial regulators.
Participants said global markets reacted calmly on Thursday, when the U.S. court issued its decision. The S&P 500 rose 0.69%, while the Euro Stoxx 50 gained 1.18%. The dollar index fell 0.2%, and yields on 10-year and two-year U.S. Treasury notes each climbed 2 basis points.
Officials said improved risk appetite contributed to broadly stable trading conditions.
However, they cautioned that policy uncertainty remains after the U.S. government signaled it could impose a 10% tariff on goods from all countries, with a possible increase to 15% the following day. Ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and Ukraine were also cited as potential risks.
The government said it would continue operating a 24-hour joint monitoring system among relevant agencies and strengthen coordination to respond quickly if volatility increases.
Separately, officials noted that tariffs on automobiles and steel imposed under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act remain in place, and that a new investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act has been launched.
Participants agreed to closely track follow-up measures by Washington and responses from major trading partners, and to work to ensure that South Korea’s export conditions to the United States are not adversely affected.
When the pandemic hit, and reality settled in that life would be isolated and mostly inside, Grammy winner Anderson .Paak found himself on the outside looking in, in a way he didn’t anticipate. “I was the odd man out. My son was 8, and BTS took over the whole house,” .Paak explained in an interview with The Times at his WeHo lounge, Andy’s. “It was a K-pop storm. Before that, me and my son were bonding off of my music.”
.Paak’s son, Soul Rasheed, and his now ex-wife originally from Korea, Jaylyn Chang, had become obsessed with K-pop alongside much of America, which reminded .Paak of the intensity of Beatlemania. Black American music influenced the birth of a new style, which formed and expanded across oceans, then returned to the U.S. and exploded. This effect in the .Paak household was palpable, causing Soul and Chang to deeply bond in a new way. .Paak himself, as a soul, R&B and hip-hop aficionado, was tapped into the source, but not the reinterpreted subject. So he had to find a way in.
Soul, at the time, like many 8-year-olds, had also become obsessed with becoming a YouTuber. Besides .Paak’s music, the father-and-son duo had also previously connected over humor, so .Paak started there. They began with funny skits and eventually fused them with BTS dances. Soon, there were even videos featuring them comedically educating each other about their individual music tastes. “I loved it,” .Paak recalled, getting lost in the memory. “I was getting to know him more, and he was getting to know me. My mom would always say, ‘It’s one thing for your kids to love you, but it’s another to share things you’re interested in.’ It wasn’t like I was being Anderson .Paak, I was just Dad.”
“I was getting to know him more, and he was getting to know me,” .Paak said of bonding with his son, Soul.
(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)
Through this exploration and the realization of a potential continued familial bond, a story idea emerged, then a treatment for a K-pop-centered film that .Paak would direct and he and Soul would both star in. .Paak then began directing a slew of music videos as the pandemic began to fade, building a portfolio and gaining experience in the medium. But he could start to sense Soul’s interest fading as time passed. After a few failed pitch attempts, .Paak urgently enlisted the help of one of his oldest friends and fellow entertainer, Jonnie “Dumbfoundead” Park, who brought .Paak and the idea to Stampede Ventures.
“The pitch was from an idea that Anderson had, and [to introduce it], we showed them this TikTok that he had with his son,” Park recalled over Zoom. “Anderson was like, ‘Do you know anything about BET, son?’ And [Soul] was like, ‘No, but I know BTS.’ Then they were just going back and forth, arguing about BET and BTS. That was literally the deck, [us saying] we would take that energy and put it into a two-hour film. They loved it. As soon as we walked out of the office, Anderson looked over like, ‘Are we greenlit?!’ They just understood it, the whole intergenerational, intercultural element of Black and Korean.” Stampede combined forces on the project with Live Nation Studios and .Paak’s debut feature “K-Pops!” was off to the races.
It’s important to note that .Paak is himself Black and Korean. His mother was adopted from Korea by a SoCal Black American military family and .Paak’s father was also a Black military officer. Thus, while his mother was born in Korea, he was raised almost entirely within a Black cultural space. .Paak didn’t experience much direct exposure to Korean culture until his 20s, when he met Chang at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. As an immigrant directly from Korea, Chang showed him the fortitude of structure amid her community. He was also taken by their inherent family value system. “In Korean households, you stay in the house until you get older so you can take care of your parents, and your parents can help take care of the kids,” .Paak explained. “There’s an infrastructure that’s worked out. Also, Korean food is important, as is learning the language. I was drawn to that. My son didn’t eat anything outside of Korean food for so long, and he’s just now getting into tacos.”
.Paak then further explored his Korean side through a burgeoning friendship with Park, which happened a bit later, after Chang had already given birth to Soul. Park introduced .Paak to K-town-based Korean culture through their shared music scene. “The people that came from K-town had a lot of Latino and Black influences as well,” .Paak remembered. “There was a little more of a melting pot, and it was more urban. But in a similarly communal way [to Koreans from Korea], they were all hanging out in K-town with other Korean friends. They’d drink soju, and go to after-hours where you had to have somebody Korean with you.”
While .Paak had some opportunities in adulthood to grasp a bit of his Korean heritage, in “K-Pops!,” through his main character BJ, he also got to actualize what his mother may have missed. In the film, BJ, a failed karaoke bar R&B musician, gets a lucky chance to go to Korea and be the drummer for a popular K-pop competition series. There, he bumps into his estranged ex-girlfriend’s son, Tae Young (played by Soul), who is competing on the show. He then finds out that the kid is his. While a messy transition ensues, BJ and Tae Young eventually get to galavant around Korea and work together to try to win the competition. Through this exploration, BJ finds out he can thrive in Korea while still holding onto his Blackness. .Paak’s mother’s dive back into her roots had a different result. “My mom went abroad and spent a year in Korea, but when she went there, she just didn’t like it,” .Paak explained. “In the movie, initially, BJ doesn’t really have any connection to his Korean side and doesn’t really care to know, but then he finds a bridge.” That bridge is music.
Actor Yvette Nicole Brown, who in “K-Pops!” plays BJ’s mother, proclaimed over Zoom that, “Everything about the film and the music in it is Blasian, every culture is celebrated and massaged and made into something beautiful.” .Paak made a concerted, intentional effort to explore both the Black and Korean sides of K-pop in two scenes.
The first is an early breakdown initiated by Soul’s character, Tae Young, who explains the structured roles of a K-pop group, which may be fun for superfans and educational for laypeople to the genre. The next is a winding presentation by BJ to Tae Young about the influence of Motown groups like the Jackson 5 and boy bands like New Edition on the momentum of K-pop’s rise. It’s particularly poignant because it is all shot at a record store on the streets of Korea, where .Paak explained he actually found the records he was referencing. “There’s nothing wrong with people doing their interpretation of Black music, as long as you pay homage and as long as you respect it and take care of it,” .Paak declared. “Because [if you do], then they’ll take care of you, but the moment you don’t, you’ll see what happens … I wanted to explain that history because that’s how I saw it.”
Real-life father and son, Anderson .Paak, left, and Soul Rasheed, co-star in “K-Pops!”
(Jake Giles Netter)
”K-Pops!” has as much of who .Paak and Soul are as father and son as he could fit in. There are appearances by legacy Black artists like Earth, Wind & Fire, as well as K-pop stars like Vernon from Seventeen. There are original songs co-written and co-produced by .Paak and musician Dem Jointz, that feature K-pop fused with soul and funk, one of which Tae Young performs as his finale competition number (soundtrack arriving soon). The film was shot in both L.A. and Korea and provided ample time for bonding (especially during scenes filled with off-the-cuff humor) that .Paak envisioned from the beginning. Yet still, at the time they were about to shoot, .Paak almost couldn’t get Soul on board because he had turned 11 and wasn’t as into K-pop or acting comedically anymore; he insisted he was instead “into Slipknot.”
The duo did find their footing, though, and executed a winding story that centers on their connection. As a burgeoning teenager in 2024, Soul went with his father to the world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, along with a plethora of Korean relatives from his mom’s side. .Paak anxiously awaited their full reaction to the culmination of his quest for a deeper bond.
“Everybody really enjoyed it,” .Paak remembered, relieved. “[Soul] was like, ‘I’m proud of you, Dad.’ I asked him, ‘You think you would ever do part two?’ He was like, ‘Nah, I don’t think acting is my passion, but I’ll never forget those moments … You know what? On second thought, it depends on the script.’ But I think he’s really proud of it. I think it’s something like, when he gets older, he’ll see how special it is as well. But yeah, he didn’t say it’s cringe.”
“K-Pops!” has its L.A. premiere on Tuesday and debuts in select theaters Friday.
Kim Kyung-man, director of the Artificial Intelligence Policy Office at the Ministry of Science and ICT, announces additional selections for the Independent AI Foundation Model project at the Seoul Government Complex in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Feb. 20. Photo by Asia Today
Feb. 20 (Asia Today) — Motif Technology’s consortium has been selected in an additional call to join South Korea’s government-backed effort to build an “independent” artificial intelligence foundation model, as officials said a second evaluation in August will continue to weigh whether teams meet the project’s originality standard.
The Ministry of Science and ICT said Motif was chosen for its experience designing models with its own architecture and for achieving performance it said could compete with leading global systems despite operating in a limited data environment.
The Motif consortium includes the company, startup More, Seoul National University’s industry-academia cooperation foundation and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.
The group plans to build an inference-focused large language model with 300 billion parameters and later expand work into vision-language models and vision-language-action models, the ministry said.
Motif will develop its model from this month through July and then compete in an August stage evaluation against LG AI Research, Upstage and SK Telecom. The ministry said it will extend the development timeline for the existing three teams by one month, setting the deadline at the end of July, and will provide Motif with support comparable to the other teams, including 768 graphics processing units and data.
The August stage evaluation will narrow the field to three teams and will include the originality requirement, officials said. Two teams are to be selected for final support by the end of the year.
Kim Kyung-man, director of the ministry’s AI policy office, said the four teams will discuss how to apply the originality assessment and that more detailed criteria will be developed with input from industry and academia.
The project drew attention last month after Naver Cloud failed to meet the originality requirement in an initial evaluation and NC AI was eliminated after scoring lowest on other criteria, raising questions in some quarters about the program’s momentum.
The ministry said the project’s priority is building a domestic AI ecosystem through teams capable of developing an independent foundation model.
Kim Yong-min, chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee’s Bill Review Subcommittee No. 1, opens a meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul on Feb. 20 to review a proposed amendment to the Pardon Act. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
Feb. 20 (Asia Today) — A National Assembly subcommittee on Thursday approved a third revision to South Korea’s Commercial Act that would in principle require listed companies to cancel repurchased shares within a year, shifting key decisions from boards to shareholders.
The bill cleared the Legislation and Judiciary Committee’s Bill Review Subcommittee No. 1. It sets a one-year deadline for canceling newly acquired buyback shares and gives companies six months to comply for company-held shares already on their books.
Rep. Oh Ki-hyung of the Democratic Party told reporters the core change is requiring companies to decide their shares-held-in-treasury disposal plans at an annual shareholders meeting rather than leaving the matter to boards.
He said directors could face administrative fines of up to 50 million won ($34,500) if the company fails to cancel the shares within the required period.
Oh said the measure is not an unconditional mandate to cancel repurchased shares, arguing that companies could keep them for extended periods if they obtain approval from shareholders.
The revision also adds language allowing boards to pass resolutions on capital-reduction procedures when buyback shares acquired for specific purposes are canceled, lawmakers said.
Fireworks erupt during the launch ceremony of the new 8,200-ton Aegis destroyer Dasan Jeong Yak-yong at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in the southeastern city of Ulsan, South Korea, 17 September 2025. The 170-meter-long, 21-meter-wide destroyer is equipped with advanced stealth features and enhanced detection and interception capabilities against ballistic missiles. File. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
Feb. 18 (Asia Today) — South Korea faces mounting strategic pressure as rivalry between the United States and China intensifies across the Indo-Pacific, raising questions about how Seoul should balance its security alliance with Washington and its economic ties with Beijing.
Analysts say the regional balance of power is entering a new phase. U.S. carrier strike groups continue to patrol the Western Pacific and longstanding alliances remain intact. Yet some experts argue Washington’s long-term strategy integrating economic, diplomatic and industrial policy lacks consistency.
In the March-April issue of Foreign Affairs, U.S. Indo-Pacific strategist Jack Cooper wrote that while American military power remains strong, its broader strategic integration has weakened. In an article titled “Asia After America,” he argued that policy shifts between administrations and the U.S. withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership have left gaps in regional economic leadership.
Cooper said the issue is not U.S. withdrawal but uncertainty over long-term strategic continuity. For allies, he wrote, the question is who shapes the regional order beyond crisis intervention.
Meanwhile, China has continued expanding its footprint through militarization of artificial islands in the South China Sea and sustained military activity near Taiwan. Beijing is also deepening regional economic integration through the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the Belt and Road Initiative, often referred to as the New Silk Road.
South Korea sits at the center of these tensions. Its security rests on its alliance with the United States, while China remains its largest trading partner. Key sectors such as semiconductors, batteries and artificial intelligence are directly exposed to U.S.-China competition.
Jung Seong-jang, vice president of the Sejong Institute, said in an interview that a Taiwan contingency could directly affect South Korea by disrupting critical sea lanes of communication.
A 2023 report by the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy found that 33.27% of South Korea’s maritime trade passes through or near the Taiwan Strait. The institute estimated that disruption of major shipping routes in the area could cause economic losses of about 445.2 billion won ($334 million) per day, based on current exchange rates.
Jung cautioned that direct South Korean military involvement in protecting sea lanes could heighten tensions with China, while North Korea might exploit regional instability to escalate provocations.
Joo Eun-sik, head of the Korea Institute for Strategic Studies, outlined several policy recommendations.
First, he called for deeper integration of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, including coordinated planning in maritime security, missile defense, space and cyber domains to strengthen deterrence against so-called gray-zone threats.
Second, he urged a combined economic and security strategy, strengthening supply chain cooperation and expanding investment in strategic technologies. He said South Korea’s defense industry should function not only as an export sector but as part of a broader strategic network.
Third, he emphasized maritime capabilities, describing sea routes from the Strait of Malacca through the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait as vital to South Korea’s economy. Expanding blue-water naval operations, submarine forces, maritime patrol and unmanned systems, he said, is essential.
Finally, he highlighted the need to build strategic autonomy within the alliance framework by investing in independent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, space monitoring systems and layered missile defense.
Analysts say the Indo-Pacific order remains unsettled. Whether South Korea becomes a passive bystander or an active architect of its own strategy may depend on how effectively it integrates security, industry and technology into a coherent national plan.
South Korea win the women’s 3000m speed skating relay gold medal as Italy finish in second, meaning Arianna Fontana wins her 14th Olympic medal to become her country’s most decorated Olympian.
North Korea has been designated a “high-risk jurisdiction” for money laundering and terrorism financing for the 16th consecutive year, financial authorities said Wednesday.
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which is tasked with combating money laundering and terrorism financing, has put North Korea in the highest risk category along with Iran and Myanmar, according to the Financial Intelligence Unit under the Financial Services Commission.
“The FATF remains concerned by the DPRK’s continued failure to address the significant deficiencies in its anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism regime and the serious threats posed by the DPRK’s illicit activities related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and its financing,” the organization said on its website, referring to North Korea by the acronym of its formal name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The FATF, which works under the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, has categorized North Korea as a “high-risk jurisdiction” since 2011.
Copyright (c) Yonhap News Agency prohibits its content from being redistributed or reprinted without consent, and forbids the content from being learned and used by artificial intelligence systems.
Nearly 3 out of 10 households in South Korea raise pets, mostly dogs, government data showed Tuesday. In this Sept. 28, 2025, photo, dogs wear traditional hanbok at a fashion show held in Seoul. File Photo by Yonhap
Nearly 3 out of 10 households in South Korea raise pets, mostly dogs, government data showed Tuesday.
A survey by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs showed that 29.2 percent of households were raising pets at home in 2025.
Of such households, 80.5 percent raised dogs, while 14.4 percent raised cats and 4.1 percent fish.
Pet owners spent an average of 121,000 won (US$84) per month for their pets.
The survey marked South Korea’s first nationally approved statistical survey on pet ownership.
In a separate survey on animal welfare, also conducted by the agriculture ministry, a little less than half of respondents said pet owners appear to be properly complying with pet-related requirements, such as using leashes and identification tags.
Still, there existed a wide perception gap depending on the respondents’ pet ownership, with 86.9 percent of those who own pets saying they comply with the rules, while only 39.9 percent of non-owners gave the same response.
Regarding the penalty for animal abuse, 93.2 percent of respondents agreed with a need for stronger punishment for those who abuse animals, including bans on animal ownership.
Copyright (c) Yonhap News Agency prohibits its content from being redistributed or reprinted without consent, and forbids the content from being learned and used by artificial intelligence systems.
Export and import price data from Bank of Korea. Graphic by Asia Today and translated by UPI
Feb. 13 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s government maintained its assessment for a fourth straight month that the economy is on a recovery track, citing strong semiconductor-led exports and a gradual improvement in consumption, while warning that weak employment growth and sluggish investment remain key challenges.
The Ministry of Economy and Finance said in its February “Recent Economic Trends” report that “the recovery trend appears to be continuing,” repeating wording it has used since November.
Exports rise, consumption edges up
January exports, based on customs-clearance data, rose 33.9% from a year earlier, the report said. Average daily exports increased 14.0%. Semiconductor shipments more than doubled, up 103%, while computers, wireless communications devices and automobiles also posted gains.
South Korea recorded a trade surplus of $8.74 billion, or about 12.6 trillion won ($8.7 billion), extending the surplus streak to 12 consecutive months, the report said.
The ministry cautioned that export growth remains concentrated in a limited number of items, including semiconductors, leaving the trend vulnerable to shifts in the global technology cycle and changes in U.S. trade policy.
On the domestic side, December retail sales rose 0.9% from the previous month. Fourth-quarter private consumption, based on preliminary gross domestic product data, rose 0.3% from the prior quarter.
The consumer sentiment index came in at 110.8 in January, above the 100 baseline, up 1.0 point from the previous month. Domestic credit card approvals rose 4.7% from a year earlier in January, supporting signs of a modest pickup in spending.
Hiring slows, capital spending stays weak
Employment growth slowed in January, with the number of employed people rising 108,000 from a year earlier, down from a 168,000 increase in the previous month. The unemployment rate rose 0.4 percentage points to 4.1%.
Jobs growth was led by sectors such as health and social welfare and transportation and warehousing, while hiring difficulties persisted in weaker areas such as construction, the report said.
Investment indicators remained mixed. Facility investment fell 3.6% in December from the previous month, dragged down by reduced spending on transportation equipment. Facility investment also fell 1.8% in the fourth quarter from the prior quarter, though some leading indicators, including machinery orders, improved.
Construction output rose 12.1% in December from the prior month, but construction investment fell 3.9% for the fourth quarter. A decline in building permit area was cited as a potential headwind.
Inflation cools to 2.0%
Consumer inflation rose 2.0% in January from a year earlier, easing from 2.3% in the prior month, the report said. Core inflation, excluding food and energy, also rose 2.0%.
The ministry said it will continue macroeconomic support and efforts to boost consumption, investment and exports, while monitoring risks including tougher tariff conditions among major economies and geopolitical uncertainty.
North Korea appears to have begun designating leader Kim Jong-un’s (R) daughter Ju-ae (C) as successor, Seoul’s spy agency told lawmakers Thursday. In this photo, Ju-ae is seen with her parents at a New Year’s event on Dec. 31, 2025. File Photo by KCNA/EPA
North Korea appears to have entered the stage of designating leader Kim Jong-un’s daughter Ju-ae as the successor, the spy agency was quoted as saying by lawmakers Thursday, marking a stepped-up assessment from its earlier evaluation of her as the “most likely successor.”
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) cited signs of Ju-ae expressing her views on certain state policies as one of the grounds for its latest assessment during a closed-door briefing to the parliamentary intelligence committee, Reps. Park Sun-won and Lee Seong-kweun told reporters.
“As Kim Ju-ae has shown her presence at various events, including the founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army and her visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, and signs have been detected of her voicing her opinion on certain state policies, the NIS believes she has now entered the stage of being designated as successor,” Lee said.
Lee said the latest assessment marked a step forward from the agency’s previous views when it described Ju-ae as being “trained” to become a successor, to now assessing her as being at the stage of “successor designation.”
The NIS also said it will keep close tabs on whether she attends the North’s key party congress late this month.
In January 2024, the NIS assessed Ju-ae, believed to be born in 2013, as the North’s “most likely successor” in its first evaluation of her possible succession in the reclusive regime.
Earlier in January, Ju-ae paid tribute at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the Kim family’s mausoleum, for the first time, together with her parents amid growing speculation about her potential succession.
If Ju-ae appears at the party congress or is awarded with an official title at the event, speculation about her being groomed as Kim’s successor will likely gain traction.
Meanwhile, on talks between the United States and North Korea, the NIS noted, “There is a possibility that North Korea could respond to dialogue with the U.S. if certain conditions are met.
“North Korea has expressed dissatisfaction with the U.S. over the South Korea-U.S. fact sheet or the deployment of U.S. strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula, but it has not ruled out the possibility of talks with the U.S. and has refrained from criticizing President Donald Trump,” the spy agency said.
The NIS also noted that the North has refrained from firing intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) apparently to avoid provoking Trump, who is sensitive to such missile launches.
Around 10,000 North Korean combat troops and 1,000 engineer troops are currently deployed in the front-line Kursk region of Russia to support Moscow’s war with Ukraine, the spy agency said, with an estimated 6,000 North Korean soldiers killed or injured.
Some 1,100 combat and engineer troops that returned to the North last December could be dispatched again, it added.
“Despite suffering 6,000 casualties, the North Korean military has achieved the results of acquiring modern combat tactics and data in the battlefield, as well as upgrading its weapons systems with technical assistance from Russia,” the NIS said.
The agency also noted that Pyongyang has established a new department on unmanned aerial vehicles and is accelerating efforts to set up a system capable of developing and mass-producing drones.
As for inter-Korean relations, the NIS said North Korea is continuing to maintain its rhetoric of defining the two Koreas as “two hostile states,” adding that it has recently given guidelines to its officials and overseas missions to avoid engagement with South Korea.
On North Korea’s ties with China, the agency said they have “not gained momentum yet.”
“Although trade between North Korea and China reached US$3 billion last year, the highest in six years, this is only half the level before the imposition of sanctions,” it said.
Meanwhile, the intelligence committee discussed the issue of repatriating two North Korean soldiers held by Ukrainian forces.
The government is making every effort to assist their defection to South Korea as they have expressed their willingness to defect to the South, the NIS said.
An AI-generated image used in a graphic by the National Fire Agency warns of food-related choking risk over the Lunar New Year holiday. Graphic by Asia Today and translated by UPI
Feb. 11 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s National Fire Agency warned that choking incidents involving rice cakes and other foods tend to spike around major holidays, with older adults accounting for most victims.
A Seoul resident in his 60s recalled nearly choking while eating tteokguk, a traditional Lunar New Year soup, after a piece of rice cake lodged in his throat. He said he now cuts rice cakes into smaller pieces and eats more slowly.
The fire agency said an analysis of rescue statistics from 2021 through 2025 found an annual average of 239 people were transported to hospitals for airway obstruction caused by rice cakes or other foods.
During the same period, authorities recorded 1,487 related emergency responses and 1,196 hospital transports. Of those taken to hospitals, 455 people, or 38.1%, were in cardiac arrest, the agency said. Another 741 people, or 61.9%, were reported as injured, underscoring that choking can become life-threatening.
During the Lunar New Year holiday period over the past five years, 31 people were transported for choking incidents involving rice cakes or food, averaging 1.3 people per day.
Older adults made up nearly all of those cases. Among the 31 patients transported during the holiday period, 29 were ages 60 or older, or 96.7%, the agency said, citing factors such as increased meal frequency and faster eating during holiday gatherings.
Officials also pointed to age-related declines in chewing strength and swallowing function, warning that tough or sticky foods such as rice cakes can more easily block the airway when eaten quickly.
The agency urged families to watch elderly relatives during meals, particularly when they are eating alone, and encouraged the public to learn the Heimlich maneuver and use it immediately if someone shows signs of choking or breathing difficulty.
A fire official in Gyeonggi Province said most holiday choking transports involve seniors and can quickly lead to cardiac arrest if breathing is blocked.
Acting Fire Service Commissioner Kim Seung-ryong urged people not to eat too quickly or overeat during the holiday period and asked family members to closely monitor elderly relatives while they eat.
A view of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, an inter-Korean factory park in the North Korean border city of Kaesong, as visible from a South Korean observatory in Paju, South Korea, 25 October 2018, during a visit to the observatory by members of the parliamentary land and transportation committee. File. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
Feb. 10 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s Ministry of Unification said Tuesday that the 2016 suspension of the Kaesong Industrial Complex was a “self-inflicted act” that damaged inter-Korean trust and expressed “deep regret” toward North Korea, while stopping short of citing Pyongyang’s provocations that led to the shutdown.
The statement was released to mark the 10th anniversary of the closure of the joint industrial park, once seen as a symbol of economic cooperation between the two Koreas.
The ministry said South and North Korea signed an agreement in August 2013 guaranteeing normal operations at Kaesong regardless of political or security conditions, adding that the deal had been reached at South Korea’s strong request. The remark was widely interpreted as criticism of the administration of former President Park Geun-hye, which ordered the complex’s full suspension in 2016.
The ministry also expressed regret that the complex was not restarted during the administration of former President Moon Jae-in.
It said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stated in January 2019 that he was willing to reopen the Kaesong Industrial Complex “without any preconditions or compensation,” but South Korea failed to take follow-up measures, missing what it described as a critical opportunity.
The ministry said it hopes for an early normalization of the complex and announced plans to restore the Kaesong Industrial Complex Support Foundation, which was dissolved in 2024, as part of preparatory steps. It also pledged to work with relevant government agencies to support South Korean companies that have suffered financial and psychological hardship due to the prolonged shutdown.
Kaesong has faced repeated suspensions since its launch. Operations were halted in 2013 after North Korea conducted its third nuclear test and withdrew its workers, but later resumed after the two sides agreed on measures to prevent recurrence. In 2016, following North Korea’s fourth nuclear test and a long-range ballistic missile launch, the Park administration ordered a full shutdown, citing concerns that wages paid to North Korean workers were being diverted to Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program.
A Unification Ministry official told reporters that the latest statement was not intended to deny North Korea’s provocations but to emphasize the government’s position on reopening the complex.
“North Korea carried out nuclear tests, but our decision to completely shut down the complex ended up harming South Korean companies and closing a key channel of inter-Korean communication,” the official said. “This message expresses regret to the North for undermining trust in inter-Korean relations.”
The ministry confirmed that North Korea is currently operating about 40 factories inside the Kaesong Industrial Complex without authorization but did not comment further on the issue.
A view of the logo of the leading South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb in Seoul, South Korea, 21 June 2018. File. Photo by JEON HEON-KYUN / EPA
Feb. 10 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s financial watchdog has launched a formal inspection of cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb following a major accounting error known as the “ghost coin” incident, as authorities scrutinize potential violations of the country’s Virtual Asset User Protection Act.
The Financial Supervisory Service said Tuesday it began deploying inspection staff after notifying Bithumb in advance, upgrading an initial on-site review conducted Friday to a full inspection within three days.
FSS Governor Lee Chan-jin had previously warned that any indication of legal violations during the preliminary review would trigger an immediate inspection.
Inspections by the FSS typically last five to 10 business days, but officials and industry observers said the probe could be extended due to the complexity of the case.
The incident occurred Feb. 6, when Bithumb mistakenly credited 620,000 bitcoin to 249 event winners, an amount valued at about 62 trillion won ($46.6 billion). The error was caused by an employee entering “bitcoin” instead of “won” during the prize payment process.
During the on-site review that began the following day, regulators examined how Bithumb generated and distributed ledger entries amounting to more than 13 times its actual bitcoin holdings, estimated at about 46,000 bitcoin. Authorities are assessing whether this violated provisions of the Virtual Asset User Protection Act requiring virtual asset service providers to hold the same type and quantity of digital assets entrusted by users.
The FSS is expected to focus its inspection on Bithumb’s ledger transaction systems and its bitcoin withdrawal structure.
If violations are confirmed, the watchdog said it will impose strict measures in accordance with relevant laws. It also plans to review other cryptocurrency exchanges to prevent similar incidents, including checks on digital asset reserves and internal control systems, and to order prompt corrective action where deficiencies are found.
Separately, the FSS said it will pursue broader institutional reforms in connection with the second phase of virtual asset legislation. These include introducing strict liability for virtual asset service providers in cases of damage caused by system failures or other technical incidents.
North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun newspaper on Wednesday condemned Japan’s recent defense equipment agreement with Canada, accusing Tokyo of accelerating a drive toward militarization. Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, seen here Monday after her Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide election victory, has pledged to bolster the country’s military capabilities. Pool Photo by Franck Robichon/EPA
SEOUL, Feb. 11 (UPI) — North Korea on Wednesday denounced Japan’s new defense equipment agreement with Canada, accusing Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government of accelerating what it called a drive toward militarization and overseas aggression.
An article in Rodong Sinmun, the ruling Workers’ Party newspaper, described Japan as a “war criminal nation” and warned that Tokyo’s expanding military partnerships amount to the formation of a “de facto military alliance” with NATO members and regional countries.
The criticism comes days after Takaichi’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party secured a landslide election victory, strengthening her hand as she pushes to revise Japan’s pacifist constitution and formally recognize the Self-Defense Forces as a military.
Signed in late January, the agreement allows Japan and Canada to jointly develop military systems and share technology, and permits Tokyo to export defense hardware to Ottawa.
Rodong Sinmun argued that such arrangements violate the spirit of Japan’s post-World War II constitution, which renounces war and states that “land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained.”
“As a war criminal nation, Japan is prohibited from possessing a military,” the newspaper wrote. “Therefore, even the very formation of a military alliance is a red line that must not be crossed.”
By strengthening its military agreements with other countries, Japan “aims to create an environment favorable to the realization of its ambitions for overseas aggression,” the paper added.
Japan maintains well-equipped Self-Defense Forces despite Article 9 of its constitution, drafted under U.S. supervision after World War II. In recent years, Tokyo has gradually expanded its security role and eased restrictions on defense exports.
Takaichi, a conservative defense hawk, has pledged to further bolster Japan’s military capabilities. During a Feb. 2 stump speech, she called for amending the constitution to formally recognize the Self-Defense Forces and “position them as a combat-capable organization.”
Her agenda unfolds against a backdrop of heightened tensions with China, including concerns over Taiwan, and pressure from Washington for allies to shoulder a greater share of defense burdens.
North Korea has routinely portrayed Japan’s security initiatives and its trilateral defense cooperation with the United States and South Korea as steps toward remilitarization and a threat to regional stability.
South Korea’s Unification Ministry on Wednesday rejected criticisms that it has taken a “submissive” stance toward North Korea after comments by Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, who is seen here at the National Assembly on Feb. 11. Photo by Yonhap
The unification ministry on Wednesday rejected media criticism that it maintains a “submissive” stance toward North Korea after Unification Minister Chung Dong-young made back-to-back remarks expressing regrets over actions that strained ties with the regime.
“Some are portraying the government’s peace efforts as a submissive stance toward the North … but the government is seeking to create conditions for inter-Korean trust in pursuit of peaceful coexistence,” the ministry said in a press release.
The media criticism came after Chung expressed regret the previous day over the alleged privately led drone dispatch to North Korea in recent months and Seoul’s 2016 shutdown of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, a symbol of inter-Korean cooperation.
“We need the courage to acknowledge the wrongs we have committed, and in that perspective, the drone dispatch was a clear wrongdoing,” the ministry said, adding that such past missteps must be overcome.
The Lee Jae Myung administration has repeatedly extended overtures for dialogue to Pyongyang since taking office last June, although Pyongyang has remained unresponsive.
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South Korean Deputy Defense Minister for national defense policy, Kim Hong-cheol, speaks during a briefing over North Korea’s claims of South Korean drone incursions into the North in September last year and earlier this week, at the defense ministry’s headquarters in central Seoul, South Korea, 10 January 2026. South Korea on 10 January denied North Korea’s claims that its drones infiltrated into the North in September 2025 and on 04 January 2026. File. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
Feb. 10 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s military-police joint investigation task force has conducted search-and-seizure operations at the National Intelligence Service and the Army Intelligence Command as part of a widening probe into allegations that drones were sent into North Korea with possible involvement by intelligence officials.
The task force said it executed warrants at 18 locations, including intelligence agencies, as well as the homes and offices of civilian suspects. Investigators are examining whether intelligence personnel contacted the alleged main perpetrator and provided cash payments related to the drone activities.
The NIS has denied any institutional involvement, saying there was no government-level direction. However, critics argue that the scale and nature of the alleged operation make it difficult to believe it occurred without awareness within the intelligence community.
According to the task force, three active-duty officers – a major and a captain from the Army Intelligence Command and a captain from a separate military unit – have been booked on suspicion of violating the Aviation Safety Act and other charges. Three civilians accused of launching drones toward North Korea from border areas have also been additionally charged under the Criminal Act with general offenses against the state.
Earlier, investigators booked three civilians, including the head of a drone manufacturing company, a company executive responsible for North Korea-related operations and a graduate student who claimed to have flown drones into the North. During the investigation, authorities identified evidence suggesting that one NIS employee and three active-duty military personnel contacted the graduate student and provided several million won in cash described as activity expenses.
The Army Intelligence Command said the civilian was recruited as a collaborator to assist intelligence-gathering activities, not to carry out drone operations. The NIS said the employee involved had never held a position allowing access to agency funds and had not used intelligence budgets.
Investigators and analysts, however, question whether a civilian could independently carry out drone infiltration activities targeting North Korea. Given the suspect’s repeated contact with intelligence officers, some observers say it is likely the incident was at least known within intelligence circles.
A source familiar with intelligence operations said it was premature to draw firm conclusions but noted that, given the nature of the alleged activity, it is difficult to rule out prior awareness or information sharing within the intelligence system. The NIS holds authority over budget oversight and operational audits of domestic intelligence bodies, raising further questions about internal controls.
The case has also reignited criticism of South Korea’s intelligence agencies as highly closed organizations, with tightly compartmentalized budgets and operations. Some analysts argue that such structures could allow activities inconsistent with the government’s stated North Korea policy to be carried out without effective civilian oversight.
“Operations of this scale are structurally difficult for a single agency to carry out alone,” another source said. “Given the command and budgetary framework, it is hard to understand how this could have proceeded without passing through the NIS.”
Jung Cheong-rae, leader of South Korea’s Democratic Party, speaks during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul on Sunday. Photo by Asia Today
Feb. 10 (Asia Today) — Jeong Cheong-rae, leader of South Korea’s Democratic Party, said Monday he has suspended merger talks with the Jo Kuk Innovation Party less than three weeks after publicly proposing the idea, citing internal unity ahead of upcoming local elections.
Jeong told reporters after a party leadership meeting that discussions will be put on hold until after the local elections.
“Until the local elections, we will stop the merger talks,” Jeong said. “Whether people supported or opposed the merger, we all share the spirit of putting the party first. We respect the will of party members. I believe harmony is more urgent than controversy over integration.”
Jeong said the party will form a preparatory committee focused on “solidarity and integration” and will revisit the merger after the local vote.
The Democratic Party’s move comes 19 days after Jeong publicly raised the possibility of merging with the Innovation Party, a smaller liberal party associated with former Justice Minister Cho Kuk.
Jeong also apologized for friction stirred by the discussions.
“Everything that happened during this process was due to my shortcomings,” he said. “I apologize to the public, our party members and members of the Jo Kuk Innovation Party.”
1 of 2 | Seo In-taek, co-standing chair, delivers a vision at the launch ceremony of the Citizens’ Solidarity for One Korea on Feb. 4. Photo by the Citizens’ Solidarity for One Korea
Feb. 8 (Asia Today) — Leaders of a newly launched civic group advocating Korean unification said they plan to support private broadcasts to North Korea that emphasize what they call a “unification vision,” arguing that entertainment alone will not change attitudes in the North.
The Citizens’ Solidarity for One Korea, inaugurated Feb. 4, is promoting “Korea Link,” a global fundraising campaign to support broadcasting and related content distribution. Organizers said participants pledged about 80 million won (about $60,000) at the launch ceremony.
Co-representatives Seo In-taek and Kenneth Bae spoke with Asia Today about why they are pushing the initiative and how they plan to deliver content to North Korean residents.
Q: Why launch a private broadcasting push now?
Seo In-taek: “The government has halted broadcasts to North Korea, and the United States has also stopped funding Voice of America and Radio Free Asia. With balloon launches and maritime information activities also suspended, private broadcasts are effectively the only remaining way to deliver information to North Koreans.”
Kenneth Bae: “The immediate priority is to revitalize existing private broadcasts to North Korea. We need to strengthen what is already operating and broaden its reach.”
Q: What is ‘Korea Link’ and what is the core goal?
Seo: “‘Korea Link’ is not about simply sending outside information or South Korean dramas. The goal is to deliver a ‘unification vision’ – to present alternatives so North Korean residents can have choices.”
Bae: “The fund should first be used to support existing broadcasts, then to develop better content and expand the base so broadcasting becomes sustainable.”
Q: What format will the broadcasts take?
Bae: “I plan to appear on Far East Broadcasting to take part in broadcasts aimed at the North. We will start with shortwave radio, but we want to expand to medium-wave and internet-based broadcasting over time.”
Seo: “Shortwave is a start, but we should also look at practical ways to deliver content more widely, including digital storage methods.”
Q: How would you deliver content if internet access is restricted?
Seo: “There are several ways. Digital storage devices can be effective for information inflow, and we want to use such tools not only to deliver information but also to convey a unification vision. To do this consistently, we need a nationwide fundraising campaign.”
Q: How will raised funds be managed?
Seo: “If funds are secured, we plan to establish an operating committee to ensure the money is used transparently and effectively.”
Bae: “Funding should be tied to measurable improvements – stronger broadcasts, better content and broader distribution.”
Q: What kind of content do you want to send?
Seo: “Simply providing outside information is not enough. A unification vision is needed. South Korean dramas are mostly ‘chaebol stories.’ That kind of content alone will not change North Korea.”
Bae: “We need content that can stimulate interest in unification and keep that message consistent. If we keep producing and sending it, it can help widen support for unification.”
Q: Beyond broadcasting, what else do you plan to do?
Bae: “We will also advocate internationally for North Koreans’ right to know and right to access information.”
A view of the National Assembly in Seoul. Photo by Asia Today
Feb. 8 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s main opposition party on Saturday criticized a U.S. congressional subpoena issued to Coupang’s Korea unit that explicitly names President Lee Jae-myung, calling it a “national embarrassment” and demanding an explanation from the government.
The People Power Party reacted after the U.S. House Judiciary Committee disclosed a subpoena sent to Coupang Korea’s interim chief executive that cites actions by South Korean authorities and public remarks by Lee.
Choi Bo-yoon, the party’s chief spokesperson, said it was troubling that the president’s full name appeared in an official document issued by a foreign legislature.
“The problem is that the public has no way of knowing what the government and the presidential office did – or failed to do – before the president’s name appeared in a U.S. congressional subpoena,” Choi said. “This is an unprecedented embarrassment for the country.”
Choi said the document details actions taken by South Korean government agencies, including the Fair Trade Commission, references to possible business suspensions, large-scale investigations and repeated data requests, as well as the president’s public comments.
“This issue goes beyond an individual case involving Coupang,” Choi said. “It reflects a situation in which presidential remarks and the government’s response have been elevated into a formal issue before the U.S. Congress.”
He added that the subpoena quoted Lee’s remarks calling for “strong punishment and massive fines,” arguing that the matter had shifted from a domestic personal data protection issue into an international dispute framed as discrimination against a U.S. company.
Choi also called for senior officials to provide an explanation, saying the silence of the presidential chief of staff, national security adviser and prime minister was unacceptable given the sensitivity of the situation.
“This comes at a time when tariff negotiations, technology regulation and platform legislation are all moving simultaneously between South Korea and the United States,” he said. “The government should have anticipated U.S. concerns and managed them proactively.”
The U.S. House Judiciary Committee posted the subpoena on its website Wednesday, alleging that the South Korean government discriminated against Coupang.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun speaks during a briefing with Korean correspondents at the South Korean Embassy in Washington on Feb. 5. Photo by Asia Today
Feb. 6 (Asia Today) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has conveyed growing unease in Washington over South Korea’s implementation of bilateral trade commitments, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Thursday, as Seoul moves to contain fallout through intensive diplomatic outreach.
Cho told Korean correspondents in Washington that Rubio raised the issue directly during their meeting at the State Department on Monday, noting that while bilateral ties are not in crisis, the internal U.S. mood regarding delayed trade-related commitments is “not favorable.”
According to Cho, Rubio stressed that trade and investment issues fall outside his direct portfolio but said he felt obliged to flag the concern in his broader role overseeing U.S. foreign policy and national security. Rubio also urged closer diplomatic coordination to prevent trade friction from spilling over into security cooperation.
Cho said he responded by firmly rejecting any suggestion that Seoul is deliberately delaying implementation. He emphasized that South Korea remains committed to fulfilling trade agreements and that legislative and procedural timelines reflect domestic processes rather than political intent.
Cho underscored Seoul’s position that trade and security should be handled separately, pointing to the structure of the bilateral summit’s Joint Fact Sheet, which divides cooperation into economic and security pillars. He warned that differences in implementation speed should not impede cooperation in strategic areas such as nuclear energy, nuclear-powered submarines and shipbuilding.
Cho said Rubio agreed that neither side wants delays in implementing agreements across either domain and pledged personal oversight, noting that the matters fall under the purview of the State Department and the White House National Security Council.
During his Washington visit, Cho pursued what officials described as a broad diplomatic push, engaging not only on security but also on trade and investment. On Tuesday, he met sequentially with Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the sidelines of a critical minerals ministerial meeting.
Cho said Greer acknowledged the potential economic impact of renewed tariffs but stressed the importance of South Korea demonstrating tangible progress not only in strategic investment but also in addressing non-tariff barriers. Talks with Wright focused on nuclear cooperation, including enrichment, reprocessing rights and collaboration on nuclear-powered submarines.
A senior South Korean official said Washington had long harbored frustrations over the pace of Korea’s domestic procedures but noted that President Donald Trump’s decision to air concerns publicly on social media last month marked a departure from past communication practices. Trump had warned that tariffs on South Korean goods could be restored to 25% if legal steps tied to the trade agreement were not completed.
The official said Cho cautioned Rubio that such public announcements could complicate bilateral relations and burden domestic efforts needed to advance U.S.-bound investment.
On a separate controversy involving e-commerce firm Coupang, the official said Seoul views the issue as corporate lobbying rather than a diplomatic dispute, adding that congressional interest reflects pressure from private-sector advocacy. Given the potential for legal escalation, the government is exercising caution, the official said.
Cho also met with U.S. lawmakers from both parties, including Sens. Tom Cotton, Tim Kaine, Andy Kim and Jeff Merkley, to discuss the U.S.-South Korea alliance, regional security and economic cooperation.
Cho urged congressional support for accelerating cooperation in nuclear energy, submarine technology and shipbuilding, calling them central to elevating the alliance amid a shifting global landscape. Lawmakers expressed bipartisan backing for the alliance and signaled openness to deeper cooperation, while emphasizing adherence to nonproliferation norms.
South Korea, Cho said, will pursue implementation of the Joint Fact Sheet with strict separation between military and civilian nuclear use, transparency and close coordination with the United States and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
A man looks through binoculars toward the North Korean side of the border from the Tongilchon Village near the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) in Paju, Gyeonggi-do province, South Korea, 25 December 2025. According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), North Korea launched a test firing of new anti-air missiles toward the East Sea on 24 December. File. JEON HEON-KYUN / EPA
Feb. 6 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Thursday it is consulting with the United Nations Command on ways to manage the Demilitarized Zone more effectively.
A ministry official told reporters that discussions on improving and streamlining DMZ management have been under way at the working level since early this year, following the inauguration of Defense Minister Ahn Kyu-baek.
Media reports earlier indicated that the ministry has proposed a revised jurisdictional arrangement within the southern section of the DMZ. Under the proposal, areas north of the existing fence would remain under the UN Command’s authority, while areas south of the fence would be managed by the South Korean military.
The DMZ extends 2 kilometers south of the Military Demarcation Line, forming the southern DMZ zone. Although the fence was originally intended to follow the Southern Limit Line marking that boundary, it was installed slightly farther north to facilitate surveillance and guard operations against North Korea.
As a result, the area south of the fence accounts for about 30% of the southern DMZ zone, according to the ministry.
The Defense Ministry is expected to raise the issue of DMZ management formally with the U.S. side, which holds command authority over the UN Command, later this year. Officials said Seoul has also proposed addressing the issue through bilateral defense consultative frameworks, including the Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue and the Security Consultative Meeting.
The ministry emphasized that discussions with the UN Command remain at an early, working-level stage. “We will provide further explanations as talks progress,” the official said.
Health and Welfare Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong speaks during a meeting of economy-related ministers at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, 21 January 2026. File. YONHAP / EPA
Feb. 6 (Asia Today) — South Korea could face a shortage of up to 4,800 physicians by 2037, the government said Thursday, as it moves closer to deciding how much to expand medical school enrollment amid mounting opposition from doctors’ groups.
The estimate was presented at the sixth meeting of the Health and Medical Policy Deliberation Committee, where the Health Ministry selected a supply-based projection model using the so-called inflow-outflow method. The model estimates future physician supply by factoring in new medical licenses and mortality rates.
Under the model, South Korea is projected to have about 135,369 practicing doctors by 2037. Even with that increase, officials estimate a shortfall ranging from 4,262 to 4,800 physicians, depending on assumptions.
Health Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong said strengthening physician training is a prerequisite for rebuilding regional, essential and public healthcare systems. “Appropriate workforce development is the first step toward restoring healthcare delivery outside major urban centers,” she said.
The ministry opted for a license-based supply model that relies on relatively stable indicators, such as new entrants and deaths, rather than more variable demand-side projections. A task force advising the committee said the model has been validated through multiple domestic and international studies.
Only the scale of enrollment expansion remains undecided. The government plans to announce next week the medical school quota for the five-year period starting in the 2027 academic year.
The proposal, however, continues to draw resistance from medical groups, including the Korean Medical Association, which argue the projections are flawed. Critics say the estimates fail to reflect differences by region and specialty, underestimate future productivity gains from artificial intelligence and rely on overly limited variables.
KMA spokesperson Kim Seong-geun warned this week that if the government pushes ahead based on what he called “distorted data,” the association would take action and hold the government fully responsible for the consequences.
Education experts also cautioned that any expansion must be accompanied by measures to protect training quality. One academic noted that overlapping cohorts from recent academic years have already strained teaching capacity and said closer monitoring will be needed to prevent deterioration in medical education and residency training.
At Thursday’s meeting, officials also reviewed discussions from a recent Medical Innovation Committee session and consultations with medical educators. Based on those talks, the ministry said it plans to cap enrollment increases to avoid excessive strain on schools and apply different standards to national universities and smaller medical colleges.
Jeong said the next committee meeting will outline not only physician training numbers but also broader policy measures to support regional healthcare staffing.
