Why do South Koreans love AI so much? From eldercare robots to humanoid monks, South Koreans just can't get enough of AI. When I landed in Seoul after a grueling 12-hour flight from San Francisco, I walked through an unmanned immigration checkpoint, where a machine scanned my face and passport. On the subway home, people were glued to their phones (powered by flawless 5G even underground), as we raced past platforms lined with LED screens of ads celebrating K-pop idols ' birthdays. When I got off the station in Gangnam, a cartoon-eyed robot on wheels was waiting patiently at a crosswalk to deliver someone's dinner. Internet cafés dotted the sidewalks, crammed with teenagers playing computer games, maybe hoping to become the next legendary pro gamer .

Dipu Tamang from Nepal is among more than 400,000 international students in Japan. When Dipu Tamang arrived in Japan from Nepal in 2024, he joined a growing stream of young people who see the country less as a traditional study destination and more as a structured route into work and long-term opportunity. The 22-year-old graduated from Shinjuku Heiwa Japanese Language School in March and now studies international business at a vocational college in Tokyo. He juggles part-time work as a convenience store clerk and hotel housekeeper to help cover his living expenses. "At first, I was interested in Japanese pop culture," he said. "Then I wanted to learn the language.

North Korea will'never' get nuclear recognition, EU and South Korea say European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen shakes hands with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung next to European Council President Antonio Costa on the day of an EU-South Korea summit in Brussels on Wednesday. South Korea and the European Union have said that North Korea will "never" be recognized as a nuclear-weapon state, reaffirming their commitment to denuclearization days after China and North Korea pledged closer ties at a summit that made no public mention of the issue. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung held talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa on Wednesday in Brussels, where they agreed to step up defense ties, including efforts to facilitate the exchange of classified information. "The DPRK will never be accepted as a nuclear-weapon state," the EU and South Korea said in a joint statement, referring to North Korea's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.

After decades risking arrest, South Korea's tattoo artists step into the limelight When Kim Tae-nam took the stage last Saturday in Seoul, it was a moment he had long been waiting for - the career he had chosen was no longer illegal. He couldn't stop smiling, the relief spilling into his voice: This was only possible because of our effort, all your sweat and tears. Let's hear it from everyone: Tattoos are art! They had gathered on a rooftop in Seongsu, a hip Seoul neighbourhood, for Ink Bomb: more than 90 local tattooists and artists openly celebrating body art, which had thrived in the shadows for decades. Just days before, South Korea's top court had overturned its 1992 ruling that defined tattooing as a medical act - bringing to an end Korean tattooists' decades-long fight for legitimacy.

The return of BTS is a big deal. In case you were in any doubt, just look at the frenzy surrounding the South Koreans' comeback. On Saturday, the band will kick off a sold-out, 82-date world tour with a free concert in Seoul, which is expected to be attended by more than 250,000 in-person fans and will be live-streamed on Netflix to more than 190 countries. When the tour wraps up in 2027, BTS are expected to have generated more than $1billion in revenue. Some more outlandish estimates suggest they will eclipse the $2billion haul of Taylor Swift's Eras tour.

N Korea's Kim unveils 50 rocket launchers ahead of key congress North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has unveiled dozens of nuclear-capable rocket launchers ahead of a key congress of the governing Workers' Party, according to state media. Kim hailed the 600mm-calibre rocket launchers as "wonderful" and "attractive" during the ceremony on Wednesday, adding that new military and construction goals will be set during the upcoming congress. "When this weapon is used, actually, no force would be able to expect God's protection," Kim said, according to the KCNA "It is really a wonderful and attractive weapon," Kim said, according to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency. He described the launchers as the "world's most advantageous weapon for concentrated super-powerful attack", according Yonhap. Photos released by state media showed dozens of launch vehicles parked in neat rows on the plaza of Pyongyang's House of Culture, which will host the congress.

Fragments of a drone lie scattered on the ground in the Muksan-ri area, Kaepung District, Kaesong City, North Korea, after North Korea said on Saturday that South Korea sent another drone into North Korean airspace on Jan. 4, according to North Korean state media KCNA, in this picture released on Jan. 10. SEOUL - South Korea's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said on Wednesday that three civilians had sent drones to North Korea on four occasions since President Lee Jae Myung took office last year, harming inter-Korean ties. The trio flew the aircraft between September and January, Chung said, citing an ongoing investigation by police and the military. Drones crashed on two occasions in North Korea, in line with claims made by Pyongyang, he said. On two other attempts the drones returned to Paju, a border settlement in South Korea, after flying over Kaesong, a city in North Korea, Chung said.

Ideally,languagemodelswould reflect the cultural norms of various regions around the world and generate culturally appropriate content when responding inlocallanguages oftheregions, unless otherwise specified.

You must have heard of Dubai chocolate: the sticky, indulgent confectionary filled with pistachio cream, tahini and shreds of knafeh pastry, which has become a global sensation. Now the decadent bar has inspired South Korea's latest dessert craze. The Dubai chewy cookie has been selling like wildfire - and even restaurants that don't usually offer baked goods are trying to get a nibble of the market. Despite its name, the cookie's texture more closely resembles a rice cake, and is made by stuffing pistachio cream and knafeh shreds into a chocolate marshmallow. Shops are selling hundreds of cookies within minutes and the frenzy has sent prices of key ingredients surging, local media reported.

North Korea's Kim Yo Jong urges South Korea to investigate drone incidents Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, arrives at the Vostochny Сosmodrome before a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, in Russia's far eastern Amur region in September 2023. Seoul - North Korea's Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un, urged South Korea to investigate recent drone incidents for detailed explanations, in a statement carried by state media Sunday. Kim said she personally appreciates Seoul for making a wise decision to announce its official stance that it has no intention of provocation, warning that any provocations will result in terrible situations, the official Korean Central News Agency said. Drones were flown from South Korea into North Korea earlier this month, after another intrusion in September, North Korea's military said on Saturday, which was soon followed by South Korea's response that they were not operated by the military. South Korea also said there would be a thorough investigation of a civilian possibly having operated the drones, making clear its stance of having no intention of provocation. Clear is just the fact that the drone from the ROK violated the airspace of our country, Kim said.