IT
FBI Confirms North Korean Hackers' Role in $6.3 Billion Binance Heist
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has confirmed that North Korean state hackers were behind what it called the largest cryptocurrency heist in history, draining 6.3 billion dollars from the Binance exchange. According to the U.S. digital-currency site Coindesk on Sunday, the FBI confirmed the role of North Korea's hacking group 'TraderTraitor' in the October 29 hack of the crypto exchange.
The stolen assets total some 18,270 bitcoins worth about 1.4 billion dollars, along with large amounts of Ethereum and stablecoins. At 6.3 billion dollars, the theft is by far the biggest crypto heist on record.
AI Power Demand Drives U.S. Tech Giants to Race for Clean Energy
As the artificial-intelligence boom drives up electricity demand, U.S. tech giants such as Microsoft are racing to lock in clean power that is fast to install and affordable, though winning over skeptical local communities remains a major hurdle.
In Yakima County in Washington State, about a three-hour drive from Seattle, nearly 190,000 solar panels stretch across some 600 acres of former farmland, enough to cover roughly 340 soccer fields, feeding zero-carbon clean energy into the regional grid. As sourcing electricity becomes a new bottleneck for AI, firms are signing long-term power purchase agreements to secure clean energy steadily.
Microsoft's deal with Brookfield calls for 10.5 gigawatts of new clean power by 2030; that capacity alone would equal about a quarter of South Korea's entire renewable-energy infrastructure today, and companies say renewables are cheaper and easier to install than other sources.
New Defense Drone Agency Launched to Boost South Korea's Unmanned Warfare
South Korea has launched a new Defense Drone Agency, a major push to strengthen its unmanned warfare capabilities, replacing the Drone Operations Command established in 2023. The new body is smaller but plays a bigger role in shaping the country's future drone-warfare capacity.
Facing evolving threats on the modern battlefield, where drones have become a 'game changer,' the agency will serve as a control tower for developing drone and counter-drone capabilities across the military. Actual combat operations will be handled by the individual services, while the agency focuses on developing combat concepts, coordinating requirements and testing new technologies.
Personnel are cut by more than half, with over half of them holding the rank of major or higher. A further shift is closer cooperation with the private sector, as the Defense Ministry moves to let military units acquire pre-approved commercial drones more quickly.
Politics
President Lee Calls for 'Growth for All' in Record 2027 Budget
President Lee Jae Myung on Monday called on both major parties to back the government's 2027 budget, stressing at his address to the National Assembly that this 'super budget' is designed to secure future growth engines and 'growth for all.'
Lee said that to overcome the limits of 'K-shaped growth,' where inequality and polarization are deepening, the country must move beyond the outdated binary argument of 'growth versus distribution' and offer a new growth formula suited to the changing times.
His administration will pursue 'livelihood projects' centered on job support, financing for the socially vulnerable and housing policy, with no spending on areas deemed unnecessary, a preference for direct fiscal spending over tax expenditures, and incentives for rural areas. Next year's budget is set at nearly 821 trillion won, about 611 billion dollars, buoyed by extra tax revenue from the chip sector.
U.S. Midterms, APEC and G20 Put South Korea's Diplomacy to the Test
South Korea is facing a delicate diplomatic balancing act, and the coming weeks could make it even more challenging. Tomorrow's U.S. midterm elections could reshape President Trump's room to maneuver, with consequences far beyond Washington.
Meanwhile, China is preparing to host APEC amid continued rivalry with the U.S., while the G20 faces growing divisions over trade and economic security. With the possibility of renewed talks between Trump and Kim Jong Un, there is also the question of whether Seoul could be left on the sidelines.
How can Seoul protect its interests, navigate competing powers and ensure a voice in decisions that shape its own future? Min Jeong-hun, a professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, and Daniel Connolly, associate professor of international relations at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, discuss the issues.
Korea, U.S. and Japan Reaffirm North Korea Denuclearisation, Sign Arctic-Pacific Pact
South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held a string of diplomatic meetings on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers' gathering in Atlanta over the weekend. North Korea was the central focus, and Cho also met separately with his German and Polish counterparts.
The foreign ministers of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan met in Atlanta on Friday, on the sidelines of the G20 meeting, to reaffirm their commitment to North Korea's complete denuclearisation and to sign a memorandum expanding cooperation in the Arctic-Pacific region. Minister Cho, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japan's Toshimitsu Motegi agreed to maintain strong deterrence against Pyongyang while pursuing peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy.
The three also called for full enforcement of United Nations sanctions aimed at cutting off revenue for North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes. Cho said Seoul would play a 'pacemaker' role in efforts to revive dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang, and beyond security the three agreed to strengthen their cooperation.
Economy
South Korea's 2026 Exports Within Reach of $1 Trillion Milestone
South Korea's cumulative exports topped 900 billion dollars for the first time in the January-to-October period, with the government projecting that annual exports could reach one trillion dollars. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, exports surged 93.7 percent from a year earlier to 115.3 billion dollars in October, pushing cumulative exports past the 900-billion-dollar mark for the first time.
The strong performance was driven by robust shipments of semiconductors, computers and automobiles. If the momentum continues, South Korea is expected to become the world's fourth country to reach one trillion dollars in annual exports, after the U.S., China and Germany, possibly as early as this month.
APK 2026 Calls for Closer Korea-Germany Ties amid Global Uncertainty
A day after holding summit talks with President Lee Jae Myung, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz joined the 19th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business, or APK, in Seoul on Friday to explore new economic-cooperation opportunities between the two countries and the wider Indo-Pacific region.
More than 700 political and business leaders gathered for the event, which comes as Germany seeks closer economic ties with the region as the global industrial landscape changes rapidly. Chancellor Merz called for resilient and reliable partnerships, saying South Korea and Germany have a defining role to play together.
South Korea's top representative highlighted the two countries' shared strengths in manufacturing, calling for deeper cooperation in three areas: batteries, semiconductors and AI-driven manufacturing. Germany is South Korea's largest trading partner.
K-Culture Boom Lifts Overseas Direct Sales to Six-Year High as Direct Purchases Fall
South Korea's direct overseas sales surged more than 40 percent in the third quarter to a six-year high, while overseas direct purchases by Korean consumers fell 6.3 percent. According to data released Monday by the Ministry of Data and Statistics, direct overseas sales reached 1.09 trillion won, about 816 million dollars, largely driven by strong global demand for Korean cosmetics, clothing and K-pop merchandise.
On the flip side, overseas direct purchases fell 6.3 percent, marking the first two-consecutive-quarter decline since related tracking began. The K-culture boom is producing a favorable trend for South Korea on both the export and consumption sides.
Society
BTS Wraps 'ARIRANG' Tour in Latin America With 853,000 Fans
BTS has wrapped up the South American leg of its 'ARIRANG' world tour, drawing some 853,000 fans to 14 sold-out concerts. According to the group's agency, the tour ended in Brazil's Sao Paulo this past Saturday.
The South American leg began in Colombia's Bogota on October 2, with stops in Lima, Santiago and Buenos Aires. The agency said the concerts boosted local economies, with the shows in Argentina generating an estimated 46 billion won, about 34 million dollars, in spending.
BTS will next perform in Taiwan on November 19.
Samsung Lions Advance to 2026 Korean Series to Face KT Wiz
The Samsung Lions have clinched a spot in the 2026 Korean Series, where they will face the KT Wiz. On Sunday the Lions beat the Kia Tigers 6-1 to win the best-of-five semifinal series 3-2, advancing to the championship round.
In front of a sellout home crowd of over 23,000 in Daegu, Kim Ji-chan led with three hits and three runs batted in, while starting pitcher Ariel Jurado allowed just one run over seven innings. He also won Game Two and was named series MVP.
The Lions are now chasing their ninth Korean Series title, the first since 2014. Standing in their way are the regular-season champions, the KT Wiz, who have had a rest since October 12 and are targeting their second title. The best-of-seven series begins Tuesday evening at KT Wiz Park in Suwon.
Inside Cheongwadae Sarangchae: Photo Booth and Exhibitions Draw Overseas Visitors
Cheongwadae Sarangchae, a cultural space in the heart of Seoul, is offering visitors a fresh way to discover Korea's rich heritage through immersive exhibitions and hands-on experiences, and is quickly emerging as a must-visit for tourists seeking more than the usual sights. Open to all, the space is inspired by the concept of a travel library.
In one corner, a photo booth called 'Jamp 4 Cut' lets visitors pose alongside President Lee Jae Myung and First Lady Kim Hea Kyung. The booth was first introduced for a limited time during the administration's first anniversary and has been permanent since last Wednesday.
Following the positive response, officials decided to make the booth permanent, giving visitors from Korea and abroad more opportunities to create lasting memories with the presidential couple. Visitors can choose from six photo frames and decorate their pictures with stickers depicting 12 Korean cultural motifs.
World
World News: Trump Says U.S.-Canada Trade Deal 'Very Close'
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that a trade deal with Canada is 'very close.' After talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump said the two leaders have a concept of a deal that would be 'great' for the country and 'great' for farmers. Carney said the two teams would work in the coming weeks on a deal that would 'fully respect Canada's languages, culture and sovereignty' — the most upbeat sign since talks collapsed in August.
In France, prosecutors opened an attempted-murder investigation after firebombs were thrown at police during protests in Paris on Saturday. Video showed a homemade device exploding at the feet of an officer and setting his lower body on fire; some officers suffered second-degree burns. No one has been arrested over the attack, but more than 770 people were detained across France during a third weekend of protests.
Russia's security service said it detained a minor over a threatened attack in a Moscow park after a tip-off from the United States. A Russian news agency reported that the suspect had posted photos online wearing tactical gear.
Qatar-Mediated U.S.-Iran Peace Talks Remain Gridlocked Amid Trump-Khamenei Standoff
Mediated peace talks by Qatar between the U.S. and Iran remain underway despite high tensions, with the focus on Washington's decision regarding Tehran's 'two-day proposal.'
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that a high-level Iranian delegation was in Qatar for talks with Qatari mediators seeking a deal with the U.S., but no final agreement was reached. In an interview shared by Iranian state TV, he emphasized that Iran is fully prepared to defend itself but also remains open to diplomacy.
Araghchi said discussions on a so-called 'two-day proposal' were continuing but had not reached a final conclusion. The proposal under discussion could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days of a potential agreement with Washington. The talks follow an earlier seven-day confidence-building plan proposed by Qatar, under which Washington and Tehran would take daily steps to build trust.
North Korea Condemns S. Korea-U.S. Joint Military Drills, Vows Stronger Nuclear Deterrent
North Korea has denounced an earlier joint military drill between South Korea and the U.S. On Monday, a senior official from Pyongyang's munitions department released a statement via state media calling the allies' 'Iron Mace' exercise an extreme rehearsal for a nuclear attack.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff noted that the tabletop exercise was held behind closed doors from September 29 through October 2. North Korea claimed the drill reflects Washington's resolve to 'crush' the regime and vowed to accelerate its nuclear deterrent in response.
Culture
From Music to Light: A Romantic Autumn at Traditional Palaces
As autumn sets in, Changgyeonggung Palace in Seoul is drawing visitors by transforming from a daytime musical retreat into a glowing nighttime spectacle. Reporter Hong Seo-jeong has a report from the grounds.
Inside the elegant glass greenhouse, melodies mingle with lush fragrance. Visitors enjoy the warm, woody scent of cedarwood as a gayageum and viola duet perform the familiar Korean song 'Arirang.' The Changgyeonggung Grand Greenhouse, built in 1909, is the first Victorian-style conservatory in Korea.
Late Actor Choi Bool-am Laid to Rest, Receives Posthumous Award
Legendary actor Choi Bool-am, who passed away last week, has been laid to rest, completing Korea's customary several-day funeral period, the last day of which is the 'final farewell,' or 'barin,' in Korean.
The government said the late actor, affectionately known as the 'Nation's Father,' will be posthumously awarded the Gold Crown Order of Cultural Merit, South Korea's highest cultural honour, for 67 years of dedication and contribution to the development of Korean popular culture and his enduring legacy and profound impact on the broadcasting and entertainment industries. He had previously received the Silver Crown Order of Cultural Merit, the second-highest distinction, at the 2014 Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards.
Choi is survived by his wife and fellow actor Kim Min-ja, and by his son and daughter.
K-Culture in Photos: The Comfort of Korean Bedding, From Tradition to Travel Souvenir
As the weather turns chilly, it is time to swap summer bedding for something warmer. In Korea this cozy cover is called 'ibul,' and it makes getting into bed one of the best parts of the day. Fluffy white cotton bursts open on the branches, and after harvesting, a bedding artisan carefully prepares the soft fibers, turning the natural material into something to snuggle up with at night.
Cotton-filled Korean bedding comes in a variety of forms. The cotton fibers help trap air, providing natural insulation while allowing air to circulate, resulting in a wonderfully soft cover to keep you warm on chilly nights.
Tourists are seeking Korean bedding as an unexpected travel souvenir, as word spreads that it offers good value for money with soft fabrics. Shoppers can be seen carefully inspecting piles of bedding.