Latest Seoul News

Zebra runs loose in Seoul before being taken back to zoo
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A young zebra walked, trotted, and galloped for hours in the busy streets of South Korea’s capital before emergency workers tranquilized the animal and brought it back to a zoo. The zebra — a male named Sero that was born in the zoo in 2021 — was in...

Swedish investigator says S. Korea key to her adoption probe
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A Swedish legal expert investigating the country’s international adoption practices said Tuesday she’s trying to determine whether Swedish authorities were aware of falsified child origins as they approved the adoptions of thousands of South Korean children. ...

Asian stocks rise ahead of Fed's next interest rate decision
BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets followed Wall Street higher on Tuesday ahead of a Federal Reserve decision on another possible interest rate hike amid worries about global banks. Shanghai, Hong Kong and Seoul advanced. Japanese markets were closed for a holiday. Oil prices...

Samsung to invest $230 billion to build "mega" chip cluster
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Samsung Electronics said Wednesday it expects to invest 300 trillion won ($230 billion) over the next 20 years as part of an ambitious South Korean national project to build the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturing base near the capital, Seoul. ...

Kakao offers to buy 35% of K-pop firm SM in growing battle
HONG KONG (AP) — South Korean technology firm Kakao launched a tender offer to buy up to 35% of K-pop agency SM Entertainment and become its largest shareholder, escalating Tuesday a battle with entertainment firm Hybe for control of the company. Kakao offered a tender price of...

N. Korea food shortage worsens amid COVID, but no famine yet
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — There’s little doubt that North Korea’s chronic food shortages worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and speculation about the country’s food insecurity has flared as its top leaders prepare to discuss the “very important and urgent task” of formulating a...

Asian stocks rise after Wall St slides on rate hike fears
BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets rose Thursday following Wall Street's biggest one-day decline in two months after notes from a Federal Reserve meeting showed officials expect to keep U.S. interest rates high to fight stubborn inflation. Shanghai, Hong Kong and Seoul advanced....

Group urges radiation tests for 900 North Korean escapees
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Human rights advocates on Tuesday urged South Korea to offer radiation exposure tests to hundreds of North Korean escapees who had lived near the country’s nuclear testing ground. Tests conducted by the South Korean government on 40 people in 2017 and...

S. Korea: Unlikely that Kim's daughter groomed as successor
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea on Wednesday said that it’s still premature to determine whether the recently unveiled daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is being groomed as her father’s successor. Speculation about the status of Kim's daughter, reportedly named...

Asian stocks slide ahead of US inflation update
BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets sank Monday ahead of a U.S. inflation update that traders worry might lead to more interest rate hikes. Tokyo, Hong Kong and Seoul declined. Shanghai advanced. Oil prices declined. Traders hope Tuesday's inflation data will show...
