Former nursing student jailed for stealing from hospital patients and colleagues

North Korea on Wednesday defended Beijing's "One China" policy while accusing the United States of supporting Taiwan independence and "escalating" tension in the region. The criticism came in an article titled "U.S. Is Acting Rashly" by international affairs analyst Kim Myong-chol, carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "The U.S. has systematically destroyed regional stability and persistently escalated the situation under the pretext of 'opposing unilateral attempt at change of phenomenon' in the Taiwan Strait," Kim wrote. Referring to the recent delivery of a U.S. fighter jet to Taiwan, Kim said, "This is nothing but a shameless act of planting a bomb at the gate of other's house and asserting that the bomb is for ensuring the security of the house." He claimed munitions supplied by the U.S. to Taiwan through overseas arms sales over the past decade alone amounted to more than $39 billion. "The Taiwan issue is an internal affair of China, so how to settle it is entirely the affair of the Chinese people, and no outside forces have the right to interfere in it," he said. Kim war

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Wednesday pledged to deepen his country's strategic partnership with Russia in a birthday letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pyongyang's state media reported. "I am pleased to have good friendship with you and open up a new chapter for the development of the relations between our two countries," Kim wrote, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "It is the steadfast policy of the DPRK government and my unshakable option to attach importance to the comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance forged with the fraternal Russian Federation and to steadily expand and develop the joint work," he said. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name. Kim also pledged his "invariable support" for Putin and Russia. He said he was convinced that "the Russian people's sacred war of justice" to defend their country's "sovereignty, security interests and territorial integrity" would end in victory. Kim stressed his personal bond with Putin, opening the letter with "my dearest friend" and closing with "I

South Korea is weighing its next move against Ukraine — including a potential recall of its ambassador to Ukraine — after deeming Kyiv's apology over the public disclosure of a North Korean prisoner of war transfer "insufficient," even as experts urge Seoul to de-escalate, warning that a deepening rift could damage long-term ties with Europe. South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun signaled the hardening stance Tuesday, speaking during a parliamentary audit that Ukraine's foreign minister had sent a message that "included words of apology" but fell short of what Seoul had expected. "We intend to take firm measures," Cho said, adding that recalling ambassador Park Hee-chang was among the options under consideration. The foreign ministry formalized that position Wednesday, saying Seoul had urged Kyiv to provide a "clear explanation and apology" for disclosing the transfer and for issuing what it called "false statements" denying the existence of a confidentiality agreement. "While Ukraine subsequently presented its position, South Korea considers that the response fell short of an adeq

The South Korean government plans to send medical equipment to Pyongyang by late November under a sanctions exemption granted by the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) sanctions committee on North Korea, a government report showed Wednesday. The government received approval from the UNSC 1718 Committee on May 22 for the plan to ship medical equipment to Kangdong County Hospital in Pyongyang, according to the report submitted by the unification ministry to Rep. Kim Dae-sik of the main opposition People Power Party. Under the plan, the government seeks to send 1,431 items in 166 categories estimated to be worth around $6.75 million to the hospital through the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare. The items include diagnostic equipment, such as X-ray machines, stethoscopes and blood pressure monitors, along with operating tables, and other surgical and treatment equipment. The government plans to ship the equipment by Nov. 22, within six months of the May 22 approval, while the sanctions exemption itself is valid for nine months from the approval date, according to the ministry report. Un

The Korean and Canadian foreign ministers agreed Wednesday to expand cooperation in defense, energy, artificial intelligence (AI) and other major fields, Seoul's foreign ministry said. During telephone talks, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand agreed to expand "practical cooperation" in defense and the arms industry based on the countries' bilateral Security and Defense Cooperation Partnership, according to the ministry. The partnership was established in October 2025 following a summit between the countries' leaders in the southeastern city of Gyeongju, marking Canada's first such partnership with an Indo-Pacific country. The ministers also agreed to discuss cooperation in advanced technologies, including AI, on the occasion of a joint committee on science and technology scheduled to be held in Seoul next month. The two sides vowed to enhance cooperation to ensure stable energy supplies and continue bilateral and multilateral discussions on building critical mineral supply chains, as Korea's imports of Canadian crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) h

South Korea's deputy nuclear envoy met with the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) deputy director general in Seoul on Wednesday to discuss ways to cooperate on North Korean nuclear issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said. Jeong Yeon-doo, vice foreign minister for diplomatic strategy and intelligence, briefed Massimo Aparo, IAEA deputy director general and head of IAEA's safeguards department, on the recent situation on the Korean Peninsula and Seoul's efforts for peaceful coexistence with North Korea, according to the ministry. Jeong noted that the IAEA has been drawing international attention to the North Korean nuclear issue, including through reports issued by the IAEA director general, the ministry said. Aparo expressed support for South Korea's diplomatic efforts to promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and stressed that the North Korean nuclear issue is an important agenda item for the IAEA. He also explained the IAEA's efforts to maintain enhanced readiness for verification of North Korea's nuclear program, according to the ministry. "The two sides agreed to

North Korea appears to be taken aback by South Korea's investigation results blaming Pyongyang for a recent mine blast near the inter-Korean border and its subsequent mine-clearing operation in the area, Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said Wednesday. Kang's remarks came after the North repeatedly denied responsibility for the Sept. 21 explosion that severely injured two South Korean soldiers, dismissing Seoul's findings as a "farce" designed to fabricate results and shift the blame to Pyongyang. The North's foreign ministry made such claims in a statement released through state media late Tuesday, a day after the South's military concluded land mines deliberately planted by North Korean troops were the cause of the blast south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). The military also conducted an operation Monday to remove additional mines at the blast site. "We assess that they were quite flustered by our responses," Kang told lawmakers during a parliamentary audit. "Unlike previous statements issued swiftly, (North Korea) released the (latest) statement about a day after we announced

Plans for a major coal mine expansion failed to consider broad environmental impacts, the High Court found.

Businesses are stepping up their calls for the tax office to rethink its policy change to stop accepting credit card payments in response to the ban on surcharges.

Mourners gathered at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney’s CBD for the funeral service of Mia Lay, 20, who died in a car crash.

The matter was reported to peak gymnastics and sports integrity bodies and is now under investigation by police.