Why Southeast Asia feels relief and caution after the Xi-Trump summit

The United States' issuance of nonimmigrant visas for Koreans fell nearly 8 percent from a year earlier in 2025 following the inauguration of the new U.S. President Donald Trump administration, data analyzed by a lawmaker's office showed Sunday. The office of Rep. Hong Kee-won of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea said it recently analyzed U.S. State Department data on visa issuance per country and found that 68,130 nonimmigrant visas had been issued to Koreans last year, down 7.95 percent from 74,015 issued in 2024 during former President Joe Biden's administration. The number fell across most categories, including the B-1 business visa and the B-2 tourism visa. During the months following last September's surprise detention of hundreds of Korean workers in the U.S. state of Georgia, however, the numbers appeared to grow, according to the lawmaker's office. In December, Korea and the U.S. launched a visa support desk at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul to help Korean companies investing in the U.S. with smoother entry procedures. The State Department data showed average monthly B-1 and B-2 vi

TOKYO — Hundreds of Japanese visitors lined up outside the Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo each morning from Friday through Sunday, eager to try on hanbok (Korean traditional attire), get K-pop-inspired makeovers and meet young Koreans face-to-face at the annual Korea-Japan Festival. Drawing visitors ranging from young adults to families, the three-day festival offered hands-on experiences designed to showcase both contemporary trends and traditional Korean culture. Visitors could speak directly with young volunteers from Korea and Japan, experience professional K-pop-style makeovers and take part in cultural activities. Organizers expect nearly 6,000 visitors across the three days of the festival. This year marked the festival's 20th anniversary, with the event having launched in 2005 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan. In a departure from previous years, the event moved from Hibiya Park to the Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo as organizers experimented with a new format. The indoor venue allowed the festival to place greater emphasis o

President Lee Jae Myung’s trip to the United Nations and Mexico, where he emphasized peace on the Korean Peninsula and renewed U.S.-North Korea dialogue, was overshadowed at home by controversy over the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war and a suspected land mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Experts said the incidents drew attention to the challenges facing Lee’s peace initiative as Pyongyang maintains its hostile stance toward Seoul. They also questioned whether renewed U.S.-North Korea talks would adequately address South Korea’s security concerns. Nam Sung-wook, a professor at Sookmyung Women’s University, said North Korea would be unlikely to respond positively to peace overtures under normal circumstances, and that the incidents have likely added to the tension. “I don’t think North Korea would have shown much enthusiasm toward the Lee Jae Myung government even if these two incidents had not happened,” Nam said. “North Korea is already playing a bigger game with President Trump.” Nam said Pyongyang is more interested in negotiating directly

Both Fred Olsen and Ambassador will host a total of 21 different trips, all sailing from Liverpool's Cruise Port throughout 2027

Police said a major incident has been declared, with armed officers manning a cordon near the village of Whelford in Gloucestershire

As the cost of living continues to bite, more families are reporting that energy, water and gas services are failing to offer support or solutions.

Key Takeaways: Manakamana Cable Car service has been suspended after road subsidence near the entrance area The damage was caused by continuous rainfall and strong currents in t...

It's the perfect half term activity or Christmas present for kids with a need for speed

A tribunal found that the process was suboptimal, but there was no evidence the woman’s gender played a role in the council’s decision to reject her for a full-time job.

We have put together stories from our coverage of the Xi-Trump summit. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. From wine to ping-pong, Trump and Xi’s state dinner leans on historic symbolism When US President Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping in the East Room, every detail of the state dinner was steeped in symbolism, with sparkling wine served as a nod to a pivotal moment in Sino-US relations and references to “ping-pong diplomacy”. 2. How...

Villawood Properties executives Rory Costelloe and Tony Johnson were once close business partners. Now Costelloe’s group alleges Johnson ripped the business off and lied to the court.