South Korea's parliament expanded protection for subcontracted workers on Sunday by passing new union rules, shrugging off concerns by businesses that they might undermine competitiveness and worsen labour relations.

Controversy surrounds the 50-year agreement between state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, or KHNP, and Westinghouse Electric Co. LLC of the United States.

In the affluent Seoul neighbourhood of Daechi, Hyun Sung-joo has a dilemma. His coffee shop is sometimes visited by Cagongjok, a term for mostly young South Koreans who love to study or work at cafes, but there's a limit.

South Korea's journey has placed it at a critical juncture in its energy history, as there are many formidable hurdles ahead for the nation.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Friday the government planned to boost research spending by nearly a fifth to a record 35.3 trillion won ($25.23 billion) in 2026 to help drive the development of artificial intelligence technologies.

Long-term contracts and ownership ties with Middle Eastern NOCs limit Korea’s flexibility to buy more US oil, despite diplomatic pressure from Trump.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a ceremony in Pyongyang to award state honors to soldiers returning from combat in Ukraine and to mourn those killed. According to South Korean assessments, North Korea has sent an estimated 15,