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Korea, Republic Of

Tomorrow is the start of the Lunar New Year. How well do you know the zodiac animal, what to eat and what to say?

Here are 10 questions to help you understand the diversity, traditions, foods, and significance of the Year of the Dragon — and how to greet people celebrating the Lunar New Year.
Saturday marks the first day of the Year of the Dragon.

South Korean court acquits Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong of financial crimes

The Seoul Central District Court said the prosecution failed to provide enough evidence that the 2015 merger was unlawfully conducted.
A man with glasses wearing a suit.

ICYMI: Bridgerton is back, Ayo Edebiri slays SNL, Sophie-Ellis Bextor announces Aus tour, plus loads more

All the entertainment and pop culture news you might've missed, from Daft Punk's potential return to True Detective drama and more.
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Composite of captioned people against a hazy blue and green background.

Socceroos crash out of the Asian cup

South Korea clinched the win from the Socceroos in the Asia Cup quarter-final match.
ABC News Current
Duration: 1 minute 34 seconds

How long will Australia remain a major gas exporter? It depends who you ask

Resources Minister Madeleine King has used a week-long visit to Japan and South Korea to assure both government and business figures that Australia will remain a "reliable supplier" of export gas well into the future.
Madeleine speaks in parliament in a bright red blazer, black glasses and gestures with her left hand.

South Korean President vetoes inquiry into deadly crowd crush

The 2022 Halloween crowd crush left 159 people dead and a police inquiry found a lack of preparation and inadequate response were responsible for the massive death toll.
ABC News Current
Duration: 1 minute 46 seconds

Seoul police chief charged over deadly Halloween crush

Kim Kwang-ho, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, has been charged with professional negligence over the deadly 2022 Halloween crush that killed nearly 160 people, prosecutors said.
A huge crowd of people in a very narrow alleyway at night

North Korean teenagers sentenced to 12 years of hard labour for watching K-pop

The footage, released by an organisation which works with North Korean defectors, shows the two 16-year-olds in Pyongyang convicted of watching South Korean movies and music videos.
Screengrab of video with two teenagers's faces blurred out

Apple ends Samsung's reign as top smartphone seller, as tech giants push more AI into our phones

As Samsung announces new phones with a focus on artificial intelligence, its main competitor claims top spot in the smartphone market.
A composite of two images: The front of an iPhone 15 Pro on a stand, and the back of a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra on a stand.

North Korea will no longer pursue reconciliation with South because of hostility, Kim Jong Un says

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says his country will no longer pursue reconciliation with South Korea, calling for rewriting the North’s constitution to eliminate the idea of shared statehood between the war-divided countries, according to state media.
Close up of Kim Jong Un speaking at a podium

North Korea last tested a nuclear weapon in 2017 but their missile launches have since spiked. An expert explains what they're really testing

Kim Jong Un begins 2024 once again escalating North Korea's threats towards its southern neighbour as it becomes evident the nation has traded missiles with Russia for its war against Ukraine. 
A large intercontinental ballistic missile is lauched vertically  from a truck, with flames from its exhaust hitting the ground.

South Korea passes bill to outlaw dog meat industry

The landmark bill will make the slaughtering, breeding, trade and sale of dog meat for human consumption illegal from 2027, ending the controversial centuries-old practice.
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a dog sits in a rusted cage in the back of a pickup truck

Axe murders and an assassin squad: Why this part of Korea is the 'scariest place on Earth'

From a brutal axe murder to a defector making a desperate escape for freedom in a hail of bullets, these are just a few of the violent incidents that have occurred in the DMZ.  
A korean soldier looks out from a concrete viewing post

South Korea accuses North of firing artillery into sea for third straight day, as Kim sister mocks South's military

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea fired more than more than 90 rounds near the rivals' disputed western sea boundary on Sunday afternoon.
Kim Yo Jong speaking into a lecturn with 5 microphones, wearing a black blazer.

South Koreans have safety concerns after North fires artillery shells

South Korean officials say residents have been evacuated from two islands near it's maritime border with North Korea.
ABC News Current
Duration: 55 seconds

Two South Korean islands evacuated as North Korea fires into the sea, South Korean military says

South Korea says North Korea has conducted artillery drills along their sea boundary in violation of a 2018 military agreement.
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Kim Jong Un stands with his daughter in front of a transport erector.

South Korean opposition leader recovering in ICU after being stabbed in the neck

The attack on the opposition leader has resulted in calls for tougher security for political leaders.
A group of emergency personnel walk with a man on a stretcher, with a helicopter behind them.

The moment the South Korean opposition leader is attacked

The South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was stabbed in the neck while surrounded by colleagues.
ABC News Current
Duration: 20 seconds

South Korean opposition leader undergoes surgery after being stabbed in the neck

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol says "violence must never be tolerated" after opposition leader undergoes surgery following knife attack.
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A Korean man in suitgrabs another man in the middle of a tightly packed crowd.

North Korea warns to expect more nuclear weapons and war 'at any time' in 2024

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sets economic, military and foreign policy goals for the coming year, lashing out at the US and vowing to launch new spy satellites, build military drones, and boost its nuclear arsenal.
A close up of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un giving a speech.

Why rent a house when a hotel room is cheaper?

From living out of an office to a houseboat in a marina, some people are turning to "non-traditional" methods of housing in order to put a roof over their heads.
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A man and a woman sitting on a front deck with a white cat in front of them

Parasite actor Lee Sun-kyun found dead in Seoul amid drug allegations

Lee Sun-kyun, who starred in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, is found unconscious in a car park while reportedly being investigated as part of a government crackdown on illegal drug use.
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Lee Sun-kyun wears dark winter clothes as he exits the front right side of a car and looks over his right shoulder.

Solid fuel missiles add deadly edge to North Korean arsenal

Pyongyang has long relied on its nuclear arsenal and array of weapons to leverage their international position.
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This photo provided by the North Korean government shows what it says is an intercontinental ballistic missile.

School bullying under the spotlight in South Korea

Some parents in South Korea are taking bullying matters into their own hands, hiring private detectives to find and identify the culprits.
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ABC News Current
Duration: 2 minutes 47 seconds

For $5,000 a week, this investigator follows school children around to identify their bullies

After a controversial Netflix drama triggered a debate about schoolyard bullies in South Korea, this private detective has been inundated with queries from concerned parents asking him to tail their children.
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A man in a blue suit holding binoculars to his face