SEOUL -- Recent volatility in South Korea's high-flying stock market is heightening concerns about the surge in borrowed money that has helped power the bourse's unprecedented rally.
China's rare-earth exports to Japan drop 80%, sending companies scrambling
BEIJING/TOKYO -- China's exports of rare earths to Japan have plunged more than 80% on the year in March and April, prompting Japanese companies to seek alternative sources such as Australia and India.
South Korea's top tech university emerges as startup powerhouse
SEOUL -- South Korea's largest technological university is increasingly serving as an incubator that sends out an array of fast-growing startups.
US law society's Hong Kong conference plan meets scholar resistance
LONDON -- Scholars are up in arms over U.S.-based Law and Society Association's decision to hold its annual meeting in Hong Kong next year, saying the plan implies tacit approval of China's harsh national security law and puts attendees at risk of reprisals from Beijing.
Xi in North Korea, FIFA World Cup, India inflation data
Welcome to Your Week in Asia.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will head to North Korea for the first time since 2019, at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Xi has in recent months hosted foreign leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, highlighting Beijing's ambition to exert global influence.
The FIFA World Cup begins, having already generated controversy due to high ticket prices and questions over the involvement of Iran in the wake of the attack on the
South Korea nominates Han Seongsook as first female PM in 2 decades
SEOUL (Reuters) -- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has chosen Han Seongsook, the country's minister for small and midsize businesses and startups, to be prime minister, the presidential office said on Sunday.
If approved by parliament, Han would become South Korea's first female prime minister in 20 years.
Han, who had also previously served as chief executive of South Korean internet giant Naver, is expected to lead the country's AI transformation, South Korea's presidential chief of staff Kang
Throwing shade: Japan's urban tree coverage dwindles, bucking global trend
TOKYO -- Tokyo and other sprawling Japanese cities still boast a number leafy oases offering locals and visitors alike respite from the sun's scorching rays and the hustle and bustle of life. But verdant spots such as the capital's Imperial Palace and Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden belie an alarming trend: Urban tree shade is shrinking around the East Asian nation, even as it increases in many other countries.
DAZN forgoes World Cup broadcast exclusivity to expand reach in Japan
TOKYO -- As sports streaming platforms come under growing pressure to balance monetization with accessibility, U.K.-based DAZN is using the FIFA World Cup 2026 to showcase a different approach: expanding reach rather than locking content behind exclusive paywalls.
Federal Reserve's independence, credibility face new scrutiny in Warsh era
TOKYO -- Former Federal Reserve Vice Chair Donald Kohn is worried about U.S. central bank independence.
North Korea reaffirms nuclear status a day before Xi Jinping's visit
SEOUL (Reuters) -- Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said North Korea will never back down on its status as a nuclear-armed state, warning that it will not tolerate any threats, state media agency KCNA said on Thursday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit North Korea on Monday for a summit, marking his first visit to the North in nearly seven years as Beijing looks to reinforce ties with Pyongyang, China's only formal treaty ally.
Kim Yo