Clear, fully sourced explainers on the Korea stories the world actually searches for — from the martial law crisis to North Korea's arsenal — built on official data, not hot takes. We separate confirmed facts from claims and cite primary sources in every piece.
Every ruling in the criminal cases against ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol as of Sept. 26, 2026: one final 7-year term, life for insurrection and 30 years in the drone case (both first-instance, under appeal), two appealed acquittals and three pending cases. Also covers his ministers, generals and wife.
South Korea's exports hit a record $71.4B for a 1–20 period in Sept. 1–20, 2026 (+78.3%, provisional). Chips jumped 259.4% to $34.1B, 47.8% of all exports. We explain the AI and memory-price drivers, the 2026 trend, key markets and what to watch in full-month data expected Oct. 1.
South Korea recorded 24,275 births in July 2026 (provisional), up 11.1% and the 25th straight year-on-year rise, per data released Sept. 23. The fertility rate has climbed from a record-low 0.72 (2023) to 0.80 (2025), but deaths have outnumbered births for 81 months in a row.
On December 3, 2024, President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law — and lost it within hours when lawmakers voted 190–0 to overturn it. What followed: impeachment, a unanimous removal by the Constitutional Court, a life sentence for insurrection, and a separate 30-year treason verdict. The full, sourced timeline.
On June 3, 2026, polling stations across Seoul and beyond ran out of ballots after the election commission printed papers for only half of voters. An explainer of what happened, how it collided with the Public Official Election Act, and how Germany, the UK and the US handled near-identical failures.