Nine out of Ten International Students Attend Private Universities as Education Cost Gap Widens Private universities in South Korea, facing a sharp decline in the school-age population, are increasingly relying on international students for survival. Currently, nine out of ten international students in the country are enrolled in private institutions.Despite years of frozen tuition rates, private universities are reinvesting more than 2.3 times their tuition revenue into education. However, the gap in per-student education costs compared to state-funded public universities is widening, rai September 11, 2026

Muan International Airport Activists Demand Transparency on Runway Safety The Muan International Airport Activation Committee has urged the government to disclose the results of runway safety inspections and to provide a clear roadmap for the airport's reopening, amid concerns that the reopening could be delayed for an extended period due to safety issues.On the morning of September 11, the committee held a protest in front of the Muan County Office, stating, "The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Korea Airports Corporation must provide accurate infor September 11, 2026

Yoon Suk Yeol Acquitted in First Trial Over Lee Jong-seop's Ambassador Appointment Yoon Suk Yeol, indicted for allegedly appointing former Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop as Ambassador to Australia to facilitate his escape from prosecution, was acquitted in a first trial. The court found no evidence that Yoon was aware of Lee's travel ban and determined that the appointment could be viewed as an exercise of presidential authority.The Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 22, presided over by Judge Cho Hyung-woo, delivered the not guilty verdict on Septemb September 11, 2026

Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae Emphasizes Judicial Independence Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae emphasized on September 11 that the judiciary, as an independent state institution under the Constitution, must not be influenced by political power or any undue interference to properly realize the rule of law.Speaking at the 12th annual 'Court Day' ceremony held at the Supreme Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul, Cho stated, "The judiciary can fully guarantee the freedoms and rights of the people and realize the rule of law only when it adjudicates neutrally and fairly, free September 11, 2026

Mokpo City Urges Residents to Check Environmental Improvement Fee Payment Deadline Mokpo City has announced that it will impose the 2026 second installment of the environmental improvement fee on diesel vehicles manufactured before June 30, 2012, and urges residents to make payments by the 30th.The environmental improvement fee is a system designed to hold polluters accountable for the costs associated with pollution treatment and environmental enhancement, assessed twice a year in March and September.The fee for this installment is calculated based on the vehicle ownership pe September 11, 2026

Most New Stocks This Year Trade Below Initial Offering Price Approximately 80% of the 28 new stocks that debuted on the Korean stock market this year are trading below their initial offering prices. Many stocks that surged on their first day have since given back most of their gains, indicating that initial popularity has not translated into sustained price increases.According to the Korea Exchange and the financial investment industry, as of September 11, 22 out of the 28 newly listed companies on the KOSPI and KOSDAQ markets (78.6%) are trading below th September 11, 2026

SM Bexel Partners with U.S. Auto Company to Develop LMR Battery SM Bexel, a manufacturing subsidiary of the SM Group, announced on September 11 that it is collaborating with a U.S.-based global automotive company to develop technologies for the design, production, and evaluation of cylindrical lithium batteries using lithium manganese rich (LMR) cathode materials. The project aims to establish a system for verifying the performance of new materials.The core of this project is to apply LMR in actual batteries to validate its performance and applicability. SM September 11, 2026

Samsung E&A Wins $3.5 Billion Fertilizer Project in Saudi Arabia Samsung E&A has secured a major fertilizer project in Saudi Arabia.On September 11, Samsung E&A announced that it has signed an EPC contract for the 'SAN-7 Project' with SABIC Agri-Nutrients. The contract is valued at approximately 4.7 trillion won (about $3.5 billion), and Samsung E&A will carry out the EPC work independently, with completion expected by 2030.The contract signing took place on September 9 at SABIC's headquarters in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, attended by Hong Nam-goo, Pre September 11, 2026

HD Hyundai Robotics Invests 13 Billion Won in Startup to Develop Robotic Hands HD Hyundai Robotics, a specialist in robotic solutions, is making a strategic investment to implement physical AI and secure a foothold in future markets.On September 11, HD Hyundai Robotics announced that it has acquired a stake in the robotics company Aiden Robotics for 13 billion won.This investment is expected to enhance HD Hyundai Robotics' core technology for humanoid robots and strengthen its competitiveness in the physical AI sector.Aiden Robotics specializes in developing sensor technol September 11, 2026

Gwangju Education Office Enhances Complaint Handling Skills The Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education is conducting practical training to improve the quality of complaint services in schools and enhance the response capabilities of staff.On September 11, the office announced that it held the '2026 Second Half Capacity Building Training for Record Management and Complaint Handling Staff' at the Jeonnam Human Resource Development Center.More than 60 employees responsible for record management and complaint handling from various departments, affiliated o September 11, 2026