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China’s Pudu Robotics, which makes 80% of its sales abroad, takes on Tesla in humanoids

Humanoid robots represent the next frontier for Pudu Robotics, according to founder and CEO Felix Zhang Tao, as the global commercial robotics leader takes on Elon Musk’s Tesla in the growing sector and explores manufacturing in Europe, its largest overseas market. “It’s definitely a competitor, but a long-term one,…

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Osmanthus? Meet Korea's trending seasonal scent

Seoul may have skipped much of fall this year, but the city has found another way to experience the season: through the scent of osmanthus. The sweet, delicate floral fragrance has been gaining popularity in Korea, fueled by travelers returning from Japan, China and Taiwan with osmanthus-scented body care products a…

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(Online) N. Korea rolls out its own version of 'cupbap' with over 60 ready-to-eat meals

North Korea is producing more than 60 varieties of ready-to-eat meals resembling South Korea's popular "cupbap," or rice-in-a-cup products, as the regime seeks to showcase advances in its food-processing industry and improvements in people's diets. According to the October edition of "Korea," a monthly propaganda ma…

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Online retailers under fire for listing hanbok as hanfu

South Korean shopping platforms including Coupang and Naver carry listings that label hanbok, Korea’s traditional attire, as hanfu, a traditional Chinese style of dress, Sungshin Women’s University professor Seo Kyung-duk said Sunday. In a Facebook post, Seo also named Gmarket and 11st, saying sellers on major Korea…

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China urged to target sugar-rich drinks during consumption tax overhaul

China has been urged to stop keeping beverage makers sweet and instead declare war on sugar-rich drinks through taxation, as the country moves to align its regulatory framework with global health promotion trends. A sugar tax has been proposed by experts and state media outlets, who argue that an ongoing overhaul of…

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Seoul’s deal with Trump now hinges on two powers in Washington

South Korea’s sweeping deal with US President Donald Trump was already under strain, with investment delays holding back progress on nuclear cooperation. Now, the Democrats’ midterm landslide has introduced another complication for Seoul: a divided Washington that could make both sides of the deal harder to deliver.…

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DOST to host International Bamboo Conference in 2027

WITH the growing global demands for bamboo products, the Department of Science and Technology-Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI), the country’s premier agency on bamboo research and development, invites bamboo industry stakeholders to join the International Bamboo Congress (IBC) from Sep…

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Environmentalists criticise choice of Earthshot prize venue owned by fossil fuel firm

Mumbai facility is part of Reliance Industries, owner of world’s biggest oil refinery and funder of controversial mega-zooThe Prince of Wales’s Earthshot prize will host its forthcoming annual awards ceremony at a venue owned by the billionaire Ambani family conglomerate, drawing criticism from conservationists over…

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Clean and accessible water for Filipinos in underserved areas with 212.7 million Euros World Bank financing

THE Department of Finance (DOF) has secured 212.7 million Euros (around P14.98 billion) worth of financing from the World Bank — International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (WB-IBRD) to improve water security, supply, and sanitation in underserved areas in the Philippines.

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Why raising prices in Japan amid ‘insanely high’ inflation backfires on firms

When Japan’s “symbol of affordability” Uniqlo decided to increase the price of its basic socks last month, it sparked a backlash before the clothing titan made an immediate U-turn. That came after Italian-style family restaurant chain Saizeriya issued an almost grovelling apology as it decided to add 20 yen (US$0.13…

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Entire up system to receive performance bonus before year-end; DBM oks conversion of 179 UP Manila faculty positions

DEPARTMENT of Budget and Management (DBM) Acting Secretary Kim Robert De Leon brought good news to the University of the Philippines (UP) community, announcing that the entire UP System is eligible for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Performance-Based Bonus (PBB), which eligible personnel can expect to receive before the …

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Regular employment rises among older workers in Q3, falls among youth

More than 70 percent of the increase in regular employees in South Korea in the third quarter came from workers aged 60 and older, while the figure for workers in their 20s and 30s declined, the statistics ministry said Sunday. The number of regular workers came to 16.84 million in the July-September period, up 167,…

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Only a fraction of World Heritage sites are in Africa. China wants to fix that

Africa is home to ancient cities, rock art and striking natural landscapes, yet its sites are sorely under-represented on Unesco’s World Heritage List. According to data released by the UN body, of the 1,273 sites on the list – which are formally protected under the World Heritage Convention treaty – just 115 are in…

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Southeast Asia’s green push brings solar power, but who pays to keep it on?

For most of his life, Osman Uki lived in a world dictated by the sun, relying on kerosene and leftover cooking oil to light his home in a remote indigenous village in Malaysia. That changed in April when solar power finally reached Kampung Bertang in the state of Pahang, allowing families to power electric lights, r…

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Indonesians furious as Batam data centres drain taps: ‘we cannot cook without water’

Cooking and bathing became difficult when taps ran dry in Batam, an Indonesian island where residents are protesting against data centres springing up to power the global artificial intelligence boom. The area had suffered a “long drought” caused by low rainfall, the local water utility operator said, as a strong El…

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What flawed Western assumptions about China teach us

Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. For decades, not a few Western politicians and commentators have assumed that China’s integration…

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Seoul records first snowfall, 26 days earlier than last year

Seoul recorded its first snowfall of the season on Sunday, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. The first snow was observed at 10 a.m. at a weather station in Songwol-dong, Jongno-gu, the weather agency said. It was 26 days earlier than last year and 12 days ahead of the seasonal average. The offici…

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‘Possible Love’ tops Netflix in Korea through weekend

Korean Netflix viewers aren't exactly known for their taste for three-hour-long slow-burners. Lee Chang-dong is one filmmaker who can get them to watch one. The art house auteur's latest, "Possible Love," rose to No. 1 on the streamer's local movie chart within hours of its release at 5 p.m. Friday and has stayed th…

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Robots’ arrival set to give Chinese asparagus farmers a boost

In the flat, typhoon-prone fields of Lianshui county in eastern China’s Jiangsu province, a once-obscure vegetable has become a local economic engine. Greenhouses for growing asparagus now cover more than 1,333 hectares (3,294 acres), produce 50,000 tonnes (55,116 short tons) a year and generate over 1 billion yuan …

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Uyghurs facing deportation by Thailand say they will be ‘like slaves’ in China

Activists fear Bangkok will give in to pressure from Beijing despite reports of torture and human rights abuses against the mostly muslim ethnic minorityThe deportation of two more Uyghurs to China from Thailand would put their lives in grave danger, activists have said, with one of the men saying he would be “like …

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[World Class] Ewha seeks global edge through women’s leadership, research

Behind each university’s global ambitions are choices about what to preserve, what to develop and where to go next. In “World Class,” The Korea Herald interviews leaders of Korean universities about the strengths they are cultivating and the futures they envision. — Ed. For Ewha Womans University President Lee Hyang…

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Lee Hae-in wins bronze at season's first senior Grand Prix event with triple axel

South Korean figure skater Lee Hae-in of Korea University won the bronze medal in the women's singles competition at her first International Skating Union (ISU) senior Grand Prix event of the season. Lee earned 143.30 points in the free skate at the Cup of China, the third event of the 2026-27 ISU Grand Prix series,…

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China US$300 dating app ‘marriage-or-refund’ guarantee sparks intense online buzz

In China’s competitive dating market, a new matchmaking start-up is staking its revenue on a bold wager: find true love, or get every penny back. Launched in July, Liangpei AI charges an annual membership fee of 2,000 yuan (US$300), which is fully refundable if a user remains unmarried after three years. The offer i…

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Pangilinan pushes court reforms, anti-corruption drive

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Francis Pangilinan called for increased judiciary funding, faster court proceedings, stronger prosecution of corruption cases, and tougher measures against judicial corruption as part of a four-point reform agenda following the Philippines' 97th-place ranking in the 2026 World Justice Proj…

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US calls for coordinated action against N. Korean cyber threats following Binance hack

The United States on Saturday called for international cooperation to combat North Korea's illicit cyber activities following a massive cryptocurrency theft involving Binance. "Particularly in light of the recent hack of Binance, it is critical for governments to work together and do their own part to mitigate the D…

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