North Korea moves heavy weapons to border with South ☞ The Guardian
“The South’s military said North Korean soldiers had been observed digging trenches at sites along the border and the regime had sent heavy weapons to the area.”
North Koreans are losing hair at an alarming rate ☞ New York Post
“Hair loss is not solely a North Korean issue: South Korea has also seen in recent years sudden and widespread hair loss proving such a problem that it helped play a role in last year’s presidential election.
Candidate Lee Jae-myung, who is not bald, gained support from voters after proposing that the government should pay for hair-loss treatments.”
South Korean police accuse 17 US soldiers of drug crimes ☞ The Straits Times – Singapore
“SEOUL – The police in South Korea on Wednesday accused 17 US soldiers and five other people of distributing or using synthetic marijuana that had been brought into the country through the United States military’s postal service.
The police said they had not arrested any of the soldiers but had asked prosecutors to file charges against all 22 people.
A Philippine national and a South Korean national were under arrest, said the police in the city of Pyeongtaek. Synthetic marijuana is an illegal substance in South Korea.”
South Korean Teachers Rally For Laws Against Abusive Parents ☞ Time
“Dressed in black, thousands of teachers and school staff occupied a street near the National Assembly, chanting slogans and holding up signs that read: ‘Grant teachers immunity from child emotional abuse claims.’ The protesters said more than 9,000 teachers have been reported by parents for child abuse in the past eight years.”
Fukushima water release: South Korea ‘sea women’ fear for their centuries-old trade ☞ South China Morning Post
“Japan has said the water release is safe. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) approved the plan in July, as satisfying international standards, with “negligible” impact on people and the environment.
South Korea has said it respects IAEA’s review.”
Chinese activist Kwon Pyong, a critic of Xi Jinping, flees to South Korea on jet ski – ABC News
“Wearing a life vest and helmet, the man crossed the Yellow Sea on a 1,800cc jet ski from Shandong province, using binoculars and a compass to navigate and towing five barrels of fuel.”
North Korea Confirms It Is Investigating US Soldier Travis King ☞ VOA
“Pyongyang is investigating the Army private second class for his ‘illegal intrusion’ into North Korea, KCNA said Wednesday, adding King ‘confessed’ to being motivated by ‘inhumane maltreatment and racial discrimination within the U.S. Army.’…saying he was “disillusioned” over inequality in American society.”
NKorea Silent on US Soldier Who Crossed Border ☞ Newsmax
“North Korea hasn’t responded to U.S. attempts to discuss the American soldier who bolted across the heavily armed border, officials in Washington said, underscoring that the serviceman’s prospects for a quick release are unclear at a time of high tensions and inactive communication channels.”
US soldier scheduled for disciplinary action dashes across border into North Korea ☞ Radio Free Asia
“The soldier was on a civilian tour of the JSA and crossed the Military Demarcation Line into North Korea without authorization, according to a Twitter post by the United Nations command.”
North Korea satellite launch fails, South Korea salvages wreckage ☞ South China Morning Post – Hong Kong
“The flight was the nuclear-armed state’s sixth satellite launch attempt, and the first since 2016. It was supposed to put North Korea’s first spy satellite in orbit.”