Dhaka Residential Model College’s Arup-Bit team won the secondary-category championship at South Korea’s education ministry-organized 16th e-Icon World Contest. The final competition was held on August 7. The team included ICT department lecturer Syed Mahbub Hasan Amiri, Grade 12 student Md. Shafiul Alam Siddiqui Shreshtho, and SSC examinee Aranya Abir Khan Prapyo. The college disclosed the achievement in a press release on Sunday.

The contest received 242 projects from 37 countries, with 10 selected for the final. Finalist projects included teams from Bangladesh, the Philippines, Thailand, Rwanda, Moldova and Uzbekistan. The competition required participants to develop web applications to support implementation of SDG-3. Professors from three well-known South Korean universities and senior Samsung officials served as judges.

The contest had two stages. From July 1 to 31, the Bangladeshi team collaborated online with a Korean team; from August 2 to 7, it travelled to South Korea to present its project. Arup-Bit’s web application, Light House, focuses on reducing students’ screen time. It uses AI hardware intended to assist students, help prevent excessive workload-related problems, and encourage them to stay away from screens. The app is available at arupbit.com.

Seoul police searched and seized materials at the Korean Football Association’s offices on Thursday as part of an investigation into alleged irregularities in the appointment of former national team coach Hong Myung-bo. Hong took charge of the national team for a second time in 2024, but his selection had faced questions from the outset.

The association reportedly halted a lengthy search for a foreign coach and appointed Hong after a short meeting. A later Sports Ministry investigation found that the KFA had broken appointment rules, although the ministry did not order Hong’s contract cancelled because it found no evidence of a criminal offence.

South Korea, described as having a golden generation including Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae and Lee Kang-in, exited the World Cup in the group stage after a 1-0 loss to South Africa under Hong. His decision to leave Son on the bench in the first half of that match drew controversy. Hong resigned in June after the World Cup, while a July parliamentary hearing also raised questions about his reported salary of 38 billion won, a figure he disputed.

South Korean authorities recovered 15 suspected North Korean landmines from several coastal locations in the northwestern border county of Ganghwa, officials said Friday. Ganghwa civil defense chief Choi Young-ran said the mines were found between July 23 and August 3 and were believed to have floated in from the inter-Korean border area during the monsoon season and recent heavy rainfall. All 15 mines were safely removed.

The Demilitarized Zone, established after the 1950-53 Korean War, divides North and South Korea and is among the world’s most heavily mined areas. Military information cited by Yonhap estimates that about 800,000 landmines are buried in and around the DMZ. Most were laid during the war, although mine-laying has continued in recent years.

South Korea’s military warned last month that explosives carried by swollen border rivers into low-lying areas could cause major damage. Local officials said Wednesday that the possibility of more mines washing ashore could not be ruled out. A Ganghwa resident said the risk could endanger people who collect shellfish by hand, while also raising concerns about local tourism.

South Korea has recorded 16 deaths during this summer's severe heatwave, while more than 2,000 people have fallen ill from excessive heat. The country's Interior Ministry released the figures in a statement on Tuesday.

According to the ministry, 2,025 people suffered from various heat-related illnesses between May 15 and August 2. Sixteen of those affected died during the period covered by the ministry's statement.

The continuing heatwave across South Korea has disrupted daily life. With health risks rising because of high temperatures, authorities urged residents not to go outside unless necessary and to follow precautions, including drinking sufficient water.

An unprecedented heatwave is continuing across South Korea, where severe heat alerts remained in force across most areas, according to a report published on August 3. Temperatures have surpassed previous records, while heat-related illnesses have increased and raised public-health concerns. The Korea Meteorological Administration said temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius in several parts of the country on July 29.

In the southeastern city of Daegu, the temperature rose above 40 degrees Celsius for the first time since August 1942. Nearby Yangsan recorded a high of 42.5 degrees Celsius the previous day, the highest temperature since modern weather observations began in 1904. The report described the reading as a record-breaking national high.

At least 14 people have died during the heatwave since mid-May. On Monday, a 40-year-old man died in Incheon with a body temperature of about 40 degrees Celsius. Two farmers, aged 60 and 80, were also found dead in South Chungcheong Province over the weekend. The weather administration attributed the prolonged heatwave to multiple high-pressure systems over the Korean Peninsula and intense sunlight under clear skies.

A Seoul district court has sentenced former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol to two years in prison for violating the country’s political funding law. According to the court ruling, Yoon accepted public opinion polling services worth about 270 million won (approximately 179,800 US dollars) from a political broker without payment. The court found that he benefited from 14 such polls and later used his political influence to secure a party nomination for a former lawmaker in return. Yoon has consistently denied the allegations, claiming he neither requested the surveys nor made any promises in exchange.

The verdict contrasts with earlier court decisions involving former First Lady Kim Keon-hee, where no evidence of mutual benefit or exchange was found. The court noted that Yoon retains the right to appeal the latest ruling to a higher court.

Yoon, aged 65, is currently facing multiple legal cases. He was previously sentenced to life imprisonment in February for involvement in a 2024 coup-related case and received a separate seven-year sentence for obstructing an arrest attempt, which the Supreme Court recently upheld.

South Korea’s Supreme Court has upheld a seven-year prison sentence for former president Yoon Suk Yeol, confirming lower court rulings related to his failed attempt to impose martial law in 2024. The verdict, delivered on Thursday, rejected appeals from both prosecutors and Yoon’s defense team, stating that no legal errors were found in earlier judgments. Yoon remains imprisoned and is also serving a separate life sentence for leading a rebellion through the declaration of martial law.

The case centered on allegations that Yoon obstructed full cabinet discussions before declaring martial law, used a forged signature of the prime minister, and ordered the destruction of related documents. He was also accused of directing misleading press releases and instructing a military commander to delete secure communications data. Prosecutors had sought a ten-year sentence, while lower courts initially imposed five years, later increased to seven by the appellate court.

Yoon’s lawyers expressed deep regret over the Supreme Court’s decision, claiming the case was resolved without sufficient review. They announced plans to challenge the ruling on constitutional grounds.

South Korea is set to launch its fourth medium-sized Earth observation satellite on Tuesday from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in the United States, using a Falcon 9 rocket operated by Elon Musk’s company SpaceX. According to South Korean media reports, the satellite weighs about 500 kilograms and has completed all functional tests and fueling over the past month. It is now fully prepared for launch.

The Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) stated that the satellite will separate from the rocket approximately two hours and 22 minutes after liftoff. About 31 minutes later, it is expected to make its first contact with the ground control center via the Svalbard ground station. The satellite carries several domestically developed instruments, including a camera capable of capturing images of the entire Korean Peninsula every three days.

The satellite will support applications in agriculture and forest management, monitoring of forest changes, disaster response, climate change analysis, and public safety enhancement.

At RoboCup 2026 in Incheon, South Korea, humanoid robots played football autonomously without human control. The event showcased major advancements in artificial intelligence and robotics, as the robots made their own decisions during matches. Human involvement was limited to relaying referee instructions to the robots.

RoboCup, established in 1997, aims to develop a fully autonomous robot football team capable of defeating a FIFA World Cup champion team by 2050. Researchers believe that rapid progress in AI is bringing this goal closer to reality. Spectators also expressed confidence that robot football could become a popular sport with its own fan base in the future.

The competition highlighted the growing intersection of robotics and sports, suggesting that autonomous systems may soon achieve complex teamwork and decision-making comparable to human athletes.

South Korea’s National Assembly has approved Han Seong-sook as the country’s new prime minister. The appointment was formally passed in a vote held on June 30, marking a significant leadership change under President Lee Jae-myung’s administration.

Han Seong-sook is widely recognized for her extensive experience in the technology and business sectors. She previously served as the chief executive officer of Naver, one of South Korea’s leading internet-based companies. Before assuming the prime minister’s role, she worked as the minister for small and medium enterprises, where she implemented initiatives to support industrial development, innovation, and small entrepreneurs.

Analysts believe Han’s background in technology and corporate management could positively influence South Korea’s economy, industrial policy, and innovation-driven growth. Her appointment is viewed as a strategic step toward accelerating the nation’s technology-based economic expansion.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung announced that 24 of the 26 South Korea-linked vessels previously trapped in the Hormuz Strait have successfully exited the area. The ships had been stranded since February 28, following a joint U.S.-Israel strike on Iran that escalated tensions in the region. Only two vessels remain in the strait, according to the president’s statement.

The conflict had initially left around 11,000 sailors stranded aboard 600 ships. Under an operation led by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), approximately 115 ships carrying 2,500 crew members managed to leave the strait last week. However, renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran forced the UN-affiliated organization to temporarily suspend the rescue mission.

The situation underscores the continuing volatility in the Hormuz Strait, a critical global shipping route, as international efforts to ensure maritime safety remain disrupted by regional tensions.

South Korea’s World Cup campaign ended in disappointment as head coach Hong Myung-bo resigned after the team failed to advance beyond the group stage. Just 24 hours after their elimination was confirmed, Hong announced his decision at a press conference, taking full responsibility for the team’s early exit. South Korea had started the tournament strongly with a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic but then suffered consecutive defeats to Mexico and South Africa, which sealed their fate.

In his post-match remarks, Hong expressed deep regret for not meeting the expectations of fans and apologized to supporters, saying that as coach he bore all responsibility for the results. He added that although stepping down was difficult, his love for Korean football would remain, and he would continue to support the team as a fan.

The sudden resignation has dealt a major blow to South Korean football, leaving uncertainty over who will take charge of the team as it seeks to rebuild after the disappointing campaign.

South Korea has unveiled a major investment initiative in artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor industries. On Monday, President Lee Jae-myung announced plans to invest hundreds of billions of dollars over the next few years to strengthen the country’s leadership in these sectors. The televised announcement was attended by top executives from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, the world’s two largest memory chip producers.

President Lee said the initiative aligns his political commitments with national goals for AI and chip development. He emphasized the need for South Korea to secure control over key AI components faster than any other country, identifying semiconductors, physical AI, and AI data centers as the three main pillars of advancement. The plan also aims to revitalize economies outside the Seoul metropolitan area and reduce regional disparities.

According to local reports, the southwestern cities of Gwangju and South Jeolla Province will invest 520 trillion won (about 336.7 billion USD) in the projects, with total planned investments potentially exceeding 1,000 trillion won (651.4 billion USD) in the coming years.

South Korea’s national football coach Hong Myung-bo is facing an official investigation following the team’s early exit from the World Cup. The team failed to advance beyond the group stage after consecutive losses to Mexico and South Africa, finishing third in Group A. The disappointing performance triggered widespread criticism across the country, with President Lee ordering a probe into alleged favoritism in team selection and coaching appointments.

In a message on social media platform X, President Lee expressed shock over the team’s elimination and questioned the integrity of the selection process. He directed the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to conduct a thorough investigation and identify weaknesses in the team’s management system. The president also called for reforms to prevent similar failures in the future.

Public frustration has intensified, with a petition demanding the coach’s dismissal quickly gaining support on the National Assembly’s website. Images of posters banning Coach Hong from entering shops and businesses have circulated widely, reflecting growing anger among South Korean football fans.

More than ten Chinese and Russian military aircraft entered South Korea’s Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) on Saturday, prompting Seoul to deploy fighter jets as a precaution, according to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff. The aircraft flew over the East Sea and South Sea before leaving the zone, and no violation of South Korea’s sovereign airspace was reported.

The air defense identification zone is not considered sovereign airspace but a surveillance area where incoming aircraft are identified for security reasons. Normally, foreign military aircraft are expected to notify the relevant country before entering such zones, though this is not legally mandatory. China and Russia did not immediately comment on the incident.

The event underscores ongoing regional military activity involving China and Russia near the Korean Peninsula, though no direct confrontation or breach of airspace occurred.