Sep 24, 2025 AM EDT - Jason
The new $100,000 H-1B fee for new petitions and a revived wage-priority selection plan are reshaping the U.S. skilled-worker pipeline. Here's the practical impact for Korean companies, students, and visa holders. The U.S. has moved fast to remake how employers bring in high-skilled workers. Over the weekend, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) clarified that a one-time $100,000 fee applies to new H-1B petitions filed on or after Sept. 21, 2025, while
Sep 23, 2025 PM EDT - Jason
Hyundai Motor Group said it will invest $2.7 billion to expand production at its Ellabell, Georgia manufacturing campus, reaffirming its U.S. build-out just weeks after an immigration raid disrupted the site's battery project. The company aims to lift annual capacity by 200,000 vehicles to 500,000 by 2028, part of a broader localization push to assemble over 80% of U.S.-sold vehicles domestically by
Sep 23, 2025 AM EDT - Jason
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said in New York that ongoing negotiations with Washington over tariff relief are affecting foreign-exchange sentiment in Korea, while adding that both sides can still reach a "commercially rational" outcome. Lee delivered the remarks during meetings with U.S. lawmakers on the sidelines of the UN week, noting that a large U.S.-bound investment packag
Sep 22, 2025 PM EDT - Jason
After a flurry of weekend headlines, the U.S. government has now clarified how the new $100,000 H-1B fee will work. According to USCIS, the payment must accompany any new H-1B petition filed on or after 12:01 a.m. ET, Sept. 21, 2025. It does not apply to existing H-1B holders or renewals. Early media summaries framed the impact as starting with the 2026 cap; in practice, the USCIS text captures any new filing from Sept. 21 onward-including cap-exempt petitions filed this fall. Employers should budget and
Sep 22, 2025 AM EDT - Jason
Since our Sept. 21 story, the shutdown odds have ticked up. On Sept. 19, the Senate failed to advance both a Republican stopgap bill and a Democratic alternative, and as of Sunday night lawmakers indicated the Senate won't return for votes until Sept. 29, leaving only hours before funding runs out at midnight going into Oct. 1 (ET). The House is currently out but is slated to convene again this week ahead of the deadline, according to the Clerk's schedule.
Sep 21, 2025 PM EDT - Jason
President Donald Trump says he plans to meet China's Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Gyeongju next month, their first in-person encounter since 2019 and the centerpiece of a crowded leaders' week in South Korea. The host schedule places the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting on Oct. 31-Nov. 1, within Leaders' Week running Oct. 27-Nov. 1 at the Gyeongju Hwabaek
Sep 21, 2025 PM EDT - Isaac
Samsung has begun the stable One UI 8 rollout, starting with the Galaxy S25 series in select regions and expanding to more devices in October. Samsung has started pushing out One UI 8, its next major Android-based software update, beginning with the Galaxy S25 series in select markets. The company says more Galaxy phones and tablets-including the S24 line and recent foldables-are
Sep 21, 2025 PM EDT - Jason
The White House says the newly announced $100,000 charge tied to H-1B will apply to new petitions rather than to the installed base of current H-1B workers. The clarification comes after a confusing rollout that left employers and visa holders unsure whether the levy would be annual, whether it would affect extensions, and how it would interact with existing fees. With the focus now on first-time sponsorships,
Sep 21, 2025 PM EDT - Jason
With the federal funding deadline set for September 30, Congress remains at loggerheads and the odds of a partial government shutdown are rising. If funding lapses on October 1, immigration and employment-verification services will not grind to a total halt, but the impact will vary by agency. For Korean Americans, Korean employers, students, and visitors, the practical question is what can still move forward
Sep 19, 2025 PM EDT - Jason
Apple's iPhone 17 launch brought back long queues at flagships from New York to Beijing and a day-one push for the base model, placing Korea's display and camera suppliers squarely in the spotlight as Apple defends share against intensifying competition in China. At Apple's Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan, CEO Tim Cook greeted early customers amid a festive scene of preorder pickups and first-wave unboxings. Similar lines formed at major international locations, including Beijing's Sanlitun flagship, underscoring a return of in-person
Sep 19, 2025 PM EDT - Isaac
The Atlanta Falcons released veteran kicker Younghoe Koo on Friday, ending his seven-season run with the franchise and elevating Parker Romo after his perfect outing in Week 2. The move makes the Korean-born Pro Bowler a free agent. Koo, 31, did not play in the Falcons' win over the Minnesota Vikings last week after the club elevated Romo from the practice squad. Romo went 5-for-5 on field goals, including a 54-yarder, securing the job heading into this weekend's matchup. Head coach Raheem Morris confirmed Romo as the starter while
Sep 19, 2025 PM EDT - Jason
President Donald Trump is set to impose a $100,000 application fee on H-1B visa petitions, a sweeping move that could reshape skilled immigration and add substantial costs for employers that sponsor foreign professionals, according to the White House and multiple reports. The change, expected to be formalized by presidential proclamation, comes amid a broader crackdown on immigration and follows a high-profile raid at a Hyundai-LG Energy battery plant in Georgia, where hundreds of Korean workers were detained over alleged visa violations.
Sep 19, 2025 AM EDT - Jason
The government pledges new support for essential services, medical groups question the impact, and experts caution the system is edging toward deeper strain. South Korea's prolonged healthcare dispute has entered another unsettled chapter this September. The month has brought a mixture of government action, renewed criticism from the medical profession, and increasingly urgent warnings from policy researchers. Together, these developments suggest the conflict is moving into a different stage, even if a clear resolution remains out of sight.
Sep 18, 2025 AM EDT - Isaac
When Son Heung-min confirmed his move from Tottenham Hotspur to Los Angeles FC earlier this month, the headlines were about his sporting future. But within weeks, the impact has spilled far beyond the pitch. Major League Soccer (MLS) has now struck broadcast deals with Korean platforms Coupang Play and SPOTV, opening a direct line between American club football and one of Asia's
Sep 17, 2025 PM EDT - Isaac
Korean beauty today is as much about the conversations around products as the formulas themselves. What started with sheet masks and the pursuit of a "glass skin" look has evolved into something broader: a culture where rankings, reviews, and online voices strongly influence which brands thrive. In Korea, millions of users turn to platforms like Hwahae to share experiences, while global creators such as Hyram Yarbro or James Welsh translate those products for
Sep 23, 2025 PM EDT - Isaac
Sep 22, 2025 AM EDT - Hannah
K-WAVE - Dec 31, 1969 PM EST - Hannah
Korea - Dec 31, 1969 PM EST - Isaac
K-WAVE - Dec 31, 1969 PM EST - Hannah
K-WAVE - Dec 31, 1969 PM EST - Hannah
