The Korea Times

Dispute intensifies over street food stalls near Seoul elementary school

As autumn reaches its peak, street food stalls across from Yeomni Elementary School in Seoul's Mapo District begin lighting up one by one in the early evening. On Oct. 8, the aroma of spicy rice cakes spread through the street. Office workers heading home and nearby residents gathered at the stalls, where drinking sessions continued late into the night. As the cooler season draws more visitors to outdoor dining spots, a long-running dispute between local residents and street vendors near the school has intensified once again. In the spring, parents launched a petition calling for the removal of the stalls, citing pedestrian safety and concerns about children's exposure to drinking and smoking. This autumn, vendors have countered with their own petition campaign, urging authorities to protect their livelihoods. The stalls have stood near Yeomni Elementary School for decades, but tensions have escalated recently after the area gained popularity on social media as a cherry blossom-season outdoor dining destination, dubbed the "cherry blossom night market." A sudden influx of visitors durin

Korean 'haenyeo' diver honored by UN for work in food systems, rural life

When Sung Jung-hee slips into the cold waters off Korea’s eastern coast, she wears no oxygen tank — just a mask, a weight belt and four decades of practical instincts from making her living harvesting the ocean floor by hand. That lifetime of hard labor and leadership earned international recognition earlier this week when the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations named Sung one of 100 women honored globally for their contributions to food systems and rural life. Timed to mark the International Year of the Woman Farmer, the distinction recognizes 100 visionary leaders, scientists and community advocates driving sustainable change across global food and maritime networks. Selected from nearly 600 nominees submitted by member nations, Sung is the only honoree from Korea. Sung also serves as head of the Guryongpo fishing community and president of the Gyeongbuk Haenyeo Association. Beyond her daily dives, she has spent years improving working conditions, expanding welfare support for fellow divers and elevating the public profile of women in coastal industries. Her sel

Securing equipment emerges as new variable for Korea's chip expansion plans

Securing equipment for manufacturing advanced memory chips is emerging as a new variable in Korea's plans to expand semiconductor production capacity through large-scale industrial clusters, after ASML, the dominant supplier of advanced chipmaking equipment, warned that its current production plans may not be sufficient to meet demand in 2027 and 2028. During its earnings call Wednesday, ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet said the company's plans to increase its production capacity for advanced chipmaking equipment by 30 percent in 2027 and another 30 percent in 2028 would likely not be enough to meet customer demand. “Last quarter, we talked about 30 percent more capacity next year, and also the aspiration to have another 30 percent increase in 2028,” Fouquet said. “But to be honest, it's becoming very clear that 30 percent in 2027, 30 percent in 2028 will not allow us to meet our customer demand.” According to the company, the planned capacity increases cover both low-numerical-aperture extreme ultraviolet (low-NA EUV) lithography equipment and deep ultraviolet (DUV) immersion system

Army chief proposes deploying robots in DMZ in talks with Brunson

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Kim Kyu-ha has called for the deployment of robots and drones for dangerous missions in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), saying he raised the idea with the top U.S. commander in Korea, following a land mine explosion that injured three South Korean soldiers last month. Kim said Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, agreed that unmanned systems could help keep troops out of harm’s way, although both commanders recognized the risks of operating them near the inter-Korean border. “After the incident, I told Gen. Brunson that sending our personnel into the DMZ involves dangers and difficulties, and that robots and drones should go in instead,” Kim said at an Army policy briefing at the Yangpyeong General Training Ground in Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. “He agreed,” Kim said, adding that they also shared the view that the systems must be thoroughly tested before deployment. On Sept. 21, three South Korean service members were injured when a North Korean anti-personnel land mine exploded during an operation near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL)

Musinsa teams up with Japan's ZOZOTOWN for 1st Korean pop-up

Fashion platform Musinsa has teamed up with ZOZOTOWN, one of Japan's leading online fashion retailers, to open a pop-up store in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, a popular destination for young consumers. Musinsa opened the doors to ZOZOTOWN in Musinsa, the Japanese platform’s first official pop-up store in Korea, to the media on Friday. The pop-up will run through Oct. 31, while an accompanying online promotion will continue until Nov. 16. Launched in 2004, ZOZOTOWN features more than 11,000 brands and serving over 13 million customers annually. Fifteen Japanese fashion brands available on the platform, including Snidel and Grancy, are participating in the event. The pop-up’s concept, ZOZO is Coming to Town, draws inspiration from Korean streets. Crosswalks, road markings and oversized three-dimensional typography have been incorporated into the space to create the impression of an intersection where Korean and Japanese fashion meet. The pop-up follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two platforms in December 2024 to establish a strategic partnership. In November last y

COVER STORY Wider Cheonghae mission may suck Korea into US war on Iran: expert

US envoy highlights role of Korean investment in creating American jobs

WASHINGTON — U.S. Ambassador to Korea Michelle Steel has highlighted the role of Korean investment in strengthening the U.S. economy and creating American jobs, expressing hope for expanded economic cooperation between the two countries. Steel made the remarks in a post on X after attending a plenary meeting of the U.S.-Korea and Korea-U.S. Business Council, hosted by the Federation of Korean Industries on Thursday. "Korean investment continues to strengthen the U.S. economy, support American jobs and deepen commercial ties between our two countries," she wrote. "We look forward to building on this momentum and creating even more opportunities for investment and shared growth between our two nations," she added. Her remarks underscored Washington's emphasis on attracting Korean investment following the announcement by the two sides of details of Seoul's planned $200 billion investment in the U.S., part of a broader $350 billion commitment in exchange for lower U.S. tariffs on Korean goods.

Police release identity of Incheon stabbing suspect

Police on Friday released the identity of a suspect accused of carrying out a knife attack at a major commercial complex in Incheon that injured eight people earlier this week. The Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency released the suspect's name, Choi Choong-rak; his age, 59; and his mugshot after holding a committee meeting to review whether to publicly disclose his personal information. The police said the panel unanimously approved the release, citing "the brutality of the crime, the severity of the harm caused and the availability of sufficient evidence." Choi's personal information will be posted on the police agency's website from Friday through Nov. 16. He is suspected of attempting to kill 10 people at the commercial complex in Incheon, about 30 kilometers west of Seoul, on Tuesday, wielding knives in both hands. The attack left eight people injured, including one who remains unconscious after suffering cardiac arrest. The other two people escaped unharmed. During police questioning, Choi cited his dissatisfaction with medical treatment at a local hospital as the motive for the atta

'Pray for wealth': Seoul Buddhist temple becomes Gen Z hot spot

When visited on Oct. 6, Bongeun Temple in southern Seoul's affluent Gangnam District was bustling with young people, just as rumors of its sudden rise as a hot spot among Gen Z suggested. Nearly half of the visitors appeared to be in their 20s or 30s. Mostly couples and groups of friends, they prayed before Buddhist statues and took commemorative photos, leisurely enjoying the tranquil autumn atmosphere of the temple grounds. Kim Yeo-reum, 25, who visited the temple with a friend, said she had taken a half-day off work to come on a weekday after hearing that the temple had become so popular that it was packed on holidays. “I even ran into an elementary school classmate here today for the first time since graduation,” she said. “We went to elementary school together in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, which is quite far from Bongeun Temple, so I was surprised to see that so many people were coming here.” Bongeun Temple, with a history spanning more than 1,000 years, has emerged as a popular destination among younger generations. Its prime location in the heart of Gangnam has long made

Lee renews constitutional revision push, urging lawmakers to honor democracy's bloody history

President Lee Jae Myung on Friday called for the spirit of Korea’s landmark pro-democracy uprisings to be enshrined in the Constitution, describing it as “the least we can do to ensure we never forget our people’s sacrifices to defend democracy and national sovereignty.” Speaking at Busan City Hall during a ceremony marking the 47th anniversary of the Busan-Masan Democratic Uprising, Lee renewed his push for constitutional revision and urged the National Assembly to begin discussions without further delay. The Busan-Masan Uprising was a series of demonstrations that began Oct. 16, 1979 and lasted five days, as students and citizens in the southeastern cities of Busan and Masan — the latter now part of Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province — rose up against then-President Park Chung-hee’s dictatorial regime. “The Busan-Masan Uprising did more than bring an end to a dictatorship,” he said, tracing its legacy through subsequent pro-democracy movements, including the Gwangju Uprising in 1980, the June Democratic Uprising of 1987 and protests against the Dec. 3, 2024 martial

AI glasses raise cheating fears ahead of CSAT, putting teachers under pressure

A crackdown on cheating using artificial intelligence (AI)-powered smart glasses is raising concerns over mounting pressure on teachers tasked with detecting the devices, with the college entrance exam just a month away. The Ministry of Education plans to require exam supervisors to inspect all test takers wearing glasses before each session of this year's College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), or Suneung, as part of efforts to prevent AI-assisted cheating. Under the rules, even possessing smart glasses without using them will be considered cheating. Violators will have their exam results invalidated and be barred from taking Suneung the following year. The tougher measures come amid a series of cheating cases involving AI glasses during recent university entrance exams. On Oct. 10, a student was caught wearing smart glasses during an entrance exam at Yonsei University. Although exam supervisors had checked students before the test began, the student reportedly switched glasses afterward, evading detection until later in the test. A similar case was reported at the University of Seoul on

WINNER's Song Min-ho to reenlist over negligence in mandatory service

Song Min-ho, a member of K-pop boy band WINNER, will be required to reenlist in the military after a court found him guilty of not showing up for work during his alternative mandatory service, the military manpower agency said Friday. Song was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for two years, on charges of failing to appear at his duty station for 102 days during his term as a social service agent between March 2023 and December 2024. The Seoul Western District Court handed down the ruling Oct. 1, and the decision was finalized as Song did not appeal the verdict. The Military Manpower Administration (MMA) said the reenlistment of Song was confirmed as the ruling was finalized without appeal. A defendant has two weeks to appeal a court's ruling. "We plan to comprehensively review the exact period of the reenlistment and his next duty station based on the ruling, and notify Song of the results," an MMA official said.

CJ, Daou Kiwoom may team up for JoongAng Ilbo bid

Speculation is growing that CJ Group could team up with Daou Kiwoom Group to bid for control of JoongAng Ilbo, as the newspaper publisher seeks a buyer amid a liquidity crisis at its parent group. According to industry sources Friday, CJ is reportedly considering forming a consortium with Daou Kiwoom to participate in the final round of bidding for the newspaper. The deadline for final bids is on Oct. 19. CJ holds a 9.24 percent stake in JoongAng Ilbo through its affiliate CJ OliveNetworks, potentially giving the group an existing foothold in the acquisition process. JoongAng Ilbo entered a workout program in July amid liquidity pressures at some affiliates of JoongAng Group. The newspaper publisher is pursuing the sale of its management rights and other restructuring measures to restore its financial health. The company said in a statement on Sept. 29 that it aims to select a preferred bidder by the end of October. Six companies reportedly participated in the preliminary bidding last month: Global Sae-A, Geumbo Development, Daou Technology, Orion, OK Financial Group and eBroadcasting. A w

Stronger won fuels fears of earnings misses among Korean exporters

Korea’s leading exporters face a growing risk of missing third-quarter earnings expectations as a sharp appreciation of the won erodes the local-currency value of sales generated in dollars, market analysts said Friday. The currency shift has prompted brokerages to lower their profit estimates for major exporters. A weaker won benefited exporters in the second quarter, when the won-dollar exchange rate averaged 1,502 won per dollar. That advantage has since faded, with the rate falling 12.7 percent from 1,549.4 at the end of June to 1,352.9 at the end of September, squeezing profitability. The won strengthened further Friday, closing onshore trading at 1,331.4 won per dollar, up 13.2 won from the previous session. When the won strengthens against the dollar, dollar-denominated revenue and profits are worth less in won terms. The appreciation can also make Korean products less competitive on price in global markets. Companies are increasingly concerned that their results could fall short of even the lowered consensus estimates, with some fearing substantial earnings misses. Automakers, wh

Uzbek man in 2009 taxi murder case granted retrial after 16 years

An Uzbek man who spent more than 16 years behind bars serving a life sentence for robbery-murder and other charges was released Thursday after a court granted him a retrial, citing serious problems with the police investigation that led to his conviction. Bozorov Akmal, 37, walked out of Changwon Prison Thursday evening, after the Changwon District Court suspended the enforcement of his sentence pending a final ruling in the retrial. He tearfully reunited with his father, who was waiting outside the prison. “I have suffered greatly, feeling that I was wrongfully imprisoned. But at the same time, I am truly sorry for the great pain this could cause the victim’s family,” said Akmal. “I will speak truthfully throughout the remaining court proceedings.” The case dates back to March 24, 2009, when a taxi driver in his 50s was found murdered inside a taxi parked in an alley in Myeongseo-dong, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. On July 6 that year, police arrested three people, including Akmal, then 19, in connection with a separate taxi robbery. Police subsequently identified Akma

Korea's 1st homegrown obesity drug likely to intensify price competition

Korea’s first homegrown obesity drug could shake up a market dominated by Mounjaro and Wegovy, an industry official said, as more Koreans travel to Japan to obtain cheaper Mounjaro and bring it home illegally, driven by the high cost of obesity treatments in Korea. Chung Sang-won, director of pharmacy innovation at the Korea Pharmaceutical Association, said the launch of Eppe, Korea’s first domestically developed glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-based obesity treatment, could intensify price competition, as seen in China. “The price of Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro fell by as much as 66 percent in China earlier this year, from 1,758 yuan ($262) to 599 yuan. Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy also saw a substantial price drop,” Chung said. The price cuts came amid intensifying competition in China, where domestically developed GLP-1-based obesity treatments have entered the market. In 2025, Innovent Biologics’ mazdutide, a dual glucagon and GLP-1 receptor agonist, received approval from Chinese authorities, adding to competition in the country’s obesity drug market. Sciwind Biosciences’ ecnogl

National Pension Service sees losses mount as Korean stocks plunge

The National Pension Service (NPS) is facing growing scrutiny over its investment decisions as a sharp slump in the local stock market raises concerns about mounting valuation losses to the public pension fund. The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) demanded a parliamentary investigation into whether political considerations played a role in the fund's decision-making. NPS Chairman Kim Sung-joo denied any political motivation, saying the fund management committee reaches decisions through a democratic consensus process. Figures the NPS provided to lawmakers put the fund’s total asset value at 1,684.2 trillion won ($1.26 trillion) at the end of July, a drop of 181.4 trillion won from 1,865.6 trillion won a month earlier. About 125 trillion won of that decline came from a reduction in cumulative gains on Korean stocks. Opposition lawmakers said the decline was equivalent to about 8.3 million won per pension subscriber. KOSPI’s slide in recent months was a major factor behind the decline. KOSPI touched 9,000 in June before plunging to around 6,600 by the end of July. After further

Why young Koreans are embracing the 'rich girl' aesthetic

“The style of a rich girl who has nothing left to buy, even when she goes shopping at a department store.” That is how social media users have described “Hyunbaek core,” a new trend that has recently emerged among people in their 20s and 30s. The term combines “Hyunbaek,” a shortened name for Hyundai Department Store, with “core,” which refers to the defining concept or aesthetic of a style. The look evokes a wealthy young woman one might encounter at Hyundai Department Store, characterized by an air of indifference toward shopping and an understated yet distinctly luxurious aura. Hyunbaek core pursues quiet luxury, which subtly expresses economic ease through high-end materials like silk or cashmere rather than flaunting wealth with flashy designer logos. It seems similar to the existing "old money" trend — which sought a traditional upper-class vibe — but has some differences. While it emphasizes formality, Hyunbaek Core is marked by a much more relaxed, effortless aesthetic. Previous fashion trends, such as ballet core and poet core, have drawn inspiration from pa

99,000 homes break ground in greater Seoul; gov't eyes 80% of annual target

Construction has begun on about 99,000 homes in greater Seoul so far this year, less than 40 percent of the annual target, with the figure expected to reach only around 80 percent of the goal by year-end, the government said Friday. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Office for Government Policy Coordination released an updated housing supply outlook amid growing concerns over rising home prices, and a tightening rental market in Seoul and surrounding areas. The government earlier announced a broader housing supply plan to begin construction on more than 1.5 million homes in the 2026-30 period to address supply shortages and ease upward pressure on property prices. For this year, the government has set a target of starting construction on 268,000 homes, including 62,000 public housing units. As of the second week of October, construction had begun on approximately 99,000 homes, accounting for just 37 percent of the annual target, according to the ministry. Despite the sluggish pace, the government projected that between 218,000 and 235,000 units would break ground

Hearts2Hearts deepens fan connection with intimate live showcase

Rookie K-pop girl group Hearts2Hearts is continuing its upward trajectory, offering fans an intimate look into their musical journey through a newly released live performance series and video podcast. The eight-member act — comprising Jiwoo, Carmen, Yuha, Stella, Juun, A-na, Ian and Ye-on — recently took the stage for their exclusive Spotify CLOSER event, becoming the first musical act featured in the platform's new series designed to spotlight promising Korean artists. During the intimate showcase, the group treated their fandom, known as S2U, to a mix of unreleased live stages and candid conversations, creating a personal space that bridged the distance between the artists and their audience. Official performance videos of the group's first-ever live renditions of "ICONIC HEART (Korean Version)," "Baby Steps" and a special acoustic arrangement of "Butterflies" were released online alongside a full video podcast of the evening's talk session. The podcast captures the members sharing behind-the-scenes studio anecdotes and personal stories. "Our name represents a promise to connect wi