Choi Won-suk is a photojournalist at The Korea Times. Before joining the newspaper, he also worked as a photojournalist with AFP and St. Joseph News-Press in Missouri. He spent 13 years in the United States, graduating with a Bachelor of Journalism degree (Cum Laude) from the University of Missouri - Columbia and a Master of Arts in Photography from Ohio University - Athens. Over the past 11 years, Choi covered various news events such as presidential elections, the 2019 North Korea-United States Hanoi Summit and 2022 Qatar World Cup. But above all, Choi believes in local journalism and finds a lot of joy telling life stories of ordinary citizens in small neighborhoods.
No money, no hope: South Korea's 'Dirt Spoons'
Kim Jae-hoon looks at his mobile phone before going to sleep in his cubicle, called a goshi-won, where he lives in Suwon, South Korea, October 30, 2019. The concept of dirt spoons and gold spoons, as those from better-off families are known, have been around for many years but exploded onto the political scene in recent years, undercutting support for liberal President Moon Jae-in. Moon came to power in 2017 on a platform of social and economic justice. Yet halfway through his five-year term, he has little progress to show the country's youth who have borne the brunt of deepening inequality. Income disparity has instead widened since Moon took office, with the top income bracket now earning 5.5 times the bottom one, compared with 4.9 times before his inauguration, official data shows. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
By Choi Won-suk
Kim Jae-hoon prepares a quick dinner before going to work in Suwon, South Korea, October 30, 2019. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Kim Jae-hoon attends a class at Kyung Hee University in Suwon, South Korea, October 30, 2019. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Hwang Hyeon-dong eats dinner with his girlfriend Kim Joo-yeon in a restaurant in Seoul, South Korea, November 3, 2019. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Kim Jae-hoon makes his way to work in Suwon, South Korea, October 30, 2019. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Laundry is hung up to dry in Kim Jae-hoon's cubicle, called a goshi-won, where he lives in Suwon, South Korea, November 7, 2019. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Kim Jae-hoon drinks water as he sits in his cubicle, called a goshi-won, where he lives in Suwon, South Korea, November 7, 2019. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Hwang Hyeon-dong and his mother shop for a suit ahead of a job interview in Guri, South Korea, November 5, 2019. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Hwang Hyeon-dong poses for photographs which will be used for his resume in Guri, South Korea, November 5, 2019. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Kim Jae-hoon sits down to eat his packed lunch at Kyung Hee University in Suwon, South Korea, October 30, 2019. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Kim Jae-hoon walks past people waiting at a bus stop, as he makes his way to Kyung Hee University in Suwon, South Korea, October 30, 2019. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Kim Jae-hoon uses his laptop in his cubicle, called a goshi-won, where he lives in Suwon, South Korea, October 30, 2019. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji