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Anna J. Park

Korea Times Politics & City Reporter

Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.

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Films

French Cinema Week 2026 expands nationwide for 140 years of France-Korea ties

French Cinema Week 2026 will return this spring with an expanded nationwide program, to mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Korea. Supported by TV5MONDE and other sponsors, the event will run from April 24 to May 10 across Seoul, Busan, Gwangju and Incheon. Now in its sixth edition since launching in 2021, French Cinema Week has established itself as a key cultural platform for Korean cinephiles. The 2026 lineup showcases a diverse range of voices and styles in contemporary French cinema. This year’s program reflects its growing scale and ambition, presenting 10 critically acclaimed French films that have never been released in Korea. Featured titles include "The Little Sister" directed by Hafsia Herzi, "The Great Arch" by Stephane Demoustier, "Meteors" by Hubert Charuel, and "Animale" by Emma Benestan. Other highlights include "Queens of Drama" by Alexis Langlois, "Dandelion’s Odyssey" by Momoko Seto and "That Summer in Paris" by Valentine Cadic. The selection includes works recognized at major international film festivals including Cannes, Berlin an

Apr 17, 2026By Anna J. Park
French Cinema Week 2026 expands nationwide for 140 years of France-Korea ties
Arts & Theater

Slovak artist Peter Uchnar brings dreamlike paintings to Seoul

At sunset on a quiet rooftop in Seoul, a vast canvas slowly turns blue. The painting, a work in progress, begins to take shape as layers of pigment build and recede, revealing the outline of a ship. Slovak illustrator and painter Peter Uchnar developed the composition during a one-hour live painting performance at CN Gallery in central Seoul Wednesday evening, offering an unfiltered, real-time glimpse into his creative process. His visit to Korea comes as CN Gallery presents “The Wave of Dreams,” an exhibition of works by Uchnar, one of central Europe’s most distinctive contemporary illustrators. Organized as part of a cultural exchange initiative between Korea and Slovakia, the exhibition is supported by the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Korea and the Chungnam Culture and Tourism Foundation. Through April 26, Korean audiences have a rare opportunity to experience a visual language shaped by both literary tradition and painterly experimentation. Uchnar is widely known for his illustrations inspired by “Gulliver’s Travels” and “Peter Pan.” Across more than 60 published

Apr 17, 2026By Anna J. Park
Slovak artist Peter Uchnar brings dreamlike paintings to Seoul
People & Events

Nepalese Embassy hosts Mount Nam hike to mark first International Wellness Day

The Embassy of Nepal in Korea organized an early morning hiking program at Mount Nam in central Seoul, Wednesday, to commemorate the first-ever International Wellness Day, bringing together diplomats and embassy staff from across the international community. The event, which began at 6:30 a.m., saw participation from embassy officials representing countries including the United States, Brunei and others. The group gathered in the fresh spring air before setting off along Mount Nam's scenic trails to highlight the importance of physical activity and connection with nature. The United Nations General Assembly has designated April 15 as International Wellness Day to be observed annually, following a resolution proposed by Nepal and adopted in March 2026. The first observance this year aims to promote holistic health, including physical, mental and social well-being. Nepal’s Ambassador to Korea Shiva Maya Tumbahangphe said the event was organized to mark the new day and promote the country's philosophy of a healthy and balanced lifestyle. “As you know, on March 10, 2026, the United Natio

Apr 16, 2026By Anna J. Park
Nepalese Embassy hosts Mount Nam hike to mark first International Wellness Day
Sports

Mexico invites Korean football fans to Monterrey for World Cup match in June

Maricarmen Martinez, minister of tourism for the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, visited Korea to promote her state and invite Korean football fans to travel to northern Mexico this summer. Her visit comes as Monterrey, the state capital, prepares to host a group-stage match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June, where the South Korean national team will play its third and final Group A fixture. Speaking at a tourism promotion event held at Lotte Hotel Seoul earlier this month, Martinez highlighted Monterrey’s accessibility and safety. She noted that the city is served by more than 61 international routes and welcomes approximately 15 million travelers each year. The event was organized by the Mexican Embassy in Korea to promote tourism in Nuevo Leon, one of the host states for the World Cup in North America. “Monterrey, one of the host cities of the World Cup, is among the safest cities in Mexico,” the tourism minister said. “We are working closely with FIFA to ensure the safety of fans and officials, and we are committed to maintaining high standards of security across all facilitie

Apr 15, 2026By Anna J. Park
Mexico invites Korean football fans to Monterrey for World Cup match in June
Law & Crime

Most revoked state honors in Korea remain unreturned

A significant number of state honors revoked by the Korean government over the past decades have not been returned, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the current system. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on Sunday, only 260 of the 833 government awards revoked since the establishment of the Republic of Korea in 1948 have been returned. Excluding 42 cases revoked this year that are still undergoing recovery procedures, the return rate of canceled state honors stands at just 32.9 percent over the past 78 years. Of the hundreds of awards that have yet to be recovered, about 25 percent involve deceased recipients, around 28 percent were reported lost or destroyed, 16 percent are linked to unknown addresses and the rest, 31 percent, fall under other categories, such as loss of contact. Concerns are being raised about the effectiveness of the system, as a significant number of revoked state honors remain unrecovered. In reality, there are few viable means to forcibly retrieve the awards if recipients refuse to return them. Still, recent trends show notable improvem

Apr 13, 2026By Anna J. Park
Most revoked state honors in Korea remain unreturned
Politics

Lee to head new national safety body, bolstering public protection efforts

In a move to underscore its commitment to public safety, the Korean government is establishing a new presidential body led by President Lee Jae Myung to oversee national life and safety policies. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said Sunday it will issue legislative notice on the creation of a national life and safety committee, ahead of the country’s National Safety Day on Thursday. The day is a legally designated national commemoration established in the aftermath of the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster, which claimed more than 300 lives, to reaffirm the importance of safety and raise public awareness. The new committee will serve as the government’s top decision-making body on safety policy across ministries. It will coordinate and oversee measures in five key areas: industrial accidents, suicide prevention, natural disasters, traffic accidents and child safety incidents. The body will also monitor and align the implementation of related initiatives across government agencies. Chaired by the president, the committee will include the interior minister and a civilian appointee as v

Apr 12, 2026By Anna J. Park
Lee to head new national safety body, bolstering public protection efforts
Foreign Affairs

Nordic ambassadors highlight trust, human-centered values in AI cooperation with Korea

As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly reshapes economies and societies, Nordic countries like Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden are positioning themselves not only as innovation leaders, but also as proponents of a distinctly human-centered approach to AI. In a joint interview with The Korea Times ahead of the Nordic+Korea Innovation Days from April 21 to 23, four ambassadors outlined how their social model — grounded in high levels of social trust, inclusive governance and human-centric values — is shaping the trajectory of AI development and what policy and societal lessons it may offer Korea. The annual initiative, jointly organized by the four countries, will run this year under the theme “Human–AI Collaboration: The Productive Partnership.” The discussion underscored the strong alignment between Korea and the Nordic region as innovation-driven, highly digitalized economies, making for a natural partnership in the AI era. Both regions invest heavily in research and development, while pursuing technological advancement alongside sustainability. “Both Korea and the Nor

Apr 10, 2026By Anna J. Park
Nordic ambassadors highlight trust, human-centered values in AI cooperation with Korea
Foreign Affairs

Rwandan Embassy in Seoul commemorates 32nd anniversary of genocide against Tutsi

The Embassy of Rwanda in Seoul hosted the 32nd commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi (KWIBUKA 32) at the FEBC-Seoul Arts Hall, Tuesday, bringing together diplomats, government officials and members of the international community in a tribute to the victims and a renewed call for global responsibility. The annual commemoration, held every April and known as Kwibuka, means “to remember” in Kinyarwanda, Rwanda’s national language. More than an act of remembrance, Kwibuka serves as a call to action, urging individuals and nations alike to reject hatred, confront genocide ideology, and uphold their shared responsibility to prevent future atrocities. The ceremony began with the national anthems of Rwanda and Korea, performed by the FEBC Children’s Choir, followed by a minute of silence. Hundreds of participants stood in quiet remembrance of the more than 800,000 people — mostly Tutsi — who were killed during the genocide in 1994. A candle-lighting session followed, with ambassadors and dignitaries joining in a symbolic act to honor the victims and reaffirm hope for

Apr 7, 2026By Anna J. Park
Rwandan Embassy in Seoul commemorates 32nd anniversary of genocide against Tutsi
Foreign Affairs

First ladies of Korea, France share cultural exchange at National Museum of Korea

First lady Kim Hea Kyung accompanied French first lady Brigitte Macron to the National Museum of Korea on Friday, where they shared a cultural exchange during President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Seoul. They first toured key exhibits at the museum, including the Room of Quiet Contemplation featuring two pensive Bodhisattva statues, the Oegyujanggak Uigwe royal protocols, a Silla-era gold crown and the 10-story stone pagoda from Gyeongcheon Temple. According to the presidential office, Brigitte Macron expressed admiration for the exhibition, describing the Bodhisattva statues and the display space as “very beautiful.” Kim noted that the statues, which capture a moment of deep contemplation and enlightenment, reminded her of French sculptor Auguste Rodin's "Le Penseur" ("The Thinker"), drawing agreement from her French counterpart. The two then viewed the Oegyujanggak Uigwe, which holds historical significance in Korea-France relations. The Joseon-era documents were taken to France by French troops during the Byeongin Yangyo in 1866. After 145 years, the royal books were retur

Apr 3, 2026By Anna J. Park
First ladies of Korea, France share cultural exchange at National Museum of Korea
Politics

Who is running in Seoul mayoral primaries?

As the June 3 local elections approach, the Seoul mayoral race is entering the primary phase, with the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) each fielding three contenders to compete for their party’s nomination. With neither side’s candidate finalized, the race remains in flux as parties move to select their standard-bearers. Recent opinion polls, while based on hypothetical matchups, suggest a stronger showing for DPK hopefuls, with several surveys indicating the party’s contenders leading potential PPP nominees and widening their advantage compared with earlier readings. DPK candidates Chong Won-o is a veteran local administrator who served three consecutive terms as the head of Seongdong District in Seoul, making him the only three-term district chief in the capital region. His long tenure is often cited as proof of administrative competence, with consistently high public satisfaction ratings. He is also credited with helping transform Seongsu-dong into one of Seoul’s most sought-after neighborhoods. However, his campaign has

Apr 3, 2026By Anna J. Park
Who is running in Seoul mayoral primaries?
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