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dahyun08

Jung Da-hyun

Korea Times Politics & City Reporter

Jung Da-hyun is a reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues in Korea, including foreign residents, education, environment and politics. Driven by a deep interest in people’s stories, she focuses on investigative and feature reporting through direct interviews and field coverage. She received the Amnesty International Korea Media Award for her “Deepfake Crisis at Schools” series. Reach her at dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr. Always open to hearing your stories.

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Society

New superintendents put teacher protection at top of policy agenda

Newly elected education superintendents nationwide are making teacher protection their top priority amid growing calls to restore the classroom authority of educators, fueled in part by the popularity of the hit Korean drama "Teach You a Lesson," which highlighted the erosion of such authority. Each regional education office is planning to establish a superintendent-led body that will report teacher rights violations directly to the superintendent, enabling swift intervention and providing schools and teachers with a one-stop support system. Ahn Min-seok, superintendent of Gyeonggido Office of Education, has been at the forefront of calls to strengthen teacher protection. Having made the issue a key campaign pledge, he announced plans to establish a dedicated administrative body modeled after the fictional education rights protection bureau featured in the drama. The proposed organization would intervene immediately when teacher rights violations occur, providing affected teachers with protection measures and legal support while coordinating a rapid response by schools and the education

14h agoBy Jung Da-hyun
New superintendents put teacher protection at top of policy agenda
Sports

Police delayed probe into Hong Myung-bo appointment despite calls for swift action

Police investigating alleged irregularities in the appointment of former national football team coach Hong Myung-bo left the case dormant for over nine months despite an internal oversight body's recommendation for a swift investigation. Although the case was recently transferred to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA), police are facing mounting criticism that the investigation came too late, after public and political pressure intensified following the national team’s disappointing World Cup result. On Sept. 23 last year, the SMPA instructed Jongno Police Station to expedite its investigation into a complaint accusing Lee Lim-saeng, the former technical director of the Korea Football Association (KFA), of obstruction of business. The case stemmed from a complaint filed by a citizen in July 2024, alleging that Lee violated the KFA's bylaws and national team operating regulations during the appointment of Hong as national team head coach. After police repeatedly delayed a decision, the complainant sought an investigative review, a procedure that examines whether an investigation

1d agoBy Jung Da-hyun
Police delayed probe into Hong Myung-bo appointment despite calls for swift action
Society

The Catholic University of Korea says faith is its strength in AI race

As universities race to expand artificial intelligence (AI) education, The Catholic University of Korea is betting that its strongest competitive advantage lies not in AI alone, but in its Catholic identity and the values guiding the technology's use. President Choi Jun-gui said the university's vision, "Be Catholic, Be Excellent," seeks to distinguish the institution by combining cutting-edge AI and biomedical innovation with education rooted in human dignity, ethics and respect for life. "AI is a tool. Human beings must always remain the ones who guide and control that tool," he said in a recent interview with The Korea Times. Korea's first medical AI ethics code The university is putting that philosophy into practice through a series of AI initiatives centered on medicine and biotechnology. Starting this fall semester, the university will launch an interdisciplinary graduate program in AI drug discovery and regulatory science, jointly operated by the colleges of pharmacy, medicine and medical AI. Choi said the initiative responds to a growing global demand for professionals who understa

Jul 1, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
The Catholic University of Korea says faith is its strength in AI race
Society

The Korea Times launches K-universities, global platform for Korean higher education

The Korea Times on Tuesday launched K-universities, a new global platform designed to showcase the international competitiveness and strengths of Korean higher education. The platform offers a wide range of information for overseas readers, from prospective international students and their parents, to overseas university officials and education policymakers. The platform features three core sections — University Rankings, News and Study in Korea. The University Rankings section presents Korea Times University Rankings and outlines the methodology behind the assessment. Introduced last year, the rankings provide international students with targeted information on Korean universities, including international student enrollment, graduate employment rates and scholarship opportunities, helping them compare each institution’s strengths at a glance. The News section covers universities’ internationalization efforts, campus developments, higher education policy and global education trends, while Study in Korea provides practical guidance for prospective international students on degree pr

Jun 30, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
The Korea Times launches K-universities, global platform for Korean higher education
Law & Crime

Gov't to lower age threshold for juvenile offenders in serious crimes

The government has decided to lower the age threshold for juvenile offenders exempt from criminal punishment, but only for those who commit serious crimes. The move strikes a compromise between a public recommendation to keep the current standard and growing public demand for tougher measures against violent juvenile offenders. According to government officials Sunday, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Ministry of Justice agreed to lower the age threshold for juvenile offenders exempt from criminal liability from 14 to 13 only in cases involving serious crimes. The gender ministry is expected to submit its recommendation on lowering the age threshold for juvenile offenders to the Cabinet as early as Tuesday. Under the current Criminal Act, children aged 10 to under 14 who commit crimes are exempt from criminal liability and are subject to protective measures under the juvenile justice system rather than criminal prosecution. If the government's proposal is enacted, 13-year-olds who commit serious violent crimes could face criminal prosecution. A government-led social dial

Jun 28, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Gov't to lower age threshold for juvenile offenders in serious crimes
Education

Are joint faculty appointments fostering innovation or merely boosting prestige?

LONDON — Joint appointments of internationally renowned scholars are emerging as a key strategy for Korean universities seeking greater global competitiveness. However, international university ranking organizations warn that the model risks becoming counterproductive if it prioritizes prestige over meaningful research collaboration, while also acknowledging that distinguishing genuine partnerships from nominal appointments remains a challenge. As international research networks become increasingly central to higher education, universities around the world are turning to joint appointments, which refer to a faculty member has a secondary appointment in one or more institutions besides his or her primary one. The trend is also reflected in global rankings, with QS and Times Higher Education (THE) placing growing emphasis on international research collaboration and cross-border academic engagement. QS emphasized that international collaboration lies at the heart of its philosophy, arguing that universities can achieve greater global impact by bringing together leading researchers from di

Jun 28, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Are joint faculty appointments fostering innovation or merely boosting prestige?
Education

Korea lags in AI workforce readiness despite quality STEM education

LONDON — Korea has high quality education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and corporate research and development capabilities, but the higher education system is less aligned with workforce needs in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) than many of its global competitors, a new index by QS showed Wednesday. The report underscored a growing mismatch between the country's educational strengths and future labor market needs. In the inaugural QS World Future Skills Index 2027, Korea recorded an overall score of 93.4, ranking sixth globally behind the U.S., Australia, the U.K., Germany and Canada. The new index evaluates how well 89 economies are positioned to develop and deploy talent in the era of AI, digital transformation and the green transition, measuring performance across four areas: skills alignment, academic readiness, future of work and economic transformation. Korea showed competitiveness in skills alignment and economic transformation, placing fifth and fourth, respectively. Speaking to The Korea Times, Matteo Quacquarelli, QS vice president for str

Jun 24, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Korea lags in AI workforce readiness despite quality STEM education
Society

4 Korean universities break into global top 20 in THE sustainability rankings

LONDON — Four Korean universities made it to the Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026's top 20, with Hanyang University ranking sixth globally in results that underscore the rising international standing of Korean higher education. According to the rankings released Wednesday, Hanyang University was the highest-ranked Korean institution, followed by Korea University at joint 12th, Pusan National University in Busan at joint 16th and Kyungpook National University in Daegu at joint 20th. Hanyang’s rise was particularly notable, as it climbed from joint 44th last year to the global top 10. The results were announced as part of THE’s newly rebranded Sustainability Impact Ratings, formerly known as the Impact Rankings. The framework evaluates universities’ contributions to all 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), assessing areas such as poverty reduction, health, education, gender equality, climate action, innovation and partnerships. Unlike traditional university rankings that focus heavily on research output, citations and instit

Jun 24, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
4 Korean universities break into global top 20 in THE sustainability rankings
Society

Jeonbuk National University positions physical AI at core of global leadership bid

JEONJU, North Jeolla Province — Inside a manufacturing test lab at Jeonbuk National University, robots move with synchronized precision across a factory floor designed to mimic a real industrial site. Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) shuttle components between workstations, weaving through production lines without human guidance. Nearby, robotic arms pick up, assemble and inspect parts in a continuous sequence, while cameras and sensors track every movement in real time. The machines communicate with one another, make decisions based on real-time data and adjust on the fly. It is not a commercial factory — not yet. It is an 846-square-meter manufacturing technology test lab designed to replicate real industrial conditions and determine whether physical artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are ready for deployment on actual production floors. The facility sits at the center of Jeonbuk National University's push into physical AI, a field gaining momentum nationally as President Lee Jae Myung works to position Korea as a global leader in the field. Through its test lab and industry-

Jun 23, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Jeonbuk National University positions physical AI at core of global leadership bid
Sports

Daytime World Cup fever grips Seoul for 1st time in 24 years

Cheers echoed across Gwanghwamun Square on Friday, as thousands of citizens gathered to watch the national team’s opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against the Czech Republic, celebrating a dramatic victory. With a World Cup match being broadcast during daylight hours for the first time since Korea co-hosted the 2002 tournament 24 years ago, more than 10,000 people gathered at Gwanghwamun Square for a public watch party. Fans wearing the Red Devils' trademark color gathered alongside families, soldiers, office workers and tourists, turning the square into a festival-like venue as Korea rallied from a goal down to secure a 2-1 win. Kim Hyun-jung, a 33-year-old office worker, hurried to the square with two colleagues as soon as their lunch break began, carrying a box of fried chicken. They weren't the only ones to bring their lunch along. “Many people are using their lunch break like us, and some of my coworkers went to pubs to watch the match," she said. "Because the game is being played during the day, it's much easier for office workers to join in and enjoy the atmosphere." By

Jun 12, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Daytime World Cup fever grips Seoul for 1st time in 24 years
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