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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

Korea steps up transport plans for 20,000 APEC delegates, participants

With the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, just over 10 days away, Korean authorities are stepping up comprehensive transport measures to accommodate an estimated 20,000 participants, including national delegates and business leaders. The government is conducting intensive inspections of transportation plans designed to minimize potential disruptions during the summit period. The primary routes under review include those connecting Gimhae International Airport to the Bomun tourist complex in Gyeongju, as well as routes linking Incheon International Airport to Gyeongju Station via KTX high-speed trains. About 20,000 people will require transportation during the summit week, according to the government and the North Gyeongsang Provincial Government on Friday. To ensure smooth travel, Korea Railroad Corp. (KORAIL) has launched a dedicated reservation website for APEC participants and will increase the number of KTX stops at Gyeongju Station from four stops per day to 10. From Oct. 27 to Nov. 2, KTX trains that normally

Oct 17, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Korea steps up transport plans for 20,000 APEC delegates, participants
Society

Kookmin University prioritizes cross-cultural competency over student headcount

As global competition in higher education intensifies, Kookmin University is forging a distinct approach to internationalization. Rather than focusing on the sheer number of international students, the university is emphasizing the cultivation of skills, cross-cultural experiences and confidence students need to navigate an increasingly interconnected world. “Global competitiveness today is not about drawing lines between domestic and overseas,” said Kookmin University President Jeong Seung-ryul during an interview with The Korea Times. “At Kookmin University, that vision takes shape in what I call a ‘boundaryless education ecosystem,’ designed to break down walls between countries, classrooms and even workplaces.” He stressed that building global competence is inseparable from preparing future-ready talent, pointing to the importance of giving students hands-on international experiences. The government’s Study Korea 300K project aims to draw 300,000 foreign students by 2027, reflecting policymakers’ focus on boosting inbound enrollment. While Jeong acknowledges the fina

Oct 17, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Kookmin University prioritizes cross-cultural competency over student headcount
Society

Jeonbuk National University banks on physical AI field to boost global competitiveness

Confronting demographic decline and intensifying global competition, Jeonbuk National University has set its sights on becoming a campus where international and domestic students study in equal numbers by 2035. For Yang O-bong, the university’s president, realizing that vision hinges on building globally competitive strengths in specialized fields such as physical artificial intelligence (AI) — areas he believes can draw top students from both Korea and abroad. “Some say we should cut university seats as student numbers fall, but shrinking enrollment only signals decline,” Yang said during an interview with The Korea Times. “Instead, we should count international students within the quota, making them part of the core campus community.” Yang, who also chairs the Korean Council for University Education, said the real risk to national competitiveness comes from cutting university enrollment in response to demographic decline. “Higher education drives national strength through research and talent,” he said. “That’s why international students should be part of the officia

Oct 14, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Jeonbuk National University banks on physical AI field to boost global competitiveness
Society

Sungkyunkwan University rises to 87th in 2026 THE World University Rankings

Sungkyunkwan University ranked 87th in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, reaffirming its standing as a globally competitive research-centered institution. The university made a notable leap of 15 places from last year in the global ranking, which assessed 2,191 universities worldwide. Placing fourth among Korean universities and second among private institutions, it further solidified its academic presence on the international stage. The rise was driven largely by advancements in education and research, with marked improvements in the quality and impact of its research. In recent years, the university has aimed to enhance the quality of its international publications, as measured by the Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI), through bold research innovations, the strengthening of global partnerships and expansion of collaborative projects. It also reflects the continued dedication of faculty members who have maintained high standards of research excellence across diverse academic fields. Sungkyunkwan University also excelled in industry collaboration, ranki

Oct 12, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Sungkyunkwan University rises to 87th in 2026 THE World University Rankings
Education

Dropouts at universities of education hit record high for 2nd year

With teachers’ authority declining and working conditions worsening, many educators in Korea are now seen as part of the "service industry," expected to tolerate unreasonable demands and frequent parental complaints. Reflecting this growing disillusionment, dropout rates at Korea’s universities of education have reached record highs for the second consecutive year. According to data from the Korean Educational Development Institute, Sunday, the dropout rate among students at Korea’s education universities stood at 4.2 percent in 2024 — matching the previous year’s figure and marking a record high for the second year in a row. Until 2018, dropout rates at education universities remained below 1 percent annually. However, the rate began to increase steadily, rising to 1.5 percent in 2019, 1.7 percent in 2020, 2.4 percent in 2021 and 3.2 percent in 2022. The figure then surged to the 4 percent range in 2023 and 2024, nearing that of general universities, where dropout rates reached 5.3 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively. Not even leading universities of education have been imm

Oct 12, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Dropouts at universities of education hit record high for 2nd year
Society

New climate ministry sparks industry fears over costs, competitiveness

The Ministry of Environment has assumed energy policy responsibilities and been restructured as the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment. While the move signals a stronger government commitment to climate action and renewable energy, it has also sparked concerns among policymakers and business executives over a possible weakening of Korea's export competitiveness and rising electricity costs. Energy policy had long been overseen by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. But under President Lee Jae Myung’s government reorganization — based on his pledge to strengthen the response to the climate crisis — the energy policy, power policy, renewable energy, hydrogen economy and nuclear industry bureaus have been shifted to the new climate ministry. It is the first time in 32 years that energy policy has been split from industrial policy, a reversal of the 1993 merger that combined the former Ministry of Commerce and Industry with the Energy Resources Ministry. The climate ministry officially launched on Wednesday, but concerns that first arose when the reorganization was pro

Oct 2, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
New climate ministry sparks industry fears over costs, competitiveness
Law & Crime

Unsolved cases exceed 22,000 as prosecution reform looms

As reforms to the Government Organization Act move closer to dismantling the Prosecution Service, a surge in backlogged investigations, which now includes some 22,000 cases, is emerging as a pressing concern. The surge in unresolved, long-pending cases has created a backlog that is now the largest it’s been in a decade. This has the potential to turn into a dire public trust crisis and fuel concern that the nation’s justice system is grinding to a halt even before the structural dissolution of the Prosecution Service is finalized next year. It also stokes fears of an exodus of experienced prosecutors that could impact the service’s investigative capacity. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Friday pushed through the first major government reorganization bill under the Lee Jae Myung administration, dismantling the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office after 78 years and creating separate agencies to handle investigative and prosecutorial functions. Data from the Ministry of Justice, obtained by Rep. Park Eun-jung of the Rebuilding Korea Party on Sunday, showed that the number of cases

Sep 28, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Unsolved cases exceed 22,000 as prosecution reform looms
Education

Gov't grants autonomy, funding to 9 regional universities to spur decentralized growth

The Ministry of Education on Sunday announced nine additional schools for its Glocal University project, which provides universities outside Seoul with funding and autonomy to boost their global competitiveness in a bid to ease growth centered on the capital region. The selected schools are spread across the country, underscoring the national effort to decentralize growth. They include Kyungsung University in Busan; Soonchunhyang University and Hanseo University in South Chungcheong Province; Jeju National University on Jeju Island; and the southwestern cluster of Chonnam National University, Chosun University and Chosun Nursing College in Gwangju. Also on the list are major national universities, with Chungnam National University based in the science hub of Daejeon and Kongju National University, primarily located in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province. The nine institutions were recognized for advancing diverse models of growth, from pioneering artificial intelligence (AI)-driven education and research to pursuing financial self-reliance through independent revenue streams, forging gl

Sep 28, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Gov't grants autonomy, funding to 9 regional universities to spur decentralized growth
Travel & Food

Solaire Resort elevates dining to global standards in Manila

MANILA — From fine dining to celebrity suites, Solaire Resort Entertainment City has redefined luxury on Manila Bay in the Philippines. With 17 world-class restaurants ranging from authentic Chinese and Japanese cuisine to upscale Italian fare, the integrated resort has earned a reputation as much for its dining as for its leisure offerings. Beyond the tables, Solaire also caters to star-studded tastes, offering exclusive suites for VIPs and celebrities, including the room Bruno Mars often chooses when he visits the city. Since opening in 2013 as the first integrated resort in Manila, Solaire has grown into a benchmark of luxury in the city. For nine straight years, Forbes Travel Guide has awarded it five stars, cementing its reputation as one of Asia’s premier destinations for travelers seeking both comfort and spectacle. Today, Manila is emerging as a rising hub for entertainment and gaming, with ambitions to become “the next Macau.” Global investors who once poured capital into Macau’s casino hotels and integrated resorts are now turning their eyes to Manila. In this competit

Sep 25, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Solaire Resort elevates dining to global standards in Manila
Society

New Korean university rankings unveiled for international students

As global competition reshapes higher education, The Korea Times has announced the first-ever K-universities Global Excellence Rankings 2026, designed not only to assess universities’ global readiness but also to serve as a reliable reference for international students considering Korea as a study destination. Korea University ranked first in the overall standings with 144.86 points, followed by Seoul National University with 141.48 and Yonsei University with 140.33. Sungkyunkwan University, Hanyang University, Sogang University, University of Seoul, Ewha Womans University, Kyung Hee University and Dongguk University rounded out the Top 10. Although Seoul-based universities dominated the top tier, the rankings also highlighted notable performances by regional flagships and specialized institutions. Kyungpook National University, Pusan National University and Jeonbuk National University secured places within the Top 30, while Woosong University and Handong Global University were recognized for their strong globalization focus. The rankings by each category highlighted the varied streng

Sep 24, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
New Korean university rankings unveiled for international students
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