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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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Education

Korea Times top 30 universities in education, research, student support and outstanding graduates

As competition for international students intensifies worldwide, The Korea Times has expanded and refined its University Rankings 2027, evaluating 60 universities across four categories: education, research, student support and graduate outcomes. The rankings aim to assess how well Korean universities are building sustainable environments for international students and scholars, shifting the focus beyond enrollment numbers toward the quality and depth of internationalization. This year’s evaluation features 19 indicators worth a total of 200 points, with 65 percent of the score directly tied to globalization. The following tables present the top 30 universities overall, along with the top 30 in each category.

Sep 18, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Korea Times top 30 universities in education, research, student support and outstanding graduates
Society

New indicators sharpen focus on quality over quantity in university globalization

Academics and industry observers said revision to The Korea Times University Rankings 2027 represent a meaningful step forward, with updated indicators that offer a more comprehensive measure of university internationalization. This year’s revisions placed greater emphasis on faculty diversity, student success and sustained research collaboration. Shin Jang-sup, a professor of economics at the National University of Singapore, said the overall framework has improved from last year, highlighting the addition of an indicator measuring the proportion of international full-time faculty, as well as changes to the international student retention indicator. “Including the international student retention rate is a very desirable change,” Shin said. “It strengthens the rankings’ focus on evaluating universities from the perspective of international students.” Seo Myeong-seok, managing director of the Korea Advancing Schools Foundation, also emphasized that the revisions have strengthened the overall framework. He pointed to the introduction of the international full-time faculty ratio,

Sep 18, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
New indicators sharpen focus on quality over quantity in university globalization
Education

Top Korean universities hold firm as new contenders gain ground

Korea University retained the top spot in The Korea Times University Rankings 2027 for the second consecutive year, as the country’s leading universities largely held their ground while Sejong University emerged as the biggest mover in the top 10. First launched last year, The Korea Times University Rankings aim to look beyond the number of international students to assess how well universities are building the broader ecosystem needed for globalization. This year’s results suggest that while Korean universities have made progress in attracting and managing international students, many still lag in areas such as international faculty, financial support and post-graduation outcomes. The disparity was evident across the four evaluation areas. Universities performed strongest in education, while scores were lower in student support and lowest in graduate outcomes, underscoring the challenge of building an environment that supports international students not only upon arrival but throughout their studies and beyond graduation. Korea University topped the rankings with 149.52 points out o

Sep 18, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Top Korean universities hold firm as new contenders gain ground
Education

New metrics reshuffle top 30 university rankings, expose globalization gaps

The top 30 of The Korea Times University Rankings 2027 remained largely stable — 28 of last year's 30 universities held their places — but beneath that continuity, a revised methodology reshaped individual positions and exposed widening gaps in the quality and depth of internationalization at Korean universities. Seoul-based private universities dominated the top 30, though seven universities outside the capital region also made the cut. They included regional flagship national universities — Pusan, Kyungpook, Jeonbuk and Chungnam — as well as private institutions known for their internationalization efforts, such as Woosong, Handong Global and Yeungnam universities. Yeungnam University and Kookmin University were the only newcomers, climbing three and four spots from 32nd and 34th last year to 29th and 30th, respectively. Yeungnam's rise was driven largely by its strong performance in international research. The private university in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, ranked ninth among the 60 institutions in the research category with 30.95 points, placing first in the shar

Sep 18, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
New metrics reshuffle top 30 university rankings, expose globalization gaps
Education

Singapore Management University president highlights growing role of social sciences in AI era

SINGAPORE — As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes how businesses operate, governments make policy and people work, the skills needed to navigate its impact are extending far beyond technology — putting greater emphasis on human judgment, critical thinking and an understanding of society. Singapore Management University (SMU) President Lily Kong believes that shift will make the social sciences and management increasingly important in the AI era, as universities are tasked not only with teaching students how to use the technology, but also to question its output, understand its consequences and apply it responsibly. “I think that the more capable that AI becomes, the more valuable human judgment becomes,” Kong said in a recent interview with The Korea Times. For Kong, AI is not just a technological shift. As it reshapes workplaces, business decisions and public policy, universities must equip students to understand and manage its broader impact on society. She said SMU’s focus on management, social sciences and technology puts it in a strong position to prepare students for t

Sep 17, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Singapore Management University president highlights growing role of social sciences in AI era
Education

Employability, social impact reshape global university rankings

Global university rankings are looking beyond traditional measures of academic excellence, placing greater emphasis on how universities prepare students for a changing job market and contribute to society as artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes workplaces. But emerging and regional universities still face the challenge of balancing performance on common ranking criteria with efforts to develop and showcase their distinctive strengths. Representatives of Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) and Times Higher Education (THE) pointed to a broader shift in how university performance is measured, with QS placing greater emphasis on graduate employability and THE highlighting universities’ sustainability and wider social impact. The two global ranking organizations outlined the changes during special sessions held following the 2026 Korea Times Global Conference, while also assessing the strengths and weaknesses of Korean universities. QS identified employability as a growing focus in global rankings. It currently accounts for 20 percent of the QS World University Rankings, but the organization is expl

Sep 16, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Employability, social impact reshape global university rankings
Education

CONFERENCE Higher education leaders call on universities to nurture human strengths in AI era

The Ministry of Education on Tuesday laid out a vision for universities to nurture students who can harness artificial intelligence (AI) while developing the distinctly human qualities needed to lead a rapidly changing society. The vision took center stage at the 2026 Korea Times Global Conference, titled “Beyond AI: Building human-centered leadership for next era,” highlighting the role of universities in nurturing a workforce capable of leading the AI era. “As AI advances, human capabilities — such as asking questions, thinking independently, making sound judgments and working with others — will become increasingly important,” Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin said in remarks delivered on his behalf by ministry spokesperson Jeong Byoung-ik. He said universities must play a central role in the AI era by generating new knowledge, bridging disciplines and technologies and preparing the next generation of workers to lead change. The ministry vowed to support universities in their efforts to adapt and innovate, stressing that investment in higher education is an investment in the

Sep 15, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
[CONFERENCE] Higher education leaders call on universities to nurture human strengths in AI era
Education

Jeonnam-Gwangju universities launch semiconductor majors ahead of planned tech cluster

Universities in southwestern Korea are stepping up efforts to cultivate talent for emerging industries as government and private sector plans to build semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) clusters in the area take shape. Universities across Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, including Chonnam National University, are launching new programs and expanding training in semiconductor and AI-related fields, backed by the government’s broader push to strengthen regional universities. Chonnam National University, recently selected for the government’s “10 Seoul National Universities” initiative, plans to establish a new college specializing in advanced industries with an annual intake of 300 students. Starting in March 2028, the college will offer programs in advanced semiconductors and future energy. The university also plans to provide student support comparable to that of Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) as it seeks to nurture researchers for future industries. It will expand educati

Sep 14, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Jeonnam-Gwangju universities launch semiconductor majors ahead of planned tech cluster
Society

8 in 10 workers back broader labor protections for freelancers, platform workers

Nearly 8 in 10 workers support a proposed system that would make it easier for freelancers and platform workers to gain legal recognition as employees, a survey showed, as new forms of work continue to expand. A survey by Workplace Gapjil 119 found that 79 percent of respondents backed the proposed employment status presumption system, with little difference by employment status. Support stood at 78.8 percent among regular workers and 79.3 percent among irregular workers. The survey, conducted from June 1 to 7, covered 1,000 employed adults aged 19 and older nationwide. Among the 790 respondents who backed the proposal, 78.5 percent said the system should apply from the initial filing of a case with a labor office or labor relations commission, rather than only at the court stage, favoring broader application of the measure. The proposed employee presumption system would allow freelancers and platform workers who effectively work as employees to be presumed as such, shifting the burden to companies to prove otherwise. The government and ruling Democratic Party of Korea are seeking to pas

Sep 13, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
8 in 10 workers back broader labor protections for freelancers, platform workers
People & Events

Korea Times conference to ask universities to find role in AI era

The Korea Times will host a conference titled “Beyond AI: Building human-centered leadership for next era” on Sept. 15, with discussions exploring how universities should redefine education and leadership as artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes society. The conference will take place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Grand Hall of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry building in Seoul. Beyond adopting new technologies, universities face growing pressure to cultivate the human capabilities necessary in working alongside AI while preparing students for rapidly changing workplaces and societies. Participants will discuss how Korean universities can strengthen their global competitiveness in the AI era, with a focus on human-centered education, research and student experience, as well as university evaluation and growth strategies. Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin will give congratulatory remarks, followed by Kim Hee-jung, chairperson of the National Assembly’s Education Committee, Chinese Ambassador to Korea Dai Bing and British Ambassador to Korea Colin Crooks. Choi Jae-boong, profe

Sep 9, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Korea Times conference to ask universities to find role in AI era
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