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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

Search begins for next health minister under new public nomination system

The race to become South Korea’s next health minister is gaining momentum after President Lee Jae-myung opened nominations for top government posts — including ministerial and vice ministerial roles — to public recommendation. Among the leading contenders are a former head of the national disease control agency and a prominent trauma surgeon. A senior figure within the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is also drawing attention in political circles as a potential third candidate. A total of 11,324 recommendations were submitted on Tuesday, the first day of the new public nomination system, according to the presidential office. The post of health minister drew the second-highest number of nominations, trailing only the justice minister. Amid a 16-month standoff between the medical community and the government, momentum is building within the healthcare sector to nominate a physician as Korea’s next health minister. Reflecting that push, Lee Guk-jong, director of the Armed Forces Daejeon Hospital and a prominent trauma surgeon, was among the first names to emerge in the public recomm

Jun 13, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Search begins for next health minister under new public nomination system
Society

Korea’s seasonal worker program rocked by broker fraud allegations

Persistent wage fraud involving brokers in Korea’s seasonal worker program, established to address labor shortages in rural areas by bringing in foreign workers, is raising concerns over deep structural flaws in the system. The issue not only infringes on the rights of migrant laborers but also leaves farmers without the workforce they urgently need. While local governments tasked with managing the program say it is nearly impossible to recruit foreign workers without relying on third-party intermediaries, systemic vulnerabilities pose a significant challenge to stability in the agriculture sector, which increasingly relies on foreign labor amid an aging domestic population. Evidence has emerged that illegal brokers were involved in bringing Filipino seasonal workers to Yanggu, Gangwon Province, resulting in wage extortion totaling an estimated 2 billion won ($1.46 million). The county signed a memorandum of understanding in December 2022 with two Philippine cities, Pangil and Paete. Under the agreement, the cities sent 476 workers in 2023 and 541 in 2024 to support the county’s agr

Jun 13, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Korea’s seasonal worker program rocked by broker fraud allegations
Society

Monsoon season to arrive early in Jeju, marking third-quickest start on record

Summer’s defining deluge is set to arrive unusually early on Jeju Island this week, with the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) announcing Wednesday that monsoon season is expected to begin Thursday. It will mark only the third time since 1973 that the island — typically the first in the country to be hit by the seasonal rains — has seen such an early onset. A monsoon season declaration by the KMA signals high humidity and the likelihood of frequent rainfall in the region. The season has arrived earlier than usual in Jeju only twice before — on June 10 in both 2011 and 2020. This year’s onset is also about a week ahead of the average start date of June 19. A northward-moving stationary front along the edge of the Pacific high pressure system and moisture from Typhoon Wutip — the season’s first, currently forming near the Philippines — is expected to trigger the start of this year's monsoon season on Jeju Island. The typhoon was observed developing 610 kilometers west of Manila on Tuesday morning. While the storm is unlikely to have a direct impact on Korea, the hot

Jun 11, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Monsoon season to arrive early in Jeju, marking third-quickest start on record
Politics

Presidential office to accept public recommendations for key ministerial posts

The presidential office announced Tuesday that it will begin receiving public recommendations for key ministerial posts for one week, marking a rare move to involve citizens in top government appointments. The initiative — one of President Lee Jae-myung’s key campaign pledges — is part of his commitment to encouraging public participation by enabling citizens to directly recommend qualified candidates for top Cabinet posts and leadership roles in state institutions. "This initiative reflects the administration’s core philosophy of popular sovereignty by allowing the public to recommend candidates for key posts," presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said during a press briefing. She added that the project aims to tap into the collective intelligence of the public to identify truly capable individuals who are committed to serving the people with sincerity. The public will be able to recommend candidates for key posts, including ministerial and vice ministerial positions, as well as heads of public institutions appointed by the president. Recommendations can be submitted via the of

Jun 10, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Presidential office to accept public recommendations for key ministerial posts
Education

AI textbooks targeted for phaseout under new government

Following Korea’s presidential transition, significant changes are expected in education policy, as President Lee Jae-myung appears poised to halt the rollout of AI-powered digital textbooks. Once championed as a flagship initiative by former President Yoon Suk Yeol, the program now faces a potential phaseout under the new administration, with Lee pledging to overhaul or significantly scale it back. The government’s decision to withdraw AI digital textbooks from the official curriculum has created uncertainties for schools that have already integrated the program, fueling concerns over potential disruption and the squandering of public resources. Since March, AI-powered digital textbooks have been introduced for third and fourth graders in elementary school, as well as first-year students in middle and high school. Of the 11,932 schools nationwide, only 3,870 — about 32 percent — chose to adopt AI textbooks as official learning materials, according to education authorities. Previously, Yoon had planned for the full-scale adoption of AI digital textbooks in all schools nationwide

Jun 10, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
AI textbooks targeted for phaseout under new government
Society

President's timeline for office move hits security snags

As President Lee Jae-myung pushes ahead with his ambitious plan to relocate the presidential office back to the historic Cheong Wa Dae complex, questions are mounting over the feasibility of completing the move within his stated 100-day timeline, particularly amid burgeoning security concerns. Experts are sounding the alarm, emphasizing the critical need for meticulous preparations. They cite a new generation of security threats, from increasingly sophisticated drones to the evolving risks posed by artificial intelligence, which necessitate comprehensive defensive strategies that might challenge a rapid transition. The concern is that a hasty move could compromise national security and the safety of the president, potentially creating vulnerabilities in a volatile geopolitical landscape. Full-scale discussions on relocating the presidential office are underway, as the new administration launched a dedicated task force on the first day of Lee's term. Efforts to return the office to Cheong Wa Dae are rapidly gaining momentum. The task force is led by Lee Jung-do, former presidential secret

Jun 9, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
President's timeline for office move hits security snags
Politics

POLL Public seeks justice in inquiries into ex-president, former first lady

A substantial majority of Koreans, nearly 70 percent, are calling for a comprehensive investigation into allegations concerning former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, signaling a strong public desire for accountability and clear governance in the wake of a turbulent political transition. The widespread sentiment for justice is evident as President Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) assumes office. His inauguration followed the impeachment of Yoon last year, an unprecedented event precipitated by his controversial martial law declaration. Now, the focus is intensifying on how the new administration intends to navigate the persistent accusations against the former president and his spouse. According to a poll conducted by Hankook Research at the request of The Korea Times, 69 percent of respondents said the new administration should carry out a thorough investigation while simultaneously upholding prosecutorial independence. Meanwhile, 17 percent supported a more cautious or delayed investigation to avoid perceptions of political retribution, while 13

Jun 8, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
[POLL] Public seeks justice in inquiries into ex-president, former first lady
Society

Survey shows adults more open, teens less tolerant in Korea

A new government survey has revealed a complex and diverging trend in Korea's social fabric: While multicultural acceptance among adults has rebounded for the first time in a decade, openness has simultaneously declined among minors. The report further showed a consistent pattern, indicating that a greater frequency of interaction with migrant communities correlated directly with elevated levels of acceptance among respondents. Nevertheless, even as the survey signaled broader societal progress, nearly half of those polled indicated that the government's initiatives for promoting the social integration of immigrants remained insufficient. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on Thursday released the results of the 2024 National Multicultural Acceptance Survey, based on responses from 11,000 adults and teenagers across the country. Launched in 2012, the government survey is held every three years to gauge public attitudes toward multiculturalism. The findings play a key role in shaping national policies on social integration. According to the survey, the multicultural acceptance sc

Jun 6, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Survey shows adults more open, teens less tolerant in Korea
Society

Marines salute passage of bill

Members of the Marine Corps Veterans’ Association salute as the National Assembly passes a bill Thursday to assign a special prosecutor to investigate alleged obstruction and a cover-up surrounding the death of Marine Cpl. Chae Su-geun during flood relief operations in 2023. Yonhap

Jun 5, 2025By Jung Da-hyunphoto
Marines salute passage of bill
Politics

Lee Jae-myung clinches presidency with record vote count

Newly elected President Lee Jae-myung fell short of an outright majority in Tuesday’s election, but set a new record in Korean presidential history by winning 17.29 million votes. Lee secured key support in the Chungcheong region — often seen as the nation’s electoral bellwether — and outpaced People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo in vote share, with particularly strong backing from those in their 40s and 50s. According to the National Election Commission Wednesday, Lee received 17.29 million votes, or 49.42 percent of the total, defeating Kim Moon-soo by approximately 2.89 million votes. This surpassed the previous record of 16.39 million votes set by former President Yoon Suk Yeol in the last presidential race. Lee topped the polls in most regions across the country, including Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province in the greater capital area, as well as Gwangju, Daejeon, Sejong, Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces and Jeju Island. Notably, in South Chungcheong Province — often viewed as a crucial swing region — Lee secured 47.7 percent of the vote, defeating Kim by mo

Jun 4, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Lee Jae-myung clinches presidency with record vote count
  • Conservatives in turmoil as blame game escalates after election defeat
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