The Korea Times

Korea's military faces officer shortage amid record exodus

South Korea’s military is confronting a deepening personnel crisis as record numbers of mid-ranking officers — the backbone of its command structure — leave the service. This leadership drain, compounded by a dwindling supply of new officers from programs such as the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), poses a critical challenge for a country that relies on a large standing army and mandatory conscription to deter the persistent threat from North Korea. According to data obtained from the Ministry of the National Defense by Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), the number of voluntary resignations among officers and noncommissioned officers with 10 to 20 years of service reached an all-time high last year. A total of 1,821 personnel in that category left the military in 2024, up from 960 in 2021. As of the end of September this year, 1,327 had already filed for voluntary discharge. The number of officers taking leave has also increased sharply, from 2,252 in 2021 to 3,412 last year, with this year’s figure already at 3,401. At the same time, rec

Oct 14, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

Korea's military faces officer shortage amid record exodus

North Korea

China, Russia step up dual-track engagement with 2 Koreas

China and Russia are pursuing dual-track diplomacy with both Koreas, as top officials have visited North Korea and are planning to visit South Korea for different diplomatic events. The back-to-back visits are drawing attention to Beijing and Moscow’s diplomatic outreach on the Korean Peninsula, underscoring their growing regional ambitions. Considering that both countries historically have closer ties with Pyongyang than with Seoul, the visits are seen as strategies to maintain amicable ties with the North while improving those with the South to check the Seoul-Washington alliance. Chinese Premier Li Qiang, the country’s second-highest-ranking official after President Xi Jinping, visited Pyongyang on Thursday to attend a military parade on Friday, marking the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea. It was the first visit by a Chinese premier to Pyongyang since 2018. According to Pyongyang’s state media, Li and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un discussed expanding “strategic communication and cooperation” across multiple fields. Russia sent Dmitry Medvedev, deput

Oct 10, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

China, Russia step up dual-track engagement with 2 Koreas

Society

Number of people taking Korean language proficiency test hits record high as interest surges

What began with the worldwide success of K-pop and TV dramas has evolved into something broader: Korean is now among the most widely studied languages around the world. More than half a million people took the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) this year, highlighting how the global popularity of Korean culture is attracting a growing number of learners. According to data from the Ministry of Education and the National Institute for International Education, around 550,000 people had taken TOPIK as of September this year — the highest number since the exam was first introduced in 1997. The number of test-takers has steadily increased in recent years, rising from approximately 360,000 in 2022 to 420,000 in 2023 and 490,000 in 2024, before surpassing 500,000 for the first time this year. Internet-based testing (IBT) is currently available in 13 countries, including Korea, the United States, China and Indonesia. Four more countries — Nepal, Laos, Bahrain and India — will be added next year, bringing the total to 17. The ministry plans to increase the number of annual testing sessions

Oct 10, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

Number of people taking Korean language proficiency test hits record high as interest surges

Defense

7 nationals from China, Taiwan caught filming Korean military sites this year

Seven foreign nationals, all from China and Taiwan, were caught this year illegally filming or photographing Korean military facilities, according to data submitted to Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the National Assembly’s defense committee by the National Police Agency on Wednesday. Between January and August, seven individuals were booked for violating the Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act. Police data shows that a total of 14 foreign nationals have been investigated over the past five years, with two in 2020, one in 2021, two in 2022, none in 2023, and two in 2024. This year’s seven cases represent a significant increase compared with previous years. Of those caught, four were Chinese and three were Taiwanese. “Unauthorized photography of our military facilities or operational assets by foreign nationals from the Chinese-speaking world could seriously harm national security if such images are circulated online,” Yu said. “As the number of cases has risen sharply, stronger warnings and tighter security measures are needed around key military sites,” the lawmaker unde

Oct 9, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

7 nationals from China, Taiwan caught filming Korean military sites this year

Society

FACT CHECK No evidence that visa-free Chinese tourists pose criminal or health risks

As Korea reopened visa-free entry for Chinese tour groups last weekend, conspiracy theories and alarmist claims began circulating online, warning that criminals and infectious diseases would enter the country. However, officials and experts stress these assertions are exaggerated or simply false. The government is permitting groups of three or more Chinese nationals, organized by licensed travel agencies, to enter the country without visas and stay for up to 15 days until June 30 next year. The authorities expect the program to attract around 1 million additional visitors, on top of the 4.6 million Chinese tourists who visited last year. The measure coincides with China’s National Day and mid-Autumn holidays, when inbound demand traditionally surges. Criminal screening in place Rumors spread following a fire on Sept. 26 at the National Information Resources Service facility in Daejeon, which disrupted some online government platforms. Critics claimed that the outage prevented the authorities from screening high-risk travelers, allowing “criminals to flood into Korea.” However, the

Oct 2, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

[FACT CHECK] No evidence that visa-free Chinese tourists pose criminal or health risks

Defense

Defense minister dismisses US troop cut fears, stresses alliance stability

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back dismissed speculation about a possible reduction or withdrawal of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), stressing that the issue has never been raised in Washington and cannot be decided unilaterally under the South Korea-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty. “No U.S. military leaders or members of Congress have ever mentioned troop cuts or withdrawal. The words ‘reduction’ or ‘withdrawal’ are not even on the table," he said while speaking at a dinner meeting with defense reporters on Tuesday. He emphasized that the alliance is not weakening, but rather becoming stronger. Reports that Washington is considering shifting U.S. forces to counter China have unsettled Seoul, where many fear such a move would embolden North Korea. The concern is compounded by renewed threats to link America’s military presence to steep increases in South Korea’s defense contributions. The minister noted the scale of American facilities in South Korea as evidence of the enduring commitment. “The U.S. operates massive bases in Pyeongtaek and Osan, covering more than 24 million square meter

Oct 1, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

Defense minister dismisses US troop cut fears, stresses alliance stability

Politics

Gov't to abolish breach of trust charge in criminal law

The government has confirmed plans to abolish the breach of trust offense under the Criminal Act, a longstanding provision widely criticized for discouraging corporate decision-making, saying the move is intended to ease regulations and encourage bolder business initiatives. In Korea, breach of trust is a widely applied criminal provision that targets executives and officials who use their positions to benefit themselves or associates, often resulting in financial losses for the company, organization or party whose funds were mismanaged. Finance ministry officials said the measure is part of a broader overhaul of economic criminal penalties, but opposition lawmakers have condemned it as a political move intended to shield President Lee Jae Myung from his ongoing trials. Lee faced several criminal charges when he ran for president, most notably tied to a land development project while he was mayor of Seongnam in Gyeonggi Province. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the government on Tuesday presented their initial package of reform measures during a policy meeting at the Nati

Sep 30, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

Gov't to abolish breach of trust charge in criminal law

Politics

PPP stirs xenophobia as Seoul welcomes Chinese tourists visa-free

Members of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) are raising security and public safety concerns, as the Korean government on Monday began a visa-free entry program for Chinese tour groups. They claim the country will be vulnerable to visa overstays and illegal employment of Chinese nationals, especially as major government data networks remain offline following Friday’s fire at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) facility in Daejeon. Under the new policy, in place until June 30 next year, groups of three or more Chinese nationals are allowed to enter Korea without visas and stay for up to 15 days. Authorities are betting on the new influx of tourists, estimated to add around 1 million extra visitors, to provide a much-needed economic lifeline to the tourism and retail sectors. Upon the launch of the program, Rep. Na Kyung-won of the main opposition party called for its postponement, citing the disruption to administrative services caused by the fire. “Resident registration certificates cannot be issued, internal networks for civil servants are down and even mobile

Sep 29, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

PPP stirs xenophobia as Seoul welcomes Chinese tourists visa-free

Politics

Ruling party pushes through sweeping gov't overhaul, dismantling Supreme Prosecutors' Office and triggering protests

The National Assembly on Friday approved the first major government reorganization bill under the Lee Jae Myung administration, dismantling the Supreme Prosecutors' Office after 78 years and creating new agencies to separately handle investigative and prosecutorial functions. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which together with allied parties holds an overwhelming majority in the Assembly, submitted a motion on Thursday evening to end a filibuster by the main opposition People Power Party (PPP). The motion was adopted Friday evening, bringing an end to a marathon debate. The reorganization bill was subsequently approved with 174 votes in favor, one against and five abstentions, out of 180 lawmakers present. Members of the opposition People Power Party boycotted the vote and held a massive protest in downtown Seoul days later. Central to the legislation is the dismantling of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, a central institution in Korea's criminal justice system since 1948. Its authority will be divided between two newly established bodies: the serious crimes investigation o

Sep 26, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

Ruling party pushes through sweeping gov't overhaul, dismantling Supreme Prosecutors' Office and triggering protests

Foreign Affairs

Lee administration appoints ambassador to Japan

Lee Hyuk, head of the Korea-Japan Future Forum, formally assumed his post as Korea’s ambassador to Japan on Friday, becoming the first envoy to Tokyo under the Lee Jae Myung administration. Born in 1958, Lee passed the 13th foreign service examination and is regarded as one of Seoul’s leading experts on Japan. He has held key diplomatic positions, such as first secretary, counselor and minister at the Korean Embassy in Tokyo, as well as director of the Northeast Asia division and director-general for Asia-Pacific affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Following his retirement from the ministry, he continued to work on bilateral exchanges, serving as head of the Korea-Japan Future Forum, which promotes dialogue among lawmakers, journalists, scholars and diplomats from both countries. According to observers, his pragmatic approach to bilateral issues is expected to align with the Lee administration’s emphasis on practical diplomacy driven by national interests. Upon taking office, Lee is expected to address a number of high-profile issues, including the planned visit of outgoin

Sep 26, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

Bahk Eun-ji

Read more

Korea's military faces officer shortage amid record exodus

China, Russia step up dual-track engagement with 2 Koreas

Number of people taking Korean language proficiency test hits record high as interest surges

7 nationals from China, Taiwan caught filming Korean military sites this year

FACT CHECK No evidence that visa-free Chinese tourists pose criminal or health risks

Defense minister dismisses US troop cut fears, stresses alliance stability

Gov't to abolish breach of trust charge in criminal law

PPP stirs xenophobia as Seoul welcomes Chinese tourists visa-free

Ruling party pushes through sweeping gov't overhaul, dismantling Supreme Prosecutors' Office and triggering protests

Lee administration appoints ambassador to Japan

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