The Korea Times

Celebrated abroad, contested at home: Choi Min-sik’s complex legacy revisited

The late photographer Choi Min-shik’s polarized legacy is revisited in his posthumous photobook “Human," the 15th installment in his namesake series. The recently published volume features some 300 carefully selected black-and-white photographs taken over the course of his five-decade career. The collection reflects the gifted artist’s complex fate as a documentary photographer. Abroad, Choi earned a strong reputation, exhibiting his work in numerous countries — a rare achievement for a Korean photographer in the 1970s. British photographers even nicknamed him “Rembrandt” for his masterful use of light and shadow. His soulful portraits of people living in poverty evoke the dramatic chiaroscuro of Rembrandt, particularly in their striking contrasts between darkness and illumination. Choi’s realistic yet philosophical approach quietly narrates the realities of Korean society at the time his photographs were taken. In one image featured in the new book, a mother and her young son share a bowl of noodles while she cradles him against her chest. The composition captures both in

Feb 13, 2026By Kang Hyun-kyung

Celebrated abroad, contested at home: Choi Min-sik’s complex legacy revisited

Others

Coupang subpoena risks broader Korea-US trade clash

The U.S. Congress has sent a clear signal that it will not sit back if U.S. commercial interests are put at risk by what it sees as foreign governments’ excessive regulatory measures against American companies, such as Coupang. If necessary, Congress has shown that it is prepared to use all available means to push the Donald Trump administration to take tougher trade actions against those governments. This message was underscored by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee’s decision on Thursday to issue a subpoena to Coupang, requiring Coupang Korea CEO Harold Rogers to testify at an upcoming hearing and submit documents and communications between the U.S. company and the Korean government following the recent data breach. A congressional subpoena targeting one of Washington’s closest allies is rare — if not unprecedented — highlighting how seriously lawmakers are treating the issue. Despite this, the warning appears not to have been fully heeded in Seoul. Korean officials have been wasting time expressing divergent views over the motives behind repeated warnings from U.S. politicia

Feb 8, 2026By Kang Hyun-kyung

Coupang subpoena risks broader Korea-US trade clash

Opinion

Digital power broker: How YouTuber weaponizes influence to shape the DPK power game

Although President Lee Jae Myung has been in office for less than a year, power struggles ahead of the next presidential election have already begun. If not properly managed, these struggles could spiral out of control, ultimately undermining not only Lee’s leadership but also the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). Tensions are brewing within the ruling camp. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has been at odds with Kim Ou-joon, a popular progressive YouTuber who wields considerable influence on the left. Within the ruling camp, Kim Ou-joon has emerged as a power broker, allegedly seeking to use his influence to shape the internal power game in favor of his preferred politician — DPK Chairman Jung Chung-rae. The two Kims clashed over a public opinion survey related to the Seoul mayoral election, scheduled for June 3. On Dec. 1, 2025, Prime Minister Kim requested polling agencies remove his name from the list of potential candidates, stating that he had no intention of running in the election. His request, however, was ignored. In a recent poll conducted by Flower Research — a polling

Jan 30, 2026By Kang Hyun-kyung

Digital power broker: How YouTuber weaponizes influence to shape the DPK power game

Defense

Reforming the shadows: Military intelligence shake-up raises alarms

The days of the Defense Counterintelligence Command (DCC) are numbered. The military intelligence agency, which has overseen counterintelligence for nearly five decades, is set to disappear from history by the end of this year. Once dissolved, its core functions will be split and transferred to two newly created bodies — tentatively named the National Security Service and the Central Security Audit Office — in an effort to prevent the concentration of power. Another military intelligence unit, the Defense Intelligence Command (DIC), whose main responsibilities include covert operations and infiltration into North Korea, is also facing a bleak future. The DIC is meant for sweeping reforms to ensure it can no longer be used as an instrument of abuse by the commander-in-chief. The plan to overhaul the military’s intelligence apparatus reflects President Lee Jae Myung’s determination to prevent a repeat of Korea’s troubled past. The DCC and DIC now face uncharted waters after both were mobilized to support now-ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Dec. 3 declaration of martial law. So

Jan 25, 2026By Kang Hyun-kyung

Reforming the shadows: Military intelligence shake-up raises alarms

Others

The curse of sanctioned oil: Why turmoil in Iran and Venezuela hurts China

The capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the deadly nationwide protests in Iran are separate events unfolding on different continents. However, political unrest simultaneously battering the two oil-rich nations could converge to become a defining moment with far-reaching consequences for global geopolitics and trade. Following Maduro’s extradition to New York to face criminal charges, including narco-terrorism, U.S. President Donald Trump made clear that Washington intends to take control of Venezuela’s oil industry. On Friday, he said the United States would invest at least $100 billion to rebuild the country’s battered energy sector. “The U.S. said narco-terrorism was the primary reason behind its operation to arrest Maduro. But it is fair to say that the real motive stems from Washington’s plan to control Venezuela’s oil industry,” said Choo Jae-woo, a professor at Kyung Hee University. Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, estimated at 303 billion barrels, followed by Saudi Arabia with 267 billion and Iran with 209 billion. In the wa

Jan 16, 2026By Kang Hyun-kyung

The curse of sanctioned oil: Why turmoil in Iran and Venezuela hurts China

Opinion

The price of distrust: Behind the doomed careers of three politicians

The National Assembly and newsrooms, as workplaces, share one thing in common. Just as editors and reporters are at times pitted against each other over issues such as content edits, editorial direction and the realities of reporting from the field, lawmakers and their staff often misunderstand one another’s motives. Lawmakers sometimes complain that their staff are passive, incompetent and lack creativity. As a result, they argue that they do not receive sufficient support. Legislative aides, on the other hand, might say their bosses are excessively demanding and treat them like personal servants, forcing them to work long hours and causing burnout. Years ago, I had opportunities, at different times, to sit down with a first-term lawmaker and a legislative staffer working for a second-term lawmaker and hear their sides of the story. The lawmaker complained about her “idle” staff. She said the National Assembly audit was just around the corner, yet none of her aides had begun drafting review papers she could study to prepare for the event. The staffer’s account was very different

Jan 13, 2026By Kang Hyun-kyung

The price of distrust: Behind the doomed careers of three politicians

Others

Korea and China at odds: Lee defends China, calls out Koreans over mutual hostility

President Lee Jae Myung said election fraud allegations are fabricated and baseless, accusing those spreading the conspiracy theory of being “out of their minds.” He claimed political extremists are fanning hatred toward China and vowed to hold them accountable for fueling anti-China sentiment. “China is being accused of involvement in election fraud in Korea. Such nonsensical allegations angered Chinese people and drove them to turn their backs on Korea,” Lee said Wednesday in Shanghai during a luncheon with Cheong Wa dae correspondents. “These allegations are baseless and unnecessary. I have addressed the issue multiple times at Cabinet meetings, openly criticized those spreading it, and promised to hold them accountable,” he said. Lee added that Korea is now paying the price, as anti-Korea sentiment in China has led to consumer boycotts of Korean goods and products. He said his recent summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping would serve as a turning point, arguing that mutual hostility between Koreans and Chinese would begin to subside. He emphasized that he and Xi agreed

Jan 9, 2026By Kang Hyun-kyung

Korea and China at odds: Lee defends China, calls out Koreans over mutual hostility

Opinion

Rude, nagging, digitally illiterate: Inside Coupang hearing disaster

More than a decade ago, it was common to hear politicians complain about the declining popularity of elective office among ambitious people, arguing that those with strong resumes were no longer running for office. Instead, they were starting their own businesses or pursuing high-paying jobs in the private sector. As they often testified, power was shifting — rapidly — from the public to the private sector. In a capitalist society, such a shift comes as little surprise. In retrospect, however, lawmakers’ observations were not entirely accurate. The National Assembly, whose primary duties include making, revising and abolishing laws, was — and still is — a powerful institution. It remains influential enough to shape, or even determine, the nation’s fate. It is true that societal change has diversified the values people pursue, to the extent that money has become as important as honor. The brain drain in elective office, a direct result of its declining appeal, raises a fundamental question: Who is primarily responsible? Last week’s hearings in the Coupang data breach provide

Jan 2, 2026By Kang Hyun-kyung

Rude, nagging, digitally illiterate: Inside Coupang hearing disaster

Opinion

Odd man out: Kim Byung-kee’s fall in the DPK

Rep. Kim Byung-kee, floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), has become odd man out. He is facing calls to step down not only from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) but also from within his own party. Kim faces multiple allegations. He is accused of having been treated to meals worth 700,000 won ($485) by the former CEO of Coupang. He also allegedly accepted prepaid travel vouchers worth 1.6 million won ($1,107) from Korean Air, which he used with his family to stay in a five-star hotel on Jeju Island. In another allegation, Kim is said to have instructed a legislative staffer to contact Hanwha Group to confirm whether Indonesia’s president-elect was planning to visit the company. He then allegedly relayed the information to his son, a case officer at the National Intelligence Service (NIS), so that it could be reported to his son’s superior. The PPP demanded Kim’s immediate resignation. “He created the problem, so he must take responsibility,” PPP spokesperson Rep. Park Sung-hoon said on Saturday. Park added that the allegations are serious enoug

Dec 29, 2025By Kang Hyun-kyung

Odd man out: Kim Byung-kee’s fall in the DPK

Opinion

What if simultaneous interpretation had been available during the Coupang hearing?

A rare and controversial judgment call was made Wednesday during a National Assembly hearing into Coupang’s customer data theft scandal. Lawmakers urged two interpreters attending the session to rely on their own judgment — summarizing what witnesses said and presenting key takeaways instead of fully translating their remarks. The unusual request stemmed from a clash between parliamentary ground rules and professional interpretation standards. Under National Assembly rules, each lawmaker is allowed seven minutes to speak during a hearing. Within that time, they may question witnesses or comment on their answers. Once the seven minutes expire, the microphone is cut off. As a result, lawmakers often rush through questions or focus on so-called “killer questions” that can generate headlines. This time constraint becomes more acute when foreign witnesses are involved, as lawmakers feel their speaking time is effectively reduced as the interpreter translates questions and responses. However, interpreters are trained not to omit, edit or alter a speaker’s remarks. Their professional

Dec 19, 2025By Kang Hyun-kyung

Kang Hyun-kyung

Read more

Celebrated abroad, contested at home: Choi Min-sik’s complex legacy revisited

Coupang subpoena risks broader Korea-US trade clash

Digital power broker: How YouTuber weaponizes influence to shape the DPK power game

Reforming the shadows: Military intelligence shake-up raises alarms

The curse of sanctioned oil: Why turmoil in Iran and Venezuela hurts China

The price of distrust: Behind the doomed careers of three politicians

Korea and China at odds: Lee defends China, calls out Koreans over mutual hostility

Rude, nagging, digitally illiterate: Inside Coupang hearing disaster

Odd man out: Kim Byung-kee’s fall in the DPK

What if simultaneous interpretation had been available during the Coupang hearing?

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