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Kim Hyun-bin

Korea Times Digital Media Reporter

Kim Hyun-bin began his journalism career at Arirang TV from 2012 to 2017, specializing in defense, foreign affairs and the economy. In 2018, he joined The Korea Times, covering society and business, and is currently responsible for embassy affairs.

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Foreign Affairs

Philippines launches showroom to boost global reach of Filipino goods

In a strategic push to expand the global footprint of Filipino products and small businesses, Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Cristina A. Roque inaugurated the DTI SME Showroom in Seoul Wednesday. The initiative, aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision for a globally competitive and inclusive “Bagong Pilipinas,” is designed to provide a permanent platform to showcase export-ready goods and foster international partnerships for Philippine small and medium enterprises. “This launch is a concrete step towards bringing Filipino products and small and medium enterprises closer to the global market,” Roque said in her keynote address. “It is a message to the world that the Philippines is ready, our enterprises are capable and our products deserve a place on the global stage.” Roque added that the showroom breaks geographical barriers for local entrepreneurs and helps build the trust international buyers seek. “We are making it easier for the world to do business with the Philippines — one city, one showroom, one export deal at a ti

May 15, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Philippines launches showroom to boost global reach of Filipino goods
Foreign Affairs

EU commemorates Europe Day in Seoul, highlighting peace and security

The Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Korea, together with representatives from the 25 EU Member States present in Korea, hosted a special event recently to commemorate Europe Day, marking the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration — a historic milestone widely recognized as the foundation of European integration. Held under the theme "Partnering for Peace and Security," this year’s event, which took place on Friday, emphasized the European Union’s commitment to global cooperation in maintaining peace, particularly in light of its strengthened partnership with Korea. The event follows the EU and Republic of Korea’s adoption of the Security and Defense Partnership last year, underscoring their shared dedication to addressing global and regional security challenges. In her opening remarks, European Union Ambassador to Korea Maria Castillo Fernandez reflected on the legacy of Europe Day. "On this day 75 years ago, then French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman delivered a historic speech that led to the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community and, even

May 12, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
EU commemorates Europe Day in Seoul, highlighting peace and security
Society

Violence cases reported in middle schools surged nearly 30% in 2023: report

Cases of school violence reviewed by disciplinary committees in middle schools across Korea surged nearly 30 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year, raising concerns over a lack of deterrence compared to high schools where such records can impact college admissions. According to data released by Jongro Academy on Sunday, a total of 17,833 cases were reviewed at 3,295 middle schools nationwide last year, marking a 27.3 percent increase from 14,004 in 2022. The figure is 2.4 times higher than the number of deliberation cases reported in high schools, which stood at 7,446. All 17 metropolitan and provincial education offices saw an increase in middle school cases. South Gyeongsang Province posted the highest year-on-year rise at 40 percent, followed by Daejeon (38.6 percent), Gyeonggi Province (35.9 percent), South Chungcheong Province (35 percent), North Gyeongsang Province (33.5 percent) and Incheon (30.4 percent). By type, physical violence accounted for the largest share at 30.9 percent, followed by verbal abuse (29.3 percent), cyberbullying (11.6 percent) and sexual violence (9

May 11, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Violence cases reported in middle schools surged nearly 30% in 2023: report
Law & Crime

Prosecutors summon Kim Keon Hee over election interference allegations

Prosecutors summoned former first lady Kim Keon Hee to appear for questioning over allegations of interference in selection of candidates for elections. They plan to exercise “forcible” measures if she keeps refusing to comply. According to the prosecution, Sunday, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office recently sent a written request to her to appear as a suspect next week for questioning over her alleged violation of the Public Official Election Act and the Political Funds Act. The move comes after Kim failed to respond to multiple verbal and informal requests for in-person questioning over the past several weeks. It is alleged that Kim, together with her husband, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, helped former People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Kim Young-sun win the nomination as the party’s candidate in a parliamentary by-election for a district in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, in June 2022 in exchange for receiving free opinion poll services from political broker Myung Tae-kyun. She is also suspected of exercising influence to help a former prosecutor win the nomi

May 11, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Prosecutors summon Kim Keon Hee over election interference allegations
Foreign Affairs

Nordic embassies in Korea to host Innovation Days 2025 fostering resilient societies

The embassies of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden in Korea will co-host Nordic+Korea Innovation Days 2025, a weeklong series of events set to run from Tuesday to May 18 in Seoul. Centered around the theme "Nordic+Korea Innovation for Resilient Societies," the program aims to deepen dialogue and cooperation on key areas including health, security, equality, prosperity and happiness. The initiative kicks off on Tuesday with a plenary session at the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies (KFAS) in Gangnam, featuring representatives from all four Nordic embassies, the Nordic Council of Ministers and academic institutions including the Stockholm Resilience Centre and Seoul National University. The session will introduce the Nordic Vision 2030 strategy, emphasizing global solidarity and resilience through innovation. Throughout the week, themed seminars — co-organized with the Chey Institute for Advanced Studies, KFAS and Korea University’s Jean Monnet EU Centre of Excellence — will bring together policymakers, researchers, private sector leaders and civil society actors to share bes

May 9, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Nordic embassies in Korea to host Innovation Days 2025 fostering resilient societies
Foreign Affairs

Thai ambassador backs new civilian runway at Cheongju airport

The Thai ambassador to Korea became the first foreign envoy to support a campaign for the construction of a new civilian runway at Cheongju International Airport, the North Chungcheong Provincial Government announced Tuesday. During a recent meeting, Kim Soo-min, vice governor of North Chungcheong Province, and Thai Ambassador Tanee Sangrat discussed ways to enhance bilateral exchanges and cooperation between the province and Thailand. Kim emphasized the urgent need for a separate civilian runway at the airport, calling it a key infrastructure project critical to the region’s growth and connectivity. The airport currently operates as a dual-use facility, sharing runways with the 17th Fighter Wing of the Republic of Korea Air Force. The shared use has limited commercial flight expansion due to airspace and scheduling constraints. Sangrat voiced his full support. “A lack of direct flights remains a major obstacle to expanding people-to-people exchanges," he said. "The proposed civilian runway at Cheongju airport would serve as a critical driver for deepening cooperation between our tw

May 8, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Thai ambassador backs new civilian runway at Cheongju airport
Foreign Affairs

INTERVIEW Slovenia eyes closer ties with Korea across economic, political, cultural fronts

Two years after opening its first embassy in Seoul, Slovenia is deepening its strategic, economic and cultural ties with Korea, viewing it as a pivotal and like-minded partner in East Asia. “There are many reasons why we opened an embassy in Korea,” Slovenian Ambassador to Korea Jernej Muller said in an interview with The Korea Times at the Slovenian Embassy in Seoul on April 21. “But one of the most pressing reasons was the need to establish a diplomatic presence in a like-minded Asian country. As a small country, Slovenia has a limited diplomatic footprint in Asia. Before Korea, we only had embassies in Beijing and Tokyo.” When Slovenian officials began deliberating on where to expand, Korea emerged as the top choice. “We already had strong cooperation with Korea, especially from an economic and logistical point of view. There was already a well-established shipping line between Busan and Koper, our main port, and we wanted to expand on that. Korea is also a regional leader, and politically, our values are aligned. We are both U.N. Security Council nonpermanent members, and

May 7, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
[INTERVIEW] Slovenia eyes closer ties with Korea across economic, political, cultural fronts
Society

Estonian student becomes first non-Korean to win Miss Chunhyang title

For the first time in the 95-year history of the Chunhyang Festival, a foreign contestant has won one of the top titles in the Miss Chunhyang beauty pageant. Mai, a 25-year-old Estonian student currently studying Korean language education at Seoul National University, came in fourth place during the Global Miss Chunhyang Pageant held on Wednesday in Namwon, a southern city often referred to as the home of some of Korea's most romantic folklore. Also a YouTuber who runs a channel under the name Kimchi Ghost Mai, she was named Miss Chunhyang “Hyun,” a title that ranks just below “Jin” (first place), “Seon” (second place), and “Mi” (third place) in the pageant’s hierarchy. The annual competition only began accepting international participants last year as part of its push for global outreach. Mai is the first non-Korean contestant ever to earn a title in the pageant’s main lineup, making her a symbol of the festival’s evolving inclusivity and growing international appeal. “I’m deeply honored to represent a tradition I’ve long admired,” Mai said after being crow

May 2, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Estonian student becomes first non-Korean to win Miss Chunhyang title
Foreign Affairs

Azerbaijan highlights investment opportunities in Alat Free Economic Zone

Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Korea Ramin Hasanov and Chairman of the Alat Free Economic Zone (AFEZ) Authority Board Valeh Alasgarov promoted the country’s flagship investment hub to Korean companies at a high-profile networking event in Seoul on Wednesday. Hosted under the title, “Alat Free Economic Zone: Unlocking potential for Korean manufacturing companies,” the event brought together Korean business leaders, diplomats and trade representatives to explore new avenues for bilateral economic cooperation. “Azerbaijan and Korea enjoy full-fledged and multidimensional cooperation. Our high-level relations are unique in the South Caucasus region,” Hasanov said. He underscored the dynamic economic-trade partnership, noting that Korea was Azerbaijan’s 11th-largest import partner in 2024, with bilateral trade reaching nearly $400 million. “Over 80 Korean companies already operate in Azerbaijan in various sectors,” he said, “and we welcome even greater participation, particularly through the Alat Free Economic Zone.” Hasanov called AFEZ a “unique opportunity” for Korean i

May 2, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Azerbaijan highlights investment opportunities in Alat Free Economic Zone
Politics

Opposition party proposes bill to halt criminal trials for elected presidents

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Friday proposed a controversial bill to suspend ongoing criminal trials for individuals elected president, sparking a political firestorm just a day after the Supreme Court sent a major case involving the party's presidential candidate back to a lower court, hinting at a potential conviction. The bill, introduced during a plenary session of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, follows the Supreme Court’s decision on Thursday to send back to a lower court a case involving DPK candidate Lee Jae-myung, concerning alleged election law violations during his previous campaign. The court’s interpretation has increased the likelihood of a conviction in the retrial. Rep. Kim Yong-min, the DPK deputy floor leader, formally introduced the bill. During the committee meeting, Kim explained that the proposed amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act aims to reinforce constitutional protections that could otherwise be weakened. "This law merely clarifies what is already a given under our Constitution," Kim said. "Yoon Suk Yeol spent his pres

May 2, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Opposition party proposes bill to halt criminal trials for elected presidents
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