The Korea Times

Experts caution against escalation between Korea, Ukraine

South Korea is weighing its next move against Ukraine — including a potential recall of its ambassador to Ukraine — after deeming Kyiv's apology over the public disclosure of a North Korean prisoner of war transfer "insufficient," even as experts urge Seoul to de-escalate, warning that a deepening rift could damage long-term ties with Europe. South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun signaled the hardening stance Tuesday, speaking during a parliamentary audit that Ukraine's foreign minister had sent a message that "included words of apology" but fell short of what Seoul had expected. "We intend to take firm measures," Cho said, adding that recalling ambassador Park Ki-chang was among the options under consideration. The foreign ministry formalized that position Wednesday, saying Seoul had urged Kyiv to provide a "clear explanation and apology" for disclosing the transfer and for issuing what it called "false statements" denying the existence of a confidentiality agreement. "While Ukraine subsequently presented its position, South Korea considers that the response fell short of an adequ

Oct 7, 2026By Park Ji-won

Experts caution against escalation between Korea, Ukraine

Foreign Affairs

Seoul says written proof of NK POW secrecy deal exists

South Korea says it has written documents proving that Seoul and Kyiv agreed to keep the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) secret, as President Lee Jae Myung warned Friday that Seoul will take "additional measures" if Ukraine refuses to apologize for disclosing the transfer. The remarks are expected to deepen diplomatic standoff between the two countries after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the transfer during his U.N. General Assembly address on Sept. 23. Kyiv has denied any confidentiality agreement existed, while Seoul insists one was clearly in place and that Ukraine broke it. A senior foreign ministry official laid out Seoul's account of events in detail on Friday. "It is clear that the two countries agreed to keep the transfer secret," the official told reporters. "The Ukrainian side notified the South Korean side that Zelenskyy would make a speech at the U.N. General Assembly, without specifying its content. The South Korean side responded by text, saying it wanted Zelenskyy not to breach the agreement between the two nations on keeping the t

Oct 2, 2026By Park Ji-won

Seoul says written proof of NK POW secrecy deal exists

Foreign Affairs

Korea-Japan Festival turns 20 in Tokyo with K-pop makeovers, hanbok

TOKYO — Hundreds of Japanese visitors lined up outside the Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo each morning from Friday through Sunday, eager to try on hanbok (Korean traditional attire), get K-pop-inspired makeovers and meet young Koreans face-to-face at the annual Korea-Japan Festival. Drawing visitors ranging from young adults to families, the three-day festival offered hands-on experiences designed to showcase both contemporary trends and traditional Korean culture. Visitors could speak directly with young volunteers from Korea and Japan, experience professional K-pop-style makeovers and take part in cultural activities. Organizers expect nearly 6,000 visitors across the three days of the festival. This year marked the festival's 20th anniversary, with the event having launched in 2005 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan. In a departure from previous years, the event moved from Hibiya Park to the Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo as organizers experimented with a new format. The indoor venue allowed the festival to place greater emphasis o

Sep 27, 2026By Park Ji-won

Korea-Japan Festival turns 20 in Tokyo with K-pop makeovers, hanbok

Society

Seoul yet to decide on joint Olympic bid with North Jeolla

With North Jeolla Province pushing to co-host the 2036 Summer Olympics with Seoul, the capital city's government remains hesitant to respond to the proposal, following its own elimination from the domestic selection process. North Jeolla Province officials said the provincial government submitted a joint hosting proposal to the Seoul Metropolitan Government and is currently awaiting a response. Insiders, however, say it would be challenging for the two governments to iron out the details of the co-hosting arrangement as both would want to hold the major events, including the opening ceremony. “They will find it hard to narrow their differences because both sides would want the key events ... Seoul had already lost the initial domestic bid to North Jeolla Province. While Seoul would readily host the event on its own, a joint bid is a completely different matter, as it involves significant taxpayer money,” a government official familiar with the matter told The Korea Times. It has been reported that the metropolitan government told the province that under a joint bid, the capital would

Sep 23, 2026By Park Ji-won

Seoul yet to decide on joint Olympic bid with North Jeolla

Society

COVER STORY North Jeolla Province's 2036 Olympic bid falters as it seeks to co-host with Seoul

North Jeolla Province has approached Seoul about joining its bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics as a co-host, fueling speculation that the province's bid for the provincial city, Jeonju, to host the games is losing momentum amid concerns about a lack of necessary infrastructure. Although the provincial government says it is not giving up its bid to host the Games on its own but is adopting a strategy to increase its chances of being selected, the co-hosting offer shows it is facing a growing burden over its lack of necessary facilities. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has since postponed its review of the province's plan for the event hosting. Provincial government officials said North Jeolla Gov. Lee Won-taeg recently met with Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon to discuss co-hosting the upcoming Olympics. “The governor met with Seoul officials to discuss the broader framework for a joint bid, and we are currently awaiting Seoul’s official response. At the working level, we have formally requested that they submit their proposal on the co-hosting arrangement, and working-level officia

Sep 23, 2026By Park Ji-won

[COVER STORY] North Jeolla Province's 2036 Olympic bid falters as it seeks to co-host with Seoul

Others

Thailand's 'Festival of Lights' in Seoul

Thai Ambassador to Korea Tanee Sangrat, sixth from left, poses with participants during the first Loy Krathong Myeongdong with Hana Bank event in Seoul, Saturday. The cultural gathering, celebrating Thailand's traditional festival of lights, was held to promote Thai culture and showcased performances, cuisine, music and tourism. Courtesy of Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul

Sep 21, 2026By Park Ji-won

Thailand's 'Festival of Lights' in Seoul

Politics

Journalist-turned-political critic becomes new presidential spokesperson

Kim Sung-wan, a journalist-turned-political commentator, has been appointed as the new presidential spokesperson, the presidential office said Monday. Kim — a former reporter with Media Today and later a radio host and political analyst —officially assumed his duties as presidential spokesperson on Monday, according to Cheong Wa Dae. "I have often had my words passed along to others, but knowing that I am now speaking directly to the media makes me feel a heavy sense of responsibility … As President Lee Jae Myung has said, I will do my best to communicate more with the public with humility," Kim told reporters. The post has remained vacant since April, when former presidential spokesperson Rep. Jeon Eun-su stepped down to prepare for the June 3 local elections. Kim's appointment adds to the current two spokespersons — Kang Yu-jung and Ahn Gwi-ryeong.

Sep 21, 2026By Park Ji-won

Journalist-turned-political critic becomes new presidential spokesperson

North Korea

'My Hell Could Not Kill Me': A defector's journey from home and back

In May 2016, Kim Kang-woo, then 21 years old, risked his life crossing North Korea's border into China to defect to South Korea in search of freedom, thinking he might never be able to return to the isolated country ever again. But three years later, in May 2019, he did not hesitate to jump back into the Amnok River — also known as the Yalu River in Chinese — and smuggle himself back into the North to save his mother. "I knew that I could die or face up to five years in prison in South Korea ... But in the end, what made my determination clear was the realization that my mother had raised me for over 20 years, so sacrificing four or five years of my life in prison was the right thing to do. That very evening, I crossed over," Kim told The Korea Times in an interview marking the release of his first book in June. He was born and raised in Ryanggang Province, North Korea, a border region near China. Titled "My Hell Could Not Kill Me" (translated title), the Korean-language memoir recounts his initial defection, his reentry into North Korea to rescue his mother, his second escape to t

Sep 19, 2026By Park Ji-won

'My Hell Could Not Kill Me': A defector's journey from home and back

South Korea

Lee holds off on justice minister nominee, admits vetting failures

President Lee Jae Myung admitted to failures in the Cabinet candidate vetting process, adding that he has not yet reached a final decision regarding controversial Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won. "We did our best, but unexpected issues continued to surface … Failing to prepare for those aspects was our fault," Lee said during a press conference at Cheong Wa Dae, Friday, adding that “We are currently working to reexamine our personnel system.” The press conference came as Lee faces declining approval ratings amid resistance to his proposed policies and contentious reform efforts, as well as concerns over his Cabinet nominees. Addressing the Justice Minister nominee issue, Lee said, "While we believed we had made the best possible selection, various controversies have emerged during the public confirmation process and we have not yet reached a final conclusion." He added that the administration would "make a careful decision taking public sentiment into account."

Sep 18, 2026By Park Ji-won

Lee holds off on justice minister nominee, admits vetting failures

Politics

Lee faces no-win dilemma as justice minister nominee row threatens prosecution reform

President Lee Jae Myung is facing a high-stakes dilemma over his justice minister nominee: push forward with Kim Seung-won's appointment at the cost of further eroding his approval ratings or withdraw the nomination and lose momentum on his flagship prosecution reform agenda. Political insiders suggest Lee will press ahead regardless. Analysts say he is likely to frame the standoff as a defining battle for prosecutorial reform — a direct confrontation with what his camp describes as political prosecutors resistant to change. “The (ruling) Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) appears poised to push forward with the appointment, while opposition parties are expected to gauge public sentiment following President Lee’s press conference scheduled on Friday before deciding whether to launch full-fledged street protests,” Seo Yang-ho, a political commentator and former mayor of Seoul’s Jung District, was quoted saying on a TV news program. “At its core, Kim Seung-won's nomination is not simply a Cabinet appointment; it represents a fundamental clash between forces driving President Lee

Sep 17, 2026By Park Ji-won

Park Ji-won

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