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Park Ji-won

Korea Times Politics & City Reporter

Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.

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Defense

S. Korea, US align on nuclear submarines as Seoul steps up peninsula defense

South Korea and the United States reached a shared understanding during last week's bilateral talks that Seoul's future nuclear-powered submarines will both bolster the security framework on the Korean Peninsula and benefit the broader alliance, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. “We continued the discussions based on the understanding that the submarines will be built in South Korea and the U.S. side didn’t elaborate further,” a foreign ministry official said, adding that the U.S. delegation did not link the submarine issue to the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON), another critical area of focus for the two allies. The remarks came a week after the kickoff meetings in Seoul on June 2 and 3, aiming at implementing security and economic agreements outlined in the joint fact sheet published in November 2025, following the October 2025 summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump. The meetings were led on the Korean side by First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo and on the U.S. side by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison

Jun 9, 2026By Park Ji-won
S. Korea, US align on nuclear submarines as Seoul steps up peninsula defense
North Korea

China's Xi vows to expand cooperation with Pyongyang as NK's Kim supports 'One China' principle

Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to enhance bilateral cooperation in multiple areas including diplomacy, military and trade during a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, while Kim supported China’s "One China" principle. “The two sides should strengthen exchanges in diplomacy, law enforcement and the military, implement the important consensus reached between myself (Xi) and General Secretary (Kim), so as to pool wisdom and strength for the development of China-Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) relations,” Xi was quoted as saying in Xinhua's Chinese-language coverage Monday, while highlighting that the country will continue to build the special relationship and long-standing friendship with North Korea regardless of changing geopolitical dynamics. The remarks were made during the Xi-Kim summit in Pyongyang from Monday to Tuesday, which took place at the request of North Korea. Xi's presidential trip to Pyongyang is his first in seven years and comes roughly nine months after the two leaders last met in Beijing. It also arrives in the wake of North Korea and

Jun 8, 2026By Park Ji-won
China's Xi vows to expand cooperation with Pyongyang as NK's Kim supports 'One China' principle
Society

Koreans living overseas urge gov't to improve public services

Koreans living overseas urged the Overseas Koreans Agency (OKA) to improve citizen services, raising issues mainly about the expansion of the identity verification system using foreign numbers, support for Korean cultural facilities and the overseas issuance of international driver’s licences. In an online forum held by the OKA marking the third anniversary of the launch of the agency, overseas Koreans, mainly the heads of overseas Korean associations, shared their difficulties and suggestions on how to improve Korean government services. Several participants urged the government to support cultural facilities in their regions so that Korea can expand its influence in other countries. “We urgently need a Korean Cultural Center established in East Timor … KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) has funded other large-scale projects here, such as a $10 million football stadium and various small business factories. However, these do not seem to effectively enhance Korea’s national image. When people here think of football, they think of Portugal, not Korea. Supporting a Taek

Jun 5, 2026By Park Ji-won
Koreans living overseas urge gov't to improve public services
Politics

Ballot shortages undermine public trust in elections

Public trust in election management has plummeted after ballot shortages at polling stations in southern Seoul for Wednesday's local elections forced hundreds of voters to wait for hours past the designated end of voting hours at 6 p.m. The unprecedented situation immediately prompted strong criticism against the National Election Commission (NEC), from both liberal and conservative camps alike, as well as the presidential office. The backlash was especially strong among members of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), which had higher chances of winning in most of those districts. President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday expressed "very deep regret" over the ballot shortages, calling for a full investigation into the sloppy election management and for those found responsible to be held accountable. "It is hard to accept that such incomprehensible flaws occurred in election management, which must be carried out under the absolutely highest standard in a democratic republic,” Lee said during a Cabinet meeting. “All state institutions are obliged to thoroughly prepare for elections

Jun 4, 2026By Park Ji-won
Ballot shortages undermine public trust in elections
Politics

Exit polls show DPK candidate leading Seoul mayoral race

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is leading in the Seoul mayoral race in the June 3 local elections, according to exit polls, but faces too-close-to-call contests in Busan and Daegu against candidates of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP). A sweep of all three cities would deliver a commanding mandate for the Lee Jae Myung administration, though the tight margins in Busan and Daegu mean the final outcomes could still go either way. For the Seoul mayoral race, Chong Won-o, a three-term Seongdong District head and DPK candidate, led the exit poll and is largely expected to be elected to lead the capital city with 51.4 percent of the vote, while incumbent Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who was seeking reelection with the PPP, is predicted to gain approximately 46 percent of the vote. Meanwhile, JTBC's forecast placed Chong further ahead at 53.5 percent to Oh's 42.9 percent. The exit poll was conducted by the Korea Election Pool, a joint forecasting committee formed by broadcasters KBS, SBS and MBC. The consortium surveyed voters at 615 polling stations nationwide and conducte

Jun 3, 2026By Park Ji-won
Exit polls show DPK candidate leading Seoul mayoral race
Foreign Affairs

Korea, US open talks on nuclear subs, investment pledge from Lee-Trump summit

Korea and the United States launched formal negotiations on Seoul's push to develop nuclear-powered submarines and its pledge to invest $350 billion in the U.S. in exchange for reduced tariff rates. Those issues are part of discussions held to implement security and economic agreements outlined in the joint fact sheet published in November 2025, following the summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump. The U.S. delegation, led by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker, and the Korean delegation, led by First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo, started their two days of meetings in Seoul, Tuesday. The American delegation reportedly includes officials from the National Security Council, the Department of State, the Department of Energy and other agencies, while from the Korean side, officials from the Office of National Security, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources and the Ministry of Science and ICT took part in the discussions. Key items on the

Jun 2, 2026By Park Ji-won
Korea, US open talks on nuclear subs, investment pledge from Lee-Trump summit
Politics

Foreign voting rights under strain as information barriers persist

The number of registered foreign voters in Korea hit a record 151,532 ahead of the June 3 local elections, but turnout keeps falling, dragged down by language barriers, lack of outreach and little awareness that the right exists at all. In the 2022 local elections, just 13.3 percent of eligible foreign voters cast a ballot. In Korea, foreign nationals aged 18 or older can vote in local elections — for mayors, governors, district heads, local councilors and education superintendents — three years after obtaining an F-5 permanent residency visa. Chinese nationals make up the overwhelming majority, accounting for roughly 78 percent of eligible foreign voters for the 2022 elections. As the eligible foreign voter pool grows, some election commissions and candidates are stepping up multilingual outreach. Regional branches of the National Election Commission (NEC), including the office in Gangwon Province, are distributing voting guides in multiple languages — including versions in English, Chinese and Vietnamese — to assist eligible foreign voters. Some candidates publish their policy

Jun 2, 2026By Park Ji-won
Foreign voting rights under strain as information barriers persist
Politics

LEE'S 1ST YEAR IN OFFICE President turns social media into governing tool to boost transparency

When former President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, then-opposition leader Lee Jae Myung launched a Facebook livestream as he scaled a wall to reach the National Assembly and vote to block the decree. The footage made headlines for offering a raw, firsthand look at the crisis — a scene only people on the ground could have captured and exactly the kind of unmediated moment that has defined Lee's political brand. A year into his presidency, that instinct for direct communication remains central to how Lee governs. Long before taking office, Lee built his political brand on X, formerly Twitter, using the platform's speed and reach to bypass mainstream outlets that paid little attention to a politician who rose from a local government post rather than a major political party. As president, he carried that habit into Cheong Wa Dae, generating engagement and using the platform to build public momentum for his policy agenda. At a roundtable co-hosted by The Korea Times and the Korean Institute for Presidential Studies on May 13, experts assessed Lee's first year of soc

Jun 2, 2026By Park Ji-won
[LEE'S 1ST YEAR IN OFFICE] President turns social media into governing tool to boost transparency
Politics

Local election results to decide fates of major party leaders

The outcome of the local elections slated for Wednesday is decisive for each candidate. But it will also determine the political fate of major party leaders: Rep. Jung Chung-rae of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP). While both leaders are likely to seek another term, a landslide victory for the DPK signals a boost for Jung not only as the party's leader but also as a potential presidential contender. For the PPP, Jang's ability to save face and keep his position will depend on the electoral success of PPP candidates in key regions, or at the very least, a smaller voter support gap between the two parties. In the early phases of the elections, a landslide victory for the DPK has been widely anticipated, backed by the high approval ratings of President Lee Jae Myung and negative sentiment against the PPP following the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Yoon was sentenced to life for insurrection and treason tied to his martial law declaration in 2024. However, the PPP was able to solidify their

Jun 1, 2026By Park Ji-won
Local election results to decide fates of major party leaders
Foreign Affairs

UNDP will review reopening N. Korea office 'if things change,' agency chief says

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) operated in North Korea for nearly three decades before a series of disruptions — fund diversion allegations, then the COVID-19 pandemic — forced it out. Now, the agency’s administrator says there is no immediate plan to return, but reopening remains possible if conditions on the ground change. “If things change, we’ll have to look into it,” UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo told The Korea Times in Seoul last Friday. “We (currently) don’t have presence in North Korea. We used to have it, but we were asked to leave. As long as things don’t change, there’s no point for us to be there.” The remarks came after South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed the U.N. body’s plan to resume operations in the North in the first half of this year. The administrator didn’t elaborate on the specifics, but it is known that the agency has been looking for ways to reenter the seclusive country for years. The UNDP first opened an office in Pyongyang in 1980, becoming one of the earliest U.N. agencies to establish a prese

May 28, 2026By Park Ji-won
UNDP will review reopening N. Korea office 'if things change,' agency chief says
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