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Lee Hyo-jin

Korea Times Finance Reporter

Lee Hyo-jin covers the Bank of Korea, the banking industry and broader financial news. Her previous beats include foreign affairs, North Korea and general reporting on Korean society.

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Law & Crime

Ruling party proposes expanding spy law beyond 'enemy state' to cover other foreign nations

The National Assembly introduced a bill on Wednesday, led by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), that would expand the country’s espionage law to criminalize spying for any foreign government, not just North Korea, amid growing concerns over alleged intelligence activities involving Chinese nationals. The main opposition People Power Party (PPP), which opposed a set of revision bills on the Criminal Act, responded with a filibuster. If passed, the measure would mark the first fundamental overhaul of South Korea’s espionage statutes since their enactment in 1953. Currently, the law defines an "enemy state" almost exclusively as North Korea. This narrow legal framework has left prosecutors hamstrung, unable to levy treason-level charges against those spying for other foreign powers, including China or Russia, unless a direct link to Pyongyang could be proven. The proposed amendment reflects the changing nature of espionage targeting South Korea, which now extends beyond traditional military intelligence to industrial and advanced technology sectors. The bill was introduced by R

Feb 25, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
Ruling party proposes expanding spy law beyond 'enemy state' to cover other foreign nations
Society

In push for more efficient AI, Korean researchers develop dual-output artificial synapse

Researchers at Korea University have developed a dual-output artificial synapse designed to improve the energy efficiency of multitasking artificial intelligence (AI) systems, the university said Monday. The research was led by professors Wang Gun-uk and Park Young-ran of the KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, a joint program established by Korea University and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology. The human brain carries out many tasks at once, processing a stream of signals in parallel with remarkable efficiency. Conventional AI chips, in contrast, are typically built for narrowly defined functions. As a result, juggling multiple operations often requires breaking computations into separate parts or running them in sequence — a design that can sharply increase power consumption. Replicating the brain's capability has become a growing focus in AI research as systems require increasing amounts of computing power and electricity. The KU-KIST team created a brain-inspired artificial synapse that emits both electrical and optical signals simultaneously,

Feb 25, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
In push for more efficient AI, Korean researchers develop dual-output artificial synapse
Foreign Affairs

Korea denies delay in US security talks as tariff uncertainties resurface

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday dismissed concerns that security talks with the United States have been delayed due to renewed tariff-related uncertainties, saying a planned visit by a U.S. government security delegation remains on track. "It's not that the visit has been put on hold. Rather, it is a scheduling issue," a senior ministry official said, on condition of anonymity, during a briefing when asked about the timeline. The official added that the option remains open for a South Korean delegation to visit Washington if the plans are further delayed. The ministry also rejected reports suggesting that a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling invalidating President Donald Trump’s "reciprocal" tariffs could create procedural hurdles in implementing a bilateral trade agreement and potentially delay consultations over the security provisions outlined in a bilateral joint fact sheet. "That is not true. There is no such problem, and the process is proceeding as planned," the official said. The Seoul-Washington tariff agreement struck last October has faced fresh uncertainties followi

Feb 24, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
Korea denies delay in US security talks as tariff uncertainties resurface
Politics

Ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol appeals life sentence in martial law case

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday appealed his life sentence for leading an insurrection linked to his 2024 declaration of martial law. The filing came five days after the Seoul Central District Court convicted the former leader of leading an insurrection in connection with his brief imposition of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. "We believe we bear a responsibility to clearly place on record the flaws in this judgment, not only before the court but also before history," Yoon's legal team said in a statement. "Under that responsibility, we will set out the errors in fact-finding and misapplications of laws in the first-instance ruling." "We will not remain silent regarding the special counsel's excessive indictment, the contradictory reasoning of the first trial conducted under those circumstances and its political implications," the statement added. In its ruling issued last Thursday, the court concluded that Yoon's actions met the legal definition of insurrection and that the martial law declaration caused serious damage to government institutions and the National Assembly. Two days

Feb 24, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
Ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol appeals life sentence in martial law case
Defense

Rare US-China standoff in West Sea signals USFK shift to counter Beijing

A rare aerial standoff in the West Sea between U.S. and Chinese fighter jets has prompted warnings from analysts that Washington may be putting into action a broader shift to use U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) to counter China. Since U.S. President Donald Trump took office for his second term, officials in Washington have signaled that U.S. troops stationed in South Korea would assume a greater role in deterring China, while Seoul takes on more responsibility in countering North Korea’s threats. The latest incident appears to reflect that shift. According to military sources Friday, several USFK F-16 fighter jets took off from Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, on Wednesday and flew over international waters in the West Sea. The F-16s reportedly operated in an area between the air defense identification zones (ADIZ) of South Korea and China, prompting the Chinese military to dispatch its own fighter jets. No clashes occurred. South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense said it could not confirm matters related to USFK operations or military activities, but added that "South Kor

Feb 20, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
Rare US-China standoff in West Sea signals USFK shift to counter Beijing
Foreign Affairs

Korea mulls joining NATO initiative to fund weapons for Ukraine

South Korea is reviewing whether to join a NATO initiative to help finance the purchase of U.S. weapons for Ukraine, diplomatic sources said Friday. If it decides to participate, the move could deepen defense ties with Europe as Seoul seeks to expand arms sales to NATO members, while further straining relations with Russia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is "in continued discussions with NATO on various ways to support Ukraine," responding to a local media report that Seoul is considering participation in NATO's Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL). A ministry official confirmed that NATO had asked South Korea to join the mechanism to support Ukraine. The official said Seoul's stance on assisting the war-torn nation is centered on "humanitarian aid and other nonlethal military equipment," declining to elaborate on whether the government is leaning toward participation. The Ukrainian Embassy in South Korea said it could not immediately comment when reached by The Korea Times. The Russian Embassy in Seoul said it was unaware of South Korea's official position on the matter,

Feb 20, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
Korea mulls joining NATO initiative to fund weapons for Ukraine
North Korea

Seoul, Pyongyang make rare exchange of statements over drone intrusions

A rare volley of official comments between Seoul and Pyongyang over alleged South Korean drone incursions into North Korea has raised cautious hopes of renewed communication, as Seoul steps up efforts to revive long-stalled inter-Korean ties. South Korea's Ministry of Unification said Thursday that it acknowleges the North's response to Seoul's official comments regarding the drone incident. "We take note of the North's swift response to the government's expression of regret over the drone incident and its announcement of measures to prevent a recurrence,” a ministry official said. "The preventive steps announced yesterday by the unification minister are intended to safeguard the safety and peace of both the South and the North." Cheong Wa Dae also commented on the North's response, saying it hopes "both sides will refrain from actions that escalate tensions in border areas and will work together to build peace." A day earlier, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young announced steps aimed at preventing civilian drone intrusions into the North, including reviewing the reinstatement of no-

Feb 19, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
Seoul, Pyongyang make rare exchange of statements over drone intrusions
Foreign Affairs

Korea to attend Trump's 'Board of Peace' meeting as observer

Korea will participate as an observer in the inaugural meeting of the U.S.-led "Board of Peace," dispatching a former envoy to the session in Washington, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday. "Kim Yong-hyun, former ambassador to Egypt, will attend the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace scheduled for Feb. 19 as the Korean representative," the ministry said in a statement. A ministry official told The Korea Times that Korea will attend as a nonmember observer and that Kim will serve as a special envoy of the foreign minister. "No final decision has been made on whether Korea will formally join the board, and the government is reviewing the matter from various angles," the official said. Korea's decision to send a representative to the inaugural session appears to signal cautious support for the U.S.-led initiative, as Seoul weighs whether to join the newly launched forum. The foreign ministry has said that it is reviewing participation, taking into account the board's potential contributions to peace and stability, as well as Korea's possible role. At the first meeting, parti

Feb 18, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
Korea to attend Trump's 'Board of Peace' meeting as observer
North Korea

S. Korea seeks to reinstate 'no-fly zone' to prevent civilian drone incursions into N. Korea

South Korea will actively seek to reinstate no-fly zones along its border with North Korea in a partial revival of the suspended 2018 inter-Korean military pact, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said Wednesday, in a move aimed at preventing civilian drone flights into the North. The Ministry of National Defense also said it is reviewing the partial restoration of the military agreement in consultation with relevant government agencies and the United States. The announcement came five days after Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, urged Seoul to take steps to prevent further incursions. Speaking at a press conference, Chung said the government is reviewing steps to partially revive the military agreement from Sept. 19, 2018, which created buffer zones and flight restrictions aimed at reducing the risk of accidental clashes. "In coordination with military authorities, the government will proactively review and pursue the restoration of the Sept. 19 inter-Korean military agreement, including the possible reestablishment of no-fly zones, in order to p

Feb 18, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
S. Korea seeks to reinstate 'no-fly zone' to prevent civilian drone incursions into N. Korea
Law & Crime

Court to deliver verdict Thursday in Yoon’s insurrection trial

A court is scheduled to deliver its verdict at 3 p.m. Thursday in former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s insurrection trial stemming from his declaration of martial law, a case in which prosecutors have sought the death penalty. The ruling comes 443 days after Yoon abruptly declared emergency martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, a move that lasted about six hours before the National Assembly voted to overturn it. Yoon was indicted in January 2025 on charges of leading an insurrection and was removed from office in April that year. The ousted president faces four separate criminal trials related to the martial law fiasco, but this case — centered on the insurrection charge — is widely seen as the one most directly linked to the declaration itself. At the final hearing on Jan. 13, the special counsel urged the court to impose the harshest sentence available — death. Prosecutors argued that the martial law imposition was a long-planned attempt to dismantle the constitutional order through the mobilization of military and police forces. Armed troops were deployed to the Assembly in an attempt to d

Feb 18, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
Court to deliver verdict Thursday in Yoon’s insurrection trial
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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.