The Korea Times

DPK's Lee Jae-myung proposes constitutional change for 4-year, 2-term presidency

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), on Sunday called for a constitutional amendment that would introduce a four-year, two-term presidency and a runoff system for presidential elections. In response, conservative People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo agreed with Lee's proposal. He also suggested the new president's term be shortened to three years, inviting Lee to “sign an agreement on a constitutional amendment.” Lee's proposals come after former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Dec. 3 martial law declaration triggered months of debate on the need to limit presidential power by reforming the Constitution to change the current presidential system — set in 1987 after decades of authoritarian governments. “Let’s strengthen presidential accountability while decentralizing power,” Lee wrote on Facebook. “A four-year, two-term presidency would allow for a midterm evaluation of the administration, reinforcing responsibility. Meanwhile, adopting a runoff election system would enhance the legitimacy of democratic governance

May 18, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

DPK's Lee Jae-myung proposes constitutional change for 4-year, 2-term presidency

Society

Ewha Womans University slammed for blocking queer film festival

Ewha Womans University's decision to deny the use of its campus theater, Arthouse Momo, for the upcoming Korea Queer Film Festival (KQFF) scheduled for June has sparked criticism, with many accusing the school of discriminating against the LGBTQ+ community. “The Seoul Queer Culture Festival (SQCF) organizing committee was informed on April 30 by Arthouse Momo, which had already finalized a rental agreement with us for the 25th Korea Queer Film Festival, that the venue would no longer be available,” said Shim Hyo-jin, chairperson of the KQFF, during a press conference Wednesday in Seoul. The annual film festival was set to kick off on June 20, featuring 39 films from 12 countries at the campus theater — the same venue that hosted the KQFF last year. However, anti-gay groups filed multiple complaints to the university, arguing that the screening of queer films on campus goes against the university’s founding Christian values and could "promote homosexuality among young students." In response, the university reportedly conveyed to the theater that “screening movies that contradict

May 14, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Ewha Womans University slammed for blocking queer film festival

Politics

Gender equality policies virtually absent in presidential race

Gender equality has been largely absent from the policy proposals of Korea’s all-male presidential contenders, drawing criticism that the demands and interests of young women voters — who played a prominent role in the protests for the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol — are being overlooked. The criticism comes after a decline in the nation’s gender equality index for the first time, reaching an all-time low under the Yoon administration, which nearly abolished the gender equality ministry. The liberal Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) front-runner, Lee Jae-myung, submitted his top 10 policy commitments to the National Election Commission on Monday, with only a few references to gender equality or women. Lee’s labor pledge included the introduction of a wage equality system, while his small business pledge contained provisions to strengthen safety measures for women business owners. It also promised to enhance punishment for social violence and improve protection measures for victims, though there was no mention of women specifically. This contrasts with the measur

May 14, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Gender equality policies virtually absent in presidential race

Environment & Animals

Woof! 67 lucky dogs embark on cross-ocean journey to find forever families

CHEONGJU, North Chungcheong Province — Ginger and Cinnamon, two dogs confined to a cramped, filthy wire cage on a dog meat farm in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, had known nothing but hardship. But their lives took a dramatic turn on Thursday morning, when they were finally rescued from their grim existence. “This white puppy is Ginger and the brown one is called Cinnamon. They’re brothers but very different. For some reason, Ginger cannot stand Cinnamon eating his food, so we needed to watch them after feeding them,” said Lee Sang-kyung, the campaign manager of the Korean office of the U.S.-based animal advocacy group Humane World for Animals, who visited the site several times since February. The moment the pups saw Lee, they barked joyfully and wagged their tails. Like any other puppies, Ginger and Cinnamon are playful and friendly, yet their lives have been shaped by tragedy. All they've known — the sights, smells and sounds — were confined to a small dog meat farm in rural Korea. "The puppies will soon embark on a long journey to a new life, leaving Korea behind a

May 13, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Woof! 67 lucky dogs embark on cross-ocean journey to find forever families

Politics

What will Han Duck-soo do after withdrawing presidential bid?

Former acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Sunday ended his short-lived and troubled bid for the conservative People Power Party's (PPP) presidential nomination for the upcoming June 3 election. His decision to withdraw his candidacy followed a weeklong political debacle that culminated in PPP members voting him down in favor of party nominee Kim Moon-soo. Observers say his brief and ill-timed political foray not only tarnished his life-long reputation as a rational, diligent and nonpartisan public servant, but also dealt a significant blow to the PPP’s ability to present a unified front in the presidential campaign. Since passing the civil servant exam in 1970, Han has held a wide range of key government positions under both liberal and conservative administrations, including Minister of Trade in the liberal Kim Dae-jung administration (1998-2003) and the highly coveted role as South Korea’s ambassador to the United States and chairman of the Korea International Trade Association under the conservative Lee Myung-bak administration (2008-13). His distinguished govern

May 11, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

What will Han Duck-soo do after withdrawing presidential bid?

Travel & Food

Stroll through Seoul’s Catholic past at Seosomun Shrine History Museum

At the heart of Seoul’s bustling downtown, just a 10-minute walk from Seoul Station, is a small, serene park surrounded by skyscrapers — Seosomun History Park. The 21,000-square-meter park is filled with spring blossoms this time of year. However, down a sloping trail with curved red-brick walls, visitors can see beneath the blooms and enter Seosomun Shrine History Museum. It is a memorial space for lives lost to the 19th century Catholic persecutions of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Seosomun, meaning “small west gate,” refers to a gate between Sungnyemun and Donuimun, two of the four main gates of the city walls of Hanyang, the old name of Seoul. The area used to be a passage where all the supplies brought into the city from the Han River were held, at the convergance of routes from outside the city. Joseon scholar and reformist thinker Jeong Yak-yong wrote in “Mokminsimseo” that Seosomun is “where grains are found in abundance, carts rattle and people bump into each other’s shoulders.” Its bustling nature was why the gate was an official execution site during the Jos

May 8, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Stroll through Seoul’s Catholic past at Seosomun Shrine History Museum

Society

6 out of 10 Korean children play less than 2 hours per day: survey

About six out of 10 Korean children have less than two hours of playtime per day, a recent survey by the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) showed Thursday. In a survey with 2,804 elementary students aged between 10 and 12 across the country on April 9 to 22, 62 percent of the respondents said they had less than 2 hours of playtime per day. Some 15 percent said they had less than an hour. “Playing with friends” topped the list of activities children wished to participate in with their spare time at 54.6 percent, followed by “playing games with friends” at 33.5 percent. Other activities included “watching YouTube and videos” at 29.2 percent, “playing sports” at 23.6 percent and “having family time” at 21.2 percent. The survey showed many Korean children experience hectic days with little playtime. Thirty percent of those in sixth grade said they return home after 8 p.m., after school and scheduled activities such as going to private educational academies known as "hagwon," while 4 percent said they come home after 10 p.m. When surveyed about attending acce

May 1, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

6 out of 10 Korean children play less than 2 hours per day: survey

Society

Seoul opens Water Sports Center on Han River featuring kayaking, sailing

Seoulites can now enjoy kayaking, yachting and windsurfing on the Han River, with added access to personal watercraft maintenance and equipment storage, following the launch Thursday of the Seoul Water Sports Center by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The center is located in Nanji Han River Park, north of the Han River near World Cup Park, and is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, except Mondays. Anyone can enjoy using a kayak, dinghy or keelboat at the water sports center for 10,000 to 80,000 won ($7 to $56). All water sports programs are available after a water sports safety training session with experts. The kayak program runs from noon to 30 minutes before sunset. Sessions are two hours and can accommodate up to 10 people per hour. The dinghy yacht experience is open for people aged 14 and older. The reservation requires at least five people and the session, available for beginning, intermediate and advanced levels, lasts for four hours. The keelboat experience is also for those aged 14 and up and is divided into entry and in-depth levels. Reservations for water sports experiences ca

May 1, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Seoul opens Water Sports Center on Han River featuring kayaking, sailing

Society

11 Chinese spying attempts detected on airbases in past year: NIS

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported 11 incidents of unauthorized filming of military facilities in Korea by Chinese nationals since June of last year, according to lawmakers Wednesday. The revelation came during a closed-door meeting between the National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee and the NIS, according to Rep. Lee Seong-kweun of the People Power Party and Rep. Kim Byung-kee of the Democratic Party of Korea. On June 25, 2024, three Chinese nationals were caught flying a drone toward the Naval Operations Command in the southern port city of Busan, taking photos of an aircraft carrier docked at the base. The NIS noted that these 11 cases of unauthorized filming were primarily carried out by temporary visitors, such as tourists and international students from China, including minors. "Although the purpose of filming is claimed to be for personal record-keeping, analysis suggests that it may be intended to bypass domestic laws, given the use of high-performance cameras or radios outside the boundaries of the Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act." “This is

Apr 30, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

11 Chinese spying attempts detected on airbases in past year: NIS

Society

Korea to ground airlines with fatal accident records

The government said Wednesday that it will restrict air traffic rights for one year for airlines with a record of fatal accidents and remove concrete mounds housing localizers at airports as part of new measures to prevent another deadly aviation disaster. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport unveiled a comprehensive set of aviation safety overhaul measures following the deadly Jeju Air crash that claimed 179 lives at Muan International Airport on Dec. 29, 2024. The measures followed months of deliberations with aviation safety experts and industry stakeholders that began in February. The ministry also plans to eliminate all airport infrastructure that could pose a risk to aircraft during takeoff and landing. Localizers, a kind of radio system at airports that guides planes to align with the runway for landing, will be replaced at seven regional airports with lightweight steel structures that can collapse more easily in the event of a collision. Six airports, including Muan International Airport, will remove concrete mounds housing the localizers. Also, seven airports, inclu

Apr 30, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Lee Hae-rin

Read more

DPK's Lee Jae-myung proposes constitutional change for 4-year, 2-term presidency

Ewha Womans University slammed for blocking queer film festival

Gender equality policies virtually absent in presidential race

Woof! 67 lucky dogs embark on cross-ocean journey to find forever families

What will Han Duck-soo do after withdrawing presidential bid?

Stroll through Seoul’s Catholic past at Seosomun Shrine History Museum

6 out of 10 Korean children play less than 2 hours per day: survey

Seoul opens Water Sports Center on Han River featuring kayaking, sailing

11 Chinese spying attempts detected on airbases in past year: NIS

Korea to ground airlines with fatal accident records

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