The Korea Times

Seoul’s diplomatic shift expected to fuel China tourism surge

Under the new Lee Jae-myung administration, which advocates pragmatic diplomacy centered on national interests, Korea is expected to see a rise in tourism exchanges with China, driven by an anticipated strengthening of ties between the two countries, industry insiders said Monday. During his campaign, Lee described China as “an important trading partner” and a country that “influences the security of the Korean Peninsula,” pledging to “stably manage the Korea-China relationship, which has deteriorated to its lowest point since the previous administration.” In a TV debate, he said, “We should not neglect relations with China and Russia. There is no need to unnecessarily antagonize them like now.” His remarks come after ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol prioritized closer ties with the United States while cooling relations with Beijing over the past several years. During that period, the number of Chinese tourists to South Korea nearly halved, dropping to 4.6 million in 2024 from prepandemic numbers of 8 million. This sharp decline dealt a significant blow to China-dependent

Jun 10, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Seoul’s diplomatic shift expected to fuel China tourism surge

Law & Crime

POLL 7 in 10 Koreans back prosecutorial, judicial reforms led by new president

Nearly seven in 10 Koreans support prosecutorial and judicial reforms spearheaded by newly elected President Lee Jae-myung, according to a poll commissioned by The Korea Times. The survey found that 67 percent of respondents believe in the necessity of the reforms the president has pledged to implement in the country’s prosecution service and judicial system, while 31 percent consider them unnecessary. In particular, an overwhelming 90 percent of respondents who identified as liberals expressed support for the reforms. Among self-identified centrists, 68 percent also regarded the changes as necessary. Similarly, 92 percent of those who said they support the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) believed the reforms are essential, with only 7 percent opposing them. Those on the opposite side of the ideological spectrum held opposing views. Sixty-five percent of those who support the conservative People Power Party and 58 percent of supporters of the minor conservative Reform Party said prosecutorial and judicial reforms are unnecessary. Prosecutorial and judicial reform has long

Jun 7, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

[POLL] 7 in 10 Koreans back prosecutorial, judicial reforms led by new president

Politics

Conservative party faces deepening crisis after election defeat

Just two days after its decisive defeat in the presidential election, Korea's conservative People Power Party — now in opposition — has plunged into internal turmoil, marked by the resignation of its senior leaders and deepening ideological fissures within its ranks. This swift descent into disarray is casting doubt on the party's ability to effectively serve as a check on the newly elected government. A fractured and leaderless opposition could weaken the vital function of parliamentary oversight and hinder efforts to address the nation's pressing challenges — potentially reshaping the political landscape for years to come. The gravity of the party's postelection unraveling was quickly acknowledged by its own senior members. “As floor leader, I bear a significant share of the blame. I have no intention of avoiding that responsibility or making excuses,” Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, a veteran politician and close ally of former President Yoon Suk Yeol — who was impeached after declaring martial law late last year — said during a party meeting at the National Assembly. He stressed

Jun 5, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Conservative party faces deepening crisis after election defeat

Politics

Lee Jae-myung meets party leaders on 1st day in office, calls for unity

Lee Jae-myung began his presidency Wednesday with a clear message of unity, convening a series of meetings with political party leaders in a bid to bridge the deep ideological chasm exacerbated by the recent martial law crisis. The new president, who secured his victory in a snap election Tuesday, faces the immediate challenge of mending relations between the nation's polarized political camps, a divide that has paralyzed policymaking and fueled public discontent. His sartorial choice for the day underscored this commitment: a red-and-blue tie. The colors symbolizing the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) — blue —and the conservative People Power Party — red — were widely interpreted as a deliberate visual metaphor for his administration's stated goal of national reconciliation and bipartisan cooperation. Lee began his official schedule by visiting Seoul National Cemetery with his wife Kim Hye-kyung and fellow DPK lawmakers, following the tradition of previous presidents to pay their respects to the patriotic martyrs ahead of the inauguration ceremony. He then proceeded to the Nation

Jun 4, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Lee Jae-myung meets party leaders on 1st day in office, calls for unity

Society

New president faces daunting task of uniting sharply divided nation

With Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) clinching the presidency, he now faces the daunting task of uniting a nation deeply fractured by months of political turmoil and partisan strife. His ascension follows months of intense political turmoil and social strife triggered by the controversial imposition of martial law by former President Yoon Suk Yeol. The profound divisions facing the incoming administration are underscored by stark figures: A March report from the Korea Institute of Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA) indicated that the public's perception of social conflict reached an unprecedented high of 3.04 points last year on a scale of 0 to 4. Ideological divisions between progressive and conservative camps ranked as the most intense source of conflict, scoring 3.52 on the survey’s scale. The findings, collected between June and September of last year — before the martial law crisis erupted — suggest deep polarization even ahead of the political upheaval. Studies suggest that Korea’s social divide reached a breaking point following a series of flashpoints

Jun 4, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

New president faces daunting task of uniting sharply divided nation

Society

Far-right group tied to gov’t-led after-school program sparks outrage

Rhee Park School, a conservative organization, has become a last-minute flashpoint in Korea's presidential election as it faces accusations of systematically manipulating online comments in favor of Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party (PPP) candidate. The controversy intensified following revelations that the group has been indoctrinating children with ultra-conservative ideologies through government-supported after-school child care services, hours before voters cast their ballots Tuesday. The burgeoning scandal drew a sharp rebuke from the Gwangju branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU). In a scathing statement issued Monday, the union condemned educational authorities and demanded the immediate abolition of the Neulbom School program, an after-school child care initiative promoted for years by the ousted Yoon Suk Yeol administration and the conservative party as a response to the nation's plummeting birthrate. The union's outcry underscores concerns that a program designed to support families is instead being co-opted for political indoctrination. “The news

Jun 2, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Far-right group tied to gov’t-led after-school program sparks outrage

Politics

Candidates’ mudslinging tarnishes presidential campaigns

Korea’s presidential candidates and their parties are going negative to discredit their opponents rather than focusing on their own pledges, as only two days remained until Tuesday's snap presidential election. They are highlighting their opponents' ethical issues and inappropriate remarks involving candidates’ family members as well as allegations of public opinion manipulation, with formal complaints filed to request police or prosecution investigations into these accusations. Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) brought up an allegation raised by local media that a far-right group, named Rhee-Park School, formed and operated an online opinion manipulation team to massively create comments favorably to the conservative People Power Party's (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo. Lee defined it as “an act of rebellion” and highlighted that the PPP “should be strictly held responsible” for the group’s possible alliance with the party's lawmakers. “Rhee-Park School is a major criminal group that illegally posted comments and manipulated public opinion in an a

Jun 1, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Candidates’ mudslinging tarnishes presidential campaigns

Health

Korea's secondhand smoke problem resurges, undoing years of progress

After years of steady progress, Korea is confronting a troubling reversal in its fight against secondhand smoke, with new government data indicating a significant uptick in exposure rates in indoor public spaces and workplaces. The recent findings mark an unwelcome shift following three consecutive years of decline in ambient smoke exposure across the nation. This resurgence not only poses renewed health risks to the non-smoking population but also raises questions about the efficacy and enforcement of existing anti-smoking regulations. For a country that has invested considerable effort into public health campaigns and smoke-free policies, the data suggests a potential backslide that could undermine long-term efforts to protect its citizens from the dangers of passive inhalation. According to the latest survey from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), 8 percent of non-smoking Korean adults reported exposure to secondhand smoke in indoor workplace settings in 2023. This figure represents a concerning climb after a period of consistent improvement, where the rate had

May 31, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Korea's secondhand smoke problem resurges, undoing years of progress

Travel & Food

Paradise City teams up with Michelin three-star chef to elevate Korean cuisine

Paradise City, an integrated resort complex on Yeongjong Island, Incheon, will host a gala dinner next month in collaboration with Kang Min-goo, the owner and chef of the Michelin three-star restaurant Mingles, the hotel announced Friday. The gala dinner will be held at Art Paradiso, a luxury boutique hotel within the complex, on June 13. The event is themed "Sarasae," a Korean word meaning “new and new.” Lim Byung-jin, bartender at Bar Cham — ranked among Asia’s 50 Best Bars — will also participate. He will act as the event’s owner-bartender of Korean traditional liquor, serving welcome cocktails and curated drink pairings throughout the evening. Limited to just 45 guests, the dinner will feature a 10-course meal curated by Chef Kang, accompanied by six paired drinks selected by Bar Cham. The hotel is offering a special package that includes accommodation for two and tickets to the gala dinner. The package features one night in a suite at Art Paradiso, early check-in, valet service and admission to Cimer, Paradise City’s K-style spa destination that blends European-style s

May 30, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Paradise City teams up with Michelin three-star chef to elevate Korean cuisine

Society

Hurdles remain for voters with disabilities in Korea

While Koreans headed to early voting stations for the June 3 presidential election on Thursday, a sizable segment of the electorate — voters with disabilities — confronted persistent barriers to accessing crucial election information and casting their ballots at polling sites. As of 2024, about 2.64 million Koreans — 5.1 percent of the population — have disabilities. According to the National Election Commission (NEC), this group has a high turnout rate of around 70 percent in elections. However, they still face significant barriers to fully exercising their political rights. Structural impediments have ignited frustration and a renewed call for action from disability rights advocates. “The voting rights of people with developmental disabilities remain barred, but we will not just sit and wait here. Guarantee our rights to cast ballots!” a group of voters with developmental disabilities and disability advocacy activists said during a press conference in downtown Seoul, Thursday. The group called on the government to make elections more inclusive for people with disabilities b

May 29, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Lee Hae-rin

Read more

Seoul’s diplomatic shift expected to fuel China tourism surge

POLL 7 in 10 Koreans back prosecutorial, judicial reforms led by new president

Conservative party faces deepening crisis after election defeat

Lee Jae-myung meets party leaders on 1st day in office, calls for unity

New president faces daunting task of uniting sharply divided nation

Far-right group tied to gov’t-led after-school program sparks outrage

Candidates’ mudslinging tarnishes presidential campaigns

Korea's secondhand smoke problem resurges, undoing years of progress

Paradise City teams up with Michelin three-star chef to elevate Korean cuisine

Hurdles remain for voters with disabilities in Korea

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