my timesThe Korea Times
lkm

Lee Kyung-min

Korea Times AI content 2 team Reporter

Value context and insight. lkm@koreatimes.co.kr

Go to EmailGo to URL

Read more

South Korea

Korean destroyer to join 250th anniversary US naval fleet review

The Korean destroyer Munmu the Great departed for the United States Monday, beginning a trans-Pacific voyage to join a massive international naval assembly marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. The 4,400-ton DDH-II class vessel slipped its moorings at the Jeju Naval Base Monday afternoon. It is headed for New York, where it will serve as Korea’s representative at the International Fleet Review from July 3 to 8. The event is expected to be a historic display of maritime cooperation, featuring approximately 100 vessels from 50 nations, including the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada and Spain. For Seoul, the mission is as much about industrial diplomacy as it is about naval tradition. The Korean Navy has outfitted the destroyer’s hangar with a dedicated maritime defense promotional booth. As Korea seeks to cement its position as a top-tier global arms exporter, the ship will act as a floating showroom, marketing Korean-made naval systems and vessel technologies at various ports of call, including stops in Mexico and Colombia. "There is a great sense of pride among the cr

May 11, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korean destroyer to join 250th anniversary US naval fleet review
South Korea

Korea leads overhaul of nursing education in Central Asia

Korea’s expansion of its higher education exports continued as Kyung Hee University and the World Health Organization (WHO) convened nursing leaders from across Central Asia, a move that reflects Seoul’s increasing involvement in global health education. The seventh International Nursing Forum opened at the Kyrgyz State Medical Academy under the theme “Prospects for Nursing and Midwifery Beyond Borders.” The gathering brought together officials from Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Innovation, the Korean Embassy and nursing experts from five Central Asian nations: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. The forum, jointly organized by Kyung Hee University’s international cooperation team and the WHO, is a component of Korea’s education-focused official development assistance. By sharing pedagogical frameworks and clinical standards, Seoul is establishing a role in medical training for a region historically influenced by Soviet-era educational structures. According to the Ministry of Education, the discussions focused on policy

May 11, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea leads overhaul of nursing education in Central Asia
Business

Jeju Air begins direct flights to Kobe

Jeju Air said Monday it will launch daily flights between Incheon International Airport and Kobe, Japan, starting June 11, expanding its Japan network as travel demand to regional destinations continues to grow. The low-cost carrier said the new route will operate seven times a week. Flights will depart Incheon International Airport at 1:35 p.m. and arrive at Kobe Airport at 3:15 p.m. Return flights will leave Kobe at 4:15 p.m. and land in Incheon at 6:15 p.m. The airline said Kobe, located in Japan’s Kansai region alongside Osaka and Kyoto, has become a popular destination for travelers seeking food, golf and hot spring experiences in a more relaxed urban setting. The city is known for Kobe beef, bakery tours and attractions including Kobe Port Tower, Meriken Park and the Nunobiki Ropeway. Arima Onsen, considered one of Japan’s three major hot spring destinations, also draws visitors from across Asia. Jeju Air said Kobe Golf Club, which opened in 1903 on Mount Rokko, remains one of Japan’s best-known golf courses. Drawing on data from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Stati

May 11, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Jeju Air begins direct flights to Kobe
South Korea

Seoul park makeover turns hidden green space into downtown retreat

Cheongjin Park, a modest pocket of greenery tucked away in the glass-and-steel canyons of central Gwanghwamun, has reopened as an urban garden, its redesign a deliberate attempt to provide a sanctuary for office workers and tourists fleeing the claustrophobia of the capital city's main thoroughfares. Jongno District Office said the renovation of the park in Cheongjin-dong was completed as part of the district’s participation in the 2026 Seoul International Garden Show and its local garden development initiative. The project removed the aging walls and outdated facilities that had long separated the park from surrounding pedestrian areas. In their place, the district introduced open gardens, resting areas and cultural spaces intended to create what officials described as a more accessible and sensory urban landscape. Renovation work began in March and lasted about a month, according to the district office. A central feature of the redesigned park is a large gardening table installed in the newly opened central plaza. The space is currently used as a public seating area but will later ho

May 8, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Seoul park makeover turns hidden green space into downtown retreat
South Korea

Regional holiday surge delivers 40% jolt to Korean tourism

Korea’s tourism industry found a much-needed windfall recently as a rare alignment of holidays in Asia sent a surge of more than 220,000 travelers from Japan and China through the nation's ports of entry. The influx, detailed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Friday, represents a pivotal moment for a sector that has been aggressive in its pursuit of postpandemic normalcy. Preliminary data showed that roughly 112,000 Japanese visitors arrived during the "Golden Week" corridor, which ended Tuesday, while 108,000 Chinese travelers landed during a Labor Day holiday that stretched through Monday. Taken together, the figures represent a 40.7 percent jump over the same period last year — a trajectory that suggests Korea’s tactical pivot toward high-volume, short-haul regional travel is beginning to pay dividends. Government officials attributed the spike to a series of marketing campaigns designed to move travelers beyond the traditional luxury duty-free shops of Seoul. In Japan, the ministry marketed the country as a pragmatic sanctuary for young families, offering "Fami

May 8, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Regional holiday surge delivers 40% jolt to Korean tourism
Companies

Jeju Samdasoo, Korea’s top bottled water, seeks premium foothold in China

For decades, the volcanic filters of Jeju Island have produced what is arguably Korea’s most ubiquitous consumer staple: Jeju Samdasoo. Now, the state-run bottler of the country’s top-selling mineral water is betting that the same basalt-filtered purity can command a premium in China’s cutthroat e-commerce landscape. Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Development Corp., which bottles the mineral water, and GS Global, the trading arm of GS Group, signed a deal Friday to launch a Samdasoo brand store on JD.com by July. The move marks a pivot from niche distribution — previously confined largely to enclaves of the Korean diaspora — to a full-scale assault on the Chinese mainstream. The decision to anchor the expansion on JD.com, a platform known for its stringent quality controls and a logistical network that rivals Western giants, is a calculated attempt to position the water as a luxury commodity. In a market where food safety concerns have historically driven a thirst for imported labels, Samdasoo is looking to ride the "K-wave" that has already seen Korean cosmetics and sn

May 8, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Jeju Samdasoo, Korea’s top bottled water, seeks premium foothold in China
South Korea

Incheon museum extends kids’ archaeology exhibit due to high demand

An interactive exhibition detailing the subterranean origins of ancient artifacts has been granted a longer run at the Incheon Geomdan Prehistory Museum, following a surge of interest from families during May, Korea’s Family Month. The city-run museum said Friday that the exhibition, "Where Do Relics Go? Yumul’s World Exploration," will remain open through May 31. Originally slated to close earlier this month, the program was extended to accommodate a steady influx of weekend crowds and educational group tours. Designed for a younger audience, the showcase demystifies the specialized world of archaeology. It traces the lifecycle of a relic — from its initial discovery at an excavation site to its eventual placement behind the glass of a museum display case. Through a series of hands-on stations, children are invited to play the role of both field researcher and curator, experiencing how historical objects are preserved and interpreted for the public. The exhibition has gained particular traction as a destination for parents navigating the holiday-heavy month of May, which includes

May 8, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Incheon museum extends kids’ archaeology exhibit due to high demand
Companies

International tourists fuel sales surge at Musinsa stores during holiday rush

International tourists packed Musinsa stores across Korea during the overlapping Japanese Golden Week and China’s Labor Day holidays, turning the fashion retailer’s offline locations into some of Seoul’s hottest shopping destinations. Musinsa, the Korean fashion unicorn that has come to embody Seoul’s street style, said Friday that sales from foreign customers at 12 globally focused offline stores jumped more than 30 percent during the weeklong holiday period from April 29 through May 4, compared with the previous week. The company analyzed stores operating in major shopping districts including Seongsu, Hongdae, Myeong-dong, Gangnam, Hannam and Busan’s Seomyeon area. The strongest growth came from Seongsu, where crowds of overseas tourists flooded into Musinsa Standard Seongsu and Musinsa Store Seongsu. Combined sales at the two locations climbed more than 41 percent from the prior week, the company said. Foreign shoppers accounted for 53 percent of total sales at the 12 stores during the holiday stretch, surpassing spending by domestic customers. At Musinsa Store Myeong-dong,

May 8, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
International tourists fuel sales surge at Musinsa stores during holiday rush
South Korea

Korea to distribute millions of movie coupons to save ailing theaters

Korea will begin distributing 2.25 million movie discount coupons in a push to revive theater attendance and support the local film industry, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Friday. Starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday, moviegoers will be able to download 6,000 won ($4) discount coupons through the websites and mobile apps of major theater chains including CGV, Lotte Cinema, Megabox and Cine Q, according to the ministry and the Korean Film Council. The government said the program is part of an extra budget package aimed at stimulating domestic consumption and helping cinemas recover from years of sluggish attendance. The 2.25 million coupons represent half of the 4.5 million discounts secured under the supplementary budget for 2026. The remaining coupons will be distributed in July during the summer peak season. Each online member account will automatically receive two coupons, which can be applied at checkout on a first-come, first-served basis. Unused coupons will disappear once each theater chain exhausts its allotted supply. The discounts will also be available at independe

May 8, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea to distribute millions of movie coupons to save ailing theaters
K-pop

HYBE bets big on new girl group label ABD

HYBE, the Korean powerhouse behind global K-pop juggernauts like BTS, is sharpening its focus on the competitive girl-group market. The company announced Friday the launch of ABD, a subsidiary label dedicated exclusively to the development of female K-pop acts. The move marks a significant deepening of HYBE’s multilabel architecture, a decentralized strategy designed to foster creative independence while leveraging the parent company’s massive infrastructure. ABD — an acronym for “A Bold Dream” — is slated to debut its first rookie ensemble in the second half of this year. According to the company, the label’s mission is to pursue "unconventional ideas" and push the stylistic boundaries of the genre through "artist-focused production." Observers view the expansion as an attempt to diversify HYBE’s intellectual property and reduce its historic reliance on a handful of flagship acts. By positioning ABD as a specialized creative hub, HYBE aims to cultivate a distinct brand identity that can compete in an increasingly crowded global music landscape. "The launch is part of a

May 8, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
HYBE bets big on new girl group label ABD
previous page
2223242526
next page

Top 5 stories

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
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.