The Korea Times

LTI Korea chief bets on human translators despite rapid AI development

As generative artificial intelligence (AI) transforms the global translation landscape, the head of the Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea) is making a counterintuitive bet: The future of literary translation will rely not less on humans, but more. “In literature, AI alone cannot meet the level expected by international publishers, without human intervention,” LTI Korea President Chon Soo-young said in a recent interview. “Even if more (advanced) AI models emerge, human post-editors would still be needed to review the work.” Chon cited an anecdote shared by Kim Un-su, a novelist famous for “The Plotters (2010).” At LTI Korea’s 30th anniversary event on May 21, an editor at an English-language publishing house initially showed little interest after reading a translation of his work, but later decided to publish it after reviewing a version translated by Sora Kim, a prominent literary translator. “After that, the editor even discussed his next book,” Chon said. “What mattered was not so much to the publisher what the novel was about, but whether Sora

2d agoBy Jung Min-ho

LTI Korea chief bets on human translators despite rapid AI development

Law & Crime

National Assembly launches probe into ballot shortages as NEC scandals mount

The National Assembly approved a sweeping parliamentary investigation into the June 3 local election ballot paper shortage, paving the way for a broader probe into irregularities at the National Election Commission (NEC), an institution long insulated by constitutional guarantees of its independence. The special committee on the Ninth Nationwide Local Elections Ballot Paper Shortage and Election Management Reform was officially launched on Thursday after legislators adopted the investigation motion and its 45-day plan in a plenary session, with 250 of 251 lawmakers present voting in favor. The probe will run in parallel with a separate criminal investigation that has already begun calling in election workers. The 18-member committee is made up of nine lawmakers from the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), seven from the People Power Party (PPP) and two from minor parties, with PPP lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun as chair. “The committee pledges before the people that it will do its utmost to uncover the full truth and to pursue sweeping reforms of election management, so that the

Jun 18, 2026By Jung Min-ho

National Assembly launches probe into ballot shortages as NEC scandals mount

Politics

Ballot shortage issue fuels PPP infighting

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) is descending into open infighting over how far to push its challenge on the local elections after ballot shortages in several key electorates caused disruptions to voting, with PPP Chairman Jang Dong-hyeok facing mounting calls to step down and accusations that he is using the controversy to prolong his own political career. At the center of the dispute is the leadership’s decision to lodge election complaints seeking partial revotes in seven constituencies where ballot papers ran out during the June 3 elections, followed by Jang’s move to escalate demands for a nationwide rerun. Senior party members such as Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and floor leader Rep. Jeong Jeom-sig have dismissed Jang’s remarks, saying they are his own personal stance rather than a party position. Jang made a social media post Tuesday, writing, “The goal is clear. A nationwide rerun. The petitions are only the beginning.” Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Oh — who himself scraped through to win the Seoul mayoral race by a narrow margin — said Jang’s leade

Jun 17, 2026By Jung Min-ho

Ballot shortage issue fuels PPP infighting

Health

New suicide prevention chief puts responsibility on state

Korea must treat suicide not as an individual failing but as a government responsibility, said Jung Yoon-soon, chairman of the state-run Korea Life Respect and Hope Foundation. In a recent interview with The Korea Times, Jung, who took office last month, pointed to the persistently high number of Korean people who take their own lives. The rate has consistently been higher than other OECD member countries since 2003, and Jung said that blaming individuals’ “personal problems” is not tenable. “This is not about a few people making bad choices,” Jung said. “It is a structural failure, and the government must take primary responsibility for fixing it.” According to official data, the 2024 suicide rate was 29.1 per 100,000 people, with 14,872 deaths — an average of 41 lives lost every day. Although preliminary figures for 2025 suggest a modest decline of around 6.5 percent, Jung cautioned against premature optimism. Fixing it requires a whole-of-government response, he noted. The suicide rate should be read not just as a mental health statistic but as a key indicator of how K

Jun 17, 2026By Jung Min-ho

New suicide prevention chief puts responsibility on state

Travel & Food

Tourists in Seoul trade World Cup fever for taekwondo

While much of the world had its eyes glued to the 2026 World Cup, a small plaza in central Seoul filled up on Sunday instead with the sound of “kihap” as visitors lined up to kick, punch and bow their way through a hands-on taekwondo class. Under a summer sky at Namsangol Hanok Village, tourists from different parts of the world followed an instructor’s count — “One and two, easy, good!” — as they practiced basic stretches and front kicks on a mat laid out in front of a traditional Korean pavilion. Some in sneakers and shorts tried to mirror the black belt teacher leading the session, while others laughed as they struggled to keep their balance. This class came after a 30-minute taekwondo showcase featuring wooden board-breaking, traditional dance and K-pop-style choreography, before the performers waved visitors onto the mat to try the moves themselves. All participants, especially the children, appear to have enjoyed it. Vince Ward, an American from Kansas City whose parents were in town visiting, said he signed up as soon as he spotted the program being advertised. “We

Jun 16, 2026By Jung Min-ho

Tourists in Seoul trade World Cup fever for taekwondo

Society

Should chip tax bonanza be shared with workers, society?

Korea’s debate over how to share the spoils of a historic semiconductor boom is intensifying, with the government claiming the need for a new mechanism to share unexpected gains from chipmakers — including tax revenues and excess profits — even as business and labor clash over how far the state should reach into corporate earnings. Several top policymakers, including President Lee Jae Myung himself, have recently suggested a national-level — or even international — debate on how to use excess corporate gains, as part of efforts to narrow the pay gap between large and small firms. At the International Labour Organization conference in Geneva last Wednesday, Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon said that gains from the chip boom driven by artificial intelligence (AI) demand should serve as many as possible. “The benefits of AI should not be concentrated only in a few countries and companies, but should also translate into new opportunities for all nations and workers,” he said. Those gains are the result of a semiconductor boom that has sent profits soaring at Samsung Electronics an

Jun 15, 2026By Jung Min-ho

Should chip tax bonanza be shared with workers, society?

Health

1 in 4 Seoul residents don’t drink at all, survey finds

Nearly one out of four residents in Seoul reported not drinking alcohol at all in the past year, according to a new citywide survey that shows drinking frequency decreasing and flexible forms of vegetarianism on the rise. The survey, based on responses from more than 3,000 adults and released Sunday by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, showed that 23.7 percent of respondents said they had not consumed alcohol at all over the last 12 months — up from the previous year’s 21.6 percent. Among those who do drink, the number of Seoul residents drinking several times a week appears to be declining. The share of respondents who said they drink four or more times a week was 1 percent, down from 1.4 percent the previous year. Those drinking two to three times a week fell to 12.5 percent from 13.4 percent, while those drinking two to four times a month dropped to 23 percent from 31.5 percent. Less frequent drinking also became more common. The share of people who said they drink about once a month rose to 22.6 percent from 19.8 percent, and those who drink less than once a month increased to

Jun 14, 2026By Jung Min-ho

1 in 4 Seoul residents don’t drink at all, survey finds

Society

POSCO E&C faces headquarters audit, nationwide safety inspections after fatal accident

The Ministry of Employment and Labor has announced sweeping inspections of POSCO E&C after a series of fatal industrial accidents at the company’s construction sites, including the recent death of a subcontracted worker at the Sinansan Line subway project in Seoul. According to officials on Thursday, Minister Kim Young-hoon, who is currently attending the International Labour Organization’s conference in Geneva, was briefed on the latest incident and immediately ordered inspections of POSCO E&C’s headquarters and all its construction sites nationwide. The move follows an accident at a Sinansan Line construction site on Tuesday, in which a 35-year-old subcontracted worker fell about 15 meters to his death while carrying out work to widen an opening for cable tray installation. According to the ministry, one worker died in industrial accidents at the company's construction sites in 2023, three in 2024 and five last year. In cooperation with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, labor authorities will launch inspections at construction sites for the Sinansan Line, focusi

Jun 11, 2026By Jung Min-ho

POSCO E&C faces headquarters audit, nationwide safety inspections after fatal accident

Society

Gender equality minister backs anti-discrimination law, diverse family recognition

Korea’s gender equality minister has endorsed a comprehensive anti-discrimination law and pledged to reflect a broader range of family forms in government policy, while promising to take tougher action on crimes targeting women and present the government’s stance on juvenile offender reform by the end of this month. Speaking at Thursday’s press conference marking the first anniversary of the Lee Jae Myung administration, Gender Equality and Family Minister Won Min-kyong said legislation against hate speech and discriminatory action would be a major step toward protecting vulnerable groups. “Anti-discrimination legislation is highly significant, as it would provide effective remedies against unfair treatment of diverse families within our policy scope — including single-parent families and families with migrant backgrounds — and help protect their rights,” Won said. “I think the debate should be led by the National Assembly and the government ministries directly responsible for drafting the relevant laws. In that process, we can actively support those efforts.” Won also

Jun 11, 2026By Jung Min-ho

Gender equality minister backs anti-discrimination law, diverse family recognition

Foreign Affairs

Filipino killer of Korean businessman nabbed as Lee hails arrest

A dismissed high-ranking Philippine police officer convicted of orchestrating the 2016 killing of Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo has been arrested in Manila after nearly two years on the run, authorities said Wednesday. President Lee Jae Myung welcomed the arrest, vowing to seek justice for criminals targeting Korean citizens abroad and expressing gratitude to officials in both countries for their joint efforts. Rafael Dumlao, who was a top official of an anti-drug unit within the Philippine National Police at the time of the killing, was apprehended at around 5:15 a.m. on Tuesday (local time), according to Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The mastermind behind Jee's killing had been in hiding since the Philippine Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that convicted him and sentenced him to at least 30 years in prison. The case involved the abduction and killing of Jee inside the national police headquarters in 2016. With the direct involvement of several active-duty and former police officers, the case shocked both countries as it exposed serious corruption within law enforce

Jun 10, 2026By Jung Min-ho

Jung Min-ho

Read more

LTI Korea chief bets on human translators despite rapid AI development

National Assembly launches probe into ballot shortages as NEC scandals mount

Ballot shortage issue fuels PPP infighting

New suicide prevention chief puts responsibility on state

Tourists in Seoul trade World Cup fever for taekwondo

Should chip tax bonanza be shared with workers, society?

1 in 4 Seoul residents don’t drink at all, survey finds

POSCO E&C faces headquarters audit, nationwide safety inspections after fatal accident

Gender equality minister backs anti-discrimination law, diverse family recognition

Filipino killer of Korean businessman nabbed as Lee hails arrest

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