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Jung Min-ho

Korea Times Politics & City Reporter

Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.

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Society

AI expected to heavily cut jobs in sales, manufacturing over next decade

Korea’s latest 10-year employment outlook has delivered a stark message for workers: Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a distant threat, but a significant force reshaping which jobs will expand, which will vanish and what skills people will need to stay employed. According to a 2024-34 workforce projection released Thursday by the state-run Korea Employment Information Service (KEIS), employees in routine-based, easily automated roles will face the heaviest job losses over the next decade, as new technologies rapidly transform the structure of labor demand. Sales workers are projected to suffer the steepest losses, with employment in sales jobs expected to shrink by 268,000 over the next decade. Researchers tie this directly to the spread of online commerce and unmanned or self‑checkout systems. Machine operators and assemblers are next in line. Employment of these workers, who run equipment and production lines in factories, is projected to fall by around 180,000 jobs as companies roll out industrial robots, AI‑driven production control and fully fledged “smart factory

Feb 12, 2026By Jung Min-ho
AI expected to heavily cut jobs in sales, manufacturing over next decade
  • Labor, gov’t launch consultative body as concerns rise over AI replacing human workers
Society

Labor, gov’t launch consultative body as concerns rise over AI replacing human workers

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), a powerful umbrella labor organization with more than 1 million members, launched a joint consultative body with the government on Wednesday to address rising anxiety over artificial intelligence (AI) and rapid industrial change in workplaces. As the Ministry of Employment and Labor and other government departments prepare for sweeping changes that new technologies are expected to bring across industries, including robotics and AI-powered production systems, the labor union called for a “human-centered” approach to the transition. The ministry and KCTU formally inaugurated a high-level operational consultative body, under which representatives of both sides will meet monthly to discuss and seek agreement on key labor issues. The ministry set up a similar structure with another major labor union, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, on Monday, and also plans to do so with the Korea Enterprises Federation on Feb. 24. At the launch ceremony, KCTU Vice President Lee Yang-soo urged the government to play a more active role in protecting

Feb 11, 2026By Jung Min-ho
Labor, gov’t launch consultative body as concerns rise over AI replacing human workers
  • Bill proposed to safeguard workers from AI-driven job losses
Society

Seoul mayor urges review of voting rights for foreign residents ahead of June elections

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon called for a review of voting rights for foreign residents in local elections, while defending his troubled Hangang Bus project as a pillar of his mayoral legacy and broader vision for the capital. Speaking to reporters at a City Hall press conference on Tuesday, Oh signaled a strong intention to seek another term, framing the upcoming vote as a test of Seoul’s global standing and the public’s faith in his leadership. Under the Public Official Election Act, noncitizens who hold permanent residency and have lived in the country for at least three years may cast ballots for mayors, governors and local councils, though not for president or National Assembly members. According to data from the National Assembly Budget Office, disclosed last year by Rep. Kim Mi-ae of the conservative People Power Party, the number of noncitizens eligible to vote in local elections exceeded 140,000, with 81 percent of them Chinese nationals. “Voting rights must go hand in hand with responsibility and contribution,” Oh said. “Anyone with such a right should have contributions

Feb 10, 2026By Jung Min-ho
Seoul mayor urges review of voting rights for foreign residents ahead of June elections
Environment & Animals

Korea officially confirms 62,604 species in national biodiversity count

South Korea now officially recognizes 62,604 species within its borders, up from 61,230 in 2024, according to data released Monday. The latest National Species List, compiled by the National Institute of Biological Resources, is based on data gathered through the end of 2025. Compared with the 28,462 native species identified in 1996, the confirmed total has more than doubled. The steady rise reflects the discovery and formal documentation of species that were already present in Korea but previously unknown. Taking the country's total territory into account, experts estimate that the country may host around 100,000 native species in total. Among the species newly added to the list, 307 were entirely new to science, with their existence confirmed for the first time, according to the organization. One such discovery is a plant known as “beoteum yangjikkot,” a perennial herb that grows with yellow petals and spreads as its roots extend sideways. It has been confirmed as an endemic species found only in central regions of the country. Another new species, an invertebrate known as the larg

Feb 9, 2026By Jung Min-ho
Korea officially confirms 62,604 species in national biodiversity count
Global Community

Korea to tighten language screening for migrant workers, citing safety risks

Korea is tightening Korean-language screening for incoming migrant workers under its Employment Permit System, placing greater emphasis on speaking skills amid concerns that language barriers can contribute to worksite accidents and hinder communication at factories, farms and construction sites that increasingly rely on foreign labor. The Human Resources Development Service of Korea, a public agency under the Ministry of Employment and Labor, announced Monday that it will revise the interview and skill test used in the points-based selection process for E-9 visa workers. The changes follow the agency's recent study of employers’ views on the Korean-language proficiency of their E-9 workers. The survey found that nearly half of employers were dissatisfied with the Korean language abilities of their workers, citing particular difficulties in their ability to understand work instructions (48.9 percent) and safety rules (37.6 percent). Growing concern over industrial accidents involving foreign workers is driving the shift. Although they make up only about 3.4 percent of the workforce, fo

Feb 9, 2026By Jung Min-ho
Korea to tighten language screening for migrant workers, citing safety risks
Global Community

Migrant workers' moves between regions likely to become easier

Korea is weighing a plan to relax restrictions on migrant workers’ movement between regions outside the capital, exploring a major recalibration of its limits on their ability to change jobs. According to an internal document from a task force of the government and labor organizations, obtained by The Korea Times, regional “zone limits” are seen as one of the few issues on which labor, business and government representatives may be able to strike a compromise. Launched with 23 members in December last year, the task force aims to build a more coordinated, fair and effective system for managing foreign workers in Korea. According to a source and an internal document, officials discussed key issues facing these workers, and the Ministry of Employment and Labor plans to use the outcome of those talks to publish a policy road map and submit a legislative bill to the National Assembly in the coming months. Under the current Employment Permit System, E-9 visa holders face tight controls not only over how often and for what reasons they may change workplaces, but also over where in Korea

Feb 8, 2026By Jung Min-ho
Migrant workers' moves between regions likely to become easier
Society

Bill proposed to safeguard workers from AI-driven job losses

Lawmakers have introduced a bill that would require the government to better protect workers from job losses caused by artificial intelligence (AI), amid growing concerns that machines will replace human labor — fears recently sharpened by Hyundai Motor’s Atlas humanoid robot project. The amendment would require the national AI strategy to address “protecting workers’ job security and supporting their transition into new roles” as the labor market changes. “As AI and robotics have advanced rapidly in recent years, they have begun to replace not only simple, repetitive jobs but also skilled professionals, spreading employment insecurity across society,” Rep. Choi Eun-seok and 10 other lawmakers from the opposition People Power Party said in the proposal. The bill seeks to “clarify the state’s policy basis for tackling employment issues in the AI era and to lay an institutional foundation for preserving the people’s rights and improving their quality of life,” they added. Choi’s office insists the bill is not a rushed response. “This isn’t a law we just put toget

Feb 5, 2026By Jung Min-ho
Bill proposed to safeguard workers from AI-driven job losses
  • ‘Yellow envelope law’ meets age of robot workers
Global Community

Seoul to invest $6 mil. in bid to build CES-style events

Seoul plans to launch its own “Seoul-style CES” and “Seoul-style Davos forum” as flagship international business events, backed by an 8.5 billion won ($5.8 million) investment, in a broader push to expand the city’s meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry. The announcement on Thursday comes as the Seoul Metropolitan Government prepares to host major events this year, including an international machine learning conference and the World Conference on Lung Cancer, under its 2026 Seoul MICE industry development plan. Building on its 2024 recognition as the third‑busiest host city for international conferences in the world — by the Union of International Associations — city officials aim to attract more large-scale meetings and incentive tours. The city plans to focus on events tied to strategic industries such as medicine, engineering, science and economics, offering bidding and postevent support and incentives of up to 280 million won per event, they said. The city government will boost public–private cooperation through the Seoul MICE Alliance,

Feb 5, 2026By Jung Min-ho
Seoul to invest $6 mil. in bid to build CES-style events
Global Community

AI-powered glasses offer real-time subtitles of Korean lectures

At Pusan National University (PNU) in the southeastern port city of Busan, an American student sits in a Korean literature class wearing what appears to be an ordinary pair of glasses. As the teacher begins to speak, English sentences appear on the lenses, line by line. For the first time, there is no bracing for the moment of confusion and no constant worry about missing key points. “The biggest advantage is being able to fully understand and not miss what the professor says in class,” the student told The Korea Times on condition of anonymity. “It also seems very helpful for learning advanced vocabulary or specialized terminology. If this technology becomes established, it could play a major role in helping international students acquire academic knowledge without language barriers.” The student is one of several non-Koreans taking part in the university’s trial of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered translation glasses, part of a broader push to make campus life accessible in more languages. A Vietnamese student taking part was especially surprised by how well the system ha

Feb 4, 2026By Jung Min-ho
AI-powered glasses offer real-time subtitles of Korean lectures
Society

Seoul prepares safety measures ahead of BTS Gwanghwamun comeback show

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is rolling out a comprehensive crowd safety plan ahead of BTS’ long-awaited comeback performance next month, as officials brace for throngs of Korean and foreign fans in central Seoul. The K-pop group is scheduled to hold a live performance marking the release of its fifth full-length album at Gwanghwamun Square at 8 p.m. on March 21. “It is a big opportunity for Seoul that this event will be held at Gwanghwamun Square, the heart of the city, and we must make the most of it,” Mayor Oh Se-hoon said at a Wednesday meeting about the BTS performance. “We sincerely welcome this event, and we must pay attention to safety issues, traffic flow and easing any inconvenience for residents.” Oh described BTS as “precious” partners who served as Seoul’s tourism ambassadors from 2017 to 2023, helping the city grow into a global tourism powerhouse, which attracts nearly 20 million foreign visitors a year. With fans expected to pack Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul Plaza and other central locations, the city government says it will focus on prevention‑oriente

Feb 4, 2026By Jung Min-ho
Seoul prepares safety measures ahead of BTS Gwanghwamun comeback show
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