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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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Foreign Affairs

Korean woman target of racism in France: embassy

A protester raises a fist during a demonstration against racism on Place de la Republique in Paris, June 9. XinhuaBy Jung Min-hoA Korean woman was a target of racism in the southern French city of Nice early this month, according to the Korean Embassy in France.An embassy representative told The Korea Times Monday that local police were investigating a case in which the woman in her 20s was allegedly harassed on a tram on June 6 by a man who repeatedly called her “Chinese” and blamed her for “bringing the coronavirus here.”“We have not received investigation results yet,” the representative said. “We were told that she filed a complaint with the police, demanding punishment (for the man).”France's penal code forbids "insult," "defamation," or "incitement to discrimination, hatred or violence."A video posted on YouTube by the woman on June 10 shows the man abusing her in French.In her explanation of the video, the woman said the man sitting in front of her all of a sudden started making fun of her and her boyfriend by saying “You C

Jun 17, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Korean woman target of racism in France: embassy
Foreign Affairs

US embassy takes down 'Black Lives Matter' banner after two days

A banner marking the 70th anniversary of the Korean War is hung on the facade of the U.S. Embassy building in Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Jung Min-hoA man walks near “Black Lives Matter” and rainbow banners at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Sunday, June 14, 2020. APBy Jung Min-hoHarry HarrisThe U.S. Embassy in Seoul took down a “Black Lives Matter” banner from its mission building Monday, only two days after the banner was unfurled in solidarity with “the fight against racial injustice and police brutality” in the United States.In a statement sent to The Korea Times Tuesday, an embassy spokeswoman said Ambassador Harry Harris removed the banner to avoid misapprehension that he supports any specific groups leading the protests.“The ambassador's intent was not to support or encourage donations to any specific organization,” the spokeswoman said. “To avoid the misperception that American taxpayer dollars were spent to benefit such organizations, he directed that the banner be removed.“This in no way lessens the principles

Jun 16, 2020By Jung Min-ho
US embassy takes down 'Black Lives Matter' banner after two days
  • US envoy to Seoul condemns looters taking advantage of peaceful Floyd protests
  • US embassy in Seoul supports Black Lives Matter movement
Companies

COVID-19 test kit maker to build second production facility

Top officials of Solgent and EDGC, including EDGC co-CEO Shin Sang-cheol, third from left in the front row, during a groundbreaking ceremony for Solgent's second production facility in Daejeon, June 10. Courtesy of EDGCBy Jung Min-hoSolGent, a subsidiary of Korean genome sequencing company EDGC, has begun building its second COVID-19 detection kit production facility in Daejeon to meet increasing demand overseas.When completed near its first manufacturing plant in September, the new one is expected to be capable of producing kits for 30 million tests a week, the company said Monday.The kits (DiaPlexQ) have been exported to more than 50 countries, including Germany and the United States. It has received CE marking, a certification that demonstrates conformity with health and safety standards for products sold in Europe, and emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.“The company's first-quarter revenues this year have already reached 95 percent of revenues of the whole of last year,” an official told The Korea Times.Last Wednesday, 100 officials

Jun 15, 2020By Jung Min-ho
COVID-19 test kit maker to build second production facility
Photo News

PHOTOS Wearable robot for paralyzed patients

A wearable robot for patients paralyzed from the waist down was revealed Monday. The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), a top national research university in Daejeon, said the robot is designed to help people walk, climb stairs and open doors among many other daily tasks. Courtesy of KAISTKim Byung-wook, left, and Lee Joo-hyun will take part in this year's Cybathlon, an international competition in which people with physical disabilities compete to master everyday challenges using assistive technology. The contest was initially scheduled to be held in Zurich in May, but was postponed until Sept. 19―20 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Courtesy of KAISTCourtesy of KAIST

Jun 15, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Wearable robot for paralyzed patients [PHOTOS]
Health

More than 3.7 million animals used in experiments last year

GettyimagesbankBy Jung Min-hoMore than 3.7 million animals were used for testing drugs and other research purposes in 2019, the government said Monday.According to the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 3,712,000 animals were used in experiments, a drop from 3,737,000 in 2018.Rodents such as mice accounted for 86.9 percent of the total, followed by fish (6.3 percent) and birds (5.1 percent).Nearly 43 percent of the experiments were conducted by private companies, followed by universities (30.7 percent), public research institutes (17.8 percent) and medical institutions (8.5 percent).Regulatory testing, such as drug safety experiments, accounted for 39.6 percent of the total, followed by basic research (30.5 percent) and applied research (20.1 percent).According to the agency's pain category, 40.1 percent of the animals were used for E testing, in which they experience “intense pain or distress” ― the highest level in the B-E index.

Jun 15, 2020By Jung Min-ho
More than 3.7 million animals used in experiments last year
Sports

World Taekwondo eases financial burden of partner firms amid pandemic

World Taekwondo President Choue Chung-won, center, with its partner firms at his office in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of World TaekwondoBy Jung Min-hoWorld Taekwondo (WT), the sport's global governing body, has postponed the payment date for its partner firms struggling to pay their annual partnership fees amid the COVID-19 pandemic.Representatives from companies including Adidas, Daedo, JC, KPNP, Mooto, Taekwon Family, Taekwonsoft, Tusah and Woori Sports met WT President Choue Chung-won at his office in Seoul, Friday, to thank him for the decision.“All of us at World Taekwondo are deeply touched that our recognized companies took this opportunity to thank the organization,” Choue said in a statement. “They are our partners and flexibility and collaboration are critical to successful partnerships.”The WT-authorized suppliers provide uniforms, mats, scoring systems and other equipment exclusively for WT events.WT postponed this year's payment until the end of next year and will not charge the 2021 fees as the companies struggle with fallout from the disease, which

Jun 14, 2020By Jung Min-ho
World Taekwondo eases financial burden of partner firms amid pandemic
Foreign Affairs

US embassy in Seoul supports Black Lives Matter movement

A Black Lives Matter banner on the U.S. embassy in Seoul / YonhapBy Jung Min-hoThe U.S. Embassy in Seoul has unfurled a “Black Lives Matter” banner in support of the fight against racial discrimination and police brutality in the United States.“The U.S. Embassy stands in solidarity with fellow Americans grieving and peacefully protesting to demand positive change,” the embassy said on Facebook Saturday.“Our #BlackLivesMatter banner shows our support for the fight against racial injustice and police brutality as we strive to be a more inclusive & just society.”The move comes a week after U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris sniped at looters taking advantage of largely peaceful protests as a cover for their crimes.The protests erupted across the country after the alleged murder of George Floyd, 46, who died on the Memorial Day (May 25) after a white police officer in Minneapolis pinned him face down to the ground. Harris quoted former President John F. Kennedy: “If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can help make the wor

Jun 14, 2020By Jung Min-ho
US embassy in Seoul supports Black Lives Matter movement
  • US envoy to Seoul condemns looters taking advantage of peaceful Floyd protests
  • US embassy takes down 'Black Lives Matter' banner after two days
Society

More 'Korean bananas' to be harvested this year amid climate change

Hong Hong-keum and her husband examine ripening bananas at a greenhouse in Haenam, South Jeolla Province, June 9. YonhapTrees are laden with bananas at a greenhouse in Haenam, South Jeolla Province, June 9. YonhapBy Jung Min-hoJeju Island was long considered the only warm-enough region in Korea for commercial banana farming, but climate change is now turning the mainland into a producer of the tropical fruit.Hong Hong-keum, a farmer in Haenam, the southernmost tip of the Korean Peninsula, told The Korea Times Wednesday that she and her husband are looking forward to their first ― and Haenam's first ― banana harvest next month.They planted 470 banana trees last year to adapt themselves to “changing circumstances” as the impact of climate change on agriculture was felt among many farmers, she said.According to the agricultural technology center in North Chungcheong Province, the number of people investing in banana farming has surged in recent years.“There are about 40 banana farms in Korea, including two (at Cheongju and Chungju) in our region,” Park Eui-kwang,

Jun 11, 2020By Jung Min-ho
More 'Korean bananas' to be harvested this year amid climate change
  • Warming climate puts Korea under insect invasions
Foreign Affairs

Pirates release Korean man they kidnapped off Gabon

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Seoul / Korea Times fileBy Jung Min-hoYonhapA Korean citizen kidnapped off the coast of Gabon last month has been released unharmed.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday that the man in his 50s, whose identity is being withheld, was among six crew members released Monday evening (Gabon time) by pirates.The other five are Indonesian and Senegalese citizens and appear to be in good health, the ministry said.The man remains in a “secure place” offered by the ministry in Nigeria, an official said. After having a medical checkup at a local hospital, he is expected to return to Korea soon.The pirates attacked their fishing boats and abducted the men in the early hours of May 3 near the Gabonese capital of Libreville in West Africa.It is unclear whether the pirates received the ransom they demanded before releasing the six.

Jun 10, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Pirates release Korean man they kidnapped off Gabon
  • Moon thanks Gabon, Nigeria, France for help in Korean hostage release
Law & Crime

Gov't pushes to ban parental corporal punishment

The Ministry of Justice is moving to revise the law that gives parents the right to use physical force for their children's education. Korea Times fileBy Jung Min-hoThe government will press ahead with revising the law that gives parents the right to use physical force for their children's education as part of its effort to better protect the rights of minors.The Ministry of Justice said Wednesday it will draft a bill to ban corporal punishment by parents next month as it pushes to revise Article 915 of the Civil Law that guarantees parents the right to use corporal punishment on their children.The ministry plans to come up with its final draft and propose it to the National Assembly by the end of August.Critics of the clause, which was adopted in 1960, say it is often used to justify the violence of abusive parents. They also point out that the clause conflicts with the child welfare law that prohibits legal guardians from “inflicting physical or mental pain” on their children.The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child has urged the Korean government to rev

Jun 10, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Gov't pushes to ban parental corporal punishment
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