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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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Law & Crime

Court to decide whether to extradite Korean operator of child porn site to US

An picture released by Britain's National Crime Agency in London on Oct. 16, 2019, shows a screen shot of "Welcome to Video." U.K. and U.S. authorities said the site contained 250,000 videos downloaded a million times by users across the world. AFPBy Jung Min-hoA Seoul court will decide whether to extradite the operator of a notorious child porn website to the United States by the end of June.The Seoul High Prosecutors' Office said Monday that it has arrested Son Jong-woo, 24, who was released that day after serving 18 months in prison for operating “Welcome to Video,” which was called the world's “largest dark web child porn marketplace.”In three days, the prosecution will ask the Seoul High Court to review whether he should be extradited to the U.S, where a federal grand jury has indicted him on charges of advertising and distributing child porn among others. The court must then make a decision within two months.The move follows a U.S. Department of Justice extradition request last year.Between June 2015 and March 2018, Son operated the site on the dark web,

Apr 27, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Court to decide whether to extradite Korean operator of child porn site to US
Health

Petition demanding resignation of WHO chief gathers more than 1 million signatures

World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attends a news conference in Geneva, Switzerland. ReutersBy Jung Min-hoA petition demanding the immediate resignation of World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic has gathered more than 1 million signatures.The petition, initiated by a person using the ID “Osuka Yip” on Jan. 31, blames Tedros' poor leadership for the wide spread of COVID-19, which has killed more than 200,000 people and infected nearly 3 million around the world.How and when exactly the virus infected the first person, most likely by making a jump from a wild animal, in the Chinese city of Wuhan is still unclear. But when the threat was brought to the attention of Chinese authorities in December and then of the world, Tedros hesitated to declare a global health emergency ― until Jan. 31.His belated decision has drawn criticism, particularly from U.S. politicians. President Donald Trump accused the WHO of failing its basic duty and suspended the U.S. contribution on Apr

Apr 27, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Petition demanding resignation of WHO chief gathers more than 1 million signatures
Global Community

Korea to grant visa for heroic Kazakh man who saved people from blaze

By Jung Min-hoAli, the undocumented hero from Kazakhstan / YonhapThe government will grant a G-1 visa for the heroic Kazakh man who risked his life to rescue people from a burning building in Gangwon Province last month.According to the Ministry of Justice Thursday, the Korea Immigration Service is completing the paperwork to give the visa for the man, 28, identified only by his given name Ali, whose bravery saved 10 people from a burning apartment at a town in Yangyang County on March 23.He was scheduled to be deported after his illegal status came to light.The visa will allow him to continue to receive treatment at a hospital in Seoul.Ali suffered burns to his back, neck and hands while trying to rescue his neighbors. Unfortunately, a woman on the second floor died after inhaling too much toxic smoke.The immigration office also said it would consider granting Ali permanent residency. On the Cheong Wa Dae website, a petition calling for the government to offer the permanent right to stay here has gathered more than 22,000 signatures.In a similar case, the government awarded permanen

Apr 24, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Korea to grant visa for heroic Kazakh man who saved people from blaze
  • Undocumented hero: Koreans urge gov't not to deport Kazakh man who saved people from burning building
Law & Crime

Ruling party agrees to raise age of consent to 16 in fight against child sexual abuse

GettyimagesbankBy Jung Min-hoThe ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Thursday vowed to raise the age of consent to 16 from 13 in its fight against child sexual abuse.The move comes a week after the Ministry of Justice said a 13-year-old is not mature enough to consent to sexual acts and that the age should be raised to 16.At a high-level meeting at the National Assembly, the two sides agreed to cooperate to push for parliamentary passage of relevant bills before the end of May.The age of consent is that at which a person is legally considered old enough and competent enough to consent to sexual activity. An adult who engages in sexual activity with a person under the age could be charged with child sexual abuse or rape.Korea has long been criticized for keeping the legal benchmark too low. It is one of few major countries where adults can engage in sexual activity with 13-year-olds, as long as it is “consensual.” In Finland and New Zealand, the benchmark is 16; in California, it is 18.

Apr 23, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Ruling party agrees to raise age of consent to 16 in fight against child sexual abuse
  • Gov't pushes to raise consent age to 16 from 13 in fight against sexual exploitation
  • Parliament approves raising the age of consent to 16
Health

Vietnamese man caught working illegally at farm during quarantine period

GettyimagesbankBy Jung Min-hoA Vietnamese man has been caught working illegally at a farm in Korea during a mandatory self-quarantine period, police said Thursday.According to the North Jeolla provincial government and police, the man, 21, who had left his residence in Jeonju without reporting to authorities, was found working illegally at a farm in the neighboring city of Namwon during a 14-day isolation period.The man, who was ordered to quarantine himself on arrival in Korea on April 9, made about 500,000 won ($410) working there for five days from April 16, police said.The Ministry of Justice is expected soon to decide whether to deport him. He is now waiting for the decision at a quarantine facility at Chonbuk National University.The government has maintained a no-tolerance stance toward those who do not follow self-isolation rules over COVID-19, saying any foreigner who violates them will be expelled. Local violators could face up to a year in prison or a maximum fine of 10 million won.

Apr 23, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Vietnamese man caught working illegally at farm during quarantine period
  • Another Vietnamese citizen violates self-quarantine rules: authorities
Health

Two pet cats test positive for COVID-19 in New York

A cat is examined at the San Diego Humane Society clinic on April 21. Two cats in New York state have become the first pets in the United States to test positive for the new coronavirus, officials said Thursday (KST). AFPBy Jung Min-hoTwo cats in New York state are the first pets in the United States to test positive for COVID-19, according to U.S. federal agencies Thursday (KST).The animals, which are from separate areas of the state, showed mild respiratory symptoms and are expected to make a full recovery, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a joint statement with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.“Public health officials are still learning about SARS-CoV-2, but there is no evidence that pets play a role in spreading the virus in the United States,” the statement said. “Therefore, there is no justification in taking measures against companion animals that may compromise their welfare.”A veterinarian tested the first cat after it showed mild respiratory symptoms. No humans in the household contracted the virus. Officials say it is po

Apr 23, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Two pet cats test positive for COVID-19 in New York
Health

Another Vietnamese citizen violates self-quarantine rules: authorities

GettyimagesbankBy Jung Min-hoAnother Vietnamese citizen has broken self-quarantine rules just a few days after the government decided to deport three Vietnamese students for violating the regulations.According to the North Jeolla provincial government and police Wednesday, the Vietnamese man, 21, who was ordered to isolate himself at his residence in Jeonju, has disappeared.After reporting the case to the city's immigration office, police are now looking for him.The man, who entered Korea on April 9, left his mobile phone at the residence in an apparent attempt to avoid GPS tracking by health officials, an official said.“He turned on the self-quarantine app at around 11:25 a.m. on April 21 before disappearing,” the official told News1, a local news agency. “After losing contact with him, we visited his place with police and realized he was gone.”Three Vietnamese students who arrived in Korea between March 28 and April 1 were ordered to leave the country after visiting a park in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, in violation of the 14-day self-isolation rules.

Apr 22, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Another Vietnamese citizen violates self-quarantine rules: authorities
  • Vietnamese man caught working illegally at farm during quarantine period
Global Community

Undocumented hero: Koreans urge gov't not to deport Kazakh man who saved people from burning building

By Jung Min-hoAli, the undocumented hero from Kazakhstan / YonhapA Kazakh man who risked his life to save 10 people from a burning building faces deportation after his illegal status came to light.Moved by his story, more than 10,000 people have signed a petition urging the government not to deport the man, 28, who they say deserves permanent residency and a reward, not deportation.“The government should compensate him for what he did,” a petitioner said on the Cheong Wa Dae website. “I have heard he is going to be deported. If the government did so to such a person, it would be an international embarrassment.”The man, identified only by his given name Ali, smelled something burning when he arrived at his one-bedroom apartment in a town in Yangyang County, Gangwon Province, about 11:20 p.m. on Mar. 23.After realizing the building was on fire, he immediately opened the windows on the second and third floors to let the smoke out. He then he screamed “fire, fire!” to wake up everyone in the complex.After being told that one woman was still in her room

Apr 22, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Undocumented hero: Koreans urge gov't not to deport Kazakh man who saved people from burning building
  • Korea to grant visa for heroic Kazakh man who saved people from blaze
  • Kazakh man honored for saving 10 people from blaze
Law & Crime

Gov't pushes to raise consent age to 16 from 13 in fight against sexual exploitation

A protester holds up a sign that reads "From Nth Room to Prison" at Jongno Police Station in Seoul, March 25, as Cho Ju-bin, the primary suspect in the infamous sexual-abuse case, is taken to a nearby police van. Korea Times photo by Koh Young-kwonBy Jung Min-hoA college student, 20, who had been indicted on charges of child sexual abuse, was acquitted last year by a Daejeon court that ruled that his girlfriend, 14, clearly gave consent to sexual activity.But how old is old enough to consent to sexual activity? In Korea, it is only 13.After the Nth room sexual-abuse scandal, which involves dozens of victims, including minors, the Ministry of Justice said last week it will push ahead with legislation to raise that age to 16.“We should admit that the government has not done enough to eradicate sexual crimes,” the ministry said. “We need a major policy change.” The age of consent is that at which a person is considered mature and competent enough to consent to sexual acts. Consequently, an adult who engages in sexual activity with a person under that age cannot l

Apr 22, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Gov't pushes to raise consent age to 16 from 13 in fight against sexual exploitation
  • Ruling party agrees to raise age of consent to 16 in fight against child sexual abuse
Global Community

Gyeonggi to offer universal basic income to marriage immigrants, permanent residents

Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung / YonhapBy Jung Min-hoThe Gyeonggi provincial government will offer universal basic income to marriage immigrants and permanent residents amid the COVID-19 pandemic.Governor Lee Jae-myung said Sunday that F-5 and F-6 visa holders will also be eligible to receive 100,000 won ($82) just like Korean citizens. Initially, all foreigners were excluded from access to the benefit.“It would be difficult to offer the relief money to all foreigners, such as undocumented ones and short-term visitors,” Lee said on Facebook. “However, marriage immigrants are spouses of Korean citizens and it is a trend that permanent residents around the world are not discriminated against when it comes to such benefit.”The move followed a petition urging the central and local governments to provide financial support to all tax-paying foreign workers “who are also suffering” the economic fallout from the crisis. The petition on the Cheong Wa Dae website has gathered 14,000 signatures over the past three weeks.There are 48,000 foreign spouses and 6

Apr 21, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Gyeonggi to offer universal basic income to marriage immigrants, permanent residents
  • Expats ask for universal basic income amid COVID-19 crisis
  • Bucheon offers stimulus money to foreigners, including undocumented ones
  • South Korea begins offering coronavirus relief funds
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