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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

One Korean tourist dead, another injured after structure collapse in Georgia

The Metekhi Church in Tbilisi, Georgia. / YonhapBy Jung Min-hoOne Korean tourist was killed and another person injured after a metal structure collapsed at a church in Georgia early this week.According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wednesday, a man, 67, was killed after the structure that fell off the Metekhi Church's wall hit him. He was visiting Tbilisi, Georgia's capital, Monday (KST).A tour guide was injured. It is unclear how serious his condition is.Strong winds appear to have caused the structure to fall, the ministry said. The church was under renovation.The victim was part of a 22-member tour group organized by Hanjin Travel.The ministry promised to help Georgian authorities and the tour agency handle the incident.

Jun 26, 2019By Jung Min-ho
One Korean tourist dead, another injured after structure collapse in Georgia
Law & Crime

Hyosung under investigation for tax evasion: reports

By Jung Min-hoIn this photo provided by Hyosung, Hyosung Group Chairman Cho Hyun-joon shakes hands with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue after discussing business cooperation at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul on June 19.Korean conglomerate Hyosung is reportedly being investigated on suspicion of tax evasion.According to Yonhap and other local media Tuesday, the National Tax Service (NTS) is looking into allegations that Hyosung, which specializes in chemicals, textiles and industrial machinery, dodged paying tens of billion won (millions of dollars) in taxes through fraudulent accounting.Hyosung is accused of deliberately underestimating the money its Vietnam branch must pay to its head office in Seoul for using technologies and other resources to evade taxes.The NTS is also looking into the company's other overseas branches.Asked by The Korea Times, a senior Hyosung PR official denied the accusations, saying the company did not violate tax laws.

Jun 26, 2019By Jung Min-ho
Hyosung under investigation for tax evasion: reports
Global Community

Job fair for foreign students to be held in October

By Jung Min-hoThe Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) will hold a job fair for international students at COEX convention center in southern Seoul on Oct. 1-2.About 100 Korean companies are expected to participate. In last year's job fair, 129 companies, including POSCO and LG Chem, and 2,400 foreign students took part.The fair is free. Online registration is required for on-site interviews. For more information, call KOTRA's overseas employment team (02-3460-7384 or 02-3460-7387) or visit http://jobfair.contactkorea.go.kr/

Jun 26, 2019By Jung Min-ho
Job fair for foreign students to be held in October
Law & Crime

More than 200,000 people demand death penalty for Jeju murder suspect

Police escort Koh Yu-jeong to the Jeju District Prosecutors' Office on Jeju Island, June 12. Korea Times fileBy Jung Min-hoMore than 200,000 people have demanded the death penalty for Koh Yu-jeong, who admitted murdering her ex-husband on Jeju Island last month.As of Monday afternoon, more than 210,000 people had signed a petition urging judges to sentence Koh, 36, to the maximum penalty allowable.“I want a death penalty. Even life imprisonment would be lenient for her,” a brother of the victim, surnamed Kang, 36, wrote on the petition posted on the Cheong Wa Dae website on June 7.“I hope the court will show that our justice system works for victims, not criminals … I have not had a full night's sleep since the incident. I don't really feel hunger. I have searched for his body in steams and forests because I could not stand it if I didn't do anything.”Koh was arrested on June 4 on charges of murdering Kang at a pension in a remote town on the island, May 25, the day she allowed him to meet their son for the first time since the two divorced two years ag

Jun 24, 2019By Jung Min-ho
More than 200,000 people demand death penalty for Jeju murder suspect
  • Clear face photo of Jeju murder suspect revealed
Health

Vaping 'far less harmful than smoking'

The filter used for smoking, right, is visually darker than the one used for vaping, as shown at a media conference in Seoul, Monday. Korea Times photo by Jung Min-hoBy Jung Min-hoE-cigarettes are “far less harmful” than conventional ones because they produce fewer toxins than in tobacco smoke, Philip Morris Korea argued Monday.Studies over the past few years by the U.S.-based cigarette giant show that vaping is about 90 percent less harmful than smoking because it does not involving inhaling burned tobacco, which is greatly damaging to human health.“E-cigarettes are not harmless, but our research clearly show that they are less harmful than conventional cigarettes,” Kim Byung-chul, a corporate affairs director at Philip Morris Korea, said at a media conference in Seoul.“The best for smokers is to stop using tobacco products altogether. But for those who cannot do so immediately, we believe using IQOS is a better choice than smoking.”IQOS is Philip Morris's flagship e-cigarette product, which allows users to vape by heating a liquid that contains n

Jun 24, 2019By Jung Min-ho
Vaping 'far less harmful than smoking'
Society

Man killed after hang gliders collide in midair

Rescue workers give emergency treatment after the two hang gliders collided at Hadong, South Gyeongsang Province, Sunday. YonhapBy Jung Min-hoA man was killed and another seriously injured after two hang gliders collided in midair at Hadong, South Gyeongsang Province, Sunday.According to police, the members of the same hang gliding group plunged to the ground as a result of the collision after taking off from the Mt. Jiri Hyeongjebong peak in the afternoon.One man, 53, found unconscious, was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The other, 46, suffered multiple fractures.Police are looking into the incident, including whether the men followed safety rules.In hang gliding, a pilot flies a light, non-motorized foot-launched craft.

Jun 24, 2019By Jung Min-ho
Man killed after hang gliders collide in midair
Society

Minke whale found dead off Yeosu, sold for $51,000

The dead minke whale is lifted from a boat after being found dead in waters off Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, Tuesday. Courtesy of Korea Coast GuardPolice check the carcass to discover whether the animal was hunted. Courtesy of Korea Coast GuardBy Jung Min-hoA 6.1-meter minke whale that was found dead in waters off Yeosu Tuesday afternoon has been auctioned for 60 million won ($51,000).It was the third such case in Korea this year.According to the Korea Coast Guard Wednesday, a fisherman, surnamed Kim, 63, found the three-ton animal in a fixed net about 9.2 kilometers west of Sori Island, Yeosu, South Jeolla Province.After inspecting the carcass, police said they did not find any signs it had been hunted.Kim, who set up the net, received a certificate that enabled him to sell the whale.Commercial whaling is banned in Korea, but retrieving dead whales is allowed.A person who illegally kills a whale could face up to three years in prison or a maximum fine of 30 million won.

Jun 19, 2019By Jung Min-ho
Minke whale found dead off Yeosu, sold for $51,000
Society

Opposition leader vows to introduce lower minimum wage for foreigners

Hwang Kyo-ahn, chairman of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, speaks during a meeting with local business owners at the Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Busan, Wednesday. YonhapBy Jung Min-hoKorea's opposition party leader has vowed to introduce a “different” minimum wage system for foreign workers.Hwang Kyo-ahn, chairman of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), said Wednesday he will press ahead with revising related laws to lighten small business owners' financial burden. He made the pledge at a meeting with employers in Busan.Given “the different degrees of their contribution to Korea,” he said, it is “not fair” to set the same minimum wage for Korean and foreign workers.“Koreans contribute more to the country, for example, by paying more in taxes,” Hwang said. “Our party will revise related laws to improve the situation (for employers).”His remarks come amid complaints that steep minimum wage hikes over the past two years have pushed many small businesses to the edge.But Article 6 of the Labor Sta

Jun 19, 2019By Jung Min-ho
Opposition leader vows to introduce lower minimum wage for foreigners
  • Small business owners demand lower minimum wage for foreigners
  • LKP chairman faces challenges in showing leadership
  • Opposition leader backs off on 'discriminatory' foreign worker wage call
  • Hwang's claim debunked: Foreigners' treasury contribution hits $1.17 billion
Foreign Affairs

Korean man missing in northern India

The missing Korean's paragliding equipment has been recovered, officials said. The person in the photo is unrelated to the story. GettyimagesbankBy Jung Min-hoA Korean tourist went missing over the weekend after “leaving for paragliding” in Kangra, in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.According to the Korean Embassy in India and local media reports, the man, surnamed Lee, has been missing since June 15. Hotel officials reportedly said he went paragliding.Local residents later found his paragliding equipment hanging from a tree in the Dharman area, but there was no trace of him.“Police and local rescue authorities are conducting a profound search operation,” Rakesh Prajapati, the district's deputy commissioner, told New Delhi Television Limited. “We have information that he was flying without permission. His gear has been recovered from a site known as Dharman in the Multhan district of Kangra.” The embassy said it has informed Lee's family.Lee, who is in his 30s, reportedly checked in at a local hotel on June 11.

Jun 19, 2019By Jung Min-ho
Korean man missing in northern India
World

FULL TEXT Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam issues apology

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaks during a press conference at the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on June 18. Lam apologized for the political unrest sparked by a controversial bill that would allow extraditions to mainland China. AFPBy Jung Min-hoHong Kong leader Carrie Lam apologized on Tuesday and said she had heard the people “loud and clear” after massive protests over a controversial extradition bill.Lam said she realized that she still has “much to learn and do in better balancing diverse interest,” but gave no indication that she was prepared to step down.The following is the full text of her statement:During large-scale public processions over the past two Sundays, people have expressed in a peaceful and rational manner their concerns about the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and their dissatisfaction and disappointment with the Government ― especially me. I have heard you loud and clear, and have reflected deeply on all that has transpired.The concerns over the past few months have been caused by deficiencies in the work of the SAR (Special

Jun 19, 2019By Jung Min-ho
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam issues apology [FULL TEXT]
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