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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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Health

Two Koreans die in Swiss euthanasia facility

A local paper reported that one of the Koreans had late-stage cancer. gettyimagesbankBy Jung Min-hoTwo Koreans have died in a Swiss euthanasia facility in recent years.Dignitas, a non-profit society that provides assisted or accompanied suicide to its members, said Tuesday that two Koreans had died in its facility ― one in 2016 and the other in 2018.According to Seoul Shinmun ― a local daily that first reported on the people ― one of them had late-stage cancer.Dignitas says it helps members with severe physical or mental illnesses to end their lives. Founded in 1998, more than 2,700 people have died with its aid.According to its website, all adults can become members regardless of their nationalities. As of the end of 2018, 32 Korean nationals were registered as members.In Korea, terminally ill patients can refuse artificial life-extending treatment, but euthanasia is prohibited.

Mar 6, 2019By Jung Min-ho
Two Koreans die in Swiss euthanasia facility
Companies

40 Koreans on Forbes billionaire list

The richest Koreans / Screengrab of ForbesBy Jung Min-hoForty Koreans are on the 2019 Forbes billionaires list.Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee remains the richest Korean with a net worth of $16.9 billion. He is ranked 65th globally.Celltrion Chairman Seo Jung-jin is second with $8.1 billion. With expectations for biosimilars high, his pharmaceutical company has become a favorite among investors, Forbes says.Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong comes in third with $6.9 billion, followed by Nexon CEO Kim Jung-ju ($6.5 billion) and Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo ($4.3 billion).Meanwhile, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos remains the world's richest person. His wealth rose $19 billion during 2018 to total $131 billion this year.Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is second with a net worth that rose to $96.5 billion this year from $90 billion last year, followed by investor Warren Buffett ($82.5 billion).Notably, reality TV star Kylie Jenner, 21, makes the list as the youngest "self-made" billionaire in history. Forbes estimates her company, Kylie Cosmetics, is now worth $9

Mar 6, 2019By Jung Min-ho
40 Koreans on Forbes billionaire list
Others

Korea 9th healthiest country in the world: report

Korea is the world's ninth-healthiest country, according to a new Global Wellness Index. gettyimagesbankBy Jung Min-hoKorea has been ranked among the world's top 10 healthiest countries, according to a recent analysis.The Global Wellness Index, published on March 4 by investment firm LetterOne, ranks Korea as the ninth best country out of 151.The index focuses on 10 key metrics ― blood pressure, blood glucose, obesity, depression, happiness, alcohol use, tobacco use, exercise, life expectancy and government spending on healthcare ― to evaluate a country's health level.Canada topped the list thanks to its good scores for life expectancy, government healthcare spending and blood pressure, followed by Oman, Iceland and the Philippines.Big countries, including Japan, Germany, France and Italy, failed to make the top 25, with all faring poorly for high blood pressure scores. Middle Eastern countries ranked relatively high due to good scores in the alcohol category. The United States was hampered by obesity, depression and inactivity.The top 10 countries are:CanadaOmanIcelandPhilippinesMal

Mar 6, 2019By Jung Min-ho
Korea 9th healthiest country in the world: report
Society

Deaths exceed births in Busan for first time in decades

Elementary schools in the port city of Busan have already started to suffer from a shortage of new students. gettyimagesbankBy Jung Min-hoThe number of deaths in Busan last year exceeded births for the first time in decades.According to Statistics Korea's data released on Sunday, 22,600 people died in the country's second-largest city while 19,100 were born.Only 20 years ago, there were three times more births than deaths.A shortage of students because of the falling birth rate is already affecting schools.Kamjung Elementary School, which was founded in southern Busan in 1980, closed early this month after holding its last graduation ceremony on Feb. 20. Another elementary school in western Busan, Deokdo, shut down the same month.Data from the Korean Education Development Institute show that the number of students at elementary, middle and high schools in Busan has declined in recent years and this year, for the first time, will likely fall below the number of students in Incheon, Korea's third-largest city.

Mar 5, 2019By Jung Min-ho
Deaths exceed births in Busan for first time in decades
Law & Crime

Chinese man jailed for selling thousands of fake Nike sneakers

Counterfeit Nike sneakers / YonhapBy Jung Min-hoA Chinese man has been sentenced to four years in prison for selling thousands of fake Nike sneakers in Korea.The Seoul Central District Court said Friday that it convicted the man, 36, surnamed Kim, of selling more than 8,000 counterfeit brand shoes ― 7,300 Nike and 670 Converse ― between May 2017 and April 2018. In doing so, he made about 744 million won ($660,000).The court imposed him to pay all that money in restitution for the crimes.Rejecting his claims that victims knew the shoes were counterfeit, the judges said a heavy sentence was necessary because the man had denied his crimes, which had caused harm to many consumers and damaged the brands' reputation.

Mar 1, 2019By Jung Min-ho
Chinese man jailed for selling thousands of fake Nike sneakers
Politics

PHOTOS March 1 in 2019

President Moon Jae-in and his wife Kim Jung-sook, clad in hanbok, attend a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement against Japan's colonial rule at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, Friday. YonhapMembers of conservative groups march through the center of Seoul, Friday, in protest against the Moon government. Korea Times photo by Hong In-kiSinger Insooni performs during March 1 Movement anniversary celebrations at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, Friday. YonhapEwha Girls' High School students and the school's alumni march on Jeongdong-gil in Seoul, Friday. Yu Gwan-sun, an iconic independence fighter, was a student at Ewha Haktang, the school's predecessor, which missionaries established as the first modern educational institution for women in Korea. Yu died at 17 while imprisoned for leading pro-independence rallies. YonhapThe Air Force Black Eagles aerobatic team flies over the crowd celebrations at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, Friday. YonhapChristians attend celebrate the anniversary at Chungdong First Methodist Church in Seoul, Friday

Mar 1, 2019By Jung Min-ho
March 1 in 2019 [PHOTOS]
  • Moon vows to assist in settling NK-US deal
North Korea

Trump, Kim discussing 'everything' - including human rights

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump attend an extended meeting in the Metropole hotel with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, White House national security adviser John Bolton, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho and Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of the North Korean Workers' Party Committee, during the second North Korea-U.S. summit in Hanoi, Feb. 28. ReutersBy Jung Min-hoU.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he would discuss everything, including human rights, with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at their summit in Hanoi.Before sitting down for a second round of talks that day, the two briefly took questions from the media.A journalist asked Kim if he would be “discussing human rights” with Trump.While Kim's interpreter was translating the question, Trump cut in and said, “We're discussing everything … We're having very, very productive discussions.”

Feb 28, 2019By Jung Min-ho
Trump, Kim discussing 'everything' - including human rights
  • Trump pressured to raise North Korea's human rights issues
North Korea

Trump pressured to raise North Korea's human rights issues

U.S. President Donald Trump looks at North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during their one-on-one meeting in Hanoi, Feb. 28. ReutersBy Jung Min-hoWorking toward a nuclear deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, U.S. President Donald Trump remains silent on the regime's brutal human rights abuses, leaving advocates worried that he may not address the issue.Ahead of the two leaders meetings in Hanoi on Feb. 27-28, human rights groups urged Trump to raise the issue directly with Kim.“Over a year ago, President Trump stood in front of Congress and pledged to challenge North Korea's human rights record,” said Francisco Bencosme, advocacy manager for Asia-Pacific at Amnesty International's U.S. branch. “Since then, President Trump has repeatedly disregarded the human rights of the North Korean people to gain favor with Kim Jung-un. His silence in the face of relentless and grave human rights violations has been deafening.”“The people of North Korea have endured enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention, forced labor in prison camps, a total absence of press f

Feb 28, 2019By Jung Min-ho
Trump pressured to raise North Korea's human rights issues
  • Trump, Kim discussing 'everything' - including human rights
North Korea

Opposition leader raises voice against ending Korean War without South Korea

Rep. Na Kyung-won, floor leader of the Liberty Korea Party, attends a general meeting of lawmakers at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapBy Jung Min-hoSouth Korea's main opposition party leader has voiced her objection to the possibility that the leaders of the United States and North Korea will sign a declaration during their Hanoi summit to end the Korean War (1950-53).Rep. Na Kyung-won, floor leader of the Liberty Korea Party, said Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un should not proclaim the end of the war during their summit (Feb. 27-28) without South Korean President Moon Jae-in.“We will never accept it,” she said during a general meeting of Assembly members.“Ending the war without the confirmation of the North's complete denuclearization will only weaken the South Korea-U.S. alliance and likely lead to the pull-out of U.S. forces here.”Her remarks came after presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom mentioned such a scenario, saying Cheong Wa Dae would “welcome any form” of declaration, even if M

Feb 27, 2019By Jung Min-ho
Opposition leader raises voice against ending Korean War without South Korea
North Korea

Sanders praises Trump for North Korea peace efforts

Senator Bernie Sanders has endorsed Donald Trump's diplomatic efforts with North Korea. APBy Jung Min-hoVermont Senator Bernie Sanders has offered rare praise for U.S. President Donald Trump for his efforts to bring peace to the Korean Peninsula.Ahead of Trump's summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi on Wednesday and Thursday, the 2020 Democratic primary hopeful said at a CNN town hall Monday night (local time) that he supports Trump's decision to meet Kim.“Now, after all of the nasty things I said about Trump, let me say a good thing here,” Sanders said. “Look, nuclear weapons in the hands of a brutal, irresponsible dictator is a bad idea, and if Trump can succeed, in fact, through face-to-face meetings with Kim Jong-un and rid that country of nuclear weapons, that is a very good thing.”Sanders, whose insurgent 2016 presidential campaign reshaped Democratic politics, has long been a critic of Trump.“So I think that the idea of going and meeting face-to-face with your adversaries is a good idea,” Sanders said. “I would like the

Feb 27, 2019By Jung Min-ho
Sanders praises Trump for North Korea peace efforts
  • FULL TEXT White House: Trump committed to achieving peace for everyone
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