my timesThe Korea Times
mj6c2

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.

Go to Email

Read more

Sports

Cha, Hwang overcome fear of failure, target gold

By Jung Min-ho Reigning Olympic taekwondo champions Cha Dong-min and Hwang Kyung-sun’s victories in Beijing were built on resilience, discipline, and nerve at the crucial moment. Since glory four years ago, as the strongest contenders in London this summer, the major challenge they face now is a deep-seated fear of failure. “My goal is to win gold like I did in Beijing,” Cha said in an interview with The Korea Times. “I feel more confident and comfortable since this is my second attempt for the Olympic gold. Nonetheless, yes, I feel heavy pressure as the games approach.” Cha in the 87-kilogram and Hwang in the 67-kilogram division, are making a final burst for the London Olympics, which are now just around the corner. Undoubtedly, their sole goal is to defend their titles at the world’s biggest sports competition. Cha said that as the day approaches, the excitement grows. And so does the tension. “Players and coaching staff are putting their hearts into training to once again achieve our long commitment to gold at the upcoming Olympics,” head coach Kim Sei-hyeok said. “S

Jun 28, 2012By Jung Min-ho
Sports

Korea-China amateur golf event to take place

By Jung Min-ho The top two golfers from 10 amateur clubs in Korea and China will compete at the Island Resort Cup Korea and China Club National Championship on Oct. 10 and 11. “The event will be an opportunity for the players of Korea and China to develop their relationship further,” chief executive officer of the Hankook Ilbo Lee Sang-seok said. “It will cement the cooperation between the players of renowned golf clubs of both countries.” Lee and Kwon Oh-young, chairman of the Island Golf and Resort held a signing ceremony at the resort in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday, and announced the official schedule for the event. Co-hosted by Seoul Economic Daily’s Golf Magazine and the Island Golf and Resort, the tournament is expected to bring harmony and unity among the participants. Starting off with foursome match play on the first day, the competition will change to stroke play on the second day. The annual tournament is expected to take place in China next year and will be expanded when Japan joins, although a date for this was not specified.

Jun 28, 2012By Jung Min-ho
Sports

Row deepens over 10th team

Players want details for KBO refusal By Jung Min-ho Tensions are mounting between the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and its players over the latter’s decision not to participate in July’s All-Star Game, after the sport’s authorities decided against adding another club to the league. Although the action by the Korea Professional Baseball Players Association (KPBPA) could seem drastic, the crux of the problem is the KBO has failed to convince fans and related-organizations, including the KPBPA, that there were good enough reasons not to create a 10th team. “Rumors are mounting. However, since there is no clear evidence, no one can say what the real reason for the objection (to another team) may be. Nonetheless, one thing is clear. The reasons they gave at the meeting are not at all convincing,” KBS sports commentator Lee Yong-chul told The Korea Times. “The fans want it and local governments are stepping up to help. Besides, running the league with an odd number of sides will certainly create huge problems. So, why not? The bottom line is they have to make a case for t

Jun 26, 2012By Jung Min-ho
Sports

Players to boycott All-Star Game

By Jung Min-ho The Korea Professional Baseball Players Association (KPBPA) has decided to boycott the All-Star Game in July in a bid to convey their opposition to the KBO’s recent decision not to add another club to the nine-team professional league. “The issue is not just about adding another team to the league. It is a major issue that could threaten the life of the Korea baseball,” the KPBPA’s executive director Park Chung-sik said. “Making a 10th team before it is too late is a more fundamental issue than having the All-Star Game. We are very sorry for our fans, but we will not participate in the event.” The KPBPA held a special meeting at Seoul Garden Hotel, Monday, to discuss how to respond to the KBO’s no expansion ruling. Nine board directors and 30 players’ representatives participated in the meeting. In the press release, the KPBPA said that it had to forgo the All-Star Game because providing quality games in the long-run should be the priority. Earlier this month, baseball’s governing body decided not to add a 10th baseball team, prompting a large outcry

Jun 25, 2012By Jung Min-ho
Sports

KBO sees new records pour in

By Jung Min-ho With the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) enjoying the height of its popularity with record ticket sales, the outlook is only expected to improve amid a flurry of new records. Samsung Lions slugger Lee Seung-yeop is now gearing up for two historical records. As of Monday, the 35-year-old is just three short of his 500th career home run with 159 from the Japan league and 338 from the domestic one. No one in the KBO’s 30-year-history has ever achieved that milestone. Even in Major League Baseball in the United States, only 25 players have attained the landmark figure in its 136-year-history, including the New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez. With 50 RBI in 63 games this season, Lee is now about to reach his 1,000 career RBIs. Currently on 999, he is just a single RBI from being the eighth player to reach four figures in the KBO. Hanhwa Eagles pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin celebrated Sunday reaching 100 strikeouts in only 12 games, the shortest time in the local league, in the match against the Doosan Bears, despite a bitter 8-7 loss. He beat his own previous record of 100

Jun 25, 2012By Jung Min-ho
Sports

Nam ready to take stab at gold

By Jung Min-ho Some memories linger longer than others. The nation’s first female fencing medalist Nam Hyun-hee still remembers the feeling when Valentina Vezzali beat her at the Beijing Olympics’ final match four years ago. It happened in a moment, a blink of the eye. “I was getting nervous as I was leading in the match and the veteran Vezzali did not miss the opportunity,” Nam said in an interview with The Korea Times. “Although I lost by one point, I accepted it as a loss where a big gap in skills between Vezzali and myself was obviously exposed, which motivated me to train harder and take on the challenge one more time at the upcoming London Olympics.” Vezzali is a legendary Italian fencer and the first woman to win the individual foil title at three consecutive Games, from Sydney in 2000 Olympics to Beijing in 2008. The 39-year-old is still the favorite for the gold medal in London. Unfortunately, the world champion is not the only obstacle she has to overcome. Elisa Di Francisca, ranked second in the world, is another well-rounded Italian fencer that could crush Nam’s

Jun 24, 2012By Jung Min-ho
People & Events

Kwan advises Kim to follow her heart

By Jung Min-ho Two-time Olympic figure skating medalist Michelle Kwan, known to be Kim Yu-na’s role model, has advised Kim to find her passion in life. “I think she is figuring out her path as she spends time in school and learns from her colleagues and friends. She might find other interests outside of skating if she hasn’t already,” Kwan said Friday in an interview with The Korea Times. “It’s going to be difficult. But you have to do something that you love doing.” The board member of the 2013 PyeongChang Special Olympics held media interviews at Grand Hilton Hotel in Seoul, before she wrapped up her five-day visit. At the interview, the 31-year-old encouraged Kim to move forward with the lessons that she surely learned from the sport: “Hard work, dedication, discipline, falling and getting back up.” “She needs to figure out what she wants to do. It does help to reach out to people who need help. For example, what she is doing with this Special Olympics. I saw her picture with Ban Ki-moon. I’m sure she is involved and maybe she will get more involved when she has more t

Jun 22, 2012By Jung Min-ho
Sports

‘Touch God’s heartstrings for gold’

This is the fifth in a series of interviews with Korean athletes who will take part in the 2012 London Olympics beginning July 27. — ED. By Jung Min-ho No one expected featherweight freestyle wrestler Yang Jung-mo to return from the 1976 Montreal Olympics as the first gold medalist from an independent South Korea. Eight years later, You In-tak in the freestyle lightweight division and Kim Weon-kee as a Greco-Roman featherweight topped the podium at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, bringing further success to the nation’s men’s wrestling team that earned seven more gold medals at the next six Summer Games. This streak was broken in Beijing four years ago. Local fans will hope Korean wrestling can bounce back in London this summer and there is one man putting in a tremendous effort to make it happen. “That’s what brought me back here,” said An Han-bong, Korea national team coach and 57-kilogram Greco-Roman gold medallist at the Barcelona Games in 1992 in an interview with The Korea Times. “What I’m hoping for at the forthcoming London Olympics is to repeat the gl

Jun 21, 2012By Jung Min-ho
Sports

Kim Yu-na, Kwan join efforts for PyeongChang Special Olympics

By Jung Min-ho Reigning Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yu-na and Michelle Kwan, America’s most-decorated skater, stood together Thursday to promote the 2013 PyeongChang Special Olympics World Winter Games that will run from Jan. 19 to Feb. 5 next year. “I’m so glad to be here again,” Kwan said at a media conference at the Press Center in central Seoul. “Among the many offers that I got over the past few years, the one that changed the way I see the world is the Special Olympics. It opened my eyes to see the passion of the athletes that have disabilities.” The three Special Olympics board of directors, Ossie Kilkenny, Loretta Claiborne, and Kwan shared their vision of the Games that has been relatively unacknowledged by the public with the reporters, giving the message, “Korea will have a new vision after the event.” “It is such an honor for me to be here with my long-time role model and friend Kwan for this great opportunity,” Kim, a goodwill ambassador, said. When asked if she has any plans for an ice show with Kwan at the closing ceremony, the 21-year-old said, she

Jun 21, 2012By Jung Min-ho
Sports

Baseball fans up in arms on KBO's no expansion call

By Jung Min-ho Baseball fans and players are up in arms over the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO)’s decision not to add another club to the nine-team professional league. Some describe it as “yet again the height of selfishness.” “I was totally shocked by the KBO’s decision. As soon as the news broke, calls from angry fans started pouring in,” Suwon’s sports industry director Baek Un-ou said. Suwon, along with North Jeolla Province, was vying to host the expansion team. “I think the reasons for the decision make no sense, given that the local government has shown a strong will to make it happen through its pledges of improving the conditions of amateur baseball as well as carrying out major construction to enhance the current baseball stadium in Suwon with a 29 billion won budget.” Baseball’s governing body held off on a decision about whether to create a new outfit, citing that an additional club would lead to a deterioration in the quality of the nation’s top professional league. There are currently 53 high school teams to train future professionals. During a ph

Jun 20, 2012By Jung Min-ho
previous page
190191192193194
next page

Top 5 stories

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.