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

Foreign Affairs

Cambodian PM pledges stronger protection for Koreans

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet expressed his condolences over the recent death of a Korean national in Cambodia and pledged stronger efforts to protect Korean citizens in the country, amid a surge in crimes targeting Koreans there. At Thursday's meeting with a delegation from Seoul led by Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina, Hun said he deeply regretted the death and understood the concerns of the Korean government, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He assured that Cambodian authorities are intensifying crackdowns on online scams and associated criminal organizations, it added. As chairman of the nation’s online scam response committee, Hun said he ordered stricter enforcement actions and greater cooperation with Korea to prevent further harm to Korean residents and visitors, the ministry said. The remarks come as Cambodia faces rising scrutiny from Seoul over a wave of crimes targeting Koreans, who are often lured there by fraudulent job offers. Many end up forced to work in illegal online scams, like voice phishing or romance fraud, under threat of severe physical

Oct 16, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Cambodian PM pledges stronger protection for Koreans
Foreign Affairs

What can Korea do to safeguard its citizens in Cambodia?

Amid rising public outrage over a series of abductions and violent crimes targeting Koreans in Cambodia, Seoul is weighing how far it can go to pressure Phnom Penh to ensure the safety of its citizens. President Lee Jae Myung has ordered all government ministries to mobilize “every available resource” after hundreds of Koreans have fallen victim to organized criminal syndicates. This year alone, more than 550 Koreans have gone missing while living or traveling in the region, with around 80 still not located, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the heart of the debate lies one powerful diplomatic tool: official development assistance (ODA). Korea’s ODA to Cambodia exceeds 430 billion won ($302 million) this year, placing Seoul among Phnom Penh’s top donors. While politicians view this aid as an indispensable lever for change, some foreign policy experts warn that weaponizing aid could erode Korea’s influence in Southeast Asia in the long run. During the National Assembly audit of the administration on Tuesday, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, including Park Be

Oct 15, 2025By Jung Min-ho
What can Korea do to safeguard its citizens in Cambodia?
Foreign Affairs

Bill to curb anti-China rallies stirs debate over freedom of assembly

Korea’s ruling party has introduced a new bill that would prohibit rallies considered to promote hate or discrimination, in response to an increase in anti-China protests ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s anticipated visit to Seoul later this month. The bill, proposed by Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and 12 other progressives, seeks to outlaw rallies aiming to “incite or promote discrimination or hatred” targeting specific races, nationalities or other groups. This follows a spike in anti-China protests in areas like Seoul’s Myeong-dong and Daerim, where demonstrators have chanted slogans such as “China Out.” Tensions fueled by such gatherings prompted the Chinese Embassy in Seoul to recently issue a safety advisory for its nationals, sparking diplomatic concerns as government officials here prepare for the first visit by a Chinese leader in over a decade for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Kim, who chairs the Korea-China Parliamentary Union, described the bill as a “minimal legislative safeguard toward a soc

Oct 14, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Bill to curb anti-China rallies stirs debate over freedom of assembly
Foreign Affairs

EXPLAINER How did Cambodia turn into den of crime?

Once a fast-growing tourism hot spot, Cambodia’s image as a safe, affordable gateway for Korean visitors has been shattered, as scenes of torture, kidnapping and ransom dominate headlines. The number of people falling victim to these crimes is growing rapidly: Data from Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs showed that cases of Korean nationals being kidnapped or unlawfully detained in Cambodia jumped from just 17 in 2023 to 220 last year ― and have already surpassed 330 this year as of August. Experts warn that Cambodia’s weak law enforcement, porous borders and deep-seated corruption have made the Southeast Asian country an especially attractive haven for transnational crime syndicates, many with Chinese leadership. Young Koreans falling victim Most Korean victims are in their 20s and 30s, targeted through online ads promising they can earn 8 million won ($5,600) to 15 million won per month, offering round-trip flight tickets and lodging and saying no special skills are required. After arriving, they are taken to locations like Bokor and Sihanoukville. These towns are home to “sca

Oct 13, 2025By Jung Min-ho
[EXPLAINER] How did Cambodia turn into den of crime?
Society

New rankings gauge Korean universities by global influence, not just research

The Korea Times’ new university ranking system, the K-universities Global Excellence Rankings 2026 (KGER), offers a fresh perspective on what it means to be a global campus. It focuses on global competitiveness, using a sophisticated framework of 22 indicators across four key categories: education, research, student support and graduate outcomes. This year, the ranking evaluated 54 four-year institutions with substantial foreign student populations, relying on publicly available data to ensure impartiality and transparency. At the heart of KGER is its focus on internationalization, with 63.2 percent of the total score devoted to factors that directly shape campus experience for global students. In the education category, international student ratio among enrolled students, diversity of nationalities, ratio of international students meeting language proficiency requirements and their academic retention rate were among the factors assessed. Research takes on a distinctly global dimension in the rankings. Institutions are evaluated on the number of international research papers per facul

Sep 24, 2025By Jung Min-ho
New rankings gauge Korean universities by global influence, not just research
Society

K-universities Global Excellence Rankings sets new standard for university evaluation

Departing from the prestige-driven focus of traditional rankings, the K-universities Global Excellence Rankings 2026 (KGER) is reshaping how Korea’s universities are evaluated, providing institutions with a road map for improvement while giving prospective international students a clearer view of what each campus offers. While legacy systems such as QS or Times Higher Education (THE) rely on reputation surveys and broad measures of academic prowess, KGER prioritizes what matters most to today’s international students: real evidence of global engagement, transparency and meaningful support. Specifically, existing global university ranking systems have built their authority by collecting subjective opinion polls from academics and employers around the world. In QS rankings, for example, reputation accounts for nearly half the score, giving long-established schools a head start based on historical prestige. Unlike traditional rankings, KGER is grounded in verifiable, objective data, placing priority on the real experiences and success of international students on Korean campuses. Metri

Sep 24, 2025By Jung Min-ho
K-universities Global Excellence Rankings sets new standard for university evaluation
Society

Int’l student boom spurs demand for credible university rankings in Korea

Korea’s higher education sector stands at a crossroads, confronted with a shrinking school-age population and mounting financial pressures, prompting universities to rely increasingly on recruiting international students as a path to survival. As a wide range of Korean cultural exports capture global attention, universities are tapping into the rising interest in studying in Korea, increasingly tailoring recruitment efforts to attract students from around the world. This surge in interest has underscored the need for transparent and reliable ways to gauge the level — and effectiveness — of internationalization at universities in Korea, ensuring that both domestic institutions and prospective students from abroad can make informed decisions. With domestic enrollment in sharp decline, the push for internationalization is not merely an academic ideal but an economic imperative, as universities increasingly look beyond their borders to fill classrooms and secure their long-term viability. According to Statistics Korea, the nation’s school-age population is declining faster than in an

Sep 24, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Int’l student boom spurs demand for credible university rankings in Korea
Global Community

EPS-TOPIK cheating expected to end with tablet-based system: officials

EPS-TOPIK, the standardized Korean language test for foreign workers under the Employment Permit System (EPS), will move entirely to tablets next year, a change officials say will strengthen fairness and curb cheating, reflecting the government’s efforts to uphold integrity in the testing process. According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the Ministry of Justice has detected no cheating cases since last year. As the final gatekeeper in the EPS application process, the Ministry of Justice verifies applicants at the visa issuance stage, using biometric facial analysis to match test-takers’ photos with their passport pictures. The test’s initial screening is conducted by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, which oversees nonprofessional employment programs — most notably the EPS — that require applicants to submit TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) or EPS-TOPIK scores. “There used to be cases where the Ministry of Justice would catch these fraud attempts and inform us, but ever since the spread of UBT (ubiquitous-based test), nothing is coming from that ministry a

Sep 19, 2025By Jung Min-ho
EPS-TOPIK cheating expected to end with tablet-based system: officials
Society

Hangang Bus to transform daily lives of Seoul residents, mayor says

After years of planning, the Han River’s water bus service sets sail Thursday, offering Seoul residents and visitors a new way to navigate the city and see it from the water. At Wednesday’s launch ceremony held at Yeouido Pier, Mayor Oh Se-hoon described the Hangang Bus as “a new lifestyle Seoul is proposing ― a choice for residents to enjoy leisure, scenery and the city’s night views in everyday moments.” “The river and cityscape viewed from the boat will offer a place of relaxation, a daily journey and a new cultural experience. As this new option is added to everyone’s daily life, a new brand will be born in Seoul,” Oh said. “Watching each passenger enjoy the passing scenery and shed the day’s fatigue on their commute home, my own weariness seems to melt away. Each Hangang Bus dock promises to become a new hub where culture and trends intersect.” The Hangang Bus, the capital’s first public waterborne transit system, will connect seven piers along a 28.9-kilometer route spanning from Magok to Jamsil. Eight eco-friendly vessels, each of which can carry up to 1

Sep 17, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Hangang Bus to transform daily lives of Seoul residents, mayor says
Global Community

Korea's visa-free policy for Chinese tour groups incites public anger

Korea’s visa-free entry program for Chinese tour groups is drawing public backlash, with more than 52,000 citizens signing a petition for its cancellation just two weeks before it is set to begin. The public backlash, amid an undercurrent of rising anti-China sentiment, is being fueled by a mix of historical grievances, economic competition and a nationalist reaction to what's perceived by many Koreans as Beijing's assertive cultural and political influence in the region. Scheduled to run from Sept. 29 through next June, the visa-free initiative has drawn criticism amid growing concerns over safety and potential abuse. Petitioners cite a mosquito-borne viral outbreak in China’s Guangdong Province, which has recorded more than 10,000 cases, warning that increased travel could threaten public health. They note that infected mosquitoes can be carried by airplanes — a phenomenon known as “airport malaria,” or more broadly, “airport-borne vector transmission,” a recognized public health risk. “The government, which is responsible for the health of its people, should immediate

Sep 17, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Korea's visa-free policy for Chinese tour groups incites public anger
previous page
1819202122
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.