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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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Society

Major protests planned against Trump, Xi in Gyeongju ahead of APEC summit

As the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit draws near, police and authorities in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, are now on high alert for protests targeting two of the most high-profile guests ― U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. With the leaders of the two largest economies in the world scheduled for a rare in-person meeting on Thursday, tensions have been mounting outside the official summit venues. So far, at least 13 organizations are planning to hold 16 separate rallies throughout the city during APEC week, with more activists anticipated to join as the event approaches, according to police on Friday. The International People’s Action Committee Against 2025 APEC, which consists of 35 left-leaning political parties and civic groups, plans to mobilize protestors from Seoul to Gyeongju in the coming week, voicing opposition to tariff threats from Trump. “The whole world is unable to respond to Trump’s ruthless tariff war and is being defeated one by one,” the committee said in statement at its launching ceremony last month. “We

Oct 24, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Major protests planned against Trump, Xi in Gyeongju ahead of APEC summit
Travel & Food

Seoul's palaces rank among top autumn tourist destinations

Seoul’s palaces have been selected as the city’s premier autumn attractions, according to data released Wednesday. Using big data collected last October from social media comments, consumer trends and other sources, city authorities identified palaces as the clear favorites among both residents and visitors. Gyeongbok Palace led the pack with over 30,000 social media references, the adjoined Changgyeong and Changdeok palaces ranked fifth, and Deoksu Palace ranked seventh. Seoul Forest came in second, praised for its scenic maple and ginkgo tree photo zones as well as experiential attractions like the insect and butterfly gardens located inside the park. The Hyundai Seoul, a flagship department store located in Yeongdeungpo District, came in third. Cheonggye Stream was the fourth-most mentioned spot, drawing 240,000 foreign tourists throughout the autumn ― especially from Japan and China. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, interest in Mount Nam has surged recently, driven by the popularity of Netflix animated movie “KPop Demon Hunters,” which features the mountain and

Oct 22, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Seoul's palaces rank among top autumn tourist destinations
Books

Han Kang honored in Jangheung County literary events

A series of literary events celebrating the first anniversary of novelist Han Kang’s Nobel Prize in Literature will continue across Jangheung County, South Jeolla Province, through the end of this year. According to Jangheung County, Tuesday, the events are intended to reflect on the meaning of the Korean author’s historic achievement and to cement Jangheung’s identity as an area with a rich literary lineage. The Swedish Academy announced Han as the 2024 Nobel laureate in literature on Oct. 10 last year, recognizing her “lyrical prose that intertwines fragility and human endurance.” The festivities began on Oct. 18 with the “Nobel Literature City Borimsa Bijarim Music Festival,” held at Borim Temple. From Oct. 24 to 25, a “Book Camp” is scheduled at Papillon Zip, a cultural complex housed in a remodeled former prison, where about 60 middle school students and writers will engage in literary workshops and creative writing sessions. Additional festivities will take place from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 along the Tamjin River, including the “Literature Forest” program and the

Oct 21, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Han Kang honored in Jangheung County literary events
Arts & Theater

Seoul City breaks ground on Han River island connecting art and nature

Seoul on Tuesday broke ground on Nodeul Global Art Island, a striking new landmark at the heart of the Han River, launching a 370 billion won ($260 million) project that aims to transform the island into a world-class center for art and urban leisure by 2028. Hundreds of residents and dignitaries, including Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and acclaimed British architect Thomas Heatherwick, attended the groundbreaking ceremony held on the island. The initiative is central part of the city’s Great Han River Project, which aims to revitalize the entire river corridor with new landmarks, the mayor declared. “If the Hangang River Bus represents the pinnacle of the Han River Renaissance ― a movement transforming the river into a stream of Seoul’s elegance and culture ― the Nodeul Global Art Island will be the final piece completing the grand picture,” Oh said. “It will become a new center of culture and art that changes the daily lives of citizens and elevates Seoul’s urban competitiveness to the next level.” The mayor said the proposed design is “not just about external beauty, bu

Oct 21, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Seoul City breaks ground on Han River island connecting art and nature
Global Community

Labor minister rejects calls to cut Cambodian worker quota after kidnappings

Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon on Monday firmly rejected calls to cut the E-9 visa quota for Cambodian workers amid growing public anger over kidnappings and other crimes targeting Koreans in the Southeast Asian country. At a press conference with foreign correspondents in Seoul, Kim rejected suggestions that the Cambodian government should be held accountable for the recent crimes involving its nationals or that Korea should reduce Cambodia’s E-9 labor quota in response. “We have no plans to adjust Cambodia’s E-9 allocation at this time,” Kim said. He cautioned that unilaterally cutting quotas or restricting employment permits based on such isolated incidents could unfairly stigmatize Cambodian workers already residing and employed in Korea, while undermining bilateral labor relations. His comments come as a wave of crimes targeting Korean citizens by Cambodia-based crime syndicates has sparked debate about the future of labor cooperation between the two nations. Since Korea signed a labor-sending agreement with Cambodia in 2006, the partner nation has become the second-largest

Oct 20, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Labor minister rejects calls to cut Cambodian worker quota after kidnappings
Foreign Affairs

Gyeongju to offer halal cuisine during APEC summit

Gyeongju, the host city for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, will provide halal cuisine during the event to accommodate Muslim visitors. According to city officials on Sunday, a restaurant named Hi Asia will operate a Gyeongju branch for the weeklong 2025 APEC summit schedule, scheduled to run from Oct. 27 to Nov. 1, within the Bomun Tourism Complex. The establishment will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner in a buffet format, adhering strictly to halal standards, city officials said. Halal refers to food prepared according to Islamic guidelines governing slaughter, processing and cooking methods to ensure it meets the dietary requirements of Muslims. The initiative reflects the city’s efforts to promote inclusivity and hospitality as it prepares to welcome international guests from all over the world. “We will make thorough preparations to make sure that delegates and visitors from various cultural backgrounds attending the APEC summit can enjoy their meals comfortably,” Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nak-young said.

Oct 19, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Gyeongju to offer halal cuisine during APEC summit
Foreign Affairs

Korea mulls financial sanctions to combat Cambodia crime networks

Korea is poised to impose financial sanctions on businesses associated with Cambodia-based crime networks that run large-scale human trafficking and scam operations, in response to a surge in kidnappings of Korean citizens in the Southeast Asian country. Confirmation of the move is expected to be announced later this month, and would mark Seoul’s most decisive action yet, addressing criticism that the government has been slow to act. According to financial authorities on Sunday, the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) under the Financial Services Commission is reviewing whether to designate suspected criminals and affiliated businesses as “restricted entities” ― a step that would freeze assets and block financial transactions including digital currency. “All related government departments have held consultations on how to define the nature of the Cambodian criminal organizations and how to respond to them,” an official said. The discussion comes a week after the United States and Britain jointly announced sanctions on Cambodia’s Prince Group and Huione Group, both accused of

Oct 19, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Korea mulls financial sanctions to combat Cambodia crime networks
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
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