The Korea Times

Head of state adoption agency vows transparency as gov’t takes over process

The director of Korea’s national adoption agency is pledging to help establish a transparent system as the government moves to overhaul the longstanding practice of outsourcing adoptions to private agencies. The restructuring, which took effect on July 19 with the enactment of the Act on International Adoption and the Special Act on Domestic Adoption, assigns the state full responsibility for all adoption procedures, including counseling, temporary care, screening, education of prospective adoptive parents and post-adoption support. Under the transition, the state-run National Center for the Rights of the Child (NCRC) is now the primary institution responsible for the implementation and management of adoptions, including the operation of a temporary archival facility recently set up in Goyang to house all adoption records. “In the past, many adoptees trying to search for their birth records here ended up being lost without knowing where and how to begin,” Han Myoung-ae, director general at the NCRC’s adoption services office, said in a recent interview. “Through the reform, we

Aug 4, 2025By Jung Min-ho

Head of state adoption agency vows transparency as gov’t takes over process

Law & Crime

Lawmaker, police move to toughen anti-stalking statutes

A lawmaker and police are pushing for a major overhaul of Korea’s stalking laws following a spate of deadly stalking cases in recent weeks and mounting public concern over inadequate protections for victims. The National Police Agency said Friday it is collaborating with the office of Rep. Lee In-seon of the main opposition People Power Party to draft an amendment bill that will classify repeated stalking as a form of retaliatory crime to penalize offenders more severely. Under the proposal, offenders could face a minimum sentence of one year in prison if they continue stalking even after victims file a complaint with police. Currently, the vast majority of people indicted on stalking charges receive a fine or a suspended prison sentence, as the maximum sentence for the offense under the current law is three years in prison or a fine up to 30 million won ($22,000). The lawmaker and police are also seeking to redefine the meaning of stalking. The current anti-stalking law, enacted in 2021, defines stalking as a “repeated or continuing” act, which leaves room for legal interpretation

Aug 2, 2025By Jung Min-ho

Lawmaker, police move to toughen anti-stalking statutes

Global Community

Task force launched to investigate overdue wages for 91 Filipino workers

The government has launched an investigation into a major wage nonpayment case involving 91 Filipino workers at a farm in Yanggu, Gangwon Province. The Ministry of Employment and Labor said Friday that it directed officials at its regional office there to establish a task force dedicated to investigating the incident, just one day after a complaint about it was formally received. The team is expected to begin on-site investigations in the coming days to find out why and how the mass wage delays occurred, the ministry said. “With more than 90 foreign workers involved, we are committed to a swift and thorough investigation,” an official said. “Our aim is to secure the workers’ rights and to deliver justice as quickly as possible.” Beyond wage theft, the ministry is also looking into the involvement of a broker agency that allegedly charged excessive fees to the Filipino workers. The agency is suspected of violating the Labor Standards Act by engaging in illicit profit-taking, according to the ministry. Article 9 of the law states, “No person shall intervene in the employment of

Aug 1, 2025By Jung Min-ho

Task force launched to investigate overdue wages for 91 Filipino workers

Global Community

Multicultural families see rising incomes, reduced educational barriers

A new report highlights overall improvements in the quality of life for multicultural families in Korea, noting a rise in higher education enrollment among children from diverse backgrounds and a decline in reported experiences of discrimination. According to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family’s 2024 national survey, released on Thursday, the college enrollment rate among multicultural youth climbed to a record 61.9 percent last year, up sharply from 40.5 percent in 2021. Meanwhile, the gap in higher education enrollment between multicultural and non-multicultural students has narrowed significantly — from 31 percentage points to 13 — signaling that multicultural families are experiencing fewer barriers to academic progress. These gains suggest a significant step toward greater social integration and equality for multicultural families in Korea. This progress, particularly in education, signals a more inclusive future for the nation's increasingly diverse population. Multicultural households also report substantial financial improvement. Nearly 66 percent of families had in

Jul 31, 2025By Jung Min-ho

Multicultural families see rising incomes, reduced educational barriers

Politics

EXPLAINER What’s in Korea's ‘yellow envelope law'?

Despite warnings from business groups and economists, a controversial pro-labor bill — dubbed the “yellow envelope law” — is poised for passage. Leaders of the liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea have signaled their determination to approve the legislation, unilaterally if necessary, during the National Assembly’s plenary session scheduled for Monday. The bill refers to proposed amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act. If enacted, it would broaden labor protections and strengthen the rights of workers to take collective action. The "yellow envelope" nickname traces back to a 2014 grassroots campaign in which the public sent donations in yellow envelopes to support laid-off SsangYong Motor workers who faced court orders to compensate their employer for financial losses stemming from strikes. Since then, the yellow envelope has become a symbol of solidarity with workers confronting costly damages lawsuits. A central feature of the bill is the expanded definition of what constitutes a legitimate labor dispute. Currently, labor disp

Jul 30, 2025By Jung Min-ho

[EXPLAINER] What’s in Korea's ‘yellow envelope law'?

Society

EXPLAINER What’s in Korea’s ‘English kindergarten ban law?’

A bill aimed at restricting early English education for young children has been introduced in the National Assembly, as lawmakers move to curb what they describe as “excessive and premature” tutoring and cram school lessons for preschoolers. Under the bill, led by Rep. Kang Kyung-sook of the minor left-wing Rebuilding Korea Party, all cram school programs in English or other school subject areas would be completely prohibited for children under 36 months. For older children not yet enrolled in school, instruction is restricted to no more than 40 minutes. If passed, it would apply to all types of education, including tutors and for-profit private educational institutions. Penalties for violators include the “cancellation of the registration, or suspension of all or part” of the business. The bill aims to safeguard young children’s well-being while easing the financial and emotional burden of early private education on parents, according to the lawmaker’s office. “Private education expenses are increasing exponentially every year. This year, it reached as much as 32.5 trillio

Jul 30, 2025By Jung Min-ho

[EXPLAINER] What’s in Korea’s ‘English kindergarten ban law?’

Society

Demolition of Seosomun Overpass set to begin Aug. 17

City officials in Seoul announced Tuesday that demolition of Seosomun Overpass, a major elevated roadway downtown that has served the capital for nearly six decades, will begin Aug. 17. The structure is a 335-meter-long, 14.9-meter-wide roadway featuring 18 piers, connecting Chungjeongno Station and City Hall Station. Established in 1966, it carries over 40,000 vehicles per day on average. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the overpass was rated Grade D in a five-level safety rating system after a detailed inspection following a 2019 incident in which pieces of concrete fell from the structure. Inspectors revealed damage to key components, significant deterioration of structural elements and urgent need for repairs. Ultimately, the city government came to the conclusion that demolition is essential. The demolition work will proceed in phases to minimize traffic congestion, city officials said. Starting at midnight on Aug. 17, one lane in the City Hall to Chungjeongno direction will be closed, followed by another lane closure in the opposite direction on Aug. 24. By Sept. 21

Jul 29, 2025By Jung Min-ho

Demolition of Seosomun Overpass set to begin Aug. 17

Environment & Animals

Calls grow for new disaster response model after historic rainfall

The summer of 2025 arrived in Korea not with a gentle hum, but a terrifying roar, as a relentless deluge of record-shattering rainfall unleashed a ferocity unseen in generations. For five consecutive days beginning July 16, torrential rainfall turned ordinary streets into raging rivers, but nowhere was the nightmare more vivid than in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province. There, on July 17, a single hour unleashed 114.9 millimeters of rain — a wall of water so immense it felt, residents recalled, like the sky itself had ruptured. By the time the day surrendered, 413.4 millimeters had fallen upon the stunned city in about 10 hours, an event the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) could only describe with chilling precision: a "once-in-200-years" phenomenon. According to the KMA, nine other cities and counties, including Gwangju (426.4mm), Sejong (324.5mm), Hampyeong (340.5mm), Dangjin (310.0mm) and Cheonan (301.1mm), also experienced record-breaking daily rainfall, levels considered exceptionally rare events by meteorological standards. Yet none of the climate scholars recently con

Jul 29, 2025By Jung Min-ho

Calls grow for new disaster response model after historic rainfall

Global Community

Gov’t plans to discontinue Seoul’s foreign nanny program early next year

The Lee Jae Myung administration plans to discontinue the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s foreign nanny pilot program early next year, as labor authorities re-examine the viability of migrant worker policies introduced by the previous government, according to an official on Monday. Speaking to The Korea Times, an official familiar with the matter said the Ministry of Employment and Labor will not approve a proposal to bring in an additional 1,200 caregivers from the Philippines. Without central government backing, the city government will have to end the foreign nanny initiative when its current trial period concludes in February 2026. “We have reached a consensus that the program should be closed after the test period,” the official said. “There has been a lot of criticism of the scheme, particularly its higher-than-expected cost. After it finishes, we will discuss how to develop a new system to support parents raising children.” Launched in September 2024, the program aimed to reduce the childcare burden for families in Seoul and potentially serve as a model for other region

Jul 28, 2025By Jung Min-ho

Gov’t plans to discontinue Seoul’s foreign nanny program early next year

Environment & Animals

Sweltering heat, heavy rains drive away ‘summer mosquitoes’ in Korea

Korea's notorious summer mosquitoes — normally a constant nuisance throughout July — have been conspicuously less visible this year, with experts attributing the sudden drop in prevalence to an unprecedented early heat wave and heavy rains. According to daily mosquito data provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Sunday, the city’s mosquito activity index stood at “caution,” classified as Level 2 on the four-phase index. Typically, by mid-July, the index escalates to Level 3 or 4. The index is determined using a combination of the city’s real-time mosquito trapping data ― the number of mosquitoes collected daily at designated locations ― and weather factors such as temperature and humidity from the Korea Meteorological Administration. Mosquitoes are generally active when temperatures are between 15 and 30 degrees Celsius. In addition, a climate with regular, periodic rainfall is considered optimal for mosquitoes, as it provides steady breeding sites. But this year, the heat wave arrived earlier than usual, with temperatures surpassing 35 degrees Celsius as early a

Jul 28, 2025By Jung Min-ho

Jung Min-ho

Read more

Head of state adoption agency vows transparency as gov’t takes over process

Lawmaker, police move to toughen anti-stalking statutes

Task force launched to investigate overdue wages for 91 Filipino workers

Multicultural families see rising incomes, reduced educational barriers

EXPLAINER What’s in Korea's ‘yellow envelope law'?

EXPLAINER What’s in Korea’s ‘English kindergarten ban law?’

Demolition of Seosomun Overpass set to begin Aug. 17

Calls grow for new disaster response model after historic rainfall

Gov’t plans to discontinue Seoul’s foreign nanny program early next year

Sweltering heat, heavy rains drive away ‘summer mosquitoes’ in Korea

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