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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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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
  • Korean brick factory faces sanctions after shocking abuse of foreign worker
  • Migrant rights activists welcome president's pick for new labor minister
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
Sweltering heat, heavy rains drive away ‘summer mosquitoes’ in Korea
Environment & Animals

Experts call for preemptive, systematic responses to ‘killer heat’

A Vietnamese construction worker, just 23 years old and on his first day at a site in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, was found dead while working in scorching heat earlier this month. His body temperature had soared above 40 degrees Celsius ― a clear sign of fatal heat stroke ― by the time other workers found him. The tragedy serves as a stark warning about the dangers of extreme heat. On July 8, the day after the death, Seoul recorded a daytime high of 37.8 degrees Celsius ― the highest early July temperature since data collection began in 1907. Temperature in Gumi also went up to as high as 37.2 degrees the same day. The incident was also a sobering reminder that certain groups ― such as outdoor workers ― are especially vulnerable to the dangers of extreme heat. As climate experts warn that the intensity and frequency of heat waves are only expected to grow more severe in the future, activists are calling for stronger legal protections and targeted policies for those most at risk. “Many migrant workers are unable to quickly understand heat wave alerts because they are se

Jul 27, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Experts call for preemptive, systematic responses to ‘killer heat’
Society

Release of Jeju Air crash report delayed amid families’ rejection of findings

The Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB) is facing intense criticism from the families of victims, after releasing interim findings on the Jeju Air passenger plane crash attributing the Dec. 29 tragedy primarily to pilot error. Before a planned press briefing on Saturday, the bereaved families were informed of the preliminary assessment but protested strongly, arguing that the interim report regarding the crash that killed 179 people blamed the pilot prematurely. As a result of their outcry, the press conference was canceled and the release of the report was postponed. According to ARAIB and victim families on Monday, the preliminary report suggested that after a severe bird strike critically damaged the right engine, the pilot might have mistakenly shut down the still-functioning left engine while following emergency procedures. That decision led to stopping the integrated drive generator (IDG), a critical component that generates and supplies electrical power to all of the plane’s systems. The failure of the IDG meant that some vital equipment ― including the

Jul 21, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Release of Jeju Air crash report delayed amid families’ rejection of findings
Global Community

Only 8% of Koreans would accept immigrants as family: study

While a growing proportion of Koreans say they would accept immigrants as members of society, few are willing to welcome them into their own families, according to a new report. The report, released earlier this month by state-run think tank Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, shows that less than 8.4 percent of respondents said they would accept an immigrant as a spouse or family member. In response to the question, “To what extent are you willing to accept immigrants?,” 38.7 percent of 3,011 respondents said they would accept immigrants as neighbors, followed by as colleagues (30.51 percent), close friends (18.35 percent), family members (8.37 percent) and not at all (4.07 percent). This underscores a notable reluctance to embrace immigrants beyond public or professional spheres, with openness dramatically decreasing for closer relationships. Younger Koreans (ages 19-34) demonstrated a greater willingness to befriend immigrants, with 30.2 percent open to close friendships ― exceeding the national average. However, only 8.6 percent said they would accept immigrants as f

Jul 19, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Only 8% of Koreans would accept immigrants as family: study
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