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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

AI could widen inequality unless governments act now, experts warn

Experts said Monday that artificial intelligence (AI) could deepen inequality and leave many workers behind unless governments move quickly to govern the technology properly and to protect vulnerable workers. Speaking at the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Forum on Jobs for the Future held in Seoul, they warned that while AI is already boosting productivity in many firms, without strong governance, skills policies and safety nets, its benefits may only be enjoyed by a small number of people or countries, as others see their jobs and incomes come under greater pressure. Lim Young-mi, the ministry’s employment policy chief, said the impact of AI on workplaces “depends not on the technology itself but on how we prepare and respond,” adding that the age of AI should be “an opportunity for all,” not just for a few. She said the Korean government is pursuing “AI for all” not only at home but also abroad, noting that it is seeking to host a global AI hub that would bring together the AI functions of international organizations and help other APEC economies develop their

Apr 6, 2026By Jung Min-ho
AI could widen inequality unless governments act now, experts warn
Society

EXPLAINER Who counts as employer in Korea under new law?

Korea has drawn a new line on who qualifies as an employer. In the first decision under the pro-labor “yellow envelope law” last week, a regional labor commission ruled that state-run institutions that oversee safety management and staffing for subcontracted workers can be treated as employers and be required to come to the bargaining table. The government says the decision appears to reflect a finding of “substantive and concrete control” based on the specific facts of the case, while businesses worry that this could mark the start of a flood of bargaining demands from subcontractor unions. The South Chungcheong office of the National Labor Relations Commission, which serves as the primary forum for determining “employer” status in practice, ordered four organizations, including the Korea Asset Management Corporation, to respond to a request from a union that represents subcontracted cleaners, security guards and facility workers. The office said it found that work contracts and testimonies of the workers verified that the public institutions exerted substantial influence o

Apr 6, 2026By Jung Min-ho
[EXPLAINER] Who counts as employer in Korea under new law?
Society

Auto unions demand job security in AI transition

Union leaders at Korea’s carmakers are raising concerns about what companies and the government hail as a next-generation technology push, saying the artificial intelligence (AI) transition is racing ahead without a plan to protect workers' jobs. Speaking at a press conference near Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul Thursday, the Korean Metal Workers’ Union (KMWU) and leaders of the unions of Hyundai, Kia and GM Korea demanded the creation of a government-industry consultative body on “supply chain and job protection,” warning that the rapid push for humanoid robots and unmanned factories risks turning the AI transition into a sweeping restructuring program rather than a shared productivity gain. “Earlier this year, Hyundai Motor announced that it would deploy a physical AI robot called Atlas for parts sequencing work starting in 2028 and for vehicle assembly work in 2030, replacing human labor and operating an unmanned factory that runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even with the lights off,” said Lee Jong-cheol, head of the KMWU’s Hyundai Motor branch. “In Hyundai’s vision

Apr 2, 2026By Jung Min-ho
Auto unions demand job security in AI transition
Global Community

Korean-Filipino graduate finds engineering future through Korea Polytechnics program

Park Jong-bae was 14 when he arrived in Korea from the Philippines — the country where he was born to a Korean father and a Filipino mother. Despite his Korean heritage, he struggled with a new language, a new culture and a school system that moved faster than he could follow. After middle school, he entered a general high school but quickly fell behind because of his limited Korean language skills and eventually left the conventional academic track. His turning point came at Korea Polytechnics Dasom High School, an alternative school for students from multicultural background. There, Park received tailored Korean-language support and hands-on technical classes that opened his eyes to the world of engineering. Yet after graduating, Park struggled to find a stable career, moving from one short-term job to another. Hoping to find a professional path aligned with his interests, he enrolled in a vocational training program run by Korea Polytechnics, a public college system under the Ministry of Employment and Labor, for job seekers with multicultural backgrounds like him, specializing in

Apr 2, 2026By Jung Min-ho
Korean-Filipino graduate finds engineering future through Korea Polytechnics program
Foreign Affairs

US public diplomacy official raises concerns over 'fake news' law in Seoul talks

U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers held talks with Korean Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Lim Sang-woo Wednesday in Seoul, after criticizing Korea’s controversial “fake news” law. A day before the meeting, Rogers wrote on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, that she would “discuss shipbuilding, the Network Act, K-POP diplomacy and more” in Korea, signaling that the law was on her agenda alongside broader alliance issues. According to the ministry, the two sides exchanged “broad and in-depth views” on a wide range of issues, including bilateral cooperation, joint outreach in the Indo-Pacific region and preparations to mark the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, as well as “digital-based communication” — wording that appears to tiptoe around explicit mention of the law. “Both sides shared the view that public diplomacy is not only a means to deepen mutual understanding and trust between the peoples of the two nations, but also a key policy tool for advancing the main tasks of the Korea-U.S. alliance. In particular, they a

Apr 1, 2026By Jung Min-ho
US public diplomacy official raises concerns over 'fake news' law in Seoul talks
  • Bill targeting 'fake news' sparks backlash over press freedom
  • UNESCO raises censorship concerns over Korea’s ‘anti-fake news’ law
Travel & Food

World’s tallest sea bridge observatory set to open in Incheon

The world’s tallest observatory on a sea bridge will open in the port city of Incheon in April, offering sweeping views of Korea’s West Sea from nearly 200 meters above the water. The Sky 184 observatory is built into the top of the main tower of Cheongna Sky Bridge, which connects Yeongjong Island with the mainland at Cheongna International City. Rising 184.2 meters above sea level, it has been certified by Guinness World Records as the highest public bridge observatory on the sea, beating the 128-meter Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory in the U.S. state of Maine. According to Incheon city officials, the two-story facility has a total floor area of 339 square meters. The first level is an indoor observatory equipped with telescopes, while the second level is an open-air deck featuring an “edge walk,” where visitors wearing safety gear can circle the outside of the platform. On clear days, the skyline stretches from Yeongjong and Cheongna across Incheon to Seoul landmarks such as N Seoul Tower and Lotte World Tower, officials said. After additional safety checks, the observato

Apr 1, 2026By Jung Min-ho
World’s tallest sea bridge observatory set to open in Incheon
Business

Global crowd from 75 countries packs Korea Business Expo Gangseo

Clusters of overseas buyers and Korean exporters packed the aisles of Coex Magok on Tuesday, as Gangseo District used the 2026 Korea Business Expo Gangseo to pitch itself as a rising international business hub. Under banners reading “Gangseo Innovation Pavilion” and “Seoul Pavilion,” rows of booths buzzed with simultaneous meetings in Korean, English and other languages while company representatives flipped through catalogs and demonstrated products on tablet screens. The expo, staged in collaboration with the 27th World-OKTA Leaders Convention, organized by the largest global business network for the Korean diaspora, brings together roughly 300 Korean companies and about 1,200 overseas buyers from 75 countries. The program is built around export consultations and on-site deals, with district officials and World-OKTA saying that the event is designed to generate concrete contracts rather than just business card exchanges. Speaking to reporters, Jin Gyo-hoon, district chief, said the expo is part of a broader plan to remake Gangseo into a new “future economic” hub in Seoul tha

Mar 31, 2026By Jung Min-ho
Global crowd from 75 countries packs Korea Business Expo Gangseo
Environment & Animals

Korea delays shutdown of coal-powered plants amid energy crisis

Korea will delay the shutdown of coal-powered power plants as the government scrambles to secure electricity supplies amid an escalating energy crisis triggered by the conflict in the Middle East. Speaking to The Korea Times on Monday, a senior official at the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said the ministry will extend the operations of three coal-fired power stations that had been scheduled to close this year. “The timetable for closing them is being rescheduled,” the official said. Asked how long the shutdown would be delayed, another senior official said the details are still under discussion and that a final decision is expected to be made in the coming days. This comes after President Lee Jae Myung instructed Minister Kim Sung-hwan to reconsider the shutdown plan, citing the need for “emergency measures” to prevent power shortages in the wake of U.S.-Israeli military strikes against Iran. The move marks a major disruption to Korea’s policy to rid itself of all coal-powered power plants by 2040. After changing the name of the Ministry of Environment to the curr

Mar 30, 2026By Jung Min-ho
Korea delays shutdown of coal-powered plants amid energy crisis
Global Community

Korea overhauls anti-trafficking policy to protect foreign workers more effectively

Korea has announced a major overhaul of its anti-trafficking policy, unveiling new measures to promptly identify and protect victims — especially foreign seasonal and maritime workers. The plan, revealed Friday by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, comes after years of criticism over the slow detection and recognition of such abuse cases, particularly in low-wage migrant labor. Rights activists have long argued that official victim numbers vastly understate the real scale of abuse in Korea. Between 2023 and March 2026, the government formally recognized only 70 people as “victims of trafficking,” 58 of whom are foreign nationals. A strict legal definition of trafficking is the reason that most officially confirmed victims are noncitizens — that the crime requires elements such as “movement of the person,” including cross-border movement. Under the reforms, police, labor and other ministries will tighten cooperation and share relevant information. When frontline officials encounter possible victims during inspections or investigations, they should immediately link the

Mar 27, 2026By Jung Min-ho
Korea overhauls anti-trafficking policy to protect foreign workers more effectively
Banking & Finance

Prediction markets doubt fast recovery in Hormuz shipping

Prediction markets are skeptical that tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will return to normal in the coming weeks, despite talk of possible Washington-Tehran diplomacy. As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, traders assigned a 39 percent chance that ship traffic in the Strait will “return to normal” by the end of April in a forum on Polymarket, a prediction market. This probability is down sharply from 77 percent on March 10, reflecting increasing doubts that the waterway will reopen quickly. Meanwhile on Kalshi, another prediction market platform, traders were a bit more positive about that possibility — but still short of a sure bet. Only 46 percent saw traffic returning to normal before May 1, rising to just over half by May 15 and about two‑thirds by June 1. The Strait of Hormuz, which handles 20 percent of global crude oil transit and carries about 70 percent of Korea’s crude imports from the Middle East, has become a major vulnerability for energy security in Korea and around the world. Since the start of the war on Feb. 28, Iran has severely disrupted trade between the Persi

Mar 25, 2026By Jung Min-ho
Prediction markets doubt fast recovery in Hormuz shipping
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