The Korea Times

Gyeongju reimagines itself as permanent fixture of global diplomacy

When the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum convened last year in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom was cast as more than just a scenic backdrop. Against a landscape of burial mounds and Buddhist temples, the gathering offered a glimpse into a new regional relevance. Under the theme “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow,” member economies committed to tighter coordination on the modern anxieties of the Pacific Rim: the rapid ascent of artificial intelligence and the looming economic pressures of aging populations. Local leaders and the central government are now trying to translate that moment of attention into a sustained role on the global stage. Hahm Sung-deuk, co-chairman of the World Gyeongju Forum’s (WGF) advisory committee, said the city’s dual identity — as a “museum without walls” and an increasingly active diplomatic hub — gives it a rare advantage in seeking a broader international presence. “Gyeongju’s historical and cultural assets are too rich for APEC events (or similar large-scale international gather

Jan 9, 2026By Park Ung

Gyeongju reimagines itself as permanent fixture of global diplomacy

Society

PHOTO Cold snap grips Korea

Frozen tidal flats are seen in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. A cold spell is forecast to continue through the weekend and early next week, with temperatures expected to fall as low as minus 9 degrees Celsius in Seoul. Most parts of the country are expected to see 1-5 centimeters of snow from Friday to Saturday, with some mountainous regions expected to receive up to 15 centimeters. Yonhap

Jan 8, 2026By Park Ung

Society

Panda diplomacy heats up as Gwangju zoo emerges as potential new home

A zoo in the southwestern city of Gwangju has become a focal point of panda diplomacy between South Korea and China, emerging as a possible new home for the animals after a summit between the two countries’ leaders, with supporters pointing to its track record on animal welfare, trained staff and appropriate facilities. On Wednesday, President Lee Jae Myung said he requested Chinese President Xi Jinping to loan a pair of pandas to Uchi Park Zoo, noting its status as one of the nation’s two designated hub zoos and agreeing to move forward with working-level discussions. The Ministry of Environment grants hub zoo designation based on criteria for animal welfare and conservation, including a minimum site area of 10,000 square meters, an animal hospital and at least three veterinarians. Founded in 1992, Uchi Park Zoo became South Korea’s second designated hub zoo last year, following Cheongju Zoo in North Chungcheong Province. It is widely recognized for its expertise in animal protection and veterinary care, having pioneered a titanium artificial beak for a parrot and successfully op

Jan 8, 2026By Park Ung

Panda diplomacy heats up as Gwangju zoo emerges as potential new home

Society

Report details fate of secret agents S. Korea sent to North, then forgot

In 1992, Kim Ho, executive director of the Korea Special Mission Exploits Association’s Gyeonggi branch, was 20 when he came across a recruitment poster for special agents that would change his life. When Kim asked about the posting, an official promised pay high enough to buy a home and guaranteed employment afterward. After Kim passed a physical test in the southern port city of Busan, he advanced to further screening in central Seoul’s Yongsan District, competing with roughly 400 applicants from across the country. Ultimately, about 30 finalists were sent to Sokcho in Gangwon Province. For the next 28 months, Kim underwent brutal training without an official military service number or rank, learning skills ranging from VIP assassination to infiltration into North Korea. When the assignment ended, however, the promised compensation never came. “After my discharge, government officials would show up at my workplace and ask what I was doing,” Kim told The Korea Times. “That led co-workers to suspect I had been involved in something questionable, making it hard for me to keep a j

Jan 8, 2026By Park Ung

Report details fate of secret agents S. Korea sent to North, then forgot

Society

Facing labor shortage, gov't enlists more foreign laborers to farm seafood

Faced with a shrinking workforce and a rapidly aging population, the Korean government last week began dramatically expanding its visa program for foreign workers, opening 15 sectors of the country’s struggling aquaculture industry to overseas labor. Aquaculture involves the controlled cultivation of aquatic organisms — such as fish, shellfish, and seaweed — and is often described as the "farming of the sea." It provides a sustainable alternative to traditional wild-capture fishing. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Ministry of Justice said Monday that eligibility for foreign aquaculture workers, previously limited to only farming sea cucumbers, was expanded to include laver (edible seaweed), kelp and mussels, among others. About 200 foreign workers can be employed in Korea annually and are required to hold a bachelor’s degree in a fisheries-related field or an associate degree coupled with at least two years of relevant experience, while those without a degree must have a minimum of five years’ experience. Employers must pay wages of at least 80 percent of the previ

Jan 6, 2026By Park Ung

Facing labor shortage, gov't enlists more foreign laborers to farm seafood

Sports

K League sees first foreign goalkeeper in 28 years

Emanuel Novo has become the Korea Professional Football League's (K League) first foreign goalkeeper in 28 years, a milestone that signals a growing openness in a role long closed to non-Korean athletes. Yongin FC, named after its home city in Gyeonggi Province and set to enter the second-tier K League 2 this season, announced on Saturday that it had signed the Portuguese goalkeeper. The 33-year-old is also the K League’s first foreign goalkeeper since the league lifted its long-standing ban on foreign registrations at the position last June, a change that took effect this season. Previously, Novo played in Portugal’s first and second divisions and has also competed in Romania and Saudi Arabia. Yongin FC cited his command of the air — aided by his 192-centimeter frame — as well as his strong communication with defenders. “As the first goalkeeper to join the K League since the ban on foreign goalkeepers was lifted, I want to live up to that responsibility,” Novo said, adding that it was a great honor to join the team. In 1999, after years of gradual curbs, the league barred th

Jan 4, 2026By Park Ung

K League sees first foreign goalkeeper in 28 years

Society

Star lecturers charged over illegal college entrance exam question deals

Prosecutors indicted 46 people Monday on charges of illegally trading questions tied to Korea’s College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), or Suneung, including officials from private tuition companies and teachers. Those charged include prominent private CSAT instructors, math teacher Hyun Woo-jin and English teacher Cho Jung-sik. The two are accused of purchasing test questions from teachers who either wrote textbooks for Korea's public broadcaster, the Educational Broadcasting System (EBS), or previously served as CSAT mock exam writers, which are state-run practice tests held six times a year. Prosecutors allege Hyun paid about 400 million won ($276,900) to three teachers between 2020 and 2023 to write and provide test questions. Cho is accused of paying 80 million won over the same period to obtain questions from teachers and other individuals, and of seeking advance access to questions before EBS textbooks were published. Since 2004, CSAT questions have been closely tied to EBS textbooks as a measure to curb private education costs. This year, 50 percent of the exam questions were di

Dec 31, 2025By Park Ung

Star lecturers charged over illegal college entrance exam question deals

Society

1 in 20 Koreans shows low social interaction

One in 20 Koreans has limited social interaction with others, a government analysis shows, offering a rare data-based look at how weaker personal networks are reflected in work, mobility and spending patterns. The Ministry of Data and Statistics released a report Monday on living conditions among four groups of social and policy interest: older adults ages 65 and older, young adults ages 19 to 34, the low-interaction group and people 18 and older with no loan or credit card history over the past three years. The low-interaction group was defined as mobile phone users who contacted fewer than 20 distinct people and made fewer than 500 outgoing calls and text messages a month. This placed them in the bottom 15 percent for the former and the bottom 10 percent for the latter as of the first quarter of this year. The ministry combined the government’s 2023 population data with first-quarter data this year on daily activity from SK Telecom, Shinhan Card, Korea Credit Bureau and SK Broadband to analyze economic and social activity. It said the report is the first such analysis to closely exam

Dec 30, 2025By Park Ung

1 in 20 Koreans shows low social interaction

Society

Ex-first lady used status for gifts, influenced appointments: special counsel

A special prosecutor team that investigated Kim Keon Hee, the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, announced its final findings Monday after a 180-day probe. The findings addressed allegations raised both before and during Yoon’s presidency and included additional details uncovered by the probe. The special prosecutor team said in their report that Kim exploited her status as the president’s spouse to receive expensive gifts and intervene broadly in personnel and candidate nominations, undermining Korea’s public systems. “It was clearly established that Kim played a leading role from the early stages of the former president’s entry into politics and continued to do so after his election,” assistant special counsel Oh Jeong-hee said, calling their relationship “a political collective.” Launched in July, the team led by Min Joong-ki, former chief judge of the Seoul Central District Court, investigated 16 charges against Kim, including stock price manipulation and bribery linked to the Unification Church. Earlier this month, prosecutors sought a 15-year prison sentence an

Dec 29, 2025By Park Ung

Ex-first lady used status for gifts, influenced appointments: special counsel

Society

Incheon to review discriminatory bridge toll after opening

Incheon’s new bridge toll exemption policy, which The Korea Times previously reported had drawn criticism for discriminating against foreign residents by excluding them under a city ordinance, has yet to prompt a substantive response from authorities or city council members. But as backlash has intensified around the discriminatory policy, some council members told The Korea Times that they see problems with it and are open to revising it. Set to open in January, the 4.68-kilometer bridge — which has yet to receive an official name — will connect Incheon International Airport, Korea’s main international gateway, to Incheon’s major business hub of Cheongna International City. Upon its opening, vehicles owned by residents registered at addresses in Incheon’s Yeongjong Island, Cheongna and the islands of Bukdo Township will qualify for unlimited toll exemptions ranging from 2,000 won for passenger cars to 4,400 won for large vehicles. The exemption will be expanded to all Incheon residents beginning in April. Foreign residents, however, are excluded from the applications that be

Dec 26, 2025By Park Ung

Park Ung

Read more

Gyeongju reimagines itself as permanent fixture of global diplomacy

PHOTO Cold snap grips Korea

Panda diplomacy heats up as Gwangju zoo emerges as potential new home

Report details fate of secret agents S. Korea sent to North, then forgot

Facing labor shortage, gov't enlists more foreign laborers to farm seafood

K League sees first foreign goalkeeper in 28 years

Star lecturers charged over illegal college entrance exam question deals

1 in 20 Koreans shows low social interaction

Ex-first lady used status for gifts, influenced appointments: special counsel

Incheon to review discriminatory bridge toll after opening

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