Opinion - The Korea Times

ED A bus is not home for Korean youth

Rep. Hwang Hee of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) sparked controversy recently with his ill-timed proposal to turn disused old buses into temporary housing for university students. His so-called “bus house” idea was quickly ridiculed by younger Koreans, many of whom saw it not as an innovative housing solution but as an insult to a generation struggling to find decent places to live. The controversy started Friday with Hwang's post titled “A Proposal on Bus Houses” on social media. He suggested that the government recycle retired buses into temporary housing for students facing a shortage of affordable homes. “The cost of remodeling a vehicle will be around 50 million won ($35,000). If 10,000 buses are renovated, the total cost will be only 500 billion won,” he wrote. Drawing inspiration from houseboats in Amsterdam, he said refurbished buses could provide a temporary solution to the acute housing difficulties confronting young people in Korea. The proposal immediately drew criticism. Some young people accused Hwang of treating them like refugees rather than citiz

7h ago

ED Korean football needs reckoning, not another apology

The Korea Football Association (KFA) has apologized. Again. Following Korea’s disappointing 2026 World Cup campaign, a parliamentary hearing, a police search of KFA headquarters and renewed scrutiny of long-buried allegations, the KFA has acknowledged that public trust in the institution has been badly damaged. It has promised “deep self-reflection,” greater transparency and sweeping reform. While that response is necessary, it is not sufficient. Korean football does not need another apology. It needs a reckoning. The latest crisis cannot be reduced to a poor World Cup performance, nor to the controversial appointment of a national team coach. Police are investigating whether improper interference occurred in the 2024 appointment of Hong Myung-bo, while the KFA’s handling of the process has already attracted sustained criticism. The sports ministry previously found that the association had breached its own procedures in appointing both Hong and his predecessor, Jurgen Klinsmann, although it did not conclude that the appointments were illegal. That distinction matters. An allegatio

1d ago

[ED] Korean football needs reckoning, not another apology

ED Korea's trade, labor ministers at odds

The reported plan to allow an exception to the 52-hour workweek for research and development (R&D) and other high-income personnel at the megaprojects announced by the government in late June has the Trade Minister Kim Jung-kwan and Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon at odds. Speaking Thursday at Kwanhun Club, a journalists' association based in Seoul, the trade minister said that while the 52-hour workweek should be upheld, there is a need for flexibility in the implementation of the system in the proposed megaproject zones. "The system should not stand in the way of young people's willingness to work," he noted. The labor minister has been less inclined to support an exemption, noting that the country's major companies have made profits even with the 52-hour workweek in place. In June, President Lee Jae Myung unveiled his flagship megaprojects in a bid to elevate Korea as a leader in artificial intelligence (AI) by spreading AI-related sectors throughout the nation. The initiative includes semiconductor fabrication plants in the southwestern city of Gwangju and the surrounding Jeolla provin

Aug 7, 2026

[ED] Korea's trade, labor ministers at odds

ED Beyond emergency heat wave measures

Korea is confronting a new reality. Record-breaking heat and prolonged drought are no longer isolated weather anomalies but defining features of a changing climate. As temperatures soar to unprecedented levels, the consequences are rippling through every aspect of society — from food prices and energy security to public health and economic productivity. The era of treating heat waves as seasonal inconveniences has come to an end. Extreme heat has become a national crisis demanding a fundamental shift in public policy. The most immediate impact is being felt at the dinner table. Unrelenting heat has devastated agricultural production, sending the prices of vegetables such as spinach, cucumbers, cabbage and carrots sharply higher. Livestock and aquaculture have also suffered heavy losses, with hundreds of thousands of farm animals and fish dying from heat stress. The result is a classic case of "heatflation," in which extreme temperatures drive up food prices and place an additional burden on already strained household budgets. Although headline inflation has eased somewhat due to lowe

Aug 6, 2026

[ED] Beyond emergency heat wave measures

ED Silence cannot be solution

What do you do when someone who holds significant influence over your work or business becomes suspicious of your intentions? The natural response is to defend yourself, clear up misunderstandings and prevent them from damaging the relationship. If you have evidence supporting your position, presenting it is often the most effective way to restore trust. President Lee Jae Myung is facing a similar situation. The public appears to believe that he is willing to pursue a constitutional revision that would effectively nullify Article 128 of the Constitution, which prohibits an incumbent president from benefiting from a constitutional amendment that would extend a presidential term or allow reelection. Under the current Constitution, Korea's president serves a single five-year term. Even if the Constitution is amended to change the presidential term, the revision cannot apply to the sitting president — it would take effect only after the incumbent leaves office. Lee has never publicly advocated changing the Constitution to extend his own tenure. Instead, it was his confidant, National Ass

Aug 5, 2026

ED Clearing ex-DPK lawmaker of aides abuse allegations

Rep. Kang Sun-woo was cleared of allegations stemming from complaints filed last year for her alleged abuse of aides. In June last year, when she was a lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), her nomination for President Lee Jae Myung's first gender equality and family minister stirred up allegations that she was abusing aides, bringing her under heightened public scrutiny at parliamentary hearings. After she voluntarily withdrew her nomination, she continued to work as a DPK legislator until eventually exiting the DPK when allegations arose that she received 100 million won ($69,774) from former Seoul Metropolitan Council member Kim Kyung. Her alleged abuse of parliamentary aides entailed asking them to clean her home, including the taking out the trash and repairing the bidet, as well as ostracizing aides while threatening to make it hard to get other jobs in the future among other things, cementing her public image as arrogant and authoritarian. Civic groups filed various complaints against her, including for violations of the Labor Standards Act, abuse of authority

Aug 4, 2026

[ED] Clearing ex-DPK lawmaker of aides abuse allegations

ED Expectations for new US envoy with Korean roots

New U.S. Ambassador to Korea Michelle Park Steel stepped up her public diplomacy on Saturday, just two days after arriving in Seoul to begin her tenure as U.S. ambassador. In a video uploaded to the U.S. Embassy's Facebook account, Steel appeared energetic and fully settled into her new role. During a visit to Namdaemun Market, she actively interacted with vendors and sought to reconnect with her country of birth. Dressed casually in a white T-shirt and blue jeans, U.S. President Donald Trump's political appointee mingled comfortably with local shoppers and merchants. Her approachable demeanor and willingness to engage directly with ordinary Koreans suggest that Steel may be well suited to represent the U.S. at a time when Seoul and Washington face tensions over trade disputes, accusations of Korea's alleged discrimination against U.S. companies such as Coupang and other unresolved issues. Misunderstandings have often contributed to disagreements between the two allies over matters ranging from the transfer of wartime operational control to tariffs. In that context, appointing an ambass

Aug 3, 2026

[ED] Expectations for new US envoy with Korean roots

ED When allies are mistaken for enemies

The revelation that Korea's military nearly shot down a U.S. reconnaissance drone during a routine joint exercise is far more than an embarrassing mishap. It is a stark warning that failures in military discipline, reporting procedures and alliance coordination can quickly escalate into incidents with grave operational and diplomatic consequences. According to reports, Korean forces detected what they believed to be an unidentified aircraft over the northern border area and activated an air defense alert for hostile drones. Interception preparations began and emergency evacuation messages were sent to civilians in the area. Only later was the aircraft identified as a U.S. Marine Corps reconnaissance drone participating in a scheduled Korea Marine Exercise Program, bringing the crisis to an end before a catastrophic mistake was made. The most troubling aspect of the incident is that it appears to have been entirely preventable. The U.S. military had reportedly notified the relevant Korean field command of the drone's operation in accordance with established procedures. Somewhere within

Aug 2, 2026

[ED] When allies are mistaken for enemies

ED From Busan to the world: A new chapter for global heritage cooperation

The successful completion of the 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee session in Busan marks far more than the end of an 11-day international gathering. It represents a defining moment for global heritage governance and a milestone in Korea's emergence as a leader in cultural diplomacy. Korea, in hosting the gathering for the first time since joining the World Heritage Convention in 1988, demonstrated not only its organizational capabilities but also its growing commitment to safeguarding humanity's shared legacy. The scale of the event alone underscored its significance. Representatives from 162 countries and more than 3,000 registered participants made this the largest World Heritage Committee session on record. More than 130,000 visitors toured the Korea Pavilion set up at the venue, reflecting strong public engagement with the country's cultural and natural heritage. Yet the true success of the Busan meeting should not be measured by attendance figures or flawless logistics. Its enduring importance lies in the decisions reached and, more importantly, in the vision it articulated f

Jul 30, 2026

[ED] From Busan to the world: A new chapter for global heritage cooperation

ED More North Korean soldiers in Ukraine?

Overlooked amid global headlines, there are a few new developments in the relationship between North Korea and Russia that warrant renewed focus. Last week, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui was seen shaking hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin during her visit to Moscow. In a meeting also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the Russian president expressed gratitude to North Korea for sending soldiers to the war in Ukraine. Media reports also suggested that the two sides had discussed dispatching more North Korean soldiers. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned in a social media post Saturday that Russia was preparing to receive additional North Korean soldiers — this time around 30,000 — to support Russia's offensive in Ukraine this autumn. Pyongyang also intends to deliver additional launch pads for ballistic missiles to Russia, according to the Ukrainian president. An NHK report published Tuesday cited an anonymous Russian diplomatic official saying that the two countries discussed dispatching 20,000 more soldiers during her visit. Curre

Jul 29, 2026

Editorial