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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

Gov't resumes awarding state honors to democracy martyrs after 4-year suspension

The government resumed awarding state honors to pro-democracy martyrs and activists Wednesday after a four-year suspension that began under the administration of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol in 2022. Twenty-eight individuals and three organizations have been selected as award recipients this year, including the late Seoul National University professor Choi Jong-gil who was tortured to death in 1973 at the then state intelligence agency while under investigation for protesting the authoritarian Yushin rule of then President Park Chung-hee. "Today, we are resuming government awards for the development of democracy, which had been suspended for four years since 2022," Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said in an address at a ceremony commemorating the 1987 nationwide democracy uprising that eventually led to the adoption of a direct presidential election system. "This is an expression of our will to remember the noble sacrifice made for the country until the end," he said. The 1987 uprising began across the nation on June 10 and the then government of general-turned-authoritarian Preside

Jun 10, 2026By Yonhap
Gov't resumes awarding state honors to democracy martyrs after 4-year suspension

Seoul Mayor Oh targets 'global top 3' status for city after election win

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has vowed to prioritize elevating Seoul into a "global top three city" during his new term following his victory in the June 3 local elections. Oh made the pledge in an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday after winning last week's local election against ruling Democratic Party of Korea rival Chong Won-o, his third consecutive and fifth non-consecutive election as Seoul mayor. "A global top three city is not merely a slogan to raise the ranking but a goal to increase quality of life," Oh said at his office. "(I) will concentrate the new city government's capabilities to create a warmer and healthier Seoul." Seoul ranked sixth in the Japan-based Mori Memorial Foundation's Global Power City Index 2025. London topped the list followed by Tokyo, New York, Paris and Singapore. The index evaluates cities based on six major indicators — economy, research and development, cultural interaction, livability, environment and accessibility. Oh said he plans to establish a committee to achieve the "global top three city" goal, noting that it will serve to set the direct

Jun 10, 2026By Yonhap
Seoul Mayor Oh targets 'global top 3' status for city after election win

Court issues order to preserve evidence over ballot shortage

A court on Tuesday issued an order to preserve evidence on ballot boxes related to the unprecedented shortage of ballot papers that disrupted voting in parts of Seoul during last week's local elections. The Seoul Eastern District Court accepted a petition filed by Kim Jung-chul, the supreme council member of the minor Reform Party, to ensure the preservation of boxes and other items related to the ballot shortage. A total of four items from the No. 2 polling station in the Jamsil 7 neighborhood, Songpa District, will be placed under the order, including the boxes and surveillance camera footage of the polling station, according to the court. However, the court rejected other petitions to preserve evidence, including ballot boxes that were moved to another counting center. Ballot shortages were reported at more than a dozen polling stations in Seoul during the local elections, mostly from Songpa District of southeastern Seoul, prompting a temporary suspension of voting in the local elections. Protestors have been rallying outside a vote-counting facility in Seoul for the fifth-day, demandi

Jun 9, 2026By Yonhap
Court issues order to preserve evidence over ballot shortage

12 student bodies to issue joint declaration over voting rights violations

As rallies calling for a redo of last week’s local elections continued into their fifth day, student leaders from 12 universities across Korea said Tuesday they will issue a joint declaration denouncing ballot shortages that they say deprived citizens of their right to vote. Student leaders said student bodies from 12 universities — Yonsei, Konkuk, Kyung Hee, Sogang, Korea, Seoul National, Hongik, Sungkyunkwan, Soongsil, Chonnam National, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and the University of Seoul — will simultaneously hold a joint declaration and protest on their campuses at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The timing was chosen to coincide with the anniversary of the June 10 Democratic Uprising of 1987, a key milestone in Korea’s pro-democracy movement against the Chun Doo-hwan military regime, in a bid to frame the current dispute as a struggle over basic political rights. In their declaration, the participants are expected to demand a thorough investigation into the ballot shortages, which they say undermined the integrity of the democratic system and effectively deprived many citi

Jun 9, 2026By Jung Min-ho
12 student bodies to issue joint declaration over voting rights violations
  • Election commission faces probe, major overhaul

PM says suffrage is foundation of democracy amid outrage over ballot shortages

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said Tuesday he seriously takes the shocking shortage of ballot papers at dozens of polling stations in last week's nationwide local elections, stressing that suffrage is the foundation of democracy. Kim made the remark at the start of a youth policy meeting with related ministers, saying he was ashamed of the incident. "We should have been more sensitive to such issues and should've responded more quickly to come up with solutions, but we couldn't. It was truly regrettable and it reinforced our sense of responsibility," Kim said. Ballot shortages led to the temporary suspension of voting at 26 stations in Seoul and elsewhere in the June 3 elections, something unheard of in Korea's election history. The incident sparked public outrage and younger voters in their 20s and 30s have been holding protests around a ballot counting place in Seoul's southern district of Jamsil for the fifth day on Tuesday. President Lee Jae Myung has pledged a thorough investigation and measures to overhaul the National Election Commission.

Jun 9, 2026By Yonhap
PM says suffrage is foundation of democracy amid outrage over ballot shortages

PM calls for crowd control measures ahead of BTS concert in Busan

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok told officials Tuesday to ensure crowd control and crack down on tourist overcharging, scalped tickets and other illicit practices ahead of the upcoming BTS concert in the southeastern port city of Busan. Kim made the remark at the start of a Cabinet meeting, saying a number of foreigners are expected to visit Busan for the concert, set for Friday and Saturday, and it would be an occasion to showcase Korea's level of art performances and tourism and culture. "Some 260,000 people attended the Gwanghwamun concert back in March, and a large attendance is expected this time as well," Kim said, referring to the BTS concert in Seoul. "The culture ministry, the interior ministry and other agencies should cooperate with local governments and make sure to manage large crowds. We also have to make sure to prevent and crack down on such illicit practices as accommodation rip-offs and scalped tickets." The Busan concert is part of a world tour that began in April after the group's much-anticipated comeback. The tour includes 85 concerts in 34 cities around the world unti

Jun 9, 2026By Yonhap
PM calls for crowd control measures ahead of BTS concert in Busan

New assembly speaker vows stern response to ballot shortage

National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik on Tuesday pledged a swift parliamentary response to an unprecedented shortage of ballot papers that disrupted voting in parts of Seoul during last week's local elections. Rep. Cho made the remarks in his meeting with presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik at the National Assembly, saying he takes the issue seriously, according to Jang Hyeon-ju, senior secretary of parliament for public communication. "We regard the incident involving the National Election Commission as a grave issue, and the National Assembly will thoroughly and promptly carry out all possible measures," the assembly speaker was quoted as saying. Kang echoed Cho's stance, describing the incident as a "serious" issue in which "citizens' voting rights — the very foundation of democracy — were infringed upon." He called on the National Assembly to play an active role in addressing the issue, urging bipartisan cooperation in launching a parliamentary probe into the incident. On Monday, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and the main opposition People Power Party each submitted

Jun 9, 2026By Yonhap
New assembly speaker vows stern response to ballot shortage

Drug test required for successful civil service applicants before appointment

Successful civil service applicants will be required to undergo a drug test before their official appointments, the Ministry of Personnel Management said Tuesday. The Cabinet approved a revision of related regulations Tuesday to add a drug test to the physical examination required of those who pass exams for general civil service and foreign service positions, according to the ministry. The pre-appointment drug test is already in place for police and firefighter positions. Six kinds of narcotics, including methamphetamine, cannabis, opium and cocaine, will be screened in the physical examination and only those who are cleared in the drug test can be appointed as civil servants. The revision takes effect one week after the Cabinet approval. "Drugs have infiltrated our daily lives and we take it as a serious social problem," said Choe Dong-seok, head of the personnel ministry. "We will continue to improve measures aimed at preventing drugs from spreading into the civil service so as to build a trustworthy public service."

Jun 9, 2026By Yonhap
Drug test required for successful civil service applicants before appointment

FULL TEXT President Lee Jae Myung’s congratulatory message for 2026 Korea Times Forum

My sincere congratulations on the opening of The Korea Times Forum. I would like to express my deep appreciation to Seung Ji-soo, vice chairman of The Korea Times, and all its staff for organizing this meaningful event. I also extend a warm welcome to all distinguished participants, including Sir Martin Sorrell, chairman of S4 Capital, and James Kim, chairman and CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM). Today, the world stands in a whirlwind of profound transformation. As global supply chains are being reshaped and geopolitical uncertainties continue to grow, the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution is rapidly rewriting the rules of the market and reshaping the landscape of industrial competition. In this era of profound change, where opportunities and challenges coexist, the future of our businesses and the lives of our people will depend on how we respond. Against this backdrop, I find it especially meaningful that this forum is being held under the theme, “Made in Korea : Global and AI enablement.” I hope it will serve as an opportunity to explore ways to act

Jun 9, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
[FULL TEXT] President Lee Jae Myung’s congratulatory message for 2026 Korea Times Forum

Protest over ballot shortage continues for 5th day

Protesters continued to rally outside a vote-counting facility in Seoul for the fifth day Tuesday, demanding a re-run of last week's local elections over ballot shortages at some polling stations. As of 10 a.m., some 200 protesters surrounded SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium in Songpa Ward, according to an unofficial police estimate. The number was sharply down from about 2,000 on Monday afternoon. Tens of thousands of people had amassed at the stadium over the weekend to protest the ballot shortages and block election officials from removing ballot boxes. The lack of ballot papers temporarily suspended voting at 26 polling stations nationwide on Wednesday, according to the National Election Commission (NEC). While the protests over the weekend had largely focused on demanding a new election, protesters claiming electoral fraud could be spotted Tuesday, with signs that read, "Stop the steal." Under the election law, a petition must be made to the election watchdog to invalidate a local election and run a new election. If the election watchdog rejects the petition, a lawsuit can be filed in c

Jun 9, 2026By Yonhap
Protest over ballot shortage continues for 5th day
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