my timesThe Korea Times
South KoreaSociety

Society

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
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.

Truck crashes into Bucheon market, killing 2, injuring 18

A truck crashed into a market in Bucheon on Thursday, killing two people and injuring 18 others, officials said. The 1-ton pickup plowed through Jeil Market in the city just southwest of Seoul at around 11 a.m., according to police. The driver was detained at the scene. Police said the driver, in his 60s, is presumed to have mishandled the pedals based on imagery from surveillance cameras, though they need to analyze the event data recorder and question him further. "The driver claims it was sudden unintended acceleration, but it is hard to verify based on CCTV footage of the moving vehicle," Park Geum-cheon, an official from Bucheon Fire Station, told reporters. Park said the driver was not under the influence and crashed into people on the market's pathways, not into the stores. The truck first moved 28 meters in reverse before lurching 150 m forward, he added. The two killed were both women in their 70s. The injured included three with impaired consciousness and six classified as emergency patients.

Nov 13, 2025By Yonhap
Truck crashes into Bucheon market, killing 2, injuring 18

Jeonbuk National University tops student satisfaction index among local colleges

Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) earned the top ranking among provincial national universities in the 2025 Service Quality Index evaluation conducted by the Korea Standards Association. This marks the eighth consecutive year the university has claimed first place among its peers and the 10th time in total since 2012. The evaluation surveyed enrolled students — excluding freshmen — and measured performance in four major areas: service outcome quality, service interaction quality, service environment quality and social value, using eight detailed indicators via one-on-one interviews and online panel methods. JBNU achieved scores of 80 or more points across all subcategories. University officials said the sustained level of student satisfaction reflects the institution’s success in leveraging the Glocal University 30 initiative and deploying both artificial intelligence (AI)-based education innovations and student-centered support policies. JBNU has received more than 800 billion won in government funding over the past two years, expanding its infrastructure significantly. It was al

Nov 13, 2025By Jhoo Dong-chan
Jeonbuk National University tops student satisfaction index among local colleges

6th body recovered at Ulsan power plant

A sixth body was recovered from under a collapsed boiler tower at a thermal power plant in the southeastern city of Ulsan on Thursday, leaving one worker still trapped, firefighting authorities said. The body belonged to a 30-something worker, surnamed Kim, who had been spotted in the debris the same day the 63-meter tower collapsed last Thursday but was unable to be rescued due to a mesh of metals that blocked access. The discovery raises the confirmed death toll to six, with a search still under way for one worker who has yet to be located. The plant is operated by the Korea East-West Power Co., a state-run utility. At the time of its collapse, Tower 5 had been in the process of being demolished after 40 years of use ending in 2021. Two other towers had flanked it, but both were blown up Tuesday to remove the risk they too could crumble during the search for the missing.

Nov 13, 2025By Yonhap
6th body recovered at Ulsan power plant

Ketamine disguised as Chinese tea bags found on Jeju beaches

Authorities on Jeju Island are on alert after multiple packages of ketamine disguised as Chinese tea bags were discovered washed up along the island’s coastline, prompting fears of drug trafficking and damage to the island’s image as a major tourist destination. According to the Korea Coast Guard on Wednesday, the first discovery occurred on Sept. 29 when a coastal cleanup volunteer at Gwangchigi Beach in Seogwipo, one of Jeju’s popular tourist spots, found 20 kilograms of ketamine inside a plastic bag mixed with marine debris. Over the following 40 days, similar packages were found 10 more times at various beaches across the island. Each package contained 1 kilogram of the drug, tightly sealed in plastic bags labeled as oolong and other Chinese teas. The total amount collected so far is 29 kilograms — equivalent to about 970,000 doses based on a single-use amount of 0.03 grams. The street value is estimated at 87 billion won ($64 million), with each kilogram worth roughly 3 billion won. Ketamine is a hallucinogenic anesthetic that can cause delusions and auditory hallucinations

Nov 13, 2025By Hankookilbo
Ketamine disguised as Chinese tea bags found on Jeju beaches

Over 550,000 students take annual college entrance exam

The annual college entrance exam was held nationwide Thursday with the largest number of applicants in seven years due in part to an unusually high birth rate in 2007. The College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), seen as one of the nation's most important academic events, began at 1,310 test centers across the country at 8:40 a.m. and is set to end at 5:45 p.m. Test-takers arrived at designated centers amid cheers from their juniors, parents and teachers. Police officers were deployed nationwide to help transport students and, in some cases, bring them their lunch boxes from home. And students residing on small islands had traveled to the mainland beforehand as no test centers were set up on islets. A total of 554,174 people have applied for this year's exam, up 31,504, or 6 percent, from last year and the highest figure since 2018, according to the education ministry. High school seniors and graduates account for 67.1 percent and 28.9 percent of the total, respectively, it said. Outside a high school in Cheongju, about 110 kilometers south of Seoul, 21-year-old Shin Ju-won, a student at C

Nov 13, 2025By Yonhap
Over 550,000 students take annual college entrance exam

Career-interrupted middle-aged women turn to low-paying cosmetic clinical trials

When Kang Young-hee, 58, arrived at cosmetics testing firm H in September, her voice already carried fatigue. She had come to participate in a clinical trial for a new serum, something she has done for 10 years as a “skin part-timer,” but was turned away. “They said the redness on my face disqualifies me. I guess I have to get treatment and try again,” she said. The stipend for the test was 20,000 won ($15), yet she booked a dermatology appointment costing more than that as she left the building. Why persist through rejection and extra expenses? Kang said quietly, “This is the only work I can do. I can’t afford to fail the next one.” Kang quit her job years ago due to marriage and child care. When she returned to the job market in her late 40s, she found the doors shut. Competition was harsh, and she soon became what Korea calls a “career-interrupted woman.” Clinical trials seemed like the only option. “Offering my skin was the easiest thing,” she said. For two months starting in August, the Hankook Ilbo interviewed 25 women who participate in clinical trials for cos

Nov 13, 2025By Hankookilbo
Career-interrupted middle-aged women turn to low-paying cosmetic clinical trials

President wishes good luck to applicants of college entrance exam

President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday wished good luck to applicants taking the college entrance exam, a high-stakes test taken annually by high school students and graduates. Lee posted the Facebook message on the eve of the annual College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), which is regarded as one of the nation's most important academic events. "I wish luck for all of you who possess infinite potential," Lee wrote. "I am proud of each of you who have believed in yourselves and walked this path with perseverance and courage. I wholeheartedly support each of your dreams." While acknowledging the importance of the exam, Lee stressed that it is by no means everything in life, urging students to continue pursuing their goals with perseverance and confidence. A total of 554,174 people applied for this year's CSAT, the highest total number of applicants in seven years, according to the education ministry.

Nov 12, 2025By Yonhap
President wishes good luck to applicants of college entrance exam

Police advocacy group condemns treatment of officers at Gyeongju APEC summit

After last month’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) events in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, which saw up to 19,000 police officers deployed daily from across the country, Kim Keon-pyo, director of the Korean National Police Workers Council, said the reports he received from officers on the ground were far from commendable. “They said they were treated like homeless people,” Kim told The Korea Times. Angered by their accounts, Kim began collecting photos of the poor working conditions officers faced during the APEC events. The council is now holding a photo exhibition in Seoul this week displaying those conditions, sparking criticism of the treatment of deployed officers and renewed calls for better working conditions. On Tuesday, photos displayed outside the National Police Agency in Seoul’s Seodaemun District showed the meager meals provided to officers and police standing by in a movie theater. The council plans to hold additional exhibitions in front of the National Assembly on Wednesday and Friday. Among the photos were images of meals served to some officers

Nov 12, 2025By Park Ung
Police advocacy group condemns treatment of officers at Gyeongju APEC summit

Does English proficiency still matter despite rise of AI translation?

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is fueling renewed debate about the role of English in global communication. As AI-powered translation becomes faster and more accurate, some argue that learning English is becoming less essential. Experts, however, warn that this perspective oversimplifies the issue, particularly for those looking to fully seize the opportunities of the digital revolution. While AI is undeniably transforming the communication landscape, they emphasize that the enduring value of mastering English remains as crucial as ever. The root of this continuing English advantage lies in the data that powers the systems themselves. An estimated 90 percent or more of the training data used for current generative AI systems comes from English content. This means that, while AI systems are designed to handle many languages, they often perform best and respond most naturally in English. Many technical tools and the latest research are released first in English, and the most advanced AI features are typically optimized for English communication, according to experts

Nov 12, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Does English proficiency still matter despite rise of AI translation?
  • Will AI replace human translators?

College entrance exam set for Thursday with number of applicants at 7-year high

The annual College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), seen as one of the nation's most important academic events, will be held nationwide this week, with the number of applicants rising to a seven-year high of over 550,000. The education ministry said that this year's CSAT will be held at 1,310 test centers across the country from 8:40 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Thursday. A total of 554,174 people applied for this year's CSAT, marking an on-year increase of 31,504, or 6 percent, and the highest total number of applicants in seven years, the ministry noted. High school seniors and graduates accounted for 67.1 percent and 28.9 percent, respectively, of the entire test takers, it added. Ministry officials explained that the surge in test takers is due to the fact that most people born in 2007, the year of the auspicious Golden Pig, which saw an unusually high birth rate, are now in their third year of high school. CSAT applicants are required to visit their designated test sites Wednesday to receive their test identification slips and various information, including test precautions. The CSAT is the culm

Nov 12, 2025By Yonhap
College entrance exam set for Thursday with number of applicants at 7-year high
previous page
99100101102103
next page

Most Read in South Korea