South Korea - The Korea Times

Fans push for Liberation Day pardon to end Steve Yoo’s 23-year exile over draft evasion

Fans of Steve Yoo, the Korean American pop icon who has lived outside Korea for more than two decades over his evasion of mandatory military service, are urging President Lee Jae Myung to grant a presidential pardon ahead of Korea’s Aug. 15 Liberation Day — a date long associated with high-profile acts of clemency and national reconciliation. Known in Korea as Yoo Seung-jun, he was one of the country’s biggest pop stars in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He debuted in April 1997 and quickly rose to fame with a string of chart-topping hits, dynamic performances and wholesome image. However, his career collapsed in 2002, shortly before his scheduled enlistment, when he left for a concert tour and acquired U.S. citizenship. The move exempted him from mandatory military service, sparking public outrage in a country where conscription is a civic duty for men. The Ministry of Justice swiftly barred him from reentering the country, citing draft evasion. He has been banned from entry ever since, except for a brief return in 2003 to attend his father-in-law’s funeral. Despite two Supreme

Aug 10, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Fans push for Liberation Day pardon to end Steve Yoo’s 23-year exile over draft evasion

Fewer than 10 babies born in 38% of cities, counties in Korea last year

More than 1 in 3 cities and counties in Korea saw fewer than 10 childbirths last year, statistics showed Sunday, highlighting deepening regional disparities in births. The rate is mainly driven by a smaller number of births than before amid population decline, along with the fact that some regions, especially in rural areas, do not have obstetric facilities at all, forcing expectant mothers to give birth in neighboring regions. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the country saw 237,484 births in small to large hospitals and midwifery centers last year. Out of 251 cities, counties and districts, 97 — or 38.6 percent — recorded fewer than 10 births. These so-called "childbirth deserts" span both sparsely populated counties and some small cities. They included Gwacheon, Dongducheon, Uiwang, Anseong and Yeoju in Gyeonggi Province. There are also Taebaek in Gangwon Province; Gyerong in South Chungcheong Province; Gimje in North Jeolla Province; Naju in South Jeolla Province; and Mungyeong and Gyeongsan in North Gyeongsang Province. The ratio of such regions w

Aug 10, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Fewer than 10 babies born in 38% of cities, counties in Korea last year

Disabled in Korea struggle to use kiosks as new Accessibility Law looms

People with disabilities prefer ordering in person rather than using automated kiosks, citing a lack of accessibility features, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Friday. The statement highlighted persistent gaps, despite regulations mandating improved accessibility in kiosk design and operation. The finding comes as revised anti-discrimination laws protecting people with disabilities are set to take full effect in January. Ahead of this, the ministry surveyed accessibility barriers in information services, with a special focus on self-service kiosks. The use of kiosk ordering terminals in South Korean restaurants has surged, fueled by efforts to cut labor costs and a consumer shift toward contactless service. A 2024 survey by the Korea Rural Economic Institute found that the share of food service businesses using automatic ordering systems, including kiosks, has jumped more than tenfold — from 1.5 percent in 2019 to 12.9 percent in 2024. Since its enactment in 2007, Korea’s disability discrimination law has been revised several times. A 2021 amendment required reasonable accomm

Aug 9, 2025By Park Ung

Disabled in Korea struggle to use kiosks as new Accessibility Law looms

More Korean men travel to Japan for matchmaking, TBS reports

The number of South Korean men traveling to Japan to go on formal matchmaking dates, known as omiai, with the intention of marrying Japanese women is rapidly increasing, according to a report by Japan’s TBS on Thursday. The broadcaster attributed this trend to the high financial burden Korean men face when marrying domestically, such as the expectation to provide housing. These pressures are reportedly prompting more Korean men to seek Japanese partners, who are perceived to have more egalitarian views on sharing financial responsibilities. TBS highlighted the case of a 35-year-old Korean man surnamed Ha, who joined a Japanese marriage counseling agency and traveled to Japan for matchmaking. Ha reportedly learned Japanese specifically for this purpose and arranged a date at a trendy matcha café popular among local women. Ha spent over 1 million yen ($7,000) on counseling registration fees, travel expenses and preparation for his trip. Ha cited financial reasons as the main motivation for seeking a Japanese spouse. “In Korea, it is taken for granted that men must prepare a home befor

Aug 9, 2025By Hankookilbo

More Korean men travel to Japan for matchmaking, TBS reports

Fed up with seat hogs, coffee shop chains take tougher stance

Fed up with “seat hogs” — customers who linger for hours on end — franchise coffee shops in Korea are rolling out new rules to reclaim seating space and boost turnover. Many have begun enforcing new rules aimed at managing customers who occupy seats for extended periods. Starbucks Korea announced a nationwide ban, effective Thursday, on the use of personal desktops, printers, power strips and partitions in its stores. Customers who violate the rule will be politely reminded of the restriction by store staff. The move follows a surge in customer complaints over conduct such as putting feet on tables, setting up partitions and using large personal computer equipment in the stores. This development comes as Korea’s franchise coffee shop market reaches intense saturation, with data revealing fierce competition for survival among brands. By late 2022, the number of shops nationwide surpassed 100,000. While growth in sheer numbers is impressive, the market faces mounting challenges marked by price wars and an ongoing battle for customer loyalty. The term “cafe squatters” has spark

Aug 8, 2025By Jung Da-hyun

Fed up with seat hogs, coffee shop chains take tougher stance

Abortion reemerges as hot-button issue as ruling party eyes dormant bill

Debate over the legalization of the abortion pill has come under renewed scrutiny in Korea, as lawmakers move to address the legal gray zone surrounding women's health that has persisted since the country’s Constitutional Court struck down the abortion ban six years ago. On Wednesday, the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee convened a major forum on the issue. Participants included lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, with Rep. Nam In-soon, who recently proposed bills aimed at removing restrictions on both surgical and medical abortions and extending national health insurance coverage to these procedures. “Women face significant difficulties in the absence of clear and official information and safe access to medication, despite abortion's decriminalization in 2019,” Nam said. She emphasized that the intent behind the proposed amendments is to ensure women’s safety and remove legal obstacles to proper medical care. Rep. Park Ju-min, chair of the committee, added, “In the absence of clear legal protections, women are often compelled to make unsafe

Aug 8, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Abortion reemerges as hot-button issue as ruling party eyes dormant bill

InterviewHanyang University leads in int'l enrollment, backed by decades of global outreach

Hanyang University, which hosts the largest international student population in Korea, is expanding its global outreach beyond academics to help students settle and thrive after graduation. "Our goal is not simply to increase the number of international students," said Lee Ki-jeong, president of Hanyang University, during a recent interview with The Korea Times. "The university’s internationalization strategy is about building a foundation to expand the university’s ecosystem to a truly global level." Building on years of experience in welcoming students from abroad, Hanyang University enrolled 8,264 international students from 71 countries as of 2024 — the largest such population at any university in Korea. Since welcoming its first international student in 1987, the university has launched a full-scale expansion of its global network, declaring 2003 its inaugural year of internationalization. As the university shifts its strategy to emphasize student experience and long-term support, it launched the HY All-Care system last year — a comprehensive platform designed to assist inte

Aug 8, 2025By Jung Da-hyun

Hanyang University leads in int'l enrollment, backed by decades of global outreach

Gov't allows return of trainee doctors to former hospitals to end standoff

The government has decided to allow trainee doctors who previously quit their jobs to resume training at their former hospitals, the health ministry said Thursday, a move aimed at ending a prolonged standoff prompted by the previous administration's move to sharply boost medical school admissions. Those reentering through the second-half recruitment process — scheduled to run from Aug. 11 to 31 — will be permitted to postpone the mandatory military service until completing their residency, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The decision, a ministry official said, is the "maximum possible action the government can take at this time." The standoff began in February 2024, when thousands of trainee doctors walked off their jobs while many medical students boycotted classes in protest against the government's plan to increase medical school admissions by 2,000 to around 5,000 each year starting in 2025. Although the government later reversed course, restoring the 2026 admissions quota to its previous level of about 3,000, many trainee doctors and medical students have yet to

Aug 7, 2025By Yonhap

Gov't allows return of trainee doctors to former hospitals to end standoff

EXPLAINER Why tipping culture remains controversial in Korea

A growing number of restaurants and cafes in Korea are experimenting with tip boxes, kiosk add-ons and service-related donations — and many consumers are not happy about it. On July 26, a restaurant in Seoul’s Yeouido District sparked debate after placing a container for tips at its checkout counter. The message read, “Did you enjoy your meal? We always strive to provide the best service and food. Thank you.” A photo of the container, posted on an online forum, quickly went viral. “This is Korea,” the caption read. “Don’t bring tipping culture here and mess things up.” Negative reactions flooded in. “If I want to tip, I’ll hand it directly to the staff,” one commenter wrote. “Should I expect worse service if I don’t tip?” another asked. “We shouldn’t go to places like this. It’s against the way we do things here.” This was not an isolated case. Just days earlier, a noodle restaurant in Seoul’s Nowon District drew criticism for inserting a 300-won “staff dinner contribution” as an optional add-on at its self-service kiosk. In June, a pizzeria w

Aug 7, 2025By Youn Ye-jin

[EXPLAINER] Why tipping culture remains controversial in Korea

$7,700 a month for deliveries? Courier’s pay stub stuns Korea office workers

A veteran courier’s claim of taking home 10 million won ($7,700) in monthly earnings has drawn wide attention and sparked debate online. On Sunday, a post titled “Current CJ Logistics courier shares verified net income” was uploaded to an online community, along with photos of three pay slips. The writer said he works as an independent contractor for a courier company using his own truck. Delivers six days a week, 62 hours — earns 9.3 million won monthly According to the pay stubs, the writer earned between 2 million and 2.7 million won per month in pickup fees and 6 million to 8 million won in delivery fees over the past three months. After deducting CJ Logistics’ fees and fuel costs of around 300,000 won, his net monthly incomes came to 8.66 million, 8.96 million and 10.06 million won respectively — totaling 28 million won ($21,500) over three months, or about 9.33 million won per month. He said he works six days a week, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and until 4 p.m. on Saturdays, totaling 62 hours per week. Substitute drivers cover Sundays and holidays. “Conditions v

Aug 6, 2025By Hankookilbo

Society