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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.

Korea quintuples maximum fine for ships fishing illegally in Korean waters

Korea has raised fivefold the maximum fine for foreign ships fishing illegally in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the Coast Guard said Thursday, amid efforts to crack down on illegal Chinese fishing in the West Sea. Under a revised EEZ fisheries law that took effect Tuesday, the maximum fine for foreign vessels fishing illegally in Korean waters has been raised to 1.5 billion won ($1 million) from 300 million won, according to the Coast Guard. The move comes as illegal Chinese fishing has increased in Korea's EEZ in recent years. The Coast Guard seized 57 illegal Chinese fishing vessels last year — the highest annual figure since 66 were captured in 2021. The legal revision also raises the amount of bail required for the release of seized vessels and crew to a maximum 1.5 billion won, sharply up from a previous maximum range of 150 million to 300 million won, which varied by vessel size. The bail is returned once the offenders pay the fine. In December, President Lee Jae Myung called for tougher fines against illegal Chinese fishing vessels, noting existing penalties apparently were n

May 14, 2026By Yonhap
Korea quintuples maximum fine for ships fishing illegally in Korean waters

Ex-POWs win damages suit against N. Korea for 3rd time

Former South Korean prisoners of war (POWs) again won a damages suit filed here against North Korea and its leader Kim Jong-un on Thursday over forced labor they endured in captivity. The Seoul Central District Court ordered North Korea and Kim to pay 21 million won ($14,000) each to five former POWs, who escaped from the North in the early 2000s after being taken prisoner during the 1950-53 Korean War. The five, including Ko Kwang-myun, 95, filed the suit earlier this year, claiming they were forced to work in mines in North Korea even after the 1953 truce that halted the Korean War. They demanded a compensation of 21 million won per person, and the court granted the full amount. The ruling marked the third such decision after the same court handed down similar verdicts in 2020 and 2023. The North and Kim were ordered to pay the same compensation to two former POWs in July 2020 and three others in 2023. In all cases, the court hearings proceeded without any party representing the defendants. Despite winning the cases, however, it seems difficult for the plaintiffs to actually receive th

May 14, 2026By Yonhap
Ex-POWs win damages suit against N. Korea for 3rd time

$13.5 mil. bench: Seoul's new Korean War monument draws puzzled looks

Stavros was walking through Gwanghwamun Square Wednesday when the flags at the Garden of Gratitude caught his eye. The 42-year-old traveler from Cyprus paused, but struggled to make sense of what he was looking at. “I don't know, I think it is what it is,” he told The Korea Times, adding that he had first thought they were just art deco-style sculptures. He had no idea they were a stone monument honoring the 22 nations that fought in the 1950–53 Korean War, unveiled just the day before. He is not alone in that uncertainty. For many Koreans, setting aside whether the monument belongs in the square, its arrival just three weeks before the June 3 local elections has made it as much a political flashpoint as a civic one. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon of the conservative People Power Party calls it “a space that elevates the dignity and symbolism of Gwanghwamun Square,” while his rival Chong Won-o of the Democratic Party of Korea dismisses it as a “self-promotional legacy project” built on more than 20 billion won ($13.5 million) of public money. Opinions among Koreans and foreigners w

May 14, 2026By Park Ung
$13.5 mil. bench: Seoul's new Korean War monument draws puzzled looks

UN rights chief says int'l law protects N. Korean POWs in Ukraine from repatriation

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the principle of non-refoulement applies to the two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) detained in Ukraine, citing obligations under international humanitarian and human rights laws. Non-refoulement is a principle of international law that prohibits states from returning individuals to a country where they face a real risk of persecution, torture or serious harm. This marks the first time the U.N. rights chief has publicly invoked the principle in relation to the North Korean POWs held in Ukraine. During a press conference in Seoul, Wednesday, Türk said the legal framework governing the treatment of the prisoners is clear. “International humanitarian law and international human rights law applies, and it means proper treatment, including the obligation not to send them back to areas where they could be ending up with harm. The principle of non-refoulement applies to them, which is part of the international legal framework,” he said. His office maintains a presence in Ukraine and is aware of the cases, he added. Tü

May 13, 2026By Park Ung
UN rights chief says int'l law protects N. Korean POWs in Ukraine from repatriation

Photo demands from parents are changing kindergarten classrooms in Korea

Day care teachers in Seoul are spending hours each day photographing students, a growing administrative mandate that has become routine in many early childhood classrooms. While children folded paper carnations and made coupons for Parents’ Day last week, teachers focused on photographing them for their parents. "On days with special events, like field trips, we take as many as 100 photos," the teacher said. "It’s not as if we take only 10 pictures just because there are 10 children in the class. We have to upload the good ones. Otherwise, parents complain that their child’s expression looks bad or that only their child had their eyes closed." For about a decade, day care centers and kindergartens have used parent communication apps such as Kids Note and Schoolbell-e to send parents photos of their children. The apps were meant to show parents what young children do at school or day care. Teachers now say the practice has become expected work, adding to their workload and reducing instructional and caregiving time. Smiling photos, strained classrooms Teachers say the reality outsid

May 13, 2026By Hankookilbo
Photo demands from parents are changing kindergarten classrooms in Korea

Busan moves to protect fans from price gouging ahead of BTS concerts

Whenever global K-pop phenomenon BTS announces a performance, a familiar gold-rush mentality tends to seize the host city. But as the group prepares to descend on Korea's second-biggest city for its "ARIRANG" world tour concerts in June, local authorities are moving to ensure that fans aren't fleeced by the local hospitality industry. The Busan Metropolitan Government announced Wednesday a sweeping crackdown on price gouging, mobilizing an interagency task force to inspect hotels and guesthouses across the southern port city. The initiative, which includes the city’s Special Judicial Police and the Korea Fair Trade Commission, is a preemptive strike against the predatory pricing and unilateral reservation cancellations that have historically marred major cultural events in the region. The inspections will target establishments flagged by the city’s "tourism inconvenience" reporting system. Under the Public Health Control Act, inspectors will be looking for a range of infractions, from the failure to display mandated rate schedules to the operation of entirely unregistered lodgings.

May 13, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Busan moves to protect fans from price gouging ahead of BTS concerts

Middle East tensions, delivery network failures squeeze Korean restaurant owners

"During peak hours, it can take over an hour to complete a delivery. The food gets cold and customer complaints pile up, leaving us utterly frustrated." Cho, a 41-year-old fast-food operator in Gwangju, is facing mounting losses. With riders now being assigned from up to 5 kilometers away — five or six times the usual distance — delivery delays of 30 minutes just to pick up the food have become commonplace. "Often, orders are canceled through platform customer service without our knowledge," Cho said. "Every time I have to throw away ruined food, my heart sinks." Korea's highly efficient food delivery ecosystem is fracturing under the weight of geopolitical shocks and platform algorithms. A surge in global fuel prices, triggered by the fallout from the U.S.-Iran conflict, has collided with falling delivery fees. In response, delivery riders are actively avoiding low-margin, long-distance orders to protect their earnings. Jung, a 32-year-old delivery veteran of seven years, said falling platform fees and record fuel costs have decimated his take-home pay. "While it is impossible to ver

May 13, 2026By Hankookilbo
Middle East tensions, delivery network failures squeeze Korean restaurant owners

‘The earlier, the better’: More young Koreans marry sooner as views shift

“If we’re going to marry eventually, why put it off?” For Chu, who is set to become a May bride, each passing day is filled with anticipation. At 28, she is marrying earlier than many of her Korean peers, but she said the response has been more envy than concern. “We decided to marry early because we wanted to have a child, and we saw so many couples struggle with infertility,” Chu said. “The thought of building a life together with my husband always gives me strength." Her case is one of many reflecting a transformation in perception among young Koreans, who are increasingly starting to believe that marrying at a younger age may be better. For years, the struggle to find jobs has delayed financial independence for many young people, making late marriage the norm in Korean society. However, young Koreans are now looking at marriage through a different lens. Still burdened by the need to find stable jobs and afford homes, some believe that building a family while they are still young and pooling their strength as a couple can help them establish a financial foundation more qui

May 13, 2026By Hankookilbo
‘The earlier, the better’: More young Koreans marry sooner as views shift

Gov't plans $2.27 mil. boost for cruise tourism amid arrival increase

The government is injecting 3.4 billion won ($2.27 million) from supplementary budgets to support tourism in cruise port cities following a sharp rebound in passenger arrivals, the culture ministry said Wednesday. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, approximately 320,000 people arrived in the country aboard cruise ships during the first quarter, an 11.4 percent increase from a year earlier, while the number of cruise calls rose 50 percent year-on-year to 168. Officials project that total port calls will reach 960 by the end of this year, a 63.2 percent increase from 2025. The government is seeking ways to ease entry procedures for cruise passengers. In February, President Lee Jae Myung chaired a tourism strategy meeting with the culture, justice and oceans ministers to discuss expanding on-board immigration checks for travelers arriving on large vessels. To encourage passengers to spend time beyond the immediate port areas, officials plan to introduce localized tourism programs, including operating shuttle buses and launching pop-up markets for regional products, a

May 13, 2026By Yonhap
Gov't plans $2.27 mil. boost for cruise tourism amid arrival increase

Korea adds 74,000 jobs in April, lowest in 16 months

Korea added 74,000 jobs in April, marking the slowest growth in 16 months in the aftermath of the Middle East conflict, which led to higher oil prices and weaker consumers' sentiment, data showed Wednesday. The number of employed people came to 28.96 million in April, compared with 28.88 million a year earlier, according to data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics. It marked the weakest performance since posting a 52,000 on-year drop in December 2024. Job growth had expanded in the 200,000 range in February and March. The country's jobless rate came to 2.9 percent last month, unchanged from a year earlier. The number of unemployed people totaled 853,000 in April, down 2,000. The ministry said the unemployment rate fell among people in their 20s and 50s but rose for those in their 30s. The employment rate for South Koreans aged 15 to 64 came to 70 percent in April, down 0.1 percentage point from a year earlier. The employment rate for all South Koreans aged 15 and above reached 63 percent, down 0.2 percentage point. By sector, the number of jobs in the health and social welfare services

May 13, 2026By Yonhap
Korea adds 74,000 jobs in April, lowest in 16 months
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