South Korea - The Korea Times

Gov't to provide free sanitary pads in public facilities

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family will launch a pilot project to place sanitary pads in public facilities so all women can access menstrual products, marking the first such initiative by any Korean government. The ministry proposed the plan at a Cabinet meeting held at Cheong Wa Dae Tuesday. While existing support programs provide monthly vouchers worth 14,000 won ($10) to some low-income people aged between 9 and 24, the new plan would also install sanitary pad dispensers in public facilities for anyone to use. “The ministry will select 10 regions for the pilot program, taking into account factors such as population size and existing project conditions,” said Gender Equality and Family Minister Won Min-kyung. Sanitary pads will be placed in public facilities such as community service centers, public health centers and family centers. In rural, farming and fishing areas, they will also be supplied to locations such as village halls to improve accessibility for residents. The ministry plans to conduct the program with a budget of about 3 billion won funded by the central gove

Mar 11, 2026By Hankookilbo

Gov't to provide free sanitary pads in public facilities

About 6,300 Koreans leave Middle East over past 7 days

About 6,300 Korean nationals have left countries across the Middle East over the past seven days amid the ongoing military conflict in the region, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. The number of Koreans remaining in 14 countries in the region stood at about 14,700 as of Monday, down from some 21,000 last Tuesday, the ministry said, as many seek to return to their home country due to the widening conflict. The number of Korean short-term travelers in those countries fell to roughly 2,100 from around 4,100 over the same period, according to the ministry. The ministry has been making efforts to help Koreans safely leave the region. The Korean Embassy in Iraq helped 17 people, including one foreign national, depart for Kuwait on Monday. A special flight carrying 322 Koreans arrived home early Tuesday after departing from Qatar.

Mar 10, 2026By Yonhap

About 6,300 Koreans leave Middle East over past 7 days

Prosecutors indict woman accused of fatally drugging 2 men

Prosecutors on Tuesday indicted a 20-year-old woman accused of murdering two men by giving them drug-laced drinks. The Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office said Kim So-young was indicted under physical detention on charges of murder, special bodily injury and violating the Narcotics Control Act. Kim is accused of handing the drinks containing benzodiazepine, a depressant, to three men on separate occasions between last December and last month, resulting in two deaths. One of the three men recovered after treatment. Police took Kim into custody last month shortly after one of the victims was found dead. Prosecutors believe Kim murdered the victims to avoid conflict after exploiting them for financial gain. Investigators have determined the crimes were premeditated. Kim has been diagnosed as a psychopath after she met the criteria for antisocial personality disorder in a Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised test administered by police.

Mar 10, 2026By Yonhap

Prosecutors indict woman accused of fatally drugging 2 men

Unions threaten strikes as ‘yellow envelope law’ comes into force

Subcontracted workers represented by unions across various industries are stepping up demands for direct talks with parent companies after Korea’s so-called “yellow envelope law” came into force Tuesday, with labor leaders preparing strikes against firms that refuse to negotiate. Amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act took effect, expanding the legal definition of an employer to include firms that exercise significant control over working conditions, even without a direct employment contract with subcontracted workers. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), a powerful umbrella labor organization with more than 1 million members, expects a major wave of bargaining demands from these workers in the coming weeks. The KCTU and its partner unions have begun sending bargaining notices to companies that oversee subcontracted work on behalf of nearly 140,000 subcontracted workers, with plans to present the overall scale of the campaign at a press briefing later this month. “In line with the purpose of the law, the real employer mus

Mar 10, 2026By Jung Min-ho

Unions threaten strikes as ‘yellow envelope law’ comes into force

Busan launches infectious disease testing service for foreign residents

Busan is rolling out an infectious disease testing program for foreign residents through a pilot program set to launch this month, bringing preventive on-site testing to centers serving foreign residents across the city. The Sunday infectious disease testing services reflect a broader push by the southeastern port city to expand health care access for foreign residents who face language barriers and struggle to find time on weekdays, as the city’s foreign population rises. Busan Metropolitan City said Tuesday the program will offer foreign residents testing for diseases including Hansen’s disease, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, parasitic infections and hepatitis B and C. It aims to detect infections early and provide follow-up care for those who test positive. “While the city’s Korean population declines, the number of foreign residents in Busan continues to rise,” an official at Busan’s infectious disease control division told The Korea Times, emphasizing the rising importance of early detection of major infectious diseases among foreign residents

Mar 10, 2026By Park Ung

Busan launches infectious disease testing service for foreign residents

'Lee' or 'Yi?' Korean court rejects passport surname spelling change

A Korean court ruled that passport holders cannot change the Romanized spelling of their surname solely based on personal preferences if there is no practical inconvenience in daily life. According to legal sources on Monday, the Seoul Administrative Court ruled against the 36-year-old plaintiff surnamed Lee in a lawsuit filed against the foreign minister to overturn the government’s refusal to change the spelling of his passport surname from “Lee” to “Yi.” Lee filed a suit after his request to change the Romanized spelling of his surname on his passport was rejected. He argued that he had long used the spelling “Yi” since childhood, including in financial transactions, English ability tests and company ID cards, and that his passport spelling should reflect the same spelling. The plaintiff also claimed that when he applied for the passport, he spelled his surname “Yi,” but a government official changed it to “Lee” before issuing the document. He said he requested his name to be spelled “Yi” when he applied for the passport a second time, but was told the chang

Mar 10, 2026By Hankookilbo

'Lee' or 'Yi?' Korean court rejects passport surname spelling change

InterviewChungnam National University sets sights on AI-powered campus transformation

As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes how universities teach and learn, Chungnam National University is setting its sights on becoming a leader in AI-driven education in Korea. University President Kim Jeong-kyoum said the central question for higher education institutions is how they understand and approach artificial intelligence, urging them to embrace the sweeping changes the technology is expected to bring. “AI will undoubtedly bring significant changes across industries and in our daily lives,” Kim told The Korea Times in a recent interview. “Universities need to approach this shift with an open mindset and be ready to accept it. I want Chungnam National University to become a university that uses AI better than anyone else.” While acknowledging that the term “AI-leading university” has become something of a cliche, Kim said the university’s real focus is on integrating AI meaningfully into education. “We want to teach students how to use AI effectively in practice,” he said, adding that the university is considering incorporating AI-related elements into more

Mar 10, 2026By Jung Da-hyun

Chungnam National University sets sights on AI-powered campus transformation

Infanticide conviction exposes vacuum in Korea’s abortion law

A murder conviction in a case involving an infant who died immediately after birth during what is called a late-term abortion procedure has cast fresh light on the legal void surrounding abortion in Korea. This comes nearly seven years after the Constitutional Court of Korea struck down the country’s ban, as the issue remains unresolved amid a prolonged political stalemate. Last week, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced the director of an obstetrics clinic in Incheon, identified by the surname Yoon, to six years in prison for murder in a case widely referred to as the “36-week abortion case,” along with a fine of 1.5 million won ($1,000). Judges also ordered the forfeiture of 1.15 billion won in proceeds that prosecutors said the director had earned over the years by performing illegal abortions on hundreds of patients. The operating surgeon, identified only by his surname Shim, was sentenced to four years in prison, while the mother, surnamed Kwon, received a three‑year sentence suspended for five years after the court found her guilty as an accomplice to murder. The jud

Mar 10, 2026By Jung Min-ho

Infanticide conviction exposes vacuum in Korea’s abortion law

Mount Gwanak becomes Seoul's new viral spring hiking spot

Mount Gwanak, a granite peak that forms the southern ridgeline of Seoul, has quietly watched over the city for centuries. This spring, it is transforming into something else entirely: a viral “energy hotspot” where hikers line up for over an hour at the summit marker, hoping to soak up good fortune along with the skyline views. On recent weekends, the narrow path to Yeonjudae, the clifftop hermitage near the 632-meter summit, has turned into a human queue that can stretch more than 100 meters. Many in their 20s and 30s say they are not just there for the workout. Posing for “proof shots,” visitors post captions that read like whispered prayers: “Let this year go well,” “Please let me get a job,” “Let me come back here with good news.” Among them are Lee and Park, Seoul residents who climbed Mount Gwanak with their friends recently. “In the past I would have gone to a fortune teller, but now I’d rather hike, clear my head and ask the mountain for help,” said Lee, a 31-year-old job seeker who wrote her employment wish in the caption of a summit selfie she posted o

Mar 9, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Mount Gwanak becomes Seoul's new viral spring hiking spot

K-water showcases AI-powered hydro management tech at MWC 2026

Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) showcased its artificial intelligence (AI)-based water management technology at MWC 2026 in Barcelona last week, highlighting its competitiveness in the sector. The initiative reflects the corporation’s strategy under K-water CEO Yun Seog-dae to strengthen water management policies aimed at addressing the climate crisis while expanding overseas, as the state-run utility this year launched a global push for AI-driven water management. K-water aims to expand into the high-value AI and digital markets with three core technologies: water management digital twins that replicate dam operations in a virtual environment, supporting decision-making; AI-powered water treatment plants enabling autonomous operations through algorithm analysis; and Smart Water Network Management (SWNM), which uses Internet of Things technology to reduce leaks and stabilize pipelines. K-water’s SWNM was selected as a winner at this year’s Global Mobile Awards, held during MWC, marking the first time a Korean public institution has received the honor and underscoring i

Mar 9, 2026By Park Ung

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