South Korea - The Korea Times

Restaurant no-show fees to be increased to maximum 40% from 10%: FTC

A cancellation fee for failing to show up for a restaurant reservation is expected to be significantly increased later this year, the antitrust watchdog said Wednesday. Under a revised law currently pending administrative notice, no-show fees for missing a reservation without notice will be raised from the current 10 percent of the total bill to a maximum 20 percent, according to the Fair Trade Commission (FTC). In addition, restaurants that require advance reservations to prepare ingredients, such as omakase and fine dining establishments, will be allowed to impose a cancellation fee of up to 40 percent, the FTC said. Restaurants that are not classified as reservation-based establishments will also be allowed to charge up to 40 percent in cancellation fees for large orders, if the terms are clearly disclosed to customers in advance. "The current 10 percent cap on cancellation fees is too low, which has led to some abusive consumers deliberately making and missing reservations repeatedly," an FTC official said. The revised regulations are expected to go into effect by the end of the year,

Oct 22, 2025By Yonhap

Restaurant no-show fees to be increased to maximum 40% from 10%: FTC

Soongsil University charts new course as Korea’s first AI-focused campus

Soongsil University has announced plans to transform itself into Korea’s first university centered on artificial intelligence, pledging to integrate the technology into all aspects of teaching, research and campus operations under a new initiative known as AX. During the vision proclamation ceremony held on Friday, Soongsil University President Lee Youn-jai declared the beginning of the university’s next chapter as “AI Native Soongsil,” pledging to move beyond technology-driven innovation toward a human-centered and ethics-based model of AI education. “On 128 years of history, we will open the AX era that blends technology and humanity,” Lee said, adding that Soongsil aims to cultivate ethical AI leaders guided by Christian values. Emphasizing that humanity and AI should move toward a relationship of co-evolution rather than competition in an era of unprecedented technological advancement, the university’s new initiative aims to integrate AI not merely as a technical field, but across the humanities, social sciences and arts — pursuing a human-centered AI education model

Oct 21, 2025By Jung Da-hyun

Soongsil University charts new course as Korea’s first AI-focused campus

Mother dies after saving baby from fire sparked by neighbor trying to kill cockroach with lighter

A woman in her 30s died after saving her two-month-old baby from a fire accidentally started by a neighbor attempting to kill a cockroach using a lighter and spray in Osan, Gyeonggi Province, police said Monday. According to Osan Police Station, the fire broke out around 5:35 a.m. Monday in a mixed-use building where a woman in her 20s, identified only by her surname A, lived on the second floor. She tried to kill a cockroach by spraying flammable mist and igniting it with a lighter, effectively creating a small flamethrower. Flames quickly spread to a nearby bed and piles of trash, prompting A to call emergency services. Firefighters extinguished the blaze within about 40 minutes. The fire, however, claimed the life of a Chinese woman in her 30s, identified as B, who lived on the fifth floor. Eight other residents suffered from smoke inhalation. When the flames erupted, B and her husband opened a window to call for help, holding their infant child. Because the building stood less than a meter away, neighbors were able to reach out from their window and safely receive the infant. B’s hu

Oct 21, 2025By Hankookilbo

Mother dies after saving baby from fire sparked by neighbor trying to kill cockroach with lighter

InterviewTo win global education race, Korea needs strategy, not speed: expert

Korean universities are sprinting to raise their global standing, but ambition alone may not be enough to cross the finish line, particularly as the pace of international competition accelerates, according to the head of QS Asia Pacific. “It’s a race, and the world isn’t slowing down,” said Jeroen Prinsen, executive director of APAC at QS, a global authority known for its influential university rankings, in an interview with The Korea Times. As higher education worldwide faces fierce competition, tightening budgets and shifting student demographics, Prinsen says Korea has the drive and potential to stand out, yet warns that execution, consistency and long-term strategy will determine whether it truly becomes a global hub for learning. “Korea has ambition. The real test is turning ambition into measurable progress,” he said. Prinsen highlighted the need to pursue a dual approach, setting bold, competitive goals to accelerate progress while taking a long-term, strategic view when it comes to building international networks. “Global influence isn’t built overnight,” he note

Oct 21, 2025By Jung Da-hyun

To win global education race, Korea needs strategy, not speed: expert

Education minister puts diversity at center of higher education reform

Korea’s education system is at a turning point, facing both a declining student population and the pressures of a highly competitive academic environment, with Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin calling for greater diversity to drive innovation in higher education. “Diversity in the student body positively affects creative thinking and learning outcomes. It goes beyond equal opportunity — it plays a decisive role in improving the quality of university education,” Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin told reporters Monday at Government Complex Sejong. The press conference, held a month after Choi took office, outlined the ministry’s vision and priorities for higher education under the Lee Jae Myung administration. Citing examples from overseas, he noted that many foreign universities have established dedicated committees to promote diversity across race, gender and socioeconomic background. “Some Korean universities are also making such efforts, which is an encouraging sign,” he said. “Expanding diversity should be a key direction for the future of Korean higher education.” Amid

Oct 20, 2025By Jung Da-hyun

Education minister puts diversity at center of higher education reform

High-risk gamblers flock back to Kangwon Land

The number of visitors frequenting Kangwon Land, the nation's only casino legally open to Korean nationals, more than 100 days a year has returned to the 1,000 range for the first time since the pandemic, raising concerns that gambling addiction is surging back to pre-COVID levels. According to data submitted by Rep. Heo Sung-moo of the Democratic Party of Korea on Sunday, 1,122 people visited Kangwon Land at least 100 times in 2023. The figure had dropped from 1,604 in 2020 to just four during the pandemic in 2021 due to government restrictions, before rebounding to 209 in 2022 and 951 last year. Located in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province, Kangwon Land opened in 2000 to help revitalize the region’s post-mining economy. From October last year to this October, Kangwon Land data showed that the casino’s most frequent visitor entered 159 times in a single year, while the 100th-ranked customer visited 143 times. Visiting more than 100 days a year already means gambling once every three days — but these top visitors were effectively coming every other day. Considering the casino operates fr

Oct 20, 2025By Hankookilbo

High-risk gamblers flock back to Kangwon Land

Gov't says fire-hit online administrative services in 'gradual recovery phase'

The government said Monday that online administrative services affected by last month's fire at a state data center have entered a "gradual recovery phase" with more than half of them restored. As of 9 a.m., 373 of the 709 services crippled by the fire at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) in the central city of Daejeon had been brought back online, marking a restoration rate of 52.6 percent, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH). Among "Grade 1" services, or those considered essential based on their impact and number of users, 77.5 percent had been normalized. "As the restoration rate for the government's administrative data systems has exceeded 50 percent, the restoration process is entering a gradual recovery phase," Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung said during a meeting of the CDSCH. The latest restored systems include a health ministry system managing the operation schedules and blood supplies of organ transplant patients and the National Fire Agency's system for emergency rescues and disaster response. On Tuesday, an online sys

Oct 20, 2025By Yonhap

Gov't says fire-hit online administrative services in 'gradual recovery phase'

Korean gov't denies possibility of opening mobile phone accounts without ID

The Korean government and telecommunication community denied rumors that some Chinese people had opened new mobile phone accounts without undergoing proper identity (ID) verification amid nationwide online disruptions stemming from a fire in the state data center, industry sources said Sunday. Recently, some social media posts have claimed that ID verification was no longer required when activating new mobile phone lines. A separate report released by Rep. Park Jeong-hun argued that more than 150,000 mobile phones were registered without ID checks between Sept. 27 and Sept. 30, coinciding with the start of Korea's temporary visa-free entry program on Sept. 29. Park said the state-run online ID verification system had been out of service for four days following a fire on Sept. 26 at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) in the central city of Daejeon. However, government and telecom officials refuted the claims, saying the system was restored on Sept. 29 and mobile carriers have screened out any unauthorized identity use. "We will take stern action against those who used fake I

Oct 19, 2025By Yonhap

Korean gov't denies possibility of opening mobile phone accounts without ID

Incheon Global Campus to host special Sebasi Talk event: 'Learn Bold, Lead Global'

Incheon Global Campus (IGC) will host a special lecture event titled “Learn Bold, Lead Global” in collaboration with Sebasi Talk, a Korean lecture program modeled after TED Talks. The event will take place on Oct. 30 at 6 p.m. at the IGC Auditorium. The event will feature five speakers delivering relay lectures under the themes of bold learning and global leadership. The speakers include Lee Gyu-tag, professor of cultural studies at George Mason University Korea; Lee Ho-sun, chair of Christian counselling and welfare at Soongsil Cyber University; Sam Richards, professor of sociology at Pennsylvania State University; Cho Yong-min, CEO of Unbound Lab Dev and former Google executive; and Han Jea-kweon, professor of robotics at Hanyang University and CTO of AeiROBOT. Each speaker will connect the event’s theme to their area of expertise, offering insights to inspire participants. Advance registration for the free public lecture is available through the Sebasi Talk website or via the QR code on the event poster until midnight on Oct. 26. “IGC has moved beyond its stabilization phase

Oct 19, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

Incheon Global Campus to host special Sebasi Talk event: 'Learn Bold, Lead Global'

Korea’s pet boom sparks street sanitation woes

With Korea home to more than 15 million companion animals, cleaning up after dogs has largely become second nature for most pet owners — at least when it comes to feces. Urine, however, remains an exception. People are increasingly expressing discomfort and frustration at the sight and smell of dog urine stains left on roads and sidewalks. According to a report by KB Financial Group, the country’s companion animal population has surpassed 15 million, with dogs being the most common at 5.46 million. As the daily lives of non-pet owners are increasingly affected by the behavior of pets and their owners, debates over “petiquette” — the rules of conduct pet owners should observe — have intensified. The issue of dog urine is one example. While it has become common practice for most dog owners to carry waste bags and clean up after their pets during walks, many still leave urine unattended. “In our apartment playground, the smell of dog urine and visible stains are common,” said Oh, a father of an elementary school child in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. “I understand that dogs ne

Oct 18, 2025By Jung Da-hyun

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