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  • Politics

    Soon-to-be PM Han carries high expectation for AI transformation

    Han Seong-sook, Korea’s soon-to-be prime minister, arrives at the post with high expectations that she will leverage her technological expertise to help accelerate the country's artificial intelligence (AI) transformation. The parliamentary confirmation hearing committee approved a report, Tuesday, clearing Han as qualified for the post, with the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) leading the approval after she was nominated on June 7. Han is now just one step away from officially taking office, with her appointment to be finalized once the National Assembly approves the confirmation motion at a plenary session. The process leading to Han’s likely appointment comes as President Lee Jae Myung pushes to position Korea among the world's top three AI powers, alongside the United States and China. The blueprint has become increasingly concrete since Lee outlined the vision last year, with initiatives such as the government's allocation of a record 9.9 trillion won ($6.3 billion) for AI this year and public-private plans to build four new semiconductor plants in southwestern Korea to m

    2 MIN READBy Yi Whan-woo
    Soon-to-be PM Han carries high expectation for AI transformation
  • Defense

    Defense minister backs push for unified military academy as fundamental reform for future

    2 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Defense minister backs push for unified military academy as fundamental reform for future
  • Law & Crime

    Outgoing North Chungcheong governor raided over bribery allegations

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Outgoing North Chungcheong governor raided over bribery allegations
  • Education

    Kookmin University student wins 2nd place at IBM Bob Hackathon

    2 MIN READBy Park Yoon-bae
    Kookmin University student wins 2nd place at IBM Bob Hackathon
  • Defense

    Ukrainian outlet's critique exposes gaps in Korea's counter-drone strategy

    3 MIN READBy Bahk Eun-ji
    Ukrainian outlet's critique exposes gaps in Korea's counter-drone strategy
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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.

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Law & Crime

Special counsel challenges appeals court ruling on ex-President Yoon's obstruction of justice case

A special counsel team said Thursday it has appealed to the Supreme Court over a lower court ruling on former President Yoon Suk Yeol's case on obstruction of justice and other charges stemming from his failed 2024 martial law bid. On Wednesday, the Seoul High Court raised Yoon's sentence from five years to seven years in prison in the case, while upholding his acquittal of a charge on exercising a false official document. Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team, which sought a 10-year sentence for Yoon, said in a press notice that it would dispute the acquittal at the top court. The appeals court found Yoon guilty of creating and then discarding a false proclamation after his martial law decree was lifted, but it acquitted him of exercising the document as it was not made public. Yoon's lawyers have also vowed to appeal the ruling, calling it "unacceptable." The former president has been standing a total of eight trials following his failed attempt to impose martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in February on charges of leading an insurrection through his martial

Apr 30, 2026By Yonhap
Special counsel challenges appeals court ruling on ex-President Yoon's obstruction of justice case
2026 local elections

'Treat voters like insects': Busan by-election candidate faces backlash over 'hand-wiping' video

A viral video showing a Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) candidate appearing to wipe his hands after greeting market vendors has sparked fierce criticism from conservative rivals ahead of a highly contested by-election in Busan. Ha Jung-woo, former senior presidential secretary for AI policy and future planning, visited Gupo Market on Wednesday. Multiple videos circulated online showing Ha rubbing and brushing his hands off immediately after shaking hands with merchants. Conservative rivals, including the People Power Party (PPP) members and independent candidates, launched a coordinated attack Thursday, framing the gesture as an insult to local residents. Han Dong-hoon, a former PPP leader running as an independent in the same district, took to Facebook to condemn the DPK's defense of Ha. "After hearing a DPK spokesperson dismiss this on television, I have to ask," Han said. "Does the party truly believe that ignoring Buk District people will not impact the overall race?" Park Min-sik, a former veterans affairs minister preparing to run as a PPP candidate, accused Ha of harboring deep-sea

Apr 30, 2026By Hankookilbo
'Treat voters like insects': Busan by-election candidate faces backlash over 'hand-wiping' video
South Korea

Seoul to bring thousands together for women’s marathon Saturday

Seoul will turn its western riverside park district into a sea of runners and walkers Saturday morning as about 7,000 participants take part in a women's marathon designed less for competition than for community. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said the 2026 Women’s Marathon will begin at 7:30 a.m. at Peace Plaza in World Cup Park in Mapo District, marking the 26th edition of an event first launched in 2001 in partnership with the Women’s News. Unlike elite road races focused on finish times, the event emphasizes participation and public health, organizers said. The course includes 10-kilometer and 5-kilometer runs as well as a 3-kilometer walking route aimed at families, beginners and casual participants. The event is open to all genders and ages. Officials said the event is designed to encourage broader participation in recreational exercise, reflecting what they describe as Seoul’s push to become a “city of companionship and attractiveness” through accessible sports programming. The race includes a charitable program called the “Together Run,” which invites children fr

Apr 30, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Seoul to bring thousands together for women’s marathon Saturday
Defense

S. Korea downplays USFK reduction talk after Trump’s troop cut hint in Germany

U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that American troop levels in Germany could be reduced is fueling speculation the move might extend to the Korean Peninsula. However, defense experts are not convinced the remarks will lead to troop cuts in South Korea, instead pointing to the peninsula’s growing strategic importance — as reflected in the U.S.' latest defense strategy aimed at countering China — and the likelihood of restructuring rather than a reduction. Some 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed across South Korea. On Wednesday (local time), Trump said on Truth Social that the United States is weighing a possible reduction of American troops in Germany, with a decision to be made over "the next short period of time," after he decried European allies over a lack of support for the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. Lee Sang-kyu, chief of the nuclear security research division at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, said any meaningful change to U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) would require revisions to operational plans and mission objectives — neither of which appears to be under

Apr 30, 2026By Anna J. Park
S. Korea downplays USFK reduction talk after Trump’s troop cut hint in Germany
  • USFK troop drawdown not under discussion between S. Korea, US: defense ministry
Politics

Lee flags risks of excessive union demands amid Samsung labor dispute

President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday took direct aim at unions making excessive demands, in remarks widely seen as a warning to Samsung Electronics workers threatening to go on strike over a cap to bonus payouts. Speaking at a senior aides' meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Lee called for greater responsibility from both labor and management, cautioning unions against pursuing narrow self-interest while urging employers to treat workers as genuine partners. “I hope workers will also show solidarity among themselves,” Lee said during a senior aides’ meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, warning that the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping workplaces and industries and stressing that meeting the challenge will require cooperation and shared growth. “If some organized labor groups pursue only their own interests with excessive or unjustified demands and draw public criticism, it could harm not only their own unions but other workers as well.” He reiterated that employers must show the same broader sense of accountability. “We must move beyond a ‘looking out only for oneself

Apr 30, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Lee flags risks of excessive union demands amid Samsung labor dispute
Environment & Animals

Korea’s zoos face reckoning after repeated deaths, escapes

A string of animal deaths and escapes is intensifying calls for a sweeping overhaul of zoo operations in Korea, casting doubt on the effectiveness of a licensing law that replaced a looser registration system more than two years ago. The death of Bomunyi, a popular white lion cub at a Daejeon aquarium, was confirmed April 24, weeks after the animal died on April 2 at just 7 months old. The cause was identified as multiple cartilaginous exostosis, a rare hereditary joint disorder more commonly seen in white lions, which are frequently bred through repeated inbreeding to preserve their rare coloring. The case renewed criticism of exhibition-driven zoo practices, fueling calls for a shift toward animal welfare and conservation. Earlier on April 8, a wolf named Neukgu escaped from Daejeon O-World and was recaptured alive nine days later after surviving in the wild. The incident drew backlash over possible lapses in management. After the capture, the zoo released footage of the wolf eating, prompting further backlash from animal rights groups which accused the facility of once again turning

Apr 30, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Korea’s zoos face reckoning after repeated deaths, escapes
  • Daejeon's beloved white lion cub dies at 7 months from rare skeletal disorder
  • Wolf instinct: how an escaped South Korean zoo wolf survived nine days on carcasses
South Korea

Budget ministry turns to AI to help steer fiscal planning

Korea is moving to hand a portion of its fiscal planning to artificial intelligence (AI), betting that algorithms can sift through decades of data faster — and perhaps more rigorously — than overworked civil servants. The Ministry of Planning and Budget said Friday it will introduce an “AI budget assistant” to support nearly every stage of fiscal planning, from drafting proposals to restructuring expenditures, with full deployment targeted for May 2027. The initiative was discussed at a government meeting, where participants agreed that the system is intended to make the ministry a “first mover” in adopting AI across government operations. The tool will rely on a large language model trained on accumulated fiscal data, including budget requests, program descriptions, statistical records and internal reviews. Officials said the system will generate tailored responses when staff input queries, dramatically reducing the time needed to gather and analyze information. The ministry has sharply expanded its broader AI spending to support such efforts, tripling the national AI budget

Apr 30, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Budget ministry turns to AI to help steer fiscal planning
South Korea

Korea opens real-time infectious disease risk data to the public

Korea is throwing open a once-internal system for tracking global outbreaks, giving the public a clear window into the risks of infectious diseases spreading across borders. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Thursday that it began publishing weekly risk assessments for more than 15 infectious diseases on a public portal (https://dportal.kdca.go.kr), a move intended to bolster transparency and public safety. The newly released data assess the risk of domestic inflow and the potential spread of diseases, including Ebola, Middle East respiratory syndrome, cholera, measles and dengue fever. To make the information more accessible, the agency is using visual tools designed to clarify complex risk levels at a glance. Officials said the initiative reflects a growing public demand for timely health information as international travel rebounds and global outbreaks remain a persistent concern. Previously, these analyses were reserved for internal use to guide quarantine measures and the designation of high-risk regions. By opening the data to the public, authorities aim to help

Apr 30, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea opens real-time infectious disease risk data to the public
South Korea

Seoul land prices climb as Myeong-dong plot retains crown as costliest property in Korea

Land values across Seoul rose again this year, with nearly every parcel gaining ground and a prime commercial site in Myeong-dong holding its title as the city’s most expensive property for the 23rd consecutive year, Seoul city government officials said Thursday. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it finalized and disclosed individual land prices for 857,493 parcels as of Jan. 1, showing an average increase of 4.9 percent from a year earlier. The increase follows a 4.02 percent rise in 2025, reflecting what officials said is the influence of higher benchmark land prices set earlier this year by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Among the city’s districts, Yongsan posted the steepest increase at 9.20 percent, followed by Seongdong at 6.52 percent, Gangnam at 6.30 percent and Seocho at 5.82 percent. Mapo, Gwangjin and Yeongdeungpo also recorded gains above the citywide average. Of the total parcels, 98.6 percent saw prices rise, while just 0.3 percent declined. About 1.0 percent remained unchanged, and newly assessed plots accounted for 0.1 percent. The most expens

Apr 30, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Seoul land prices climb as Myeong-dong plot retains crown as costliest property in Korea
Law & Crime

Lack of manuals, insufficient oversight blamed for failure to fully recover remains of Jeju Air crash victims

The lack of specific guidelines on the recovery of remains, coupled with insufficient oversight at the scene, led to the failure to fully recover the remains of victims in the 2024 Jeju Air plane crash for more than a year, a government investigation showed Thursday. The Office for Government Policy Coordination said that the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board also violated related regulations in the course of keeping pieces of the wreckage mixed with remains in burlap bags at unroofed open spaces, and failed to respond immediately to requests from bereaved families for a reinvestigation. Announcing the results of a one-month investigation, the office said it has referred 12 related officials for disciplinary measures — four from the transport ministry, six from the accident investigation board, one from police and the other from a firefighting agency. The Jeju Air crash on Dec. 29, 2024, killed 179 passengers and crew members when the jet made an emergency belly landing at Muan International Airport, South Jeolla Province, and erupted into flames after crashing into a

Apr 30, 2026By Yonhap
Lack of manuals, insufficient oversight blamed for failure to fully recover remains of Jeju Air crash victims
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