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  • Society

    AnalysisKorea's 'fake news' law set to redraw online speech rules

    A viral YouTube video, a one-star review on a delivery app, a heated post on a parenting community — all of these will fall under the same legal standard starting July 7. Korea's revised Information and Communications Network Act, widely known as the "fake news" law, introduces punitive damages for YouTubers with more than 100,000 subscribers and high-traffic TikTok accounts if they display what authorities define as "unlawful" content, while platforms such as Naver, Kakao, Google and Meta stand to face steep penalties if they fail to police such content. High-traffic influencers targeted The enforcement decree spells out who can be sued for punitive damages over illegal and fabricated information. Individuals on online platforms like YouTube or TikTok who have posted at least three pieces of content over the past three months and either have more than 100,000 subscribers or average more than 100,000 monthly views in that period will fall under the definition of major online information producers. If they are found to have deliberately spread false information that causes harm in order

    4 MIN READBy Jung Min-ho
    Korea's 'fake news' law set to redraw online speech rules
  • Politics

    New PM vows to fast-track Korea's AI push on 1st day in office

    2 MIN READBy Yi Whan-woo
    New PM vows to fast-track Korea's AI push on 1st day in office
  • Defense

    Defense minister says unified military academy necessary to break down silos

    2 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Defense minister says unified military academy necessary to break down silos
  • Law & Crime

    Parliamentary committee to conduct 1st on-site probe into ballot shortages

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Parliamentary committee to conduct 1st on-site probe into ballot shortages
  • Education

    University of Seoul signs academic, student exchange agreement with Université Paris Nanterre

    2 MIN READBy Park Yoon-bae
    University of Seoul signs academic, student exchange agreement with Université Paris Nanterre
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2026 local elections

Presidential AI secretary nears decision on run in Busan by-election

Ha Jung-woo, presidential secretary for artificial intelligence (AI) policy and future planning, is nearing a decision on whether to run in the by-election for a National Assembly seat representing Busan's Buk-A constituency, with ruling party officials pointing to a possible announcement as early as this week. The by-election, set to be held alongside the June 3 local elections, has quickly emerged as one of the most closely watched races nationwide. The seat opened after Rep. Chun Jae-soo of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) stepped down to run for Busan mayor, but the contest took on a wider dimension when former People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon announced his bid as an independent. Ha's potential candidacy is widely viewed as part of a broader strategy by the DPK to frame the by-elections as a test of the Lee Jae Myung administration's governing agenda. By putting forward a figure closely associated with its flagship AI policy, the party appears to be seeking to highlight its focus on future industries while reinforcing its reform credentials. Party officials sa

Apr 27, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Presidential AI secretary nears decision on run in Busan by-election
Law & Crime

Police launch probe into medical syringe hoarding amid war-related shortage

Police said Monday they have launched an investigation into four companies suspected of hoarding medical syringes in violation of a government ban amid a shortage caused by the Middle East conflict. The four were among 32 companies caught during a special crackdown by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to ensure compliance with the government measure, which was recently adopted amid shortage concerns prompted by the Middle East war. The prolonged war is disrupting naphtha supplies, limiting the production of essential medical supplies, including syringes and intravenous bags. The ministry referred the four companies to the police after confirming they were in violation of the ban, and each case was assigned to the police station with jurisdiction, according to the National Office of Investigation under the National Police Agency. On Saturday, President Lee Jae Myung addressed the issue in a post on X, saying he has instructed the Cabinet to take "maximum" measures in the event violations are found, such as through swift investigations and punishment, and maximum administrative sanction

Apr 27, 2026By Yonhap
Police launch probe into medical syringe hoarding amid war-related shortage
Law & Crime

20-year prison term sought for ex-justice minister in martial law case

A special counsel team on Monday sought a 20-year prison term for former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae on charges of playing a key role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid and granting undue favors to Yoon's wife. The team led by special counsel Cho Eun-suk made the sentence request during the final hearing of Park's trial at the Seoul Central District Court, saying it calls for strict judgment in order to sound the alarm on "a jurist who destroys the law." Park is accused of playing a key role in an insurrection and abusing his power by calling a meeting of senior justice ministry officials in the wake of Yoon's December 2024 martial law declaration to review dispatching prosecutors to a martial law-supporting body, checking the capacity of correctional facilities and calling to work officials responsible for imposing travel bans. Additionally, the former minister is accused of giving inappropriate orders to his subordinates in line with a request from Yoon's wife, Kim Keon Hee, in May 2024, to check certain details of the prosecution's investigation into suspic

Apr 27, 2026By Yonhap
20-year prison term sought for ex-justice minister in martial law case
South Korea

Korea launches campaign urging fair treatment of immigrant workers

A new government-backed campaign seeks to change how workers are addressed on factory floors and at industrial worksites in Korea, urging employers to move away from dismissive or overly casual labels for immigrant laborers and instead use their given names. The Ministry of Employment and Labor said Monday that it launched the Immigrant Worker Labor Respect Campaign at an industrial site in Ulsan, a major port city in the southeast. The event, which drew approximately 100 foreign workers and representatives from labor rights foundations, centered on a highly symbolic gesture: the distribution of safety helmets engraved with each worker's individual name. Officials said the initiative is a direct challenge to a long-standing workplace culture where foreign staff are frequently addressed by generic titles, numbers or informal honorifics that critics argue strip them of their professional dignity. The campaign is rooted in the belief that linguistic respect is a prerequisite for physical safety. By emphasizing the use of names and formal honorifics, authorities hope to foster an environme

Apr 27, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea launches campaign urging fair treatment of immigrant workers
South Korea

Korea exports K-edu model to reshape Sri Lanka’s medical research

Korea’s push to export its higher education model is gaining ground overseas, with a university-led partnership helping reshape Sri Lanka’s medical research and training landscape. The Ministry of Education said Monday that a recent evaluation of its “Leading University for International Cooperation” program found tangible progress in strengthening higher education and public health systems in Sri Lanka. At the center of the effort is Sungkyunkwan University, which has worked since 2020 with the University of Sri Jayewardenepura to establish the country’s first Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine. The department, launched in July 2020, played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic as the only institution in Sri Lanka dedicated to nationwide infectious disease analysis, officials said. Building on that foundation, the Sri Lankan government supported the creation of a national-level Allergy and Immunology Research Institute within the university, set to be completed in January 2027. The institute is expected to serve as a central hub for infectious disease respo

Apr 27, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea exports K-edu model to reshape Sri Lanka’s medical research
Law & Crime

Ex-Unification Church official gets heavier prison term during appeal over gifts to ex-first lady

An appeals court on Monday sentenced a former Unification Church official to 18 months in prison for giving luxury gifts to former first lady Kim Keon Hee, a heavier punishment than the 14 months given by a lower court. The Seoul High Court handed down the sentence to Yun Young-ho, who formerly served as head of the church's global headquarters, upholding most of the lower court's ruling in January. The appeals court found Yun guilty of giving a Graff diamond necklace worth 62.2 million won ($42,200) and a Chanel bag worth 12.7 million won to Kim, the wife of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, in July 2022 while requesting favors on various issues related to the church. It also ruled that he gave 100 million won in illegal political funds to Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the now main opposition People Power Party — a close political ally of Yoon — in January 2022. The court overturned the lower court's acquittal of Yun from charges of embezzling church funds to gift a separate Chanel bag to Kim in April 2022, finding him guilty of embezzlement, which apparently led to his increased se

Apr 27, 2026By Yonhap
Ex-Unification Church official gets heavier prison term during appeal over gifts to ex-first lady
Politics

Google to open AI campus in Korea

Google will open an artificial intelligence (AI) campus in Korea within this year in line with the Korean government’s expanded cooperation with global AI companies, a senior Cheong Wa Dae official said Monday. Kim Yong-beom, presidential chief of staff for policy, said the envisioned campus is anticipated to facilitate Google's cooperation with startups and researchers in Korea. It will be the first in the world outside the United Kingdom, where its AI research lab Google DeepMind is headquartered. Kim said Demis Hassabis, co-founder and CEO of Google DeepMind, disclosed the plan during his meeting with President Lee Jae Myung at Cheong Wa Dae. "Hassabis agreed to actively consider dispatching Google researchers to Korea," Kim said. "The CEO instantly accepted our request to send at least 10." The meeting came as Korea strives to become one of the world’s top three AI powerhouses, alongside the United States and China. Lee and Hassabis discussed a range of cooperative measures, such as advancing the country's AI ecosystem and promoting the responsible use of related technologies. The

Apr 27, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Google to open AI campus in Korea
South Korea

Seoul reimagines derelict oil depot as year-round cultural hub

A former oil depot on the western edge of Seoul is fast becoming one of the city’s most ambitious cultural experiments, as officials push to turn the industrial relic into a year-round arts and events hub drawing 1 million visitors annually. Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday it plans to expand programming at Oil Tank Culture Park, a repurposed oil reserve facility built in 1976 and closed in 2000, into a multidisciplinary cultural complex blending exhibitions, performances, festivals and wellness events. Built from massive steel storage tanks once used for fuel reserves, the site was reimagined as a public cultural space in 2017 that preserves its industrial structure while hosting immersive media art, concerts and participatory programs. The city said it is aiming to attract 1 million annual visitors for this year as it scales up about 20 major events per year, ranging from music festivals to sports and wellness programming. This month alone, Oil Tank Culture Park has hosted a series of large-scale events focused on inclusion and environmental themes. An inclusive arts festiva

Apr 27, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Seoul reimagines derelict oil depot as year-round cultural hub
South Korea

Seoul turns streets into stages with expanded busking program

Korea’s capital is transforming sidewalks, plazas and riverside parks into open-air stages, rolling out an expanded street performance initiative that will bring nearly 2,000 performances across the city through the end of the year. Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday it has launched the 2026 edition of Guseokguseok Live, a city-run cultural program that places curated live performances in everyday public spaces. Running from April through December, the program will feature 150 selected performance teams chosen through a competitive process that included video screening and live auditions. Officials said 657 teams applied this year, reflecting growing demand among street performers. The final lineup spans music, instrumental performances, traditional arts and stage performances. The city said the selection process was designed to emphasize live performance quality and audience engagement in public settings. Since its launch in 2011, Guseokguseok Live has grown into one of Seoul’s largest public arts initiatives, producing more than 27,000 performances by over 2,000 artist teams

Apr 27, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Seoul turns streets into stages with expanded busking program
Society

Major umbrella union to hold Labor Day rally over cargo worker's death in Jinju

A major umbrella union will hold a large-scale rally on Labor Day to demand responsibility over the death of a cargo worker hit by a truck during a recent demonstration, officials said Monday. Last Monday, a 2.5-ton truck struck participants of a cargo worker rally near a CU convenience store logistics center in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, killing a union member in his 50s and injuring two others. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions plans to hold its rally near the headquarters of BGF Retail, the operator of CU, in southern Seoul on Friday to call for a resolution to the underlying dispute between labor and management. Subcontractor workers of BGF had staged last week's rally to demand direct negotiations with BGF management following the recent enforcement of a new law holding prime contractors more accountable for subcontracted employees. The collision is suspected to have happened as rallygoers tried to block the truck, operated by a non-union worker, from leaving the site and continuing to work for the company despite the ongoing rally by unionized cargo truck drivers. The

Apr 27, 2026By Yonhap
Major umbrella union to hold Labor Day rally over cargo worker's death in Jinju
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