my timesThe Korea Times

South Korea

PoliticsDefenseGlobal CommunityEnvironment & AnimalsLaw & CrimeHealthSocietyEducationOthers
  • Society

    Murder suspect's father evades charges, fueling debate over Korea's family evidence-tampering exemption

    The father of Jang Yoon-gi, a suspect in the murder of a high school girl, allegedly destroyed evidence in the case, renewing debate over Korea's criminal code exemption shielding family members from evidence-tampering charges. Last month, prosecutors indicted Jang, 23, on charges of stabbing and killing the girl in Gwangju in May after following her with intent to rape. He was also indicted on charges of attacking another student with a knife when they tried to intervene. Investigators later found that Jang's father, an active-duty police officer, had disposed of items from his son's residence, including several mobile phones and a sex doll whose chest and neck areas showed concentrated damage. The father was not indicted, however. Under current law, destroying evidence in another person's criminal case carries penalties of up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 7 million won ($4,530), but relatives or family members living with the offender are exempt. Lee Yung-hyeock, a professor of police science at Konkuk University, said the exemption exists in Korea because of questions whe

    2 MIN READBy Park Ung
    Murder suspect's father evades charges, fueling debate over Korea's family evidence-tampering exemption
  • Law & Crime

    3rd appeals trial begins for former K-pop star Steve Yoo over visa denial

    2 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    3rd appeals trial begins for former K-pop star Steve Yoo over visa denial
  • Law & Crime

    Appeals court to begin ex-President Yoon's drone infiltration trial on July 15

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Appeals court to begin ex-President Yoon's drone infiltration trial on July 15
  • Politics

    Lee pledges to establish 'aerospace industry belt' along southern coast

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Lee pledges to establish 'aerospace industry belt' along southern coast
  • Society

    Seoul expands accessible bus travel options for wheelchair users

    2 MIN READBy Jhoo Dong-chan
    Seoul expands accessible bus travel options for wheelchair users
Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
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.

Read more

Defense

West Point cadets visit Korea Times, discuss alliance, democracy, media

Cadets from the United States Military Academy at West Point visited The Korea Times in Seoul, Wednesday, as part of a regional trip across the Philippines, Korea and Japan, aimed at understanding how the U.S. engages with its allies in the Asia-Pacific. The group is traveling across Asia to better understand how the U.S. works with its allies. They chose Korea for its large U.S. military presence and long history as an ally. The visit brought together future U.S. military officers and the Korea’s oldest English-language newspaper, founded in November 1950 during the Korean War (1950-53) to inform U.S. troops and the international community about developments on the peninsula. The cadets arrived in Seoul on Sunday and spent several days visiting key military sites, including Camp Humphreys, the Demilitarized Zone and Camp Casey, where they met U.S. Forces Korea personnel and observed joint operations with Korean troops. The itinerary also included meetings with industry leaders at Hyundai Motor Group and Hanwha Aerospace. That background shaped much of the conversation with The Korea T

Apr 2, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
West Point cadets visit Korea Times, discuss alliance, democracy, media
Law & Crime

Supreme Court confirms life sentence for teacher over student's murder

The Supreme Court on Thursday confirmed a life sentence for a teacher convicted of killing a 7-year-old student at their school in the central city of Daejeon last year. The court handed down the ruling to Myeong Jae-wan, 49, who was found guilty of luring the student, Kim Ha-neul, to a classroom on Feb. 10 last year and stabbing her with a weapon she had prepared in advance. The teacher was also convicted of kicking and damaging a school computer and assaulting another teacher several days before the murder. During the trial, Myeong admitted to the crime but claimed she was in a mentally impaired state. The prosecution sought the death penalty. Both the district and appellate courts sentenced her to life in prison and ordered her to wear an electronic tracking device for 30 years. The Supreme Court confirmed that order as well. "The accused cannot be considered to have been in a mentally impaired state at the time of the crime, given that she carried out the crime according to a prepared plan and later tried to cover it up, and the detailed statements she gave on the crime process," the c

Apr 2, 2026By Yonhap
Supreme Court confirms life sentence for teacher over student's murder
Society

Labor board to rule on status of principal contractors for 1st time since new labor law enactment

A labor relations board will rule for the first time Thursday on the "employer status" of principal contractors since the enforcement of a new labor law aimed at broadening workers' bargaining rights. The Yellow Envelope Act took effect last month, making prime contractors more accountable for subcontracted workers by expanding the definition of "employer" to a company that substantially controls working conditions even if it does not directly hire workers. The Chungnam National Labor Relations Commission will review cases involving the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, the Korea Asset Management, and the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science. The four have not posted notices of negotiation requests from subcontractor unions despite the new law requiring principal contractors to put them up for seven days from the day they receive them. The contractors have argued the notices were not posted as the unions did not outline the agenda items or working conditions they want to negotiate, which they say is required in order to determine

Apr 2, 2026By Yonhap
Labor board to rule on status of principal contractors for 1st time since new labor law enactment
Law & Crime

Couple attend arrest warrant hearing over killing mother, abandoning body

A woman in her 20s and her husband are set to attend an arrest warrant hearing at a court Thursday on charges of murdering her mother and abandoning the body. The husband, also in his 20s, is accused of beating his mother-in-law in her 50s to death with his hands and feet at his officetel in central Daegu, 250 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on March 18. The couple are suspected of placing the victim's body in a suitcase and abandoning it in the city's Sincheon Stream. The hearing is scheduled to begin at the Daegu District Court on Thursday morning and its decision is expected to be released in the afternoon. The couple were detained Tuesday after confessing to abandoning the body. The husband told police later that he committed the crime because his mother-in-law, who was living with the couple, was usually noisy and did not organize her belongings.

Apr 2, 2026By Yonhap
Couple attend arrest warrant hearing over killing mother, abandoning body
Society

Korean prank videos using Kanye West masks go viral, sparking racism debate

In an Instagram reel that has garnered more than 8.9 million views, a middle-aged Korean woman grips the door to keep someone out while screaming, “Call the police!” The face staring back at her is U.S. rapper Kanye West's. Videos of Koreans wearing face masks — most often portraying Black celebrities such as West — to startle those around them have recently gone viral, with some posts drawing tens of millions of views. The trend has ignited a debate over race and the ethics of viral content. The format is consistent across videos: A creator conceals who they are with long sleeves, a hood or cap, and a mask depicting a Black person, then knocks on a door. When an elderly parent or grandparent answers, their shock, panic and screams become the content. Reactions have been divided. While many viewers engage with the videos as entertainment, Korean commenters have largely called the prank out of line for targeting elderly and vulnerable family members. Many foreign users have also condemned the trend as racist. “We as Black people already go through a lot of stereotyping and hate a

Apr 2, 2026By Park Ung
Korean prank videos using Kanye West masks go viral, sparking racism debate
Society

Police seek arrest warrants for couple for abandoning mother's body in suitcase

Police on Wednesday sought warrants to detain a couple in their 20s on charges of placing the wife's mother's body in a suitcase and abandoning it in a stream in southeastern Daegu. The Daegu Bukbu Police Station, which is investigating the case, charged the husband with killing a family member and disposing of a body, while the wife faces charges of disposing of a body. The couple were urgently detained Tuesday night after confessing during police interrogation that they put the body in a suitcase at their home in central Daegu, 250 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on March 18, then walked to the nearby Sincheon Stream and left it there. The interrogation took place after residents reported the suitcase floating in the stream and the police confirmed through CCTV analysis that the couple were seen leaving their home dragging the same bag. The male suspect reportedly told police that he attacked his mother-in-law, in her 50s, because she was "usually noisy and did not organize her belongings." Authorities said the wife accompanied him while transporting the body to the stream. A preliminary

Apr 1, 2026By Yonhap
Police seek arrest warrants for couple for abandoning mother's body in suitcase
Politics

Lee calls for greater transparency on key supply chains amid Middle East tensions

President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday called on the government to transparently disclose supply and demand conditions for major items to the public to prevent unnecessary confusion in the market, as the conflict involving Iran fuels concerns over supplies of fuel and key materials. Lee raised concerns about market confusion driven by fake news and rumors, amid reports of hoarding of standard plastic garbage bags amid a sharp rise in polyethylene prices, a key material used to produce plastic bags. "We should transparently inform the public about supply and demand conditions, and response measures for key items to prevent unnecessary confusion and anxiety from spreading in the market," Lee said during an emergency economic response meeting. "If information is not clear, unnecessary suspicion and doubt could arise, which may fuel confusion through fake news and rumors," he added. Lee instructed relevant ministries to identify items whose supplies could be affected by the U.S.-Iran conflict and compile a list to closely monitor supply and demand, prices, and any signs of abnormal market acti

Apr 1, 2026By Yonhap
Lee calls for greater transparency on key supply chains amid Middle East tensions
South Korea

Barricade around 'Statue of Peace' lifted for 1st time in 6 years

Police on Wednesday temporarily removed a barricade surrounding an iconic statue of a girl representing the victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery for the first time in nearly six years. People quietly cheered as the barricade was lifted for a weekly rally around the statue by activists dedicated to remembering the victims, marking its first removal since 2020. The barricade around the "Statue of Peace" in central Seoul had been installed in June that year due to concerns of possible damage by right-wing groups who deny Japan's sexual enslavement of women during World War II. The statue — installed near the former site of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul — has often led to clashes between supporters of the memorial and far-right groups. The temporary removal came after a far-right group leader who had led rallies near the statue was recently detained on defamation charges, prompting discussions to lift the barricade. Police plan to temporarily lift the barricade every Wednesday this month when the weekly rally takes place. It is also considering its permanent removal at the end of the

Apr 1, 2026By Yonhap
Barricade around 'Statue of Peace' lifted for 1st time in 6 years
Policy & Trends

Visas revoked for over 100 Chinese students at local university over falsified academic documents

Visas for more than 100 Chinese students scheduled to graduate at a local university here in July have been revoked after authorities found that the academic credentials they had submitted were falsified. It was recently confirmed that the students, all enrolled at Honam University in Gwangju, had their visas canceled by the Gwangju Immigration Office in January during the winter break. Most of them were graduate students and several were undergraduates who transferred from other schools. Most of the students were visiting their home country at the time their visas were canceled, preventing their reentry to Korea. Five more who stayed in Korea during the winter break received departure orders, and four of them have since departed voluntarily. The university said it sent out an urgent notice ahead of the new semester advising the students preparing to return to Korea to delay their entry, warning they could face deportation upon arrival at the airport. The university explained that it relies on internationally recognized certification systems, such as apostilled documents — a form of go

Apr 1, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Visas revoked for over 100 Chinese students at local university over falsified academic documents
South Korea

Gov't to curb excessive classes at English kindergartens

All knowledge-based teaching at private academies for children under 3 years old will be strictly prohibited, possibly starting in the second half of next year, the education ministry said Wednesday. For children aged 3 and older, such teaching must not exceed three hours per day under the government's bid to reduce excessive private education among toddlers and preschoolers. The new regulations, aimed at protecting the developmental rights of children aged 7 and under, are widely seen as targeting English-language kindergartens. The government plans to amend the law on the operation of private teaching institutes to completely block potentially harmful teaching practices for young children, the ministry said. "Improper teaching at private academies will be legally prohibited. In particular, advanced learning should not be provided to children under the age of 3. As a result, English-language kindergartens may find it difficult to operate full-day classes," a ministry official said. The ministry aims to expedite the amendment of the law to pass it through the National Assembly within this

Apr 1, 2026By Yonhap
Gov't to curb excessive classes at English kindergartens
previous page
167168169170171
next page

Most Read in South Korea