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  • 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
  • Society

    Why a Mongolian computer engineering student is leaving Korea for China

    6 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    Why a Mongolian computer engineering student is leaving Korea for China
  • Global Community

    How Korea’s birth mothers are exposing the hidden cost of overseas adoption

    3 MIN READBy Anne Mai Bertelsen
    How Korea’s birth mothers are exposing the hidden cost of overseas adoption
  • 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
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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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Defense

Military protocol revised to raise rank of vice defense minister

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved a revised regulation aimed at restoring the military protocol rank of the vice defense minister as part of efforts to "normalize" such a protocol order, the defense ministry said. Under the revision approved earlier in the day, the rank of the vice defense minister will be raised from ninth to second, just a notch below the top-ranking defense minister, according to the ministry. Previously, the vice defense minister ranked below eight top-notch defense and military officials, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the chiefs of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. The move came amid views that the protocol order should be revised to prevent confusion in the command order given that the vice defense minister takes on the role of acting defense minister in the event of the minister's absence. The previous protocol order was established in 1980 to increase the scope of the protocol order of military generals after the military junta came into power following a military coup the previous year.

Mar 31, 2026By Yonhap
Military protocol revised to raise rank of vice defense minister
Campus

Korea’s 1st unified provincial university sets sights on Global Top 100 ranking

A month after merging with Gangneung-Wonju National University, Kangwon National University unveiled a strategic road map Monday to transform itself into a global research powerhouse. A vision proclamation ceremony held at the Chuncheon campus marked the high-profile debut of the newly unified institution, formally established on March 1 through the historic merger. Kangwon National University President Jeong Jae-yeon, addressing a combined student body and faculty of more than 30,000, outlined a strategic pivot toward the "artificial intelligence era." By consolidating resources across the province, the university aims to set a national benchmark for integrated higher education, fostering regional industry-academia growth while competing directly with elite international institutions. The president’s stated goal is to propel the new unified entity into the ranks of the world’s top 100 universities. Jeong joined the presidents of its four campuses — Chuncheon, Gangneung, Samcheok and Wonju — for the vision proclamation. More than 1,000 people attended the ceremony, including Gan

Mar 31, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Korea’s 1st unified provincial university sets sights on Global Top 100 ranking
Society

Seoul tightens nighttime brightness limits on outdoor billboards

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has set stricter nighttime brightness limits on large LED billboards across the capital in response to concerns over visual fatigue among pedestrians and drivers. The move followed The Korea Times' Feb. 7 report that glare from large digital displays can interfere with nighttime driving, leading to an increasing number of complaints over light pollution. The city government said Tuesday it has come up with detailed regulations on brightness caps for outdoor LED billboards. In Korea, each local government is required to set its own regulations on outdoor advertising brightness and color. According to the rules, the daytime brightness cap — the first daytime limit among local governments — is set at 7,000 candelas per square meter. The 7,000-candela daytime threshold was drawn from field data and international standards after consulting with industry and experts, the city said, noting it still allows for adequate on-site visibility. For night, the limits are further tiered by display size and hour, ranging from 350 to 500 candelas — all well below th

Mar 31, 2026By Park Ung
Seoul tightens nighttime brightness limits on outdoor billboards
Global Community

Seoul expands support as foreign student numbers rise to record high

As international student enrollment in the Korean capital climbs to record highs, city officials are expanding a flagship program designed to turn transient scholars into permanent residents. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday that applications for the third cohort of its "30 Days in Seoul" initiative will open April 1, a move aimed at smoothing the transition for a foreign student population that now exceeds 82,000. The expansion follows an aggressive national recruitment drive to counter Korea’s plummeting birth rate, a demographic shift that has brought nearly 300,000 international students to universities nationwide to fill the void left by a shrinking local population. By offering a month of intensive settlement support, the city is betting that stronger early integration will help secure the long-term labor influx its economy needs. A city official said the program reflects a shift in policy focus from attracting global talent to strategic long-term settlement, aiming to encourage international graduates to remain in Seoul and enter the local workforce rather than

Mar 31, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Seoul expands support as foreign student numbers rise to record high
Society

Life satisfaction hits record high as isolation eases

Eight in 10 Koreans are satisfied with their lives, as overall life satisfaction rose and social isolation eased over the past year, government data showed Tuesday. Despite these improvements, concerns over ideological divisions and class tensions remained pronounced, with some indicators pointing to a deepening of those conflicts, underscoring a complex social mood. According to data released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics, the proportion of people expressing satisfaction with their lives reached 80.8 percent last year, up 5.2 percentage points from 75.6 percent a year earlier. This marks the highest level since the data began to be compiled in 2013. A breakdown by gender showed men expressing satisfaction at 81.2 percent, slightly higher than women at 80.3 percent. By age group, individuals in their 30s recorded the highest satisfaction level at 85.2 percent, while those aged 60 and older reported the lowest at 75.1 percent. Perceptions of work also improved. The share of respondents who said their work was meaningful rose to 79.4 percent, up 3.1 percentage points from the prev

Mar 31, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
Life satisfaction hits record high as isolation eases
Defense

US military squadron in Alaska joins live-fire drills in Korea

A U.S. military squadron stationed in Alaska has joined live-fire drills with the Korean military, according to the U.S. Eighth Army on Tuesday. The joint drills, held at the Yeongpyeong Training Area, were a "clear signal" of the U.S. commitment to the alliance with Korea, the U.S. military said on its website. The drills involved "paratroopers from the 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 11th Airborne Division," it said. "It serves as a prime example of the U.S. Army's Transformation Initiative in action, delivering optimized warfighting capabilities to ensure a lethal and ready force," it said. "The squadron's deployment from Alaska to the Korean Peninsula highlights a force not bound by distance," it said. "This is a place we don't often get access to," Lt. Col. Craig Nelson, the battalion commander of 1-40 CAV, told the U.S. military. "We spend a lot of time specializing in Arctic warfare in interior Alaska. But the truth is, we need to be able to go anywhere, and we've got a lot we can learn from our allies here too. "This exercise validates the U.S. Army's ability to rapidly deploy

Mar 31, 2026By Yonhap
US military squadron in Alaska joins live-fire drills in Korea
South Korea

Insurance fraud claims hit new high in 2025: data

Fraudulent insurance claims rose to an all-time high last year, although fraud cases fell, the financial watchdog said Tuesday. Insurance scammers took a record 1.16 trillion won ($757 million) through wrongful filings last year, up 6.9 billion won, or 0.6 percent, from a year earlier, according to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). Insurance frauds have been on a steady rise, reaching 1.08 trillion won in 2022 and 1.12 trillion won the following year, according to the financial watchdog. The number of suspects involved in such cases fell 3 percent on-year to some 105,700 in 2025. The FSS said it will further step up efforts to crack down on fraudulent insurance claims in cooperation with other related agencies, including the police.

Mar 31, 2026By Yonhap
Insurance fraud claims hit new high in 2025: data
South Korea

S. Korea to spend $285 mil. for scientific survey, research on Dokdo

South Korea plans to spend 433.9 billion won ($285 million) through 2030 to expand scientific survey and other research projects on the easternmost islets of Dokdo, officials said Tuesday. The planned five-year budget is aimed at ensuring access and use of Dokdo, the government said. Under the plan, the government will focus on research and management of the volcanic formations, designated as a National Monument and a protected natural reserve. It covers efforts to establish an integrated platform for terrain and ecological information of the islets as part of response measures to climate change. Buoys, drones and other unmanned equipment will be utilized to better collect data and create models to predict Dokdo's future maritime environment. The government also seeks to look for new indigenous species and biomaterials on the islets, and make infrastructure repairs ahead of the planned airport on nearby Ulleung Island, due for completion next year.

Mar 31, 2026By Yonhap
S. Korea to spend $285 mil. for scientific survey, research on Dokdo
South Korea

'Unification is 2nd Miracle on Han River': Global Peace Foundation head

Global Peace Foundation (GPF) founder and Chairman Hyun Jin Preston Moon said the two Koreas’ unification would not be an economic disaster but could instead create a “second Miracle on the Han River” by expanding Korea’s domestic market. During an interview with The Korea Times, Moon strongly disagreed with mounting concerns, especially among the younger generation, that unification with the North would induce overwhelming economic costs. “I cannot emphasize enough how the influx of 25 million North Koreans would drive the domestic market,” Moon said during the interview at Fairmont Ambassador Seoul on Feb. 25. “This will fuel the domestic economy. You will have more balance between the export and domestic markets.” According to a 2024 survey collected by the Korea Institute for National Unification, only 52.9 percent of respondents said that unification is necessary. It was the lowest figure in 10 years, demonstrating an overall decline in public support for unification. The government-funded think tank also reported in the survey that people born after 1991 are the lea

Mar 31, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
'Unification is 2nd Miracle on Han River': Global Peace Foundation head
Law & Crime

Cause of rising film director's death belatedly confirmed as assault

Indie film director Kim Chang-min, who was reported to have died after collapsing from a cerebral hemorrhage last October, was belatedly revealed to have actually died from an assault, his bereaved family said Tuesday. Kim died at a hospital on Nov. 7 last year at age 40 after collapsing at a restaurant in Guri, just east of Seoul, in the early hours of Oct. 20, and his organs were donated to four people. Kim's family disclosed that he actually died after being assaulted by other customers at the restaurant but a court has dismissed the arrest warrants for the assault suspects. They vented their anger, claiming that the entire process, from the police's initial response and investigation following the assault to the punishment of the suspects, was inadequate. "Kim visited the 24-hour restaurant on the day of the incident because his son, who has autistic tendencies, suddenly wanted to eat pork cutlets," a family member said. "During the meal, an argument and physical altercation broke out with customers sitting at another table due to issues such as noise and Kim was struck by a fist and

Mar 31, 2026By Yonhap
Cause of rising film director's death belatedly confirmed as assault
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