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
  • Society

    Korean couples ditch luxury wedding halls for $19 public venues

    3 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    Korean couples ditch luxury wedding halls for $19 public venues
  • Law & Crime

    Bill targets deportation of drug, phishing offenders

    2 MIN READBy Jung Min-ho
    Bill targets deportation of drug, phishing offenders
  • Environment & Animals

    'Noseprints' to bring lost dogs home

    2 MIN READBy Jhoo Dong-chan
    'Noseprints' to bring lost dogs home
  • Global Community

    Grand Ole Opry's Mama Kim reflects on 50 years doing business in Itaewon

    5 MIN READBy Matt VanVolkenburg
    Grand Ole Opry's Mama Kim reflects on 50 years doing business in Itaewon
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

Campus

Kookmin Univ. study maps gap between AI hype and bureaucratic reality

As governments around the world move to integrate generative artificial intelligence (AI) into the machinery of public decision-making, a new study suggests that confidence in the technology may be lagging behind its promise. A research team led by professor Kim Do-hyung of Kookmin University proposed a framework to measure what it describes as a critical disconnect: the gap between the actual maturity of AI systems and the expectations placed on them by stakeholders. The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Technovation, argues that this divide could help determine whether the technology advances or falters in high-stakes public research and development programs. Seeking a more systematic approach, Kim and his co-authors devised what they call the “Maturity-Expectation Gap,” or MEG, framework. The model draws on survey responses from experienced evaluators and pairs them with a machine learning analysis of academic research, aiming to measure both how ready the technology is and how much is expected of it. Their findings point to a notable divergence. Different groups — i

Mar 18, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Kookmin Univ. study maps gap between AI hype and bureaucratic reality
Others

Korea wins cooperation of 6 UN agencies for global AI hub

Korea has signed a letter of intent with six U.N. agencies outlining their willingness to cooperate for the launch of a global hub for artificial intelligence (AI) in the country, the prime minister's office said Wednesday. The document was signed in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday (local time), by officials from the science ministry on the South Korean side and the International Labor Organization (ILO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the International Telecommunication Union, the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Program and the United Nations Development Program on the U.N. side, the office said in a press release. The signing ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, who has been on a two-nation tour of the United States and Switzerland to promote South Korea's bid to host the AI hub. The government has billed the hub as a platform bringing together U.N. bodies, and South Korea's private and public sectors to produce AI-based solutions to global issues. Following meetings with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other agency chie

Mar 18, 2026By Yonhap
Korea wins cooperation of 6 UN agencies for global AI hub
Health

Medical Korea 2026 kicks off with focus on AI-driven global health care

Medical Korea 2026 will open Thursday for a four-day run at Coex in Gangnam District, Seoul, featuring artificial intelligence (AI)-focused programs connecting Korea and the global health care industry. Hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the event has served since 2010 as a platform for global health care experts to share industry insights and promote international cooperation. Under the theme “AI-Powered Global Healthcare: Bringing the Future and the World Closer,” this year’s event will examine key challenges and the future of the health care industry in the era of AI. Edward Marx, chief executive officer of health care consulting firm Marx Advisory, will deliver a keynote address on how AI is reshaping the global health care industry. Jung Eun-young, director general of the Health Industry Policy Bureau at the health ministry, will outline Korea’s global medical services and future policy directions. Business meetings will connect overseas buyers seeking partnerships with Korean medical institutions and companies. Last year, 667 meetings led to 45 memorandums of un

Mar 18, 2026By Park Ung
Medical Korea 2026 kicks off with focus on AI-driven global health care
Society

Korea raises terror alert near BTS Gwanghwamun show venue as 260,000 fans expected

Korea will raise the terror alert level in parts of central Seoul ahead of BTS’ free comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square this Saturday, where more than 260,000 people are expected to gather. The prime minister's office announced Wednesday that the alert level will be elevated from the lowest “attention” to second-tier “caution,” out of a four-tier scale, in Jongno District and Jung District in central Seoul from the beginning of Thursday to midnight on Saturday as part of a preemptive move to prevent potential terror attacks. “Given the uncertainties driven by international affairs, the government concluded that it is hard to rule out the possibility of a potential terror threat to the event like BTS concert where a large crowd would flock and will take a preemptive move to ensure the people’s safety as a priority,” the office said in a press release. This comes amid rising tensions caused by the U.S-Israel war on Iran and the influx of tourists coming to Seoul for the historic concert event. The alert is issued when there is a possibility of a terrorist attack and an

Mar 18, 2026By Park Ji-won
Korea raises terror alert near BTS Gwanghwamun show venue as 260,000 fans expected
Law & Crime

Police nab suspect behind airline pilot murder in Busan

Police have apprehended a man on suspicion of fatally stabbing an airline pilot in Busan, officials said Wednesday. The man in his 50s, surnamed Kim, was taken into custody Tuesday evening after allegedly murdering the victim, a former colleague, early that morning at an apartment in Busan, about 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The suspect, who has been identified as a former airline pilot, has said he began planning the crime three years earlier and sought to kill four people, according to police. Shortly after the murder, Kim visited another former colleague's home in Changwon, about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, to allegedly carry out another attack but the attempt failed. He is also accused of attempting to strangle and kill another former pilot colleague on Monday in Goyang, northwest of Seoul, before fleeing the scene. The suspect is said to have fallen out with his former colleagues when he lost his job two years earlier.

Mar 18, 2026By Yonhap
Police nab suspect behind airline pilot murder in Busan
Law & Crime

Actor handed over to prosecution on DUI charges

Actor Lee Jae-ryong, who was booked for causing a drunk driving accident and fleeing the scene in southern Seoul about two weeks ago, was referred to the prosecution without detention Wednesday. The Seoul Gangnam Police Station said it sent Lee's case to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office on charges of drunk driving, failure to take necessary actions after an accident and obstruction of a breathalyzer test. The 62-year-old actor is accused of crashing his car into the median barrier near Cheongdam Station in southern Seoul around 11 p.m. on March 6 and fleeing the scene. Immediately after the accident, he attended another drinking gathering and was apprehended by police at an acquaintance's house about three hours later. He initially denied drunk driving but later admitted to drinking four glasses of soju before the accident.

Mar 18, 2026By Yonhap
Actor handed over to prosecution on DUI charges
BTS Arirang

Gov't to raise terror alert by 1 notch ahead of BTS concert

The government said Wednesday it will raise the official terror alert by one notch ahead of K-pop group BTS' comeback show in central Seoul this weekend. The alert will be raised to the second-lowest level of "caution" on a four-tier scale for the Jongno and Jung wards from midnight Wednesday until midnight Saturday, the Office for Government Policy Coordination said in a press release. BTS' concert is scheduled to take place at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno on Saturday, drawing an expected hundreds of thousands of fans and visitors from around the world. The alert level was adjusted following Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's orders to draw up appropriate safety measures and as terror threats could not be ruled out in the wake of recent global security conditions, the government said. Relevant agencies plan to step up patrols at key sites and facilities and strengthen joint response systems in preparation for emergencies.

Mar 18, 2026By Yonhap
Gov't to raise terror alert by 1 notch ahead of BTS concert
South Korea

Korea adds 234,000 jobs in February; youth unemployment hits 5-year high

Korea added 234,000 jobs in February, marking the fastest on-year growth in five months, though a slump in youth employment and the construction sector persisted, data showed Wednesday. The number of employed people rose by 0.8 percent from a year earlier to 28.41 million last month, according to the data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics. After slowing for two consecutive months, job growth rebounded to the 200,000 range in February, following gains of 225,000 in November, 168,000 in December and 108,000 in January. It also marks the largest on-year gain since adding 312,000 jobs in September 2024. Despite the overall rise, the data underscored a prolonged downturn in the manufacturing and construction sectors. Youth employment declined for the 22nd consecutive month in February, highlighting ongoing challenges for young job seekers. By age, the number of employed people aged 15 to 29 fell by 146,000 in February, the ministry said. The unemployment rate for the age group came to 7.7 percent, the highest level for any February since 2021, when it stood at 10.1 percent. In contrast, e

Mar 18, 2026By Yonhap
Korea adds 234,000 jobs in February; youth unemployment hits 5-year high
Defense

Pentagon official calls US 'flexibility' to meet urgent needs a 'strength' amid THAAD redeployment concerns

WASHINGTON — A senior Pentagon official said Tuesday "flexibility" in redeploying military assets to meet urgent needs across the world is a "tremendous" strength of a U.S. defense system, while commenting on concerns about the reported movement of a South Korea-based missile defense asset to the Middle East. Michael Duffey, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, made the remarks during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, after The Washington Post reported last week that the Pentagon was moving parts of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to the Middle East amid the war with Iran. "I think our flexibility and our ability to redeploy assets to ensure that they meet the most poignant and urgent need across the globe is a tremendous strength of our system," he said. Duffey was responding to a question from Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) about how long the U.S. plans to redeploy the THAAD asset to the Middle East. The official said that he cannot speak to the duration of any particular redeployment of a military asset. But he reiterated the United States' c

Mar 18, 2026By Yonhap
Pentagon official calls US 'flexibility' to meet urgent needs a 'strength' amid THAAD redeployment concerns
Society

BTS returns, merchants near comeback show venue brace for boom — or just another day

When Moon Sang-ki, 50, manager of JH Texas Bar next to Cheonggye Stream in central Seoul, heard that BTS would perform just around the corner from his bar as a full group for the first time in nearly four years, he knew he had to do something. “Both my staff and I are ARMY (BTS’ fandom). When we heard BTS would perform just outside our restaurant, we decided to turn the bar into a gathering spot for fans from around the world,” Moon told The Korea Times in an interview Monday. “We usually close at 1 a.m., but that day we will stay open for 24 hours and play BTS songs.” Decorating his bar with a BTS theme, Moon will run the restaurant with a full staff on March 21, the day of the concert, with 10 staff members providing hall service and four in the kitchen, all wearing purple — the color associated with the group. “We are receiving reservations from ARMY around the world, including China, Indonesia, Japan and the United States,” Moon said. “Foreigners usually make up about one-third of our customers, but since decorating the place like this, the share has risen to about

Mar 18, 2026By Park Ung
BTS returns, merchants near comeback show venue brace for boom — or just another day
previous page
192193194195196
next page

Most Read in South Korea