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  • Society

    New superintendents put teacher protection at top of policy agenda

    Newly elected education superintendents nationwide are making teacher protection their top priority amid growing calls to restore the classroom authority of educators, fueled in part by the popularity of the hit Korean drama "Teach You a Lesson," which highlighted the erosion of such authority. Each regional education office is planning to establish a superintendent-led body that will report teacher rights violations directly to the superintendent, enabling swift intervention and providing schools and teachers with a one-stop support system. Ahn Min-seok, superintendent of Gyeonggido Office of Education, has been at the forefront of calls to strengthen teacher protection. Having made the issue a key campaign pledge, he announced plans to establish a dedicated administrative body modeled after the fictional education rights protection bureau featured in the drama. The proposed organization would intervene immediately when teacher rights violations occur, providing affected teachers with protection measures and legal support while coordinating a rapid response by schools and the education

    2 MIN READBy Jung Da-hyun
    New superintendents put teacher protection at top of policy agenda
  • Law & Crime

    Customs agency uncovers $503 mil. worth of trade security violations

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Customs agency uncovers $503 mil. worth of trade security violations
  • Society

    Foreign cruise visitors to Korea top 200,000 in May

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Foreign cruise visitors to Korea top 200,000 in May
  • Politics

    Lee's approval rating inches up after 6-week decline: poll

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Lee's approval rating inches up after 6-week decline: poll
  • Politics

    Government eyes new fund to invest tax windfall from AI-driven chip boom

    2 MIN READBy Yi Whan-woo
    Government eyes new fund to invest tax windfall from AI-driven chip boom
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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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Society

As foreign visitors, residents surge, police form units to overcome language barriers

As Korea cements its status as a premier global destination, the police are overhauling frontline operations to preserve the country’s reputation for safety. On Sunday, officials announced the nationwide deployment of specialized “foreign affairs” units within mobile patrol units (MPU), a move aimed at navigating the linguistic and cultural challenges posed by a surging population of international residents and tourists. The Korean National Police Agency said it will roll out 23 foreign affairs teams at 15 of the country’s 28 MPUs in the first half of this year. In Seoul, seven teams will be formed, including three assigned to central districts including Jongno, Yongsan and Jung, areas most frequented by foreigners. Outside the capital, eight teams will be deployed in southern Gyeonggi Province, three on Jeju Island, two in Busan and one each in Incheon, South Chungcheong Province and South Gyeongsang Province. MPUs were established in 2024 in response to public safety concerns triggered by a series of stabbing incidents in 2023. Operating in teams of seven to eight officers, the

Jan 26, 2026By Park Ung
As foreign visitors, residents surge, police form units to overcome language barriers
Society

New campaign for Seoul residents calls for cutting 1 trash bag per person annually

The Seoul Metropolitan Government launched a citizen-led campaign Monday, encouraging residents to reduce household waste by one trash bag per person each year, with the goal of cutting 40,000 tons of waste over the next two years. Under the campaign, each resident is asked to cut waste by the equivalent of one standard 10-liter city-issued garbage bags. Currently, the average Seoul resident uses about 48 such bags annually. If all 10 million residents participate, the city estimates the effort will reduce waste by about 60 tons per day, which is roughly half the daily household waste generated by a single district in the city, which averages 120 tons. Achieving the target would result in a reduction of about 44,000 tons of household waste over two years. The campaign follows a ban on direct landfilling of household waste in the Seoul metropolitan area that took effect Jan. 1. Since then, Seoul has been forced to ship some of its waste to regions outside the capital area because of limited treatment capacity within the city. As of this month, 0.9 percent of household waste generated in

Jan 26, 2026By Anna J. Park
New campaign for Seoul residents calls for cutting 1 trash bag per person annually
Law & Crime

Police estimate over 30 million accounts affected by Coupang's data leak

Personal information from more than 30 million Coupang customers is believed to have been leaked, a top police official said Monday, leaving open the possibility that the detention of the company's interim CEO, Harold Rogers, who has ignored two police summonses, will be sought. Park Jeong-bo, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, made the remarks, refuting Coupang's own conclusion that the scope of the data leak was only 3,000 cases. "It is not yet confirmed how much data has been leaked, but we believe that data from more than 30 million accounts have been stolen," Park said in a media briefing. He said it is necessary to check whether Coupang had intended to downplay the scope of its data breach. Coupang announced the results of its own probe Dec. 25, stating that a former employee of Chinese nationality stole personal information from 33 million users but only saved the data of 3,000 individuals. The police have sought to question Rogers to investigate the circumstances surrounding the company's own probe. Rogers was twice asked to appear before police on Jan. 5 and 14, respec

Jan 26, 2026By Yonhap
Police estimate over 30 million accounts affected by Coupang's data leak
Defense

US defense policy chief calls for greater allied responsibility

Elbridge Colby, the U.S. undersecretary of defense for policy, met South Korea’s top foreign and defense officials Monday and briefed them on Washington’s newly released National Defense Strategy (NDS), which emphasizes Seoul’s leading role in defending the Korean Peninsula. Colby discussed alliance issues with South Korean officials, including the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON), defense cooperation and the division of costs for stationing U.S. troops on the Korean Peninsula. He attended separate meetings with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back during his visit to Seoul, shortly after the Pentagon’s 2026 NDS stated that South Korea is capable of taking primary responsibility for deterring North Korea with more limited U.S. support. During a meeting with Colby, Cho said the two countries had made meaningful progress through last year’s summits. “Through two summits last year, the two leaders achieved important results in setting a mutual and forward-looking direction for the alliance,” Cho said, according to the foreign ministry. “

Jan 26, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
US defense policy chief calls for greater allied responsibility
Politics

Ex-PM Lee Hae-chan's 5-day funeral to be held later this week

The funeral of former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, who died while visiting Vietnam, will be held for five days this week in the format of a "social funeral" in consideration of his contribution to society, officials said Monday. Lee, who was serving as a senior vice president of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC), died at a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday after suffering cardiac arrest. The funeral, to be hosted by PUAC and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, will be held from Jan. 27-31, according to PUAC officials. Lee's body is expected to arrive at Incheon International Airport early Tuesday before being transported to the funeral venue. The service will be carried out in the format of a "social funeral," a ceremony to mourn the death of an influential figure who made contributions to society. The funeral period is also longer than the usual three-day service in Korea. The former prime minister arrived in the Vietnamese city Thursday but collapsed Friday while preparing to return home after his flu-like symptoms worsened. He was taken to a nearby hospital and un

Jan 26, 2026By Yonhap
Ex-PM Lee Hae-chan's 5-day funeral to be held later this week
Politics

Ruling party lawmakers mourn death of ex-PM Lee Hae-chan

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) mourned the death of former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan on Monday, refraining from clashing over a proposed merger with a minor opposition party and other contentious issues. Lee, who was appointed in October as senior vice chairperson of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council to support the North Korea and unification policies of the current administration, died Sunday at a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City after suffering cardiac arrest. DPK lawmakers, who had been divided over the party's push to merge with the minor liberal Rebuilding Korea Party ahead of the June 3 local elections, instead focused on paying their respects to the former prime minister this day. The party's Supreme Council meeting, initially scheduled to take place on the southern resort island of Jeju, was held at the National Assembly in consideration of Lee's death. DPK leader Jung Chung-rae expressed his condolences at the meeting, vowing to carry on Lee's legacy for the nation's democratization and peace on the Korean Peninsula. "The DPK will never forget Lee's lifelong com

Jan 26, 2026By Yonhap
Ruling party lawmakers mourn death of ex-PM Lee Hae-chan
Defense

New US defense strategy highlights Seoul's 'leading role' in peninsula security: ministry

The defense ministry said Monday the new U.S. defense strategy placed an emphasis on South Korea's own capabilities to play a more "leading role" in the security of the Korean Peninsula. The ministry's spokesperson made the remarks following the release of the Pentagon's National Defense Strategy (NDS) that said South Korea is capable of taking "primary" responsibility to deter North Korea with "critical, but more limited" U.S. support. "Our government takes note of how the U.S. government assessed our capabilities and determination to play a more leading role in the security of the Korean Peninsula in the 2026 NDS," ministry spokesperson Chung Binna said in a regular press briefing. "While maintaining a robust combined defense posture, our military will closely cooperate with the United States so that the South Korea-U.S. alliance will develop into a future-oriented, comprehensive strategic alliance," Chung said. The 2026 NDS is in line with U.S. President Donald Trump's America First policy that calls for allies to do more for their own defense. On Saturday, President Lee Jae Myung said

Jan 26, 2026By Yonhap
New US defense strategy highlights Seoul's 'leading role' in peninsula security: ministry
Law & Crime

Arrest warrants issued for 55 of 73 scam suspects repatriated from Cambodia

Police said Monday that 55 of the 73 Korean online scam suspects repatriated from Cambodia last week have been put under arrest. The 73 suspects were brought home Friday in the nation's largest repatriation of criminal suspects from a single country, and arrest warrants were requested for 72 of them, excluding one whose criminal charges were deemed minor. They allegedly swindled a combined 48.6 billion won ($33.6 million) from 869 Korean victims. As of 9 a.m. Monday, courts nationwide had issued arrest warrants for 55 suspects, according to the Korean National Police Agency's National Office of Investigation. Those arrested include 49 no-show scammers accused of defrauding 194 victims of 6.9 billion won by impersonating civil servants and a couple accused of swindling 12 billion won from 104 people through romance scams using deep fake technology. The remaining 17 suspects who allegedly defrauded about 30 romance scam victims of some 5 billion won are set to attend their arrest warrant hearing in South Chungcheong Province on Monday afternoon, the police said.

Jan 26, 2026By Yonhap
Arrest warrants issued for 55 of 73 scam suspects repatriated from Cambodia
South Korea

Korea to build 2 new nuclear reactors by 2038 as planned: minister

Seoul will construct two new nuclear reactors by 2038 at the latest as planned, the climate minister said Monday, reflecting public support for the plan amid growing demand for clean energy. Climate Minister Kim Sung-whan announced the plan in a press briefing on the envisioned 12th basic plan for electricity supply and demand, which outlines the country's power supply plan for the 2026-2040 period. The government will conduct necessary procedures to complete building two large-scale nuclear reactors between 2037-2038 as planned under the 11th basic plan devised by the previous administration, Kim said. "To respond to climate change, carbon emissions must be reduced across all sectors, and to cut carbon emissions in the energy sector, it is necessary to reduce power generation through coal and liquefied natural gas," he told reporters. "Therefore, we need power system operations centered on renewable energy and nuclear power." Last week, two public opinion polls commissioned by the government showed that an average of 80 percent of respondents said nuclear power is needed, with 60 percent

Jan 26, 2026By Yonhap
Korea to build 2 new nuclear reactors by 2038 as planned: minister
Defense

Army deploys new command information system after upgrade

The state arms procurement agency said Monday it has successfully deployed an upgraded tactical command system to the Army as part of its bid to enhance intelligence-sharing capabilities critical to modern warfare. The deployment was announced as the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) completed an advancement project for the Army Tactical Command Information System (ATCIS), aimed at sharing complex wartime information in real time. The system upgrade allows commanders to access artificial intelligence (AI)-analyzed data to make better battlefield decisions, while sharing information with unmanned equipment by laying the foundation for AI-based manned-unmanned teaming. DAPA plans to utilize the technology and data processing knowledge acquired from the project to develop a joint command and control system encompassing all military branches.

Jan 26, 2026By Yonhap
Army deploys new command information system after upgrade
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