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  • Law & Crime

    Q&A Korea's 'fake news' law is in force — what you need to know

    Korea’s revised Information and Communications Network Act, also dubbed the “fake news” law, came into force on Tuesday, reshaping how unlawful information is handled online. Under the new rules, “false or manipulated” information is defined as content whose whole or partial substance is untrue, or altered in a way that misleads audiences into believing it is factual. The revision also introduced a new category of illegal hate or discriminatory expression which covers posts that incite violence, discrimination or hatred against individuals or groups based on traits such as race, nationality or gender. Amid concerns over vague legal definitions and potential conflicts with constitutional free-speech protections, the state-run Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) provided answers to frequently asked questions to address key issues. Q. What should I do if I suffer harm from false or manipulated information? A. Anyone who encounters information suspected of being false or manipulated can file a report with a large online service provider, including the location of the c

    3 MIN READBy Jung Min-ho
    [Q&A] Korea's 'fake news' law is in force — what you need to know
  • Environment & Animals

    Monsoon rains to drench Korea starting Wednesday

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Monsoon rains to drench Korea starting Wednesday
  • Law & Crime

    Shincheonji leader's trial over forced party memberships to begin July 24

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Shincheonji leader's trial over forced party memberships to begin July 24
  • Law & Crime

    Arrest warrant sought for former Busan mayoral candidate over staged assault

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Arrest warrant sought for former Busan mayoral candidate over staged assault
  • Defense

    4 decades, still evolving: Inside USS Theodore Roosevelt at RIMPAC 2026

    3 MIN READBy Bahk Eun-ji
    4 decades, still evolving: Inside USS Theodore Roosevelt at RIMPAC 2026
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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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Politics

Preferential treatment allegations put DPK floor leader under fire

Amid mounting calls for his resignation from both within and outside the party, Kim Byung-kee, floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), is expected to announce his stance on Tuesday. According to the DPK on Sunday, Kim plans to address multiple allegations of preferential treatment in a press conference or public statement scheduled around the party’s floor leadership meeting on Tuesday. “The floor leader has said he will present his position on Dec. 30, so there will naturally be an apology to the public,” DPK floor spokesperson Kim Hyun-jung told reporters on Sunday. “It would be best to wait and see.” A series of allegations involving Kim and his family has dominated headlines in recent days, beginning with claims last week that he received complimentary hotel accommodations from Korean Air. Local media reported that Kim stayed for two nights, from Nov. 22 to 24 last year, in a royal suite at Seogwipo KAL Hotel in Jeju, at an estimated cost of 1.65 million won ($1,140). At the time, Kim was serving on the National Assembly’s Political Affairs Committee,

Dec 28, 2025By Anna J. Park
Preferential treatment allegations put DPK floor leader under fire
Society

Over 4,000 schools shut down nationwide as student numbers plunge

More than 4,000 elementary, middle and high schools across Korea have shut their doors as the country’s student population shrinks, new data shows. According to the Ministry of Education’s latest figures, revealed on Sunday by Rep. Jin Sun-mee of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, since 1980, 4,008 schools under 17 regional education offices nationwide have closed as of March this year. During the period, the number of enrolled students decreased from 9.9 million to 5.07 million. Elementary schools account for the majority of closures, with 3,674 shut down permanently, compared with 264 middle schools and 70 high schools. Over the past five years alone, 158 schools have closed, and an additional 107 schools are projected to shut down over the next five years. Korea’s birthrate ― the lowest in the world with the total fertility rate remaining below 0.8 ― is the chief reason behind this contraction. The pace of closures also suggests that enrollment decline is expected to accelerate in provincial regions rather than in the capital area. The largest number of closures are in No

Dec 28, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Over 4,000 schools shut down nationwide as student numbers plunge
  • Facing enrollment crisis, Seoul boosts funding, support for small schools
Politics

Coupang founder apologizes over massive data breach, but refuses again to attend parliamentary hearing

Kim Bom-suk, founder of Coupang, issued a public apology Sunday over a massive customer data breach at the e-commerce platform, saying the incident caused “great concern and inconvenience” to customers and the public. The belated apology came nearly a month after the data leak was disclosed, as the government and the National Assembly have been stepping up their pressure to hold the e-commerce giant responsible for the incident. However, separately from the apology, he again refused to attend an Assembly hearing slated for Tuesday and Wednesday. “As the founder and chair of Coupang’s board, I sincerely apologize on behalf of all employees,” Kim said in a statement over the incident, in which about 33.7 million customers' information was allegedly leaked. He acknowledged that many customers were left feeling uneasy about the security of their personal information, and admitted that Coupang failed to communicate clearly in the early stages of the incident. “I deeply regret the inadequate initial response and lack of communication,” he said, adding that his apology came too la

Dec 28, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Coupang founder apologizes over massive data breach, but refuses again to attend parliamentary hearing
Politics

Lee set to spend first official day at Cheong Wa Dae after relocation

President Lee Jae Myung will mark his first official day at Cheong Wa Dae early this week after the presidential office was relocated back to the former presidential compound in central Seoul, officials said Sunday. Lee will begin work at Cheong Wa Dae on Monday, with the symbolic presidential flag bearing two phoenixes to be raised at the compound early Monday morning, the presidential office said. It marks the first time the presidential office has moved back to Cheong Wa Dae since former President Yoon Suk Yeol relocated it to the defense ministry compound in May 2022. The official name of the presidential office will also revert to Cheong Wa Dae, while Lee's main workspace will be located in the Yeomin building complex instead of the main presidential building. The Yeomin building complex houses the offices of presidential staff, and Lee's presence there is expected to facilitate closer communications with officials. The main building, known for its iconic blue roof and located about 500 meters from the office complex, will mainly be used for formal occasions, such as summits and cred

Dec 28, 2025By Yonhap
Lee set to spend first official day at Cheong Wa Dae after relocation
Law & Crime

Ex-secretary to Unification Church leader quizzed over alleged palm-greasing of politicians

Police on Sunday questioned a former chief secretary to Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja as part of a widening investigation into allegations that the church provided illicit money to politicians across party lines. Jeong Won-ju, who formerly oversaw the church's finances and was reportedly the No. 2 figure in the church's leadership, appeared at the national police agency headquarters in Seoul earlier in the day to face questioning as a suspect, police officials said. The Unification Church is currently at the center of corruption allegations involving Kim Keon Hee, the wife of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, that the church provided luxury gifts to her in return for favors. Police are currently broadening the investigation into allegations that the church also made illicit payments to several politicians across party lines, including Chun Jae-soo, who resigned as oceans minister earlier this month. It marks the second time Jeong has been questioned in connection with the investigation. Known as one of Han's closest aides, she was previously questioned on Dec. 18 and has sinc

Dec 28, 2025By Yonhap
Ex-secretary to Unification Church leader quizzed over alleged palm-greasing of politicians
Defense

UN Command says military boundary between two Koreas under its authority

The American-led United Nations Command (UNC) has said a Military Demarcation Line (MDL) marking the boundary between the two Koreas has been under its authority, in an apparent objection to an internal revision by South Korea's military over land border rules to prevent accidental clashes with North Korea. The UNC said in statement to Yonhap News Agency, "The United Nations Command reaffirms its commitment to maintaining the Armistice Agreement, including the MDL, and to supporting measures that prevent escalation and promote stability within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)." The statement came when asked how the UNC assessed the South Korean military's envisioned revision of border rules, after the Korean military reportedly refined the MDL markers in order to reduce discrepancies between the two sides. "The Military Demarcation Line was established and depicted in Map Volume I of the Korean Armistice Agreement on July 27, 1953, following a series of armistice negotiations," the UNC said. Last week, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had ordered troops to prioritize markers that

Dec 28, 2025By Yonhap
UN Command says military boundary between two Koreas under its authority
Law & Crime

Opposition lawmaker Kim Gi-hyeon, wife indicted over luxury gift to ex-first lady

A special counsel team on Saturday indicted Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) and his wife on charges of giving a luxury gift to former first lady Kim Keon Hee. The team led by special counsel Min Joong-ki indicted Kim and his wife, surnamed Lee, for allegedly delivering a Roger Vivier clutch bag worth 2.6 million won ($1,760) to Kim Keon Hee shortly after the lawmaker was elected PPP chairperson in March 2023. The clutch bag was found at the former first lady's home, along with a thank-you note written by Lee, during a raid conducted by the special counsel team last month. Rep. Kim has acknowledged giving the gift but denied the bribery allegations, saying it was merely a matter of social courtesy.

Dec 27, 2025By Yonhap
Opposition lawmaker Kim Gi-hyeon, wife indicted over luxury gift to ex-first lady
Environment & Animals

Korea reports another bird flu case at poultry farm in central region

Korea has reported a new case of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a poultry farm, bringing the total number of cases this season to 23, officials said Saturday. The latest case was found at a chicken farm in the city of Asan, around 85 kilometers south of Seoul, on late Friday, which raises about 21,000 chickens, according to the Central Disaster Management Headquarters. Authorities have restricted entry to the farm, and begun culling animals there and investigating the outbreak. They have also ordered a temporary standstill order on relevant facilities and farming vehicles in the affected area, the official said.

Dec 27, 2025By Yonhap
Korea reports another bird flu case at poultry farm in central region
Law & Crime

Supreme Court confirms ex-NCT member Taeil's 3 1/2-yr term in sexual assault case

The Supreme Court has finalized a prison sentence of 3 1/2 years for Taeil, a former member of the popular K-pop boy band NCT, for sexually assaulting an intoxicated woman, legal officials said Saturday. On Friday the court upheld a lower court's ruling that found the 31-year-old singer and two accomplices, identified only as his friends, guilty of a special quasi-rape charge, dismissing their final appeal, the officials said. The charge applies when two or more people assault a victim who is unable to resist due to unconsciousness or other factors. They were also ordered to complete 40 hours of a sexual violence treatment program and were barred from working at organizations related to children and adolescents and the disabled. The three men were indicted without detention in March on charges of sexually assaulting a foreign woman in Seoul in June last year. The victim was reportedly a tourist who was intoxicated at the time of the incident. During the initial trial in July, the Seoul Central District Court ordered Taeil's immediate detention, citing the gravity of the offense. Prosecutor

Dec 27, 2025By Yonhap
Supreme Court confirms ex-NCT member Taeil's 3 1/2-yr term in sexual assault case
Environment & Animals

Korean university students help shape future of climate education policy

The year 2025 was no different from any other as far as climate discourse was concerned. The year saw Brazil host the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) between Nov. 10 and 21. The conference attracted a record 56,118 delegates representing 190 countries. Among the younger faces in Belem were three Korean women, Kim So-yun, Kim Seo-yun and Park Ji-yoon, members of Coolimate, a youth-led organization based in Korea that runs climate-focused programs both in and outside Korea. The three students, from Seoul National University, Ewha Womans University and Sweden's Lund University, participated in panel discussions on the sidelines of the event. According to So-yun, a student at Seoul National University, one of the main things that stood out to her was the steps being taken to protect the rights of vulnerable groups. “I was particularly happy about the adoption of the Belém Action Mechanism,” she told The Korea Times. “This is important because it incorporates the principle of [a] just transition that emphasizes the need to protect vulnerable groups such as local c

Dec 27, 2025By Nashon Owano
Korean university students help shape future of climate education policy
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