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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
  • South Korea

    Korea's Earth observation satellite successfully put into orbit

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Korea's Earth observation satellite successfully put into orbit
  • Law & Crime

    N. Korea-born ex-lawmaker's son faces 5-year prison demand over crypto fraud

    2 MIN READBy Baek Byung-yeul
    N. Korea-born ex-lawmaker's son faces 5-year prison demand over crypto fraud
  • Others

    Gyeonggi Province launches generative AI portal to help immigrants

    2 MIN READBy Lee Kyung-min
    Gyeonggi Province launches generative AI portal to help immigrants
  • Society

    Seoul to transform gritty tech hub into lush green IT district

    2 MIN READBy Jhoo Dong-chan
    Seoul to transform gritty tech hub into lush green IT district
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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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Education

Education minister casts classrooms as answer to AI upheaval, balanced national development

With classrooms emptying in provincial towns and employers warning of widening skills shortages, Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin said at a briefing Monday that Korea’s education system had become a frontline response to the country’s deeper national and regional structural problems. These include demographic decline and the hollowing out of areas beyond the capital. While the ministry identified priorities like fostering democratic citizenship and bolstering regional universities, it made no reference to policies concerning international students. At a briefing marking his first 100 days in office, Choi said Korea as a whole — and its regions in particular — was entering a period of profound change and crisis. “The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the type of talent society demands, while the crisis of regional depopulation is calling for a fundamentally new role for education policy,” he said. “Even amid these changes, what must not be forgotten is the core of education. Above all, it is essential to provide education that enables students to

Dec 23, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Education minister casts classrooms as answer to AI upheaval, balanced national development
Defense

KF-21 fighters to be fitted with ground attack capabilities starting 2027

Korea's homegrown KF-21 fighter jets under development will be fitted with air-to-ground capabilities starting in 2027, ahead of schedule, the state arms procurement agency said Tuesday. The plan comes as authorities plan to spend around 700 billion won ($472 million) to conduct a series of tests involving 10 different types of air-to-ground weapons until the end of 2028, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). The plan is expected to secure ground attack capabilities for the homegrown fighter jet around 1 1/2 years earlier than planned, in a move strengthening the Air Force's strength and positively affecting potential exports, DAPA said. Korea launched the KF-21 development program in 2015 to acquire a homegrown supersonic fighter to replace the Air Force's aging fleet of U.S.-made jets, including the F-5. The first production model of the indigenous fighter jet entered final assembly in May.

Dec 23, 2025By Yonhap
KF-21 fighters to be fitted with ground attack capabilities starting 2027
Defense

US nuclear-powered submarine arrives in Korea to replenish supplies

A U.S. nuclear-powered submarine arrived at a key naval base in the southeastern city of Busan on Tuesday to replenish supplies and provide rest for crew members, Korea's Navy said. The USS Greeneville, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine, entered the naval base in Busan earlier in the day, the Navy said. "The Navy plans to boost exchanges and cooperation between the navies of Korea and the United States and strengthen our combined defense posture on the occasion of the USS Greeneville's entry," it said.

Dec 23, 2025By Yonhap
US nuclear-powered submarine arrives in Korea to replenish supplies
Politics

Opposition leader's 24-hour filibuster breaks record

The leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), who sought to block a ruling party-led bill to establish a special insurrection tribunal, broke the record for the longest filibuster by a single lawmaker with his 24-hour speech in the National Assembly chamber. PPP leader Jang Dong-hyuk launched the filibuster at 11:40 a.m. Monday to try to block the bill, proposed by the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), that would create a special tribunal to handle insurrection cases tied to former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid in December 2024. The marathon filibuster was halted at around 11:40 a.m. Tuesday, when the DPK, which holds a parliamentary majority, voted to end the filibuster 24 hours after it began. Under the National Assembly Act, a filibuster can be stopped after 24 hours if at least three-fifths of all lawmakers, or 180 members, consent to it. It marked the first time a main opposition party leader has personally launched a filibuster in Korea. The previous record was held by PPP lawmaker Park Soo-min, who spoke for 17 hours and 12 minutes on Sept. 26. During

Dec 23, 2025By Yonhap
Opposition leader's 24-hour filibuster breaks record
Society

Record 81% of N. Korean defectors say they are 'satisfied' with life in South: survey

A record 81 percent of North Korean defectors living in South Korea said they are "satisfied" with their lives in the South, amid an improvement in their overall economic situation, a survey showed Tuesday. Of the 2,500 respondents, 81.2 percent said they were happy with their lives in South Korea, the highest figure since recordkeeping began in 2011, according to data from the Korea Hana Foundation, an agency affiliated with the unification ministry. The employment rate of North Korean defectors in South Korea stood at 61.3 percent this year, up 1.2 percentage points from a year earlier. During the same period, their jobless rate fell 0.9 percentage point on-year to 5.4 percent, while their economic participation rate increased 0.7 percent point compared with 64.8 percent the previous year. A foundation official said the gap in major economic data between South Koreans and North Korean defectors here was narrowing in signs that their economic situation has improved. The discrepancy in the employment and jobless rates of South Korean citizens and North Korean defectors this year had narro

Dec 23, 2025By Yonhap
Record 81% of N. Korean defectors say they are 'satisfied' with life in South: survey
South Korea

Unionized rail workers shelve plan to strike

DAEJEON — Unionized railway workers again put on hold their plan to launch a strike, as the union and the government reached a temporary deal on bonus payments, according to union officials Tuesday. The Korean Railway Workers' Union had planned to launch a strike Tuesday, but the plan was shelved after the temporary agreement was reached overnight, union officials said. Trains were running normally Tuesday, the state railway operator said. The government reportedly offered a phased plan to raise performance bonus payments, paying 90 percent of base salary next year and 100 percent in 2027. The union had argued for performance bonuses to be set at 100 percent of base pay, consistent with other public institutions.

Dec 23, 2025By Yonhap
Unionized rail workers shelve plan to strike
Society

Korea reports new bird flu case at quail farm

Korea reported a new case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) at a quail farm in the central region Monday, bringing the total to 17 cases since the cold season began. The H5N1 bird flu was detected at the farm in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, about 130 kilometers southeast of Seoul, according to the Central Disaster Management Headquarters (CDMH). The CDMH said it is conducting special quarantine inspections at the affected farm, while strengthening monitoring of vehicles visiting the sites to prevent further spread of the disease. Authorities will carry out comprehensive inspections of laying hen farms nationwide through the end of the year.

Dec 22, 2025By Yonhap
Korea reports new bird flu case at quail farm
Politics

Presidential office holds 1st press briefing at Cheong Wa Dae since relocation

The presidential office on Monday held a press briefing at the presidential compound of Cheong Wa Dae for the first time in around three and a half years after relocating its office facilities. Earlier in the day, presidential spokesperson Jeon Eun-soo held the briefing at the Chunchugwan press center, marking the first such briefing there under the administration of President Lee Jae Myung. In 2022, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted over his failed martial law bid late last year, relocated the presidential office from Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul to the defense ministry compound in Yongsan, citing the need to better communicate with the public. Since taking office in June, Lee has said he will move the presidential office back to Cheong Wa Dae once renovations are completed. The relocation of most facilities is expected to be completed around Christmas.

Dec 22, 2025By Yonhap
Presidential office holds 1st press briefing at Cheong Wa Dae since relocation
Defense

Next-generation destroyer faces more delays after shift to competitive bidding

Korea’s arms procurement agency has again postponed a final decision on how to award the Korean Next-Generation Destroyer (KDDX) project, opting instead for a designated competitive bidding process after nearly two years of deadlock. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said Monday that the Defense Project Promotion Committee had approved a plan to select a contractor for the detailed design and construction of the first KDDX vessel through a competition limited to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean. The agency will now redraw its master plan for the ship’s detailed design and construction, a blueprint that must clear a final committee hurdle before formal bids are solicited. While the move introduces another layer of administrative review to the already stalled program, officials insist they are committed to an aggressive timeline, aiming to finalize a contract by the end of next year. A DAPA official said the committee reached the decision unanimously after extensive deliberation. “Many members emphasized the need to restore fairness through competition

Dec 22, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Next-generation destroyer faces more delays after shift to competitive bidding
Defense

Lee gov't moves to ease North Korea sanctions

The Lee Jae Myung administration is intensifying its outreach to North Korea, signaling the change through a series of policy decisions and public remarks that emphasize dialogue, the careful management of military tensions and a selective easing of sanctions. In recent weeks, this shift has begun to crystallize as a recalibrated military posture along the inter-Korean border and a sweeping overhaul of the Ministry of National Defense’s North Korea apparatus. At the same time, South Korean officials have reopened the question of easing unilateral sanctions, moves that are aimed at restoring long-dormant channels to Pyongyang and increasingly viewed by analysts as groundwork for a potential high-stakes summit between the United States and North Korea on the sidelines of U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to China in April. As the latest move, the defense ministry has decided to reinstate the North Korea policy office, reversing a reorganization carried out under the conservative Yoon Suk Yeol administration. This office had previously been renamed the “North Korea strategy office

Dec 22, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Lee gov't moves to ease North Korea sanctions
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