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  • Politics

    Soon-to-be prime minister Han carries high expectation for AI transformation

    Han Seong-sook, Korea’s soon-to-be prime minister, arrives at the post with high expectations that she will leverage her technological expertise to help accelerate the country's artificial intelligence (AI) transformation. The parliamentary confirmation hearing committee approved a report Tuesday clearing Han as qualified for the post, with the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) leading the approval after she was nominated on June 7. The DPK was expected to bring Han's confirmation motion to a vote at a plenary session later in the day. The process leading to Han’s likely appointment comes as President Lee Jae Myung pushes to position Korea among the world's top three AI powers alongside the United States and China. The blueprint has become increasingly concrete since Lee outlined the vision last year, with initiatives such as the government's allocation of a record 9.9 trillion won for AI this year and public-private plans to build four new semiconductor plants in southwestern Korea to meet surging AI demand. “Under the circumstances, it is only natural that expectations will

    2 MIN READBy Yi Whan-woo
    Soon-to-be prime minister Han carries high expectation for AI transformation
  • Law & Crime

    Outgoing North Chungcheong governor raided over bribery allegations

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Outgoing North Chungcheong governor raided over bribery allegations
  • Education

    Kookmin University student wins 2nd place at IBM Bob Hackathon

    2 MIN READBy Park Yoon-bae
    Kookmin University student wins 2nd place at IBM Bob Hackathon
  • Defense

    Ukrainian outlet's critique exposes gaps in Korea's counter-drone strategy

    3 MIN READBy Bahk Eun-ji
    Ukrainian outlet's critique exposes gaps in Korea's counter-drone strategy
  • Society

    The Korea Times launches K-universities, global platform for Korean higher education

    1 MIN READBy Jung Da-hyun
    The Korea Times launches K-universities, global platform for Korean higher education
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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

PM warns of possible emergency arbitration if Samsung Electronics strike causes damage

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok on Sunday welcomed the planned resumption of dialogue between Samsung Electronics and its labor union amid a looming strike, while warning that the government will consider every possible measure, including emergency arbitration, to minimize potential damage to the national economy. Kim made the remarks in a public statement addressed to the nation, as labor and management have decided to resume government-led mediation talks Monday, just four days ahead of a planned walkout. The two sides have remained widely divided over performance-based bonuses tied to the company's earnings from the artificial intelligence (AI)-related semiconductor business, and the company's largest labor union plans to begin the 18-day strike starting Thursday. "The government sincerely welcomes the decision to resume dialogue," Kim said. "Monday's negotiations are effectively the last opportunity to prevent a strike. Both labor and management must never take the gravity of this meeting lightly." Noting that a possible strike could cause serious damage to the national economy, Kim said

May 17, 2026By Yonhap
PM warns of possible emergency arbitration if Samsung Electronics strike causes damage
Global Community

Chinese Football to headline emo festival in Seoul

After a mostly sold-out U.S. tour last year, Chinese Football are coming back to Korea. Ahead of their performance at Emotional Damage emo music festival, the quartet opened up to The Korea Times about failure, independence and the music that still moves them. Building on a shared love of Midwest emo and pop-punk, the Wuhan-based indie rock band has enjoyed the unlikeliest of careers. Formed in 2011, the four-piece comprising guitarist and vocalist Xu Bo, guitarist Wang Bo, bassist Li Lixin and drummer Zheng Zili has released two full-length albums and two EPs that clearly show its influences, yet feel entirely its own. Any conversation with Chinese Football always ends up turning to Wuhan. The city sits at the geographic heart of China, and the band members insist it has shaped them in ways that Beijing or Shanghai never could have. “Wuhan has this unique atmosphere where relaxation and tension coexist,” Zheng said. “Our music isn’t overly polished. It’s a bit like photos taken on a film camera, quite grainy.” Xu expanded further: “The cost of living is much lower, so ther

May 17, 2026By Jamie Finn
Chinese Football to headline emo festival in Seoul
South Korea

Minor earthquake hits waters off Jeju Island: weather agency

A 2.0 magnitude earthquake struck waters off the southern island of Jeju on Sunday, but there were no immediate reports of injury or damage. The quake occurred at 8:28 p.m. in waters about 80 kilometers west-southwest of Seogwipo on Jeju Island, with the epicenter located at a depth of 6 kilometers, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). The quake is unlikely to cause any kind of damage, the KMA added.

May 17, 2026By Yonhap
Minor earthquake hits waters off Jeju Island: weather agency
South Korea

Earliest heat-related death on record reported amid scorching heat

South Korea's first death from heat-related illnesses this year was reported Saturday amid an early heat wave, marking the earliest such case on record in any year, the health authorities said. A man in his 80s in Seoul was reported to have died of heat-related complications, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said, citing its emergency room monitoring system for heat-related illnesses. This marked the earliest heat illness-related death since the monitoring system was introduced. This year, the KDCA began launching the monitoring system across 516 emergency rooms nationwide Friday. The earliest heat-related death was reported amid an unusually early heat wave. The nation's average high temperature reached 28.2 Celsius, Saturday, and Seoul's daily high hit 31.3 Celsius, hotter than the seasonal average. A total of seven patients visited emergency rooms due to heat-related illnesses Friday. By region, Gyeonggi Province that surrounds Seoul reported the highest number of patients with four, followed by the capital with two cases and Incheon, west of Seoul, with one.

May 16, 2026By Yonhap
Earliest heat-related death on record reported amid scorching heat
2026 local elections

513 uncontested candidates selected ahead of June 3 local elections

A total of 513 candidates, including three local government heads, have been selected without a vote as they ran unopposed ahead of the June 3 local elections, the election watchdog said Saturday. For the upcoming elections, 307 electoral districts will not hold a primary vote due to uncontested races or insufficient candidates, according to the National Election Commission. The three local government chiefs selected without a vote are Kim I-gang, head of the southwestern city of Gwangju's Seo ward, Kim Byung-nae, chief of Gwangju's Nam ward, and Lim Byeong-taek, mayor of Siheung, just south of Seoul. All three candidates are members of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). Gwangju is widely considered as a DPK stronghold. In the case of Siheung, the main opposition People Power Party failed to field a candidate amid a lack of prospective nominees. The other 510 candidates are local council members. Meanwhile, a total of 7,829 candidates have registered for the upcoming elections after two days of registrations through Friday, according to the election watchdog. Up for grabs in the Ju

May 16, 2026By Yonhap
513 uncontested candidates selected ahead of June 3 local elections
Society

From airport seats to apartment noise: Why Korean celebrities keep apologizing

From airport etiquette to apartment noise complaints, a series of recent celebrity controversies in South Korea is drawing attention not only for the incidents themselves, but also for how quickly public backlash can escalate over seemingly everyday behavior. In a country where apartment living, shared public spaces and online scrutiny are deeply intertwined, even minor actions by celebrities can spark viral criticism and public apologies. Actress Min Do-hee recently revisited a controversy that erupted last year after she uploaded a photo showing herself resting her feet — while still wearing shoes — on airport seats. Speaking on her YouTube channel "Mini Dohee" on Tuesday, Min addressed the issue directly after the topic resurfaced during filming. "I’m sorry," she said immediately when the controversy was mentioned. Min said the behavior stemmed from a personal habit, explaining that because of her short height and legs, she often sits cross-legged or pulls her feet up onto chairs. However, she acknowledged that the criticism became a turning point. "After that incident, I definite

May 16, 2026By Xportsnews
From airport seats to apartment noise: Why Korean celebrities keep apologizing
Laughing through History

LAUGHING THROUGH HISTORY 26 'Can You Trust an Idle Dream?'

A rich man dies, leaving behind two sons who wind up fighting over their shares of the inheritance. Because this situation is rooted in such basic family relationships, it has an archetypal quality. There are any number of examples of stories about this kind of brotherly conflict, but within Korean literature the obvious comparison is the Joseon-era story of Heungbu and Nolbu, which centers on a kind-hearted but poor younger brother who is rewarded for his goodness and a rich but wicked-hearted older brother who is punished for his cruelty. The joke I’m translating today is based on a conflict like this, but it’s played for laughs as each brother tries to claim that their dead father has come to him in a dream with instructions for dividing the family wealth. In order to understand their dispute, you have to understand the units of land they’re discussing. After the father dies, the older brother wants to give the younger one 10 "majigi" of fields as his inheritance. A majigi was a unit of land, but it wasn’t a consistent size: it meant enough land to plant one mal (about 18 li

May 16, 2026By G.S. Hand
[LAUGHING THROUGH HISTORY 26] 'Can You Trust an Idle Dream?'
Morning Calm Tales

MORNING CALM TALES Adventures on Seoul Metro’s Green Line

One of the quiet joys of my first two years in Seoul in the early 1990s was riding the subway to work each morning — a small ritual that became a kind of meditation. Back home in America, I’d always driven everywhere, cocooned in my car, my own music filling the air, convinced that the steering wheel offered some illusion of control. But in Seoul, I surrendered to the rhythm of the city. I was just another passenger in the great underground artery, moving in step with thousands of strangers whose lives brushed briefly against mine. Every morning, I rode Line 2 — the Green Line — which looped underneath this great city, surfacing twice to cross the Han River in brief shimmers of daylight before diving back underground. It was my first real acquaintance with Seoul, an introduction not through its streets or skyline but through its pulse belowground. Back then, there were only a few lines crisscrossing the city — including Line 1 (red, now dark blue), Line 3 (orange) and Line 4 (blue) — but the Green Line was mine. It carried me to work, through new neighborhoods, and deeper i

May 16, 2026By Jeffrey Miller
[MORNING CALM TALES] Adventures on Seoul Metro’s Green Line
Society

80% of teachers fear child abuse accusations for routine classroom guidance

Nearly half of teachers in Korea are considering leaving the profession, underscoring growing concerns over excessive administrative workloads, malicious complaints from parents and fears of child abuse accusations stemming from routine classroom guidance. The findings come from surveys released by Korea's two major teachers' unions — the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) and the Korean Federation of Teachers’ Unions (KFTU) — to mark Teachers' Day, which falls on May 15. In a survey conducted by the KTU from May 7 to 12 involving 1,902 teachers nationwide, 97.5 percent of teachers said administrative workload negatively affects educational activities. Tasks identified as the most burdensome included accounting and budget-related paperwork, selected by 60.5 percent of respondents, followed by hiring-related administrative work at 41.5 percent and handling civil complaints at 39.8 percent. A separate survey conducted by the KFTU between April 20 and May 11, which gathered responses from 7,180 teachers across the country, also found that 61.3 percent believed their cu

May 15, 2026By Anna J. Park
80% of teachers fear child abuse accusations for routine classroom guidance
South Korea

Lee reunites with teacher from elementary school, classmates on Teachers' Day

President Lee Jae Myung reunited Friday with his former elementary school teacher and classmates for lunch to mark Teachers' Day. Lee met his sixth-grade teacher from Samgye Elementary School and several former classmates at a restaurant in the central city of Andong, his hometown, according to vice presidential spokesperson Ahn Gwi-ryeong. Lee asked after the former teacher's health, pinned a flower to his shirt, thanked and embraced him. The former classmates shared memories of their school days and talked about their current lives. Lee's former teacher said he was very pleased to hear many people say "Lee is performing well," and encouraged him to keep up the good work. Lee graduated from the elementary school in Andong before moving to Seongnam, south of Seoul, where he began working in a factory in his early teens and later completed his secondary education outside the formal school system.

May 15, 2026By Yonhap
Lee reunites with teacher from elementary school, classmates on Teachers' Day
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