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  • Politics

    Samsung, SK hynix unveil $585 bil. investment for semiconductor complex in southwestern region

    Samsung Electronics and SK hynix will invest 800 trillion won ($585 billion) to establish a semiconductor complex in the country's southwestern region, as part of government-private sector plans to strengthen Korea's position as one of the world's leading semiconductor powerhouses amid a boom in artificial intelligence (AI) industries. SK Group, GS Group and Naver will spend 550 trillion won to set up AI data centers to increase the total capacity to 18.4 gigawatts by 2035. The government, Samsung Group and SK Group announced the massive investment plans Monday as part of the government's three flagship megaprojects focusing on semiconductors, physical AI and AI data centers, designed to meet surging demand for AI infrastructure as AI reshapes the global industrial landscape. The projects are also intended to promote high-tech investment across the country's southwestern, central and southeastern regions as part of a broader push for balanced regional development, while relevant plants and infrastructure are currently concentrated around the capital region, such as in southern Gyeonggi

    3 MIN READBy Yi Whan-woo
    Samsung, SK hynix unveil $585 bil. investment for semiconductor complex in southwestern region
  • Politics

    Gov't unveils power, infrastructure plans to back megaprojects

    2 MIN READBy Lee Gyu-lee
    Gov't unveils power, infrastructure plans to back megaprojects
  • Politics

    Lee's southwestern semiconductor cluster draws corporate arm-twisting accusations

    3 MIN READBy Bahk Eun-ji
    Lee's southwestern semiconductor cluster draws corporate arm-twisting accusations
  • Society

    Remains of 7 fallen soldiers from Korean War laid to rest in burial ceremonies

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Remains of 7 fallen soldiers from Korean War laid to rest in burial ceremonies
  • Global Community

    Korea reimagines diplomatic missions as cultural portals via yearlong film festival

    2 MIN READBy Lee Kyung-min
    Korea reimagines diplomatic missions as cultural portals via yearlong film festival
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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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Defense

S. Korea, US agree to deepen cooperation on 'shared security goals' at defense talks

South Korea and the United States have agreed to deepen cooperation to achieve "shared security goals," the defense ministry said Thursday, amid the allies' apparent different views over the timeline of Seoul retaking wartime command from Washington. Both sides reached the understanding following the two-day Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) in Washington on Wednesday (U.S. time), according to the ministry. The meeting came as the allies appear to show different perspectives over when South Korea will retake wartime operational control (OPCON) from the U.S., a key defense goal under the Lee Jae Myung administration. At the meeting, the allies assessed the overall defense cooperation and exchanged views on ways to enhance a combined defense posture, according to a joint statement released by the Pentagon. Assessing the KIDD as laying a foundation for "practical cooperation" to solidify the decadeslong alliance, both sides "looked forward to further deepening cooperation to achieve shared security goals on the Korean Peninsula and across the Indo-Pacific region," it noted. The t

May 14, 2026By Yonhap
S. Korea, US agree to deepen cooperation on 'shared security goals' at defense talks
Politics

Candidate registration opens for June 3 local elections

Candidate registration opened Thursday for the upcoming local elections and parliamentary by-elections, widely seen as a key test of public sentiment toward President Lee Jae Myung's first year in office. According to the National Election Commission (NEC), prospective candidates can register between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. Official campaigning will begin next Thursday and last 13 days until the eve of the June 3 elections, with only limited forms of electioneering permitted before the official campaign period begins. Up for grabs in the local elections are mayor and governor seats in 16 metropolitan cities and provinces, along with superintendents of education and chiefs of smaller administrative units. Among the most closely followed races are the mayoral contests in Seoul and the traditional conservative strongholds of Daegu and Busan. In Seoul, incumbent Mayor Oh Se-hoon of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) will face candidate Chong Won-o of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), while in Busan, Park Heong-joon, the incumbent mayor of Busan seeking a

May 14, 2026By Yonhap
Candidate registration opens for June 3 local elections
South Korea

Appeals court halts ex-President Yoon's insurrection trial after recusal request

A Seoul appellate court on Thursday decided to halt former President Yoon Suk Yeol's appeals trial on charges of leading an insurrection over his failed 2024 martial law bid after his lawyers filed for recusal, asking for the removal of all three judges in the trial. The Seoul High Court announced the decision in what had been expected to be the first formal hearing of Yoon's appellate trial after a lower court sentenced him to life imprisonment over his short-lived imposition of martial law in December 2024. Yoon's legal team earlier requested the recusal, arguing a fair trial could not be expected as the judges in question had effectively found Yoon guilty during former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's appeals trial on insurrection charges. The appellate bench sentenced Han to 15 years in prison last week, finding him guilty of playing a key role in an insurrection by aiding and abetting Yoon's declaration of martial law. By law, trial proceedings have to be suspended until a decision is made on recusal requests, although exceptions can be made in urgent situations. "(We) have decided to s

May 14, 2026By Yonhap
Appeals court halts ex-President Yoon's insurrection trial after recusal request
Society

$13.5 mil. bench: Seoul's new Korean War monument draws puzzled looks

Stavros was walking through Gwanghwamun Square Wednesday when the flags at the Garden of Gratitude caught his eye. The 42-year-old traveler from Cyprus paused, but struggled to make sense of what he was looking at. “I don't know, I think it is what it is,” he told The Korea Times, adding that he had first thought they were just art deco-style sculptures. He had no idea they were a stone monument honoring the 22 nations that fought in the 1950–53 Korean War, unveiled just the day before. He is not alone in that uncertainty. For many Koreans, setting aside whether the monument belongs in the square, its arrival just three weeks before the June 3 local elections has made it as much a political flashpoint as a civic one. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon of the conservative People Power Party calls it “a space that elevates the dignity and symbolism of Gwanghwamun Square,” while his rival Chong Won-o of the Democratic Party of Korea dismisses it as a “self-promotional legacy project” built on more than 20 billion won ($13.5 million) of public money. Opinions among Koreans and foreigners w

May 14, 2026By Park Ung
$13.5 mil. bench: Seoul's new Korean War monument draws puzzled looks
Global Community

Coffee roastery brings live music to northeastern Seoul

Seoul's live music scene has mostly been clustered in the west, which is quite a pain for people living in other parts of the city. For those in the northeast, a small cafe in Nowon District's Gongneung-dong has been working to make live music more accessible. Hoi Polloi is not the kind of cafe you'd want to go for quiet time or to study. "We’ve ended up developing the interior space of the shop to be a bit uncomfortable for students to study in — only a couple outlets, the music can get kinda loud, the baking and general barista operations are often loud, our team is all friendly and talkative and we more or less welcome a lively crowd as opposed to a quiet workspace," Chris Rettig, co-owner of the cafe, told The Korea Times. Hoi Polloi, which has been around for about seven years, including under a couple other names earlier on, got its current name after Rettig was listening to one of his favorite bands, The Most Serene Republic, and the song "Anhoi Polloi" came on. "At the time, I actually didn’t know what 'hoi polloi' meant," he admitted. "After some digging, I realized that '

May 14, 2026By Jon Dunbar
Coffee roastery brings live music to northeastern Seoul
South Korea

Seoul mulling possible role in US freedom of navigation initiative in Hormuz: security adviser

Korea is reviewing a possible role in a U.S. initiative aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a senior presidential official said Wednesday. National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac made the remarks following an apparent attack on a South Korean-operated vessel last week in the crucial waterway that has effectively been shut down since U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February. "Regarding efforts to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a review is underway on the United States' Maritime Freedom Construct," Wi said in a forum in Seoul. Washington has proposed an international coalition, called "Maritime Freedom Construct," aimed at ensuring free navigation of the shipping route. Wi's remarks came after Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back told his U.S. counterpart during talks at the Pentagon this week that Seoul will review making phased contributions to Washington's efforts to restore passage in the strait. Wi noted that Seoul is actively taking part in multinational efforts related to the strait, citing President Lee Jae Myung's participation in an

May 13, 2026By Yonhap
Seoul mulling possible role in US freedom of navigation initiative in Hormuz: security adviser
Society

UN rights chief says int'l law protects N. Korean POWs in Ukraine from repatriation

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the principle of non-refoulement applies to the two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) detained in Ukraine, citing obligations under international humanitarian and human rights laws. Non-refoulement is a principle of international law that prohibits states from returning individuals to a country where they face a real risk of persecution, torture or serious harm. This marks the first time the U.N. rights chief has publicly invoked the principle in relation to the North Korean POWs held in Ukraine. During a press conference in Seoul, Wednesday, Türk said the legal framework governing the treatment of the prisoners is clear. “International humanitarian law and international human rights law applies, and it means proper treatment, including the obligation not to send them back to areas where they could be ending up with harm. The principle of non-refoulement applies to them, which is part of the international legal framework,” he said. His office maintains a presence in Ukraine and is aware of the cases, he added. Tü

May 13, 2026By Park Ung
UN rights chief says int'l law protects N. Korean POWs in Ukraine from repatriation
Others

Young Koreans use ‘mental illness’ to turn dread into jokes

“I’m about to get hit with ‘jeongbyeong.’” For Kim, a 23-year-old college student, the phrase is almost always ready to roll off the tongue. The word is short for the Korean term “jeongsinbyeong,” which literally means “mental illness.” But Kim was not making a blunt confession about having a psychiatric disorder. “It is more of an expression for a sense of helplessness and anxiety — when the word ‘stressful’ does not quite capture the feeling,” Kim said. Jung, another 22-year-old college student who said he often uses “jeongbyeong,” described it as a word that conveys a tangled psychological state: anger, anxiety, dread, depression and powerlessness all mixed together. “About to get hit with jeongbyeong.” “Appearance jeongbyeong.” “Employment jeongbyeong.” Among young Koreans, the word mental illness has become a dominant shorthand for psychological strain and everyday stress. It began as an offensive slur and at times drew criticism for being used in ways that demeaned people actually struggling with mental illness, but young people today incre

May 13, 2026By Hankookilbo
Young Koreans use ‘mental illness’ to turn dread into jokes
Politics

6-term lawmaker Cho Jeong-sik named candidate for National Assembly speaker

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Wednesday elected Rep. Cho Jeong-sik, a six-term lawmaker, as its candidate for the next parliamentary speaker. The 63-year-old beat Kim Tae-nyeon and Park Jie-won, both five-term lawmakers, in a vote cast by party lawmakers and members. If elected at a parliamentary plenary session, Rep. Cho will replace Woo Won-shik and serve a two-year term that will cover the second half of the 22nd National Assembly. He is expected to ultimately become the speaker, as it is customary for the largest party in terms of parliamentary seats to take the speaker position, with two vice speaker seats divided between the ruling and main opposition parties. Four-term lawmaker Rep. Nam In-soon was elected as the DPK's candidate for deputy assembly speaker. Rep. Cho is widely considered to have close ties with President Lee Jae Myung, having served as the president's special political adviser before resigning to run for assembly speaker and previously serving as the secretary general of the DPK when Lee was party leader. In Korea, elections for parliamentary speaker

May 13, 2026By Yonhap
6-term lawmaker Cho Jeong-sik named candidate for National Assembly speaker
Society

Photo demands from parents are changing kindergarten classrooms in Korea

Day care teachers in Seoul are spending hours each day photographing students, a growing administrative mandate that has become routine in many early childhood classrooms. While children folded paper carnations and made coupons for Parents’ Day last week, teachers focused on photographing them for their parents. "On days with special events, like field trips, we take as many as 100 photos," the teacher said. "It’s not as if we take only 10 pictures just because there are 10 children in the class. We have to upload the good ones. Otherwise, parents complain that their child’s expression looks bad or that only their child had their eyes closed." For about a decade, day care centers and kindergartens have used parent communication apps such as Kids Note and Schoolbell-e to send parents photos of their children. The apps were meant to show parents what young children do at school or day care. Teachers now say the practice has become expected work, adding to their workload and reducing instructional and caregiving time. Smiling photos, strained classrooms Teachers say the reality outsid

May 13, 2026By Hankookilbo
Photo demands from parents are changing kindergarten classrooms in Korea
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