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  • South Korea

    Samsung, SK hynix pledge $519 bil. for southwestern chip hub

    Samsung Electronics and SK hynix will invest 800 trillion won ($519 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 also spend 550 trillion won to set up AI data centers to increase the total capacity to 18.4 gigawatts by 2035. The government, Samsung Electronics, SK Group and other large businesses 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 the technology 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 t

    4 MIN READBy Yi Whan-woo
    Samsung, SK hynix pledge $519 bil. for southwestern chip hub
  • Law & Crime

    Investigators indict Shincheonji sect leader over forced PPP memberships

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Investigators indict Shincheonji sect leader over forced PPP memberships
  • Law & Crime

    3 PPP lawmakers booked for obstructing Yoon's arrest over martial law bid

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    3 PPP lawmakers booked for obstructing Yoon's arrest over martial law bid
  • South Korea

    Gov't unveils power, infrastructure plans to back megaprojects

    3 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
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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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Law & Crime

Chinese national extradited to Korea over hacking heist targeting BTS' Jung Kook, others

A Chinese national, who led a hacking scheme that targeted K-pop group BTS member Jung Kook and Korean business executives, has been extradited to Korea from Thailand, the justice ministry said Wednesday. The 40-year-old arrived at Incheon International Airport on Tuesday from Bangkok to be handed over to police for investigation over allegations of stealing over 38 billion won ($25.4 million) from the victims, according to the ministry. The police said they plan to seek a warrant for his formal arrest after questioning him and analyzing evidence. The suspect is said to be part of a criminal ring accused of illegally collecting personal information of the victims from August 2023 to April 2025 by hacking into government and public agency websites, and using the data to withdraw cash from their accounts. While Jungkook was targeted in the scheme, his agency, BigHit Music, took immediate action to prevent losses. The criminal ring allegedly opened unauthorized brokerage accounts in Jungkook's name in January 2024 in an attempt to steal 8.4 billion won worth of his shares in Hybe, the compan

May 13, 2026By Yonhap
Chinese national extradited to Korea over hacking heist targeting BTS' Jung Kook, others
Defense

Defense chief requests US Navy's support for S. Korea's nuclear-powered sub project

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back has asked the U.S. Navy for support for South Korea's push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, according to his office Wednesday. According to the defense ministry, Ahn met with Hung Cao, acting U.S. Navy secretary, in Washington on Tuesday (U.S. time) and requested support for the Seoul initiative, stressing that it would contribute to the shared security interests of the two countries and serve as an important milestone in advancing the bilateral alliance. Ahn emphasized South Korea is an optimal partner for shipbuilding cooperation with the United States, citing the country's strong shipbuilding capabilities and the recent legislation regarding Korean investment in the U.S. Seoul is seeking to acquire nuclear-powered submarines under a joint summit agreement with the U.S. reached last year, along with efforts to secure uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing capabilities for civil purposes. The minister also met with key congressional figures, including Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee; Sen.

May 13, 2026By Yonhap
Defense chief requests US Navy's support for S. Korea's nuclear-powered sub project
Politics

PM calls for measures to boost K-tourism

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok called Wednesday for the government to look for various ways to boost domestic tourism so it can work as a growth engine for the economy, after data showed the country's travel account balance posted a surplus in March for the first time in 11 years. Kim made the remark during an emergency economic headquarters meeting, citing reports that those going on domestic tours, rather than overseas trips, are on the rise at a time when the government is preparing to roll out a second round of cash aid later this month to help ease financial burdens arising from high oil prices. "Starting May 18, fuel price relief funds will be paid to 70 percent of the population. We should make sure there will be no problem in the course of people applying for and using it," Kim said "In this situation, in particular, there are reports that people are enjoying tours to local regions, rather than overseas trips," he said. "Our travel account balance recorded a surplus in March for the first time in 11 years and four months. We should study various measures to make K-tourism a growth

May 13, 2026By Yonhap
PM calls for measures to boost K-tourism
Society

Korea adds 74,000 jobs in April, lowest in 16 months

Korea added 74,000 jobs in April, marking the slowest growth in 16 months in the aftermath of the Middle East conflict, which led to higher oil prices and weaker consumers' sentiment, data showed Wednesday. The number of employed people came to 28.96 million in April, compared with 28.88 million a year earlier, according to data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics. It marked the weakest performance since posting a 52,000 on-year drop in December 2024. Job growth had expanded in the 200,000 range in February and March. The country's jobless rate came to 2.9 percent last month, unchanged from a year earlier. The number of unemployed people totaled 853,000 in April, down 2,000. The ministry said the unemployment rate fell among people in their 20s and 50s but rose for those in their 30s. The employment rate for South Koreans aged 15 to 64 came to 70 percent in April, down 0.1 percentage point from a year earlier. The employment rate for all South Koreans aged 15 and above reached 63 percent, down 0.2 percentage point. By sector, the number of jobs in the health and social welfare services

May 13, 2026By Yonhap
Korea adds 74,000 jobs in April, lowest in 16 months
K-universities

InterviewKwangwoon University accelerates AI-driven transformation to boost global competitiveness

Kwangwoon University is stepping up efforts to transform itself into an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven institution, aiming to strengthen its competitiveness through advanced research and interdisciplinary education. “We have established our vision as ‘Engineering for Humanity’ — a university that shines through cutting-edge research and convergent education,” said Kwangwoon University President Yoon Do-young. “This reflects our goal of building strong research capabilities in advanced fields while fostering interdisciplinary education that can respond to complex social changes and ultimately becoming a university where all members take pride.” AI woven into campus life The university is enhancing the use of AI on campus through technologies developed in-house, improving both accessibility and efficiency across academic and administrative services. For international students, it provides high-accuracy translation tools tailored to coursework, campus communications and daily academic needs, helping reduce language barriers and support smoother integration. As part of the p

May 13, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Kwangwoon University accelerates AI-driven transformation to boost global competitiveness
South Korea

Seoul cuts red tape to transform city with bold new architecture

Seoul is moving to speed up one of its most ambitious urban design initiatives, betting that faster approvals and wider participation can transform private developments into publicly accessible landmarks across the city. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday that it will overhaul its Urban and Architectural Design Innovation Project, a program introduced in 2023 to encourage developers to create architecturally distinctive buildings paired with publicly accessible open spaces. Under the revised system, the city plans to reduce the average project review timeline from more than two years to about 17 months by streamlining administrative procedures and consolidating approval stages. Officials said the changes are intended to help creative proposals move more quickly from concept to construction while preserving key design elements and public access commitments throughout the development process. The program offers incentives such as relaxed height and floor-area-ratio regulations to private developers that incorporate innovative architecture and civic spaces into their projects. So

May 12, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Seoul cuts red tape to transform city with bold new architecture
Law & Crime

Appeals court increases ex-interior minister's sentence to 9 years over martial law involvement

An appeals court on Tuesday increased former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min's prison sentence to nine years from seven over his role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid. The Seoul High Court handed down the sentence after convicting Lee of playing a key role in an insurrection by conveying Yoon's orders to the then chief of the National Fire Agency to seal off the National Assembly and cut off power and water to media outlets critical of the administration at the time. Yoon allegedly gave the orders immediately after declaring martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. The court also found Lee guilty of perjury for testifying during Yoon's impeachment trial that he did not receive such instructions from the then president. "The defendant appears to have been well aware of the illegality of the emergency martial law (order) but still engaged in key tasks of the insurrection," the court said. "Though he was in a position and had the authority to decide for himself whether to implement the orders to cut off power and water, ultimately he chose to follow the unconstitutional and ill

May 12, 2026By Yonhap
Appeals court increases ex-interior minister's sentence to 9 years over martial law involvement
South Korea

Korea's traditional arts and crafts find new life in Bukchon

In the narrow, climbing alleys of Bukchon, where the heavy tiled roofs of traditional hanok houses frame the skyline of modern Seoul, visitors are increasingly being invited to do more than simply observe. They are being asked to create. Jongno District Office said Tuesday that it will expand its roster of traditional craft programs beginning this month, offering 46 distinct workshops at the Bukchon Traditional Craft Experience Center. The move comes as global interest in hands-on heritage tourism surges, with travelers increasingly seeking tactile connections to history rather than the passive experience of a museum tour. The programs, organized in collaboration with 16 local artisan studios, offer a rare bridge between the Joseon-era aesthetics of the neighborhood and modern sensibilities. Among the new additions this year is a workshop dedicated to crafting key rings in the shape of a "gat" — the iconic horsehair hat once worn by aristocratic men in the Joseon Dynasty (1392 to 1897) — as well as classes in traditional weaving and ceramic repair. These join a rotating schedule of

May 12, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea's traditional arts and crafts find new life in Bukchon
Defense

Korea pushes OPCON transfer as US presses for expanded alliance role

Differences emerged between Seoul and Washington over the future direction of the alliance during this week’s Korea-U.S. defense ministers’ meeting, as the Lee Jae Myung administration pushes for an earlier transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) while the Donald Trump administration seeks a broader role for Korea as an ally. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth met Monday at the Pentagon to discuss major alliance issues, including OPCON transfer, alliance modernization, maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz and Korea’s potential role in regional security, according to a joint statement released after the talks. In his opening remarks, Ahn emphasized Seoul’s intention to strengthen what he described as “Korea-led defense” on the peninsula. “We are also making every effort to secure core national defense capabilities through increased defense spending so that we can realize Korea-led defense of the Korean Peninsula,” Ahn said. His remarks are aligned with the Lee administration's goal to take over wartime OPCON by 2028, with

May 12, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Korea pushes OPCON transfer as US presses for expanded alliance role
Environment & Animals

Mangroves discovered on Korean shores, signaling warming climate

On the windswept southern coast of Jeju Island, scientists have discovered a visitor that was never supposed to be there: a woody mangrove species previously unknown to the Korean Peninsula. The discovery of the plant, Myoporum bontioides (tentatively named the "beach paulownia"), was announced Tuesday by the Jeju World Heritage Office and Jeju National University. While the peninsula’s warming waters have long brought subtropical fish and seaweed to its shores, the arrival of a woody tree species marks a significant and visible escalation in the regional impact of climate change. Typically found in the sweltering coastal zones of Vietnam, Taiwan and southern Japan, the mangrove appears to have traveled north as a hitchhiker on ocean currents. Researchers estimate that the plants have been growing on Jeju for at least seven years, surviving long enough to reach maturity and flower. The appearance of mangroves in Korea is more than a botanical curiosity. It is a preview of a shifting ecosystem. These plants are the primary architects of "blue carbon" sinks, coastal ecosystems that can

May 12, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Mangroves discovered on Korean shores, signaling warming climate
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