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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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South Korea

Korea pushes pet healthcare overhaul to unlock insurance market

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) officially launched the Animal Medical System Improvement Task Force on April 29, shifting pet healthcare from a market-driven system toward a more state-managed framework. The move is central to the Lee Jae Myung administration’s pledge to lower costs for the country’s 15 million pet owners. The reform seeks to standardize veterinary medical data to enable the development of a functioning insurance market. The pet insurance sector now generates roughly $88 million in annual premiums but remains stuck at a 2.1 percent penetration rate. The absence of fee transparency has prevented insurers from accurately pricing risk, leaving the market trapped in a low-trust equilibrium. The veterinary community has signaled strong resistance. Many argue that a standardized fee structure could undermine professional autonomy and fail to account for varying overheads of individual clinics. Whether the task force can bring veterinarians into the system, rather than against it, will determine whether the reform can move beyond policy design i

May 11, 2026By Korea Pro
Korea pushes pet healthcare overhaul to unlock insurance market
South Korea

Defense ministry signals providing 'necessary support' for Hormuz ship probe

The defense ministry said Monday it will provide "necessary support" for follow-up steps in an investigation into the recent explosion and fire on a Korean-operated cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, after an initial probe determined it had been hit by an external attack. Announcing the results of the probe Sunday, Seoul said two unidentified flying objects struck the vessel on May 4, causing a 5-by-7-meter breach in the ship's stern. The government said it plans to collect debris of the engine and other equipment for further analysis. "We are in communication with relevant ministries and agencies based on the confirmed facts and will continue to provide necessary support," Lee Kyung-ho, deputy defense ministry spokesperson, said in a regular press briefing. Lee was responding to a question about whether the findings will expand the scope of the military's involvement in the investigation. Seoul has dispatched a seven-member team of officials from maritime and firefighting authorities to investigate the vessel, now anchored at a port in Dubai. The military is said to have assisted in th

May 11, 2026By Yonhap
Defense ministry signals providing 'necessary support' for Hormuz ship probe
Defense

Korea, NATO deepen ties as Seoul’s global defense stature grows

Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) hosted the second Korea-NATO Defense Industry Consultative Meeting at the Government Complex Gwacheon Sunday, the agency said. The session was co-chaired by DAPA's director of international cooperation, Kim Tae-kon, and Tarja Jaakkola, NATO's assistant secretary general for Defence Industry, Innovation and Armaments. The two sides exchanged information on areas of potential cooperation and discussed ways to expand defense industry collaboration. Korea has rapidly emerged as one of the world's fastest-growing defense exporters, securing multibillion dollar contracts for tanks, howitzers and fighter jets with countries spanning Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Korea used the meeting to stress that access to NATO standards is critical for domestic defense companies seeking to build interoperability with NATO weapons systems — a priority the alliance has emphasized. NATO's delegation in turn asked Korea to participate in multilateral cooperation projects it is pursuing in the areas of ammunition and space. The meeting was t

May 11, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Korea, NATO deepen ties as Seoul’s global defense stature grows
Society

7 in 10 int'l students in Korea work in low-skilled service jobs: report

About 7 in 10 international students in Korea who work part time are concentrated in low-skilled service positions such as restaurants and hospitality jobs, with only a marginal share employed in roles related to their field of study. According to a study on the socioeconomic impact of the inflow of international students in Korea released by the Migration Research and Training Center on Monday, 71.1 percent of student workers were employed in the food and accommodation sector. The share climbed to 81.6 percent among undergraduates aged 19 to 24. The results also showed regional disparities. The share of international students working in food and accommodation jobs exceeded 80 percent in areas including Gwangju, Incheon, Busan and South Chungcheong and Gyeonggi provinces. This pattern appears to be driven by the factors that international students prioritize when choosing part-time work. Only 2.4 percent said they consider alignment with their field of study or desired career path as a key factor. Instead, the most important consideration was working hours compatible with their studies,

May 11, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
7 in 10 int'l students in Korea work in low-skilled service jobs: report
South Korea

Seoul cuts daily trash by 29 tons as recycling drive gains traction

Seoul residents are throwing away less and recycling more, offering an early sign that an ambitious campaign to shrink household waste in one of the world’s most densely populated capitals may be starting to work. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said a two-month evaluation of its “10 Million Citizens Waste Diet Project” found that daily household waste dropped by 29 tons compared with the same period last year, while recyclable waste collection increased by 60 tons a day. The assessment covered all 25 district offices across the city from February through March and measured performance in four categories: household waste reduction, recycling increases, citizen participation and district-specific initiatives. City officials said the results reflected a growing shift in public behavior as local governments experimented with tailored recycling programs and waste-cutting campaigns. In Eunpyeong District, officials reduced trash generated at festivals and public events by introducing reusable tableware systems operated by specialty vendors. Yeongdeungpo District created a separate rep

May 11, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Seoul cuts daily trash by 29 tons as recycling drive gains traction
South Korea

King Sejong’s legacy meets inventor of Korean braille

A new exhibition opening Thursday in Yeoju draws a striking parallel across five centuries of Korean history: the creation of Hangeul by King Sejong and the invention of Korean braille by educator Bak Du-seong during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule over Korea. The special exhibition, titled “Hangeul and Korean Braille,” will run from Thursday through July 19 at the History and Culture Museum of King Sejong in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, marking the 100th anniversary of Hunmaengjeongeum, the Korean Braille system, named as a clever play on Hunminjeongeum (the original name for Hangeul, the Korean alphabet). Organized by the Historic Site of King Sejong Management Office under the Korea Heritage Service in collaboration with the disability advocacy group Your Way, the exhibition explores how Bak’s work echoed King Sejong’s vision of expanding literacy and access to knowledge. Bak, who taught visually impaired students at Jesaengwon under Japan's colonial rule over Korea, secretly developed a six-dot Korean braille system with his students and unveiled Hunmaengjeongeum on Nov. 4, 1926.

May 11, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
King Sejong’s legacy meets inventor of Korean braille
Society

Gen Z soldiers' plastic surgeries strain Korea's military readiness

First Lt. Kim, a platoon leader at a front-line South Korean Army unit in the capital region, faced a unique command challenge early this year. He excluded a corporal from critical cold-weather training because the soldier returned from leave with a swollen, unhealed nose from a rhinoplasty procedure. "I was flustered because he underwent a nose job without saying a word right before the training," Kim said. He added that he sidelined the soldier out of fear that the unhealed wound would cause medical complications in the field. Kim's dilemma is not an isolated incident. A growing trend of elective cosmetic surgery among active duty Korean soldiers, fueled by rising military pay and aggressive clinic marketing, is causing operational disruptions, exposing a critical gap in military regulations. The trend is also triggering resentment among peers who must cover the workload while recovering soldiers receive special accommodations. Plastic surgery in the military is not new. Historically, units tolerated the practice when soldiers used long leaves in their final months of service to undergo

May 11, 2026By Hankookilbo
Gen Z soldiers' plastic surgeries strain Korea's military readiness
South Korea

Korean destroyer to join 250th anniversary US naval fleet review

The Korean destroyer Munmu the Great departed for the United States Monday, beginning a trans-Pacific voyage to join a massive international naval assembly marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. The 4,400-ton DDH-II class vessel slipped its moorings at the Jeju Naval Base Monday afternoon. It is headed for New York, where it will serve as Korea’s representative at the International Fleet Review from July 3 to 8. The event is expected to be a historic display of maritime cooperation, featuring approximately 100 vessels from 50 nations, including the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada and Spain. For Seoul, the mission is as much about industrial diplomacy as it is about naval tradition. The Korean Navy has outfitted the destroyer’s hangar with a dedicated maritime defense promotional booth. As Korea seeks to cement its position as a top-tier global arms exporter, the ship will act as a floating showroom, marketing Korean-made naval systems and vessel technologies at various ports of call, including stops in Mexico and Colombia. "There is a great sense of pride among the cr

May 11, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korean destroyer to join 250th anniversary US naval fleet review
Defense

Defense chiefs of Korea, US to hold talks amid OPCON transfer push, Hormuz ship issue

The top defense chiefs of Korea and the United States were set to hold talks in Washington on Monday, focusing on advancing the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul and Korea's push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back will meet U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to discuss follow-up steps on the OPCON transition and nuclear-powered submarines, in line with the agreements reached between the leaders and at high-level security talks last year, Seoul officials said. The upcoming talks also come a day after Korea determined a strike by two unidentified flying objects was behind the May 4 explosion and fire on a Korean-operated cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. The issue could be raised in Monday's talks. Korea is seeking to retake wartime OPCON before the Lee Jae Myung government's five-year term ends in 2030, reportedly targeting 2028 for the transfer while U.S. President Donald Trump is in office. However, signs of differing views between the allies have emerged after U.S. Forces Korea commander Gen. Xavier Brunson t

May 11, 2026By Yonhap
Defense chiefs of Korea, US to hold talks amid OPCON transfer push, Hormuz ship issue
South Korea

Korea leads overhaul of nursing education in Central Asia

Korea’s expansion of its higher education exports continued as Kyung Hee University and the World Health Organization (WHO) convened nursing leaders from across Central Asia, a move that reflects Seoul’s increasing involvement in global health education. The seventh International Nursing Forum opened at the Kyrgyz State Medical Academy under the theme “Prospects for Nursing and Midwifery Beyond Borders.” The gathering brought together officials from Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Innovation, the Korean Embassy and nursing experts from five Central Asian nations: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. The forum, jointly organized by Kyung Hee University’s international cooperation team and the WHO, is a component of Korea’s education-focused official development assistance. By sharing pedagogical frameworks and clinical standards, Seoul is establishing a role in medical training for a region historically influenced by Soviet-era educational structures. According to the Ministry of Education, the discussions focused on policy

May 11, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea leads overhaul of nursing education in Central Asia
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