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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
  • Society

    Despite public support, Korea struggles to raise age threshold for seniors’ free subway rides

    3 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    Despite public support, Korea struggles to raise age threshold for seniors’ free subway rides
  • 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
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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

S. Korea seizes 2 Chinese boats over illegal fishing

Two Chinese fishing boats were seized near the border island of Baengnyeong in the West Sea on suspicions of illegal fishing in South Korean waters, the Coast Guard said Saturday. The two boats fished illegally after crossing the Northern Limit Line, the de facto maritime border between South and North Korea, 3 kilometers into South Korean waters around 8 p.m. Friday and were caught 14.8 km northwest of the island, according to the Coast Guard. One of the sailors entered a state of cardiac arrest during the crackdown, according to the Coast Guard. The person, a Chinese national in his 40s, was given CPR while being rushed to a nearby hospital but was later pronounced dead, it added. Crew members have said the deceased sailor had consumed a lot of alcohol. Authorities said it has reported the sailor's death to Chinese consular authorities. They plan to investigate the rest of the crew members regarding circumstances surrounding their illegal fishing.

May 9, 2026By Yonhap
S. Korea seizes 2 Chinese boats over illegal fishing
South Korea

'The King's Warden' duo scores wins at Baeksang Awards

The "historical" drama "The King's Warden" scored major wins at the 62nd Baeksang Awards, Friday, with its main cast clinching both the grand prize and best new actor in the film category. Directed by Jang Hang-jun, the film portrays the unlikely friendship between village chief Eom Heung-do (Yoo Hae-jin) and the dethroned King Danjong (Park Ji-hoon) of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) during the latter's exile in the village. Praised for its ensemble performance, which depicts the young king's struggles and his friendship with the villagers, it has become the second-most watched film in Korean cinema history following its release in February. Yoo won the grand prize, while Park won best new actor and the most popular artist award for a male artist. The film also received the Gucci impact award. "On this occasion, I would like to truly thank the some 17 million audience (members) who watched 'The King's Warden,'" Yoo said after accepting the award. "It's fortunate and good to know that people are realizing the taste of forgotten cinema." "No Other Choice," a black comedy thriller by renowne

May 9, 2026By Yonhap
'The King's Warden' duo scores wins at Baeksang Awards
Law & Crime

Appeals court finds ex-prosecutor guilty in bribery case involving ex-first lady

An appeals court on Friday overturned a lower court's acquittal of a former prosecutor on charges of violating the anti-graft law in a bribery case involving former first lady Kim Keon Hee. The Seoul High Court sentenced Kim Sang-min to two years in prison suspended for three years on charges of gifting a painting by renowned artist Lee Ufan to the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol in 2023. The former prosecutor had been indicted for giving the 140 million-won ($95,500) painting to the then first lady in return for her support for his bid to win a nomination to run in the 2024 general elections. The lower court had acquitted him of the charge, citing the lack of credibility of a key witness in the case, an art dealer who had partially reversed an earlier testimony. The appeals court ruled that the witness' overall testimony could be recognized as valid, noting the defendant had purchased the painting through the witness and the artwork appeared to have been delivered to the then first lady. The appellate court also sentenced the former prosecutor to one year in prison suspended for t

May 8, 2026By Yonhap
Appeals court finds ex-prosecutor guilty in bribery case involving ex-first lady
Law & Crime

Police to strengthen patrols as deadly random attack fuels public fear

Police said Friday they will step up patrols and inspections after the recent random killing of a female high school student in the southwestern city of Gwangju sparked public anxiety. The 17-year-old student was fatally stabbed by a 24-year-old stranger at around 12:11 a.m. Tuesday on a road near a university in the city's Gwangsan district, about 300 kilometers south of Seoul. Another high school student, who approached the scene upon hearing the victim scream, was also injured in a knife attack by the suspect. The Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) issued a press notice, saying it has decided to strengthen visible police activities to deter crimes and prevent similar incidents from recurring. Acting KNPA chief Yoo Jae-sung presided over a video conference of police leadership Friday afternoon to devise measures to reinforce patrols, particularly in sparsely populated areas, by making maximum use of personnel. In addition, the police will expand patrols in areas at risk of crime through active cooperation with private security firms and volunteers, the KNPA said, adding individuals su

May 8, 2026By Yonhap
Police to strengthen patrols as deadly random attack fuels public fear
Law & Crime

Itaewon disaster committee decides to file complaint against Yongsan ward chief

A special investigation committee on the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush decided Friday to file a complaint against the head of the Yongsan ward office for allegedly giving instructions that prevented officials from immediately responding to the tragedy. Park Hee-young is accused of ordering officials to remove anti-government posters just as they were set to respond to the deadly crowd crush in the nightlife district of Itaewon on Oct. 29, 2022. The crowd crush, which killed 159 people, happened during Halloween festivities in a narrow alley in Itaewon amid a lack of effective crowd control measures. The committee said it would seek an investigation into Park on charges of abuse of power and perjury by filing a request to a joint team of police investigators and prosecutors. Park denied making such instructions in a March committee hearing. The committee also decided to file a complaint against a former Itaewon subway station chief for allegedly perjuring herself during the hearing when she said there was no police request for trains to pass the station without stopping on the day of the trage

May 8, 2026By Yonhap
Itaewon disaster committee decides to file complaint against Yongsan ward chief
South Korea

Seoul park makeover turns hidden green space into downtown retreat

Cheongjin Park, a modest pocket of greenery tucked away in the glass-and-steel canyons of central Gwanghwamun, has reopened as an urban garden, its redesign a deliberate attempt to provide a sanctuary for office workers and tourists fleeing the claustrophobia of the capital city's main thoroughfares. Jongno District Office said the renovation of the park in Cheongjin-dong was completed as part of the district’s participation in the 2026 Seoul International Garden Show and its local garden development initiative. The project removed the aging walls and outdated facilities that had long separated the park from surrounding pedestrian areas. In their place, the district introduced open gardens, resting areas and cultural spaces intended to create what officials described as a more accessible and sensory urban landscape. Renovation work began in March and lasted about a month, according to the district office. A central feature of the redesigned park is a large gardening table installed in the newly opened central plaza. The space is currently used as a public seating area but will later ho

May 8, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Seoul park makeover turns hidden green space into downtown retreat
South Korea

Korean firms cast eyes toward Africa as Middle East tensions simmer

As the conflict in the Middle East continues, Korean firms are increasingly casting their gaze toward the African continent, seeking a strategic hedge against regional instability. The pivot comes as investors reconsider oil and gas producers such as Algeria, Nigeria and Angola as viable alternatives to Middle Eastern suppliers. With Africa’s GDP growth projected at a robust 4 percent through 2025, the continent is emerging not just as a resource hub, but as a frontier for massive infrastructure and digital industrialization. On Thursday, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), alongside the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the African Development Bank (AfDB), hosted a webinar designed to demystify African project markets for Korean industry leaders. The event, which drew representatives from more than 70 companies, signaled a concerted effort by Seoul to leverage intergovernmental financing bodies to mitigate the traditional risks associated with the continent’s emerging markets. “In the midst of global uncertainty, Africa is surfacing as a market of new opportuni

May 8, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Korean firms cast eyes toward Africa as Middle East tensions simmer
Law & Crime

Ex-Marine commander gets 3-year sentence over conscript’s death

A former Marine commander has been sentenced to three years in prison over the death of a young conscript who was swept away and killed during a river search operation in 2023. The Seoul Central District Court on Friday convicted Lim Seong-geun, former commander of the Marine Corps 1st Division, of occupational negligence resulting in death and violating a military order. He was indicted over the death of Cpl. Chae Soo-geun (then a private), who was swept away by strong currents and died while taking part in a search operation for a missing resident in the Naeseong Stream in Yecheon, North Gyeongsang Province, on July 19, 2023. A panel of judges, led by Cho Hyung-woo, also handed suspended or custodial sentences to four other officers involved. Park Sang-hyun, former commander of the 7th Brigade of the 1st Marine Division, and Choi Jin-kyu, former commander of the division’s 11th Artillery Battalion, who oversaw operations in the flood-hit area, were each sentenced to 18 months in prison. Former 7th Artillery Battalion Commander Lee Yong-min, the immediate superior of the headquarters

May 8, 2026By Jung Min-ho
Ex-Marine commander gets 3-year sentence over conscript’s death
Society

Korea to add drunk driving warnings to alcohol bottle labels in November

Liquor bottles in Korea will be required to carry warning text or images about the dangers of drunk driving, as part of efforts to curb alcohol-related harm. The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Promotion Institute said Friday the alcohol labeling regulations have been revised, with the new rules taking effect Nov. 9. The revised rules will require liquor containers to include a "no drunk driving" warning in text or image form, alongside existing warnings about health risks and the dangers of drinking during pregnancy. The regulations also establish a legal basis for warning images, moving beyond the previous text-only approach for greater visual impact. The amendments carry a six-month grace period in compliance with the World Trade Organization's Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement. The rules apply to all alcoholic beverages produced or cleared through customs on or after March 19. Products produced or imported before Nov. 9 may remain on sale until May 8, 2027. The revised rules come amid a broader shift in drinking habits. The median monthly binge drinking rate acr

May 8, 2026By Park Ung
Korea to add drunk driving warnings to alcohol bottle labels in November
Politics

Ruling party fails to push through constitutional amendment bill amid opposition boycott

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) push to put a constitutional change to a national vote in the upcoming local elections fell through Friday as the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) continued to boycott a parliamentary vote on the proposal. Shortly after Friday's plenary session opened, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik announced that he will not put the amendment bill to a vote as the PPP warned it would launch a filibuster to block the proposal. "I convened the plenary session again today in an effort to prevent the first constitutional amendment vote in 39 years from falling through," Woo said. "But I believe further proceedings would be meaningless, seeing the (PPP) responding with a filibuster." The PPP boycotted a vote on the bill Thursday, leaving the unicameral parliament short of a quorum. Cheong Wa Dae expressed regret over the National Assembly's failure to pass the bill due to opposition from PPP lawmakers. "The public will find it difficult to understand why they opposed even minimal constitutional changes aimed at safeguarding national security and dem

May 8, 2026By Yonhap
Ruling party fails to push through constitutional amendment bill amid opposition boycott
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