South Korean players celebrate after winning the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship with a 1-0 win over Japan at Busan Asiad Main Stadium in Busan, in this file photo provided by Korea Football Association, Dec. 18, 2019. Yonhap South Korea will host the top East Asian football tournament next summer, a decision reached during the executive meeting of the sport’s regional governing body earlier this week. The East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) said Thursday that South Korea will stage the 2025 EAFF E-1 Championship from July 7 to 16 next year. The East Asian competition was first held in 2003, and South Korea previously hosted the event in 2005, 2013 and 2019. The country won the tournament in 2003, 2008, 2015, 2017 and 2019, with Japan and China having each won two titles. The three East Asian giants will be back at it next year, and Hong...

The roof of a makeshift structure inside a greenhouse in Geunchang-ri, Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, collapses due to record snowfall from Nov. 27 to Nov. 29, with water leaking inside. Two Cambodian migrant workers living there said their request for alternative housing was denied, and they were evicted on the morning of Nov. 29. Captured from Facebook By KTimes A Cambodian migrant worker who worked on a farm in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, shared a harrowing account of her living conditions during last month’s record snowfall in a video shared via social media. “Snow has crushed the roof, and water is leaking inside. It’s impossible to live here. It gets colder at night. The electricity is out, and I’m scared,” she said in the video. “I asked my boss for another place to stay, but I was kicked out of this house, which has no hot water. I begged for time to...

내란 혐의로 구속된 김봉식 서울경찰청장이 CBS노컷뉴스의 ‘대통령 골프 라운딩’ 보도 이후 대통령실 경호처로부터 비화폰을 받았다고 진술했다. 김 청장은 이 비화폰으로 계엄 직전 김용현 전 국방부 장관으로부터 계엄 관련 상황을 전달 받은 것으로 조사됐다. 20일 경찰청 국가수사본부 비상계엄 특별수사단에 따르면 김 청장도 비상계엄이 선포된 3일 당시 비화폰을 갖고 있었다. 조지호 경찰청장이 비화폰으로 윤석열 대통령으로부터 지시를 받은 것으로 알려진 상황에서 김 청장도 비화폰을 소유하고 있었던 것이다. 김 청장은 경찰 특수단 조사에서 ‘경호처가 윤 대통령의 태릉체력단련장 골프 라운딩을 CBS노컷뉴스가 보도해 경호 상 문제가 있으니 비화폰을 받으라고 했다’는 취지로 진술했다고 한다. 해당 비화폰은 계엄 후 반납했다고 말한 것으로 전해졌다. 김 청장은 3일 비상계엄 선포 직전 비화폰을 통해 김용현 전 국방부장관으로부터 ‘계엄 선포가 늦어질 것 같다’는 내용의 전화를 받았다고 경찰에 진술한 것으로 나타났다. 앞서 CBS노컷뉴스는 11월 9일 오후 1시쯤 서울 노원구 태릉체력단련장을 찾은 윤 대통령의 골프 라운딩을 취재해 보도한 바 있다. 윤 대통령이 골프를 친 이날은 부인 김건희 여사 관련 의혹 등으로 대국민사과를 한 날로부터...

Yoo Young-kuk’s “Work” (1975) / Courtesy of Yoo Youngkuk Art Foundation Yoo Young-kuk, Rhee Seund-ja set record prices despite slumping global art sales By Park Han-sol Despite a sluggish global art market and a persistent slump in top-tier auction sales, three Korean artists — Yoo Young-kuk, Rhee Seund-ja and Lee Bae — have emerged as surprise standout performers, according to the latest “Korea Art Market” report. Their remarkable rise in auction and fair sales follows the success of their solo exhibitions, all of which were featured as official collateral events at this year’s Venice Biennale. Published annually since 2022 by Seoul National University Business School and the Paradise Cultural Foundation, “Korea Art Market” is the first comprehensive English-language report analyzing trends and the current state of Korean art and the art market. In its third edition, Cho Sang-in, a Seoul-based art journalist and director of the Baeksang Art Policy Research...

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, left, shakes hands with James Kim, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea, before their meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Dec. 16. Yonhap Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung held a meeting with the head of a top U.S. business lobby group on Monday and discussed economic ties between the two countries amid the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. Lee of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea emphasized that the current political instability is affecting the economy but will be merely “a stress test” for Korea during his meeting with James Kim, the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM). “Consider this moment of confusion an opportunity to invest in Korea or to buy at a low price,” Lee said. During the meeting, Kim highlighted AMCHAM’s efforts to focus on Korea’s potential...

Hwang Yu-na, grand prize winner of the 13th Global Korea Youth Awards, poses in front of her school building at Cheongshim International Academy in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, Nov. 28. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul Grand prize winner of The Korea Times’ 13th Global Korea Youth Awards By Jung Da-hyun Hwang Yu-na, a 16-year-old student at Cheongshim International Academy in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, has an inspiring vision to become a globally recognized innovator. With a strong passion for science and math, she is carving out her path toward achieving her dreams. “The mysteries of space have always fascinated me,” Hwang said. Born to a Chinese mother and Korean father, she grew up watching documentaries that sparked her curiosity about the universe. Her fascination with space began at an early age, influenced by her parents’ shared interest. “Both my parents are captivated by the vastness of space, particularly its infiniteness and...

Nation needs to be unified to brace for leadership vacuum President Yoon Suk Yeol was suspended from his duties after the National Assembly approved a motion to impeach him for alleged treason on Saturday, a week after the initial attempt failed. Yoon’s fate now lies in the hands of the Constitutional Court, which has pledged to deliberate the case swiftly and fairly. However, a swift and fair impeachment trial may prove difficult due to the understaffed court. Currently, there are only six justices serving out of a nine-member bench, with three seats vacant due to partisan politics. This understaffing complicates the impeachment process, and in the worst-case scenario, Yoon’s impeachment trial could take longer than expected, resulting in a prolonged leadership vacuum. Yoon is the third president to face an impeachment trial. Former President Roh Moo-hyun survived the process in 2004, with the court ruling in his favor 63 days...

Major security, economic challenges lie ahead after impeament Seoul finds itself navigating a turbulent period in its relationship with the United States, compounded by domestic political uncertainties and the return of Donald Trump to the White House. Amid this volatility, acting President Han Duck-soo has stepped in to lead, holding critical discussions with President Joe Biden to underscore the significance of the ROK-U.S. alliance. During their talks, Biden reaffirmed his commitment to South Korea’s democracy and the strength of their bilateral ties. However, the possibility of a second Trump presidency poses significant challenges that could strain this partnership. This uncertainty follows the National Assembly’s recent impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, suspending his duties until the Constitutional Court delivers its final ruling. The U.S. State Department recently underscored that the South Korea-U.S. alliance must remain resilient, regardless of changes in political leadership in either country. In light of this, South...

Korean Air’s Boeing 787-9 aircraft / Courtesy of Korean Air By Lee Min-hyung Korean Air’s cash assets and low debt ratio will pave the way for its successful merger with Asiana Airlines despite lingering concerns about the latter’s weak financial structure, market watchers said Monday. The nation’s flag carrier completed its remaining legal procedures last week to take over the cash-strapped Asiana. However, concerns have surfaced that Korean Air would bear a massive financial burden in the process of the complete merger with Asiana. Industry officials and market experts cleared away such views, saying Korean Air’s financial health remains solid enough to endure the financial burden from Asiana. “While the acquisition between the two carriers may lead to a temporary drop in financial stability indicators due to the payment of the acquisition balance and the inclusion of Asiana’s weak financial structure, Korean Air is widely expected to manage the burden,”...

Jemulpo in the early 1900s / Courtesy of Diane Nars Collection By Robert Neff On Nov. 25, 1885, Signor Luigi sailed into Jemulpo (modern Incheon) harbor aboard his small blue schooner, the Prospector, with the Italian flag proudly fluttering from its mast. Although the Prospector was the first Italian merchant vessel to visit a Korean port, it was not the first to sail into Korean waters. That dubious honor belonged to the 666-ton Italian barque Bianca Pertica, which wrecked off the coast of Jeju Island during a powerful typhoon in 1878, shortly after departing Nagasaki. Only one crew member survived, and he provided an account of his ordeal at sea and subsequent rescue by the islanders — an account both fascinating and, at times, almost unbelievable. We know almost nothing about Signor Luigi, as his name does not appear in the regional directories. However, according to regional newspapers and Korean...