Journalist

Ko Hye-young
  • Jung Won-oh says one-homeowners’ tax break rights must be protected, criticizes Oh Se-hoon
    Jung Won-oh says one-homeowners’ tax break rights must be protected, criticizes Oh Se-hoon Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party’s Seoul mayoral candidate, writes in the guest book after paying respects at the late President Roh Moo-hyun’s gravesite in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, on April 21. (Yonhap) Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party’s candidate for Seoul mayor, said April 21 that the current rights of owner-occupiers who own a single home must be protected amid controversy over scrapping the long-term holding special deduction for capital gains tax. Jung also stepped up his criticism of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, saying Oh was “raising issues that haven’t even been discussed yet” and “stoking conflict.” Jung made the remarks after visiting the gravesite of the late President Roh Moo-hyun in Bongha Village, Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, along with Choo Mi-ae, the Democratic Party’s candidate for Gyeonggi governor, and Park Chan-dae, the party’s candidate for Incheon mayor. “If it’s not for speculative purposes, the rights of all one-home households should still be protected,” Jung said. He added that a Seoul mayor’s job is not to fuel conflict and said it was time to “join forces for people’s livelihoods and the interests of citizens.” Citing what he called a crisis stemming from a war in the Middle East, Jung said the government and the Seoul city government should work together, and that repeatedly raising matters not yet under discussion only makes residents anxious. Earlier April 21, Oh appeared on KBS radio and, referring to President Lee Jae-myung’s comments about scrapping the deduction, said that “even if it’s the president speaking,” it is a basic duty of a Seoul mayoral candidate to state an opinion. Oh said Jung had remained silent and added that a candidate “shouldn’t just stay quiet” at such times. The ruling party also sought to draw a line on the issue. Democratic Party member Han Jeong-ae said at a party floor leadership meeting that the government and ruling party have never reviewed abolishing the long-term holding deduction for one-homeowners.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-21 16:40:24
  • Jamsil Baseball Stadium to Be Demolished After 2026 Season; Farewell Legends Game Planned
    Jamsil Baseball Stadium to Be Demolished After 2026 Season; Farewell Legends Game Planned Jamsil Baseball Stadium will be demolished after the 2026 season. The Ilgu Association said Monday it is planning a farewell “Legends Game” to honor the stadium’s historical significance ahead of its scheduled demolition at the end of the 2026 season. Organizers plan to hold the game in October or November, shortly after the Korean Series ends. The roster and detailed schedule will be announced later after discussions by the Legends Game organizing committee. “Jamsil Baseball Stadium is a symbol of Korean professional baseball and a sacred place that has produced countless classic games and legends,” the association said, adding that the event is meant to mark the stadium’s final chapter and thank fans for their unwavering support. Kim Kwang-su, head of the Ilgu Association, said the game will be “a final moment for players and fans who have shared Jamsil Baseball Stadium for a long time to come together as one,” adding that he hopes to create meaningful time with everyone who loves baseball.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-23 20:33:00
  • Joo Hyung-hwan Publishes Book on 700 Days of Population Policy Shift, Offers Low Birthrate Plan
    Joo Hyung-hwan Publishes Book on 700 Days of Population Policy Shift, Offers Low Birthrate Plan Joo Hyung-hwan, who served as vice chair of the Presidential Committee on Ageing Society and Population Policy, has published a new book detailing 700 days of policy work during his tenure, titled “A 700-Day Record of a Major Population Policy Shift: From Freefall to Rebound.” The book chronicles a shift from narrow low-birthrate measures to a broader population strategy spanning the full life cycle. With pessimism growing that “nothing works” despite years of policies and budget spending that failed to deliver results, Joo diagnoses the limits of past approaches and lays out alternative solutions. When Joo took office in February 2024, the total fertility rate stood at 0.72, the lowest on record. Projections that it could fall to 0.65 this year heightened the sense of a national population crisis. Arguing that the moment required a policy paradigm shift, he pushed to reorganize priorities around three pillars: work, caregiving and housing. For an ultra-aged society, he also called for moving beyond a welfare-centered approach and stressed innovation from an industrial perspective, pointing to areas such as age tech and a dementia-related asset market. A central theme is a move away from short-term fixes toward structural responses. He writes that the government pursued mid- to long-term tasks in parallel, including easing the burden of private education costs, reducing overconcentration in the Seoul metropolitan area and introducing inclusive immigration policies. “The population crisis is not an impossible problem; it is a task we can reverse if we bring together society’s capabilities,” Joo said. He said the book aims to present the process and results of the policy shift, along with remaining challenges. “A 700-Day Record of a Major Population Policy Shift: From Freefall to Rebound” runs 412 pages and was published by 21st Century Books. It is priced at 24,000 won. The publication date is 2026년 3월 20일.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-23 19:06:31
  • Ko Young-pyo Pulled After Back-to-Back Homers in South Korea-Japan WBC Game
    Ko Young-pyo Pulled After Back-to-Back Homers in South Korea-Japan WBC Game South Korea starter Ko Young-pyo was knocked out after surrendering home runs to Japan's Shohei Ohtani and Seiya Suzuki in the third inning. Ko started the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool C second-round game between South Korea and Japan at Tokyo Dome on March 7. He allowed solo shots to Ohtani and Suzuki in the bottom of the third and was pulled. Ko issued a walk to Ohtani earlier, then gave up a two-run homer to Suzuki on a full count with one out and a runner on first. Ko went 2 2/3 innings with four strikeouts, allowing three hits and one walk for four runs. All three hits he allowed were home runs. Ko, of the KT Wiz, is known as a groundball pitcher. From 2021 to 2023, he won at least 10 games in three straight seasons, and posted ERAs in the 2.00s in 2021 and 2023.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-07 20:54:00
  • Eom Ye-jin, Kim Han-seol Win Women’s Doubles at Korea Soft Tennis National Team Trials
    Eom Ye-jin, Kim Han-seol Win Women’s Doubles at Korea Soft Tennis National Team Trials Eom Ye-jin of Mungyeong City Hall and Kim Han-seol of iM Bank won the women’s doubles title at the 2026 soft tennis national team trials. In the final on the last day of competition, held on the 7th at Palma Soft Tennis Stadium in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, Eom and Kim beat Kim Yeon-hwa and Kim Yu-jin, both of Anseong City Hall, 5-3. In men’s doubles, Lee Hyeon-gwon and Park Jae-gyu, both of Eumseong County Hall, defeated Lee Ha-neul and Ryu Tae-woo, both of Suncheon City Hall, 5-3. The top three doubles teams from the trials and the top two finishers in singles will be selected for this year’s national team. Earlier, on the 2nd, Kim Jin-ung of Suwon City Hall and Hwang Jeong-mi of NongHyup Bank won the men’s and women’s singles titles at the 2026 trials. The athletes plan to enter the national training center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, in mid-April. A final roster for this year’s Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will be set through internal evaluation matches at the center.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-07 20:15:00
  • Hong Young-wan Elected President of Korea Publishers Association
    Hong Young-wan Elected President of Korea Publishers Association The Korea Publishers Association said Monday it elected Hong Young-wan, CEO of Willbooks, as its 14th president. Hong, who ran unopposed, won election at the group’s regular general meeting with 98% support from those who voted. The president’s term is three years. Hong said he would work with members to build a sustainable publishing environment in the age of artificial intelligence, adding that the industry should prepare for the coming wave of AGI, or artificial general intelligence. He listed four key priorities: setting response strategies for the AI era; promoting support programs to globalize K-publishing; introducing a tax credit for publishing content production costs within the year; and developing and distributing a reading literacy index. Hong previously served as the association’s policy committee chair and as a vice president. He is currently an advisory member of the Culture and Arts Policy Advisory Committee under South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Founded in 1998, the Korea Publishers Association is a major publishing group with about 500 member companies. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 20:54:00