the Korea Times

The newspaper's headquarters is located in the same building with Hankook Ilbo on Sejong-daero between Sungnyemun and Seoul Station in Seoul, South Korea.

The paper is not to be confused with The Korea Daily News, a 1904 to 1910 newspaper which briefly ran under the title Korea Times.{{Cite web |last=Neff |first=Robert |date=2 May 2010 |title=UK journalist Bethell established newspapers in 1904 |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2024/01/113_65191.html |access-date=26 January 2024 |website=The Korea Times |language=en}} It is also unrelated to another paper by Lee Myo-muk, Ha Kyong-tok and Kim Yong-ui in September 1945.{{cite news |last1=Yun |first1=Yeo-chun |date=November 1, 1980 |title=The Times Vigorously Entering 4th Decade |work=The Korea Times}}

The Korea Times was founded by Helen Kim five months into the 1950-53 Korean War. The first issue on November 1 was a two-page tabloid. It was printed six days a week, skipping Mondays, and cost 100 won.{{Cite news|url = https://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/11/113_97671.html|title = Helen Kim: Mother of the Korea Times|last = Yun|first = Suh-young|date = November 1, 2011|work=The Korea Times|access-date = November 4, 2015}} Kim set out to start the paper in 1949 when she became president of Ewha Womans University, and the initial editorial team came from Ewha's English literature professors.

Publication began in Seoul after United Nations forces retook Seoul following the Second Battle of Seoul but moved to Busan on January 3, 1951, during the Third Battle of Seoul, with members of the editorial staff leaving Seoul on the last train before Chinese forces took the capital.{{cite news |last1=Hong |first1=Soon-il |title=Times' Look Over Shoulder With Sense of Pride, Ire, Frustration |work=The Korea Times |date=November 1, 1962}} Prior to leaving the city, a group of five staffers went to Mugyo-dong for food and drink, where they were nearly shot by young South Korean military police who demanded to see their IDs and asked "Why do you all make a fuss with drinking in this emergency time?" Prior to evacuation, the paper's editorial office was in the fourth floor of the "fire-gutted" Capitol building, and printing was done at a shop in Bongnae-dong. Publication resumed after 15 days after relocating to Busan, the headlines were handwritten.{{cite news|title=Early 'Times' Survived War, Persecution, Amateurism |work=The Korea Times |date=October 31, 1965}}

The paper maintained close relations with the Syngman Rhee administration, but began to criticize the president due to his interference in its publication. On April 23, 1954, the paper was acquired by Chang Key-young, then president of The Chosun Ilbo and later founder of the Hankook Ilbo.{{cite news|last1=Park|first1=Chang-seok|title=Korea Times History |url= https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2017/11/230_12833.html |access-date=April 4, 2018 |work=The Korea Times |date=December 31, 2007}}

On September 26, 1958, The Korea Times managing editor Choi Byung-woo died at age 34, becoming the first Korean war correspondent to die while on duty. A boat carrying Choi and other foreign correspondents covering the Communist Chinese bombing of the Nationalist-led Quemoy and Matsu islands capsized. The Korea Times and the Hankook Ilbo held a memorial service for Choi at Kyonggi High School, his alma mater, on October 11, 1958. The service was attended by hundreds of mourners. Choi was the main inspiration for the founding of the Kwanhun Club, a fraternity of senior journalists. Choi also played a leading role in the designation of April 7 as "Newspaper Day," which is observed by Korean journalists to this day.{{cite web |title=A managing editor's death while on duty (1958. 09. 26) |url=http://www.dongwha.com/en/ebusiness/enterprise4.asp |website=Dongwha |access-date=April 15, 2019}}

On Tuesday, February 27, 1968, a fire completely gutted the main office of The Korea Times and its sister papers in Junghak-dong, Jongno-gu, downtown Seoul, killing seven workers and injuring three others. After the fire, The Korea Times managed to publish an abbreviated edition on February 28. During the restoration period, a number of readers and foreign organizations, including the American Embassy and the U.S. Operations Mission (a U.S. aid mission), either loaned or donated typewriters to The Korea Times. The newspaper took refuge in a nearby office in Chungmuro, where production was performed for years.{{cite news |last1=Park |first1=Chang-seok |title=Fire Guts Korea Times Building (7 Dead, Inaugural Copies Burned in 1968 Blaze) |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2019/01/230_12833.html |access-date=April 15, 2019 |work=The Korea Times |date=October 31, 2007}}

The paper published its first color image on Christmas Day 1968, showing a four-color picture of a YMCA choir singing a Christmas carol.{{cite news| work=The Korea Times |date=December 25, 1968}} It converted from hot metal typesetting to a Cold Type System of phototypesetting on its 34th anniversary on November 1, 1984.{{cite news |title=KT Renovates Mechanism |work=The Korea Times |date=November 1, 1984}}

Former Korean President Kim Dae-jung famously taught himself English by reading The Korea Times.{{cite news |last1=Kristof |first1=Nicholas |date=February 23, 1998 |title=A New Kind of Leader for Korea, and Asia Too |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/23/world/a-new-kind-of-leader-for-korea-and-asia-too.html |access-date=April 4, 2018 |work=The New York Times}}

The Korea Times published the official Olympic newspaper named The Seoul Olympian for the 1988 Summer Olympics.{{cite news |last1=Yun |first1=Suh-young |title=Former Korea Times President Chung Tae-yun passes away |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2017/12/121_148034.html |access-date=April 15, 2019 |work=The Korea Times |date=December 15, 2013}}{{cite news |last1=Kim |first1=Jong-deok |title=Tourism is Korea's new driving force |url= https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2018/06/656_176402.html |access-date=April 15, 2019 |work=The Korea Times |date=April 2, 2015}}

In 1968, the "Thoughts of the Times" column debuted, providing column space for members of the community. The first column was by Helen Kim. Over the years, the column has produced highly controversial articles.

The column "Scouting the City" ran from 1964 to December 1974, covering numerous controversial topics and criticizing others, including the United States Forces Korea. Under the penname Alf Racketts, the column was really by newspaper staffer James Wade.{{cite news|last1=VanVolkenburg|first1=Matt|title=Critic without pity who wrote 'Scouting the City'|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2018/01/177_242912.html|access-date=April 4, 2018 |work=The Korea Times|date=January 23, 2018}} The author Ahn Junghyo wrote a column in the 1960s and 1970s.{{cite news |last1=VanVolkenburg |first1=Matt |title=[Korea Encounters] Weekly scribbles reflect life in Seoul in 1970s |url= https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2018/11/177_255050.html |access-date=April 12, 2019 |work=The Korea Times |date=September 11, 2018}}

Notable columnists today include Donald Kirk, Michael Breen and Emanuel Pastreich. Detective novelist Martin Limón has also contributed a few articles.

{{Criticism section|date=June 2024}}

Twice in history, The Korea Times managing editors have been detained over the "Thoughts of the Times" column. Managing editor Henry Chang published "Definition of a Gambler"{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Henry |title=Definition of a Gambler |work=The Korea Times |date=July 30, 1958}} under the penname "Hensync" on July 30, 1958, leading to his imprisonment for 16 days under sedition charges.

On June 11, 1973, Bernard Wideman wrote a satirical article in response to a Time article on Japanese tourists and kisaeng,{{cite magazine |title=SOUTH KOREA: The Seoul of Hospitality |url= http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,907345,00.html |access-date=April 4, 2018 |magazine=Time |location=New York |date=June 4, 1973}} he put forth outrageous proposals governing the control of women.{{cite news |last1=Wideman |first1=Bernard |title=Thoughts of the Times |work=The Korea Times |date=July 11, 1973}} In response, Orianna West, an American housewife living in Seoul, wrote a response piece calling for the subjugation and exploitation of Korean boys.{{cite news |last1=West |first1=Orianna |title=Thoughts of the Times |work=The Korea Times |date=July 14, 1973}} In response, local newspapers reprinted translations of the satirical articles, criticizing the foreigners. Managing editor Chang Soon-il was taken to the intelligence authorities in response.

On December 25, 2009, columnist Michael Breen contributed a satirical column lampooning various South Korean public figures, including President Lee Myung-bak, singer Rain, and Samsung. The column imagined what public figures would want to send as Christmas gifts. He suggested Samsung would send pictures of Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee's son Lee Jae-yong with instructions to hang it next to the picture of the chairman, an allusion to North Korea's cult of personality. He also suggested the company would send Christmas cards to politicians, prosecutors and journalists with $50,000 gift certificates. Displeased with Breen's allusions to their corruption and arrogance, Samsung filed civil and criminal suits against him and the paper for libel.{{cite web |url= http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/asia/la-fg-korea-samsung-20100510,0,7395282,full.story |archive-url= https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20171019205601/http://articles.latimes.com/2010/may/10/world/la-fg-korea-samsung-20100510 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 19, 2017 |title=Samsung doesn't find satirical spoof amusing |first=John M. |last=Glionna |date=May 10, 2010 |work=Los Angeles Times}} After an apology and after Breen told prosecutors during interrogation that the column was his own idea, the paper was dropped as a respondent, but the suit against Breen himself remained.[http://thebobster.wordpress.com/2010/05/13/micael-breen-%E2%80%9Cwhat-people-got-for-christmas%E2%80%9D/ "What People Got for Christmas" (full text) by Michael Breen] December 25, 2009 (Note: Original publication was in the Korea Times, but later the original column was removed.) One South Korean media outlet claimed that the entire column was an insult to the country of South Korea itself.[http://www.ebn.co.kr/news/n_view.html?id=437428 한국 ´조롱´ 마이클 브린, "사과한 것 맞아?" (Michael Breen mocking Korea, Is he really going to apologize to us?)] {{in lang|ko}} May 14, 2010. EBN News.{{cite web |url= http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100510/1820159367.shtml |title=Samsung Sues Satirist, Claiming Criminal Defamation, Over Satirical Column Poking Fun At Samsung |work=Techdirt |date=May 11, 2010 |access-date=September 4, 2010}}{{Cite news |url= http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/asia/la-fg-korea-samsung-20100510,0,7395282,full.story |archive-url= https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20171019205601/http://articles.latimes.com/2010/may/10/world/la-fg-korea-samsung-20100510 | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 19, 2017 | work=Los Angeles Times |title= Samsung doesn't find satirical spoof amusing |first1=John M. |last1=Glionna |date=May 10, 2010 |access-date=May 23, 2010}} Samsung dropped the civil suit after an apology by Breen. The criminal case went to trial but was thrown out by the judge on the grounds that there was "no victim."

On September 11, 2015, "The Thoughts of the Times" column published an article titled "Why won't you sit next to me on the subway?"{{cite news |last1=McCook |first1=Lawrence |title=Why won't you sit next to me? |url= https://www.pressreader.com/korea-republic/the-korea-times/20150911/281681138656544 |access-date=April 4, 2018 |work=The Korea Times |date=September 11, 2015}} It criticized Koreans for avoiding foreigners in public transport and exhibited unstable and aggressive traits in the writer. The article was quickly uncovered as a practical joke.{{cite news |last1=Revere |first1=Stephen |title=Sex Offender Photo Used in Korea Opinion Article |url= https://www.10mag.com/sex-offender-photo-used-in-korea-times-opinion/ |access-date=April 4, 2018 |work=10 Magazine |date=September 11, 2015}} Chief editorial writer Oh Young-jin apologized to readers, threatening law enforcement involvement in future cases, and pledging to keep the paper's open-door policy, inviting readers, professional or untrained, to contribute.{{cite news |last1=Oh |first1=Young-jin |title=Letter to our dear readers |url= https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2015/09/197_186957.html |access-date=April 4, 2018 |work=The Korea Times |date=September 16, 2015}}

On June 2, 2017, then-managing editor Oh Young-jin published a contentious article titled "Holocaust vs. comfort women" in which he tried to answer which was worse: Nazi Germany's Holocaust or Imperial Japan's wartime sex slavery.{{cite news |last1=Oh |first1=Young-jin |title=Holocaust vs. comfort women |url= https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2017/06/667_230509.html |access-date=April 4, 2018 |work=The Korea Times |date=June 2, 2017}} On June 5 he published a selection of reader feedback, including one holocaust denier who claimed there were no gas chambers, and that any gassing done was to kill disease-carrying lice to protect the prisoners, saying "Gassing was a life-saving measure, not a homicidal one."{{cite news |last1=Kat |first1=Yvette |title=Diverse views on Holocaust vs. sex slavery |url= https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2017/06/161_230675.html |access-date=April 4, 2018 |work=The Korea Times |date=June 5, 2017}} On June 14, he published a letter from a German teacher titled "Holocaust happened" refuting the Holocaust denier and decrying the newspaper for publishing her claims.{{cite news |last1=Bergmann |first1=Michael |title=Holocaust Happened |url= https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2018/04/161_231231.html |access-date=April 4, 2018 |work=The Korea Times |date=June 14, 2017}}

The Korea Times has been criticized for republishing tabloid news, especially on cryptozoology{{cite news |title=Is this bigfoot? |url= https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/tech/2015/11/325_138453.html |access-date=April 4, 2018| work=The Korea Times |date=July 2, 2013}} and UFO sightings.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}} It has reposted articles from Weekly World News and The Onion, including a widely spread article naming Kim Jong Un "The Onion's sexiest man alive" for 2012.{{cite news |title=Kim Jong Un Named The Onion's Sexiest Man Alive For 2012 [UPDATE] |url= https://www.theonion.com/kim-jong-un-named-the-onions-sexiest-man-alive-for-2012-1819574194 |access-date=April 4, 2018 |work=The Onion |date=November 14, 2012}}{{cite news |last1=Griffiths |first1=James |title=People's Daily doesn't understand The Onion, congratulates Kim Jong Un on being named Sexiest Man Alive (UPDATE) |url= http://shanghaiist.com/2012/11/27/peoples_daily_doesnt_understand_the.php|access-date=April 4, 2018 |work=Shanghaiist |date=November 27, 2012}}{{cite news |last1=Wright |first1=Jennifer |title=Korea Times Believes Onion Article About Kim Jong Un Being The Sexiest Man Alive |url= http://www.thegloss.com/sex-and-dating/kim-jong-un-sexiest-man-alive-939/ |access-date=April 4, 2018 |work=The Gloss |date=November 27, 2012}}

The Korea Times established the Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards on its 20th anniversary in 1970, to lay the groundwork for promotion of Korean literature internationally and ultimately to produce a Nobel literature laureate from Korea.{{cite news|last1=Kwon|first1=Mee-yoo|title=New generation leads 48th Translation Awards|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/culture/2017/11/142_239467.html|access-date=April 4, 2018|work=The Korea Times|date=November 17, 2017}}

Over the decades, it has awarded rising stars in Korean literature translation. Past winners include Sora Kim-Russell, Bruce Fulton who won three times for short story translations in 1985, 1987 and 1989, and Brother Anthony, who won the top prize for poetry in 1991 with his translation of "Headmaster Abe" by Ko Un. Brother Anthony later served on the judging panel for the awards from 1996 until 2023. Richard Rutt had also been a judge from 1970 to 1973, and Chang Wang-rok, who received commendation awards in 1970 and 1976, was judge between 1982 and 1988. The current three judges are Jung Ha-yun (2000 short story top prize winner), Janet Hong (2001 short story top prize winner), and Dafna Zur (2004 short story top prize winner).{{cite web |title=Translation Awards |url=https://thekoreatimes.imweb.me/ |website=The Korea Times |access-date=7 November 2024}}

The Korea Times also runs several other annual awards.

The Economic Essay Contest invites Korean and foreign university undergrad and grad students to contribute essays on economy-related topics.{{cite news |title=Economic Essay Contest for University Students |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/culture/2024/11/135_369719.html |access-date=7 November 2024 |agency=The Korea Times |date=29 February 2024}} Winners receive cash prizes.{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Kyung-min |title=Winners of 20th Economic Essay Contest |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/biz/2024/10/602_376872.html |access-date=7 November 2024 |agency=The Korea Times |date=18 June 2024}} Woori Bank is a sponsor.{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Kyung-min |title=Students honored for offering insights into enhancing banking system |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/biz/2024/10/602_377396.html |access-date=7 November 2024 |agency=The Korea Times |date=26 June 2024}}

The Global Korea Youth Awards were established in 2012 under the name Multicultural Youth Awards, in cooperation with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to encourage students from multicultural households.{{cite news |last1=Jung |first1=Da-hyun |title=Winners of Multicultural Youth Awards suggest solutions for more inclusive society |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2024/11/113_368367.html |access-date=7 November 2024 |agency=The Korea Times |date=6 February 2024}}{{cite web |title=13th Global Korea Youth Awards |url=https://gky.koreatimes.co.kr/gky_eng.html |website=The Korea Times |access-date=12 November 2024}}

The Korea Times published The Seoul Olympian in 1988, the official newspaper of the 1988 Summer Olympics.{{cite news|last1=Yun|first1=Suh-young|title=Former Korea Times President Chung Tae-yun passes away|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2017/12/121_148034.html|access-date=April 4, 2018|work=The Korea Times|date=December 1, 2013}}

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• {{in lang|en}} [https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/ Korea Times]
• {{in lang|en}} [https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www2/common/aboutKT.asp Brief Introduction to The Korea Times]

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