While artificial intelligence (AI) holds great potential to transform health care, its clinical adoption in Korea remains slow due to inadequate reimbursement and limited access to medical data, experts said. The remarks came during a symposium hosted by Eulji University Medical Center to mark its 70th anniversary, under the theme "Future Healthcare with AI," in Seoul. AI has already been transforming Korea's health care system. It has significantly improved public access to medical information, while helping physicians at primary and secondary health care institutions stay up to date with the latest medical research and developments. Despite these advances, AI adoption in clinical settings remains slow. While AI-based medical devices have gained regulatory approval in Korea, few are covered by national health insurance. Based on Ministry of Food and Drug Safety data, 549 AI medical devices have received regulatory approval until the first half of this year, but only 49 are covered by national health insurance. "This is a global challenge. Regulatory approval does not necessarily mean a t

In 2024, a team of physicists in Gwangju used an ultra-intense laser to demonstrate a phenomenon that could reshape our understanding of environments near neutron stars and black holes. The scientist who led the experiment, Mohammad Mirzaie, is now a Korean citizen — one of 30 foreigners granted nationality this year through a special program for outstanding talent. Mirzaie, an Iranian-born senior research fellow at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), was approved for special naturalization in July in recognition of his contributions to basic science. He has lived in Korea since 2019 and as his children grew up here, what began as a research posting became a permanent home. "I wanted to take a step of becoming a Korean citizen and make a long-term commitment to the country where our family had established lives," he said in an interview with The Korea Times. The breakthrough that helped earn him citizenship was years in the making and far from a solo effort. Working with fellow physicists and laser experts, Mirzaie successfully demonstrated all-optical nonlinear Compton scattering

Czech Ambassador to Korea Ivan Jančárek delivers a speech during an event commemorating Independent Czechoslovak State Day in Seoul, Tuesday. Emphasizing that economic cooperation remains the cornerstone of Korea-Czech relations, the ambassador described the Dukovany nuclear power plant project, which does not yet have a confirmed contract, as more than a construction project, calling it a long-term investment in energy security, technological excellence and mutual trust. Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan highlighted the two countries' ties culminating as they established strategic partnership in 2015, noting that over 110 Korean companies have invested in the Central European country. Korea Times photo by Kim Bo-kyoung

Japan’s election of its first female prime minister reflects years of deliberate effort to promote women’s participation in politics, Japanese Ambassador to Korea Koichi Mizushima said Wednesday. Mizushima spoke at a forum marking the 10th anniversary of Women Corporate Directors (WCD) Korea in Seoul, under the theme "Visionary Boards and Inclusive Growth: Shaping the Future of Asia-Pacific Boards.” Congratulating the organization's achievements in advancing board diversity, Mizushima highlighted Japan's longstanding commitment to gender equality, citing the enactment of the Basic Act for Gender Equal Society in 1999 and the Sixth Basic Plan for Gender Equality introduced early this year to promote women in leadership. Stressing the importance of empowering the next generation, he noted that Japan's foreign ministry launched the Next Generation Gender Network program in 2025 to nurture young leaders and strengthen cross-border cooperation, particularly in Asia. "Our ultimate goal remains clear: to build a society where women have a strong voice, actively participate in decision-mak

French food and beverage brands gathered in Seoul to court health-conscious Korean consumers, with a record 19 companies taking part in Business France’s Food Experience 2026 exhibition at the French ambassador’s residence and the Kim Chung-up Pavilion, Monday. Now in its fifth year, Food Experience is a business-to-business event connecting French companies with Korean importers, distributors and food service industry professionals. Coinciding with the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries this year, the event featured a record 19 brands, presenting a wide range of products, from those already available in Korea to brands yet to enter the market. A particular focus this year was on companies from Occitania, a major food-producing region in southern France with diverse landscapes stretching from the Mediterranean coast to the Pyrenees and inland agricultural areas. Among them was beverage brand Gopy, which showcased ginger drinks positioned as a milder alternative to Korean ginger. "In France, it is now like a fashion," Anisa Maleck, Gopy's export manage