Korea Joongang Daily
Korea JoongAng Daily

Gwangju named Korea's first citywide autonomous driving test zone to challenge U.S., China leads

Gwangju Metropolitan City will be turned into a full-scale testing ground for AI-powered autonomous vehicles, a move officials say aims to accelerate development and narrow the technology gap with the United States and China.

2026-01-21

이재명의 판다 광주 유치 드라이브…외교적 의미는?

Korea was heartbroken after sending away beloved giant panda Fu Bao in 2024. But a new opportunity may be arising after President Lee Jae Myung asked China to loan Korea a new pair of pandas during his state visit last week.

2026-01-19

Lee's panda push could signal potential boon for Gwangju and diplomacy

Korea was heartbroken after sending away beloved giant panda Fu Bao in 2024. But a new opportunity may be arising after President Lee Jae Myung asked China to loan Korea a new pair of pandas during his state visit last week.

2026-01-14

President Lee Jae Myung requests panda lease during China summit

Gwangju is drawing attention as a potential new home for a pair of giant pandas after President Lee Jae Myung asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to lease the animals during their recent summit.

2026-01-10

New Gwangju FC manager eyes return to top tier in K League 1

Rejoining his former club as their new head coach, Gwangju FC manager Lee Jung-kyu has set out a modest goal for the 2026 K League 1 campaign — finish in the top half of the 12-team table.

2026-01-05

Chun Doo Hwan's grandson posts more family criticism on Instagram

Chun Woo-won, grandson of Korea's late strongman Chun Doo Hwan, continued criticizing his family with photographs and cryptic messages through his Instagram account.

2025-12-26

Professors fined for taking exams on behalf of students to prevent department's closure

Professors at a university in Gwangju who took exams on behalf of students and graded the answers themselves in an attempt to keep their department from being shut down were fined on Monday.

2025-12-22

Spicing up the holiday season

Children from local day care centers make a Christmas tree using donated instant noodles at a donation ceremony for public day care centers at Gwangju on Dec. 17.

2025-12-17

Gov't push to make Gwangju chip packaging hub raises eyebrows in Korea's central region

The government’s push to develop Gwangju into a hub for advanced semiconductor packaging is unsettling companies in the Chungcheong region, where executives say years of government-backed clustering now appear to be shifting south.

2025-12-16

CEO of building contractor apologizes for accident in Gwangju that killed four workers

The CEO of Kooil Construction, the main contractor at the Gwangju construction site where a structural collapse on Thursday claimed the lives of four workers, visited the scene of the accident and offered an official apology on Saturday.

2025-12-13