Colby praises S. Korea as 1st non-NATO treaty ally to commit to 3.5% of GDP defense spending

A senior Pentagon official on Friday praised South Korea as the first non-NATO treaty ally that has committed to increasing defense spending to 3.5 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), highlighting the Trump administration's desire to work with "partnerships" rather than "dependencies." Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby made the remarks during an event celebrating the Korean National Day and Armed Forces Day in Washington, casting the Seoul-Washington alliance as a "fo

Nov. 15, 2025

Senior US diplomat hails joint fact sheet release as opening 'new chapter' in S. Korea-US alliance

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said on Wednesday that South Korea and the United States have opened a "new chapter" in their alliance with the release of a joint fact sheet on bilateral security and trade agreements. On Thursday (Washington time), the two countries released the document outlining the outcomes of the two summits that President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump held at the White House in August and in Korea's southeastern city of Gyeongju last month ahea

Nov. 15, 2025

Out of tough US tariff negotiations, South Korea advances key defense priorities

South Korea and the United States on Friday unveiled a joint fact sheet outlining their agreements on trade and security, concluding months of tense negotiations that began after US President Donald Trump raised tariffs and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung offered a pledge of $350 billion investment in the US. While the document contains details of South Korean spending and lowered US tariffs on key Korean items, including automobilies, the fact sheet also includes significant security-relat

Nov. 14, 2025

Seoul to raise defense spending as allies map out alliance modernization

South Korea will increase its defense spending and provide more financial support for US soldiers stationed here, while working toward regaining wartime operational control from the US, according to a fact sheet on President Lee Jae Myung’s summit with US President Donald Trump in Gyeongju last month. The document, unveiled Friday, comes after months of speculation that Seoul and Washington were preparing to outline elements of a broader plan to modernize the 72-year-old South Korea-US alliance.

Nov. 14, 2025

Lee announces joint fact sheet on trade, security agreements with US

South Korea and the United States on Friday released a joint fact sheet on their trade deal outlining Seoul's $350 billion investment pledge and security agreements, including Washington's approval of South Korea's plan to build a nuclear-powered submarine. President Lee Jae Myung made the announcement more than two weeks after he concluded the trade deal during his summit with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in South Korea on Oct. 29. Th

Nov. 14, 2025

[Breaking] S. Korea, US sign joint fact sheet on trade, security

South Korea and the United States finalized a joint fact sheet on trade and security, concluding months of fraught negotiations, President Lee Jae Myung told reporters Friday. “We have finalized the Korea–US trade and security consultations, which had been the biggest variable,” Lee said in Seoul, expressing gratitude to US President Donald Trump for his “rational decision,” which played a major role in reaching the agreements. The Korean leader said, -South Korea and the US have agreed to move

Nov. 14, 2025

Lee's aide on trip to Middle East to forge strategic cooperation

Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik on Thursday flew to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, as President Lee Jae Myung's special envoy for strategic cooperation. According to an official of the presidential office, Kang is to "discuss ways to establish a new model for strategic economic cooperation." The field of cooperation would encompass artificial intelligence, defense, advanced manufacturing, culture, food and medical services, according to the presidential office. While Kang was set to

Nov. 14, 2025

Lee signals sweeping overhaul to revive economic growth

President Lee Jae Myung called for structural reforms across key sectors to boost South Korea’s slowing economy, with a particular focus on regulatory and financial reforms, according to the presidential office, Thursday. “The most urgent challenge facing the Republic of Korea today is to reverse the decline in our potential growth rate,” said Lee during Thursday’s meeting, referring to Korea by its official name. “To do that, bold, structural reform is essential.” During a meeting held with sen

Nov. 13, 2025

Acting chief likely to address allegations of Justice Ministry pressure

Acting Prosecutor General Noh Man-seok, who offered to resign amid growing objections to the prosecution's decision not to appeal a ruling in the Daejang-dong development corruption case linked to the president, is expected to address whether his decision was influenced by the Justice Ministry. The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office said Noh will attend a closed-door retirement ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Friday, during which he has indicated he will explain his stance on the decision. The announcement came

Nov. 13, 2025

Lee's chief of staff to depart for UAE for talks on economic ties

President Lee Jae Myung's chief of staff is set to depart for the United Arab Emirates on Thursday for a trip aimed at discussing expanding bilateral economic cooperation, presidential officials said. Kang Hoon-sik, who also serves as a special envoy for strategic economic cooperation, is expected to meet senior UAE officials to discuss ways to deepen economic cooperation in areas of defense, artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies. "Kang plans to discuss ways to establish a stra

Nov. 13, 2025

Lee wishes good luck to applicants of college entrance exam

President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday wished good luck to applicants taking the college entrance exam, a high-stakes test taken annually by high school students and graduates. Lee posted the Facebook message on the eve of the annual College Scholastic Ability Test, which is regarded as one of the nation's most important academic events. "I wish luck for all of you who possess infinite potential," Lee wrote. "I am proud of each of you who have believed in yourselves and walked this path with perse

Nov. 12, 2025

Acting prosecutor general offers to resign amid Daejang-dong scandal backlash

Acting Prosecutor General Noh Man-seok offered to resign Wednesday amid mounting unrest within the prosecution over last week's decision not to appeal a court ruling in a high-profile land development corruption case linked to the president. The decision sparked an unprecedented backlash from prosecutors nationwide, who accused the Justice Ministry of pressuring the prosecution not to appeal. The main opposition party also raised suspicion that the presidential office interfered in the decision.

Nov. 12, 2025

Lee vows greater autonomy for local governments

President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday met leaders of local governments at his office in Seoul, where he promised to give them greater autonomy over governmental budget spending specifically for their needs, stressing a need to bolster local autonomy and foster balanced national growth. In Lee's latest move to place local autonomy as one of his top policy priorities, the liberal administration also suggested ways to increase state subsidies to local governments based on new rules to calculate them

Nov. 12, 2025

Martial law probe arrests ex-spy chief Cho, ex-PM Hwang a month before deadline

Former spy chief Cho Tae-yong, a key figure in a special counsel investigation into ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived martial law declaration, was arrested Wednesday — just a month before the probe’s mandate expires. Later in the day, the special counsel also arrested former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who had served in the Park Geun-hye administration, on charges of inciting insurrection by posting a message on Facebook in support of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. Unlike Cho, Hwang r

Nov. 12, 2025

Special counsel again seeks arrest warrant for ex-justice minister in martial law probe

A special counsel again applied for an arrest warrant for former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae on Tuesday over his alleged role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed imposition of martial law. The application by special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team came after a court rejected its previous request to detain Park last month, citing insufficient evidence to justify detention. The Seoul Central District Court will hold a hearing on Thursday to decide whether to issue a warrant, officials said. P

Nov. 11, 2025