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Lawmakers to hold audit in S. Korean Embassy in Cambodia amid rising crimes targeting nationals
A parliamentary committee plans to conduct an on-site audit at the South Korean Embassy in Cambodia amid a surge in crimes targeting Koreans in the Southeast Asian country, lawmakers said Thursday. The Asia-Pacific division of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee is scheduled to visit Phnom Penh from Oct. 21 to 24 to assess the situation surrounding job scams, abductions and confinement cases involving South Koreans. "Both the government and the National Assembly mus
Oct. 16, 2025 -
Presidential policy chief says 'positive' about tariff talks with US
The presidential chief of staff for policy, Kim Yong-beom, said Thursday he is "positive" about the prospect of follow-up tariff negotiations with the United States, as the allies have been in talks over details of South Korea's $350 billion investment commitment. Kim made the remarks when asked about comments by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that Washington is about to "finish up" trade negotiations with Seoul, as he and Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan were set to depart for Washington fo
Oct. 16, 2025 -
Lee touts video games as export driver, not cause of addiction
President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday touted South Korea's gaming industry as a driver for the nation's exports, saying it has the potential to rank among the top three gaming powerhouses. "For a resource-poor country like South Korea, a country that thrives on exports, game exports seem like a truly authentic export," Lee told representatives of South Korea's gaming industry in Seoul, adding that games are "not an addictive substance." As he met with gaming industry entrepreneurs, game musicians
Oct. 15, 2025 -
DP pushes ahead with Supreme Court inspection amid opposition resistance
Lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea carried out an on-site inspection of the Supreme Court on Wednesday during a parliamentary audit, drawing fierce resistance from the main opposition People Power Party. The inspection focused on the Supreme Court’s May decision to remand an election law case involving President Lee Jae Myung, who was then the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate for the June 3 election. The case, which centers on Lee’s alleged violation of election law, ha
Oct. 15, 2025 -
Ex-President Yoon unlikely to appear for questioning next week in Marine death case
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol is expected to reject a special counsel's summons to appear for questioning next week over his alleged interference in a military probe into the 2023 death of a young Marine, legal sources said Tuesday. On Monday, the team led by special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon issued a summons to Yoon to appear next Thursday over allegations that the initial findings of the probe into Cpl. Chae Su-geun's death were changed to clear a then Marine commander of responsibility. Yoon,
Oct. 14, 2025 -
Ex-KCC chief says her arrest shows what happens when you fall out of favor with president
Lee Jin-sook, the former head of the now-defunct Korea Communications Commission, slammed the Lee Jae Myung administration at a parliamentary audit, saying her arrest earlier this month showed what happens when someone falls out of favor with the president. “Being dismissed was something I could have imagined,” Lee said during a parliamentary audit conducted Tuesday by the National Assembly’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee. “But to be arrested, handcuffed, and taken away
Oct. 14, 2025 -
Could military rescue be solution to Cambodia abductions?
Growing concern over a string of reported abductions targeting South Koreans in Cambodia has prompted lawmakers across party lines to urge that the government take stronger measures, specifically a military rescue operation, to withdraw those held in captivity. However, experts and government officials lean towards using diplomatic channels or investigative cooperation between the two countries instead of force to resolve the issues. The main opposition People Power Party floor leader, Rep. Song
Oct. 14, 2025 -
S. Korea to send interagency response team over Cambodia abductions
South Korea will dispatch an interagency response team Wednesday led by Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jin-a and joined by representatives of the South Korean police and spy agency, according to President Lee Jae Myung's office on Tuesday. Presidential spokesperson Kim Nam-joon said Tuesday that the government will also consider raising travel alerts in some regions in Cambodia in a preemptive move to counter the growing risks of violent crimes there. A "special travel advisory" was issued in
Oct. 14, 2025 -
Former first couple ordered diplomats to arrange special treatment for their dog on French trip
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife had ordered South Korean diplomats to make special arrangements for their dog, which they planned to take on their 2023 trip to France, a ruling party lawmaker revealed Monday. Ultimately, the presidential couple did not take the dog with them to France. Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, visited France for a summit with French President Emmanuel Macron. Ahead of the trip, they reached out to the South Korean Embassy in France with specific requests, acc
Oct. 14, 2025 -
Lee calls for tax breaks, safety net for content artists
President Lee Jae Myung on Monday called on the country to adjust taxation, ease regulations and strengthen the safety net for artists and companies, in his latest move to boost the growth of South Korea's creative industry. Lee asked his secretaries to monitor policy development to support the growth of the creative industry — ranging from music, drama series, movies, food and beauty products, among others — saying that the future of South Korea lies in the success of the country's popular cult
Oct. 13, 2025 -
Chief justice attends audit but stays silent during questions
Supreme Court Chief Justice Jo Hee-de voiced his opposition to forcing judges to testify about trials, saying it could undermine their ability to rule according to the Constitution, the law and their conscience. Jo's remarks came as he attended a parliamentary hearing for the annual Assembly audit to grill him over suspicions he interfered in the June 3 presidential election. "In a rule-of-law country with a separation of powers, it is rare to find instances where judges are called to testify or
Oct. 13, 2025 -
Finance chief vows efforts to stabilize housing market amid rising home prices in Seoul
Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said Monday the government will focus on stabilizing the housing market to ensure residential stability for the public, amid a recent surge in home prices in Seoul. "The government will seek to manage supply and demand in the real estate market in a balanced manner with the goal of ensuring stable housing for the people," Koo said during a parliamentary audit of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. In recent months, home prices in Seoul and parts of the surrounding
Oct. 13, 2025 -
Lee orders thorough investigation into alleged influence peddling over drug probe
President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday ordered a thorough investigation into suspicions that the office of former President Yoon Suk Yeol had exerted influence on the police's probe into customs officials' alleged involvement in drug smuggling. The prosecution and police have been jointly looking into allegations that the presidential office under Yoon and high-ranking police officials tried to interfere with the police's probe into suspected involvement by officials at the Incheon Customs Office in
Oct. 12, 2025 -
Seoul struggles to respond to rise in Cambodia abductions
South Korea has pledged stronger measures to protect its citizens in Cambodia amid a surge in reported abductions and forced labor cases, including the recent death of a 22-year-old Korean student who was tortured after being lured by a fake job offer. Seoul and Phnom Penh police are set for high-level talks to discuss the rise in crimes against Koreans in Cambodia, as part of a broader effort to strengthen cross-border law enforcement cooperation. The Korean National Police Agency said in a sta
Oct. 12, 2025 -
Key issues in focus as Assembly opens first audit under Lee
South Korea’s National Assembly is set to open its first parliamentary audit under President Lee Jae Myung on Monday, setting the stage for weeks of political sparring over the early performance of the Lee administration and its policy direction. Lawmakers are bracing for clashes over judicial reform, controversies surrounding the appointment of a Lee aide and a recent fire at a national data center that disrupted the state’s administrative network, among other issues. The audit, encompassing 83
Oct. 12, 2025