Lee orders crackdown on hate speech directed toward foreign tourists

President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday instructed his aides to wipe out hate speech toward foreign tourists, in an apparent reference to a recent surge in anti-China rallies near tourist destinations in Seoul. During his weekly meeting with secretaries at his office in Seoul, Lee said it is high time to "completely eradicate the self-destructive activities" that not only undermine South Korea's national interest, but also tarnish its reputation. "I urge relevant government agencies to thoroughly cr

Oct. 2, 2025

Lawmaker apologizes for W4m holiday incentive paid to assembly members

A South Korean lawmaker has apologized for receiving a Chuseok holiday bonus of more than 4 million won ($2,900), far exceeding what most ordinary workers were paid. Rep. Kim Mi-ae of the People Power Party wrote on Facebook that she felt “heavy-hearted and deeply sorry” for the 4.24 million won of taxpayers' money being paid to each member of the nation's 300-strong parliament as a holiday bonus. “Last year, I expressed my discomfort on Facebook about receiving incentives and many people empath

Oct. 2, 2025

[HIT Forum] Prime minister lauds ANN journalists’ role in safeguarding South Korea’s democracy

South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok on Thursday credited journalists with helping safeguard the freedoms that enabled Korea’s democracy to withstand the attempt last December by former President Yoon Suk Yeol to impose martial law, underscoring the role of the press in defending civic values. Speaking to a meeting of editors and publishers from 20 media organizations across 19 Asian countries held at the 2025 Korea Herald HIT Forum in Seoul, Kim linked the global popularity of Korean cultur

Oct. 2, 2025

Lee apologizes to adoptees as Hague Convention takes effect in S. Korea

President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday apologized to adoptees and their families for South Korea's failures to safeguard the human rights of babies who were born in the country and adopted overseas. His remarks came a day after The Hague Adoption Convention took effect in the country, once known for the large-scale overseas adoption of children. "Representing South Korea, I extend my sincere apology and consolation to adoptees, their birth families and adoptive families for their sufferings," Lee s

Oct. 2, 2025

Lee pledges to review lowering age threshold for dual citizenship of overseas Koreans

President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday the government will explore ways to lower the age threshold for overseas Koreans' dual citizenship, which is currently limited to those aged 65 and older. Lee made the remarks during a ceremony marking the 19th World Korean Day, which brought together some 370 participants, including leaders of Korean communities from around the globe. Under the Nationality Act, overseas Koreans are permitted to hold dual citizenship only if they are at least 65 years old. T

Oct. 2, 2025

PM launches new regular meeting with deputy prime ministers

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok launched a new regular meeting Thursday with the two deputy prime ministers to help coordinate state affairs, his office said. The gathering -- dubbed "3-plus-alpha" -- was led by Kim and attended by Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol and Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon, both of whom double as deputy prime ministers under a government reorganization scheme implemented Wednesday. Also present was Government Policy Coordination Minister Yoon Chang-yul. During the meeting, t

Oct. 2, 2025

Lee vows to expand support for senior citizens

President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday the government will serve as a safeguard for senior citizens to improve their welfare as South Korea has become a "super-aged" society. In a Facebook message marking the 29th Senior Citizens' Day, Lee paid tribute to the elderly for having served as a steadfast pillar of society through turbulent times. "We have the responsibility to remember the senior citizens' sacrifice, protect their dignity and rights, and build a society where we live together," Lee wr

Oct. 2, 2025

OpenAI to build 2 data centers in South Korea as Lee, Altman affirm AI push

President Lee Jae Myung met OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the US entrepreneur behind the AI-powered chatbot ChatGPT, as the latter visited Seoul on Wednesday. The two reached tentative agreements to set up two new data centers needed to meet Korea's growing artificial intelligence demands. At the meeting held at the presidential office in Seoul, Lee and Altman exchanged their views on South Korea's ambition to become an AI hub for the Asia-Pacific region. Also attending the meeting were Lee Jae-yong, e

Oct. 1, 2025

Lee Jae Myung renews drive for self-reliant military, OPCON transfer

President Lee Jae Myung said Wednesday that South Korea will build a stronger military to ensure a self-reliant defense that proactively responds to a rapidly changing security landscape. Lee renewed his push to regain wartime operational control of South Korean troops from the United States, highlighting Seoul's "solid alliance" with Washington. "To ensure peace and prosperity for the Republic of Korea, we must not depend on anyone else, but strengthen our own power," Lee said at a ceremony mar

Oct. 1, 2025

Lee, Ishiba agree to jointly tackle shared societal challenges

BUSAN — The top leaders of South Korea and Japan on Tuesday agreed to collaborate to tackle shared societal challenges such as their aging populations, urban concentration and suicide, as President Lee Jae Myung hosted outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Tuesday in their last official meeting. The relevant authorities of the two countries tasked with demographic issues, balanced economic growth, lacking agricultural self-sufficiency, emergency prevention and suicide will "continue

Sept. 30, 2025

Assembly holds hearing on top judge in his absence

South Korea’s National Assembly on Tuesday held a hearing into allegations that Supreme Court Chief Justice Jo Hee-de meddled in the June 3 presidential election, but Jo was absent after sending a letter last week declining to attend. The Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee convened the session to examine suspicions that Jo influenced a key ruling involving President Lee Jae Myung’s alleged violation of the election law when he was the Democratic Party of Korea’s candidate. The commit

Sept. 30, 2025

Cabinet approves bill to dismantle Prosecutors' Office by October 2026

The Cabinet on Tuesday endorsed an amendment to the Government Organization Act, laying out a timetable for the overhaul of ministries and the breakup of the nation’s central prosecution service. Under the plan, approved during a Cabinet meeting presided over by President Lee Jae Myung, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office would be formally abolished on Oct. 1, 2026, following a one-year grace period. Its powers will be divided the following day between two new bodies: an investigative agency under t

Sept. 30, 2025

Ruling party, gov't agree to abolish breach of trust charge in criminal law

The ruling Democratic Party and the government agreed Tuesday to push for abolishing the breach of trust charge in criminal law to ease burdens on companies' ability to make normal business decisions, the DP said. DP floor leader Kim Byung-ki announced the plan during a task force meeting on rationalizing economic penalties, joined by the finance and justice ministers and other senior officials. "The Democratic Party and the government have decided to move toward abolishing the breach of trust c

Sept. 30, 2025

First lady diagnosed with vertigo, will miss Lee-Ishiba summit

Kim Hea Kyung, first lady of South Korea, was diagnosed with an inner ear disorder that causes vertigo and is unable to attend a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Busan on Tuesday. According to Lee's chief physician Park Sang-min on Tuesday, Kim was recently diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and is recommended to take a rest for at least two or three days to let the symptom disappear.

Sept. 30, 2025

Ex-prosecution chief summoned in Marine death probe, ex-defense minister's alleged flight to Australia

A special counsel team investigating the death of a Marine conscript in 2023 said Monday it has summoned former Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung for questioning, particularly in his role in the alleged flight of a former defense minister involved in the case to Australia. Shim, who also served as vice justice minister, has been called in by the team for questioning at 10 a.m. on Tuesday. He is under suspicion of involvement in the series of decisions in March last year that led to former Defense

Sept. 29, 2025