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Daejang-dong dispute threatens to become political crisis
The decision by the prosecution to drop its appeal in one of Korea’s biggest real estate corruption cases appears to be spiraling into a full-blown political and judicial crisis. What began as a dispute over a single prosecutorial decision has ballooned into accusations of political interference, turmoil within the judicial services and a widening debate over whether the rule of law is being undermined by political power. The chain reaction stems from the prosecution’s unexpected announcement ea
Nov. 18, 2025 -
PM says task force to probe officials' involvement in martial law 'inevitable'
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said Tuesday the formation of a government task force to investigate public officials' involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law attempt was an "inevitable" measure aimed at stabilizing state affairs. Kim made the remark during a Cabinet meeting as critics have raised concerns the body, named the "task force to respect the Constitution and innovate the government," will effectively be used as a tool to ferret out dissenting civil servants. "The task
Nov. 18, 2025 -
Lee sees UAE role as 'base camp' for S. Korea's economic footholds in Middle East
President Lee Jae Myung expressed his hope for stronger bilateral economic cooperation with the United Arab Emirates, saying that the country could play a role as a "base camp" for South Korea's efforts to forge and strengthen its economic footholds in the Middle East. Lee made the remarks during a meeting with Korean residents in the UAE after he arrived in the country earlier in the day for a three-day state visit. He is set to have summit talks with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan o
Nov. 18, 2025 -
Lee arrives in UAE for state visit focused on defense, AI cooperation
President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Abu Dhabi on Monday on a three-day visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the first stop of his four-nation tour of the Middle East and Africa. Lee's presidential plane was escorted by four UAE Air Force fighter jets as it entered the country's airspace in a ceremonial welcome for his state visit. On the first day, Lee plans to visit the mausoleum of the UAE's founding president, Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and meet with Korean residents. On Tuesday, he will
Nov. 17, 2025 -
Assembly split on need to ratify Korea-US fact sheet
The bipartisan rift over the South Korea-US joint fact sheet is deepening, with rival parties clashing over the necessity of ratification by the National Assembly. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea contends that the investment plan, formalized as a nonbinding memorandum of understanding on Friday, in conjunction with the release of the fact sheet outlining Seoul’s commitment to invest $350 billion in the United States, should be swiftly implemented through a special law to secure retroactive
Nov. 17, 2025 -
Lee taps lawyer to probe allegations against prosecution
President Lee Jae Myung has appointed Ann Goweon-seob as special prosecutor to launch a 90-day investigation into alleged evidence tampering and abuse of power by prosecutors in two separate cases, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a note to reporters Monday. Ann, a lawyer at the law firm SJKP, is the first special prosecutor appointed following a Justice Ministry decision to initiate a special prosecutor-led probe, in the latest of the Lee administration's push to check the power o
Nov. 17, 2025 -
Gwangju officials criticized for using national exam day, public events for early election exposure
In the lead-up to South Korea’s local elections in June next year, Gwangju’s top education official and a district mayor are facing backlash from civic groups for using the nationwide college entrance exam and public broadcasts to promote themselves well before official campaigning begins. Gwangju Education Superintendent Lee Jung-seon came under scrutiny for staging a high-profile appearance on Thursday, the same day of Suneung. Positioned outside a local test site, Lee greeted students alongsi
Nov. 17, 2025 -
Lee begins 10-day trip to Middle East, Africa with AI and defense high on agenda
President Lee Jae Myung on Monday embarked on a 10-day trip to the Middle East and Africa, beginning with a state visit to the United Arab Emirates, where collaboration in AI, defense capabilities and cultural exchange will take center stage. Upon arriving in Abu Dhabi on Monday, Lee was scheduled to visit the Wahat Al Karama war memorial and the tomb of the UAE’s first president, Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, near the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque to pay his respects. According to the presidential of
Nov. 17, 2025 -
Lee's approval rating inches down to 54.5%: poll
President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating edged down after rising for two consecutive weeks, a survey showed Monday, amid controversy surrounding the prosecution's decision not to appeal a high-profile development corruption case linked to him. According to the survey by Realmeter commissioned by a local news outlet, 54.5 percent gave a positive assessment of Lee's job performance, down 2.2 percentage points from the previous week. Negative assessment of Lee rose 2.5 percentage points to 41.2 pe
Nov. 17, 2025 -
Lee departs for G20 summit, embarks on 4-nation swing to Middle East, Africa
President Lee Jae Myung was set to depart Monday for the Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg, part of his four-nation swing to the Middle East and Africa, as South Korea seeks to diversify its diplomatic ties in the Global South. The first leg of his trip is the United Arab Emirates. Lee will arrive in Abu Dhabi later in the day for a three-day state visit, during which he will hold summit talks with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss cooperation in the defense industry, artific
Nov. 17, 2025 -
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 -
S. Korean, US officials tout 'model,' 'forward-looking' alliance at Korean national day event
South Korean and US officials struck an upbeat note on the trajectory of the two countries' evolving relationship, calling it a "model" and "forward-looking" alliance, as they celebrated the Korean National Day and Armed Forces Day in Washington on Wednesday. Their display of confidence over the decades-old alliance came a day after Seoul and Washington issued a joint fact sheet encompassing wide-ranging agreements on security, trade and other fronts, easing uncertainties over the bilateral rela
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