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NK prepared for war after Seoul drone operation: report
North Korea went into a war-ready posture after a series of South Korean military drone flights over Pyongyang in October last year — a move now suspected of having been planned to set the stage for then-South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration on Dec. 3, 2024 — according to lawmakers briefed by the military’s intelligence agency. Reps. Park Sun-won of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and Lee Seong-kweun of the main opposition People Power Party — executive secretaries
Nov. 6, 2025 -
Rival parties to spar over Lee's personal secretary during parliamentary audit
Rival parties are expected to clash over a close aide and personal secretary of President Lee Jae Myung at a parliamentary audit Thursday, although the secretary is likely to be absent from the session. Kim Hyun-ji, the longtime aide of the president who was appointed as Lee's personal secretary in September, has been at the center of political strife in recent weeks, with the main opposition People Power Party accusing Kim of overstepping her authority and being involved in personnel appointmen
Nov. 6, 2025 -
Arrest motion for PPP's ex-floor leader submitted to Nat'l Assembly
A motion requesting the arrest of Rep. Choo Kyung-ho of the main opposition People Power Party has been submitted to the National Assembly over his alleged role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid, the justice ministry said Wednesday. Special counsel Cho Eun-suk and his team, which is investigating various allegations related to the martial law bid in December, has filed for an arrest warrant for Choo, a former PPP floor leader, over allegations of his involvement in the d
Nov. 5, 2025 -
Fact sheet reported to cite $25b US arms sale to Seoul
A joint fact sheet summarizing trade and security agreements between Seoul and Washington is expected to cite about $25 billion in US arms sales to South Korea, according to local reports Wednesday. The presidential office, responding to the reports, said the terms “have yet to be finalized.” An official at President Lee Jae Myung's office said on the condition of anonymity that the decisions will be made "based on the government's review of its spending capacity and the security landscape." The
Nov. 5, 2025 -
Police probe favoritism accusations in politician Yoo Seong-min’s daughter's appointment as professor
Police said Wednesday they began looking into allegations of favoritism in the recent appointment of the daughter of veteran politician Yoo Seong-min as a professor at Incheon National University. The move by the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency follows the filing of a complaint accusing the university’s president and other personnel officials of violating the Public Records Management Act. Yoo Dam, 31, was appointed as a professor in the university's Division of International Trade in May, ju
Nov. 5, 2025 -
White House official praises K-beauty: 'My skin has never looked better'
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has praised Korean skin care, commenting that her “skin has never looked better” after using Korean skin care products purchased during her visit to the country, local media reported Wednesday. According to the Chosun Ilbo, a local daily, Leavitt, who accompanied US President Donald Trump on a two-day trip for the APEC summit in Gyeongju, said she “loved South Korea and the Korean people” and hopes to return in the future. On Oct. 29, Leavitt made an
Nov. 5, 2025 -
Seoul looking into govt. asset sales following order from president: finance chief
A comprehensive investigation is now under way to determine the validity of state asset sales, the finance minister said Wednesday, after President Lee Jae Myung issued an emergency order to suspend the disposal of government assets. The order came amid concerns raised during recent parliamentary audits that some state assets were being sold at below-market prices. Lawmakers pointed to increasing cases of government-owned properties being disposed of for less than their fair value. "We are condu
Nov. 5, 2025 -
Lee to send ruling party lawmaker to Bolivia as special envoy
President Lee Jae Myung will dispatch Rep. Han Jun-ho of the ruling Democratic Party to Bolivia as a special envoy to attend the inauguration of new Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz, the presidential office said Wednesday. Han will deliver a personal letter from Lee conveying his congratulations and expressing hopes for continued friendly cooperation between the two nations, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing. He is scheduled to attend Paz' inauguration ceremony on S
Nov. 5, 2025 -
Lee calls for bipartisan support for 2026 budget centered on AI
President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday outlined a 728 trillion won ($506 billion) budget plan for 2026, calling it “Korea’s first budget to open the AI era” and pledging sweeping investments to make the country a global leader in artificial intelligence. Addressing the National Assembly in Seoul, Lee said the government would allocate 10.1 trillion won — triple this year’s amount — to accelerate the nation’s transition to an AI-driven economy. “During the industrialization era, being a day late mean
Nov. 4, 2025 -
UAE royal delegation takes home a taste of Korea — stir-fried kimchi
From Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s chicken and beer summit to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s K-beauty haul, the recently concluded APEC summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, offered an endless stream of behind-the-scenes stories. But for the United Arab Emirates delegation, one unexpected highlight stood out: stir-fried kimchi. According to officials from Busan’s hotel industry, the UAE royal family and delegation, led by Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al N
Nov. 4, 2025 -
Former People Power Party chief 'grief-stricken' by Yoon's alleged order to kill him
Han Dong-hoon, the former leader of the People Power Party, said Monday evening he was "grief-stricken and devastated" by courtroom testimony that former President Yoon Suk Yeol wanted him shot and killed. The remark was part of testimony by former Army Special Warfare Commander Kwak Jong-keun, who told the court that Yoon instructed him on Oct. 1, 2024, to arrest Han and other political figures, saying, "I'll have him shot to death if I have to." Han had been a longtime colleague and confidant
Nov. 4, 2025 -
Lee says US tariff deal eases uncertainties, touts progress on fuel for nuclear-powered subs
President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday that a tariff deal with the United States that was finalized last week has eased economic uncertainties while touting progress in talks with the US on the supply of fuel for nuclear-powered submarines. In his budget speech at the National Assembly, Lee reviewed the results of his summit with US President Donald Trump, which finalized details of Seoul's $350 billion investment pledge in exchange for lower US tariffs. Last week, Lee asked Trump to allow South K
Nov. 4, 2025 -
China extends visa-free policy for S. Koreans until end-2026
China said Monday it has extended a visa-free program for nationals of 45 countries, including South Korea, until the end of next year. The waiver for South Koreans was introduced last November under a broader visa-free program aimed at boosting China's economy. Under the program, ordinary passport holders from the 45 countries can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days for purposes of business, tourism, family visits and transfers. In announcing the extension until Dec. 31, 2026, China's forei
Nov. 3, 2025 -
Defense chiefs of S. Korea, U.S. visit DMZ amid efforts to resume N.K. diplomacy
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas on Monday, as the allies seek to resume diplomacy with North Korea while ensuring a robust combined defense posture. The defense chiefs visited Observation Post Ouellette, the U.N. Command's military facility close to the Military Demarcation Line, and the Joint Security Area (JSA) inside the DMZ, marking the first joint visit to the buffer zone by the two countrie
Nov. 3, 2025 -
S. Korea imposes travel ban on Mali over terrorist activities
The foreign ministry said Monday it imposed a travel ban on Mali over increased terrorist activities in the African nation. The ban, the highest Level 4 of a four-tier travel warning system, will be in effect starting midnight and came as public safety has deteriorated with the increased activities of al-Qaeda-linked armed group JNIM. Mali's capital, Bamako, where most of the South Korean nationals in the country reside, is effectively under a blockade. The ministry said those who are planning a
Nov. 3, 2025