Lee jabs at opposition following social media spat over Israel

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday took an apparent jab at the opposition bloc in a continuation of controversy surrounding his social media posts, accusing the critics of meddling in affairs beyond their depth. In a post titled “Those Who Kibitz in Myeonginjeon Because They Play a Bit of Gomoku,” Lee appeared to take aim at opposition politicians who have criticized his social media posts concerning alleged human rights violations in the Middle East. "Gomoku" is a board game often considered to

2026-04-14 14:59:06:00

Lee, Israel exchange social media barbs

President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday said that more should be done to uphold universal human rights, in an apparent response to commentary by the Israeli foreign ministry on his social media post. “It is disappointing that the criticism from people around the world who are suffering and struggling because of actions that are anti-human-rights and anti-international-law is not being reflected upon,” Lee wrote in a post on X. He did not specify whom the post was directed at, but included a link to

2026-04-11 11:45:45:00

Lee calls on civil service to ‘sleep less’ to get more done

President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday urged government officials to “sleep less” if necessary in order to shorten the timeframe for government projects. Speaking at a meeting with senior presidential aides, Lee said that the government must work faster if the country is to survive the current times. “(Officials) say it will take six months or a year every time a plan is drawn up, but how (will the country) survive an era of radical changes,” Lee said. Saying that the country is facing a time of cr

2026-04-10 13:18:15:00

Navy to launch task force for nuclear-powered submarine workforce, training

South Korea’s Navy will launch a task force dedicated to nuclear-powered submarines starting May 1 as part of efforts to build a personnel training and education system for future operations, officials said Tuesday. According to the Navy, the task force will be headed by a general-level officer and staffed by around 30 personnel. The push to introduce nuclear-powered submarines has gained momentum following the South Korea-US summit in Gyeongju last year. Separately, the government is currently

2026-04-01 14:27:10:00

Conservative floor leader slams Seoul’s North Korea policy, calls for minister’s removal

A senior conservative lawmaker on Friday criticized the Lee Jae Myung administration’s North Korea policy, arguing it emboldens Pyongyang and calling for the immediate removal of the unification minister. Rep. Song Eon-seog, floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party, said the government’s approach is "fueling Kim Jong-un’s arrogance" and undermining South Korea’s security posture. In a post on social media, Song accused the administration of escalating tensions with the United Natio

2026-03-27 16:11:39:00

Foreign Minister meets US official on sidelines of G7 talks, discusses Strait of Hormuz concerns

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with a senior US State Department official in France on Thursday, where the two sides discussed maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the South Korea-US alliance, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said. Cho met Allison Hooker, US undersecretary of state for political affairs, who attended the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting as Washington’s chief representative. During the meeting, Cho expressed concern over the situation in

2026-03-27 14:35:33:00

NK, Belarus leaders exchange assault rifle, gold coin at summit

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko presented North Korean leader Kim Jong-un with an assault rifle at their summit on Thursday. According to reports, Lukashenko gifted Kim an assault rifle at the summit in Pyongyang, saying “just in case enemies show up.” The rifle is said to be a VSK assault rifle manufactured in Belarus. In return, Kim gifted Lukashenko gold items and an ornate vase. Lukashenko visited Pyongyang on a two-day trip at Kim’s invitation. It was the Belarusian leader’s first

2026-03-27 11:21:02:00

Labor Day likely to be designated as public holiday

May 1, Labor Day, could become an official public holiday as early as this year with related legal revision being passed at a National Assembly's subcommittee Tuesday. The National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee approved a revision to the “Public Holidays Act” during a subcommittee review, which would formally recognize Labor Day as a public holiday. Labor Day has been legally recognized as a paid holiday since 1994. However, its application has been limited, excluding p

2026-03-24 14:54:35:00

NK to hold Supreme People's Assembly

North Korea was set to convene the first session of its 15th Supreme People’s Assembly on Sunday, with constitutional revisions and a reshuffle of the power structure high on the agenda. At the center of the meeting is whether leader Kim Jong-un’s “two hostile states” doctrine will be formally enshrined in the constitution. Since late 2023, Pyongyang has redefined inter-Korean relations as adversarial, abandoning unification policies and its previous stance toward the South. Observers say the se

2026-03-22 16:38:19:00

South Korea thanks Qatar and Saudi Arabia for evacuation assistance

President Lee Jae Myung expressed gratitude to the leaders of Qatar and Saudi Arabia for their support in helping South Korean nationals safely evacuate from the Middle East amid recent regional tensions. On Tuesday, Lee sent letters of appreciation to Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, acknowledging their countries’ assistance during the evacuations. In his message to the Qatari emir, Lee thanked Qatar for facilitating an emergency commercia

2026-03-18 13:07:35:00