Assembly meeting highlights lack of NEC oversight

Lack of oversight of the National Election Commission came into the spotlight Tuesday in the meeting of a special parliamentary committee looking into nationwide ballot shortages and delays for voters on Election Day early this month. The meeting centered around why the NEC decided to reduce ballot paper printing, whether its former chair's overseas trips that cost tens of millions of won each were justifiable and whether NEC contracts sealed without public procurement were questionable. Rho Tae

2026-06-23 15:33:45:00

PM vows to renew push for constitutional amendment

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said Monday that he will revive the push for a constitutional amendment once he returns to the National Assembly. "Upon returning to the National Assembly and the party, I will begin full-scale discussions on a one-time constitutional amendment regarding the reform of the National Election Commission," Kim told reporters. The momentum for the amendment, which failed in May due to the resistance of the main opposition People Power Party, could be reignited as both part

2026-06-22 15:31:45:00

PM nominee apologizes for data leak in state-sponsored startup contest

Han Seong-sook, prime minister nominee and current minister of SMEs and startups, apologized for a data leak involving some 5,000 participants in the ministry's flagship startup contest. "I sincerely apologize to all participants who suffered discomfort due to the personal information leak," Han told reporters on her way to the office in Seoul to prepare for the confirmation hearing. "We failed to live up to the trust of citizens who believed in the government and participated in the contest. As

2026-06-22 15:05:03:00

Have THAAD launchers returned to Seongju base?

All six launchers of the US' Terminal High Altitude Area Defense interceptors have reportedly been returned to the South Korean military base where they were originally deployed. Photos of truck-mounted, US-made THAAD launchers positioned in the military base in the southeastern region of Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, were released Sunday by Yonhap News Agency. Speculations have persisted as to whether the United States had been seeking to move THAAD-related defense assets in South Korea —

2026-06-21 18:01:47:00

Lee aide hints at tougher taxes on homeowners amid AI boom

An aide to President Lee Jae Myung has hinted at imposing more taxes on homeowners to stop the housing market from further overheating. This prompted the right-wing opposition People Power Party's call to hold the presidential aide accountable for causing confusion in the property market, as it claimed the tax hike on the wealthy would wind up hurting the poor. On Saturday, Kim Yong-beom, chief secretary for national policy for the liberal president, wrote via Facebook that it would be plausible

2026-06-21 17:11:09:00

Lee names former Yonhap chief, ex-prosecutor to senior posts

President Lee Jae Myung’s office on Sunday announced a new lineup of senior staff in a broad reshuffle, as Lee begins the second year of his five-year term. The new Cheong Wa Dae staff appointments, which are equivalent to vice ministerial-level posts, are aimed at “speedy implementation” of the Lee administration’s second-year policy goals, Lee’s chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik said at a press briefing. Lee tapped Seong Ghi-hong, the former head of South Korea’s largest news agency Yonhap, as the

2026-06-21 14:35:27:00

Lawmaker calls for fixes amid overcrowding in off-post military exchanges

A South Korean lawmaker called for improvements in military post exchanges located outside military bases, as the increase in the number of people authorized to shop there has triggered overcrowding in such installations. According to People Power Party Rep. Yu Yong-weon's office, the number of those authorized to enter the military exchanges ― which sells everyday products like dairy goods and alcohol at a discount exclusively for military personnel ― amounted to 7.85 million this year, while t

2026-06-18 17:45:02:00

Assembly probe launches as S. Korea reels from June election fiasco

A special parliamentary probe into the National Election Commission and its regional branches has begun, with the rival parties having agreed to pass a proposal to execute a 45-day investigation on Thursday. The motion to launch the probe won 250-1 votes in the plenary session Thursday. The probe is expected to last until Aug. 1, but the investigation can be extended if the Assembly grants approval at a future plenary session. This follows a special committee meeting Thursday morning that greenl

2026-06-18 14:53:04:00

Lee to meet G7 leaders as hopes grow for end to Iran conflict

President Lee Jae Myung began the final leg of his trip to Europe on Tuesday, bound for Evian-les-Bains, France for the Group of Seven Summit, held just as the anticipation grows for an end to the war in the Middle East. Lee's trip there from Tuesday to Wednesday comes as South Korea seeks to expand its role on the international stage and amid rising speculation about US President Donald Trump's intentions regarding North Korea. Lee will kick off his official activities at the G7 meeting upon hi

2026-06-16 16:26:34:00

Eyes set on DP chair's future

Public attention is turning to Rep. Jung Chung-rae’s future ahead of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's national convention set for August, as competition for power within the party intensifies. The four-term lawmaker is facing mounting pressure to resign from his post. Jung has chaired the party since August 2025, filling in for Lee Jae Myung, who stepped down after winning the presidential election in June 2025. Calls for his resignation intensified after June 10, when, in response to Lee’

2026-06-16 15:21:42:00