Top Lee aide offers resignation as pressure mounts on ruling bloc

Pressure is mounting on President Lee Jae Myung and the ruling bloc as criticism over Lee's most recent Cabinet picks continues despite two nominees stepping aside. Lee's chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik offered to resign Monday to take responsibility for controversies over the reshuffle. According to Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations and communications, Kang extended his offer to the president on Monday morning, holding himself broadly accountable for the situation.

2026-09-21 15:25:56:00

Presidential chief of staff offers to step down

Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff for President Lee Jae Myung, has offered to step down from his post, according to Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations and communications, on Monday. Kang extended his offer to the president Monday morning, according to Seong. The news comes weeks after Kim Yong-beom, chief secretary for policy at Cheong Wa Dae, stepped down amid controversies surrounding South Korea's launch of single-stock exchange-traded fund products. Two out of thr

2026-09-21 13:20:34:00

Lee heads to New York for UN speech, Mexico for state visit

President Lee Jae Myung on Monday departed South Korea for his seven-day overseas trip with his wife Kim Hea Kyung, as he is expected to visit the United States and Mexico. Lee will deliver Seoul's blueprint for maintaining peace on the Korean Peninsula and call for global cooperation on shared issues in his address to the United Nations General Assembly, Cheong Wa Dae said Monday. Lee's national security adviser Wi Sung-lac said in a briefing at Cheong Wa Dae that Lee will visit New York for th

2026-09-21 10:57:56:00

N. Korea launches SRBMs toward East Sea again, 2 weeks after last launch

North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles from Wonsan, Kangwon Province, to the East Sea on Sunday afternoon, repeating missile provocations less than two weeks since its last launch. The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea's military confirmed that a ballistic missile was launched from Wonsan and flew 450 kilometers toward the East Sea at around 3 p.m. Another missile was fired at around 5:50 p.m. and flew over 600 kilometers toward the East Sea, authorities later confirmed. A jo

2026-09-20 17:11:30:00

[Breaking] North Korea fires projectile toward East Sea

North Korea has launched a missile toward the East Sea, according to Seoul on Sunday. The authorities did not immediately reveal details about the launch, such as the number of missiles and the type of projectile. Exclusing Sunday's launch, North Korea fired missiles on 13 occasions, including on Sept. 12 when multiple short-range ballistic missiles were launched from Wonsan to the East Sea, flying some 250 kilometers.

2026-09-20 15:21:17:00

Ruling party pushes to revise Constitution after Lee says not seeking 2nd term

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Sunday launched a constitutional amendment task force after President Lee Jae Myung stated Friday that he had no intention of seeking a second term, regardless of changes to the Constitution. In launching the task force, the Democratic Party called on the opposition to swiftly reach a consensus with it on the matter. The ruling party also set out a timeline for amending the constitution, under which a referendum would be held in the first half of next year

2026-09-20 15:15:00:00

Ruling party wastes no time in confirming embattled nominees

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Thursday adopted the confirmation report on the embattled justice minister nominee despite resistance from the main opposition. The Legislation and Judiciary Committee of the National Assembly confirmed Democratic Party Rep. Kim Seung-won to be justice minister by adopting a confirmation report. Along with Kim, reports were also adopted for Defense Minister nominee Kang Shin-chul and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister nominee Lee Hyoung-il. Minutes

2026-09-17 15:40:51:00

Groundwork laid for OPCON transfer: defense minister nominee

South Korea has made significant strides towards meeting the conditions for wartime operational control from the US, Defense Minister nominee Kang Shin-chul said Wednesday. "I believe that the fulfillment of the conditions for OPCON transfer has been significantly reinforced, and the necessary groundwork has been laid," Kang told lawmakers of the National Defense Committee during his confirmation hearing. His remarks were in line with the liberal Lee Jae Myung administration's push to complete O

2026-09-16 15:24:29:00

Embattled nominee uses controversy to defend prosecutorial reform

Justice Minister nominee Rep. Kim Seung-won on Tuesday rejected allegations connecting him to an alleged stock manipulation scheme, citing that very controversy as a reason to back the ruling bloc's push for a criminal justice overhaul. "Based on my belief that the investigative power is the most potent form of state power and should not be abused as such, I will do my best to ensure that such state power is fairly exercised, while upholding political neutrality," Kim said at Tuesday's confirmat

2026-09-15 15:33:02:00

National Assembly begins confirmation hearings 'superweek'

The National Assembly's "superweek" of seven Cabinet confirmation hearings kicked off Monday, with the main opposition People Power Party vowing to push out embattled nominees. This comes as President Lee Jae Myung's picks continue to add pressure on the administration despite beleaguered Gender Equality Minister nominee Rep. Yong Hye-in's resignation on Sunday. In announcing her resignation, Yong claimed that the ruling Democratic Party of Korea had asked her to "make a decision," citing lack o

2026-09-14 14:15:14:00