PM says public consensus needed to turn Yongsan Park into residential complex

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said Friday that developing the former site of Yongsan Garrison, which was occupied by US Forces Korea, into a residential complex required public consensus. Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Bok Ki-wang proposed during an interpellation session that the site in central Seoul — now known as Yongsan Park — should be used to supply housing and abate the capital's housing affordability crisis. In response, Han said he believes "we should remain open to proposing and discu

2026-09-11 18:25:02:00

Deputy PM says time is ripe for paradigm shift in housing tax scheme

Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yun-cheol, who also serves as minister of finance and economy, stressed the need to move away from a system that incentivizes owning a single house when the property can later be rented out. During an interpellation session of the National Assembly held Friday, Koo said, "Regarding housing policy, we cannot transition to a market that encourages residency if we continue to incentivize house ownership (alone). This has to change." "It is a matter of the incentive scheme.

2026-09-11 17:57:26:00

PM says youth unemployment driven by AI, companies' tendency to hire skilled workers

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said Friday that the advent of artificial intelligence technology and companies' tendency to hire experienced workers rather than young novices has led those companies to reduce their hiring of young graduates. "The decline in youth employment is driven by factors such as the changing environment with the advent of AI and a corporate environment that prioritizes hiring experienced professionals," Han said during an interpellation session at the National Assembly on

2026-09-11 17:53:51:00

Lee's rating slide continues, hits new low at 38%: Gallup Korea

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating dipped to a new all-time low, weighed down by controversies surrounding minister nominees. Of 1,000 respondents, 38 percent approved of Lee's job performance, according to an opinion poll conducted by Gallup Korea, released Friday. It was the first time Lee's popularity measured below 40 percent since his inauguration in June 2025. Those who disapproved of Lee's performance came to 51 percent, which remained flat from the previous week when it hit the hi

2026-09-11 10:49:06:00

'Social consensus' needed before deployment following US request: Seoul

The possibility of South Korea's military involvement in the Strait of Hormuz or the war in Ukraine has continued to dominate the political arena, with ranking government officials stressing again that any decision would follow legal procedures and social consensus. Prime Minister Han Seong-sook on Thursday reiterated Seoul's stance that no decision has been made and various options for how to contribute to freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz are on the table. "There are numerous facto

2026-09-10 15:19:50:00

Four-day interpellation session opens with constitutional change in focus

South Korea's four-day interpellation session kicked off Wednesday, with lawmakers focusing on issues including a proposed constitutional amendment, President Lee Jae Myung's Cabinet picks and judicial reform. Responding to an inquiry from Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Lee Hae-sik during the session, Prime Minister Han Seong-sook ruled out the possibility that the proposed constitutional amendment could allow President Lee to serve multiple terms. According to Han, the administration has alread

2026-09-09 15:25:43:00

Opposition whip labels peace regime proposal as 'fraud'

Rep. Jeong Jeom-sig, floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party, on Tuesday accused President Lee Jae Myung of deceiving the public with his notions of establishing peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. In his address to the National Assembly on Tuesday, Jeong said that the Lee administration's push for reconciliation with North Korea comes at the cost of military readiness, while a breakthrough in inter-Korean relations remain elusive. "The peace regime proposal toward North Korea w

2026-09-08 14:55:28:00

S. Korea to relocate administrative bodies out of Greater Seoul starting 2027

South Korea on Thursday announced plans to relocate state bodies such as the National Assembly, government ministries and state-run institutions, in line with the Lee Jae Myung administration’s promise of balanced national growth. Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said that most of South Korea's 350 state-run bodies in Greater Seoul, which includes Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, will be moving out of the region starting next year. The Lee administration also plans to complete construction of a presi

2026-09-03 11:36:07:00

How S. Korea's youngest minister nominee became lightning rod

Criticism is mounting against Rep. Yong Hye-in, a left-wing lawmaker with the minor Basic Income Party who was nominated Sunday to be the next gender equality minister, over her intention to serve in the Cabinet without giving up her parliamentary seat. Yong has come under fire for refusing to relinquish her seat, with some critics accusing her of trying to retain political privileges and pointing to what they describe as "foul play." Others argue her decision runs counter to an unwritten conven

2026-09-02 15:19:18:00

Assembly kicks off 100-day regular session

The National Assembly on Tuesday kicked off its 100-day regular session, which will include the 2027 national budget review and a parliamentary audit of the government. National Assembly Speaker Rep. Cho Jeong-sik said in his remarks opening the regular session Tuesday that the core task would be to tackle uneven economic growth. He also called on the parliament to buoy strategic technologies such as artificial intelligence, find ways to cope with climate change and promote peace on the Korean P

2026-09-01 14:26:02:00