Lee urges ‘significant’ rocket launch investment boost for national security

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday called for a “significant expansion” of investment in rocket and satellite launches, stressing their importance to national security. Lee said space launch vehicles and satellites were “closely linked to national defense,” pointing to tensions between Washington and Kyiv over Ukraine’s access to US satellite-based communications and intelligence services amid its war with Russia. Lee’s remarks came as Ukrainian officials reported restrictions on th

2026-10-20 14:07:45:00

Lee seeks closer public contact, wondering if he's grown 'too distant'

President Lee Jae Myung on Monday defended his growing use of social media as a political "lifeline" and said he plans to expand direct communication with the public while exploring more face-to-face exchanges with citizens. Lee said his increased activity on X, formerly Twitter, and his impromptu meeting with reporters reflected concerns that he may have grown too detached from realities on the ground and that his administration's intentions were not getting through to the public. The self-refl

2026-10-19 20:25:58:00

Lee calls for swift ‘restoration,’ not ‘transfer,’ of wartime command from US

President Lee Jae Myung on Monday renewed his call for South Korea to regain wartime operational control from the United States as early as possible, insisting that the process should be described as "regaining" or "restoring" command rather than simply "transferring" it. "To put it bluntly, we must regain wartime operational control at an early date, and we are fully capable of doing so," Lee said during an impromptu meeting with reporters at the presidential press center, Chunchugwan, where he

2026-10-19 19:44:10:00

Lee defends live Cabinet broadcasts, rejects claims of silenced ministers

President Lee Jae Myung on Friday reaffirmed his commitment to keeping Cabinet meetings open to the public, expressing "deep regret over false claims" that live broadcasts were preventing ministers from speaking freely. Lee defended the practice, insisting that broadcasting Cabinet meetings live did not prevent ministers from openly challenging him or expressing dissent. "We are making part of the Cabinet meetings open to the public, in whom sovereignty rests, and I cannot agree with calls from

2026-10-16 12:07:22:00

Lee urges 'warlike resolve’ against violent crime after stabbing attack

President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday called for extraordinary measures to combat violent crime, urging authorities to respond "with the resolve of declaring war" on such offenses. A series of violent attacks has raised public concerns, particularly a stabbing rampage at a large commercial complex in Incheon’s Guwol-dong on Tuesday. The attack left eight people injured, including a woman in her 20s who remained unconscious after undergoing emergency surgery. Lee pointed to a succession of violent

2026-10-15 15:04:40:00

Lee thanks UAE president for help in arresting gambling ringleaders

President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday thanked the United Arab Emirates' leader for his government's cooperation in arresting the alleged leaders of a major illegal online gambling operation. Lee said three senior figures behind an online gambling network handling transactions worth trillions of won had been arrested in the UAE. Two were repatriated to South Korea on Wednesday. The suspects allegedly recruited even middle school students into criminal activities and lived lavishly overseas while c

2026-10-14 17:18:20:00

Lee calls for ‘fundamental shift’ in Korea's population policy

President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday called for a "fundamental shift” in population policy, saying that the country should redesign its economic and social systems to cope with persisting issues. The Lee administration unveiled a sweeping five-year strategy to tackle the country's deepening demographic crisis, the first such plan since the presidential Population Strategy Committee was established in September. Over the past two decades, successive governments have spent heavily and expanded pol

2026-10-14 15:04:49:00

Lee appoints tax agency head as new chief of staff

President Lee Jae Myung appointed National Tax Service Commissioner Lim Kwang-hyun as his new chief of staff, Cheong Wa Dae announced Wednesday. This is the first change in the post since Lee was inaugurated in June 2025. Lim, a former lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, replaces Kang Hoon-sik, who offered his resignation last month amid mounting criticism over the administration's handling of Cabinet appointments. Announcing the appointment, Kang described Lim as "a former economi

2026-10-14 14:29:05:00

Seoul sets up team for Lee-Trump golf outing

Seoul's presidential office has assembled a working-level team to prepare for a possible golf outing between President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump. The preparations followed Trump's repeated expressions of interest in playing golf with Lee, most recently during their September meeting in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. According to Cheong Wa Dae, the team was formed in late September, shortly after Lee returned from visits to the United States and Mexico. Ch

2026-10-13 17:59:41:00

Seoul to pursue Arctic route in strict compliance with sanctions: Lee

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday reaffirmed Seoul's ambitions to open up the Arctic Northern Sea Route, pledging strict compliance with international norms and sanctions along the way. Lee underscored the drive while attending a ceremony welcoming the return of the PanStar Acro, which embarked on a trial voyage along the Arctic shipping route on Aug. 22 and returned Sunday. The vessel completed South Korea’s first commercial round-trip voyage to Europe via the Arctic. Lee laid out three pillar

2026-10-13 17:20:13:00