Border renewables to K-food hub: Local leaders pitch bold growth plans to President Lee

Local leaders brought a diverse slate of growth proposals to President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday, from renewable energy projects along the inter-Korean border to building a K-food hub in North Gyeongsang Province. The pitches came as Lee’s administration seeks to channel investment, industries and jobs beyond the capital region and build new regional economic hubs around strategic industries. Lee chaired the 10th central-local cooperation meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, the first since the J

2026-08-26 18:21:27:00

[Key Points] Lee orders police reform push as accountability concerns mount

Police reform push: President Lee Jae Myung ordered a government-led overhaul of the police, putting the Prime Minister’s Office in charge as scrutiny grows over mishandled missing-person cases. Jeju failures exposed: A Jeju officer allegedly fabricated records to close two missing-person cases. Both individuals were later found dead after their families pressed authorities to resume searches. Power shift looming: Police are set to gain broader investigative authority on Oct. 2 as prosecutors lo

2026-08-25 17:20:01:00

Lee asks PM to take lead in police reform drive

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday ordered the government to draw up a police reform plan, a day after asking police to come up with their own proposals, as scrutiny intensifies over officers alleged mishandling of cases. In the last week, suspicions have emerged that two missing persons cases were closed on fraudulent grounds. Searches uncovered the bodies of the two people after their families sought continued investigation. Police are set to assume greater investigative powers in October, but

2026-08-25 14:09:04:00

Lee says Korea’s integrity must match its economic clout at first anti-graft meeting

President Lee Jae Myung on Friday called for South Korea’s integrity standards to catch up with its growing economic stature, as he presided over the first anti-corruption policy council meeting under his administration. Lee pointed to a widening contrast between South Korea’s economic standing and its level of public-sector integrity. Lee noted that the country’s exports have reached a record high and risen to the fifth-largest in the world, while its current account surplus has also hit an all

2026-08-21 17:39:37:00

Lee names new trade minister week after predecessor’s dismissal

President Lee Jae Myung named veteran trade bureaucrat Park Jung-sung as the country’s new trade minister Friday, as Seoul navigates sensitive tariff and investment negotiations with Washington. Park, who has served as deputy minister for trade at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, has spent nearly three decades in trade and commerce policy, according to Cheong Wa Dae. His appointment comes after former Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo was dismissed on Saturday, creating an unexpected vaca

2026-08-21 16:08:39:00

Why Supreme Court picks have become Lee’s latest political headache

President Lee Jae Myung is facing another politically fraught domestic challenge, this time over who will sit on South Korea’s Supreme Court and how much say the presidential office should have in choosing them. The dispute erupted after Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae on Tuesday submitted a formal recommendation in writing for two judges to fill vacancies on the country’s highest court without the customary face-to-face consultation with Lee. The move broke with a long-standing practice under which t

2026-08-21 15:58:54:00

Seoul, Beijing agree to ‘close communication’ on Peninsula affairs: Cheong Wa Dae

Senior officials from South Korea and China agreed Thursday to maintain "close communication" on developments on the Korean Peninsula and seek broader common ground on regional and global issues, according to Cheong Wa Dae. National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reached the agreement during talks and a luncheon in Seoul. Cheong Wa Dae said Wi and Wang “exchanged a wide range of views on matters of mutual interest, including the future direction of Korea-China

2026-08-20 19:46:37:00

Lee meets China’s top diplomat amid Trump overtures to NK

President Lee Jae Myung met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday, as US President Donald Trump’s overtures to North Korea bring Beijing’s potential role back into focus. Lee and Wang assessed bilateral ties as being on a steady path of improvement following reciprocal summit visits, and they agreed to build on that momentum ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen in November, according to Cheong Wa Dae. “Lee also asked Wang to maintain close str

2026-08-20 18:10:29:00

[Key Points] Lee backs Trump’s North Korea outreach, supports scaling back drills

Lee backs outreach: President Lee Jae Myung endorsed Trump’s renewed push to engage North Korea, casting Seoul as a “pacemaker” that can help sustain Washington-Pyongyang diplomacy. Drills cut back: Lee supported scaling back Korea-US exercises to create room for dialogue; the 2026 Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise was shortened by six days and associated field training was reduced. Defense still strengthened: Seoul paired its diplomatic support with a pledge to bolster self-defense, including movin

2026-08-20 14:34:55:00

Lee backs Trump’s N. Korea outreach, even if it means cutting allied drills

President Lee Jae Myung is throwing his weight behind US President Donald Trump’s renewed push to reengage North Korea, pledging to serve as a “pacemaker” preserving the pulse of any renewed diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang. “President Trump’s latest message strikes me as a major decision reflecting his deep deliberation over how to move beyond hostility and confrontation and build peace on the Korean Peninsula,” Lee said in a post on X on Thursday. At the same time, Lee coupled his en

2026-08-20 12:16:21:00