Yongsan Park housing could help pay for US base cleanup: Lee's aide

A senior presidential aide on Wednesday said housing development on part of land set aside for a park in central Seoul could help South Korea tackle the former US military base’s costly soil cleanup, while putting a vast tract of prime land to use. The proposal has emerged as a contentious part of the Lee Jae Myung administration’s Aug. 13 housing supply policy, as the government seeks to accelerate the construction of homes in central Seoul to stabilize the housing market. The Lee administratio

2026-08-19 12:03:09:00

Seoul stresses ‘strong interest’ in Iran's denuclearization after Trump says Lee refused help

South Korea has a “strong interest” in Iran’s denuclearization and remains committed to working with the US and the international community on nuclear nonproliferation, national security adviser Wi Sung-lac said Tuesday. Wi’s remarks came after US President Donald Trump said in a Sunday Truth Social post that South Korean President Lee Jae Myung had recently declined his request to join US efforts regarding Iran, responding, “No thanks.” “The issue of Iran’s denuclearization was raised in the so

2026-08-18 17:46:33:00

Lee reaffirms OPCON transfer within term, urges faster work on nuclear sub

President Lee Jae Myung reaffirmed his commitment to regain wartime operational control from the United States within his term, while calling for faster progress on South Korea’s nuclear-powered submarine program. Lee made the remarks at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday at Cheong Wa Dae as South Korea kicked off its four-day annual Ulchi civil defense and emergency preparedness exercise alongside Ulchi Freedom Shield, an annual Korea-US combined military exercise. “A strong national defense is the m

2026-08-18 14:21:14:00

Lee’s approval hits new low amid housing policy woes: poll

President Lee Jae Myung’s approval rating fell for a fifth consecutive week to a new low of 43 percent, with a local pollster attributing the decline largely to confusion over the administration’s property tax overhaul. The poll results also showed that the main opposition People Power Party failed to benefit from Lee’s declining approval. The poll released Monday by Realmeter showed that 43 percent of respondents approved of Lee’s job performance, down 0.3 percentage point from the previous wee

2026-08-17 11:34:45:00

Lee calls for swift conscription reform to expand professional ranks

President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday called for a swift overhaul of South Korea’s conscription system that would retain universal service while widening the path into longer-term professional military roles. Lee said the military should introduce a “selective voluntary enlistment system” as part of a broader effort to transform the armed forces into a technologically advanced, highly capable force during his weekly meeting with senior aides and secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul. He underscore

2026-08-13 17:55:14:00

How diplomacy changed Korea’s fate — and its future

Liberation came in 1945. Sovereignty — and with it, the authority to speak and act abroad in Korea’s own name — did not. Three years later, a Korean government delegation went to Paris to ask the United Nations to recognize the Republic of Korea. The fledgling state had a flag and a government, but neither a seat nor a vote at the UN. It would take another 43 years for South Korea to become a full UN member in 1991. Eighty years after liberation, a South Korean president presided over a 2025 mee

2026-08-13 17:49:38:00

Election watchdog rejects PPP petitions over Seoul, Busan mayoral races

South Korea’s election watchdog on Wednesday rejected election petitions filed by the main opposition People Power Party seeking to invalidate the results of the Seoul and Busan mayoral elections and several other local races. In its decisions, the National Election Commission acknowledged that ballot shortages and voting suspensions during the June 3 local elections had violated election rules but concluded that the irregularities did not affect the outcomes. “Although violations of election re

2026-08-12 21:00:24:00

BTS’ V reveals yearslong hearing difficulties

BTS member V said after the group performed in Baltimore on Tuesday that he has been receiving treatment for hearing difficulties for more than two years. “I’ve never told ARMY this before, but my hearing hasn’t been good for the past two and a half years,” V said, referring to the group’s fan base by its official name. V made the disclosure during a livestream on the fan platform Weverse with bandmate Jungkook as the two shared a meal after the show. “If the hearing in my left ear is at 100, it

2026-08-12 20:00:58:00

Cheong Wa Dae press chief tenders resignation

Kim Sang-ho, who oversees Cheong Wa Dae’s media relations, recently submitted his resignation to President Lee Jae Myung, The Korea Herald learned from sources Monday. Kim serves as head of Chunchugwan, Cheong Wa Dae’s press center that oversees media relations and manages the press corps of more than 300 reporters. He joined the presidential office, then still in Yongsan, on June 4 last year, the day Lee took office. Kim tendered his resignation Aug. 4, shortly after Lee returned from a tour of

2026-08-10 19:54:36:00

Seoul to consult US on swift Gwangju military relocation for chip belt

South Korea will consult the United States on expeditiously relocating US military facilities from Gwangju Air Base, which has been selected as the site of the country’s second semiconductor belt, Cheong Wa Dae said Monday. President Lee Jae Myung ordered the military to draw up plans to transfer operations from the base to other airfields by mid-2028. Lee also directed officials to begin developing nearby land without waiting for the temporary relocation to be completed. Lee issued the directiv

2026-08-10 19:35:42:00