Lee says focus on growth does not sideline welfare

President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday dismissed the argument that his government was prioritizing economic growth at the expense of welfare and efforts to ease inequality, saying South Korea first needs to expand the overall economic pie. Lee made the remarks on social media after sharing an editorial that criticized the government's 820.9 trillion won ($599 billion) budget proposal for 2027 for placing too much emphasis on growth and called for stronger measures to reduce economic polarization.

2026-09-02 14:38:27:00

S. Korea, US, Japan to hold joint military drill despite N. Korean warning

South Korea, the United States and Japan will proceed with their annual multidomain military exercise next week despite North Korea's warning of a "hard-line" response, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Wednesday. The three countries are scheduled to conduct Freedom Edge from Sept. 7-11 in waters southeast of Jeju Island, according to the South Korean military. Jang Do-young, a Navy captain and spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said there had been no change to the exercise plan despit

2026-09-02 14:16:32:00

S. Korea's defense budget set to top W70tr for first time

South Korea's defense budget is set to surpass 70 trillion won ($51 billion) for the first time next year, as Seoul accelerates its push to transfer wartime operational control and build up domestic defense capabilities. Of the record 820.9 trillion won proposal approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday, 73.28 trillion won was allocated to defense, up 8.2 percent from 67.7 trillion won in 2026 — the steepest increase in nearly two decades. The government plans to submit the proposal to the National Ass

2026-09-01 15:12:38:00

Reform Party rules out merger with major parties

Rep. Chun Ha-ram, acting leader and floor leader of the minor conservative Reform Party, dismissed speculation Monday that the party was considering merging with either of South Korea's two major political parties. "There is no one in the Reform Party who is pursuing a merger," Chun said during a press conference at the National Assembly, referring to the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and the main opposition People Power Party. Chun pledged that the Reform Party would maintain its independent

2026-08-31 14:31:57:00

Muan selected as candidate site for relocation of Gwangju Air Base

South Korea on Friday formally selected Muan as the candidate site for the relocation of Gwangju Air Base as part of the Lee Jae Myung administration's plan to develop a major semiconductor industrial cluster on the existing military airport site. The Defense Ministry's relocation site selection committee approved an area in Mangun-myeon, Muan-gun, South Jeolla Province, as the official candidate site during a meeting chaired by Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back. The area had been designated as the

2026-08-28 19:15:35:00

Lee unveils 2027 youth budget focused on jobs, housing, asset building

President Lee Jae Myung on Friday unveiled the government's key budget plans for young people for 2027 ahead of the formal announcement of next year's budget, including a university internship program and increased housing support. During an event titled "Youth Budget Unboxing 2027" at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Lee said young people were one of the country's most vulnerable generations amid mounting challenges over jobs, housing and financial security. It is the first time the South Korean governm

2026-08-28 17:41:08:00

S. Korean response team begins Nepal mission to locate 9 missing Koreans

South Korea's rapid response team began operations in Nepal on Friday to help locate nine South Koreans missing after massive flooding hit a hydropower plant construction site, marking the start of Seoul's on-site response. The 11-member team, led by Lim Sang-woo, the Foreign Ministry's representative for consular affairs and the protection of Koreans overseas, arrived in Kathmandu late Thursday and began coordinating with South Korean Embassy officials and Nepalese authorities. The ministry sai

2026-08-28 16:57:32:00

South Korea, US, Japan trilateral drill to go ahead as planned despite Trump‘s outreach to Pyongyang

The annual Freedom Edge exercise — a trilateral drill among South Korea, Japan and the US — will be conducted from Sept. 7 to 11 as scheduled, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Friday. According to the JCS, Freedom Edge is a defensive exercise designed to strengthen the three countries' ability to respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and safeguard peace and stability in the region. Freedom Edge is a regular multidomain trilateral exercise whose name combines elements of Ulchi Fr

2026-08-28 10:55:26:00

S. Korea opens first sea trial of homegrown suicide drone

BUSAN — South Korea's homegrown suicide drone may have proved itself on land. At sea, it was not quite ready. On Tuesday, the Agency for Defense Development and the South Korean Navy opened the first maritime trial of the domestically developed medium-sized suicide drone to the media aboard the ROKS Marado, a 14,500-ton Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship, in waters south of Busan. The ADD is a state-run defense research agency responsible for developing weapons systems and related technologies

2026-08-26 15:03:24:00

[Key Points] Trump-Kim outreach raises new nuclear risks for Seoul

Trump-Kim reset: Renewed outreach from US President Donald Trump could revive direct diplomacy with Kim Jong-un. Experts expect talks to focus on limiting North Korea’s arsenal rather than immediate denuclearization. Nuclear goals narrow: Washington may increasingly favor freezing nuclear production and pursuing gradual reductions, reflecting doubts that complete denuclearization remains achievable. Pyongyang holds leverage: Stronger military ties with Russia and closer relations with China have

2026-08-24 16:57:45:00