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Anna J. Park

Korea Times Politics & City Reporter

Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.

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Politics

1 year after martial law declaration, Lee to join rally near Assembly

President Lee Jae Myung plans to participate in a large civic rally scheduled for Wednesday evening in front of the National Assembly, marking one year since former President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. The event, organized by a coalition of grassroots organizations and progressive-leaning parties — including the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, the Rebuilding Korea Party and three smaller parties — represents a rare appearance by a sitting president at an outdoor demonstration led by civic organizations. Presidential spokesperson Kim Nam-joon said at Tuesday’s briefing that the president’s decision to appear in person was motivated by a desire to express gratitude to the Korean people, whose remarkable courage he believes warrants a deeply meaningful acknowledgment. “We are, of course, meticulously reviewing all security matters within the presidential office,” Kim said. “However, excessively restricting the president’s interactions with the public due to security considerations would not be desirable. With that in mind, we are preparing securit

Dec 2, 2025By Anna J. Park
1 year after martial law declaration, Lee to join rally near Assembly
Politics

Key presidential aides rumored to eye bids in next year’s local elections

With six months to go before next year’s June 3 local elections, speculation is mounting over potential candidacies among senior aides in the presidential office. Considering the legal deadlines for public officials to resign and eligibility rules for listing government service as experience, a clearer picture of potential contenders is expected to emerge by early next year, after the presidential office completes its move to Cheong Wa Dae at year’s end. As a result, a large-scale reshuffle of key presidential staff in February now appears likely. The by-elections, to be held concurrently with local elections, could see more than a dozen parliamentary seats up for grabs. Under current election law, lawmakers representing constituencies vacated by April 30, 2026, will be replaced in the by-elections. Two constituencies are already clearly confirmed: Gyeyang-B in Incheon, President Lee Jae Myung’s former district, and Asan-B in South Chungcheong Province, formerly represented by chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik. Many observers believe these districts could attract high-profile figures

Dec 1, 2025By Anna J. Park
Key presidential aides rumored to eye bids in next year’s local elections
Politics

1 year after martial law, Korea’s chronic political conflicts have only deepened

One year has passed since former President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, under the guise of rooting out “anti-state forces.” After the shock declaration that eventually toppled the Yoon administration midway through his term and triggered an unexpected transfer of power, Korea’s political landscape has been dramatically reshaped, yet its chronic ailments have only deepened. Yoon’s martial law fiasco resulted in the second ouster of a president in Korean history, transferring power to a new government in the hands of the dominant Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), while the People Power Party (PPP), tainted by the “sin” of supporting Yoon’s insurrection attempt, remains adrift and incapable of acting as a credible opposition. Only a handful of PPP lawmakers voiced opposition to Yoon’s martial law attempt from the beginning, as many others initially tried to defend or rationalize his actions. Fallout from the accountability debate has fractured the party, reducing it to what critics now describe as a mere observer, unable to fulfill even basic oppositio

Dec 1, 2025By Anna J. Park
1 year after martial law, Korea’s chronic political conflicts have only deepened
Politics

DPK submits bill to establish management body for $350 bil. investment in US

Korea’s ruling party submitted a bill on Wednesday to establish a state-run investment corporation and fund to manage a planned $350 billion investment in the United States, intending to cement a major economic agreement reached at the summit between Seoul and Washington last month. Through the bill, the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the government seek to retroactively apply the planned reduction in U.S. tariffs on Korean automobiles and auto parts, from 25 percent to 15 percent, to Nov. 1. The legislation specifically calls for the creation of a Korea-U.S. strategic investment fund. This framework is designed to oversee commercially viable investments and bolster bilateral economic ties. To manage and operate the fund, the bill seeks to establish a body, tentatively named the Korea-U.S. Strategic Investment Corp., for an initial term of up to 20 years. The corporation will launch with 3 trillion won ($2 billion) in capital from the government and other contributors. Under its oversight, the fund will be run to execute key investments efficiently. To leverage existing expertise,

Nov 26, 2025By Anna J. Park
DPK submits bill to establish management body for $350 bil. investment in US
Foreign Affairs

Lee ends 10-day G20-anchored tour with nuclear, defense, energy partnership in Turkey

President Lee Jae Myung concludes a 10-day tour of the Middle East and Africa on Tuesday in Turkey, ending a trip that underscored Korea’s widening global ambitions and his own rising diplomatic profile. Beginning in the United Arab Emirates and culminating in South Africa, where he used the G20 summit to push for cooperation on supply-chain resilience and AI governance, Lee sought to extend Seoul’s reach in strategic technologies — from artificial intelligence and defense to nuclear energy — while positioning Korea as a more assertive voice on global challenges. In Ankara, the final stop on his four-nation tour, Lee paid a two-day state visit, meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and signing a joint statement on strategic partnership. The agreement lays the groundwork for a new defense-industry alliance and broadens cooperation on energy, environmental initiatives and sustainable growth. The joint statement said the two governments pledged to deepen their partnership, citing “mutual respect, trust and long-standing friendship” as they approach the 70th anniversary o

Nov 25, 2025By Anna J. Park
Lee ends 10-day G20-anchored tour with nuclear, defense, energy partnership in Turkey
Society

Gov't enlists religious leaders in new bid to combat Korea's suicide crisis

Seeking to address Korea’s persistently high suicide rate, the government and several major religious organizations on Monday signed an agreement regarding respect for life and suicide prevention, vowing to coordinate efforts to provide hope, compassion and support for people in despair. The agreement came as Prime Minister Kim Min-seok convened the first government–religious community roundtable at his residence in Seoul, bringing together representatives from various faith groups, including the United Christian Churches of Korea, the Korean Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the Central Headquarters of Won-Buddhism, and the Jogye Order. Kim underscored the significance of the event as a first step toward establishing a regular, sustainable framework for cooperation between the government and religious leaders on major social issues. The initiative begins with suicide prevention as the first item on the group's shared agenda. Korea’s long-running public health crisis worsened last year. According to Statistics Korea’s 2024 report on causes of death, 14,872 people died by suicide in

Nov 24, 2025By Anna J. Park
Gov't enlists religious leaders in new bid to combat Korea's suicide crisis
Politics

Korea's victory in Lone Star case sparks controversy over who deserves credit

After Korea secured a victory in its 13-year legal battle against U.S.-based private equity fund Lone Star, escaping liability for compensation of $216.5 million plus interest, a political dispute has erupted over which government administration deserves credit for the win. The controversy intensified after Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho publicly led a briefing on Tuesday, shortly after news broke that the Korean government had won its annulment request in the investor-state dispute settlement case against Lone Star. The two made comments that appeared to frame the victory as an achievement solely of the Lee Jae Myung administration. In particular, Justice Minister Jung said: “Some may argue that this outcome was achieved before the current administration took office, but this is not an issue of which government it belongs to. After the Dec. 3 crisis last year, when both the president and the justice minister were absent, officials devoted themselves fully to this case, and their dedication led to the victory.” Regarding the briefing, former main oppos

Nov 21, 2025By Anna J. Park
Korea's victory in Lone Star case sparks controversy over who deserves credit
Foreign Affairs

KorAsia Forum looks for answers in transforming world

As the world order is recast by sharpened rivalries and a more transactional brand of diplomacy, South Korea finds itself rethinking its strategic role amid a geopolitical shift that analysts say is unmatched in recent decades. That shifting geopolitical landscape was the focus of Thursday’s KorAsia Forum, “A Turbulent World, Korea’s Choice,” held at the FKI Plaza in Yeouido, Seoul, and hosted by Hankook Ilbo and its sister paper The Korea Times. In a keynote address, former First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Lim Sung-nam said the United States is evolving “from a benevolent hegemon to a reciprocal hegemon,” adding that since 2018 the world has been moving away from the globalization model that defined more than three decades of post-Cold War history. Lim described the potential policy direction of the second Trump administration as one of “America First transactionalism,” characterized by a retreat from multilateralism and the adoption of selective expansionism, signaling a fundamental change in geopolitical era. One of the most consequential shifts, he said, is Was

Nov 20, 2025By Anna J. Park
KorAsia Forum looks for answers in transforming world
Foreign Affairs

Korea to join UAE’s Stargate AI infrastructure project

Korea will participate in the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) ambitious artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure development project, widely known as Stargate UAE, which is set to become one of the world's largest, the presidential office said Tuesday. The Stargate initiative, led by U.S. companies including OpenAI, involves building AI data centers in Abu Dhabi with an initial investment exceeding 30 trillion won ($22 billion) and a maximum capacity of up to 5 gigawatts. The two countries announced the decision after President Lee Jae Myung’s bilateral summit with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during Lee’s state visit to the Middle Eastern country. As the project is currently moving forward with plans to operate a 200-megawatt data center next year, Korea aims to leverage its strengths in energy, batteries, eco-friendly solutions and climate-tech. The initiative is also expected to create significant opportunities for Korean AI startups and data center specialists to expand their presence in the global market, according to Korean officials. In addition to cooperation

Nov 18, 2025By Anna J. Park
Korea to join UAE’s Stargate AI infrastructure project
Foreign Affairs

Korea-US fact sheet sets off new political clash in Seoul over ratification

Political tensions are rising in Seoul over whether to ratify a recently released joint fact sheet, a summary of high-stakes Korea-U.S. negotiations that could reshape tariffs, military cooperation and the broader alliance between the two countries. The Lee administration and ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) contend that the fact sheet is a memorandum of understanding (MOU), not a treaty, and therefore does not require parliamentary approval. The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) argues that the document requires ratification, noting that it cites an estimated $350 billion in investments bound for the United States — a sum that amounts to roughly 10 million won, or $6,854, in financial burden per Korean constituent — and therefore meets the threshold of a treaty imposing significant fiscal obligations. The DPK has dismissed the PPP’s call for ratification as political posturing and intends to move quickly on a special law aimed at supporting outbound investments and stabilizing export-oriented industries facing tariff-related challenges. Tariff reductions can be retro

Nov 18, 2025By Anna J. Park
Korea-US fact sheet sets off new political clash in Seoul over ratification
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