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Lee Hyo-jin

Korea Times Finance Reporter

Lee Hyo-jin covers the Bank of Korea, the banking industry and broader financial news. Her previous beats include foreign affairs, North Korea and general reporting on Korean society.

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Defense

Air Force Lt. Gen. Jin Yong-sung nominated for JCS chief

Air Force Lt. Gen. Jin Yong-sung was nominated to be the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Monday, in the first major reshuffle of military leadership since the martial law crisis last December. The sweeping shake-up, which prompted the retirement of all seven four-star generals, is seen as part of the Lee Jae Myung administration's effort to reform the military in the aftermath of his predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol's Dec. 3 martial law declaration. According to the Ministry of National Defense, Jin, who currently heads the strategic command, has been tapped to lead the JCS, succeeding Adm. Kim Myung-soo. Jin, 56, a graduate of the 39th class of the Air Force Academy, has held key positions including director of strategic planning at the JCS and chief of planning and management at Air Force headquarters. The appointment of an Air Force officer as JCS chairman comes about five years after Gen. Won In-choul assumed the post. Alongside the new JCS chief, six other three-star generals were promoted to four-star positions in the reshuffle. Among them are Lt. Gen. Kim Gyu-ha, Vice Adm.

Sep 1, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin
Air Force Lt. Gen. Jin Yong-sung nominated for JCS chief
Politics

National Assembly regular session kicks off amid deepening partisan divide

The National Assembly opened its 100-day regular session Monday, with fierce clashes expected between the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and main opposition People Power Party (PPP) over contentious bills. Over the next 100 days, lawmakers plan to take up next year’s budget and debate reforms and other proposed bills. Rival party leaders are scheduled to give policy speeches — the DPK on Sept. 9 and the PPP on Sept. 10 — and conduct audits of government agencies from Sept. 15 to 18. Confirmation hearings for the education and gender equality ministers are also expected in the coming days. The opening ceremony laid bare the deepening partisan divide. DPK members wore hanbok, Korea’s traditional dress, as suggested by Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, calling it a gesture of respect for the nation’s identity and culture. PPP lawmakers rejected the idea and appeared in black suits resembling funeral clothing, in protest of what they called the ruling party’s unilateral passage of bills. The contrast in attire reflected a broader clash as the two parties head into battle over

Sep 1, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin
National Assembly regular session kicks off amid deepening partisan divide
North Korea

S. Korea wary of Kim Jong-un's multilateral diplomatic debut in Beijing

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is expected to appear among world leaders for the first time at China’s major military parade on Wednesday, a move analysts say could pose challenges to Seoul’s efforts to engage Pyongyang. While Seoul sees little chance that its delegation, led by National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, will meet Kim at the parade, some analysts say the North Korean leader’s debut on the multilateral stage could signal a possible opening for dialogue with the United States. Kim has been invited by Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend the Sept. 3 military parade, which commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, a date China observes as its victory over Japan. The North Korean leader will be among 26 foreign leaders attending, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. The invitation and attendance were announced by China and North Korea last Thursday. The upcoming event marks the first time Kim joins a large group of world leaders on a multilateral stage since taking power in 2011. Multilateral diplomacy is unusual for Kim, as it was for his pred

Aug 31, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin
S. Korea wary of Kim Jong-un's multilateral diplomatic debut in Beijing
Society

Korean adoptee seeks gov't compensation for flaws in overseas adoption

Kim Yoo-ree, a 52-year-old Korean adoptee, has filed a groundbreaking compensation claim against the Korean government, alleging official negligence in her overseas adoption more than four decades ago. The claim, which is the first publicly known case, seeks redress for a childhood she describes as a series of abuses at the hands of her French adoptive parents. Her legal team says a decision in the coming weeks could establish a significant precedent, opening the door for thousands of other overseas adoptees to seek similar remedies. Kim was sent to France at the age of 11 in 1984, along with her younger brother. She says she endured physical, verbal and sexual abuse by her adoptive parents. It was only in 2022 that she began to speculate that her adoption may have been unlawful, prompting her to pursue legal action. According to her compensation claim document viewed by The Korea Times, Monday, Kim's request is based on two major allegations of wrongdoings by Korean authorities. She was sent to France without her legal guardian's consent after an orphan registry was created, despite off

Aug 25, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin
Korean adoptee seeks gov't compensation for flaws in overseas adoption
Foreign Affairs

Seoul seeks easing of nuclear restrictions at Lee-Trump summit

Speculation is rising that revising the Korea-U.S. nuclear energy agreement could be on the agenda at a leaders' summit in Washington on Monday (local time), as Seoul seeks to ease restrictions on spent nuclear fuel reprocessing. The first in-person meeting between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump, which is expected to address a range of security issues, could also launch discussions on a potential revision of the key energy pact. Korean officials reportedly coordinated on the issue during last-minute meetings with U.S. counterparts, including Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, who visited Washington on Thursday, and Trade Minister Kim Jung-kwan, who arrived the following day. They held meetings with their respective counterparts, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Energy Secretary Chris Wright. The talks have fueled speculation that amendments to the bilateral nuclear energy pact could appear in the summit's joint statement or be confirmed in remarks by the two leaders. Known as the "123 Agreement," the pact governs peaceful nuclear cooperation and bars Seoul from enr

Aug 25, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin
Seoul seeks easing of nuclear restrictions at Lee-Trump summit
Society

Almost half of murders in 2024 involved family, relatives

Nearly half of murders committed in Korea last year targeted family members such as parents, spouses and children, data showed Sunday. According to the National Police Agency's 2024 crime statistics, 131 of the 276 people apprehended for murder last year, or 47.5 percent, had killed a spouse, parent, child or other relative. The share hovered around 30 percent between 2020 and 2022, but in 2023, it surged to 55.1 percent, or 160 out of 290 murder suspects. The apparent sharp rise was partly due to a change in methodology that year, when cases involving former spouses or common-law partners began to be counted. The proportion has since remained close to half. Several recent high-profile murder cases have underscored this trend. Causes behind family murders range from marital conflict and financial hardship to mental illness, with some cases pointing to a deeply rooted cultural belief that family issues should be handled privately. In July, a man in his 60s in Songdo, Incheon, was accused of killing his 33-year-old son with a homemade firearm. The attack occurred shortly after the family ha

Aug 24, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin
Almost half of murders in 2024 involved family, relatives
Foreign Affairs

S. Korea hints at N. Korea sanctions relief in denuclearization process

South Korea’s top security adviser said Friday that sanctions relief for North Korea may be under consideration as part of Seoul’s denuclearization roadmap, while dismissing speculation that President Lee Jae Myung’s approach would entail recognizing Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal. "In the process of halting and rolling back [nuclear programs], there will need to be discussions on what's required, and naturally, sanctions relief could be one of those issues," National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said during a press conference. He added that Seoul and Washington share the same approach to the ultimate goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, stressing that the two countries are closely coordinating their North Korea policy. "I would say there is a consensus on the basic approach. There may be minor differences on timing or what is negotiated along the way, but overall, we have a similiar approach," he said. Wi's remarks came a day after Lee outlined a three-step denuclearization plan in an interview with Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun. The plan calls for freezing North Korea's nuclear a

Aug 22, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin
S. Korea hints at N. Korea sanctions relief in denuclearization process
Foreign Affairs

Visits by top Korean officials to US fuel jitters ahead of Trump summit

A spate of last-minute visits to Washington by top Korean officials has heightened concerns that talks may be hitting obstacles on the eve of President Lee Jae Myung’s first summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun abruptly departed Seoul on Thursday and arrived in Washington later that night (local time). He is expected to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The sudden move forced him to skip a planned trip to Tokyo this weekend, where he had been scheduled to accompany Lee on the president's first visit to Japan since taking office. Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo arrived in Washington on Wednesday and met the following day with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan is due Friday for meetings with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Energy Secretary Chris Wright. The flurry of visits underscores Seoul’s push to lock down the details of a tariff agreement reached in July, a deal widely expected to dominate Monday’s summit in Washington. Cho's early trip, however, has raised eyebrows. His sudden departure excluded

Aug 22, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin
Visits by top Korean officials to US fuel jitters ahead of Trump summit
Foreign Affairs

Lee-Trump summit may touch on 3-stage path to denuclearization

President Lee Jae Myung’s three-step blueprint for North Korea’s denuclearization, unveiled just days before his visit to Washington, has fueled speculation that the proposal could be raised in his upcoming talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. Analysts said Lee’s approach suggested that South Korea was seeking to align with Trump’s apparent “small deal” strategy toward the North. But they cautioned that the Kim Jong-un regime, seen as increasingly belligerent, was unlikely to engage in dialogue with Seoul anytime soon. In an interview with Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun published Thursday, Lee said the first stage of his plan for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula would be to freeze North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. “The policy aim is the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” he said, responding to a question about concerns that potential U.S.-North Korea talks might involve recognition of Pyongyang’s possession of nuclear weapons. In the second and final stages, Lee said he would seek to reduce and ultimately dismantle the North’s nuclear pro

Aug 21, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin
Lee-Trump summit may touch on 3-stage path to denuclearization
Politics

President to visit Hanwha's US shipyard alongside summit with Trump

President Lee Jae Myung will tour Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia on Tuesday (local time) as part of his U.S. visit, which will also include his first summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, the presidential office said Thursday. The shipyard, acquired by Hanwha for $100 million last year, is seen as a symbolic place to represent the shipbuilding cooperation initiative between the two nations, known as "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again" (MASGA). The MASGA initiative played a key role for the two nations to reach a tariff deal in late July, when they agreed to lower the U.S.' planned blanket levy on Korean products from 25 percent to 15 percent. Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said Lee will visit Japan ahead of the U.S. visit and have a luncheon with Korean residents, followed by a summit and dinner with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. On Sunday, he is to meet leading Japanese lawmakers before departing for Washington. He is scheduled to arrive in Washington on Sunday afternoon (local time) and open his U.S. visit with a dinner with Korean American residents. On Monday

Aug 21, 2025By Park Ung and Lee Hyo-jin
President to visit Hanwha's US shipyard alongside summit with Trump
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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.