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Yi Whan-woo

Korea Times Politics & City Reporter

Yi Whan-woo is a Korea Times journalist primarily covering finance. He writes in-depth articles on macroeconomy and financial markets and previously covered sports, politics, diplomacy and inter-Korean affairs, among others. Feel free to contact him at yistory@koreatimes.co.kr.

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Politics

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK Why Lee skipped summer vacation

President Lee Jae Myung has skipped his summer vacation this year — an unusual move considering presidents typically take time off between late July and early August to recharge and prepare for the second half of the year. “Staying at home is rest for me,” Lee said last week, reflecting his well-known workaholic tendencies. But his decision has also prompted speculation over whether he is mindful of his falling approval ratings, with multiple polls showing a sustained decline in public support. Realmeter’s latest poll placed Lee’s approval rating at a record-low 43.3 percent, marking its fourth consecutive weekly decline. His disapproval rating reached 53 percent, while his approval fell below the ruling Democratic Party of Korea’s 44.6 percent approval rating for the first time under his administration. Other surveys showed a similar trend, as Gallup Korea put Lee’s approval at 44 percent, its lowest level since his inauguration in June 2025 and below his 46 percent disapproval rating. Taken together, the surveys suggest that Lee’s support is facing a steady decline rather

Aug 14, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
[REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK] Why Lee skipped summer vacation
Politics

Lee pushes for 'selective enlistment' to build smart, strong armed forces

President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday stressed the need for Korea to adopt a selective enlistment system to transform the country’s armed forces into a “smart, elite and powerful military” centered on advanced equipment and technology. The president reaffirmed his long-standing commitment to the revised system, which was one of his election campaign pledges. The proposed system would let individuals choose between serving as active-duty conscripts for 18-21 months or as technology-intensive noncommissioned officers for four or five years — a longer commitment than rank-and-file conscription, offset by incentives such as higher salaries meant to attract volunteers. The proposal, which aims to sustain the broader conscription model over the long term by expanding service options, comes as Korea continues to grapple with a dwindling population of military-age men. “Amid the persistently low birthrate, maintaining the current inefficient military structure centered on manpower and infantry is neither feasible nor desirable,” Lee said during a meeting with senior secretaries at Che

Aug 13, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Lee pushes for 'selective enlistment' to build smart, strong armed forces
Politics

Cities race to host public institutions as relocation push heats up

The government’s plan to relocate hundreds of public institutions outside the Seoul metropolitan area is gaining ground with President Lee Jae Myung throwing his support behind it, intensifying competition among municipalities seeking to host major organizations. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is drawing up a road map for the second round of relocations, reviewing roughly 350 institutions and their affiliates currently based in the capital region. The plan comes after the first round of relocations was completed in 2019. It could be outlined this month or by September at the latest, according to Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Yoon-duk. He added that the road map would then be reported to the president. The relocation drive gained further momentum from Lee’s repeated calls to group institutions in related sectors within the same regions. “Balanced regional development is a matter of national survival, so we cannot approach it by simply scattering institutions around,” Lee said in March. At a nationally televised news conference marking his fi

Aug 13, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Cities race to host public institutions as relocation push heats up
Foreign Affairs

President hopes new US envoy will strengthen Seoul-Washington alliance

President Lee Jae Myung expressed his hope that U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel will serve as a “strong bridge” and further strengthen the Korea-U.S. alliance, Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday. The announcement came after Lee received Steel’s credentials and held a separate meeting with the Korean-born American diplomat. Steel was among four newly appointed foreign envoys who attended the credentials presentation ceremony. “U.S. Ambassador Steel said she was delighted to take up her post in South Korea and pledged to engage extensively with the Korean government and people to promote mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation between the two countries,” presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said. Lee responded that he expected Steel’s deep understanding of Korean culture and society to help both countries deepen the bilateral alliance, according to Kang. The spokesperson went on to quote Lee as saying that “outstanding issues between the two countries could be resolved smoothly through reasonable and active dialogue and cooperation.” The meeting came amid s

Aug 12, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
President hopes new US envoy will strengthen Seoul-Washington alliance
Politics

Housing policy, prosecution reform drag president's approval rating to record low

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating has fallen to a new low since he took office, as public discontent grew over politically sensitive issues, including housing policy, prosecution reform and his controversial remarks about the Korea Military Academy, a survey showed Monday. The Realmeter survey, commissioned by Energy Economic News, also showed that public support for Lee slipped below the support rate for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) for the first time in his presidency, now in its second year. "Controversies over the real estate tax overhaul, prosecution reform, Lee's remarks linking the Korea Military Academy to a coup, along with the prolonged heat wave and economic uncertainty, have led to a broader erosion of support," Realmeter said in a press release. The dispute over real estate tax reform centers on potentially raising taxes for owners of high-value homes, as housing remains one of the nation's most politically sensitive issues, particularly in Seoul. The controversy over prosecution reform was sparked by a legislative revision that completely strips prosec

Aug 10, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Housing policy, prosecution reform drag president's approval rating to record low
Politics

President rushes to review policies amid growing backlash from young Koreans

President Lee Jae Myung is pushing to revise policies that are criticized for going against the interests of young Koreans, as his approval rating among this demographic remains the lowest of any age group. The disputed measures span multiple sectors, including a tax overhaul plan concerning individual savings accounts (ISAs), which angered people in their 20s and 30s by stripping away existing benefits. The measures also include 22 marriage-related policies, which have been nicknamed the "marriage penalty" for disadvantaging newlyweds and new parents. The president referred to those in their 20s and 30s as “a vulnerable group” during a meeting with senior presidential secretaries, Thursday, asking them to reorganize relevant policies by considering young people's conditions, including education, employment, income, asset building, housing and marital status. The announcement came amid polls showing that Lee's disapproval rating among those in their 20s and 30s is higher compared to other age groups. A Media Tomato survey, commissioned by News Tomato and conducted from Aug. 3 to 4, sh

Aug 9, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
President rushes to review policies amid growing backlash from young Koreans
Society

Scorching heat to peak Friday before easing over weekend

The scorching heat wave in Korea is expected to reach its peak, Friday, before easing slightly over the weekend, although forecasters warned that temperatures will remain well above seasonal averages and the respite is likely to be short-lived. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) forecast Seoul's daytime high to remain at 39 degrees Celsius, Friday, after reaching the same temperature, Thursday, leaving it just 0.6 degrees Celsius shy of the city's all-time record of 39.6 degrees Celsius, set on Aug. 1, 2018. The agency said temperatures could again exceed 40 degrees Celsius in parts of the capital region after topping that mark, Thursday, while widespread tropical nights — when overnight lows remain above 25 degrees Celsius — are expected to persist. Elsewhere, daytime highs are forecast to reach 38 degrees Celsius on Friday in Incheon and Gwangju, 37 degrees Celsius in Daejeon and Daegu, 35 degrees Celsius in Busan and 34 degrees Celsius in Ulsan. Temperatures are expected to ease over the weekend nationwide, with daytime highs ranging from 27 to 36 degrees Celsius, Satur

Aug 6, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Scorching heat to peak Friday before easing over weekend
Politics

Lee administration's reform drive raises concerns over rushed policymaking

The Lee Jae Myung administration is sparking concerns that it is rushing through major reforms without fully assessing their risks, with critics arguing that it is hastily implementing policies and addressing unintended consequences only after they emerge. The concerns have been fueled by a disputed revised law, set to take effect on Oct. 2, that completely strips the prosecution of its direct investigative powers and high-risk, high-return single-stock leveraged exchange-traded funds (ETFs), rolled out just ahead of the June 3 local elections. Regarding the legislation on prosecution reform, the bill was passed by the National Assembly July 31 and cleared by the Cabinet Tuesday amid controversy that it would leave shortcomings in police investigations unaddressed. The controversy deepened particularly after allegations of police misconduct surfaced in a recent murder case involving a police officer's son. The majority-wielding ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), however, placed greater importance on its long-standing goal of preventing the prosecution's abuse of power to both invest

Aug 6, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Lee administration's reform drive raises concerns over rushed policymaking
Politics

President slams delay in return of former USFK sites

President Lee Jae Myung criticized the prolonged delay in the return of lands formerly used by U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) to the Korean side, Wednesday, saying it "defies common sense" and urging officials to speed up negotiations with Washington. Lee argued that Korea has already fulfilled its obligations under the bilateral agreement for the relocation of USFK headquarters out of U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Yongsan in central Seoul, but many of the former military sites that were supposed to be returned remain unavailable for public use. In support of his claim, Lee noted that Korea spent more than 10 trillion won ($7.02 billion) to expand USAG Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, which became the main hub for American troops on the Korean Peninsula after the relocation was largely completed in 2018. "Negotiations over the return of former U.S. military sites are taking far too long. It simply defies common sense,” the president said during a joint policy briefing from the foreign, unification, defense and veterans ministries at Cheong Wa Dae. “We spent an enormous amount of mon

Aug 5, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
President slams delay in return of former USFK sites
Politics

Cabinet clears bill to strip prosecutors of investigative power

The government endorsed a revised bill that completely strips the prosecution of its direct investigative powers, including the authority to conduct supplementary investigations, during a Cabinet meeting chaired by President Lee Jae Myung Tuesday. The approval of the prosecution reform bill clears the way for a sweeping overhaul of Korea's criminal justice system following its passage by the National Assembly, Friday. The revised law, which will take effect on Oct. 2, will end more than seven decades of prosecutorial authority to both investigate and indict. Lee has supported abolishing the prosecution's supplementary investigative powers — the reform's main point of contention. The Cabinet meeting drew attention over whether the president would exercise his veto against the bill amid a dispute over allowing prosecutors to keep the authority to conduct supplementary investigations as a tool to verify evidence and address shortcomings in police investigations. Prosecutors will retain only the authority to indict and may only request judicial police officers to conduct supplementary inve

Aug 4, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Cabinet clears bill to strip prosecutors of investigative power
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