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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

Lee looks to rebuild political momentum following diplomatic trip

President Lee Jae Myung appears to be trying to restore political momentum after returning from a 10-day diplomatic tour of Europe, Thursday, amid declining approval ratings and tensions within the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). On Friday, the president convened a press briefing on the outcome of diplomatic trip, which concluded Thursday, and also a meeting with senior presidential secretaries. The briefing was held amid speculation that the president believed the achievements of his trip had been overshadowed by domestic political issues, leading him to personally present the results instead of delegating the task to aides, as is customary. Meanwhile, Friday's meeting with senior presidential secretaries followed a previous gathering with corresponding aides in Seoul, Sunday, while Lee was in Italy for a state visit. Such a meeting was unprecedented, prompting speculation that Lee remained focused on developments at home even while abroad amid the fallout from the June 3 local elections. The DPK won most of the mayoral and gubernatorial races nationwide but lost the Seoul mayora

1d agoBy Yi Whan-woo
Lee looks to rebuild political momentum following diplomatic trip
Foreign Affairs

Lee says Trump believes time has come to refocus on North Korea

President Lee Jae Myung said Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump believes the time has come to pay attention again to North Korea issue, as he recounted his conversation with Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit earlier this week. Lee also said he told Trump that the North Korea's nuclear issue should not be approached in the same way that other countries' issues have been dealt with. He reiterated his earlier opinion that the U.S. is the only party capable of resuming dialogue with North Korea. "The topic we discussed at greatest length was the North Korea's nuclear issue and how it should be approached going forward … President Trump said it is time to pay attention to such issue once again,” Lee said during a briefing on the outcome of his 10-day diplomatic tour of Europe through Thursday. The trip included participation in the G7 summit in France from Monday to Wednesday. Lee was seated next to Trump at the summit dinner on Tuesday, where the two leaders engaged in a conversation for more than 90 minutes on matters of mutual interest, reinforcing friendly ties, according t

1d agoBy Yi Whan-woo
Lee says Trump believes time has come to refocus on North Korea
Politics

DPK factional divide becomes more visible after local elections

A simmering factional divide within the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has become increasingly visible nearly two weeks after the June 3 local elections, with loyalists of President Lee Jae Myung and party Chairman Jung Chung-rae exchanging mocking labels that lay bare the depth of the rift. The antagonism has proved more entrenched than many had assumed. Those aligned with the president have sought to disparage pro-Jung figures with a derogatory acronym: "Moon-Cho-Teol-Rae-Rhyu." The acronym, which references former President Moon Jae-in and four of his notable associates, including Jung, is crafted from syllables of their names and well-known personal traits of Moon and his allies — Cho Kuk, Kim Ou-joon, Jung and Rhyu Si-min. The former president remains a potent force within the DPK despite Lee having taken control of the party before being elected as president in June 2025. Cho served as Moon's justice minister, while Kim, a left-leaning journalist and broadcaster, is known for his trademark thick beard, earning him the nickname “teolbo,” or bearded man, from which the

2d agoBy Yi Whan-woo
DPK factional divide becomes more visible after local elections
Foreign Affairs

President to host dinner for diplomatic corps next Tuesday

President Lee Jae Myung will host a dinner reception next Tuesday for heads of diplomatic missions and representatives of international organizations in Korea, the presidential office said Thursday. The reception, to be held at Cheong Wa Dae, will bring together ambassadors representing all 118 resident diplomatic missions in Korea and delegates from 30 international organizations, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing. Among the guests will be Chafik Rachadi, Morocco's ambassador to Korea, who serves as dean of the diplomatic corps. Since 1998, Korea has regularly held presidential receptions for the diplomatic corps at Cheong Wa Dae to demonstrate its commitment to strengthening ties with foreign governments and to seek support and cooperation for major policy initiatives. This year's gathering will take place in Nokjiwon, a garden within the Cheong Wa Dae compound, for the first time since 2019. The presidential office returned from Yongsan District in central Seoul last year. Kang said the upcoming gathering reflects efforts to restore regular communication

2d agoBy Yi Whan-woo
President to host dinner for diplomatic corps next Tuesday
Foreign Affairs

Lee urges Trump to solve North Korea issue after Middle East deal

President Lee Jae Myung asked U.S. President Donald Trump to take the lead in peacefully resolving the North Korean issue, during a brief conversation on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France, the presidential office said. Senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said Trump asked Lee about recent developments in inter-Korean relations in a written briefing, Tuesday. Lee replied that he hoped Trump would lead efforts for a peaceful resolution of the North Korean issue, just as he had helped conclude the Middle East conflict. Kang was referring to the tentative U.S.-Iran peace deal announced Sunday, which ends more than three months of war in the region. "President Trump responded by expressing his willingness to work toward resolving the North Korean issue," Kang added. The exchange took place during a group photo session at the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, where South Korea was invited as a guest country to the annual gathering of the seven member states — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the U.S. As leaders assembled for the photograph, Lee

Jun 17, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Lee urges Trump to solve North Korea issue after Middle East deal
Politics

Lee grapples with headwinds following local elections as party rift, ballot shortage issues deepen

President Lee Jae Myung is grappling with a difficult political moment at home, as a widening rift with ruling party leadership and a public backlash over ballot shortages in the June 3 local elections are pulling down his approval ratings. These political headwinds prompted Lee to remain focused on developments at home even during his diplomatic tour in Europe, leading to him convening an unprecedented virtual meeting with senior presidential aides in Seoul and commenting on political issues through social media. The unease between Cheong Wa Dae and the leadership of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has grown following the party's less-than-satisfactory local election results. The DPK won 12 of the nation's 16 metropolitan mayoral and provincial governorship elections. However, it lost the Seoul mayoral race — widely regarded as the bellwether of national elections. The outcome, coupled with defeats in closely watched battleground districts in the parliamentary by-elections held concurrently with the local elections, fueled criticism of DPK Chairman Jung Chung-rae and trigge

Jun 16, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Lee grapples with headwinds following local elections as party rift, ballot shortage issues deepen
Law & Crime

Prosecutors seek warrants for HD Hyundai Oilbank employees in fuel-price collusion probe

Prosecutors are seeking arrest warrants for two employees of HD Hyundai Oilbank as part of an investigation into allegations that the country's four major refiners colluded to manipulate fuel prices, according to legal sources, Monday. The sources said the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office requested the warrants for two employees in the company's pricing division over allegations that the four refiners — SK Energy, GS Caltex, S-Oil and HD Hyundai Oilbank — coordinated in advance to raise or freeze prices of fuel and petroleum products sold in the domestic market. Prosecutors are expected to expand the investigation to other refiners once a court decides whether to approve the arrest warrants for the HD Hyundai Oilbank employees. The investigation centers on suspicions that the companies took advantage of heightened tensions in the Middle East to keep fuel prices at inflated levels. Prosecutors already searched the headquarters of the four refiners and the Korea Petroleum Association in March. The probe comes after President Lee Jae Myung called for a crackdown on illegal mark

Jun 15, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Prosecutors seek warrants for HD Hyundai Oilbank employees in fuel-price collusion probe
Politics

First lady's reserved role strikes contrast with controversial predecessor

First lady Kim Hea Kyung has remained largely out of the spotlight during the first year of President Lee Jae Myung's administration, adopting a low-key public role that contrasts sharply with the high-profile approach of her predecessor, Kim Keon Hee. Kim Hea Kyung has limited her public appearances and stayed away from political issues — a strategy political observers describe as prudent, given that presidential spouses, despite holding no official constitutional role, can shape public perceptions and affect a president's political standing. “The country has witnessed the so-called 'first lady risk' associated with former first lady Kim Keon Hee,” an analyst said on condition of anonymity. “In light of that, the incumbent first lady's reserved role appears appropriate and consistent with her role of supporting the president." Kim Keon Hee was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted on charges including stock price manipulation involving Deutsch Motors and accepting money and valuables linked to the Unification Church, a controversial religious group. Her husband

Jun 12, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
First lady's reserved role strikes contrast with controversial predecessor
Politics

EXPLAINER Why Korea's election watchdog became untouchable — and what must change

The National Election Commission (NEC) has found its credibility tarnished following the June 3 local elections, with ballot shortages exposing how its constitutional independence, designed to prevent political interference, fostered weak accountability and administrative complacency. The election watchdog underestimated voter turnout at dozens of polling stations where ballot papers ran out, disrupting voting and sparking protests that underscored eroding public confidence in election management. The incident added to a series of controversies surrounding the commission, including the 2022 presidential election when some voters were instructed to place completed ballots in plastic baskets instead of directly into ballot boxes, and allegations of preferential hiring involving NEC officials’ children. Together, these controversies have fueled criticism that the NEC's extensive independence has undermined effective oversight and transparency. "The commission is possibly facing the gravest crisis in the more than 60 years since its establishment, during which it grew into an 'untouchable'

Jun 11, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
[EXPLAINER] Why Korea's election watchdog became untouchable — and what must change
Politics

Outgoing PM gains ground as next ruling party leader with president’s support

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok is gaining momentum as the potential next leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), with President Lee Jae Myung publicly praising his leadership and bringing him along to an official event. The development stands in stark contrast with incumbent DPK Chairman Jung Chung-rae, who is seeking reelection but has come under criticism for the party's losses in several key races in last week's local elections. Jung was not invited to attend the aforementioned event. Kim offered his resignation and formally declared his candidacy for the DPK leadership Sunday, writing on social media that after serving as prime minister throughout the president’s first year in office, his next mission is "to build a strong and capable DPK that can overcome entrenched resistance and realize the spirit of the times represented by the Lee administration." “Politics is about realizing the spirit of the times, and firmly supporting the Lee administration's vision is both the wish of the people and the mission of the DPK’s 1 million members,” Kim wrote. In Monday's telev

Jun 10, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Outgoing PM gains ground as next ruling party leader with president’s support
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