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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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Law & Crime

Chinese student found dead; man who reported her missing arrested as suspect

Police said Wednesday that a Chinese student who had been reported missing was found dead the previous day at the home of a fellow Chinese national in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, prompting the Chinese consulate to demand severe punishment for the perpetrator. Investigators said a Chinese man in his 30s, surnamed Jeong, was arrested as a suspect and is being questioned. The victim, a 25-year-old graduate student in Gyeongsan, was found at Jeong’s residence. According to police, the victim had returned to China during her summer break before coming back to Korea on Aug. 14 to attend her graduation ceremony on Aug. 20. She lost contact with her family and acquaintances on the day of the ceremony. Jeong reported her missing at about 7 p.m. the following day, identifying himself as the victim’s boyfriend. Jeong told police that she had told him she was going to Daegu, about 15 kilometers from Gyeongsan, but that he had since been unable to reach her. Suspicion later fell on Jeong after investigators noticed inconsistencies in his statements while questioning him initially as a witn

Aug 26, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Chinese student found dead; man who reported her missing arrested as suspect
Politics

Prominent liberal pundit accuses Lee of governing ruling bloc like 'monarchy'

A prominent liberal political commentator has accused President Lee Jae Myung of behaving like an “arrogant ruler” and seeking to control the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) in a manner reminiscent of a monarchy. Rhyu Si-min, a former lawmaker from the liberal bloc who also served as welfare minister before becoming a political pundit, claimed the president handpicked the DPK’s new chairman and used him as a proxy to tighten his grip on the ruling party. Rhyu was referring to Kim Min-seok, who served as Lee’s first prime minister before being elected as DPK leader on Aug. 17. Kim won a bitter leadership race against Jung Chung-rae, a leading figure in a DPK faction regarded as being at odds with Lee. “When a president handpicks someone to lead the ruling party and tries to get that person elected, the country is moving toward monarchy and aristocracy,” Rhyu said during a YouTube program on Monday. “The president tried to control the party by sending in his proxy. That runs counter to the spirit of a republic,” Rhyu added. His blunt criticism is drawing attention beca

Aug 25, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Prominent liberal pundit accuses Lee of governing ruling bloc like 'monarchy'
Politics

COVER STORY President pressed to change course as approval rating hits record low

President Lee Jae Myung is grappling with a falling approval rating and no clear sign of a turnaround, as a string of disputed government-led initiatives continues to unsettle the public. This has prompted Cheong Wa Dae to pledge a renewed focus on livelihoods and tangible economic results. Disputes over policies have piled up rather than letting up, including controversies in the past weeks over a real estate tax overhaul, prosecution reform and a proposed merger of military academies. More recently, the controversies have spread to plans to build rental housing instead of parkland on a vast site in central Seoul’s Yongsan District, as well as the scaling back of South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises and Cheong Wa Dae’s clash with the Supreme Court over the nomination of new justices. Analysts said Tuesday that the president has limited options for making a breakthrough amid the disputed initiatives, as the public increasingly perceives them as threats to their economic interests and their access to justice and national security, rather than as ideological issues. The analysts s

Aug 25, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
[COVER STORY] President pressed to change course as approval rating hits record low
Politics

Lee administration sidelines Seoul mayor in housing push

The government and ruling party are drawing speculation that they are sidelining Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon in their push to expand housing supply. Housing demand is most concentrated in the nation’s capital due to the heavy concentration of population, jobs and urban conveniences, making the Seoul mayor a key local government partner in the central government's bid to address housing supply. But Cheong Wa Dae, the Cabinet and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) appear to be finding ways to bypass Oh rather than consulting him on housing supply policies for Seoul. The speculation was reinforced when presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik, Prime Minister Han Seong-sook and DPK Chairman Kim Min-seok agreed, Sunday, to push granting district chiefs authority over redevelopment and reconstruction projects involving 500 homes or fewer. Such authority is currently held by heads of metropolitan or provincial governments, including the Seoul mayor. Under the law on urban development, Seoul’s district chiefs can draw up redevelopment plans but must seek the mayor’s approval for the des

Aug 24, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Lee administration sidelines Seoul mayor in housing push
Politics

Ruling party under new leader plans broadcast platform in shift away from maverick media figure

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) appears to be distancing itself from Kim Ou-joon, a progressive broadcaster and YouTuber who has long been an influential voice for the ruling bloc, following a bitter leadership race that deepened factional divisions within the party. The feud recently involved a rivalry between new Chairman Kim Min-seok and his predecessor Jung Chung-rae, who, along with Kim Ou-joon, belongs to a group perceived as being at odds with President Lee Jae Myung. By contrast, Kim Min-seok, a former prime minster, is a close Lee ally who defeated Jung in the DPK leadership election, Aug. 17. The new chairman instructed party officials last week to launch an official news program titled “DPK TV” that will deliver party-related news early each morning. The program is expected to begin airing early next month, possibly at around 7 a.m., through Delli Minjoo, the DPK’s existing YouTube channel with about 474,000 subscribers. Kim Min-seok is likely to appear frequently. “We must undertake sweeping changes to everything from the party’s overall brand concept,” K

Aug 23, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Ruling party under new leader plans broadcast platform in shift away from maverick media figure
North Korea

Seoul watches Trump-Kim summit push as Pyongyang gives guarded response

South Korea is cautiously navigating a renewed push for United States-North Korea dialogue as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to revive summit diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, even as Pyongyang continues to flex its military capabilities and China urges Washington to abandon what it calls a hostile policy toward North Korea. Trump appears to be seeking to revive summit diplomacy with Kim, building on their meetings during his first term. He told reporters Wednesday that he expects to meet with the North Korean leader later this year. The U.S. president also offered an unusually specific assessment of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, saying Pyongyang possesses 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons. The figure is substantially lower than Seoul’s latest assessment. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back told lawmakers Thursday that North Korea is estimated to possess between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, while the exact number is difficult to determine. Kim Yo-jong, the North Korean leader’s powerful sister, responded to Trump’s remarks Wednesday in a statement carried by the

Aug 20, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Seoul watches Trump-Kim summit push as Pyongyang gives guarded response
North Korea

Ball in N. Korea's court after Trump's summit overture, experts say

U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled a desire to reengage with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, raising the possibility of a meeting during his expected visit to China in November. But analysts say any such overture may go unanswered as Pyongyang currently sees little reason to return to negotiations. North Korea, bolstered by support from Russia and China, has far less need for sanctions relief than it did during the previous summits between Trump and Kim in 2018 and 2019, experts said. Kim may also demand recognition of North Korea as a nuclear-armed state, a condition unacceptable to Washington, and could question whether meeting Trump would serve his interests if the Republican Party loses the U.S. midterm elections. “North Korea is unlikely to accept Trump’s approach, given its strengthened ties with Russia and the support it receives in return for joining Moscow’s war against Ukraine,” Yang Moo-jin, former president of the University of North Korean Studies, said Wednesday. Shin Beom-chul, a senior research fellow at the Sejong Institute, agreed that Pyongyang is under

Aug 19, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Ball in N. Korea's court after Trump's summit overture, experts say
Defense

Why Lee is pushing to regain wartime OPCON within his term

President Lee Jae Myung has repeatedly called for South Korea to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States within his term, with analysts saying the push reflects a sense of urgency to accomplish a long-standing goal of liberal administrations. The analysts added that Lee’s push could gain momentum from U.S. President Donald Trump’s desire to scale back Washington’s military and financial burdens in South Korea, presenting Seoul with a rare opportunity to complete the transfer after years of delays. Lee renewed his call for the transfer during a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday. “We must proceed smoothly with the transfer of wartime operational control within [my] term, in accordance with the government’s original plan,” Lee said. Regaining OPCON within Lee's five-year term, which ends in 2030, has been a major goal for his administration. Lee has been pushing recently to set the target year for 2028, or even as early as 2027, an accelerated timeline that will be discussed during a Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) with the U.S. this Octob

Aug 18, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Why Lee is pushing to regain wartime OPCON within his term
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
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