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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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Films

Korean films on modern history walk line between fact, fiction

The controversy surrounding the historical thriller “The Assassin(s)” is the latest example of how Korean films depicting the country’s turbulent modern history can become flashpoints far beyond the cinema. From military dictatorships and political assassinations to Cold War operations, filmmakers have repeatedly faced disputes over how far artistic license can stretch when stories involve real people and events. Reactions have ranged from accusations of ideological bias and historical distortion to legal attempts to stop films from being shown. One of the most notable cases involved “The President’s Last Bang,” director Im Sang-soo’s 2005 black comedy about the assassination of President Park Chung-hee by his intelligence chief, Kim Jae-gyu, on Oct. 26, 1979. Before its release, Park’s son Park Ji-man sought a court injunction to block the film, arguing that its depiction of his father damaged his reputation. Unlike many later films inspired by actual political events, “The President’s Last Bang” used the real names of Park and other central figures. Another legal di

Sep 29, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Korean films on modern history walk line between fact, fiction
Films

COVER STORY 'The Assassin(s)' producers face probe over depiction of Park Chung-hee plotting wife's death

Director Hur Jin-ho's historical thriller "The Assassin(s)" became the top draw over this year's Chuseok holiday, but the movie is facing a growing political dispute and defamation investigation over its depiction of the 1974 shooting that killed then-first lady Yuk Young-soo. The controversy has spilled into Korea's already deep ideological divide, with conservatives accusing the film of distorting history and liberals defending it as a work of fiction. The debate escalated and took a legal turn on Tuesday, when a former city councilor from the conservative main opposition People Power Party (PPP) filed a police complaint against the director and producers. The complaint accuses them of defamation by spreading false information through the film, claiming the movie distorted history by implying that then-President Park Chung-hee, who took power in 1961 through a military coup, was involved in his wife's assassination. The movie is based on the Aug. 15, 1974, shooting in which Mun Se-gwang, a North Korea-linked Korean resident of Japan, opened fire in an attempt to assassinate Park and fa

Sep 29, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul and Yi Whan-woo
[COVER STORY] 'The Assassin(s)' producers face probe over depiction of Park Chung-hee plotting wife's death
Foreign Affairs

Seoul, Kyiv at odds over secret deal on NK POW transfer

South Korea and Ukraine are locked in an unusual diplomatic dispute over the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to Seoul, with the two governments giving conflicting accounts of whether they had agreed to keep the move confidential. The dispute escalated, Sunday, as Cheong Wa Dae demanded an official explanation and apology from Kyiv, four days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy unexpectedly disclosed the transfer during his address to the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Zelenskyy said Ukraine had “recently” sent two North Korean POWs to South Korea, about 20 months after their capture in Russia’s Kursk region. The two were among thousands of North Korean troops deployed to support Russia since 2024 in its war against Ukraine. They had expressed a desire to go to South Korea instead of being repatriated to the North. Seoul says the two sides agreed to keep the transfer confidential, while Kyiv says no such agreement existed. The conflicting claims began to emerge on Thursday, a day after Zelenskyy’s speech, when Lee took to social media to express d

Sep 28, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Seoul, Kyiv at odds over secret deal on NK POW transfer
Foreign Affairs

Lee, Trump discuss wartime OPCON transfer for 1st time

President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) of Korean forces from Washington to Seoul during a summit in New York, Tuesday (local time). Although the issue has been under discussion for decades, it was the first time that it has been raised between Lee and Trump, according to a senior Cheong Wa Dae official. The 30-minute summit was arranged unexpectedly on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, where Lee and Trump both delivered speeches. The official said Lee devoted “considerable time” to explaining Korea’s position on the transfer and Trump showed “a great deal of understanding” of the issue. The Lee administration has pursued retaking OPCON by 2028 or even 2027 if possible, but U.S. military officials have said necessary conditions would not be met until the first quarter of 2029. Regarding the OPCON transfer, Lee outlined Korea’s efforts to strengthen its own defense capabilities, including plans to increase defense spending, and reaffirmed its willingness to take greater responsibility for de

Sep 23, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Lee, Trump discuss wartime OPCON transfer for 1st time
Foreign Affairs

COVER STORY President puts multilateralism at center of diplomacy on North Korea, Hormuz issue

President Lee Jae Myung has placed multilateralism at the center of his foreign policy at a time when North Korea refuses to engage South Korea and his government faces pressure to join a U.S.-led military mission in the Strait of Hormuz. His emphasis on multinational engagement with Pyongyang, including Beijing, has come as the reclusive regime continues to refuse to communicate with Seoul and while the anticipated Washington-Pyongyang dialogue has not resumed. Lee’s call for an alliance with other countries on the Hormuz issue also comes as U.S. President Donald Trump presses Seoul to make military contributions to help secure the vital waterway amid its monthslong war against Iran. Other U.S. allies have also been reluctant to deploy forces, leaving Lee to seek ways for South Korea to contribute without joining the fighting. Lee used his speech at the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Tuesday (local time) to call for the North Korea issue to expand beyond U.S.-North Korea talks and instead toward discussions among all parties concerned with ending the Korean War and establishing

Sep 23, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
[COVER STORY] President puts multilateralism at center of diplomacy on North Korea, Hormuz issue
Foreign Affairs

What options remain for Korea in Hormuz after Lee rules out war involvement?

President Lee Jae Myung’s decision to rule out sending troops for combat in the U.S.-Iran war is drawing attention to what Seoul can still do in and around the Strait of Hormuz without joining the fighting. The remaining options range from expanding the role of the Cheonghae Unit, a Korean naval contingent operating in waters around the Gulf of Aden focused primarily on anti-piracy and vessel-protection missions, to maritime surveillance and logistical support, according to analysts. They said whether such options would allow Korea to stay out of the war would depend on where and when the country’s military forces are deployed, what missions they take on and whether they remain under Seoul’s command. “It is important that the Cheonghae Unit remains under independent Korean command and focuses on protecting Korean vessels and nationals, rather than becoming involved in combat operations,” said Cho Yong-geun, a professor of military studies at Kyungnam University. He added that “if it is after the war ends, there would be no problem” with expanding the unit’s operations tow

Sep 22, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
What options remain for Korea in Hormuz after Lee rules out war involvement?
Politics

President faces another setback as chief of staff offers to resign

Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik offered to resign, Monday, taking responsibility for a string of bungled Cabinet nominations that has fueled criticism of President Lee Jae Myung’s personnel vetting system. If Lee accepts Kang’s resignation, two of Cheong Wa Dae’s top three secretary-level posts — chief of staff, policy chief and national security adviser — would be vacant at the same time, after former policy chief Kim Yong-beom stepped down earlier this month amid criticism over controversial financial products and tax policies. Kang's absence would deal another blow to the president as he has played key roles in diplomacy and economy as Lee's closest aide. Kang conveyed his intention to step down to Lee earlier in the day, senior presidential secretary for public relations Sung Ki-hong said during a briefing. A Cheong Wa Dae official said that during Friday's press conference, the president had said multiple times that his own shortcomings had contributed to negative public views of his administration. "As chief of staff, Kang tendered his resignation to take overal

Sep 21, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
President faces another setback as chief of staff offers to resign
Politics

Justice minister nominee's withdrawal deals blow to president, ruling party

Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won's withdrawal from candidacy is expected to deal another setback to President Lee Jae Myung and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), as they are already struggling with declining public support. Kim stepped down Saturday, 20 days after his nomination, following controversy over several allegations — including that he used his influence as a lawmaker in 2021 to help a pharmaceutical company get regulatory approval for a COVID-19 clinical drug trial. He withdrew even after the National Assembly approved his nomination. While Kim’s withdrawal eased the immediate pressure on Lee over the appointment, it reinforced concerns over shortcomings in the administration’s personnel vetting system. Kim’s departure also leaves the justice ministry without leadership at a critical time, with pressing tasks piling up ahead of a major overhaul of the criminal justice system, scheduled to take place in October as part of Lee’s signature prosecution reform drive. For the ruling party, Kim’s departure highlighted its political misjudgment. DPK lawmake

Sep 20, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Justice minister nominee's withdrawal deals blow to president, ruling party
Foreign Affairs

Seoul Declaration sets 30-year Korea-Central Asia agenda on minerals, energy, AI

Korea and five Central Asian countries adopted the Seoul Declaration Wednesday, outlining a vision for cooperation over the next 30 years as they elevate their multilateral partnership to the leaders’ level. Announced at the inaugural multilateral summit, the declaration institutionalizes a biennial leaders’ summit and sets out cooperation across four broad areas — partnership, peace, prosperity and people-to-people exchanges — to encompass supply chains, critical minerals, energy, trade and investment, emerging technologies and security. The summit in Seoul brought together President Lee Jae Myung and the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, representing the latest step in upgrading a cooperation framework that began at the vice-ministerial level in 2007 and was elevated to the ministerial level in 2019. Kazakhstan expressed its willingness to host the second summit in Astana in 2028, with the other participating countries agreeing to the proposal. The declaration established a framework for more systematic economic cooperation, including a

Sep 16, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Seoul Declaration sets 30-year Korea-Central Asia agenda on minerals, energy, AI
Foreign Affairs

1st multilateral summit elevates Korea-Central Asia cooperation to leaders' level

Korea’s first multilateral summit with the five Central Asian countries marks an important step toward institutionalizing cooperation with the resource-rich region at the highest political level, reflecting its growing strategic importance amid intensifying global competition over supply chains, a Central Asia expert said Wednesday. The evaluation comes as the inaugural Korea-Central Asia Summit, hosted by President Lee Jae Myung in Seoul, brought together the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, elevating a cooperation framework that has been maintained at the ministerial level since the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum was launched in 2007 to the leaders' level. Opening the summit, Lee said the world is undergoing a major transformation in which economic and security issues are increasingly intertwined across supply chains, energy, markets and technology. “The ‘Silk Road spirit’ of Central Asia, which connected people, technology and culture between East and West, is more necessary than ever,” Lee said. "The strengths of Korea and Ce

Sep 16, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
1st multilateral summit elevates Korea-Central Asia cooperation to leaders' level
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