my timesThe Korea Times
yistory

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.

Go to Email

Read more

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
Politics

Lee's approval hits new low amid housing, stock market turmoil

President Lee Jae Myung convened a meeting on the housing and stock markets immediately after returning from an 11-day diplomatic trip Monday, scrambling to address domestic economic concerns that built up while he was away. According to Cheong Wa Dae, the closed-door meeting was attended by Prime Minister Han Seong-sook and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol, as well as relevant Cabinet ministers and senior presidential aides. The session focused on follow-up measures from the public real estate policy forum Lee chaired on July 23 — the day before departing on his overseas trip — where he voiced concern over what he called outsized investments in real estate. Before departing, Lee left the ministries to work out tax, financial and housing supply measures based on feedback from that forum, only returning to the issue himself on the day he landed. Participants at Monday's meeting reviewed those measures, along with the effectiveness of supplementary regulations introduced by financial authorities on July 31 to curb risks tied to single-stock leveraged exchange-tr

Aug 3, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Lee's approval hits new low amid housing, stock market turmoil
Society

Labor deregulation push for megaproject zones sparks backlash

The government is considering easing a range of labor regulations to support its flagship megaprojects for the semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) sectors, drawing criticism from labor groups that it is prioritizing strategic industries at the expense of workers' rights. According to multiple sources in labor and political circles, Friday, the government is working on proposals to include exemptions from four key labor regulations in a planned special act that would govern the chip cluster megaprojects in the Gwangju region. The exemptions include lifting the 52-hour workweek cap for semiconductor research and development personnel and extending the maximum fixed-term contract period before temporary employees must be converted to regular employees from two years to four. They also include increasing the number of jobs eligible for dispatched workers — a form of non-regular employment — and extending the so-called flexible working hour system from one month to six months, allowing for more intensive workloads during condensed periods while maintaining the 52-hour workweek

Jul 31, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Labor deregulation push for megaproject zones sparks backlash
Politics

Ex-Korea football body chief, ex-nat'l team coach deny allegations of irregularities

Former Korea Football Association (KFA) President Chung Mong-gyu and former national team head coach Hong Myung-bo apologized Thursday for Korea's disappointing group-stage exit at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but firmly denied allegations of favoritism and procedural irregularities that have marred Korean football. Appearing before the National Assembly's Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee, the two acknowledged responsibility for failing to meet public expectations while defending their actions against a series of accusations surrounding the KFA's management and the national team's coaching appointment. The hearing was convened following public backlash over the KFA's governance after Korea's group-stage elimination from this year's World Cup, despite greater opportunities to advance following the tournament's expansion from 32 to 48 teams. "Having done my utmost for the development of Korean football during my tenure, I nevertheless sincerely apologize for the controversies and the disappointing World Cup result," Chung said in his opening statement. He served four terms as KFA preside

Jul 30, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Ex-Korea football body chief, ex-nat'l team coach deny allegations of irregularities
Foreign Affairs

President highlights Chile as Korea's 1st FTA partner during Santiago visit

President Lee Jae Myung underscored Chile's significance as Korea's first-ever free trade agreement (FTA) partner, saying the South American nation recognized Korea's potential long before it gained global prominence. Speaking at a dinner meeting with members of the Korean community in Santiago Wednesday (local time), the president's remarks came during his three-nation South America tour this week, which also includes Brazil and Argentina. Lee is seeking to expand trade and investment with Mercosur, a South American trade bloc, by capitalizing on the complementary nature of the two economies — Mercosur in agriculture, food production, energy and critical minerals, and Korea in advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, shipbuilding and batteries. "Chile was not only the first Latin American country to recognize the Republic of Korea in 1949, a year after our government was established, but also Korea's first FTA partner," Lee said. The bilateral FTA took effect in April 2004, years before Korea's FTAs with major trading partners such as the United States, which entered into force i

Jul 30, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
President highlights Chile as Korea's 1st FTA partner during Santiago visit
Politics

EXPLAINER Why debate over Lee's possible second term resurfaced

Political circles are once again in a heated debate over accusations that President Lee Jae Myung has ambitions to seek another term, even the Constitution forbids it. Critics, especially those from the opposition, say the ruling bloc's pursuit of a constitutional amendment is aimed at helping Lee extend his administration, while presidential aides deny the speculation. The issue resurfaced this week after National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik said Tuesday that whether an incumbent president can seek another term “is ultimately a matter for the people to decide.” The remark immediately caused a stir. Cho, who is considered a loyalist of the president, made the remark during a press conference when asked about the constitutional reform sought by the ruling bloc. Article 128, Paragraph 2, of the Constitution stipulates that amendments extending a presidential term or permitting reelection do not take effect for the president in office when the amendment is adopted. Lee made a 2025 presidential campaign pledge to change the presidential system under the Constitution from the current si

Jul 29, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
[EXPLAINER] Why debate over Lee's possible second term resurfaced
Politics

Why justice minister remains at odds with ruling party over prosecution reform

Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho remains at odds with the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) over the final stage of the administration's proposed prosecution reform, risking his Cabinet post in defense of prosecutors' supplementary investigative powers. Jung and the DPK share the broader goal of prosecution reform — one of President Lee Jae Myung's signature policy agendas — which seeks to separate prosecutors' long-held powers to both press charges and conduct investigations. Where they diverge is over the details. Jung argues that prosecutors should retain supplementary investigative powers as a limited tool to verify evidence and address shortcomings in police investigations, while the DPK insists the authority must be abolished entirely, citing a long-standing pattern of prosecutors' abuse of powers. "Supplementary investigations are not investigations in the conventional sense," the justice minister said earlier this year. “To properly decide whether to indict and sustain a prosecution, prosecutors need a mechanism to support those decisions.” He went on to say that withou

Jul 28, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Why justice minister remains at odds with ruling party over prosecution reform
Foreign Affairs

Korea, Brazil's first ladies bond over Korean wave

The first ladies of Korea and Brazil highlighted growing interest in the Korean wave, during President Lee Jae Myung's state visit to Brazil as part of his three-nation tour of South America this week. Their conversation extended to a child learning Korean even in the remote Amazon region, illustrating the expanding popularity of the language as Korean dramas and other cultural exports gain traction across the country. According to Cheong Wa Dae, first lady Kim Hea Kyung and Brazilian first lady Rosangela Lula da Silva, also known as Janja, visited an art exhibition at the Cultural Center of the Federal Court of Accounts in Brasilia, Monday. The conversation turned to the success of the Korean wave, with Janja noting that the “popularity of Korean culture, including dramas, has led to a growing number of Brazilians studying Korean.” “The University of Sao Paulo even has a department of Korean language and literature,” she said, referring to Brazil's largest public university in Sao Paulo. The Brazilian first lady went on to say that she recently had the opportunity to speak with a

Jul 28, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Korea, Brazil's first ladies bond over Korean wave
previous page
23456
next page

Top 5 stories

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
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.