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Ruling party vows passage of US investment bill by late February or early March: lawmaker

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said Sunday it will make efforts for the National Assembly to pass a special bill on implementing Korea's investment package for the United States by late this month or early March. Rep. Han Jeoung-ae of the DPK, who chairs parliament's policy committee, said at a press briefing that the Assembly will work to process the legislation for a plenary vote during an extraordinary session scheduled from late this month through early March. "We expect the bill could be processed in a plenary session between late February and early March, and we will do our best to meet that timeline," Han told reporters. The DPK introduced the special bill on investment in the U.S. in November last year to implement the trade deal reached at the summit talks between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump. The legislation calls for laying out the procedures required to carry out Seoul's investments in the U.S., including implementing a set of memoranda of understanding (MOUs) and the establishment of a "strategic investment fund" for the $350 billion pa

Feb 1, 2026By Yonhap
Ruling party vows passage of US investment bill by late February or early March: lawmaker

Lee doubles down on housing policy in social media posts

President Lee Jae Myung expressed his firm resolve to stabilize housing prices, drawing sharp criticism from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), which accused him of targeting owners of multiple homes instead of offering effective policy solutions. In a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter, Lee criticized the PPP and some media outlets for what he described as waging "groundless attacks" on the government's real estate policies. Lee took aim Sunday at media coverage highlighting the potential side effects of tougher capital gains taxes on multiple-home owners. The reporting followed his recent statement that the government would not extend the current exemptions from higher capital gains taxes to people who own more than one residence. "If principled reporting is too much to ask, I sincerely hope the media will at least refrain from defending 'destructive' speculation on the housing market or engaging in excessive and unfair attacks on the government," Lee wrote. In a post the previous day, the president likened opposition party members to "kindergarteners just learning how t

Feb 1, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
Lee doubles down on housing policy in social media posts

Lee calls for wider public debate on sugar levy

President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday called for a candid and open public debate on his proposal to introduce a levy on sugar-laden foods and drinks, reiterating that the idea is intended to reduce sugar consumption and bolster public health care. Lee made the remarks in a social media post, days after he proposed the idea of imposing a sugar levy to help curb sugar intake and boost public health care funding, citing a similar levy on tobacco. "The more complex the issues we have — such as the (proposed) sugar levy, a real estate tax overhaul and institutional reforms to ease polarization, all of which concern the interests of many stakeholders — the more vital it is to have candid debate and public deliberation grounded in logic, facts and real cases," he said. He cited in his X post a news article on the World Health Organization's recommendations that countries should raise the price of sugar-loaded soft drinks and beverages by at least 50 percent. Lee emphasized that the sugar levy is for specific purposes to reduce excessive sugar consumption that can be harmful to public health and

Feb 1, 2026By Yonhap
Lee calls for wider public debate on sugar levy

InterviewSecurity expert urges Korea to lead middle-power coalition

The idea of cooperation among middle powers has circulated for years, often more in theory than in practice. But Moon Chung-in, a James Laney Distinguished Professor at Yonsei University, said the conversation is now entering a more urgent phase. Speaking in an interview with The Korea Times, Moon said the question is no longer whether such cooperation is desirable, but whether any country is willing to take the lead. He said Korea should consider playing a more proactive role in uniting middle powers, as the global order becomes increasingly shaped by rivalry between the great powers and transactional diplomacy, with major powers relying on tariffs, financial pressure and security leverage to pursue their national interests. “There has to be a leader who can bring middle powers together and push a middle-power coalition forward,” said Moon, a former foreign policy and national security adviser to President Moon Jae-in. Saying that middle powers are effectively “sandwiched” between the U.S. and China, he said this structural vulnerability is the reason why cooperation among them

Jan 31, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Security expert urges Korea to lead middle-power coalition

Special counsel appeals ruling on ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee in corruption case

A special counsel on Friday appealed a court ruling in the corruption case of former first lady Kim Keon Hee that handed down a prison term but found her not guilty on most charges, saying the court misapprehended the facts and that the sentence was too lenient. The appeal comes two days after Kim, the wife of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for accepting luxury gifts from the Unification Church in return for business favors. But the Seoul Central District Court acquitted her of charges of involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme and violating the Political Funds Act. The court ordered Kim to forfeit 12.8 million won ($9,000). Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team in charge of the case had requested a 15-year prison term for Kim. It also sought a fine of 2 billion won and 948 million won in forfeiture. "There were serious misapprehensions of the facts and an illegality in the misinterpretations of the law in the court's not-guilty rulings. The sentence on the guilty counts is also unduly lenient," the special counsel team said in a statem

Jan 30, 2026By Yonhap
Special counsel appeals ruling on ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee in corruption case

Transparency or unrefined messages? President's social media use stirs debate

President Lee Jae Myung, long known for his prolific use of social media, has recently stepped up his online activity, signaling a renewed push to share policy ideas with citizens and engage public debate directly through digital platforms. As of 3 p.m. Friday, Lee already uploaded three posts on X (formerly Twitter) that day alone. He posted twice Thursday and eight times on Wednesday. The topics of the posts vary — the expansion of subsidized menstrual products, interest rates on local government treasury funds, a possible introduction of a sugar levy, warnings against Cambodian criminal syndicates, the delisting of underperforming firms from the stock exchange and the effectiveness of balanced regional development policies. The president’s recent posting patterns mark a clear change from his early days in office last June. After assuming the presidency, Lee initially used social media primarily to share updates on diplomatic efforts, including phone calls and meetings with world leaders. He later turned to longer, reflective posts about Cabinet meetings, overseas trips, and town

Jan 30, 2026By Anna J. Park
Transparency or unrefined messages? President's social media use stirs debate

Lee's approval rating edges down to 60%: poll

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating slipped slightly to 60 percent this week, led by mixed assessments of his economic policies, a poll showed Friday. The survey by Gallup Korea, conducted Tuesday through Thursday on 1,001 respondents aged 18 and over, showed that the positive assessment of Lee's overall performance fell by 1 percentage point from the previous week. The negative assessment decreased by 1 percentage point to 29 percent, while 10 percent said they were undecided. Lee's economic policies were cited most frequently as the reason for a positive evaluation, at 19 percent, followed by diplomacy at 17 percent. Among the negative responses, 21 percent pointed to concerns over the economy, followed by diplomacy at 8 percent. The approval rating for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea gained 1 percentage point to 44 percent, while that of the main opposition People Power Party increased by 3 percentage points to 25 percent. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.

Jan 30, 2026By Yonhap
Lee's approval rating edges down to 60%: poll

Former justice minister appointed as Korea's ambassador for climate, environment

Former Justice Minister Kang Kum-sil has been appointed as Korea's special ambassador for climate and environment to help bolster diplomacy in the fields, the foreign ministry said Friday. Her term lasts one year in the special ambassador post, which is intended to enlist experts from outside the diplomatic service to bolster diplomatic efforts. In her new capacity, Kang will represent the government at various climate and environment-related events at home and abroad. Kang served as justice minister under liberal former President Roh Moo-hyun and as election policy committee chief at the ruling Democratic Party of Korea in the last presidential election, in which then party leader Lee Jae Myung was elected president. She also previously served as the climate envoy for the Gyeonggi provincial government.

Jan 30, 2026By Yonhap
Former justice minister appointed as Korea's ambassador for climate, environment

Lee reiterates his warning against transnational scam crimes targeting Koreans

President Lee Jae Myung warned Friday that Korea's commitment to fighting transnational scam crimes targeting its nationals is not "empty talk," as Korean authorities are stepping up investigations against online scam operations linked to Cambodia. In a post on the social media platform X, Lee shared a news story reporting that Chinese crime syndicates based in Cambodia no longer recruit Korean members due to fear of a potential crackdown by Korean police. "Do you think my warning that those who mess with Koreans will lose everything is just empty talk?" Lee wrote. "When the Republic of Korea commits, it follows through to the very end." He posted the same message in the Cambodian language. Lee has called on Korean authorities to intensify efforts to crack down on transnational crimes targeting Koreans, particularly in Southeast Asian nations, and to track down and confiscate illicit proceeds. According to police, a joint team of Korean and Cambodian investigators has apprehended 136 scam suspects in Cambodia since the launch of the operation in November last year. Last week, 73 Korean nat

Jan 30, 2026By Yonhap
Lee reiterates his warning against transnational scam crimes targeting Koreans

Lee calls on workers to swiftly adapt to 'unavoidable' AI robotics era

President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday that workers must adapt swiftly to the era of artificial intelligence (AI), in an apparent message to Hyundai Motor's labor union, which has strongly opposed the carmaker's planned introduction of humanoid robots at production facilities. "A labor union appears to have announced that it will stop robots from entering production sites. That may be part of its overall protest strategy," Lee said during a meeting with senior aides at Cheong Wa Dae. "But once the massive wagon starts rolling, we cannot stop it," Lee said, likening the current situation to the past, when the introduction of steam engines triggered machine-breaking protests by laborers worried about losing jobs. Lee added: "Ultimately, society has to adapt quickly. People need to learn new skills and adjust rapidly to the new environment." The president stressed the importance of preparing workers for technological change rather than resisting it, as AI-driven automation accelerates across industries. He also underscored the need for fundamental policies to prepare for extreme polarization

Jan 29, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
Lee calls on workers to swiftly adapt to 'unavoidable' AI robotics era
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