South Korea Politics & Government Policy

Latest news and analysis on South Korea's politics, government policies, diplomacy, and regulatory changes.

Justice Minister Nominee Quits After 20 Days, Drawing Clashing Reactions

Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won withdrew 20 days after his nomination, with the ruling party respecting the move and the opposition calling it a…...

Published 2026.09.19. 12:19:12 |

Korea, U.S. Pledge to Speed Up Wartime Command Transfer

South Korea and the U.S. pledged to strengthen cooperation to accelerate the transfer of wartime operational control at their KIDD defense talks in Bu...

Published 2026.09.19. 12:03:43 |

Presidential Office Respects Kim Seung-won's Withdrawal as Justice Minister Nominee

Korea's presidential office said it respects justice minister nominee Kim Seung-won's decision to withdraw, 20 days after his nomination....

Published 2026.09.19. 11:59:21 |

Presidential Office Respects Justice Minister Nominee's Withdrawal

The Presidential Office said it respects justice minister nominee Kim Seung-won's decision to withdraw, 20 days after his nomination....

Published 2026.09.19. 11:45:17 | Updated 2026.09.19. 11:58:29 |

Kim Seung-won Vows to Expose Han Dong-hoon Leak Case as He Quits Justice Post

Justice minister nominee Kim Seung-won withdrew his candidacy, vowing to expose Han Dong-hoon's alleged leaking of investigative secrets....

Published 2026.09.19. 11:43:51 |

Han Dong-hoon Calls Kim Seung-won's Withdrawal 'a Victory for the People'

Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon called justice minister nominee Kim Seung-won's withdrawal "a victory for the people," 20 days after his nomination...

Published 2026.09.19. 11:15:16 |

Justice Minister Nominee Kim Seung-won Withdraws 20 Days After Nomination

Justice minister nominee Kim Seung-won withdrew on the 19th, 20 days after his nomination, vowing to press on with prosecution reform....

Published 2026.09.19. 11:11:24 | Updated 2026.09.19. 11:52:53 |

Democratic Party Says President Ruled Out Second Term, Slams Opposition Attacks

South Korea's ruling Democratic Party said President Lee Jae-myung ruled out a second term and accused the opposition of distorting his remarks....

Published 2026.09.19. 10:45:03 |

Nominee Kim Seung-won to Hold Press Conference at National Assembly

Nominee Kim Seung-won will hold an 11 a.m. press conference at the National Assembly, where he may address his standing....

Published 2026.09.19. 10:36:51 |

Han Dong-hoon Edges Out Lee Jae-myung as Most Trusted Politician

Han Dong-hoon drew 11.4% as Korea's most trusted politician, edging President Lee Jae-myung at 11.1% and ending Lee's five-year run....

Published 2026.09.19. 10:30:05 |

Lee Calls Youth Struggles a Community Challenge at Youth Day Event

President Lee Jae-myung attends the 2026 Youth Day ceremony, calling youth struggles over jobs and housing a challenge for the whole community....

Published 2026.09.19. 09:21:49 |

Army Officer Donates Hair to Child Cancer Patients for 14 Years

An Army captain has donated about 280 centimeters of hair over 14 years to help make wigs for children with cancer in Korea....

Published 2026.09.19. 08:21:00 |

Lasers Replace Live Rounds at Korea's Combat Training Center

Inside Korea's Army combat training center in Inje, where MILES laser systems let up to 5,000 troops fight simulated battles and turn results into dat...

Published 2026.09.19. 07:00:05 | Updated 2026.09.19. 07:52:39 |

Lee Rules Out Second Term, Says Falling Support Reflects His Shortcomings

President Lee Jae-myung ruled out a second term at his 100-minute news conference, blaming his own shortcomings for falling approval....

Published 2026.09.19. 06:00:05 | Updated 2026.09.19. 07:52:41 |

Controversy Grows Over Choo Mi-ae's 2.1 Billion Won Campaign Consulting Bill

Gyeonggi Governor Choo Mi-ae faces ruling-party scrutiny over 2.1 billion won paid to a political consulting firm during the June 3 local elections....

Published 2026.09.18. 23:32:58 |

First Lady Meets Oxford Humanities Head Ahead of Korean Studies Center Opening

First lady Kim Hye-kyung met Oxford's humanities head ahead of the October opening of a Korean studies center at the university....

Published 2026.09.18. 20:32:51 |

Lee Approves Kim Sung-soo as Supreme Court Justice

President Lee Jae-myung approved Kim Sung-soo as a Supreme Court justice, starting a six-year term a month after Chief Justice Jo Hee-de nominated him...

Published 2026.09.18. 20:07:06 |

Lee Thanks UAE for Giving Korea Top Priority in Crude Supply

President Lee Jae-myung met UAE's Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak on the 18th and thanked Abu Dhabi for giving Korea top priority in crude oil supply....

Published 2026.09.18. 19:56:01 | Updated 2026.09.18. 20:54:01 |

Lee Blames Yoon, Oh for Seoul Home Price Surge

President Lee Jae-myung blamed a drop in housing permits since 2022 for Seoul's home price surge, naming the Yoon administration and Mayor Oh Se-hoon....

Published 2026.09.18. 18:43:36 |

Lee Says Parts of U.S. Investment Deal Hard to Accept

President Lee Jae-myung said parts of the U.S. investment package are hard to accept and ruled out any combat role in a Hormuz deployment....

Published 2026.09.18. 18:31:52 |