[Breaking] President Lee approves appointment of Supreme Court Justice Kim Sung-su

Cheong Wa Dae Chief Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung announced Friday that President Lee Jae Myung had approved the appointment of Supreme Court Justice Kim Sung-su.

Sept. 18, 2026

Cheong Wa Dae clarifies Lee's 'flattening' remark on real estate market

'Supply measures to be pushed with urgency; jeonse and monthly rent to be addressed carefully, including expansion of public rental housing' Cheong Wa Dae on Friday clarified that President Lee Jae Myung's use of the term "flattening" to describe the real estate market during a press conference was intended as "an explanation of price movement trends." Earlier that day, Lee had described a divergence in housing prices — with values in the three Gangnam districts declining while prices in Gangbuk and outlying areas edged up — as "a kind of 'flattening' process, where Gangnam comes down and the outskirts rise slightly." The remarks drew criticism from some quarters, who questioned whether the president showed sufficient awareness of rising housing costs in areas where relatively lower-income residents tend to live. In response, Cheong Wa Dae said Lee's comments were not meant to cast the rise in housing costs in certain areas in a positive light, but rather to describe recent regional trends in housing price movements. Cheong Wa Dae added that "the government takes seriously the growing burden on the public from rising housing prices in Seoul outside the three Gangnam districts." It attributed the trend primarily to a chronic shortage of new housing supply — particularly a lack of new move-ins in Gangbuk — as well as concentrated demand for mid- to low-priced homes less affected by tax reforms focused on ultra-high-end properties and loan limits. "The government will push supply measures with urgency and will carefully attend to jeonse and monthly rent measures, including expanding public rental housing," Cheong Wa Dae said. At the press conference, Lee said declines that began in Gangnam and surrounding areas had continued to spread while outlying areas were rising slightly. He added that the market had shifted from "a vertical structure where Gangnam was at the top and everywhere else was lower" to one where "Gangnam is coming down and the outskirts are going up — a kind of 'flattening' process." Lee said escaping what he called South Korea's "real estate speculation republic" was the central task of his administration, declaring: "Everyone has tried and failed, but what I can say clearly is: this government will do it." He said the government would "expand supply as quickly as possible through land development including building permits, and reconstruction and redevelopment." He added that the Prime Minister's Office conducts daily checks while he personally receives progress reports on specific sites every week. Lee also pointed to a contraction in housing supply that began under former President Yoon Suk Yeol and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon as a short-term cause of rising housing prices in the Greater Seoul area. "In the short term, 2022 was the year the Yoon Suk Yeol administration took office — and also the year Oh Se-hoon was elected mayor," Lee said. "From that year, the number of permits and ground-breakings was cut in half."

Sept. 18, 2026

Choo Mi-ae says reform must be practiced, not just promised

Remarks made at National Assembly event Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae said Friday that leaders must follow through on their promises of reform — not merely state them — to earn the public's trust, respect and love. Choo made the remarks at a ceremony held at the National Assembly marking the eighth anniversary of the Sept. 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration and inter-Korean military agreement. "A commitment to peace must be accompanied by the first concrete steps to realize it," she said. "Now is the time to pick up the pace toward peace and to show our people that the commitment to peace is real," Choo said. "It truly matters where a leader's gaze is directed." She added that when leaders persuade others with eyes that sincerely long for peace and work to unite hearts, the public will find the courage to lend their support and rise again together — even when progress stalls or falls short of what can be achieved alone. Choo's remarks came after President Lee Jae Myung held a press conference that morning emphasizing his commitment to prosecutorial reform, among other issues. However, outside the venue, Choo declined to answer questions about whether her comments were directed at President Lee.

Sept. 18, 2026

Personal data breach reports in first 7 months of 2026 already surpass full-year 2025 total

Data from Personal Information Protection Commission analyzed by lawmaker Park Jun-tae Reports through July: 499 cases covering about 40.42 million records Large-scale private-sector hacking, public agency negligence both driving surge Experts call for fundamental overhaul of data management systems The number of personal data breach reports filed this year surpassed the entire 2025 annual total in just seven months, with large-scale hacking attacks battering the private sector while negligence-related incidents are rising sharply at public institutions, prompting calls for tailored responses to each type of breach. According to data submitted to the office of People Power Party lawmaker Park Jun-tae of the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee by the Personal Information Protection Commission, 499 personal data breach reports were filed through July — already exceeding the full-year 2025 total of 447. The figure is more than three times the 163 cases recorded in 2021. The scale of exposed data has also jumped. Last year, about 103.55 million personal records were reported as compromised — the first time the annual figure exceeded 100 million since 2021. Through July this year, about 40.42 million additional records have been reported. Combined, the total number of personal records exposed from last year through July stands at about 143.96 million over just 19 months. The acceleration becomes even more striking when compared with the preceding four years. From 2021 to 2024, the annual totals were about 9.91 million records, 4.98 million, 10.11 million and 13.77 million, respectively — a combined 38.77 million over four years. The volume exposed in the past 19 months alone is roughly 3.7 times that four-year total. Private-sector hacking incidents have been the primary driver of the surge. About 101.59 million personal records were reported as stolen through private-sector hacking last year, with another roughly 39.69 million tallied through July this year. Of the roughly 143.96 million total records exposed from last year through July this year, about 141.28 million — approximately 98 percent — stemmed from private-sector hacking. A pattern has emerged in which a single breach can expose tens of millions of records at once, pulling the overall totals sharply higher. While the private sector has seen an explosion in the sheer volume of data stolen through large-scale hacking, public institutions have stood out for a different reason: a rising number of incidents caused by employee negligence. Breach reports at public institutions attributed to negligence more than doubled, climbing from 74 cases last year to 151 through July this year. Negligence-related incidents accounted for about 83 percent of the 182 total breach reports filed at public institutions so far this year. The volume of personal records exposed through negligence also grew sharply — from about 40,000 last year to roughly 550,000 through July this year, a more than 13-fold increase. Because the private sector is primarily threatened by external hacking while public institutions are undermined by internal management failures, analysts say the two sectors require fundamentally different responses. "Before asking how to protect personal data, we need to ask why so much of it is being stockpiled in the first place," Park said. "The personal data management system must be fundamentally restructured so that companies and public institutions retain only the information they truly need."

Sept. 18, 2026

Lawmakers demand Lee's decision on Gadeokdo airport cost revision before chuseok

Forum hosted by People Power Party lawmaker Lee Seong-kwon 'Guidelines must be revised before chuseok' Political circles and industry players are calling for a revision of construction cost estimates for the new airport being built on Gadeokdo island in Busan. People Power Party lawmaker Lee Seong-kwon convened a forum at the National Assembly on Friday, urging the Lee Jae Myung administration to act on the issue. Fellow party lawmakers Kim Do-eup, Kim Mi-ae, Kwak Gyu-taek and Jeong Seong-guk also attended. Consortium companies at the forum said rising prices in the wake of the Middle East war had made a cost revision necessary. Some warned that firms could withdraw and the project could face delays if contractors were forced to absorb heavy losses before construction even begins. Lee said the Ministry of Planning and Budget and the Ministry of Economy and Finance had passed the buck back and forth, going through mediation by the Office for Government Policy Coordination, before the Ministry of Planning and Budget ultimately amended the special act on Gadeokdo New Airport. "The government's irresponsibility is holding Gadeokdo New Airport back," he said. Lawmaker Jeong said on the inflation driven by the Middle East war: "It is the government's role to take responsibility when force majeure events occur, yet every agency is shifting the blame to another." According to Lee's office, companies in Busan and South Gyeongsang Province have invested amounts equivalent to their annual sales in the project and could face losses without a cost revision. Lee said the guidelines must be revised before chuseok for the airport to open on schedule. "The president must now make a decision. President Lee must keep his promise not to let Gadeokdo New Airport be derailed or delayed," he said. He added that the People Power Party's Busan chapter would visit Cheong Wa Dae before chuseok to press President Lee for a decision.

Sept. 18, 2026

PPP floor leader slams Lee's press conference as 'appeasement of the left'

Jeong Jeom-sik calls briefing 'despairing,' says president showed no remorse and dodged tough questions The People Power Party sharpened its criticism of President Lee Jae Myung's press conference on Friday, with floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik saying the president had "no thought for the people — only for the left." Jeong held a press briefing at the National Assembly that afternoon, calling the presidential press conference "despairing." "It confirmed there is absolutely no will to change the direction of state affairs," Jeong said. "It was a conference that repeated, in hollow wordplay, that the same policy course would continue — with no remorse whatsoever." On real estate, Jeong said Lee "consistently blamed others, pointing fingers at the previous administration and the Seoul mayor," and added that the president "offered nothing but self-congratulation, with no grasp of the reality that real estate prices have begun to fall." Jeong also announced plans to push a special prosecutor act targeting single-stock leveraged exchange-traded funds. Citing Lee's remark that he had "failed to grasp the detailed procedures and substance involved in the introduction" of such products, Jeong said, "On this issue, we must uncover the truth in the face of an irresponsible president. We will pursue a special prosecutor act on single-stock leveraged ETFs." Jeong also said Lee "quietly dodged uncomfortable questions" — including those on the chief justice's right to recommend Supreme Court justices and on US pressure to scale up semiconductor factories — and called him "a truly cowardly president." "This press conference was, at the same time, a sweeping declaration of refusal to change the direction of state affairs and an effort to look after the left — to appease the left — in order to prevent the erosion of his support base," Jeong said. Asked about Lee's statement that he would not seek a second term, Jeong shot back: "Can you believe words that were forced out of him because his approval rating was falling?" He added that Lee appeared to be "laying the groundwork for a change of heart down the road, after outsourcing the constitutional reform debate to the Democratic Party." Jeong then drew a line on constitutional reform talks, saying Lee "undermined the chief justice's right of recommendation" while the Democratic Party "acts as a Red Guard, hanging banners across the country demanding the chief justice step down." He said, "We cannot engage in constitutional reform discussions with forces that are destroying judicial independence and the separation of powers — forces that are acting against the Constitution." On the question of troop deployment to the Strait of Hormuz, Jeong said he viewed the issue as "not simply a matter of deployment to the Strait of Hormuz," describing it as "a complex, high-order equation involving the current state of the South Korea-US alliance, which is showing clear signs of trouble." He added that "the government must come to the National Assembly and transparently make its case on the current state of the alliance and the pending issues between the two countries — including the question of troop deployment."

Sept. 18, 2026

PPP lawmaker says Lee's press conference fell short of winning back public trust

People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun criticized President Lee Jae Myung's press conference held Friday, saying it "fell short of winning back the public trust that has turned away." Yoon wrote on his Facebook page that while Lee "answered questions on various issues at his Friday press conference, he failed to sufficiently address the public's anxieties and suspicions." "The most disappointing part was the question of dropping charges," Yoon said. Lee had asked for the removal of provisions in the fabricated-indictment special prosecutor act that would transfer and dispose of existing indicted cases. "It may be a necessary step, but he ultimately did not say what the public actually wanted to hear," Yoon said. Yoon said Lee could simply have declared, "I will not seek to have the charges dropped. I will stand trial." "Deleting a single clause from the special prosecutor act and stating the president's own position on his trial are entirely different matters," he added. Yoon also said Lee "reserved judgment" on Kim Seung-won, the nominee for justice minister who has advocated dropping the charges against Lee, saying Lee had "not yet reached a final conclusion." "If he truly intends to put the charge-dropping controversy to rest, there is no reason to leave any room for ambiguity," Yoon said. "The special prosecutor should investigate the truth, and the president should make clear that he will stand trial without any special treatment or exception." On Lee's remarks about a constitutional amendment allowing consecutive terms, Yoon said that while Lee claimed he had "absolutely no intention of seeking re-election," what the public wants is not his current thinking but an institutional guarantee. "He can simply promise that even if a constitutional amendment introducing consecutive terms is pursued, he will keep the relevant clause as is and not open a path for it to apply to himself," Yoon said. "Cutting off the controversy through the constitution and institutional mechanisms is more definitive than saying he has no such intention." Yoon also said Lee "consistently blamed others for the real estate problem," arguing that Lee attributed the housing supply shortage to a decline in permits and ground-breakings since the Yoon Suk Yeol administration and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon took office. "Even if past supply reductions have had an impact, housing problems should be answered not by pointing fingers but with concrete supply figures and timelines," he said. On the jeonse issue, Yoon said Lee emphasized a distinction in his words — claiming he had never said jeonse "should disappear," only that it "would disappear." "What the public wants to hear is not a clarification of wording but how the government plans to respond to the decline in jeonse and the rising burden of monthly rent," Yoon said. He said the same applied to diplomacy and security. "The troop deployment question is a critical matter involving the South Korea-US alliance, public safety and energy security," Yoon said. "It should no longer be left vague — the president must clearly explain what he intends to do and to what extent." "From personnel and judicial affairs to diplomacy, security and real estate, what the public demands is not rhetorical skill but accountability," Yoon said. "The banner of reform must not become a shield for power. If the president truly wishes to be president for everyone, he must show the public a willingness to take responsibility and see things through to the end."

Sept. 18, 2026

Lee vows to work for North Korea-US talks, peace regime on peninsula

Ceremony marking 8th anniversary of Sept. 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration and inter-Korean military agreement Message read by presidential political affairs adviser Kim Kyung-soo President Lee Jae Myung said Friday that his government would do everything in its power to help restart North Korea-US dialogue and advance it toward ending the war on the Korean Peninsula and building a lasting peace regime. Lee made the remarks in a congratulatory address — read on his behalf by Presidential Political Affairs Adviser Kim Kyung-soo — at a ceremony held at the National Assembly to mark the eighth anniversary of the Sept. 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration and the inter-Korean military agreement. "There are faint, gradual signs that the winds of peace, which had died down, may be stirring again," he said. Lee recalled the arc of inter-Korean diplomacy that began eight years ago. "The winds of peace on the Korean Peninsula that took root in Pyeongchang in 2018 carried through Panmunjom and Singapore and on to Pyongyang," he said. "The South and the North slowly lowered the guns they had pointed at each other and pledged never to fight again." He added that the momentum had not lasted. "Regrettably, those winds did not blow for long. Inter-Korean dialogue was severed, the door to cooperation was shut, and the long nights of tension returned," he said, adding that the prolonged period of hostility and confrontation had forced the country's economy and security to pay a price they should never have had to pay. Lee noted that the North's nuclear capabilities had advanced significantly compared with eight years ago and that the external environment was far from favorable. "We are painfully learning that a warm breeze can turn into a bitter wind in an instant, and that reversing course is many times harder and slower," he said. Even so, Lee pledged to press forward. "Even where the winds have subsided, the signposts remain," he said. "The more tangled the thread, the more carefully we must unravel it, strand by strand. We will find what we can do, act on it, and breathe the spirit of peace back into the Korean Peninsula." Lee doubled down on his commitment to the goals set in Pyongyang in 2018. "The promise made in Pyongyang eight years ago came from a determination to eliminate unnecessary risks of war and resolve the relationship of hostility," he said. "The Korean people's desire for peace has never once faded. We will rekindle that desire."

Sept. 18, 2026

US Ambassador Steel calls Korea-US alliance 'core pillar' of Indo-Pacific peace

'Forged in blood, goes beyond a simple mutual defense treaty' 'Shipbuilding, technology cooperation deepens as militaries prove ironclad alliance' US Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel reaffirmed the strength of the Korea-US alliance on Friday, calling it a "core pillar" of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and across the Indo-Pacific region. Speaking at the Korea-US Alliance Conference hosted by the Korea-US Alliance Foundation in Seoul, Steel described the alliance as "the core pillar of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific." Tracing its historical roots, she said it was "an alliance forged through war," built on the sacrifice of American and Korean soldiers who "stood side by side, shedding blood together to defend freedom." She added that the Korea-US Mutual Defense Treaty represents "a bond that can never be broken" and "goes beyond a simple government-to-government treaty." Steel also expressed strong confidence in the cooperative initiatives agreed upon by the two countries' leaders. Citing the joint fact sheet adopted at last year's Korea-US summit, she said it "shows the many practical paths our two countries can take together toward a stronger, safer and more prosperous future." She went on to say that the two sides are "strengthening security cooperation, modernizing the alliance, deepening trade and investment, and expanding cooperation in shipbuilding, technology and regional security." Steel also expressed gratitude for the dedication of USFK and the South Korean military, saying the very presence of both countries' forces is "a living expression of our ironclad alliance." She said their daily work "makes clear to our friends — and to our adversaries — that the United States and Korea stand together." While acknowledging that "the world will change, new technologies will transform economies, militaries and societies, and new challenges will test our resolve," Steel said "our shared values will remain the foundation of our future cooperation."

Sept. 18, 2026

Ruling, opposition parties clash over Special Inspector nominee's scope of probe

The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee held a confirmation hearing Friday for Special Inspector candidate Choi Gil-su, with the ruling and opposition parties clashing over the scope of the office's investigative mandate. The Democratic Party of Korea called for the Special Inspector, if confirmed, to probe the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration, while the People Power Party fired back, demanding investigations into Kim Hyun-ji, the presidential office's first deputy chief of staff, and President Lee Jae Myung's son. Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Dong-a said the Yoon administration had no reason to leave the senior civil affairs secretary post unfilled, yet deliberately did so and instead handled the duties through a lower-ranking secretary. "In that process, there were illegal solicitations and interference in personnel appointments," Kim said. "If those matters come to light as Cheong Wa Dae documents are reviewed, the Special Inspector must have the will to investigate them thoroughly." Fellow Democratic Party lawmaker Park Ji-won also urged action, saying the law already allows investigations into misconduct by former presidential senior secretaries. "The Yoon administration was an insurrection administration," Park said. "The insurrection special prosecutor is investigating and holding many hearings, but whatever falls short must be covered by the Special Inspector." The People Power Party, meanwhile, pressed Choi on whether he had the will to investigate allegations that Kim Hyun-ji had interfered in presidential personnel decisions. People Power Party lawmaker Ju Jin-woo asked whether specific allegations of Kim's involvement in personnel matters would make her a subject of investigation, and whether Choi had the will and a plan to probe not only senior secretaries but also those around them suspected of personnel interference. Ju also displayed at the hearing a screenshot from social media that he described as a photo of a Chinese national involved in cryptocurrency alongside a person identified as a son of President Lee. PPP lawmaker Kwak Gyu-taek added that even if the deputy chief of staff herself fell outside the Special Inspector's jurisdiction, the chief of staff, the personnel secretary and the civil affairs secretary — if they accepted improper requests and acted on them — were clearly subject to investigation. "The Special Inspector must thoroughly probe the public's doubts," Kwak said. Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Han-gyu pushed back, saying the photo had been released last year by Garosero Research Institute — whose host has since been indicted on charges of spreading false information — under the headline "Shocking exclusive." The People Power Party also expressed dissatisfaction with how Legislation and Judiciary Committee Chair Seo Young-gyo and Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Eui-kyum, who leads the party's side on the committee, conducted the proceedings. During the hearing, Kim, who was serving as acting chair, interjected while PPP lawmaker Kim Min-jeon was questioning Choi, suggesting that references to Kim Hyun-ji's career history may have crossed into private matters. PPP lawmaker Kwak objected, saying the chair should not comment on each question as it is asked. Friday's hearing was the first confirmation hearing for a Special Inspector candidate in 11 years and six months, since March 2015.

Sept. 18, 2026

Incheon approves W17.02tr supplementary budget

Incheon Metropolitan City finalized its second supplementary budget for 2026 at 17.02 trillion won ($12.3 billion). The city said the Incheon Metropolitan Council approved the supplementary budget on Friday. The revised spending plan represents an increase of 1.15 trillion won over the original budget. The budget includes an additional 77.9 billion won for cashback support under the Incheon e-eum program. From Friday through the end of September, the cashback rate will be raised to 10 percent with a monthly cap of 1 million won. From October through December, payments will be capped at 500,000 won per month. The budget also allocates 12.7 billion won for childbirth support, 1.5 billion won in additional youth monthly rent assistance, 27.9 billion won in public transit fiscal support, and 6.6 billion won for the Incheon i-Bada Pass program. Essential expenditures totaling 264.1 billion won were also earmarked, covering 44.7 billion won for long-term care insurance co-payments for the elderly, 53.6 billion won to expand fiscal support for the semi-public bus system, 41.8 billion won for urban rail operating costs and related expenses, and 21.3 billion won in fuel subsidies for commercial freight vehicles.

Sept. 18, 2026

Yu Seung-min says Lee dodged jeonse crisis question, revealing 'policy vacuum'

Former lawmaker posts Facebook critique of presidential press conference 'No reflection on real estate failures … bleak' Former People Power Party lawmaker Yu Seung-min said Friday that "reform" was the word President Lee Jae Myung used most at his nationally televised press conference — including in his opening remarks — but that he could not recall a single reform the president had actually carried out in the past 15 months. Yu posted his assessment on Facebook, saying he gave the press conference partial credit for showing "self-reflection on governance failures and a posture of humility and apprehension before the sovereign people," but flagged shortcomings on specific issues including the withdrawal of indictments, the abolition of prosecutors' supplementary investigative powers, and real estate policy. Yu said he viewed positively the president's statements that he had "absolutely no intention of seeking a second term" and that clauses on the transfer or disposition of existing indicted cases would be deleted from the fabricated-indictment special prosecutor act, saying those remarks "will help ease public concern over a constitutional amendment to allow re-election and over the withdrawal of indictments." He said it was nonetheless "regrettable and unsatisfying" that Lee had not stated clearly that "under no circumstances will indictments or trials be withdrawn — I will stand trial according to the law after leaving office." Yu also called for the immediate rescission of the nomination of Kim Seung-won — who had led the Democratic Party of Korea's caucus pushing for indictment withdrawals — as minister of justice, saying it was necessary to "dispel public suspicion on this matter." On the abolition of prosecutors' supplementary investigative powers, Yu said that if the president himself acknowledged the need for mutual checks among powerful institutions, "prosecutors must retain supplementary investigative powers for checks and balances between the prosecution and police to be possible — simply calling for police reform while in practice allowing police to monopolize investigative authority solves nothing." On the president's answers regarding real estate policy, Yu said it was "bleak" that Lee had casually described the surge in Greater Seoul home prices as "stabilization" without any reflection on policy failures, deflected blame onto the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, and showed no intention of fundamentally correcting flawed taxes and regulations — a sign, Yu said, that "there will be no real change on the real estate front going forward." Yu said nearly half of all residents in the Greater Seoul area live as jeonse or monthly-rent tenants, yet "the situation of having no measures for the jeonse and monthly-rent crisis continues." A reporter had pressed the president on jeonse and monthly-rent policy after noting that Lee had previously described jeonse as "a peculiar form of private finance unique to Korea that should disappear," only for Lee to respond that he had said it "would disappear," not that it "should disappear," and then dismiss the question without offering any substantive answer on the crisis. "The president's brushing aside of the question is a perfect illustration of this government's complete absence of policy on jeonse and monthly rent," Yu said. Yu said the public was asking what the president actually meant by "reform," given that Lee had been calling himself a "reform president" while doing "absolutely nothing" on pension reform, labor reform, welfare reform, healthcare reform, education reform, or measures to overcome the low birth rate — reforms he described as "truly difficult but absolutely necessary for the future of the country and its people." Earlier Friday, at the press conference held at Cheong Wa Dae's Yeongbingwan, a reporter cited the current jeonse shortage and recalled that Lee had previously described jeonse as a peculiar private-finance system unique to Korea and said it was a "system that should gradually disappear," asking whether he still held that view. Lee replied that he recalled saying it "would disappear," then pushed back: "I said it would disappear — when did I ever say it should disappear? That makes the question meaningless. I'll take it as replaced by that." The exchange had been expected to yield a substantive response on jeonse and monthly-rent policy, but Lee dismissed it without one. Lee identified the fundamental drivers of rising home prices as the concentration of population in the Greater Seoul area and the "myth of real estate as an infallible investment," and cited shorter-term factors including a contraction in housing supply, economic growth, and market liquidity. He claimed that building permits and ground-breakings had been cut in half from 2022 onward — after the Yoon Suk Yeol administration took office and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon was elected. He also said that with supply already sharply reduced between 2022 and 2025, the lifting of land transaction permit zones had caused home prices to spike in certain areas. Earlier, at a press conference marking his first anniversary in office in June, Lee had addressed the jeonse shortage by saying that jeonse was "a kind of private finance that exists uniquely in South Korea and is now fading away," adding that "a process of normalization is needed" and that "a decline in jeonse supply is only natural."

Sept. 18, 2026

Democratic Party launches 'Alpha Phone Project' TF to develop student-only smartphones

Lawmaker Kim Young-ho to head TF amid growing concerns over smartphone addiction; second party office to move near Hapjeong Station for better youth access The Democratic Party of Korea is moving to formally explore the introduction of student-only smartphones designed to reduce children's and teenagers' excessive smartphone use and exposure to harmful content. The party plans to form an internal task force to discuss specific implementation measures and policy support. Park Sung-jun, the Democratic Party's chief spokesperson, told reporters Friday after a closed-door supreme council meeting at the National Assembly that the party would establish a task force for the student-only smartphone "Alpha Phone Project," to be headed by lawmaker Kim Young-ho. The Alpha Phone Project aims to restrict the functions available on smartphones used by children and teenagers to prevent overuse and exposure to harmful content. Kim has argued for the need to introduce student-only smartphones, citing what he described as a serious and worsening problem of smartphone addiction and harmful content exposure among children. The TF is expected to examine the specific features and rollout methods for a student-only smartphone, as well as potential cooperation with the government and the telecommunications industry. The Democratic Party also moved Friday to reorganize its youth-related bodies. It appointed lawmaker Baek Seung-a as chair of the Youth Future Roundtable, lawmaker Kwon Hyang-yeop as chair of the small and medium-sized enterprises special committee, lawmaker Bu Seung-chan as chair of the Northeast Asia special committee, and lawmaker Lee Ju-hee as chair of the information and communications special committee. The location of the party's second office, a project championed by party leader Kim Min-seok, will also shift from Gwanghwamun in Seoul to near Hapjeong Station. The party said it had initially considered a Gwanghwamun location but changed course to improve accessibility for younger people. The second office will be named "Hub 123," a title meant to reflect its focus on people in their teens through their 30s. The party envisions operating it as a "youth civic party office" where young people can directly contribute their views to the policymaking process.

Sept. 18, 2026

Former President Moon makes finger heart at 9.19 Pyongyang Declaration anniversary

Former President Moon Jae-in, his wife Kim Jung-sook, and National Assembly Speaker Jo Jeong-sik made finger hearts Friday at a ceremony marking the eighth anniversary of the Sept. 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration and inter-Korean military agreement, held at the National Assembly Members' Hall in Yeouido, Seoul.

Sept. 18, 2026

Former President Moon, wife attend 9.19 Pyongyang Declaration anniversary event

Former President Moon Jae-in and his wife Kim Jung-sook were seen talking at a ceremony marking the eighth anniversary of the Sept. 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration and inter-Korean military agreement, held Friday at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul.

Sept. 18, 2026

Former President Moon, wife attend 9.19 Pyongyang Declaration anniversary ceremony

Former President Moon Jae-in and his wife Kim Jung-sook observe the national salute at a ceremony marking the eighth anniversary of the Sept. 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration and inter-Korean military agreement, held Friday at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul.

Sept. 18, 2026

[Herald pic] Former President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook view photo exhibition

Former President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook viewed a photo exhibition Friday at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul, during a ceremony marking the eighth anniversary of the Sept. 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration and inter-Korean military agreement.

Sept. 18, 2026

Na Kyung-won slams Lee press conference, demands resumption of 5 trials

'Who believes a lying president?' 'Must take responsibility for leveraged ETF introduction' People Power Party lawmaker Na Kyung-won criticized President Lee Jae Myung's press conference Friday, saying it lacked "the core of what the public most wanted to hear." Writing on her Facebook page that day, Na said the briefing "needed just one line — a pledge to resume his suspended trials," adding that "everything else was just pleasant words, take them or leave them." Na said Lee had previously reversed his campaign pledge to waive his immunity from arrest, and had once declared that even a president must go to prison for committing crimes, yet was now refusing to face the trials suspended after he took office. "Who would believe a lying president who flips his words like turning over his palm?" she said, urging Lee to first withdraw his nomination of Kim Seung-won, the minister candidate who would drop the indictments against him. Na also said Lee must be held accountable for the failure of the leveraged exchange-traded fund policy. "Even after the disaster of a hasty, premature rollout, he speaks with a detached irresponsibility," she said. "Doesn't this mean they introduced leveraged single-stock ETFs knowing full well the risks and the lack of preparation? The single-stock leveraged ETF disaster has been cited as wiping out 54 trillion won ($39.1 billion) in public wealth." Na directly rebuffed Lee's claim that "not even a ghost knows whether share prices will rise or fall." She said that in March, Lee had declared "our stocks are undervalued" and approved the early introduction of the products, while former Policy Chief Kim Yong-beom said the market was "shedding its undervaluation." Single-stock leveraged ETFs were first listed and began trading on May 27, and in June Kim said South Korea would become "one of the top three markets by market cap within two to three years." "They were in effect the very people who encouraged investment in single-stock leveraged ETFs," Na said. "In a market where not even a ghost knows which way prices will go, they poured gasoline on a fire when share prices were already blazing." Na again urged Lee to resume his trials. "No need for many words," she said. "Before more criminal investigations and trials are added, President Lee Jae Myung should first face his five suspended trials. A president who refuses to stand trial cannot properly run state affairs or earn the trust of the people."

Sept. 18, 2026

Lee calls pro-democracy camp 'comrades' as he tackles prosecution controversy head-on

President holds press conference at Cheong Wa Dae; tells Assembly to strip transfer provisions from special prosecutor bill Chief Justice's remarks on judicial independence draw pointed response President Lee Jae Myung on Friday called on the National Assembly to remove from a pending special prosecutor bill any provisions governing the transfer or disposition of cases already under indictment — a direct attempt to defuse the controversy over dropping existing charges against him. Lee made the request at a press conference at Cheong Wa Dae, framing it as a plea to the Assembly. The move signaled his intent to confront head-on the opposition's criticism that the charge-dropping issue had become an unnecessary political flashpoint obscuring the substance of the legislation. However, Lee said an investigation into whether prosecutions had been fabricated was still necessary, and that such an inquiry should be conducted by a special prosecutor. "I have my own understanding of the truth, but an objective process of verification will also be needed," he said. "I am not the only one who suffered harm from the previous government's aggressive investigations and indictments driven by political motives. There were journalists, media organizations, civil servants, politicians and private citizens." He then said cases suspected of involving malicious or fabricated prosecution "should have the truth uncovered through a special prosecutor," adding that having investigative and prosecutorial agencies under his command handle the matter "would only invite further misunderstanding." "For cases involving allegations of fabricated indictments, it is necessary for the National Assembly to swiftly and transparently establish the facts through a special prosecutor," he said. On Chief Justice Jo Hee-dae's remarks about judicial independence — made amid a standoff over the re-nomination of Supreme Court justice candidates — Lee said obliquely that "we should think about why independence is granted to state institutions in the first place." Cheong Wa Dae has favored re-nominating the previously recommended candidates, but within the court there are signs of deliberation over forming a new Supreme Court Justice Candidate Recommendation Committee under the Court Organization Act and restarting the nomination process from scratch. Chief Justice Jo said Thursday that "cooperation among the judiciary, the legislature and the administration must take place while guaranteeing judicial independence." Lee also appealed for unity across the broader pro-government camp. "We are told that reform is harder than revolution," he said. "All of us who act for a better world are supporters of former Presidents Roh and Kim Dae-jung — and comrades of Lee Jae Myung." He said the public had held the same hopes and expectations of him whether he was serving as Seongnam mayor, Gyeonggi Province governor, Democratic Party leader or president — a wish for "a fair country where even the powerless are not wronged and no authority lords over the people, a world of shared prosperity where everyone lives well with mutual respect." "Throughout my time in politics, my workplace has changed, but I have never for a single moment abandoned the goals and values of reform," he said. "Whether it was when I resolved to enter politics in the basement prayer room of a neighborhood church in front of Seongnam City Hall, or right now as I steer the great ship that is the Republic of Korea toward a better future with the people — the world Lee Jae Myung dreams of has not changed." He added that if there was one difference now, it was that he was "no longer simply advocating for what I believe is right, but serving as the highest authority in state affairs, who must produce real results in a harsh reality using the mandate granted by the people." Lee also spoke candidly about the difficulty of reform. "Reform is said to be harder than revolution," he said. "The organized resistance of those with vested interests against change aimed at building a more rational and fair society is as hard as concrete." "But the support of those whose lives would improve through change is often scattered like grains of sand," he continued. "The authority given to elected officials is the force that allows us to overcome resistance, and it is my capacity and responsibility as president to turn those grains of sand into concrete, overcome opposition and build a new order." He added that he believed "being evaluated at the end by the results that have improved people's lives is the way to repay the public," and that his principle of being "a president for everyone" stemmed from that conviction. Lee went on to say that "even people looking in the same direction can differ on which path is faster or safer," and made a renewed appeal: "Please do not let slightly different routes and methods lead you to doubt the sincerity of those who have shared the same vision and walked together." "It is heartbreaking to see people who gave everything — even risking their lives — to overcome the insurrection and wholeheartedly worked for the success of a government of popular sovereignty now exchanging words of hatred," he said. "It pains me to see someone who dreamed of and worked toward a better world singled out for exclusion and left hurt." He doubled down on his call for solidarity, saying: "All of us who dream of democracy, progress and reform, and who act for a better world, are supporters of former Presidents Roh and Kim Dae-jung — comrades of Lee Jae Myung." On the divisions within the broader pro-government bloc, Lee said that while many factors had contributed to "this heartbreaking reality," the greatest responsibility lay with him as both the top leader of the state and the Democratic Party's foremost member. "Even if you feel resentment and want to blame someone, please blame my shortcomings and those of my government," he said. "I will listen more, communicate more and reach out first," he added. "I will make every effort, with bone-cutting resolve, to ensure that small differences become a force for finding better answers rather than a reason to push each other away."

Sept. 18, 2026