First Korea-Central Asia summit wraps up, expanding Seoul's diplomatic reach into Eurasia

First Korea-Central Asia summit concludes successfully Second summit to be held in Kazakhstan in 2028 Bilateral talks with all 5 nations; 74 agreements and MOUs signed The first Korea-Central Asia Summit concluded successfully Wednesday, bringing together President Lee Jae Myung and the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to discuss expanded cooperation spanning critical mineral supply chains, trade and investment, and infrastructure. The second Korea-Central Asia Summit will be held in Kazakhstan in 2028. Cheong Wa Dae said the summit laid the groundwork for discussing regional cooperation between Korea and Central Asia at the leadership level. It said the gathering was expected to serve as a turning point for deepening cooperation across a broad range of areas — including trade, investment, industry, education and culture — built on the mutual trust accumulated through decades of exchanges, with the goal of achieving shared prosperity. In his opening remarks, Lee said the world is entering "a time of great transformation, where the economy and security are closely intertwined — from supply chains and energy to markets and technology," adding that "the Silk Road spirit of Central Asia, which once connected the people, technology and cultures of East and West, is needed now more than ever." "We must now prepare the next 30 years together, building on the foundation of cooperation we have built over the past three decades," Lee said. "The respective strengths of Korea and Central Asia will offer boundless opportunities to solve each other's challenges together." The leaders of Korea and the five Central Asian nations adopted the Seoul Declaration, committing to institutionalize Korea-Central Asia cooperation and establish a strategic framework for collaboration. Specifically, they agreed to pursue supply chain cooperation combining Central Asia's abundant natural resources with Korea's advanced technology, and to explore the creation of joint value-added production networks encompassing critical mineral processing, industrial localization, science and technology cooperation, and human resource development. In the energy sector, the leaders agreed to broaden cooperation to cover oil and gas, petrochemicals, advanced natural gas processing, hydropower, renewable energy, energy infrastructure modernization and clean energy technology. The Seoul Declaration also reaffirmed the commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of lasting peace. The five Central Asian leaders expressed support for South Korea's efforts to resume inter-Korean dialogue through proactive tension reduction and confidence-building measures, with the goal of achieving peaceful coexistence and shared prosperity on the Korean Peninsula through expanded inter-Korean exchanges, normalization of relations and phased denuclearization. Ahead of the summit, Lee held a series of bilateral talks with each of the five leaders over three days beginning Monday, producing a range of cooperative outcomes with each country. A total of 74 agreements and MOUs were signed across various sectors — 13 with Uzbekistan, 13 with Kazakhstan, 13 with Turkmenistan, 17 with Tajikistan and 18 with Kyrgyzstan. In a Facebook post after the summit, Lee said the two sides had signed an "MOU on industrial and supply chain cooperation" to deliver concrete results, and had established a new industrial ministers' consultative body to implement it. "We will connect railways, logistics and energy infrastructure, and work together to resolve the on-the-ground challenges companies face, including customs and intellectual property issues," he said. Lee added that Korea and Central Asia had agreed to pursue both bilateral cooperation and the "C5+1" framework going forward. "We will deepen cooperation with each country individually, but when faced with difficult challenges that require collective action, all six nations will join forces," he said.

Sept. 17, 2026

Jang Dong-hyeok calls on President Lee to scrap cabinet reshuffle, overhaul Cheong Wa Dae

Jang calls for 'complete policy overhaul declaration' Jeong Jeom-sik: Kim Seung-won appointment would make 'cabinet of 35 convictions' The People Power Party said Thursday that confirmation hearings for key cabinet nominees had ended in "disaster" and called on President Lee Jae Myung to scrap what it described as a botched cabinet reshuffle and carry out a full overhaul of Cheong Wa Dae. PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok, speaking at a supreme council meeting at the National Assembly, said the reshuffle would have been better left undone. "The public's blood pressure collectively spiked watching these confirmation hearings," he said. Jang reserved particular scorn for Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won, calling the hearing "a shameless low-grade comedy." He said Kim had failed to address allegations involving stock price manipulation, unauthorized human trials and a family cooperative. "The tearful performance and the applause show only confirmed why Gag Concert went off the air," Jang said. He also criticized Defense Minister nominee Kang Shin-cheol, whom he labeled the "demolition-squad commando," saying Kang had pledged to push ahead with merging military academies and reclaiming wartime operational control. "He cannot even call North Korea the main enemy, yet he claims he will take responsibility for South Korea's national defense," Jang said. Jang described Finance Minister nominee Lee Hyeong-il and Land Minister nominee Hong Ji-seon as "avatars of President Lee," saying they were people who would follow the president's orders regardless of whether housing prices soared or the economy collapsed. Jang said President Lee's scheduled press conference on Friday would be meaningful only if it began with an apology. "He must first apologize to the people for his arrogance and incompetence," Jang said. "He must declare a complete policy overhaul — on real estate, diplomacy, security, everything — and keep his promises." He added that the president should not count on a "one-man show of lies" to escape the crisis. "Our people have been deceived enough and will not be deceived any further," he said. PPP floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik also weighed in on the confirmation hearing fallout. He described Kim Seung-won's performance as "a tearful melodrama," and said the administration was pressing ahead with the appointment despite opposition from the progressive civic group People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy. "Everyone knows the real reason for this reckless move lies in the withdrawal of the indictment against the president," Jeong said. Jeong also went on the offensive against the government itself. "The current cabinet, including a president with four prior convictions, has a combined criminal record of 34 counts among its key figures," he said. "If the administration pushes through the appointment of drunk-driving convict Kim Seung-won, that criminal cabinet will be further reinforced with a total of 35 convictions." He added that the government and the ruling party were "running roughshod over personnel appointments with no regard for the people." "This is a declaration of war against the public," Jeong said. "Arrogant power will always face judgment."

Sept. 17, 2026

Obituary: Father-in-law of People Power Party communications director Kim Yong-jin

Kim Seong-yeon, father-in-law of Kim Yong-jin, communications director of the People Power Party and former presidential office deputy secretary for external affairs, died Wednesday at Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital in Seoul, Room 5 of the funeral hall. The funeral procession departs Friday at 6 a.m. For inquiries, call 02-2030-4444.

Sept. 17, 2026

People Power Party leader Jang attends supreme council meeting

People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok attends a supreme council meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Thursday morning.

Sept. 17, 2026

People Power Party leader Jang drinks water at supreme council meeting

People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok drinks water during a supreme council meeting held Thursday morning at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul.

Sept. 17, 2026

People Power Party chief Jang delivers opening remarks at supreme council meeting

People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok delivers opening remarks at a supreme council meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Thursday morning.

Sept. 17, 2026

Han Byung-do of Democratic Party of Korea speaks at policy coordination meeting

Han Byung-do, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, delivers opening remarks at a policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Thursday morning.

Sept. 17, 2026

Han Byung-do attends Democratic Party policy meeting

Han Byung-do, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, attends a policy coordination meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Thursday morning.

Sept. 17, 2026

Reform Party emergency committee chief Lee Ki-in greets reporters before party reform announcement

Reform Party Emergency Response Committee Chairman Lee Ki-in greets reporters at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Thursday before announcing the party's first reform plan.

Sept. 17, 2026

Reform Party emergency committee chair announces first party reform plan

Reform Party Emergency Committee Chairman Lee Ki-in announced the party's first reform plan at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Thursday morning.

Sept. 17, 2026

Kim Min-seok speaks at Democratic Party media task force meeting

Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok speaks at the first meeting of the party's Media Public Interest Enhancement Task Force at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Thursday morning.

Sept. 17, 2026

Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok poses for photo at media task force meeting

Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok and other attendees posed for a commemorative photo at the first meeting of the Media Public Interest Enhancement Task Force, held Thursday morning at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul.

Sept. 17, 2026

US Embassy airs promotional video on KTX trains to mark America's 250th anniversary

Video pairs Statue of Liberty with King Sejong statue, highlights alliance milestones Aligns with Ambassador Steel's outreach efforts since taking post The US Embassy in Seoul has produced a commemorative promotional video marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, placing the growth of the South Korea-US alliance at its center. The release comes amid a series of friction points between the two countries over trade and security, and is widely seen as an effort to reaffirm the durability of the alliance. The embassy said Thursday it would begin broadcasting the video through KTX cabin screens and other public channels. Rather than presenting a straightforward chronology of American history, the video interweaves the development of the bilateral relationship to underscore the strength of the alliance. The video uses cross-cutting edits to juxtapose iconic symbols, cultural traditions and industrial achievements from both nations — the Statue of Liberty alongside the King Sejong statue, American football alongside the traditional Korean game of "gossiumpnori," space rockets alongside cargo ships, and robots alongside semiconductors. It then delivers the message that South Korea and the United States share "2 Souls, One Story," closing with the line: "Let's open the next 250 years together." The parallel arrangement of each country's defining assets portrays a close partnership and offers a forward-looking vision. Particularly amid recent discord between the two sides across trade and security, the video is seen as a deliberate move by the embassy to remind the public of the unshakeable foundation of the alliance. The effort also aligns with the public outreach of Korean American Ambassador Michelle Steel, who took up her post in July and has visited sites such as Gwanghwamun and Namdaemun to demonstrate her affection for Korea. The video broadcast is part of a broader public diplomacy push by the embassy to deepen emotional ties with the Korean public and build goodwill.

Sept. 17, 2026

Ruling party's Kwon urges government to protect farmers during farmland probe

'Probe results should be used to punish clear speculation,' Kwon says, pushing back at opposition Jang Dong-hyeok calls for immediate halt to survey, saying it ensnares innocent farmers Kwon Chil-seung, policy chief of the Democratic Party of Korea, urged the government Thursday to ensure that law-abiding farmers are not harmed by its nationwide farmland survey, acknowledging that "there are indeed farmers who feel inconvenienced" by the probe. "I hope the government will do everything in its power to make sure that upstanding farmers and citizens do not suffer any unnecessary harm," Kwon said at a policy coordination meeting at the National Assembly. He added that survey findings should be used, as originally intended, to punish clear cases of farmland speculation, while minor violations stemming from ordinary farming practices should be addressed through guidance and regulatory reform rather than punishment. Kwon said the farmland survey aims to uphold the constitutional principle that farmland should be owned by those who till it, crack down on speculation, and help farmers make efficient use of their land. He also issued a stern warning against what he called the People Power Party's "persistent distortion of facts and baseless sophistry" regarding the ongoing government survey. He added that the government and ruling party would do their utmost to stabilize farmland prices, including through the farmland bank's land purchase program. People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok had called on Wednesday for an immediate halt to the survey. "Without mincing words, the comprehensive farmland survey must be stopped right now," Jang wrote on Facebook, arguing that the government should listen fully to public opinion and draw up proper measures, including legislative reform. Jang had also criticized the survey earlier, saying it effectively brands elderly farmers as speculators simply for being unable to work their fields due to illness or personal circumstances. He also took aim at the government's decision to recruit young part-time workers to conduct on-site inspections and raise the whistleblower reward tenfold to 15 million won ($11,000), saying the move was aimed at "catching innocent farmers."

Sept. 17, 2026

Political parties on edge ahead of Lee's 7th press conference

Han Byung-do calls it a 'forum for sincere dialogue'; Jang Dong-hyeok demands 'clear answers' Voices within ruling party urge president to seize chance to reverse approval rating slide Political circles are closely watching President Lee Jae Myung's seventh press conference since taking office, scheduled for Friday at Cheong Wa Dae's Yeongbingwan banquet hall, with particular attention on expected announcements regarding a second-term Cabinet reshuffle and real estate policy. Democratic Party Floor Leader Han Byung-do said at a policy coordination meeting at the National Assembly on Thursday that the Friday press conference "will serve as a forum for listening to the public and engaging in sincere dialogue on key national affairs." He also said the People Power Party leadership had been "exploiting the press conference as fodder for political attacks day after day," urging the main opposition party to "stop the curses and harsh words and instead pursue cooperative governance." PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok struck a sharply different tone at a supreme council meeting the same day, saying the press conference would only be meaningful if President Lee first apologized to the public "for his arrogance and incompetence." Jang said Lee should "declare a fundamental shift in the direction of state affairs across all policy areas — including real estate and the troop deployment to Iran — and offer clear answers the public can accept." Even within the ruling party, voices are growing louder that the press conference must offer something capable of reversing the president's sliding approval ratings and shifting the political momentum. Democratic Party lawmaker Yun Geon-yeong, appearing on MBC Radio's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus," said President Lee should approach the conference with the mindset of "giving 11 when the public wants 10." He added that creating "a turning point to stop the approval rating decline and rebuild the momentum to govern" was essential — echoing his earlier call for the president to leave nothing unresolved. Lawmaker Lee Gwang-jae, in a KBS Radio interview on Wednesday, said the president "needs to clearly address several uncertain factors that have been obstructing the political situation." He added that on questions such as dropping criminal charges and constitutional reform to allow consecutive terms, "since these are political matters, I expect the president will bring them up at the press conference." Kim Jong-in, former emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, appeared on CBS Radio's "Park Seong-tae's News Show" and called on the president to state his position on constitutional reform plainly. "He must clearly tell ordinary citizens what they stand to gain," Kim said. "If he says he will pursue constitutional reform, he must explain to the public in detail what the problem is and what he intends to do about it — vague language is absolutely unacceptable."

Sept. 17, 2026

Seoul council speaker inspects aging school pool, eyes fee cuts for young female swimmers

Council moves to expand public pool discount for girls; speaker and lawmaker tour Cheongwun Elementary facilities The Seoul Metropolitan Council is moving to renovate aging school swimming pools and expand sports welfare for students. The council plans to remodel 14 deteriorating school pools across the city while also pursuing regulatory changes to reduce the cost of public pool access for young female swimmers. Council Speaker Im Man-gyun visited Cheongwun Elementary School in Jongno-gu on Wednesday alongside council member Yun Seon-hui of the Democratic Party of Korea to inspect the pool's current condition and usage. Im received a briefing from school officials on the planned remodeling before touring amenities including changing rooms and shower facilities to assess the extent of deterioration and the state of safety management. The Cheongwun Elementary pool is a six-lane facility on the first below-ground floor. More than 20 years after it was completed, calls for renovation due to aging infrastructure had consistently mounted, and the school suspended operations in July to begin remodeling. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education currently oversees 48 school pools in the city, of which 14 have been identified as aging and are slated for remodeling. The Seoul Metropolitan Council views facility upgrades as essential now that survival swimming education has been made compulsory, elevating school pools from ordinary sports facilities to core educational infrastructure responsible for student safety. The council is also considering the potential for school pools to serve as community sports hubs when opened to local residents. "With survival swimming now mandatory, school pools have become important educational and sports facilities that support not only students' healthy development but also their safety," Im said. "We will progressively upgrade aging facilities so that students and local residents alike can conveniently use a pool close to home." Alongside the facility improvements, the council is pursuing amendments to local ordinances to ease the financial burden on young female swimmers at public pools. The changes would extend an existing 10 percent fee discount at public pools — currently available to female youth aged 13 and older — to those aged 9 and older, providing support from an earlier age. Four ordinances are targeted for amendment: the ordinance on the establishment and operation of Seoul Metropolitan Government sports facilities; the ordinance on the management and operation of Seoul's Eoulrim Plaza; the ordinance on the use and operation of sports facilities at institutions directly under the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education; and the ordinance on the opening and use of public school facilities under the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. Yun, who joined the inspection that day, said the Youth Basic Act defines youth as starting from age 9 and that related ordinances should be brought in line with that standard. "Given that girls are reaching physical maturity earlier, expanding the discount eligibility will help children enjoy swimming more freely and grow up healthy," she said. Im said the council would continue to reflect feedback from the education office and schools, reform regulations that no longer fit current realities, and actively pursue facility renovations, safety enhancements and expanded sports welfare. He particularly stressed that public sports facilities, including schools, serve as community sports hubs used by both students and local residents, and that the council would pay closer attention to facility conditions and the environment in which people use them.

Sept. 17, 2026

Ruling and opposition parties adopt confirmation hearing report for Lee Hyung-il as finance minister nominee

The ruling and opposition parties adopted a confirmation hearing report for Lee Hyung-il, nominee for minister of the Ministry of Finance and Economy.

Sept. 17, 2026

Drones crash repeatedly at public military showcase as Ahn vows to build 500,000-strong drone force

Defense Ministry calls failures 'part of development process,' launches frequency-interference probe Unmanned aircraft crash before hundreds of civilian spectators; counter-drone demos also falter Drones crashed repeatedly and some weapons systems failed to function normally at a public demonstration the Ministry of National Defense organized to test civilian drone technology in a real military environment. Even as Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back has championed a plan to cultivate a "500,000-strong drone warrior force," the showcase — watched by hundreds of civilians — was marked by drones tumbling from the sky and failed target intercepts. Military authorities have launched a probe, focusing on the possibility of frequency interference. The Defense Ministry said Thursday that the successive drone crashes at the technology demonstration were "not a failure, but part of the process of developing better technology." A ministry official said the event — held for the first time this year — was civilian-led and designed to let domestic companies verify the military applicability of the drone and counter-drone systems they are developing, while giving industry a chance to receive military feedback and pursue iterative technological improvement. "Although some companies' products did not succeed in their demonstrations, we will continue to play a role in encouraging the drone industry to press ahead with technology development without fear of failure," the official added. The ministry held the "2026 Defense Drone Technology Exhibition" on Wednesday at Seungjin Training Ground in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province. The event was organized to test and verify cutting-edge domestic drone and counter-drone technologies in an actual military environment and to support their rapid adoption by the armed forces. About 2,000 people attended, including senior civilian, government and military officials, service members, USFK personnel, domestic and foreign industry representatives, and local residents. The two-part technology demonstration ran into trouble from the start, however. Some drones hovered in place and failed to proceed to the next stage, and others appeared to freeze mid-flight as if data transmission had been disrupted. A demonstration of LIG D&A's "Vision 60," an air-to-ground guided munition carried by a drone, also fell short of its planned sequence. Of five missiles scheduled for the demonstration, only two hit their targets before the event was halted. A "hard-kill" demonstration — in which a drone is physically struck and neutralized — also failed to hit the target drone. Both jet-engine drones developed by Korea Aerospace Industries crashed to the ground immediately after takeoff. A direct-impact attack drone developed by a small defense company also failed to fly properly and went down. Problems emerged in other demonstrations as well, including a swarm of rotary-wing drones. Hundreds of residents from Pocheon had been invited to watch the demonstrations. Each time a drone crashed or a demonstration was cut short, murmuring spread through the spectator stands. The event announcer repeatedly explained that failures are an asset in the process of technology development, but some attendees left before the event concluded. A rehearsal held at the same site recently had reportedly gone without incident. Military authorities are investigating the cause, with frequency interference on the day of the event among the leading possibilities. The specific cause of each individual crash and malfunction has not yet been determined, however. A drone demonstration failure at a public military event also occurred last month. The Navy and the Agency for Defense Development conducted a combat experiment with a medium-sized loitering munition aboard the landing ship Marado in the South Sea on Aug. 25, but both drones launched crashed into the water within seconds. The Agency for Defense Development later said its investigation found the cause to be a simple defect in the drone launch tube. Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry used the event to expand the number of dedicated drone and counter-drone verification units to nine in total. Those units will directly operate civilian technologies and conduct combat experiments across a range of operational environments. The ministry said it plans to build on the Army units' results to extend the program to the Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps, supporting the broader adoption of advanced civilian technology by the military.

Sept. 17, 2026

Lee meets IEA chief to discuss Asia-Pacific energy supply chain cooperation

Cheong Wa Dae says talks with Birol to cover energy security and climate response in the electrification era Meeting follows Lee's proposal at G7 summit; global coordination on strategic oil releases also on agenda President Lee Jae Myung will meet with International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday afternoon to discuss ways to strengthen energy supply chain resilience in the Asia-Pacific region amid intensifying global energy and climate crises. Cheong Wa Dae said in a press release that Lee will sit down with Birol at 2 p.m. to exchange views on international energy market trends and ways to bolster energy security. The meeting was arranged to follow up on a proposal Lee made at the Group of Seven summit in June to advance cooperation on Asia-Pacific energy supply chain resilience. Birol has led global efforts to address energy crises, coordinating the joint release of 400 million barrels of strategic petroleum reserves among IEA member states in response to the war in the Middle East. He has maintained close cooperation with the South Korean government on energy security and climate change, and the two sides have continued to deepen ties — including co-hosting an international climate industry expo since 2024. Lee and Birol are expected to focus their discussions on global energy market and industry trends and on ways to strengthen energy security in the electrification era, against the backdrop of worsening crises including the recent situation in the Middle East and large-scale flooding in Nepal. They are also expected to hold in-depth exchanges on new directions for energy security cooperation centered on the Asia-Pacific region.

Sept. 17, 2026

President Lee vows to track down scalpers, claw back illicit profits

'Revised Performance Act taking effect — scalper who made billions reselling tickets at up to 30 times face value arrested' 'Will make clear that profiting from scalping comes at a far greater cost' President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday that he would pursue scalpers to the end and recover all illicit profits, after police arrested a large-scale ticket scalper who had resold tickets at up to 30 times face value, pocketing billions of won. "We will track down ticket scalping that robs people of their rightful chance to attend events, and we will absolutely recover every won of illegally gained profit," Lee wrote on X, formerly Twitter. The Gyeonggi Northern District Police Agency's Cyber Crime Investigation Unit 2 announced Wednesday that it had arrested a man in his 30s, identified only by his surname initial A, on charges of obstruction of business and referred the case to prosecutors. A is accused of purchasing 8,967 tickets to popular concerts and sporting events between September 2018 and last April — a span of seven years and seven months — and reselling them at a markup. Lee said the amended Performance Act, which took effect Aug. 28, was already showing results. "A scalper who resold tickets to idol concerts, overseas artists' Korea tours and sporting events at up to 30 times face value, pocketing billions of won, has been apprehended," he said. He added that he would "make it unmistakably clear that those who profit illegally from scalping will inevitably pay a far greater price," and thanked the police officers involved for their efforts.

Sept. 17, 2026