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Lee calls for 'extraordinary measures,' fuel price cap amid energy shock
President Lee Jae Myung ordered "extraordinary measures" to shore up energy supplies and rein in surging oil prices, including the swift imposition of a petroleum price cap for the first time in nearly 30 years. Lee convened an emergency economic response meeting at Cheong Wa Dae at 11 a.m. to assess the economic and inflationary fallout from the widening war in the Middle East, sparked by US-Israeli strikes on Iran that began Feb. 28. "As the crisis in the Middle East deepens, uncertainty at ho
March 9, 2026 -
Chong Won-o vows AI-driven governance in Seoul mayor bid
Chong Won-o, who is competing for the Democratic Party of Korea candidacy in the June mayoral election in Seoul, vowed to adopt artificial intelligence in his governance as he launched his Seoul mayor bid. In a prerecorded speech unveiled on his YouTube channel Monday, Chong pledged to introduce AI technology to streamline the process of granting municipal approvals, and to improve citizens' welfare. He described his pledge as a way to improve citizens' sovereignty and turn Seoul into a "key eng
March 9, 2026 -
Oh Se-hoon drops Seoul mayor re-election bid for June 3 local elections
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon of the main opposition People Power Party dropped his bid for the party’s nomination for the June 3 local elections, effectively stepping back from the Seoul mayoral race. The four-term mayor did not submit his application by the 6 p.m. deadline Sunday for metropolitan mayoral nominations set by the People Power Party. Oh has urged the party to “normalize the party’s line” to improve its chances in the local elections and reverse the party’s free-fall approval ratings. “Re
March 8, 2026 -
Koreans flee Middle East conflict, government pledges further support
South Koreans escaping the conflict in the Middle East have begun arriving back in Korea, with the government pledging to direct all necessary resources to ensure the safety of Korean nationals in the region. A direct flight carrying South Korean nationals departed Dubai International Airport at 3:50 a.m. local time Sunday, scheduled to arrive at Incheon Airport at around 5 p.m. Korea time. Another commercial flight that had been urgently arranged earlier left Abu Dhabi and landed in South Korea
March 8, 2026 -
Ruling party chair calls for probe of prosecution
South Korea's ruling party is ramping up pressure on the prosecutors' office, which faces complete reorganization, accusing it of fabricating evidence intended to indict President Lee Jae Myung and calling for a parliamentary probe into such cases. Democratic Party of Korea chair Rep. Jung Chung-rae said in a press conference Sunday that the ruling bloc will spare no efforts to push for prosecutorial reform, calling the move "a symbolic representation of the Lee administration and the Democratic
March 8, 2026 -
Lawmaker at center of election nomination bribery scandal questioned by police
Rep. Kang Sun-woo, an independent formerly affiliated with the ruling Democratic Party, was questioned by police Saturday over bribery allegations linked to the 2022 local elections. Police said they began questioning Kang early Saturday, four days after she was arrested on Tuesday following the passage of her arrest motion in a plenary vote at the National Assembly. Kang left the DP in January to become an independent in the wake of the snowballing scandal. Kang is accused of receiving 100 mill
March 7, 2026 -
S. Korea to receive over 6m barrels of crude oil from UAE: Cheong Wa Dae
South Korea will receive more than 6 million barrels of crude oil from the United Arab Emirates, Cheong Wa Dae said Friday, amid concerns over energy prices due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Kang Hoon-sik, the presidential chief of staff, made the remarks in a briefing as the US-Israeli attack on Iran and Tehran's retaliatory strikes in the region have sparked fears of an energy crisis. "At the instructions of President Lee Jae Myung, we have made consultations over measures to
March 6, 2026 -
Lee says ‘only we can save ourselves’ amid Middle East turmoil
President Lee Jae Myung said Friday that South Korea must rely on its own strength to protect its interests as the war in the Middle East deepens global uncertainty amid what he described as an every-nation-for-itself world. Lee underscored that building the country’s internal strength must begin with a crackdown on entrenched illicit practices at home across the board, including drug crimes, illegal real estate dealings and stock manipulation. “The global economy is facing a vortex of upheaval
March 6, 2026 -
Unification ministry to pursue 'peace declaration' for turning armistice into peace regime
The unification ministry said Friday it will pursue a "peace declaration" designed to express the political will to end the 1950-53 Korean War in a bid to seek the transition of the current armistice into a peace regime. The ministry unveiled the plan in a report to the National Assembly as President Lee Jae Myung vowed all-out efforts to turn the armistice into a peace regime to ease inter-Korean tensions during his speech marking the 107th anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement. "The
March 6, 2026 -
Lee issues fresh warning against possible collusion in raising oil prices
President Lee Jae Myung on Friday issued a fresh warning against oil refiners for possible collusion in raising oil prices, amid an escalating war in the Middle East following US-Israeli attacks on Iran and Tehran's retaliation. In a post on the social media platform X, Lee shared a news article highlighting mixed reactions from the oil industry after he instructed officials to devise a price cap at a Cabinet meeting the previous day. "Price collusion is a serious crime against the public," he w
March 6, 2026 -
Bill proposed to ensure support for underprivileged youth
A revision to the Framework Act on Youth has been drafted to ensure support for underprivileged youth in South Korea and to shed light on the forms of marginalization young people face. People Power Party Rep. Joo Jin-woo's recent revision bill aims to clarify the definition of who would be eligible for public support under the Framework Act on Youth. Under the revision, young people with obstacles in their pursuit of employment, education and welfare would be offered greater state support. Amon
March 6, 2026 -
Key liberal figures get election nods
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea's nominations for June 3 local elections are picking up pace, with heavyweights being named in key regions. The latest nomination to have been confirmed by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea is Kim Kyoung-soo, who led the presidential committee dedicated to balanced national development until Thursday. Kim was once considered a potential presidential contender, with ties to former presidents Moon Jae-in and Roh Moo-hyun. According to Kim Yi-su, who leads th
March 5, 2026 -
Lee orders all available means mobilized for Koreans’ evacuation from Middle East
President Lee Jae Myung ordered the mobilization of all available means, including military aircraft, for the safe evacuation of South Korean nationals from war-affected Middle Eastern countries in case of contingencies. Lee convened an extraordinary Cabinet meeting Thursday morning to discuss the government’s response measures to the ongoing war in the Middle East after returning the previous night from his four-day state visit to Singapore and the Philippines. "While minimizing damage to the e
March 5, 2026 -
7 S. Korean oil tankers stranded in Strait of Hormuz: Lawmaker
Seven oil tankers operated by South Korean refiners are stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, as the energy choke point remains effectively closed amid escalating conflict in the Middle East. According to the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's Rep. Kim Young-bae, these seven oil tankers are among 40 South Korean vessels in total stranded in the strait that connects the Persian Gulf to the open sea. Each of the seven tankers carries at most 2 million barrels of oil, equivalent to South Korea's daily
March 5, 2026 -
Lee orders evacuation plan for S. Koreans in Middle East
President Lee Jae Myung ordered the government Thursday to draw up an evacuation plan for South Koreans in the Middle East as the US-Israeli war on Iran widened. Lee gave the instruction during an extraordinary Cabinet meeting convened to discuss the situation in the Middle East and ordered the use of military and chartered aircraft. (Yonhap)
March 5, 2026