Thread: New President for South Korea

Lee Jae-myung delivers victory speech; pledges to end insurrection and boost economy

Lee Jae-myung: South Korea's new president has a Trump-shaped crisis to avert

South Korea's new president, Lee Jae-myung, has secured a storming victory, but his honeymoon will barely last the day.

The former opposition leader is not getting to enjoy the two-month transition period usually afforded to new leaders, so they can build their team and nail down their vision for the country.

Instead he is entering office immediately, to fill the hole left by the impeachment of the former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, who last December tried and failed to bring the country under martial law.

In electing Lee, with almost 50% of the vote , South Koreans have vehemently rejected the military dictatorship that was almost forced upon them. Lee campaigned on the promise that he would strengthen South Korea's democracy and unite the country, after a divisive and tumultuous six months.

But that will have to wait. First, he has a Donald Trump shaped crisis to avert.

In the coming months, Trump has the power to destabilise South Korea's economy, its security, and its volatile relationship with North Korea.

South Koreans were dismayed when Trump slapped 25% tariffs on all Korean imports in April, after already hitting the country with aggressive tariffs on its core industries – steel and cars. They had assumed that being longstanding military allies from the days of the Korean War, and having a free-trade agreement with the US, would spare them.

If these tariffs take effect "they could trigger an economic crisis", a seasoned advisor to Lee's Democratic Party, Moon Chung-in, said.

Before Trump's announcements, South Korea's economy was already slowing down. The martial law chaos constricted it further. Then, in the first quarter of this year, it contracted. Fixing this has been voters' number one demand, even above fixing their beleaguered democracy.

But without a president, talks with Trump have been on hold. They cannot be put off any longer.

And there is much more than South Korea's economy at stake in these negotiations.

The US currently guarantees South Korea's security, by promising to come to its defence with both conventional and nuclear weapons, were it to be attacked by its nuclear-armed neighbour, North Korea. As part of this deal there are 28,500 US troops stationed in the country.

Yet Trump has made clear he does not plan to differentiate between trade and security when negotiating with South Korea, signalling that Seoul is not pulling its weight in either area.

In a post on his Truth Social platform in April, Trump said that during initial tariff talks with South Korea he had "discussed payment for the big time military protection we provide", calling it "beautiful and efficient one-stop shopping".

This approach makes Seoul uniquely vulnerable.

Evans Revere, a former senior US diplomat based in Seoul, fears a crisis is coming. "For the first time in our lifetime we have a US president who does not feel a moral and strategic obligation towards Korea".

In his first term as president, Trump questioned the value of having US forces stationed in Korea and threatened to withdraw them unless Seoul paid more to have them. It seems likely he will demand more money this time around.

Seoul may not want to pay more, but it can afford to. A bigger problem is that Trump's calculations, and that of his defence department, seem to have changed. This is no longer just about the money. Washington's top priority now in Asia is not just stopping North Korea attacking the South, it is also to contain China's military ambitions in the region and against Taiwan.

Last year, a now senior US defence official, Elbridge Colby, said that South Korea was going to have to take "overwhelming responsibility for its own self-defence against North Korea", so the US could be ready to fight China.

One option is that the troops stationed here would switch their focus to constraining China. Another, touted by a couple of US defence officials last month, is that thousands of soldiers would be removed from the peninsula altogether and redeployed, and that Seoul's military would also have to play a role in deterring Beijing.

Not only could this put South Korea in a dangerous military predicament, but it would also create a diplomatically difficult one.

President Lee, who historically has been sceptical of Korea's alliance with the US, wants to use his presidency to improve relations with China, South Korea's powerful neighbour and trading partner. He has stated several times that South Korea should stay out of a conflict between China and Taiwan.

"We must keep our distance from a China-Taiwan contingency. We can get along with both", he said during a televised debate last month.

More in the link above

Lee Jae-myung sworn in as S. Korea's new president

Lee Jae-myung was sworn in as South Korea's new president on Wednesday after formally beginning his single five-year term earlier in the day.

The country's 21st president took the oath of office in the National Assembly building, saying in a televised inaugural address that he will serve all people whomever they supported in the presidential election.

Lee of the majority liberal Democratic Party won 49.42 percent of support, defeating his archrival Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party by a wide margin of 8.27 percentage points.

He stressed that the Asian country was standing at a turning point of great transformation in the face of challenges such as competition for artificial intelligence, climate change, and expanded protectionist moves.

Lee vowed to start with efforts to boost people's livelihoods and revive the faltering economy, saying his government will create new growth engines and share growth outcomes in a fair manner.

The liberal leader noted that his administration will pursue balanced regional development across the country for sustainable growth while actively supporting its cultural industry.

He pledged to build peace on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and cooperation with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) while protecting people from various accidents such as crowd crushes and airplane crashes.

The president assumed duties without a transition period as he won the snap election, triggered by the removal of his predecessor from office over a botched martial law bid last December.

The scaled-down inauguration event was attended by chiefs of the parliament, the supreme court, the constitutional court and the election watchdog as well as lawmakers and cabinet members.

Before the event, Lee paid tribute at the Seoul National Cemetery where those who made sacrifices for the country are buried.

Lee Jae-myung sworn in as S. Korea's new president-Xinhua

South Korea's new president Lee Jae-myung is sworn in

Xi congratulates new South Korean president

President Xi Jinping told newly elected South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on Wednesday that China attaches "great importance" to strengthening ties.

"Uncertainties are increasing in the international and regional situation," state broadcaster CCTV reported Xi as telling Lee in a congratulatory message.

"I attach great importance to the development of China-South Korea relations," he said.

The Foreign Ministry, for its part, said Beijing has always opposed taking sides and forming camps and is willing to work with Seoul to promote the healthy and stable development of relations.

Lee, who was sworn in earlier in the day following his victory in a snap election on Tuesday, has expressed more conciliatory plans for ties with Beijing and Pyongyang, singling out in particular the importance of China as a major trading partner.

Xi is among a group of neighbours welcoming Lee at a time when US President Donald Trump has thrown the country's traditional allies into disarray with his "unilateral tariffs".

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he wanted to "energise" cooperation, with the two neighbours becoming closer under Lee's disgraced predecessor Yoon Suk-yeol, and that included through three-way talks with joint ally the United States.

"This year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalisation of diplomatic relations between Japan and Korea," Ishiba said in Tokyo.

"With President Lee Jae-myung, I would like to energise cooperation between Japan and South Korea as well as between Japan, the United States and South Korea."

Ishiba added that "it would be good if we could hold a Japan-South Korea summit in the near future".

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Lee and voiced hope for working with the left-leaning leader who previously has sought greater distance from the United States.

Xi congratulates new South Korean president - RTHK

Well you've killed this topic off in no time.

Congrats, you pathetic fvckwit.

Another puppet of the U.S.
Are they able to get past this?

South Korean Stocks Rally as New President Pledges Economic Revival

South Korean stocks rallied as the country's new left-leaning president was sworn in, capping months of political unrest triggered by his predecessor's short-lived declaration of martial law in December.

The benchmark Kospi rose 2.7% to 2770.84, its highest closing level in more than 10 months.

Investors cheered the June 3 election victory of Lee Jae-myung, who vowed to deliver on his campaign promise to revive the sagging economy during his inaugural speech Wednesday at the National Assembly, the country's unicameral legislative body controlled by his left-leaning Democratic Party.

"We will immediately activate an emergency economic response task force with the determination to fight against the recession," Lee said at the televised speech. "We will revive the virtuous cycle of the economy by using national finances as a catalyst."

South Korean Stocks Rally as New President Pledges Economic Revival | MarketScreener



__________

Originally Posted by cyrille

Well you've killed this topic off in no time.

Congrats, you pathetic fvckwit.

So, you will not be visiting this thread for the next 5 years?

PM Modi congratulates Lee Jae-myung on being elected South Korea President, says, “Look forward to working together”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday congratulated Lee Jae-myung on his election as South Korea’s president, saying he “looks forward to working together to further expand and strengthen the India-ROK Special Strategic Partnership.”

Lee Jae-myung, South Korea’s centre-left candidate, was officially declared president on Wednesday following a snap election triggered by the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeo.

“Congratulations to Mr Lee Jae-Myung on being elected as the President of the Republic of Korea (ROK). Look forward to working together to further expand and strengthen the India-ROK Special Strategic Partnership,” Mr Modi said on platform X.

Teen who posted 'death threat' against Lee says he did it for attention

South Korean police officials said Friday they have wrapped up their investigation into an online threat against President Lee Jae-myung during his campaign last month, after they found that it was just a prank by a teen to get attention.

The cybercrime unit of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency said it will soon hand over the case to the prosecution. The suspect turned himself in to the police and admitted the charges.

The suspect on May 26 wrote on the Ajou University page of the online board for college students across the country, "I'll pay whoever stabs Lee today money," at around 10:51 a.m. This was shortly before Lee was slated for a meeting with the students of the university.

No one actually attacked Lee, and he left the school unharmed at around 12:40 p.m. that day. Lee, who was stabbed in the neck in January of 2024, had been subject to series of threats during the presidential campaign but no actual attack occurred.

Police were able to pinpoint the person who wrote the problematic post fairly quickly, as the anonymous website mandates members to prove that they are affiliated with each universities via official documents. With the police launching investigation, the suspect confessed on May 27.

He said he wrote the posting at the spur of the moment to get attention, and he decided to turn himself in after he got scared when people wrote on the online board that they would report the case to the police.

Teen who posted 'death threat' against Lee says he did it for attention - The Korea Herald

South Korea to Keep Discussing Forex With US After Currency List

South Korea will continue to discuss its foreign exchange policy with the US to promote mutual understanding, after the Treasury kept the Asian ally on its watchlist and called for curbing currency intervention.

The Treasury Department, in a semiannual foreign-exchange report released Thursday, didn’t label any country a currency manipulator but kept South Korea on its monitoring list for currency practices alongside China and Japan, among other countries.

South Korea’s finance ministry issued a statement Friday saying it will seek to foster “mutual understanding and trust” over exchange rate policy through regular communication and ongoing currency talks with the US.

The report represents the first formal assessment of US trading partners’ foreign-exchange policies since President Donald Trump returned to office. The Treasury added South Korea to the list last November, for meeting two of the three criteria: a significant global current-account surplus and a bilateral surplus with the US.

While none of the countries fulfilled the other criterion — persistent, one-sided intervention in the foreign exchange market — the Treasury urged Seoul to refrain from currency intervention.

Once on the list, an economy is subject to at least two consecutive semiannual reports, a procedure designed to help ensure lasting progress in its performance, instead of temporary improvement, it said.

South Korea planning more serious engagement with the US, says Korea's Trade and Industry Minister

“Korea should continue to limit currency intervention to exceptional circumstances of disorderly foreign exchange market conditions,” the report said.

Last month, US and South Korean officials held currency talks in Milan, fanning speculation Trump’s administration is open to a weaker greenback and exchange rates could become a feature of trade negotiations.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/othe...e-verthp-feeds

What to Expect From South Korea’s New President

South Korea’s new president is Lee Jae-myung, from the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). He succeeds Yoon Suk-yeol, the disgraced former president from the conservative People Power Party (PPP), whose martial law declaration last December led to his impeachment and subsequent removal from office.

Some analysts have rushed to argue that Lee will reverse Yoon’s conservative foreign-policy principles. Whereas Yoon emphasized the centrality of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, promoted trilateral cooperation with the United States and Japan, and took a tough stance on China and North Korea, they believe Lee will follow his liberal predecessors and seek a balanced relationship between the United States and China, weaken cooperation with Japan, and retreat from the global stage to pursue engagement and accommodation with North Korea.

Though Lee has vowed not to “unnecessarily antagonize” China and said that he will seek dialogue with Pyongyang, these early predictions miss a crucial point: South Korean foreign and security policy has remained fairly constant in recent decades, regardless of whichever party is in office. South Korea has a long-standing grand strategy, and though the rhetoric and some priorities will certainly change between administrations, the substance of South Korean foreign policy is unlikely to change dramatically under Lee.

Throughout his campaign, Lee presented himself as a pragmatic, rather than value-driven, leader. In his inaugural address, he cast his foreign policy as “practical diplomacy centered on national interest.” But what will this mean in practice?

Though South Korean liberals, including Lee, have sometimes been critical of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, Lee has repeatedly made clear that the alliance will be the cornerstone of his foreign and security policy—like every other South Korean president of the past seven decades. In fact, reinforcing the alliance was the top foreign-policy pledge that Lee made during his inaugural address. Even as U.S. President Donald Trump makes it less reliable, the alliance will remain central to Seoul’s international posture for the foreseeable future.

On the economic front, Lee has stressed that reaching an agreement with the United States to reduce or remove the Trump administration’s tariffs is “the most pressing matter” for Seoul to address. After all, South Korea’s exports to the United States are now roughly equal in size to the share of its exports going to China, with each of them accounting for around 20 percent of South Korean exports last year. Simply put, Lee cannot pursue his pro-growth agenda without removing U.S. trade and investment barriers.

In regard to security, South Korea is bracing for a discussion about the number, purpose, and cost of maintaining U.S. troops on the Korean Peninsula.

The Trump administration has asked Seoul to pay more to host U.S. troops and is reportedly considering reducing their number. Multiple U.S. officials have indicated that U.S. troops stationed in South Korea could be deployed to fight a war against China in the Taiwan Strait if necessary. This so-called strategic flexibility, meaning that U.S. troops stationed in South Korea can be deployed outside of the Korean Peninsula, is not new. But Lee will effectively be the first South Korean leader to grapple with the possibility of strategic flexibility being used in a Taiwan contingency.

Lee has been quiet on this matter so far, yet his pragmatic approach to foreign policy will probably mean quietly acquiescing to U.S. demands while limiting discussion in public so as not to antagonize China—which is not a significant difference from how the Yoon government would have handled it.

South Korean liberals tend to argue that the U.S. alliance saps South Korean autonomy and was a key reason why it took so long to become a democracy. Various opinion and news articles have thus portrayed liberal presidents such as Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in as anti-American. Accordingly, some commentators have already cast doubt on Lee’s willingness to work with the United States.

However, both former liberal presidents actually forged stronger ties with the United States. Roh did not hesitate to deploy South Korean troops to Iraq in support of the United States and also signed the KORUS free trade agreement. For his part, Moon agreed to continue the deployment of the United States’ THAAD anti-missile system—a move opposed by China—and explicitly linked his New Southern Policy to Washington’s Indo-Pacific strategy. Historically, even if liberals previously criticized the U.S.-South Korea alliance, they have supported stronger relations with Washington during election campaigns and once in office. So far, there is no indication that Lee will be any different.

South Korea’s New President: What Is Lee Jae-myung’s Foreign Policy?

South Korea's Lee, Trump agree to work towards swift tariff deal, Lee's office says

U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korea's new president Lee Jae-myung agreed to work toward a swift tariff deal in their first phone call since Lee was elected this week, Lee's office said on Friday.

Trump has imposed tariffs on South Korea, a long time ally with which it has a bilateral free trade deal, and pressed it to pay more for the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed there.

Separately, Trump allies have aired concerns about Lee's more conciliatory stance towards China, Washington's main geopolitical rival.

Lee, a liberal, was elected on June 3 after former conservative leader, Yoon Suk Yeol, was impeached and ousted.

The future of South Korea's export-oriented economy may hinge on what kind of deal Lee can strike with Trump, with all of his country's key sectors from chips to autos and shipbuilding heavily exposed to global trade. His term began on Wednesday.

"The two presidents agreed to make an effort to reach a satisfactory agreement on tariff consultations as soon as possible that both countries can be satisfied with," Lee's office said in a statement.

"To this end, they decided to encourage working-level negotiations to yield tangible results."

Trump invited Lee to a summit in the U.S. and they plan to meet soon, according to a White House official. Analysts say the first opportunity for the two to meet could be at a G7 summit in Canada in mid-June.

Lee's office said the two leaders also discussed the assassination attempts they both experienced last year as well as their enthusiasm for golf.

Lee underwent surgery after he was stabbed in the neck by a man in January last year, while Trump was wounded in the ear by a bullet fired by a would-be assassin in July.

South Korea, a major U.S. ally and one of the first countries after Japan to engage with Washington on trade talks, agreed in late April to craft a "July package" scrapping levies before the 90-day pause on Trump's reciprocal tariffs is lifted, but progress was disrupted by the change of governments in Seoul.

Lee said on the eve of the elections that "the most pressing matter is trade negotiations with the United States." Lee's camp has said, however, that they intend to seek more time to negotiate on trade with Trump.

While reiterating the importance of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, Lee has also expressed more conciliatory plans for ties with China and North Korea, singling out the importance of China as a major trading partner while indicating a reluctance to take a firm stance on security tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

Political analysts say that while Trump and Lee may share a desire to try to re-engage with North Korea, Lee's stance on China could cause friction with the U.S.

A White House official said this week that South Korea's election was fair, but expressed concern about Chinese interference, opens new tab in what analysts said may have been a cautionary message to Lee.

reuters.com

South Korea’s Lee faces security challenges in ambitious plan to relocate presidential office

South Korea’s new leader, Lee Jae-myung, intends to relocate the presidential office back to the historic Cheong Wa Dae three years after Yoon Suk-yeol moved it

As South Korean President Lee Jae-myung pushes ahead with his ambitious plan to relocate the presidential office back to the historic Cheong Wa Dae complex, questions are mounting over the feasibility of completing the move within his stated 100-day timeline, particularly amid burgeoning security concerns.

Experts are sounding the alarm, emphasising the critical need for meticulous preparations. They cite a new generation of security threats, from increasingly sophisticated drones to the evolving risks posed by artificial intelligence, which necessitate comprehensive defensive strategies that might challenge a rapid transition.

The concern is that a hasty move could compromise national security and the safety of the president, potentially creating vulnerabilities in a volatile geopolitical landscape. Full-scale discussions on relocating the presidential office are under way, as the new administration launched a dedicated task force on the first day of Lee’s term.

Efforts to return the office to Cheong Wa Dae, also known as the Blue House, are rapidly gaining momentum. The task force is led by Lee Jung-do, former presidential secretary for general affairs under the Moon Jae-in administration. Cheong Wa Dae has been open to the public since May 2022, when former president Yoon Suk-yeol moved the presidential office to Yongsan. Since then, the former presidential compound has become a popular tourist destination for both domestic and international visitors.

Currently, most of the complex – including the main building, the state guest house and the helicopter landing pad – remains fully accessible to the public. While the decision to return the presidential office to Cheong Wa Dae is now confirmed, officials are increasingly concerned that completing the relocation within the originally planned 100-day timeline may prove challenging due to complex security issues.

Lim Jong-in, a professor of information protection at Korea University, emphasised the need for the government to prepare for a wide range of advanced threats, particularly those involving emerging technologies such as drones and cyberattacks.

“For the past three years, the site has been extensively exposed to the public, making it difficult to determine whether any hacking devices or wiretaps may have been secretly installed,” Lim said. “A thorough scan must be conducted to detect and eliminate any potential threats before the president relocates the office.”

Additional time will be needed to reinstall equipment previously used at the Presidential National Crisis Management Centre. Although the facilities themselves were not exposed to the public, all devices used in the crisis management centre were removed when Yoon moved the presidential office to Yongsan. Upgrading and reinstalling those systems will require more than three months.

Lim also emphasised that the role of the Presidential Security Service (PSS) must evolve beyond traditional physical protection to address more complex and emerging threats. “While the PSS originally began as a bodyguard unit, it now needs to respond to a wider range of dangers, including cyberattacks, drone incursions and threats involving AI,” he said.

Some believe the relocation could be completed within three months, citing the fact that key facilities such as Yeomingwan – the administrative office building – and the underground bunker used for National Security Council meetings were never opened to the public.

Former president Moon Jae-in also primarily worked out of Yeomingwan rather than the main Cheong Wa Dae building. “When it comes to physical security, access control measures will be enforced once the president moves in, so it shouldn’t be a major issue,” said Hwang Suk-jin, a professor at Dongguk University’s Graduate School of International Affairs and Information Security.

Hwang acknowledged the need for inspecting communication systems and seeking potential cyber vulnerabilities, but said the reorganisation of key facilities could be completed swiftly. “Once basic maintenance is done, access to the area will be tightly restricted, and enhanced security protocols will be in place for the president and his security team,” he said.

“With physical security restored, presidential duties could resume in the main facilities without disruption.”

South Korea’s Lee faces security challenges in ambitious plan to relocate presidential office | South China Morning Post

What to know about South Korea’s approval of new probes into ousted leader Yoon

Just a week into his term in office, South Korea’s new liberal President Lee Jae-myung moved against his ousted conservative predecessor, approving legislation to launch sweeping special investigations into Yoon Suk Yeol’s ill-fated imposition of martial law in December as well as criminal allegations surrounding his wife and administration.

The monthslong probes, which will involve hundreds of investigators under special prosecutors appointed by Lee, could dominate his early agenda and inflame tensions with conservatives, as Yoon already faces an explosive rebellion trial carrying a possible death sentence.

Here’s a look at the bills approved at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, which Lee is expected to sign into law soon.

What the investigations are about
The three bills, overwhelmingly passed last week by the liberal-led legislature, call for independent investigations into Yoon’s hourslong martial law debacle; corruption and financial crime allegations against his wife; and the 2023 drowning death of a marine during a flood rescue operation, an incident Lee’s Democratic Party says Yoon’s government tried to cover up.

Earlier versions of the bills were rejected nine different times both by Yoon and by the caretaker government that took over following his impeachment on Dec. 14.

Lee, who won last week’s snap election triggered by Yoon’s formal removal from office in April, ran on a platform of unity, promising not to target conservatives out of spite and vowing to ease political polarization. However, Lee called for deeper investigations into Yoon’s martial law enactment and allegations involving his wife, citing public demands for accountability.

For each of the three investigations, Lee will appoint a special prosecutor from two candidates nominated by his Democratic Party and a smaller liberal ally. The main conservative People Power Party, whose members largely boycotted last week’s National Assembly votes, denounced the laws for excluding them from the nomination process. Liberal lawmakers justified the move, citing the conservatives’ alleged ties to matters that will be investigated.

More than 570 investigators, including some 120 public prosecutors, can be assigned to assist with the inquiries. The special prosecutors are expected to be nominated and appointed in coming weeks, potentially allowing the investigations to begin as early as July.

Kang Yu-jung, Lee’s spokesperson, said the Cabinet’s approval of the bills reflects public demands to “seek accountability for the rebellion attempt and restore constitutional order.”

“It also carries the meaning of recovering the National Assembly’s legislative authority, which had been repeatedly blocked by presidential vetoes,” she said.

What to know about South Korea’s approval of new probes into ousted leader Yoon | AP News

South Korea halts propaganda broadcasts along border with rival North in a move to ease tensions

South Korea’s military shut down loudspeakers broadcasting anti-North Korea propaganda along the inter-Korean border on Wednesday, marking the new liberal government’s first concrete step toward easing tensions between the war-divided rivals.

The South resumed the daily loudspeaker broadcasts in June last year following a yearslong pause in retaliation for North Korea flying trash-laden balloons toward the South in a psychological warfare campaign.

South Korea’s Defense Ministry said the move, ordered by President Lee Jae-myung, was part of efforts “to restore trust in inter-Korean relations and promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.”

Kang Yu-jung, Lee’s spokesperson, described the decision as a “proactive step” to reduce military tensions and ease the burden for South Koreans residing in border areas, who have also been affected by North Korea’s retaliatory loudspeaker broadcasts.

North Korea, which is extremely sensitive to any outside criticism of its authoritarian leadership and its third-generation ruler, Kim Jong Un, didn’t immediately comment on the step by Seoul.

South Korea reactivated its front-line loudspeakers to blast propaganda messages and K-pop songs toward the North last year in response to thousands of trash balloons that Pyongyang flew toward South Korea to drop substances including wastepaper, cloth scraps, cigarette butts and even manure.

From May to November last year, North Korea flew about 7,000 balloons toward South Korea in 32 separate occasions, according to the South’s military. The North said that its balloon campaign came after South Korean activists sent over balloons filled with anti-North Korean leaflets, as well as USB sticks filled with popular South Korean songs and dramas.

Trash carried by at least one North Korean balloon fell on the South Korean presidential compound in July, raising concerns about the vulnerability of key South Korean facilities. Officials said that the balloon contained no dangerous material and no one was hurt.

The South’s broadcast playlist was clearly designed to strike a nerve in Pyongyang, where Kim’s government has been intensifying a campaign to eliminate the influence of South Korean pop culture and language among the population in a bid to strengthen his family’s dynastic rule.

The Cold War-style psychological warfare campaigns added to tensions fueled by North Korea’s growing nuclear ambitions and South Korean efforts to expand joint military exercises with the United States and strengthen three-way security cooperation with Japan.

Efforts to improve relations

Lee, an outspoken liberal who took office last week after winning an early election to replace ousted conservative Yoon Suk Yeol, has vowed to improve relations with Pyongyang, which reacted furiously to Yoon’s hard-line policies and shunned dialogue.

During his election campaign, Lee promised to halt the loudspeaker broadcasts, arguing that they created unnecessary tensions and discomfort for South Korean residents in border towns. In recent months, those residents had complained about North Korea’s retaliatory broadcasts, which included howling animals, pounding gongs and other irritating sounds. On Thursday morning, South Korea’s military said North Korean broadcasts weren’t heard in South Korean frontline areas, but it wasn’t clear if the North has formally halted its own broadcasts.

Little more: South Korea halts anti-North Korea loudspeaker broadcasts to ease tensions | AP News

South Korea's Lee pledges support on trade issues in meeting with top conglomerates

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said on Friday that his government would focus on easing regulations and accelerate working-level tariff talks with Washington as part of its broader support for companies on trade issues.

He made the comments at a meeting with heads of top conglomerates and other business leaders where he sat between Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung.

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won also attended the meeting, according to the president's office.

Chey who also leads the Korea Chamber of Commerce told Lee that Korean companies found it difficult to make decisions such as investments amid the uncertainty around U.S. tariffs.

The future of South Korea's export-orientated economy, with key sectors from chips to vehicles and shipbuilding heavily exposed to global trade, may hinge on the kind of deal Lee can strike on tariffs with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Lee, a liberal, was elected on June 3 with promises to become business-friendly.

Lee and Trump last week agreed to work towards a swift deal in their first phone call since Lee took office.

Lee said he would put national interests first based on his "pragmatic, flexible" trade policy, and accelerate working-level tariff talks with Washington, spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said at a briefing.

"Companies are currently having difficulties in international competition, and we will focus on minimising the difficulties they are experiencing in international competition and expanding their economic territory," Lee said at the meeting.

"Please tell us what we should do regarding overseas trade situations, and we will do our best to align with those," he told the executives.

Samsung's Lee said he hoped the government-private partnership could help South Korea weather "multi-dimensional crisis".

South Korea's Lee pledges support on trade issues in meet with top conglomerates

Thousands celebrate South Korean Pride parade in Seoul

Same-sex marriage remains unrecognised in Asia's fourth-largest economy and activists have long emphasised the need for legislation outlawing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

The parade, one of Asia's largest, is celebrating its 26th edition and went ahead after South Korea endured one of the worst political crises in its recent history.

LGBTQ Koreans joined mass protests in recent months against ousted president Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid in December.

Yoon, whose hardline evangelical supporters have long been hostile to sexual minorities, is now on trial for insurrection.

"This year, amid growing political uncertainty, there was deep deliberation over whether to hold the event," organisers said in a statement.

"Though the times may appear to be progressing, they have in many ways regressed... And yet, because of this, in spite of this... we will never stop living as our true selves."

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency joined the parade, the first central government body to do so.

"We joined today's event as it draws many young people... making it an ideal (space) for public outreach on prevention," Hyun Jung-hee, a senior staff scientist, told AFP.

Participants beamed beneath rainbow flags, some blowing bubbles with joy while others handed out colourful bouquets.

Across the street, evangelical Christians shouted slogans such as "Homosexuality is a sin!" while performing a traditional Korean fan dance.

One 29-year-old parade participant, who gave her nickname as Door, said the event opened her eyes to new possibilities.

"All kinds of people come here. Some say, 'I don't think I'm queer, but I get them'," she told AFP.

"Seeing that kind of diversity made me realise the world is bigger than I thought -- and that's why I keep coming back."

https://www.france24.com/en/live-new...arade-in-seoul

South Korea's Lee plans to hold bilateral talks at G7 summit, his office says

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung plans to hold bilateral talks with the leaders of countries attending the G7 summit, with details still being coordinated, his office said on Sunday (Jun 15).

Lee will depart on Monday for the summit in Canada, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac told a briefing.

The presidential office said Seoul was open to holding trilateral talks with Washington and Tokyo, the Yonhap news agency reported.

Lee was also preparing for potential talks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in case he attends, Yonhap said, citing a presidential office official.

"By engaging with the leaders of the United States and Japan, we can explore ways to resolve pending economic and trade issues such as tariffs," Wi said.

Lee plans to hold meetings with leaders of key countries before and after attending the extended session of the summit, Wi added, without naming countries.

Seoul and Washington are holding working-level tariff talks, crucial for South Korea's export-oriented economy, with key sectors from chips to vehicles and shipbuilding heavily exposed to global trade.

US President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on South Korea, a long time ally with which it has a bilateral free trade deal, and pressed it to pay more for the 28,500 US troops stationed there.

Lee, a liberal, was elected on Jun 3 after former conservative leader Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached and ousted over his short-lived declaration of martial law last year.

The visit will mark Lee's first diplomatic trip since taking office.

South Korea's Lee plans to hold bilateral talks at G7 summit, his office says - CNA

Lee, Australian PM agree to bolster cooperation on addressing N. Korea's nuclear issue

President Lee Jae-myung met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canada on Monday and agreed to bolster security cooperation to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula and address North Korea's nuclear issue, the presidential office said.

In their first in-person meeting in Calgary on the margins of the Group of Seven summit, the two leaders also pledged to work together for a successful hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in South Korea's Gyeongju later this year.

"The two leaders agreed to continue strengthening communication and cooperation to make tangible progress on peace on the Korean Peninsula and the North Korean nuclear issue," the presidential office said in a release.

During the talks, Lee called Australia "a trusted ally" that participated in the 1950-53 Korean War and a key partner working with South Korea to promote stability and prosperity in the region and the international community, the office said.

Albanese expressed hope that the two countries would further deepen cooperation across a range of areas, including defense, the arms industry, clean energy and supply chains for critical minerals, it noted.

Lee, Australian PM agree to bolster cooperation on addressing N. Korea's nuclear issue - The Korea Herald

Japan, South Korea summit set for June 17 on G7 fringes in Canada

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and his South Korean counterpart Lee Jae Myung will meet Tuesday on the fringes of the Group of Seven leaders' summit in Canada, the Japanese government said.

It will be their first face-to-face meeting since Lee replaced impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol earlier in the month.

When Ishiba and Lee spoke by phone last week, they shared the view that bilateral relations should develop in a stable manner.

The Asian neighbors have seen an improvement in ties that were chilled over issues related to wartime history and territory. The Korean Peninsula was under Japan's colonial rule between 1910 and 1945.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of their diplomatic ties.

Both Ishiba and Lee are in Canada where the two-day G7 summit is set to end on Tuesday.

Lee Jae-myung talks North Korea at G7 as meeting with Trump falls through

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung raised North Korean security issues during talks with Australia’s leader on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada on Monday, but a planned first meeting with Donald Trump fell through after the U.S. president cut short his visit to address Middle East tensions.

Trump returned to the U.S. after signing a major trade agreement with the U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, thus skipping out on the scheduled evening session with other world leaders.

The president’s early departure is a diplomatic setback for Lee, who had been hoping to meet with Trump to discuss pressing trade issues such as U.S. tariffs. The two leaders spoke briefly after Lee’s election earlier this month, agreeing to seek a tariff deal and to meet soon to explore ways to strengthen the U.S.-ROK alliance.

After arriving in Alberta, Lee met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday and thanked his counterpart for congratulating him on his inauguration, with Albanese suggesting expanded ties in defense, clean energy and critical minerals, according to Seoul.

The two leaders also agreed to strengthen cooperation for tangible progress on denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula and pledged to work closely as founding members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to ensure a successful summit later this year in Gyeongju.

Lee also met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, where they discussed regional security issues on the Korean Peninsula and Africa and reaffirmed their shared commitment to promoting international peace.

Ban Kil-joo, assistant professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy told NK News that the first day of the G7 summit reflected the fact that North Korea’s nuclear ambitions have fallen down the geopolitical priority list, with global focus divided between the Russia-Ukraine war and escalating tensions in the Middle East.

“Trump’s previous letter diplomacy with North Korea signals some lingering interest, but that approach hasn’t shifted to a broader engagement with the region,” Ban said. “South Korea must work proactively to avoid being sidelined.”

The expert added that Trump’s early departure “reflects how North Korea’s priority on the U.S. foreign policy agenda has diminished.”

Meanwhile, also on the sideline of the G7, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and discussed responses to U.S. tariff measures, as well as North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs and the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by the DPRK, according to Japan’s foreign ministry.

The DPRK abducted multiple Japanese nationals in the 1970s and 80s, with Tokyo officially recognizing 17 victims. Though five were returned after a 2002 summit, North Korea claims the others have died or never entered the country and considers the issue resolved.

Japan continues to push for direct talks, but Pyongyang remains uncooperative. A 2014 UN report suggests the actual number of abductees may exceed 100.

Lee wraps up G7 summit with 'new leap forward in diplomacy'

President Lee Jae Myung wrapped up Wednesday his three-day visit to Canada, where he attended the Group of Seven summit as a guest — a milestone his administration has touted as the restoration of South Korea’s summit diplomacy.

Before heading back to Seoul, Lee hailed the G7 summit and a flurry of bilateral talks as “signaling a new leap forward in South Korea’s diplomacy,” in a post on his Facebook account.

The trip, which marked Lee’s debut on the global stage just two weeks after taking office, served as an opportunity for the new president to reassure South Korea's international partners of its economic and security stability, according to his office.

The G7 Summit offered Lee an early platform to engage with the G7 leaders and other invited heads of state, allowing him to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties while outlining his vision for “pragmatic diplomacy,” his office said. According to officials, many of the leaders he met commended South Korea’s recent restoration of democratic stability following its domestic political crisis.

"South Korea's summit diplomacy has been fully restored," Wi Sung-lac, director of the presidential National Security Office, told reporters Tuesday.

"Amid the seismic shift in the world's economic security landscape, South Korea actively engaged in discussions over global current affairs while manifesting (South Korea's) visions and roles," he added.

According to the presidential office, Lee delivered remarks twice during the expanded G7 summit session on Tuesday afternoon.

Behind closed doors, Lee's remarks heralded South Korea's vision of seeking international cooperation to make artificial intelligence technology available to all humankind, in line with his campaign pledges.

Lee proposed the idea of turning South Korea into the "leading AI hub" through the so-called "nationwide AI transformation" bolstered by aggressive tax relief, a deregulatory push and a private-sector fund composed of contributions from ordinary citizens.

Lee also noted in his remarks that increased electricity consumption due to the rise of AI highlights the importance of robust energy security and stability in supply chains of energy-related critical minerals.

To achieve this, Lee expressed his determination to seek stronger ties with producers of critical minerals through bilateral and multilateral partnerships. Related moves are already underway, including South Korea's participation in the Minerals Security Partnership and the launch of a critical minerals dialogue between South Korea and Africa.

Lee also proposed the launch of energy infrastructure with enhanced efficiency, including projects such as the so-called "energy highway," or ultrahigh-voltage direct current transmission cables built underwater. He also proposed the introduction of microgrids, energy storage systems, and an AI-powered electricity supply system to boost efficiency.

Moreover, as a G7 guest, Lee signed two documents at the summit, which are the Kananaskis Wildfire Charter and the G7 Critical Mineral Action Plan.

"These achievements clearly proved South Korea's status as a 'G7 Plus' country," Wi said, suggesting that Lee’s attendance boded well for the Lee administration's efforts to position South Korea for inclusion in a potential expanded G7 forum.

A widely anticipated meeting between Lee and US President Donald Trump did not ultimately occur during his three-day visit, as the US leader abruptly cut short his trip late Monday amid rising tensions between Israel and Iran.

Lee’s office said it will continue to seek a one-on-one meeting with Trump at an early date, aiming to inject momentum into ongoing working-level trade talks between Seoul and Washington. The talks are under growing time pressure, with a 90-day pause on proposed 25 percent "reciprocal" tariffs set to expire on July 9.

One possible venue for a bilateral meeting is the upcoming NATO summit in the Netherlands, scheduled for June 24–25 should both leaders attend.

Lee wraps up G7 summit with 'new leap forward in diplomacy' - The Korea Herald

S. Korea unveils $14.7 billion 2nd extra budget to boost spending

The South Korean government on June 19 announced its second supplementary budget plan for this year, allocating 20.2 trillion won ($14.7 billion) for new spending to boost domestic consumption and support low-income households and small businesses. Finalized at a Cabinet meeting chaired by President Lee Jae-myung just two weeks into his term, the plan marks the first extra budget under the new administration. It follows a 13.8 trillion-won package passed in May, bringing this year’s total fiscal injection to about 35 trillion won.

The total supplementary budget amounts to 30.5 trillion won ($22.2 billion), including a 10.3 trillion-won downward revision of this year’s expected tax revenue. This adjustment reflects the government’s realistic outlook on lower tax income, requiring either spending cuts or bond issuance to cover any shortfall.

The core of the new spending is a 10.3 trillion-won consumption voucher program that provides cash handouts based on income levels. Basic livelihood recipients will receive 400,000 won, lower-income households and single-parent families 300,000 won, and most other citizens 150,000 won. An additional 100,000 won will be given to the bottom 90% income group, while residents in areas at risk of population decline will receive another 20,000 won. The top 10% income earners will receive 150,000 won.

Additional measures include a 600 billion-won government subsidy for regional gift certificates, raising total national funding this year to 1 trillion won to support local spending, which is expected to reach a record 29 trillion won. The ruling party had pushed for a 1 trillion-won budget for regional gift certificates in the first supplementary budget, but only 400 billion won was approved.

To ease debt burdens on self-employed individuals and small business owners, the government plans to purchase and cancel some debts. It allocated 400 billion won to write off long-term overdue debts under 50 million won for vulnerable borrowers. In total, 1.4 trillion won is set aside to support small business recovery.

A government official said, “With economic conditions deteriorating rapidly, swift fiscal measures are essential to boost consumption and protect livelihoods.” However, concerns remain over rising national debt and inflation, and some analysts doubt the stimulus will have as strong an effect as hoped.

The budget plan will be submitted to the National Assembly on June 23, with approval expected in early July and voucher distribution to begin around mid-July.

S. Korea unveils $14.7 billion 2nd extra budget to boost spending

South Korea’s new president pledges to work with U.S., other Indo-Pacific partners

South Korea’s newly elected president said he will work closely with Japan and the United States to strengthen security in the Indo-Pacific.

Lee Jae-myung, who began his five-year term in June 2025, was governor of Gyeonggi province from 2018-21 and previously was a human rights and labor attorney.

Lee said he will counter North Korea’s threats and military aggression with “strong deterrence” based on his nation’s longtime alliance with the U.S. He will also work to “open a communication channel with North Korea and establish peace on the Korean Peninsula through talks and cooperation,” The Associated Press (AP) reported.

North Korea has shunned talks with South Korea and the U.S. since 2019 and has supplied troops and weapons to Russia for its war against Ukraine. South Korea, the U.S. and other nations suspect Russia is transferring technology to North Korea that can be used to develop Pyongyang’s illegal nuclear program.

During a call with Adm. Kim Myung-soo, chairman of the nation’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, Lee “urged the military to maintain a watertight readiness posture by closely monitoring developments in North Korea, grounded in the South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture,” the presidential office stated, according to the Yonhap News Agency.

The U.S. State Department said Seoul and Washington share “an ironclad commitment” to the alliance.

Lee appointed retired diplomat Wi Sung-lac as national security advisor, according to Yonhap. Wi previously was first secretary at the South Korean Embassy in Russia and South Korea’s negotiator in nuclear talks with Pyongyang in 2009.

“Based on his extensive policy experience and expertise in foreign and security affairs, I believe he will play a key role in achieving our national goals of pragmatic diplomacy, advanced defense, and a peaceful and prosperous Korean Peninsula,” Lee said.

He said he will work to strengthen relations with neighboring countries and boost Seoul-Tokyo-Washington cooperation.

“Through pragmatic diplomacy based on national interests, we will turn the crisis posed by the major shift in global economic and security landscapes into an opportunity to maximize our national interests,” Lee said, according to AP.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he wants to hold summit talks with Lee “as early as possible” to further promote bilateral ties.

South Korea and Japan “share common interests,” Lee said. “Consistency in state-to-state relations is especially important.”

Sentry is a professional military magazine published by U.S. Strategic Command to provide a forum for national security personnel.