VILNIUS, Lithuania -- It seems Yoon's reputation for liking a sing-along precedes him. While in Vilnius, Lithuania for a NATO summit, the president unexpectedly bumped into US Sen. Pete Ricketts, who initiated an impromptu rendition of "American Pie." Yoon’s spokesperson Lee Do-woon said Monday night in Vilnius that Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee were taking a walk in the old town of Vilnius to adjust to the time difference and manage their conditions, when they met the se

Politics July 11, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol arrived Monday evening in Vilnius, beginning a six-day trip to Lithuania and Poland to discuss an array of issues including military cooperation, North Korea's nuclear deterrence measures and the controversial discharge of contaminated wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. Attending a North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit for the second time, the South Korean leader will be seeking measures with member countries to bolster cooperatio

Politics July 10, 2023

First lady Kim Keon-hee engaged in a conversation with renowned primatologist and environmental activist, Jane Goodall, in Seoul on Friday, discussing sustainable coexistence between humans, animals and nature. According to the presidential office, Kim and Goodall exchanged views on animal rights and the contentious issue of dog consumption. They expressed shared concerns over the brutal abuses inflicted in the dog meat trade, fearing such actions undermine human dignity and could potentially ex

Politics July 7, 2023

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol kicks off a six-day trip next week to attend a NATO summit set to be held in Lithuania, as well as visit Poland to discuss strengthening bilateral ties on economy, defense cooperation and the reconstruction of Ukraine. Accompanied by first lady Kim Keon Hee, Yoon will leave for Vilnius, Lithuania on Monday to attend the NATO summit as an observer for the second time. He attended the collective defense alliance meeting between North America and Europe in June

Politics July 6, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday appointed former Culture Minister and actor Yu In-chon as presidential adviser for cultural affairs and sports, a new position his office said was created to bolster the nation's cultural content and industry. The 72-year-old actor is returning to a public role 11 years after he led the state-run Seoul Arts Center in 2012. Between 2008 and 2011, he served as culture minister under the Lee Myung-bak administration. Kim Dae-ki, a former second vice minister

Politics July 6, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday expressed his disappointment at the delayed legislative process to establish a national space agency, emphasizing the agency's timely formation as vital for facilitating international collaborations. At the inaugural World Congress of Korean Scientists and Engineers, Yoon said stagnant progress in the legislative process for the establishment of the Korea AeroSpace Administration is negatively affecting a space collaboration deal between South Korea and

Politics July 5, 2023

The presidential office is anticipated to propose a revision to the existing Assembly Act, following nationwide debate that revealed a significant majority favoring stricter sanctions against public assemblies and demonstrations, according to sources and news reports on Monday. According to a presidential office-led nationwide debate titled "Bolstering requirements and penalties for assemblies and demonstrations," 71 percent, 129,416 people, favored increasing sanctions, while 29 per

Politics July 4, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating for state affairs hit a four-month high, and returned to the 40 percent mark for the first time in five weeks, according to a poll released Monday. The positive upswing has been attributed to recent developments in bilateral ties with Tokyo that reinstated Korea on its export whitelist and his order to review political subsidies. According to the survey conducted from June 26-30 by polling agency Realmeter, commissioned by Media Tribune, positive

Politics July 3, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday nominated a new unification minister and replaced 12 vice ministers across 11 ministries in his first major reshuffle, aimed at pushing ahead with his reform drive in his second year in office. Of the 12 vice ministers named, five are currently presidential secretaries. The Yoon administration nominated Sungshin Women’s University professor of political science and diplomacy Kim Yong-ho as the new unification minister. Kim was also formerly a unificatio

Politics June 29, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday commended his administration for attracting $16.5 billion of foreign investment to South Korea in the first half of the year, calling it "the largest ever." Stressing that a total of $940 million in investments from six European high-tech companies was clinched during his recent trip to France and Vietnam, Yoon urged Cabinet members to continue efforts in facilitating deals. Yoon, who has called himself South Korea's top salesperson, has consiste

Politics June 27, 2023

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is poised to conduct a wide-ranging reshuffle of ministers and vice ministers, possibly this week, following his return from France and Vietnam, according to sources and local reports on Monday. The sources expressed a strong expectation that secretary-level officials in the presidential office, who were instrumental in helping Yoon manage state affairs, will be appointed to government ministries. Nearly half of the 19 ministries are anticipated to undergo pe

Politics June 26, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol concluded his state visit to Vietnam, solidifying economic cooperation between the two nations and ushering in a new era of forward-looking collaboration. Accompanied by a 205-member business delegation, President Yoon observed the signing of 111 memoranda of understanding between business leaders of the two countries as well as trade consultations made for some 100 companies. Calling it a significant development in bilateral trade, Yoon's visit has set the stage for

Foreign Affairs June 25, 2023

First Lady Kim Keon-hee met with officials from Smile for Children, a group that provides free surgery services for Vietnamese children with facial deformities, during her visit to the 108 Central Military Hospital in Vietnam on Saturday, according to the presidential office. Smile for Children, a non-profit organization supported by the SK Group, annually brings together medical professionals from both countries. To date, more than 4,200 Vietnamese children have benefited from this initiative.

Politics June 24, 2023

  President Yoon Suk Yeol concluded his state visit to Vietnam on Saturday morning with a visit to the Samsung Electronics R&D Center in Hanoi. During a meeting with young employees, he highlighted the importance of the digital partnership between Korea and Vietnam. He pledged to support collaborative research efforts between the two nations, aiming to generate value by combining the technological strengths of both Korea and Vietnam. The meeting was attended by Samsung Electronics Chair

Politics June 24, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is on a state visit to Vietnam, attended a state dinner hosted by Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong on Friday, expressing his hopes for stronger friendship and vowing to increase investment in the nation. "We must continue to increase investment and support for future generations of both countries for prosperity for the next 100 years,” Yoon said at the dinner held at the International Convention Center in Hanoi, on the second day of Yoon's three-day

Foreign Affairs June 24, 2023