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Dispute Deepens Over U.N. Control of DMZ Access After Senior Aide Denied Entry

Dispute Deepens Over U.N. Control of DMZ Access After Senior Aide Denied Entry

SEOUL, Dec. 4 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s unification minister publicly criticized the United Nations Command (UNC) on Wednesday, revealing that it had recently barred a senior presidential security aide from entering the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), reviving long-standing tensions over the scope of the UNC’s authority. Speaking at a National Assembly hearing on legislation to expand [...]

Marking the Revolution of Light, President Lee Issues Special Address to the Nation

Marking the Revolution of Light, President Lee Issues Special Address to the Nation

President Lee Jae-myung on Dec. 3, marking the first anniversary of the martial-law crisis, declared, “We will complete the Revolution of Light and build a true nation of popular sovereignty.” In a special national address titled “First Anniversary of the Revolution of Light” delivered at the presidential office in Yongsan that morning, Lee said, “I [...]

A Year After Failed Coup, Lee Calls Koreans the “Guardians of Democracy”

A Year After Failed Coup, Lee Calls Koreans the “Guardians of Democracy”

SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Korea Bizwire) —  President Lee Jae-myung on Wednesday marked the first anniversary of the failed Dec. 3 coup attempt by declaring that the South Korean people “have every right to receive the Nobel Peace Prize” for defending democracy against an illegal military intervention. In a nationally televised address titled “First Anniversary of [...]

South Korean President Rejects Calls for Nuclear Armament, Citing Global Consequences

South Korean President Rejects Calls for Nuclear Armament, Citing Global Consequences

SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — President Lee Jae-myung on Tuesday forcefully dismissed renewed proposals for South Korea to pursue its own nuclear weapons program, calling the idea “impossible” and warning that it would trigger immediate international backlash. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office, Lee addressed growing calls from some opposition lawmakers to [...]

South Korea to Introduce First National Ethics Guidelines for AI Use in Universities

South Korea to Introduce First National Ethics Guidelines for AI Use in Universities

SEOUL, Nov. 28 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea will issue its first government-backed ethics guidelines for the use of generative artificial intelligence on university campuses, amid a surge in cheating cases involving AI tools such as ChatGPT. According to the office of Kim Yong-tae, an opposition lawmaker who sits on the National Assembly’s Education Committee, the [...]

Korea Pledges Continued Arms Cooperation With Poland Despite Submarine Setback

Korea Pledges Continued Arms Cooperation With Poland Despite Submarine Setback

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s defense ministry on Thursday vowed to keep up its arms industry cooperation with Poland after a domestic defense firm failed to win a contract to supply next-generation submarines to the European country. On Wednesday, Poland said it has chosen Swedish defense firm Saab as the winner of [...]

Retired Korean Submarine May Head to Poland in Strategic Defense Gesture

Retired Korean Submarine May Head to Poland in Strategic Defense Gesture

SEOUL, Nov. 26 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea is set to transfer a retiring 1,200-ton submarine to Poland free of charge, military sources said Wednesday, in apparent support for a South Korean defense firm bidding for the European country’s submarine procurement project. Under the plan, the defense ministry is expected to hand over the ROKS [...]

Korea Moves to Replace Civil Service ‘Duty of Obedience’ With Protections Against Unlawful Orders

Korea Moves to Replace Civil Service ‘Duty of Obedience’ With Protections Against Unlawful Orders

SEOUL, Nov. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea is preparing to abolish a decades-old legal requirement obligating civil servants to obey orders from their superiors, a cornerstone of the country’s bureaucratic culture since 1949. The move marks one of the most significant shifts in public-sector governance in more than half a century. The Ministry of Personnel [...]

President Lee’s Global South Tour Signals a New Phase in South Korea’s Search for Strategic Relevance

President Lee’s Global South Tour Signals a New Phase in South Korea’s Search for Strategic Relevance

ANKARA & SEOUL, Nov. 25 (Korea Bizwire) —  President Lee Jae Myung’s recent four-nation trip — anchored by his appearance at the G20 summit in Johannesburg and followed by stops in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Turkey — was less a ceremonial swing through diplomatic capitals than a quiet attempt to reposition South Korea within [...]

Korea to Launch Task Force to Deepen AI Cooperation With the UAE

Korea to Launch Task Force to Deepen AI Cooperation With the UAE

SEOUL, Nov. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s presidential artificial intelligence (AI) committee said Monday it will launch a task force to advance AI cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The task force will be headed jointly by the presidential secretary for AI policy and future planning, and vice chairman of the Korea Chamber [...]