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Korea Herald
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Lee Jae Myung appoints vice ministers for unification, interior, agriculture, ocean, disaster management
South Korea's presidential office on Friday announced a list of vice minister-level officials across several ministries. According to Presidential Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung, Kim Nam-jung, a veteran of inter-Korean affairs, was appointed vice minister of the Ministry of Unification. Kim previously served as the standing representative for inter-Korean talks and has worked at the ministry for over 30 years, earning the nickname 'the living history of the Unification Ministry.' At the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Kim Min-jae, currently an assistant vice minister, was promoted to vice minister. Kim Gwang-yong, the ministry's spokesperson, was tapped to head the National Disaster and Safety Management Agency, which plays a key role in crisis response and disaster preparedness. Kang Hyoung-seok, head of the Agricultural Innovation Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, was named its new vice minister. At the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Kim Sung-bum, director of the Marine Policy Bureau, was promoted to vice minister. The presidential office said the appointees were selected for their 'field expertise and institutional knowledge,' and emphasized the importance of leadership that can deliver 'stable and responsive governance' across sectors ranging from agriculture and marine policy to inter-Korean relations and public safety.
Korea Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
‘서해피격' 유족 면담 의향 묻자 이종석 '검토하겠다'
이종석 국가정보원장 후보자는 19일 '서해 공무원 피격 사건' 유가족이 요청할 경우 면담을 검토해보겠다는 입장을 밝혔다. 이 후보자는 이날 오후 진행된 비공개 인사청문회 이후 '서해 피격' 피해자 유가족과 면담 의향을 묻는 기자들의 질의에 "필요하면 뵈어야겠다. 검토를 해보겠다"고 답했다. 2020년 9월 서해에서 북한군의 총격에 숨진 해양수산부 공무원 이대준 씨의 친형인 이래진 씨는 이 후보자의 인사청문회를 앞두고 "이종석 국정원장이 취임하면, 비공개도 좋으니 한번 뵙고 싶다"고 코리아헤럴드에 전한 바 있다. 이 후보자는 취임 후 서해 피살 공무원과 동해 귀순 어민 강제 북송 사건과 관련해 2022년 진행된 국정원 내부 감찰이 적절한지 점검하겠다는 의사도 밝혔다. 이 후보자는 당시 국정원 내부 감찰은 "전직 국정원장들에 대해 형사 문제나 권력 남용 문제가 아닌, 정책적 판단에 의해 이뤄진 것이기 때문에 굉장히 불행한 사건"이라면서, "복귀하고 천천히 정리를 해야되지 않을까 생각한다"고 했다. 이 후보자는 12.3 비상계엄 사태에 국정원이 얽힌 부분에 대해서도 들여다보겠다고 했다. 이 후보자는 "특검 과정에서 국정원에도 일부 조사가 들어올텐데, 국정원이 걸려있는 것들에 대해 당연히 살펴볼 생각이다"고 말했다. 그러면서 "다만 그것이 감찰이 될지, 어떤 성격이 될지는 예단하기 어렵다"고 덧붙였다. 앞서 같은 날 오전에 열린 공개 인사청문회에서 이기헌 더불어민주당 의원은 문재인 정부 당시 박지원·서훈 국정원장에 대한 형사 고발로 이어진 국정원 내부 감찰이 "있을 수 없는 일"이라고 목소리를 높이며, 경위를 밝힐 필요성에 대한 이 후보자의 입장을 물었다. 이에 이 후보자는 "국정원 내부 조직과 관련 돼 있고 전직 원장과 관련 돼 있는 사건이라 상당히 깊이 살펴보겠단 의사 표시를 했고, 앞으로 그렇게 하겠다"고 답했다. 이성권 국민의힘 정보위원회 간사는 이 후보자가 서해 공무원 피격 사건에 대한 입장 표명을 회피했다고 지적했다. 이 간사는 "이 후보자에게 서해 공무원 피격 관련해 물으니 '모른다'고 답했다"면서 "대북전문가인데 그 일을 하지 않아서 답변을 못 한다는 것은 말이 안 된다"고 꼬집었다. 18일 국회에 낸 인사청문 자료에서 이 후보자는 서해 피격·강제 북송 사건에 대한 입장을 묻는 질의에 "세종연구소 연구원으로 재직하던 시기에 발생한 사건으로 정확한 사실관계를 알지 못한다"면서, "국정원장으로 취임하게 된다면 관련 내용을 살펴보겠다"고 답했다. 이 후보자의 인사청문회 보고서 채택을 위한 국회 정보위 전체회의는 20일 열린다. (arin@ Spy chief nominee grilled over his perceptions of North Korea Lee Jong-seok, the nominee to be the director of the National Intelligence Service, faced scrutiny over his past acquaintance with a former deputy governor convicted over illegal cash transfers to North Korea at his confirmation hearing Thursday. At the hearing, Lee was asked about his past ties to former Gyeonggi Province Deputy Gov. Lee Hwa-young, who served when President Lee Jae Myung was governor of the province. The former deputy gov. was sentenced to 7 years and 8 months in prison for a 2019-20 scheme to transfer funds to the North. Prosecutors allege that the president, when he was governor, used the undergarment maker Ssangbangwool to send $8 million to North Korea. Lee has consistently denied any wrongdoing or involvement in the case. The NIS director nominee and the former deputy governor had worked together at the inter-Korean peace committee at the Gyeonggi Provincial Office since 2018. The nominee said he knew the former deputy governor strictly in a professional capacity and that he had no knowledge of the scheme at all. When asked about his past public remarks opposing the introduction of THAAD, the US antiballistic missile defense system and GSOMIA, the intelligence-sharing framework with Japan, the nominee said he believes that those were "things that are already agreed upon and should be complied with." Lee said that the foundation of South Korea's security is its alliance with the US. "That is the stance of the Lee Jae Myung administration, and I believe the same," he said. In response to The Korea Herald's question after the confirmation hearing, Lee said that he would be open to meeting with the bereaved family of a South Korean fisheries official who was shot dead by North Korean troops at sea in September 2020. "I have not yet looked into the matter, but I would consider it," the nominee said. In Wednesday's prehearing brief, seen exclusively by The Korea Herald, Lee said if he is appointed as the director, he would "look into" the shooting murder of the South Korean official. He was responding to a lawmaker's question about his stance on the case. In 2022, the NIS filed a criminal complaint against its former director Park Jie-won, who is now a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker, for allegedly destroying the spy agency's confidential materials related to the South Korean official's death. Park denies all allegations. The criminal trial for Park and other high-level officials at the time is ongoing. In the prehearing brief, Lee also denied the accusations that he was lenient toward North Korea. "I absolutely cannot agree with the claims that I am pro-North Korea only because I have studied North Korea and the Korean Peninsula in depth," he said. Lee served as minister of inter-Korean affairs under the late former liberal President Roh Moo-hyun in 2006.
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Kim Jong Un Quietly Advances North Korea's Nuclear Program
North Korea has begun work on a new facility at its main nuclear complex, according to the head of the United Nations-backed atomic watchdog. The facility, which reportedly resembles a suspected enrichment plant just outside of the capital of Pyongyang, could eventually provide fissile material to expand the country's nuclear arsenal. North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to continue building his UN-sanctioned nuclear arsenal, citing the "grave threat" posed by the U.S. and its allies, according to the U.S. Director of National Intelligence. North Korea is estimated to have around 50 nuclear warheads and enough fissile material for as many as 90. Kim's emphasis on expanding this capability—along with frequent ballistic missile tests and the abandonment of reunification as a long-term goal—has driven inter-Korean tensions to their highest level in decades. Newsweek reached out to the North Korean embassy in China and the U.S. Department of Defense with emailed requests for comment. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said in a June 9 statement that the agency is "monitoring" a new construction at the Yongbyon nuclear complex, located about 60 miles north of Pyongyang. The new building has features and dimensions closely resembling those of the Kangson site, a facility west of the capital long suspected to be a uranium enrichment plant believed to produce uranium-235, the fissile material essential for nuclear weapons. "The continuation and further development of the DPRK's (Democratic People's Republic of Korea's) nuclear programme are clear violations of relevant UN Security Council resolutions and are deeply regrettable," Grossi said, using North Korea's official name. The report comes after news late last year that Kim Jong Un visited the Kangson facility. During the visit, he called for an increase in centrifuge production for weapons-grade material and warned against complacency, according to state media. In April, Grossi warned North Korea's progress on its nuclear agenda was "completely off the charts," with no effective way to monitor its activities. Attempts to stem the flow of materials that could aid Kim's nuclear program became even more problematic last year when Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have extended the mandate of a panel of experts enforcing sanctions on North Korea. Jenny Town, director of the Stimson Center think tank's Korea Program and North Korea-focused analysis group 38 North, wrote for the Hudson Institute think tank: "Changing how the United States approaches its bilateral relationship with North Korea, not just the nuclear issue, will require enormous political capital, leadership, and resilience to criticism. "The nuclear issue will still need to be part of the discussion, but keeping it as the main determinant of relations will prolong the stalemate and worsen the security environment." U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard warned lawmakers in March that North Korea is "probably prepared" to conduct a seventh nuclear test on short notice. Members of President Donald Trump's team have reportedly discussed reopening dialogue with Kim, according to sources familiar with the discussions. During his first term, Trump met with Kim on three occasions in a failed bid to persuade the North Korean leader to walk back his nuclear weapons program. Related Articles Satellite Image Hints at North Korea's Biggest Military FactoryNorth Korea Airbrushes Commander From Photos After Warship FailKim Jong Un Doubles Down on Destroyers for North Korea's NavyNorth Korea Rejects Trump's Letter to Kim: Report 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Kim Jong Un Quietly Advances North Korea's Nuclear Program
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. North Korea has begun work on a new facility at its main nuclear complex, according to the head of the United Nations-backed atomic watchdog. The facility, which reportedly resembles a suspected enrichment plant just outside of the capital of Pyongyang, could eventually provide fissile material to expand the country's nuclear arsenal. Why It Matters North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to continue building his UN-sanctioned nuclear arsenal, citing the "grave threat" posed by the U.S. and its allies, according to the U.S. Director of National Intelligence. North Korea is estimated to have around 50 nuclear warheads and enough fissile material for as many as 90. Kim's emphasis on expanding this capability—along with frequent ballistic missile tests and the abandonment of reunification as a long-term goal—has driven inter-Korean tensions to their highest level in decades. Newsweek reached out to the North Korean embassy in China and the U.S. Department of Defense with emailed requests for comment. What To Know Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said in a June 9 statement that the agency is "monitoring" a new construction at the Yongbyon nuclear complex, located about 60 miles north of Pyongyang. The new building has features and dimensions closely resembling those of the Kangson site, a facility west of the capital long suspected to be a uranium enrichment plant believed to produce uranium-235, the fissile material essential for nuclear weapons. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends the launch ceremony for a new destroyer at the Raijin shipyard on June 12, 2025. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends the launch ceremony for a new destroyer at the Raijin shipyard on June 12, 2025. Korean Central News Agency "The continuation and further development of the DPRK's (Democratic People's Republic of Korea's) nuclear programme are clear violations of relevant UN Security Council resolutions and are deeply regrettable," Grossi said, using North Korea's official name. The report comes after news late last year that Kim Jong Un visited the Kangson facility. During the visit, he called for an increase in centrifuge production for weapons-grade material and warned against complacency, according to state media. In April, Grossi warned North Korea's progress on its nuclear agenda was "completely off the charts," with no effective way to monitor its activities. Attempts to stem the flow of materials that could aid Kim's nuclear program became even more problematic last year when Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have extended the mandate of a panel of experts enforcing sanctions on North Korea. What People Have Said Jenny Town, director of the Stimson Center think tank's Korea Program and North Korea-focused analysis group 38 North, wrote for the Hudson Institute think tank: "Changing how the United States approaches its bilateral relationship with North Korea, not just the nuclear issue, will require enormous political capital, leadership, and resilience to criticism. "The nuclear issue will still need to be part of the discussion, but keeping it as the main determinant of relations will prolong the stalemate and worsen the security environment." What's Next U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard warned lawmakers in March that North Korea is "probably prepared" to conduct a seventh nuclear test on short notice. Members of President Donald Trump's team have reportedly discussed reopening dialogue with Kim, according to sources familiar with the discussions. During his first term, Trump met with Kim on three occasions in a failed bid to persuade the North Korean leader to walk back his nuclear weapons program.
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Spy chief nominee grilled over his perceptions of North Korea
Lee Jong-seok, the nominee to be the director of the National Intelligence Service, faced scrutiny over his past acquaintance with a former deputy governor convicted over illegal cash transfers to North Korea at his confirmation hearing Thursday. At the hearing, Lee was asked about his past ties to former Gyeonggi Province Deputy Gov. Lee Hwa-young, who served when President Lee Jae Myung was governor of the province, and was sentenced to 9 1/2 years in prison for a 2019-20 scheme to transfer funds to the North. The scheme took place during the president's tenure as governor, a role in which he has denied any wrongdoing. Prosecutors allege that the president, when he was governor, used undergarment maker Ssangbangwool to send $8 million to North Korea. The NIS director nominee and the former deputy governor had worked together at the inter-Korean peace committee at the Gyeonggi Provincial Office from 2018. The nominee said he knew the former deputy governor strictly in a professional capacity and that he had no knowledge of the scheme at all. When asked about his past public remarks opposing the introduction of THAAD, the US anti-ballistic missile defense system, and GSOMIA, the intelligence-sharing framework with Japan, the nominee said he believes that those were "things that are already agreed upon and should be complied with." Lee said that the foundation of South Korea's security is its alliance with the US. "That is the stance of the Lee Jae Myung administration, and I believe the same," he said. In a written response submitted to the National Assembly on Thursday, a day ahead of his hearing, Lee denied the accusations that he was lenient toward North Korea. "I absolutely cannot agree with the claims that I am pro-North Korea only because I have studied North Korea and the Korean Peninsula in depth," he said. Lee served as minister of inter-Korean affairs under the late former liberal President Roh Moo-hyun in 2006.
