Apr 6, 2026

Yeouido 25/7 — April 6, 2026

The standoff over a 26.2 trillion won supplementary budget is reaching a breaking point as the April 10 deadline approaches. The Reform Party is demanding cuts to non-essential spending, while the ruling and main opposition parties trade barbs over "livelihood vs. vote-buying." Meanwhile, recent polling shows approval for the main opposition party at just 18%, down 30 percentage points from its rival, signaling a worrying drift among conservative voters.

14 min read/15 sources

Apr 5, 2026

Constitutional Reform and Budget Battles Ahead of Local Elections

With President Lee Jae-myung’s approval rating hitting a record 67%, six opposition parties have proposed a constitutional amendment requiring parliamentary approval for martial law. Meanwhile, a 26.2 trillion won supplementary budget is causing friction, with critics questioning if it’s a strategic economic move or just "election spending."

16 min read/15 sources

Apr 4, 2026

Yeouido 25 Hours — April 4, 2026

President Lee Jae-myung will host a bipartisan economic consultation meeting at the Blue House on the 7th. Meanwhile, South Korea and France have signed 14 agreements and MOUs covering sectors like nuclear power, critical minerals, and AI. A recent Gallup Korea poll shows the approval gap between the Democratic Party and the People Power Party has widened to 30 percentage points, the largest since President Lee took office.

11 min read/15 sources

Apr 3, 2026

Yeouido 25/7 — April 3, 2026

South Korea has drafted a ₩26.2 trillion supplementary budget to combat the global energy crisis sparked by the Middle East conflict, with a budget speech delivered to the National Assembly on April 2. Notably, the funds will be sourced entirely from tax surpluses rather than new government bonds. In other news, March exports hit a record high of $86.1 billion, up 48.3% year-on-year. Meanwhile, the first anniversary of former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s removal has spotlighted deepening political polarization, as both major parties continue to prioritize their base over broader consensus.

13 min read/15 sources

Apr 2, 2026

Yeouido 25: April 2, 2026

On March 31, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung chaired a cabinet meeting to approve a 26.2 trillion won supplementary budget for 2026 to address the Middle East crisis. The government also finalized its 2026 tax expenditure plan. Meanwhile, reports on high-ranking officials' assets showed that the number of multi-home-owning lawmakers has dropped from 41% to 18%.

11 min read/15 sources

Apr 1, 2026

South Korea: Yeouido 25 Hours — April 1, 2026

Rival parties have agreed to pass a supplementary budget by April 10, and a series of livelihood bills for agriculture and fisheries cleared the National Assembly on March 31. With the June 3 local elections approaching, both parties are turning their attention to the battle for Seoul.

14 min read/15 sources

Mar 31, 2026

South Korea: March 31 Daily Briefing from Yeouido

The ruling and opposition parties have agreed to push through a supplementary budget by April 10, with a plenary session held this afternoon to kick things off. The government is rolling out a major stimulus package, including consumption vouchers for 33 million citizens, while February industrial data shows a promising 2.5% jump fueled by semiconductors and the service sector.

13 min read/15 sources

Mar 30, 2026

South Korea: Yeouido 25 Hours — March 30, 2026

President Lee Jae-myung is pushing his new Ministry of Intellectual Property as a key economic driver, while new Budget Minister Park Hong-keun is taking charge as a "control tower" for national policy. Meanwhile, tensions between the ruling and opposition parties remain high following judicial reform bills, and the rise of South Korea’s "MAGA youth" is catching international attention.

10 min read/15 sources

Mar 29, 2026

South Korea: Yeouido 25/7 — March 29, 2026

The National Assembly’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee has agreed to bring the Special Act on Administrative Capital Construction to a subcommittee on the 30th. Meanwhile, tensions are high between the Democratic Party and the People Power Party (PPP) over the supplementary budget, and the opposition is fiercely protesting the Lee Jae-myung administration’s potential withdrawal from a UN resolution on North Korean human rights.

12 min read/15 sources

Mar 28, 2026

South Korea: Yeouido 24/7 — March 28, 2026

We haven't been able to pull any reliable, up-to-date info on the Korean National Assembly or Yeouido politics for the period starting March 26, 2026. Current data is focused on international events, so we're holding off on local reporting for now.

4 min read/15 sources

Korean Politics: The Yeouido Update

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