‘Blue House' emblem revived as Lee's return nears
The administration will discontinue the current presidential office emblem, which features the Yongsan office building, as preparations continue for a return to the former presidential compound.
However, the emblem will temporarily display the wording 'Presidential Office' until the move to the Blue House is complete.
Lee's office said it will implement the change only where absolutely necessary to avoid unnecessary spending, starting with the presidential office's new website and new business cards for government officials.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
10 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Lee meets business leaders ahead of summit in US
Tycoons voice hopes that summit in Washington will open doors to new markets, boost global reach Ahead of his first summit with US President Donald Trump, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met Tuesday with South Korea's leading business chiefs to map out strategies for boosting the economic outcomes of next week's Washington visit. During the meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, Lee expressed appreciation for the business leaders' contributions to the recent tariff negotiations with the United States, which he said helped deliver better-than-expected results. "The government's top priority is to revitalize the economy and lay the foundation for sustainable growth," Lee was quoted as saying by presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung. "While both the government and businesses are facing difficulties due to changing export conditions, we must join forces to turn this crisis into an opportunity." The closed-door meeting, which lasted about two hours, brought together major business leaders and senior government officials, including presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lak, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan, and Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo. In response, Ryu Jin, chair and CEO of Poongsan Group and head of the Federation of Korean Industries, said the recent deal with Washington had helped reduce uncertainty and restore momentum for Korean businesses. "The recent agreement with Washington helped eliminate uncertainty for Korean exporters and restored growth momentum. The business community will continue to be a strong partner to the government," he said. Samsung Electronics Executive Chair Lee Jae-yong emphasized the group's commitment to continued domestic and overseas investment. "We will maintain our commitment to investing not only in the United States but also here in South Korea to foster high-value industries and create quality jobs," he said. Seo Jung-jin, founder and chair of Celltrion Group, urged a forward-looking approach in a time of change. "A crisis can become an opportunity. We must prepare for future industries with a new perspective," he said. "To cultivate capable young entrepreneurs, we need to boost investment in startups rather than relying solely on collateral-based loans," he added. According to the presidential office, business leaders expressed hope that the upcoming summit would produce tangible outcomes benefiting both corporate and national interests. They said the visit should serve as a stepping stone for expanding Korean companies' access to the US market and enhancing their global competitiveness. President Lee said he would carefully consider the leaders' on-the-ground insights and encouraged them to achieve meaningful results during the trip, the presidential office added. Tuesday's meeting followed the government's announcement of a revised tariff agreement with the United States late last month. On July 31, the government confirmed that planned US tariffs on Korean exports would be reduced from 25 percent to 15 percent. In return, South Korea pledged a total of $350 billion in investments into the US, including $150 billion for shipbuilding cooperation and $200 billion for strategic sectors such as semiconductors, batteries, and biopharmaceuticals. Seoul also agreed to purchase $100 billion worth of US energy products. Lee's trip to the US will include a two-day stop in Tokyo for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba prior to the summit with Trump.
Korea Herald
10 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Lee set to name new envoys to US, Japan ahead of summits
President Lee Jae Myung is expected to soon nominate new ambassadors to the United States and Japan — posts left vacant since July — ahead of upcoming summits with the leaders of the respective countries, according to government sources. Kang Kyung-wha, who served as foreign minister from 2017 to 2021 under the Moon Jae-in administration, is all but certain to be named Seoul's next ambassador to Washington. Lee Hyuk, who served as South Korea's ambassador to Vietnam from 2016 to 2018 under both the Park Geun-hye and Moon Jae-in administrations, is likewise seen as the presumptive choice for ambassador to Japan. The announcement of new envoys comes as President Lee is set to meet Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during his two-day trip to Tokyo on Saturday and Sunday, and to hold his first summit with US President Donald Trump on Aug. 25 in Washington. The process for the host country to formally recognize and accredit an ambassador generally takes around four to six weeks. However, in 2023, when Cho Hyun-dong was nominated as ambassador under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, Washington unexpectedly shortened its review period to around a week. If the two current nominees are officially appointed after receiving accreditation, they are expected to take up their posts in Washington and Tokyo, though it is highly unlikely they will do so before the summit, according to a diplomatic source with knowledge of the matter who requested anonymity. Ex-FM tapped as envoy to US If formally appointed, Kang will become South Korea's first female ambassador to the US. She previously served as the country's first female foreign minister. Kang is currently the president and chief executive officer of the Asia Society, a New York–based organization dedicated to promoting understanding and strengthening partnerships between Asia and the United States. Kang was appointed as the first foreign minister under the Moon administration and worked closely with the first Trump administration from 2017 to 2021. During her time in office, Kang attended every summit between Presidents Moon and Trump. She also served as the counterpart to then-US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who spearheaded US-North Korea summits and traveled to Pyongyang on several occasions. Before becoming foreign minister, Kang held senior UN posts — including senior policy adviser to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and deputy high commissioner for human rights — making her the highest-ranking Korean woman in an international organization. Veteran Japan hand Lee Hyuk is regarded as a veteran diplomat specializing in Japan affairs. He entered the Foreign Ministry in 1980 alongside national security adviser Wi Sung-lac. Lee has held various roles, including minister at the Korean Embassy in Japan, director general for Asia-Pacific affairs at the Foreign Ministry, and ambassador to the Philippines and Vietnam. Lee also served as secretary-general of the ASEAN-Korea Center. Recently, Lee led the Korea-Japan Future Forum, which promotes exchanges among lawmakers, journalists, academics and students from Korea and Japan. During the latest presidential election, Lee helped shape Seoul's Japan policy blueprint as part of the Advisory Group for Pragmatic Public Diplomacy, a network of former Korean ambassadors organized by Wi. The appointments are expected to gradually fill important ambassadorial vacancies. In July, all noncareer or specially appointed ambassadors under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, including Cho Hyun-dong, ambassador to the US, and Park Cheol-hee, ambassador to Japan, were ordered to return home within two weeks. This left both missions with acting ambassadors. However, no new personnel have been sent to Washington or Tokyo to prepare for the upcoming summits, according to the unnamed diplomatic source. Meanwhile, Chung Byung-ha, the Foreign Ministry's ambassador for polar affairs, has been temporarily sent to South Korea's mission to the United Nations to help prepare for the upcoming UN General Assembly, the source added.
Korea Herald
13 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Lee set to hold meeting with heads of major conglomerates ahead of planned summit with Trump
President Lee Jae Myung is set to hold a meeting on Tuesday with heads of major business conglomerates who will accompany him on his trip to Washington for his planned summit talks with US President Donald Trump, the presidential office said. Lee is set to meet with executives from key industries, including semiconductors, shipbuilding, automobiles, defense, biotechnology, and energy, which are considered central to industrial cooperation and agenda items for the upcoming summit with US President Donald Trump on Aug. 25 in Washington. Among them are Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, who also heads the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Others attendees include Korean Air Chief Executive Officer Cho Won-tae, Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan, Hyundai Motor Group Vice Chairman Jang Jae-hoon, Doosan Enerbility Chairman Park Gee-won, and Celltrion Chairman Seo Jung-jin. Lee's trip will mark his first summit with Trump and also includes a two-day stop in Tokyo for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba ahead of his visit to Washington. The visit follows a recent trade agreement between Seoul and Washington that reduced the planned US tariffs from 25 percent to 15 percent in exchange for South Korea's commitment to $350 billion in investment and $100 billion in US energy purchases. Of the pledged investment, $150 billion will be allocated to Seoul's shipbuilding cooperation initiative, dubbed "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again".
