Max Kim

3 weeks ago | latimes.com | Max Kim

South Korean President-elect Lee Jae-myung has always described his politics as deeply personal, born of the “wretchedness” of his youth. In his last presidential run three years ago, when his conservative opponent Yoon Suk Yeol, a former prosecutor, appealed to the rule of law, Lee told a story from his childhood: how his family’s poverty pushed him into factory assembly lines while his peers were entering middle school — and how his mother would walk him to work every morning, holding his hand.

1 month ago | latimes.com | Max Kim

A report that the Trump administration is considering pulling out thousands of its military personnel stationed in South Korea has sent waves of anxiety rippling through the country, which is facing a snap presidential election next month.

1 month ago | latimes.com | Max Kim

The winner of South Korea’s upcoming presidential election will be faced with the task of uniting a country riven by political acrimony since the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who sparked national outrage after declaring martial law in December. But first, they will have to contend with President Trump’s tariffs.

1 month ago | latimes.com | Max Kim

In South Korea, the Trump administration’s 25% tariff on imported cars has sent local automakers Hyundai and Kia scrambling to protect one of the country’s most valuable exports. But General Motors, which last year shipped 418,782 units from its factories here to American consumers — or 88.5% of its total sales — may be facing a much larger predicament.

1 month ago | latimes.com | Max Kim

Lee Jae-myung has been the favorite in polls, but a court decision may force him out of the running in the campaign to be president of South Korea. As South Koreans prepare to elect a successor to ousted former president Yoon Suk Yeol, a court ruling against front-runner Lee Jae-myung has thrust the country — which has been under interim leadership for the last five months — into further uncertainty.