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South Korea’s new president pledges to ‘unite’ country

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Just hours after winning the South Korean presidency, Lee Jae-myung pledged to “unite the people” in his inauguration speech on Wednesday.

Lee enters office at a time when the country is still grappling with deep divisions, which were further triggered after President Yoon Suk Yeol’s shock martial law declaration last December.

“I will start with reviving the economy and healing the people,” he told an audience at the National Assembly. “Regardless of who you supported in this election… I will be the president of all the people.”

Lee, a candidate of the liberal Democratic Party, was elected with nearly 50% of the vote.

He blamed the country’s political turmoil on “political factions with no desire to work for the lives of the people”.

“I will work to unite the people,” he said, adding that he would “become a president who ends the politics of division.”

But it’s not just domestic issues he has to contend with. Lee has urgent foreign challenges as well – such as navigating the US-Korea alliance under the new Trump administration, balancing its relations with China and dealing with its closest neighbour North Korea.

Lee also pledged to build a “flexible, pragmatic government” and announced that an emergency economic task force would be “activated immediately”.

(BBC News)

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Eight individuals claim ownership rights to Jaffna’s Presidential Palace

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A recent investigation by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Urban Development, Construction, and Housing has uncovered that the so-called ‘Presidential Palace’ in Jaffna was constructed before the government had fully secured legal ownership of the land.  

The property, consisting of eight residences, was developed during the administration of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, while the land acquisition process was still underway. 

Urban Development Authority (UDA) Chairman Eng. L.B. Kumudu Lal confirmed the findings in an interview with weekend paper.  

“The construction of the five houses—often referred to as the ‘Presidential Palace’—was carried out before the legal acquisition process was finalized. We are now working to complete the remaining legal formalities,” Lal stated.  

The disputed land, located in Kankesanthurai, spans approximately 30 acres, with buildings occupying around 15 acres. 

The Sri Lankan military undertook the construction between 2010 and 2015, at an estimated cost of Rs. 3.5 billion.  

According to the UDA Chairman, ownership disputes are expected to be fully resolved by the end of 2025. Once cleared, the government plans to open the property to investors for redevelopment into a project that benefits the local community.  

The investigation highlights that the construction proceeded despite pending legal challenges—a process that has taken nearly a decade to resolve. However, officials remain hopeful that the remaining issues will be settled within the next year, paving the way for a more publicly beneficial use of the site.  

As the legal process nears completion, the future of the controversial property may soon shift from a symbol of political excess to a resource for Jaffna’s development.  

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Fishing boat capsizes off Tangalle, Two fishermen missing

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Another boat accident has been reported in seas off Tangalle.

According to the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN), a total of six fishermen were onboard the vessel when it met with an accident off the coast of Paravi Wella Beach in Tangalle.

Four of the fishermen have been rescued while two others remain missing.

Steps have been taken to locate the missing fishermen.

Meanwhile, three other boat accidents were reported yesterday in seas off Galle, Kalutara and Hikkaduwa.

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SSP Shani Abeysekara appointed as CID Director

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Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shani Abeysekara has been appointed as the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), police say.

The appointment has been made with the approval of the National Police Commission (NPC).

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