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Michelle Ye Hee Lee

@myhlee.bsky.social

27K followers 460 following 650 posts

Washington Post Tokyo/Seoul Bureau Chief, covering Japan, the two Koreas and beyond. Mom to two needy cats & a rambunctious golden retriever. [email protected]

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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · Apr 7

New: Our deep-dive into life in Hyesan, a North Korean border city close to China, to learn how the few freedoms North Koreans enjoyed have vanished since the pandemic.

The Washington Post partnered with Asia Press to reach three residents currently living in Hyesan.

Gift link: wapo.st/4lzqExQ

How the few freedoms North Koreans enjoyed have vanished since the pandemic

The city of Hyesan, just over the river from China, once offered a glimpse of a more open North Korea. Now it exemplifies Kim Jong Un’s mounting authoritarianism.

wapo.st

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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 4d

Takaichi has shattered the highest glass ceiling of public office in Japan by becoming the first female leader of the male-dominated and patriarchal Asian nation. But she is not known to be an advocate of gender equality.

Gift link: wapo.st/477DfTv

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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 4d

BREAKING: Sanae Takaichi, a hardline conservative security hawk, is set to become Japan’s new — and first female — prime minister.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...

Sanae Takaichi is set to become Japan’s first female prime minister

The new leader will take the helm of the world’s fourth-largest economy at a time of unusual political instability, rising prices and increasing regional tensions.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Michelle Ye Hee Lee

lostinube @lostinube.bsky.social · 4d

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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 4d

BREAKING: Sanae Takaichi has been elected leader of the LDP, and is set to become Japan’s first female prime minister.

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Tobias Harris @tobiasharris.bsky.social · 4d

While we wait for the count in the runoff, I ran through the numbers quickly here:

open.substack.com/pub/observin...

Takaichi takes the first round

Can she avoid a repeat of 2024?

open.substack.com

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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 4d

Takaichi and Koizumi are going into a runoff round. Takaichi received the most votes in the first round of voting and Koizumi the second highest.

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Reposted by Michelle Ye Hee Lee

Bill Goodykoontz @goodyk.bsky.social · 4d

Corollary: The departments not covering the election will be first in line to eat it.

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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 4d

If it’s election day, you gotta have pizza. It’s a journalism rule.

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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 4d

Voting underway for the new leader of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, who will almost certainly be the nation's new prime minister. This is the fourth LDP leadership election in the past five years. Every LDP election, I'm reminded of just how male-dominant the party/Japanese politics is.

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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 4d

Charlie Kirk’s death has galvanized a fervent group of religious Korean ultraconservatives. Their embrace of Kirk is the latest display of deepening ties between a sprawling, transnational network of evangelical Korean conservatives & sympathetic figures in Trump’s 2nd term orbit.
wapo.st/4mKHvNq

How Charlie Kirk’s death galvanized South Korea’s ‘MAGA’ conservatives

The honoring of Kirk in South Korea is the latest example of the strengthening ties between the country’s Christian conservatives and U.S. evangelicals.

wapo.st

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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 5d

Government involvement in regulating Japan’s rice market is different than the grain industry in the United States and much of Europe.

We took a deep dive into Japan’s rice crisis, the government policies that failed farmers and consumers, and the powerful rice lobby:
wapo.st/4mR4qqp

Rice is on the political menu as Japan replaces its leader — again

Japan’s new prime minister – its 19th since 1990 – will need to address the rice crisis, and growing calls from consumers and farmers, for policy change.

wapo.st

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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 14d

Op-ed in The Washington Post by Lee Jun-seok, former presidential candidate who leads South Korea’s Reform Party:

"The recent raid signals that Washington’s interest in the potential benefits of deepening this alliance is lacking."
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Opinion | How to repair ties after the Hyundai raid

The immigration raid on a Hyundai-LG plant strained ties. Here’s how to get relations back on track.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Michelle Ye Hee Lee

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 14d

As President Donald Trump continues his campaign to win a Nobel Peace Prize, Americans are broadly skeptical.

A Washington Post-Ipsos poll finds 76 percent of Americans say he doesn’t deserve to win it.

76 percent of Americans say Trump does not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize

Most Americans also say former president Barack Obama did not deserve to win the prize in 2009.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 15d

"It is a matter of when, not whether, to recognize (Palestinian statehood)," Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said.

Japan to take comprehensive approach for timing of recognizing Palestinian state

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said it is 'a matter of when, not whether, to recognize' Palestinian statehood.

www.japantimes.co.jp

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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 15d

So, I guess I can just dust off my candidate pre-writes from last year's Japanese prime minister around this time... (all five candidates ran last September)
www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/09...

LDP race commences with mix of youth and experience

Whoever wins faces the task of rebuilding public trust in the 70-year-old LDP at a time of low public approval ratings as smaller opposition parties resonate with many voters.

www.japantimes.co.jp

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Reposted by Michelle Ye Hee Lee

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 16d

Breaking news: The British government said it was formally recognizing a state of Palestine, breaking sharply with the U.S. and reversing decades of unwillingness to accept Palestinians as a sovereign nation.

U.K., Canada, Australia recognize Palestine as a state, breaking with U.S.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer officially recognized Palestine as a state, joining major U.S. allies Canada and Australia.

wapo.st

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Reposted by Michelle Ye Hee Lee

The Japan Times @japantimes.co.jp · 22d

U.S. tariffs on Japanese autos formally cut to 15% from 27.5% in long-awaited implementation of July 22 agreement.

U.S. tariffs on Japanese autos formally cut to 15% from 27.5%

The reduction is a long-awaited implementation of the terms of a July 22 agreement.

ebx.sh

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Reposted by Michelle Ye Hee Lee

Karen Attiah @karenattiah.bsky.social · 23d

Some personal news:

I've been fired from the Washington Post in the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk shooting.

Thread incoming.

substack.com/@karenattiah...

The Washington Post Fired Me — But My Voice Will Not Be Silenced.

I spoke out against hatred and violence in America — and it cost me my job.

substack.com

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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 23d

For nearly three decades, South Korea has used cultural exports to establish its own identity abroad beyond its proximity to nuclear-armed North Korea.

But the newest K-pop phenomenon was made abroad and exported to South Korea, and the movie has taken the country by storm.
wapo.st/4mXEqul

South Korea is going wild for ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ made in the U.S.

South Korea gave the world BTS and “Gangnam Style,” “Parasite” and snail mucus face cream. The U.S. sent back “KPop Demon Hunters” — and South Koreans love it.

wapo.st

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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 23d

South Korea may seem an obvious place to be abuzz over “KPop Demon Hunters,” set in Seoul and steeped in the local sights, sounds and foods.

But South Korean fans are fascinated because this quintessentially Korean movie is not from Korea.

Gift link to my latest, a fun one:
wapo.st/4mXEqul

South Korea is going wild for ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ made in the U.S.

South Korea gave the world BTS and “Gangnam Style,” “Parasite” and snail mucus face cream. The U.S. sent back “KPop Demon Hunters” — and South Koreans love it.

wapo.st

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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 25d

It’s unclear. At least one person was reportedly had legal documents. Many of them appear to have had B-1 visa, which allows some work, but it seems there are differing interpretations of what you can do in a B-1 visa. We are still waiting to find out their visa situations.

Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 25d

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung held a press conference and I had the opportunity to ask him about the Hyundai-LG plant raid in Georgia and the impacts on Korea’s future investments in U.S. He said the incident would make Korean companies “very hesitant” about making more direct investments.

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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 26d

"We are in an era of new normal when it comes to dealing with the US," says Kang Hoon-sik, presidential chief of staff, at the airport.

Workers being greeted by their family, some waving at the press, some carrying belongings in mesh bags. The rest of their belongings will arrive on another plane.

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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 26d

-LG is preparing reentry of people who do want to go back but company doesn't expect to send workers back immediately, plans to provide psychological support
-there are still Korean workers on B-1 visas in the U.S., the 2 govts are negotiating how to handle their status/how to interpret use of B-1

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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 26d

South Korean officials press gaggle at the airport:
-there was 1 pregnant detainee, she was seated in first class
-none of the detainees displayed health problems, medical staff was in flight
-Korean govt exploring psychological support
-workers applauded out of relief when they took off from GA

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