Can We Trust the Prosecution’s Claim of Losing the Cash Band?

• A bundle of cash was found at the home of Jeon Seong-bae (Geonjin Beopsa).
• Not just any cash, but banknotes wrapped in Bank of Korea plastic. With serial numbers, tracking the source should be easy, yet the packaging and band are missing. 3,300 notes of 50,000 won, totaling 165 million won.
• The amount isn’t the issue; it’s the origin. The initial band showed a date of May 13, 2022, three days after Yoon’s inauguration. But that band is now gone.
• The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office explained, “An inexperienced employee accidentally discarded the band.”
• It could be special activity funds from the presidential office, money from the Unification Church, or some other suspicious source.
• The prosecution might be hiding something, or if not, they can’t escape criticism for incompetence and negligence. Jang Gwan-seok (Dong-A Ilbo Editorial Writer) remarked, “If the basics of the prosecution are this shaky, how will they defend themselves against the ruling party’s calls for ‘prosecution dismantlement’?”
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What Matters Now.

50-Year Nuclear Humiliation Agreement.

• In an attempt to secure a nuclear power plant project in the Czech Republic, a humiliating agreement was made with the U.S. company Westinghouse.
• The Czech government was in the final stages of a nuclear deal, but Westinghouse raised issues over intellectual property rights, threatening to derail it. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and others agreed to pay $825 million per reactor in technology fees, sealing the deal. The agreement lasts a staggering 50 years.
• The agreement includes humiliating conditions such as a ban on bidding for new nuclear projects in the Philippines, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, and Morocco. Projects in Poland, Sweden, and Slovenia were also abandoned. Exporting small modular reactors (SMRs) is prohibited without Westinghouse’s consent.
• Energy Justice Actions criticized it as a “humiliating agreement supporting the Yoon administration’s ‘nuclear phase-out’ and ‘nuclear powerhouse’ stance.”
• A Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power official stated, “It was an unavoidable choice to secure a contract worth tens of trillions of won.”
• Kim Dong-cheol (President of Korea Electric Power Corporation) said, “Due to confidentiality agreements, we cannot confirm the details.”
• An industry insider interviewed by the Korea Times remarked, “While it’s regrettable to pay royalties, considering the Czech government’s request, it was difficult to export Czech nuclear power without an agreement with Westinghouse.”
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Punitive Damages for Media Misconduct Revived.

• Lee Jae-myung (President) stated in a cabinet meeting, “It is only right to hold the media accountable for intentional distortion in reporting.”
• The Hankyoreh warned, “It is not easy to exclude partisan approaches when distinguishing between power-monitoring reports and malicious falsehoods.”
• The Moon Jae-in administration considered this but discarded it due to freedom of expression concerns.
• Son Ji-won (Director of the Communication Law Research Institute) remarked, “We must also consider whether such a system would have allowed critical media to monitor power during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.”
• Noh Jong-myeon (Democratic Party lawmaker) noted, “As seen in the Sky Daily incident, even when cases of indiscriminate distribution of false information are confirmed, there are no means to regulate it,” adding, “The perception that a civil approach is valid remains.”

“We Are One Team.”.

• This is what Lee Jae-myung said during a meeting with conglomerate leaders. “Let’s join forces to turn crisis into opportunity”—a rather ordinary gathering, yet Chosun Ilbo made it their front-page headline.
• Perhaps the intention is to convey the message of pushing through the Yellow Envelope Act while chanting “one team.”
• An anonymous business insider pointed out, “While calling on companies in times of need, the ruling party is passively allowing the push of legislation that constrains business activities.”
• A high-ranking official from the presidential office, interviewed by JoongAng Ilbo, stated, “The Yellow Envelope Act is merely a bill to slightly level the overly tilted playing field between labor and management. Its passage won’t lead to rampant strikes by unions.” The implication is that if we refrain from making laws out of fear of nonexistent repercussions, the means to protect the socially vulnerable will vanish.
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Deep Dive.

Put Forward the Minister Who Speaks English Well.

• This is something Trump reportedly said during his first term. He expressed his liking for Kang Kyung-wha (then Foreign Minister), saying, “I saw her on TV, and her English is perfect.”
• A Blue House official from the Moon Jae-in administration remarked, “Trump tends to dismiss those who don’t speak English well.”
• Kang Kyung-wha was appointed as the first Foreign Minister of the Moon Jae-in administration in June 2017 and served until February 2021. There was speculation she would become ‘Oh Kyung-wha,’ serving the entire term with Moon due to his strong trust in her. She met Trump more than four times.
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80 Years Since the Yalta Conference.

• There is speculation that Ukraine might face a Korea-style ending, bringing the Yalta Conference from 80 years ago back into discussion.
• On February 4, 1945, in the resort city of Yalta on the Crimean coast, Franklin Roosevelt (then U.S. President), Joseph Stalin (then Soviet Communist Party General Secretary), and Winston Churchill (then British Prime Minister) met to discuss the division and occupation of the Korean Peninsula. It was a tragic history where powerful nations decided the fate of a weaker one without its consent.
• Kim Joon-dong (Kookmin Ilbo Editorial Writer) predicted, “Trump’s coercive mediation diplomacy, obsessed with winning the Nobel Peace Prize, will ultimately sow seeds of long-term conflict and confrontation.”
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Zelensky and Putin to Meet.

• It’s their first meeting since Russia invaded Ukraine. Trump arranged it after meeting Volodymyr Zelensky (President of Ukraine). Vladimir Putin (President of Russia) also agreed to guarantee Ukraine’s safety.
• The New York Times summarized the European Union’s demands in three points. First, a peacekeeping force will be stationed in Ukraine. Second, deploying a small tripwire force is also being discussed. Deterrence is key. Third, non-European allies like Japan or Australia might participate as an observer force.
• Unlike last February, Trump and Zelensky were in a friendly mood. During a 4-minute 30-second public statement, Zelensky said ‘Thank you’ 11 times, and Trump beamed.
• Ultimately, the crux is how much to concede in Donbas. Territorial negotiations will unfold within two weeks.
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Bodyguard Diplomacy Worked.

• European leaders gathered at the White House to support Zelensky.
• They showered Trump with gratitude and praise, aligning with his style, and Trump seemed very pleased.
• Mark Rutte (NATO Secretary General) called him “Dear Donald,” while Emmanuel Macron (President of France) lauded Trump for having a unique ability to broker peace deals.
• Le Monde assessed that the orchestrated unity and sweet words exchanged in front of cameras were more of a performance to appease the vain and unpredictable Trump.
• Michael Kimmage (Wilson Center researcher) called it “fantasy diplomacy.” The point being, “The moment everyone participates in the fantasy is unsustainable.”
• The Atlantic analyzed that “Russia’s stance is likely unchanged.”
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To Lead the Party, Win ‘Gilshim’.

• The People Power Party lacks three things: principles, values, and strategy. This is according to an analysis by the JoongAng Ilbo.
• “What can we do as a 107-seat opposition party?” some say.
• On the 14th, the People Power Party TV’s broadcast of the joint speech had 2,000 viewers, while Jeon Han-gil News had 6,000. The People Power Party TV has 480,000 subscribers, Jeon Han-gil News has 500,000, ‘Bae Seung-hee Lawyer’ has 1.67 million, ‘God’s Move’ has 1.61 million, and Goseongguk TV has 1.3 million. It’s a situation where conservative YouTubers’ opinions cannot be ignored.
• In May, when Kim Yong-tae (then People Power Party Emergency Response Committee Chairman) said he would meet Yoon Seok-yeol to request his resignation, Goseongguk (Goseongguk TV operator) retorted, “This is not something for someone like Kim Yong-tae to step into,” effectively silencing him. The next day, Kim Yong-tae backtracked, saying, “Resignation is no longer important.”
• There is also talk that “to expect election success, one must win ‘Gilshim’ (Jeon Han-gil’s favor).”
• Lee Hyun-woo (Professor at Sogang University) pointed out, “The People Power Party has failed to find an agenda beyond being anti-Lee Jae-myung.”
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Another Take.

“The Madam’s Company is Coming.”.

• The truth behind the official residence construction scandal is emerging.
• There was a company that first received the proposal, but rumors say they stepped aside for 21gram after hearing “the Madam’s company is coming.” According to Hankyoreh, they had already completed the blueprints and design drafts but handed them over without receiving any design fees.
• There are claims of orders from higher-ups, but specific details have not been confirmed.
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Kim Keon-hee’s Call to a YouTuber.

• In 2019, when Yoon Seok-yeol was the Prosecutor General. Kim Keon-hee sent a Facebook message to a YouTuber asking for their phone number. Kim Keon-hee said this:
• “Why is Moon Jae-in doing this to us? What is Cho Kuk that warrants this?”
• “It seems like Yoon Seok-yeol has gone mad, but Moon Jae-in initially gave some orders, so why is this happening?”
• The YouTuber explained, “It seems Moon Jae-in changed his stance after seeing the Seocho-dong protests,” which Kim Keon-hee reportedly liked. JTBC analyzed that Kim Keon-hee had a symbiotic relationship with far-right YouTubers from this point.
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80% Drop in Yeosu Industrial Complex Subcontract Workers.

• Operating rates fell from 96% in 2021 to 78% this January.
• Overall employment showed little change, from 25,123 in Q1 last year to 24,686 in Q1 this year, but plant construction workers employed by subcontractors plummeted from 8,783 to 1,780.
• Jang Chang-hwan (Secretary General of the National Plant Construction Union Yeosu Branch) said, “Members who couldn’t bring money home are enduring by working on mackerel boats, quick delivery, or as substitute drivers.”
• Today, the government will announce a restructuring plan for the petrochemical industry. It is likely to include incentives like tax benefits, based on voluntary restructuring.
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Has Yoon Seok-yeol Abandoned Kim Keon-hee?

• Jeon Hyun-hee (Democratic Party lawmaker) offers this analysis. Yoon Seok-yeol might find it hard to ever leave prison. Whether he cooperates with the investigation or not, it might be a feeling of despair. Kim Keon-hee’s situation is different. Her strategy seems to be claiming she was just an uninvolved spouse offering advice. Kim Keon-hee hasn’t visited Yoon Seok-yeol once since his arrest.
• Jeon Hyun-hee views Kim Keon-hee and Yoon Seok-yeol as accomplices in bribery. They were an economic community surpassing even Park Geun-hye and Choi Soon-sil.
• “Yoon Seok-yeol is known as a devoted husband, but that might not be true. He might prefer to share the blame if possible and has no reason to shield Kim Keon-hee. She said things like ‘Can I live with my husband?’ but it was likely to evoke sympathy and seek leniency, which Yoon Seok-yeol knows all too well is false.”
• Both are in a situation where they must keep lying to cover previous lies. With nothing more to say, exercising the right to remain silent might be their best option.
• Jeon Hyun-hee once chaired the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. Last year, a director involved in the Kim Keon-hee Dior bag case took his own life. Jeon Hyun-hee reportedly promised at the funeral, “I will clear your injustice and restore your honor. I will strive to keep that promise.”
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Lee Sang-min Arrested, Han Duck-soo Under Review.

• Lee Sang-min (former Minister of Interior and Safety) has been arrested and indicted as an accomplice in a rebellion. He is accused of ordering media blackouts.
• Han Duck-soo (former Prime Minister) is also under investigation for being an accomplice in the rebellion. The special prosecutor is considering requesting an arrest warrant.
• Han Duck-soo repeatedly lied. He claimed he hadn’t seen the martial law proclamation, but CCTV evidence proved otherwise. He is also accused of ordering access restrictions at institutions like the Korea National University of Arts. His suggestion to convene a cabinet meeting and passive approval of formal decisions could be seen as participation in the rebellion. The phone call with Choo Kyung-ho (then floor leader of the People Power Party) before the martial law repeal vote also needs to be examined.
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The Fix.

Rail Worker Fatality.

• Two dead, four seriously injured.
• Track work was approved 7 minutes before train passage, and alarms sounded, but they thought it was a malfunction.
• The engineer spotted the workers 120 meters ahead and applied the brakes, but it was too late.
• KORAIL’s industrial accidents in 2023 total 78. Since 2020, there have been 10 fatalities.

ICYMI.

Kim Yong Released on Bail.

• A close aide to Lee Jae-myung. Kim Yong (former Deputy Director of the Democratic Research Institute) has been released on bail.
• He was sentenced to five years in prison for violating the Political Funds Act and was detained. Released on bail during the first and second trials, he was re-detained after the sentence.
• It’s unusual for bail to be granted three times up to the Supreme Court.
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Anti-Entitlement Law.

• The presidential term is five years, but agency heads serve three, often lingering after a regime change.
• A year into Yoon Suk-yeol’s administration, 86% of the 3,080 heads and executives of 350 public institutions were appointed during Moon Jae-in’s presidency. Fifty-nine of these were appointed in Moon’s last six months.
• Under Yoon’s government, 45 public institution heads were appointed after last year’s emergency martial law. Most remain in their positions.
• The Democratic Party proposed a bill to align the terms of the president and public institution heads. The Chosun Ilbo remarked, “Creating an anti-entitlement law but implementing it from the next government is fair and reasonable.”
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AI Job Shock.

• Naver and Kakao have cut new hires by a third. SK Telecom, LG Uplus, Samsung SDI, and LGCNS are doing the same. They say, “When a vacancy arises, we first check if AI can fill it.”
• The Chosun Ilbo editorial pointed out, “The cost of failing to read changes and prepare for the future becomes the pain of future generations.”
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Trump’s Nationalization Project.

• The U.S. government is discussing acquiring a 10% stake in Intel. The condition is to receive $10.9 billion in government subsidies in exchange for the stake. A 10% stake makes it the largest single shareholder.
• While public funds have been injected into companies like GM, this is the first time the government has proposed acquiring shares.
• In exchange for allowing exports to China, Nvidia agreed to give 15% of its revenue, and US Steel agreed to issue a golden share. This share allows veto power over major management decisions.

Your Brain on AI Slop.

• There’s something called ‘Trallaleo Trallala.’ A mix of bizarre images and meaningless Italian words, it feels like your brain is rotting—hence the term ‘Italian brain rot.’
• Low-quality images and videos generated by AI are dubbed AI slop.
• An analysis found that 5% of the 2,090 articles created on Wikipedia last August were AI-generated content.
• Jeff Allen (Chief Research Officer at NYU’s Integrity Institute) pointed out, “AI slop is like invasive species destroying a healthy ecosystem.”
• The Kyunghyang Shinmun introduced an analysis from The Atlantic. “AI could make much of the online world untrustworthy, pushing more people offline. AI slop might finally cure our internet addiction.”
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Changing KakaoTalk’s Interface to Resemble Instagram.

• This is an exclusive report from Chosun Ilbo. The interface will be changed to show posts from registered friends. It’s described as an unavoidable choice for improving profitability.
• This was revealed by Yeo Min-soo (Kakao CEO) during a recent earnings conference call. The plan is to boost revenue by placing ads between posts, similar to Instagram.
• According to Mobile Index, the average monthly usage time per person on KakaoTalk decreased from 823 minutes in May 2021 to 732 minutes in May last year.
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Worth Reading.

Why Do We Even Need Special Pardons?

• “It lacks both justification and practicality,” argues Lee Jin-woo (Professor at POSTECH). “It’s incomprehensible how special pardons are supposed to revive a stagnant livelihood, and it’s doubtful whether the president’s special pardons will truly lead to national unity.”
• He pointed out three issues.
• First, there is no clear objective. It’s merely a strategic choice for their own camp.
• Second, it undermines judicial justice. Equality before the law has collapsed.
• Third, it breeds distrust and hatred.
• “Who is pardoning whom, exactly? The president’s pardoning power, which does nothing for community unity, should be abolished. It’s time to consider a new pardon system to complement the judiciary’s limitations.”
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Is There a Country to Save Us?

• European Union presidents and prime ministers gathered to aid Zelensky.
• There was an urgency that if Ukraine fell, Europe’s security would be threatened, but Ukraine’s last stand also worked. The message that Europe would be next if they fell was powerful.
• Some analyze that ‘Russophobia’ was at play. It refers to the phenomenon of ignoring, hating, or fearing Russia.
• Kim Byung-ho (Maeil Business Newspaper Editorial Writer) emphasized, “We must also strive to secure genuine allies who can help us in difficult times.”
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The Cure is Worse than the Disease.

• Kim Dong-chan (Policy Director of the Citizens’ Coalition for Media Reform) pointed out, “Well-intentioned interventions can backfire, or solutions can actually exacerbate problems.”
• This comment is about the attempt to extend the regulatory scope of the Broadcasting and Communications Review Committee to online video services. The analysis is that “there are insufficient mechanisms to protect legal and legitimate expression, while the focus is solely on strengthening regulation and punishment.”

The Trap Is His Refuge.

• Yoon Seok-yeol’s escape is paradoxical and bizarre.
• Lee Bon-young (Senior Reporter, Hankyoreh) remarked, “Yoon Seok-yeol was inept at governance but a master at sit-ins.”
• “It’s not as if an enemy invaded; he initiated his own rebellion and, despite defeat, remains in this state, evoking both ridicule and disillusionment,” he assessed.
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