National Promises Should Not Be Overturned.

• It means not overturning the agreements on the issues of the Japanese military comfort women and forced labor made by Park Geun-hye (former President) and Yoon Seok-youl (former President).
• This was said by Lee Jae-myung (President) in an interview with Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun. Yesterday, the front-page headline of Yomiuri Shimbun was “慰安婦・徴用工「覆さず」(Comfort Women, Forced Labor ‘Not Overturned’).” The intention behind choosing this as the front-page headline is easy to guess.
• It wasn’t just a suggestion to let things slide. He said, “Koreans think that saying ‘Why apologize again after apologizing once?’ and ‘Never mention it again’ is not an apologetic attitude,” and also stated, “It is right to sincerely say sorry anytime until the wounded hearts are healed.” Yet, Yomiuri Shimbun insisted on emphasizing “not overturned.”
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What Matters Now.

Lee Jae-myung’s Past Words Reversed.

• In March 2023, he criticized Yoon Seok-yeol’s (then President) forced labor compensation plan as “the greatest humiliation in diplomatic history, akin to the Samjeondo humiliation.” The Samjeondo humiliation refers to King Injo’s humiliating surrender to the Qing Emperor during the Joseon Dynasty’s Manchu invasion.
• He also criticized, saying, “It seems the Yoon administration has chosen to betray historical justice.”
• However, in an interview with Yomiuri Shimbun, he stated, “It’s not that people change, but as an opposition party, there was a need to fight,” adding, “Now, as the ruling party, we have a responsibility to show inclusiveness.”
• He also said this: “The state is not a personal possession. A former president is also a representative chosen by the people, and I cannot overturn policies they agreed upon or have already implemented.”
• It seems he declared he would not correct the wrong choices of the two impeached former presidents.

Compensation Might Be Secondary.

• The phrase “more of an emotional issue than an economic one” catches attention.
• The intent is to emphasize “the importance of offering sincere words of comfort,” but it could be interpreted as suggesting we move on without comfort or compensation.

No Need for a War of Attrition.

• The following are excerpts from Lee Jae-myung’s interview. To understand the context, key points are quoted without omission.
• “The first issue is whether the historically unjust fact of forced labor actually occurred, that is, the matter of acknowledging reality.”
• “Second, if it is true, it is right to sincerely apologize to the wronged victims. And that apology should not be ‘I’ll apologize if you want me to,’ but rather a genuine, heartfelt apology until the wounded hearts are healed.”
• “Compensation is the final stage issue. It is the most brutal stage because it is a coercive issue entirely unrelated to sincerity.”
• “When I say we must face the past, it means acknowledging certain facts objectively together. If there is a dispute, it should be verified in an objective and fair manner, not by engaging in a war of attrition over whether it is true or not. However, what both countries are currently doing is just that. It is said that Korea’s stance on Korea-Japan relations and historical issues changes with each administration, and there is indeed such a tendency.”
• “Instead of closing doors, blaming each other, severing relations, imposing sanctions, and fighting. Although it is a past issue, it is also a painful reality. We should seriously investigate the facts, clarify the truth, apologize sincerely if there is wrongdoing, and show consideration. This leads to problem-solving. Then, money or compensation will not be a major issue. Korea-Japan relations can move towards resolving the painful issues of the past together. I believe it can be done.”
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First Media Interview.

• There has been no exclusive interview with Korean media yet.
• Yomiuri Shimbun has the largest circulation in Japan. It leans conservative.
• A key official from the presidential office stated, “Since half of the Japanese population is conservative, we tried to clear up misunderstandings through Japan’s leading conservative media.”

When Will the Other Half of the Cup Be Filled?

• Each newspaper has its own angle and focus.
• Chosun Ilbo used the Yomiuri Shimbun headline verbatim: “Won’t Overturn Comfort Women and Forced Labor Agreements.” In its editorial, it praised this stance as “fortunate and desirable,” calling it “normal diplomacy.”
• Kyunghyang Shinmun and Hankyoreh also used the headline “Won’t Overturn Comfort Women and Forced Labor Agreements.”
• JoongAng Ilbo titled its piece “Uphold Comfort Women Agreement and Start with Freezing North Korea’s Nuclear Program.”
• Hankook Ilbo, in an article titled “Reaffirming Practical Diplomacy,” interpreted it as an intention to dispel Japan’s concerns by emphasizing a future-oriented Korea-Japan relationship over historical issues.
• Kyunghyang Shinmun, in its editorial, pointed out, “Korea cannot solve this alone, nor should it,” adding, “If Japan shirks responsibility and refuses to fill the ‘half cup,’ Korea-Japan conflicts will inevitably continue.” The half-filled cup metaphor was originally used by Park Jin (then Minister of Foreign Affairs) during the Yoon administration. The other half of that cup remains unfilled.
• Hankyoreh warned in its editorial, “If not careful, the Lee Jae-myung administration, which faced harsh criticism from victim groups like the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance, could also be pressured.”
• Dong-A Ilbo chose “Raised Freezing North Korea’s Nuclear Program Before Denuclearization” as its front-page headline. Kookmin Ilbo also featured the North Korea nuclear issue as its front-page headline.
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What If the President Speaks Like This?

• Civic groups are up in arms.
• Kim Young-hwan (Director of External Cooperation, Institute for Korean Historical Issues) remarked, “Now Japan will say ‘the historical issues are over,’” questioning, “With the president speaking like this, can citizens demand Japan resolve historical issues?”
• Lee Na-young (Chairperson, Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance) stated, “What the people expected from this president was to correct the Yoon administration’s mistakes and firmly stand with the victims,” adding, “We must not be bound by flawed agreements and should secure an official apology and legal compensation from the Japanese government.”
• Related Link.

Three-Stage Solution for North Korean Nukes.

• “The first stage is freezing nuclear and missile activities, the second is reduction, and the third is denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” he said.
• Using “denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” instead of “North Korean denuclearization” might be intended to reduce North Korea’s backlash.
• Concerns arise that this could imply acceptance of North Korea’s nuclear status.
• Hong Min (Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification) said, “A basic message lacking incentives to bring North Korea to the negotiating table might provoke backlash instead.”
• Related Link.

Foreign Minister Skips Japan, Heads to the U.S.

• A South Korea-U.S. summit is scheduled for the 25th, following the South Korea-Japan summit on the 23rd.
• Naturally, Cho Hyun (Minister of Foreign Affairs) was to attend, but suddenly left for the U.S. yesterday. Speculation arises about an unexpected situation.
• The decision was so urgent that a direct flight wasn’t possible.
• Yonhap News analyzed, “The U.S., focused on countering China, may have demanded a level of participation higher than Korea expected, or there might be U.S. doubts about Korea’s proposed direction for revising the nuclear agreement.”
• The Hankyoreh cited a ruling party official saying, “It’s because of new demands related to agricultural products that our government finds hard to accept.”
• The Dong-A Ilbo suggested it could be a security agenda. “They haven’t narrowed the gap on key summit topics like alliance modernization,” it analyzed.
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Deep Dive.

“Prepared to Lose 4-5% Approval Over Cho Kuk Pardon”.

• It’s a statement from Woo Sang-ho (Presidential Office Chief of Political Affairs). “The President said, ‘Let’s do what needs to be done, even if it causes damage.'”
• The decision was made to face the backlash early in the administration if it was inevitable.
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53 Heads Appointed Post-Martial Law.

• It’s a classic case of ‘entrenched’ appointments. They seem expected to step down voluntarily, yet all are holding firm.
• Woo Sang-ho stated, “Public institution reform cannot be done with heads appointed by the previous administration.” He suggests a special law to align the terms of public institution heads with the presidential term.

Sixth Anniversary of Lee Yong-ma’s Passing, Broadcast Culture Promotion Act Amendment Passed.

• Following the Broadcasting Act amendment, the Broadcast Culture Promotion Act amendment has passed. These bills include the reorganization of the KBS board and the Broadcast Culture Promotion Foundation board.
• Due to the People Power Party’s filibuster (legal obstruction of proceedings), only one bill is being passed per day.
• The Broadcast Culture Promotion Foundation board will expand from 9 to 13 members, with nominations diversified: 5 by the National Assembly, 2 by the Viewers’ Committee, 2 by employees, 2 by academic societies, and 2 by legal associations. A 100-member committee for recommending the president will also be formed.
• Coincidentally, yesterday marked the sixth anniversary of Lee Yong-ma (dismissed MBC journalist).

Yoon’s Prosecutors Demoted.

• Prosecutors who cleared Kim Keon-hee were sidelined. Pro-Yoon prosecutors resigned or were reassigned to non-investigative departments.
• Park Seung-hwan (Deputy Chief Prosecutor at Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office), who dismissed the Dior bag case, resigned. Kim Seung-ho (Chief Prosecutor at Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office) was transferred to the Busan High Prosecutors’ Office. Lee Seong-sik (Deputy Chief Prosecutor at Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office), who led the Lee Jae-myung election law violation case, is moving to the Daegu High Prosecutors’ Office.

Can a Joint Venture with Westinghouse Cover Up an Unfair Contract?

• Critics say they’re trying to cover up a 50-year slave contract with unrealistic rosy forecasts.
• It was belatedly revealed that Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power signed a contract to pay a technology usage fee of 1.14 trillion won per nuclear reactor for 50 years. Many criticized it as a humiliating negotiation accepted when the Czech contract fell through.
• Some argue that partnering with Westinghouse could open up larger markets, but counterarguments point out that the countries available for entry are limited and the joint venture conditions may not favor Korea.
• Lee Jung-yoon (Director of Nuclear Safety and Future) pointed out, “If a joint company is created, KHNP will play the role of the implementing company. I don’t understand why a Korean public enterprise should bear such uncertain risks.”
• Lee Sang-moo (Korea Times journalist) believes it’s hard to grow K-nuclear like the MASGA (Make American Shipbuilding Great Again) project. In shipbuilding, Korea surpasses the U.S. in all aspects, including design and construction. In nuclear power, the core technology is in the U.S., and to enter the U.S. or Canada, one must become a subcontractor to Westinghouse.
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Choo Kyung-ho as Suspect, National Assembly Office Raided.

• Choo Kyung-ho (former People Power Party Floor Leader) is accused of obstructing the vote of People Power Party lawmakers by changing the location of the general assembly on the day of martial law under Yoon’s orders.
• The assembly location was changed three times, and only 18 out of 108 People Power Party lawmakers participated in the vote.
• The special prosecutor is likely to request an arrest warrant for Han Duck-soo (former Prime Minister) today. He claimed never to have received the martial law proclamation, but admitted it during the special prosecutor’s investigation.

Another Take.

Han Dong-hoon’s Betrayal Claim is False.

• Yoo Jung-hwa (lawyer), representing Kim Geon-hee, said this.
• “It was Shin Pyung (lawyer), who visited Kim Geon-hee, who said, ‘If Han Dong-hoon hadn’t betrayed like that, infinite glory would have awaited him.'” Yoo Jung-hwa stated, “I don’t know why Shin Pyung is lying.”
• Han Dong-hoon remarked, “Even if offered infinite glory, I would have stopped the sale of offices and illegal martial law,” adding, “That’s the way not to betray the people, and it will remain so in the future.”
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Second Civil War Among Asphalt Conservatives.

• Asphalt conservatives are divided into factions: the Yeouido faction led by Son Hyun-bo (Pastor of Saegero Church) and Jeon Han-gil (former history lecturer), the Gwanghwamun faction led by Jeon Kwang-hoon (Pastor of Sarang Jeil Church) and Shin Hye-sik (CEO of Shinuihansu), the Seocho faction led by Ahn Jung-kwon (YouTuber), and the Election Fraud faction led by Hwang Kyo-ahn (former Prime Minister).
• The first civil war began right after Yoon’s impeachment, over whether to follow the Constitutional Court’s decision. The Gwanghwamun faction cried foul, while the Yeouido faction accepted the impeachment and halted rallies. Jeon Kwang-hoon claimed, “If you don’t gather at Gwanghwamun, you’re leftist.”
• The second civil war is escalating as the Gwanghwamun faction attacks the Yeouido faction. When the Gwanghwamun faction was accused of being behind the Seoul Western District Court riot, Shin Hye-sik exposed suspicions that “the presidential office mobilized civilians,” dragging the Yeouido faction into the fray.
• The Kyunghyang Shinmun analyzed that the special investigation could expand to include the Yeouido faction.
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Is the Rush to Dismantle the Prosecution Office Justified?

• The plan is to pass a bill dividing it into the Public Prosecution Office and the Serious Crimes Investigation Office. September 26 is D-Day.
• The Segye Ilbo editorial questioned, “What’s the rush? It’s hard to understand why they’re in such a hurry.” Even within the Democratic Party, coordination is not yet complete.
• The Hankook Ilbo, in a series of articles, pointed out, “The key is the design.” It warned, “If prosecutorial reform focuses solely on ‘power distribution,’ blind spots are inevitable.”
• Seo Hye-jin (Director of Human Rights, Korean Women Lawyers Association) noted, “If the police decide not to forward a case, the prosecution sees it as ‘someone else’s case,’ and with an overflow of cases to be judged within 30 days, control is practically impossible.”
• There’s criticism that since the Moon Jae-in administration’s prosecutorial reform, case processing times have increased. In 2018, it took about 127 days, but last year it increased to 313 days.
• The Hankook Ilbo analyzed that the cause of the “ping-pong chaos” stems from “flawed design rather than incompetence or corruption on either side.” It highlighted structural issues: ① Diluting prosecutors’ responsibility for case management, ② Discouraging supplementary investigations, ③ Ambiguously defining the relationship between police and prosecutors, and ④ Neglecting to bolster and support police investigative personnel.
• Jung In-jin (Bareun Lawyer) warned, “If we turn a blind eye to numerous issues raised on the ground and add hastily processed bills, our criminal justice system will face an irreversible situation.”
• The Chosun Ilbo criticized, “Just three days after the president instructed not to rush, they announced the hasty decision to abolish the prosecution office.” The atmosphere is being driven towards a conflict between Lee Jae-myung and Jung Cheong-rae.
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The Fix.

900 Billion Won for Key National Universities.

• A project to create ten Seoul National Universities is underway.
• Funds will be allocated to nine key national universities to boost competitiveness. The plan is to pay capable faculty more than the university president.
• Special-purpose high schools, autonomous private high schools, and foreign language high schools are likely to remain unchanged.

Should We Boycott Coupang’s Rocket Delivery?

• “A consumer who leaves a comment and refrains from buying is scarier than a government imposing a 10 million won fine. We need to harness this power.” This is what Lee Sang-heon (Director of Employment Policy at ILO) said at a Slow News reader meeting.
• “Competition is being driven by increasing labor intensity and tightening labor control. The only way to stop this is through regulation. Preventing it is the most fundamental solution. Rules must be set. We need a societal discussion about delivery times. Just like regulating working hours, similar regulations seem necessary.”
• The problem is monopoly. To boycott, consumers must endure pain and inconvenience. The franchise issue is similar. For store owners, rent, fees, and material costs are fixed, with only labor costs being variable. When the minimum wage rises, self-employed individuals bear the brunt. Monopolistic practices must be broken. This is a matter that needs to be resolved socially.
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75 Deaths in Public Sector Since Serious Accident Punishment Act.

• These are accidents in public sector workplaces from January 2022 to March this year. It’s not just the companies to blame.
• Korea Electric Power Corporation had 11 deaths, 9 of whom were subcontractors.
• Korea Railroad Corporation had 7, and the Korea Forest Service had 6.

Power Supply to Yongin Cluster Clashes with Carbon Neutrality.

• This is the analysis from the National Assembly Research Service. The semiconductor cluster, where Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix will be located, requires 16GW of power, which is 17% of Korea’s total power demand of 97GW last year.
• “To supply power to a narrow area, substations must be densely installed and the transmission and distribution network must be dualized and undergrounded,” it says, adding that “a precise review and simulation must precede to determine if this is technically feasible.”
• Moreover, there is no plan for renewable energy supply, and it is likely to be procured through LNG generation. To achieve the RE100 goal, certificates must be purchased. The social conflict costs in areas like Anseong-si, where the transmission network will pass, have not been considered at all.
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Half-Price Travel in Gangjin.

• When two or more people visit, half of their spending, up to 200,000 won, is refunded in Gangjin Love gift certificates.
• The certificates are given as points and can be used at restaurants, cafes, shopping malls, etc.
• This started in January last year, with 2.82 million tourists visiting, an 18% increase from the previous year.
• 15,291 teams spent 6.6 billion won.
• Last year’s project budget was 2.2 billion won, but Gangjin County’s analysis shows a production inducement effect of 24 billion won and a value-added inducement effect of over 10 billion won.
• This year, by August 19, 34,860 teams spent 11.8 billion won. An emergency budget was allocated, but it’s about to run out.
• Related Link.

Turning Daejeon into a Fun City.

• ‘No-fun city’ was its claim to fame.
• From August 8 to 16, the Daejeon Midnight Festival in the old city center attracted 2.16 million visitors. 45% of them were from outside the city.
• Daejeon City claims an economic impact of 402.1 billion won, but the Democratic Party’s Daejeon branch criticized it as a “festival lacking content, identity, and citizen involvement.”

The Real Issue with Welfare Applications: The Barrier to Support.

• Korea’s welfare system comprises 5,357 programs across central, local, and private sectors.
• Lee Jae-myung pointed out in a cabinet meeting, “People die because they can’t receive support just because they didn’t apply,” prompting discussions on shifting from application-based to automatic welfare distribution.
• Nam Chan-seop (Professor at Dong-A University) stated, “The complex and cumbersome system requiring recipients to prove their poverty with endless documents is the problem,” and emphasized the need to reform the bureaucratic suspicion of potential fraud.
• Lee Yong-kyu (President of the Korean Social Welfare Administration Research Association) noted, “There’s a significant burden of accountability when identifying and supporting at-risk households,” highlighting that field officials are too busy managing existing welfare recipients to easily identify new ones.
• The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to first transition universal allowances, like parental and child benefits, which are unrelated to income or assets, to automatic payments.
• Related Link.

Don’t Use Retirement Funds as Fuel for KOSPI 5000.

• The Democratic Party is considering turning retirement funds into a public fund. Last year, the return on retirement funds was around 4-5%. The National Pension Fund was at 15.3%.
• Min Se-jin (Professor at Dongguk University) pointed out, “The low return on retirement funds was because principal protection was preferred over returns.” In Korea, 83% of retirement funds are managed with principal protection.
• “If the system is introduced with much fanfare and stock prices plummet, will the government take responsibility for the losses in retirement funds? It’s a problem whether they do or don’t.”
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ICYMI.

Foreigners Must Live for 2 Years to Buy Homes.

• It’s aimed at blocking gap investments in Seoul and the metropolitan area. Foreign housing transactions increased from 4,568 in 2022 to 7,296 last year. Though they account for just 0.5% of total transactions, they were a factor in driving up prices.

Bill Gates’ Keywords: SMR and Vaccines.

• Bill Gates (Microsoft Founder) visited Korea.
• The Gates Foundation announced it will spend $200 billion over 20 years on climate change, poverty alleviation, and health, seeing cooperation with Korea as crucial.
• HD Hyundai and SK Innovation are investing in TerraPower, an SMR (Small Modular Reactor) developer. SK Bioscience and LG Chem are participating in the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) established by the Gates Foundation.
• “Child mortality under five was 10 million in 2000, reduced to below 5 million, and we aim to reduce it to below 2 million. Korea’s innovative bioscience technology can play a key role.”
• He also praised, “Korea can indeed become a powerhouse in SMR.”

Worth Reading.

Four Challenges After Yomiuri Shimbun Interview.

• Professor Kang Sung-hyun (Sungkonghoe University) emphasized, “History is not written in newspaper headlines.” It must be corrected through action.
• First, genuine communication with victims is needed. The voices of the Japanese military ‘comfort women’ and forced labor victims must be heard.
• Second, political leadership is required. Overcoming the bureaucratic inertia of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs necessitates the President’s political will.
• Third, the records of Japanese military ‘comfort women’ should be registered as UNESCO World Heritage. The Park Geun-hye administration halted support, and the Moon Jae-in administration only provided indirect support. Japan’s attempts to block history with money should no longer be tolerated.
• Fourth, records must be preserved. Time is running out. Justice must be established while survivors are still alive.
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Entering a Perilous Era of Ming-Qing Dynamics.

• Referring to the dynamics between Lee Jae-myung and Jung Cheong-rae. Park Sung-min (CEO of Min Consulting) noted, “It’s easier to overcome adversity than abundance,” adding, “The public’s standard is strict with the strong and lenient with the weak.”
• The implication is that Lee Jae-myung, Jung Cheong-rae (Democratic Party Leader), Kim Min-seok (Prime Minister), Cho Kuk (former leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party), and Kim Eo-jun (head of Ddanji Ilbo) are now all absolute powers.
• Park Sung-min offered three pieces of advice. First, maintain the electoral coalition that led Lee Jae-myung to victory. Second, Jung Cheong-rae should acknowledge Lee Jae-myung’s leadership in state affairs. Third, Lee Jae-myung should create space for future presidential candidates.
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Where is Jo-Geum-Park-Hae?

• Jo-Geum-Park-Hae (Cho Eung-cheon, Geum Tae-seop, Park Yong-jin, Kim Hae-young) were the Democratic Party’s notable internal critics. Now, there’s no Jo-Geum-Park-Hae in the Democratic Party.
• Son Byung-ho (Kookmin Ilbo Editorial Writer) pointed out, “The more criticism and checks, the better.” He argues that “the President and the ruling party shouldn’t be ‘one body.’ They need to speak up about state affairs and legislative activities, sometimes persuade each other, and maintain tension to derive the best conclusions for the national interest and the people.”
• Related Link.

Care Penalty Must Be Addressed.

• Care workers’ wages are not properly set. Home care aides work 73 hours a month for a salary of 870,000 won. They need to work 160 hours just to earn minimum wage.
• The idea of bringing in foreign workers was considered, but even they are not keen.
• The government’s delay in improving care workers’ conditions has led to a decline in both service and quality. Only 23.4% of the 2.78 million certified care aides are actively working.
• Ueno Chizuko (author of ‘The Sociology of Care’) pointed out, “Everyone wants to receive care, but no one wants to do the work. This is the reality of care labor.”
• Hwang Bo-yeon (Hankyoreh editorial writer) noted, “Without enhancing the perception of care work and increasing public investment, we cannot change the framework.”
• Related Link.