Assurances of Unrestricted Reentry.

• A government official met by The Hankyoreh stated:
• Battery factory workers from Albany, Georgia, arrested on illegal stay charges were released today and will arrive in South Korea tomorrow.
• They explained it was unavoidable to meet construction deadlines given the difficulty of obtaining work visas—and claimed the White House fully understood Seoul’s position.
• Lee Jae-myung (President) said, “We will push for institutional improvements through close consultation with the U.S.”
• Related Link.

Voluntary Departure and Deportation.

• Though called “voluntary departure without penalty,” workers are forced to leave without even packing their belongings.
• Alejandro Mayorkas (U.S. Homeland Security Secretary) used the term “deportation.”
• “We followed the law—they will be deported. Some committed crimes beyond overstaying their removal orders, and they will be held accountable.”
• Related Link.

What Matters Now.

It May Have Been Trump’s Political Showmanship.

• Trump needed not just investment but the rhetoric of “providing jobs to American citizens.” U.S. manufacturing collapsed long ago, and there’s a lack of skilled workers and proper education—problems that can’t be solved quickly.
• According to Lee Sang-heon (ILO Director of Employment Policy), money and investments flow in, but there’s no workforce. Bringing in skilled foreign workers would dilute political goals. Hence, the analysis suggests the inevitable staging of a ‘war on illegal immigration’ spectacle involving guns and chains.
• Related Link.

Is the South Korean Government Blameless?

• Claims that workers entered on tourist visas due to visa difficulties won’t hold up.
• In any country, declaring at immigration that you’re there to work while holding a tourist visa immediately raises red flags.
• Lee Dong-hoon (The Kookmin Ilbo columnist) criticized, “This is the result of complacency—assuming that a major investor wouldn’t be scrutinized.”
• The argument is that separate visa tracks, quotas, and simplified screenings for key personnel should have been negotiated alongside investment deals.
• Ha Sang-eung (Sogang University professor) emphasized, “In an open-border world, market logic prevails, but in a closed-border era, political logic takes precedence,” adding, “The movement of goods and products falls under trade, but the movement of people is a matter of diplomacy.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

There Were Signs.

• Last October, the Central Daily (America) reported an increase in deportations of Koreans at Atlanta Airport.
• The article questioned the credibility of Koreans arriving on ESTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) claiming to travel near Hyundai’s factory.
• Many book return flights a month ahead, cancel them, and reissue tickets to maximize their 90-day stay—practices that raise suspicion when using travel agencies.
• An immigration attorney specializing in corporate cases emphasized, “Meeting industry contacts for business discussions is acceptable, but the moment you start working with engineers, it becomes illegal.”
• Lee Won-ki (U.S. attorney) stated, “Investment is not a get-out-of-jail-free card.”
• Ko Jeong-ae (Central Sunday Editor-in-Chief) noted, “At least there’s clarity now on what went wrong.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Should They Have Hired Locals?

• Vivian Lee (President of the Savannah Business Association) disagrees. Americans simply don’t do manual labor. Even Latin American workers are hard to find, driving daily wages to skyrocket.
• A staffing agency owner reportedly said, “I’d hire anyone walking down the street if I could.” The claim is that they weren’t intentionally avoiding or denying opportunities to American workers.
• The detained workers allegedly worked double shifts until dawn, collapsing as soon as they returned to their lodgings. A guesthouse operator said, “Even if we prepared meals for them to eat late, they’d fall asleep without touching them.” “Only Koreans work like that—who else would put in such hours these days?”
• Related Link.

Japan’s Poisoned Chalice.

• The details of the follow-up agreement to the tariff negotiations have been disclosed.
• Japan will invest $550 billion in the U.S., but the U.S. president decides where.
• Once the investment destination is set, it must be executed within 45 days.
• Failure to comply will result in tariffs exceeding 15%.
• Profits from the investment will be split 50-50 between the U.S. and Japan, but after recouping the investment, the U.S. will take 90%.
• The Nikkei Shimbun called it “utterly unreasonable.”
• Similar demands are being made to South Korea.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Deadlock in $350 Billion Negotiations.

• Kim Yong-beom (Presidential Office Policy Director) stated this. While profit-sharing is important, the South Korean government struggles to secure more than $20–30 billion in foreign exchange markets.
• Originally, Kim explained the deal would include “equity, loans, and guarantees” rather than direct investment—but the narrative has shifted slightly.
• Japan’s situation differs due to its unlimited currency swap with the U.S.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Deep Dive.

Lee Jae-myung’s Inner Circle of Four.

• JoongAng Ilbo analysis identifies the core figures: Jung Sung-ho (Minister of Justice), Kim Hyun-ji (Presidential Office Chief of Staff), Kim Nam-jun (Presidential Office First Deputy Chief), and Lee Tae-hyung (Presidential Office Civil Affairs Secretary).
• Among 127 key figures in the Lee Jae-myung administration, 51% have no direct personal ties to Lee. Under Moon Jae-in, this figure was 31%.
• Lee Jae-myung’s network resembles a radial structure more than a pyramid. Yoon Ho-young (Ewha Womans University professor), who participated in the analysis, noted, “The score gap among the top 30 is not significant,” adding, “It’s a structure where no few individuals stand out as disproportionately influential.”
• A ruling party insider remarked, “Lee Jae-myung doesn’t delegate full authority to just a few people.”
• Related Link.

Lee Jae-myung Government’s Power 30.

• JoongAng Ilbo’s classification of key role indicators follows.
• Group 1: Lee Tae-hyung (Civil Affairs Secretary), Jung Sung-ho (Minister of Justice), Kim Hyun-ji (Chief of Staff), Kim Nam-jun (First Deputy Chief).
• Group 2: Kang Hoon-sik (Chief of Staff), Ahn Gyu-baek (Minister of National Defense), Yoon Ho-jung (Minister of the Interior and Safety), Kim Min-seok (Prime Minister), Lim Gwang-hyun (Commissioner of the National Tax Service), Kim Sung-hwan (Minister of Environment), Kang Yu-jeong (Presidential Spokesperson).
• Group 3: Woo Sang-ho (Senior Secretary for Political Affairs), Jo Hyun (Minister of Foreign Affairs), Jeong Dong-young (Minister of Unification), Kim Young-hoon (Minister of Employment and Labor).
• Group 4: Kim Yong-chae (Personnel Secretary).
• Group 5: Koo Yoon-chul (Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs), Jeong Eun-kyung (Minister of Health and Welfare), Song Ki-ho (Economic Security Secretary).
• Group 6: Jo Won-cheol (Head of the Legislation and Review Office), Kim Hee-soo (Director of Planning and Coordination, National Intelligence Service), Lee Chang-hyung (Legal Affairs Secretary).
• Group 7: Kim Yong-beom (Policy Director), Kim Jeong-gwan (Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy), Bae Kyung-hun (Minister of Science and ICT), Ha Jung-woo (Senior Secretary for AI Future Planning), Song Mi-ryeong (Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs), Han Sung-sook (Minister of SMEs and Startups), Lee Mi-sun (Administrator of the Korea Meteorological Administration).
• Related Link.

“Purge of Rebellion Is Not Political Retribution.”.

• Jeong Syeong-rae (Democratic Party Leader) mentioned the possibility of dissolving the People Power Party in a National Assembly speech. It was the day after he visited the Presidential Office to shake hands with Jang Dong-hyeok (People Power Party Leader).
• The People Power Party responded with “a de facto declaration of war.” Jang Dong-hyeok said, “They repeated the same narrative about eradicating the People Power Party.”
• Related Link.

“The Yeouido President?”.

• Jang Dong-hyeok’s remark aimed at Jeong Syeong-rae was adopted as the Chosun Ilbo’s editorial headline. “In a country with a ‘monarchical presidency,’ it’s hard to imagine the president and ruling party leader clashing from the start of an administration” is a framing strategy clearly designed to incite conflict.
• The Hankook Ilbo editorial noted, “While political compromise shouldn’t let rebellion cleanup fade into obscurity, excessively amplifying concerns to fuel chronic partisan strife is also unacceptable.”
• The Hankyoreh editorial observed, “For genuine cooperation, we hope the People Power Party shows a more constructive attitude.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Cho Kuk to Lead Emergency Committee of His Own Party.

• He must address the sexual misconduct scandal. All supreme council members and leadership have resigned.
• Prospects suggest this will be a test of Cho Kuk’s (former Cho Kuk Innovation Party leader) political comeback.
• A Cho Kuk Innovation Party lawmaker met by Kyunghyang Shinmun said, “There were opinions that even protecting Cho Kuk would not suffice.”
• Another lawmaker stated, “If unresolved, his political career ends here.”

Arrest Motion Vote for Kwon Sung-dong Tomorrow.

• It involves allegations of receiving 100 million won from the Unification Church shortly before the 2022 presidential election. The special prosecution emphasized, “This is a grave abuse of state affairs with particularly egregious culpability.”
• A People Power Party lawmaker said, “Delaying the vote doesn’t seem to change the outcome.” The People Power Party is also likely to proceed with a free vote without an official party stance. The Democratic Party already holds enough seats to pass it regardless.

“What Exactly Is the NIS Supposed to Do?”.

• On the night of December 3, Cho Tae-yong (then Director of the National Intelligence Service) reportedly gathered the Planning and Coordination Office head and deputy directors.
• Hwang Won-jin (NIS Second Deputy Director) said, “A martial law investigation headquarters is being established, and we need to provide support or cooperation,” to which Cho Tae-yong instructed, “Have legal review done.”
• The special prosecution confirmed that the NIS had indeed drafted a plan to dispatch around 80 employees to the martial law command.

“Strong Public Sympathy for a Special Rebellion Tribunal.”.

• Kim Min-seok (Prime Minister) said this in an interview with The Hankyoreh. “Seeing the dismissal of Han Duck-soo’s (former Prime Minister) warrant, I deeply empathize with the public sentiment that a tribunal worthy of this historic moment is necessary,” he stated.
• “Hasn’t the current judiciary repeatedly failed to meet public expectations and trust during the rebellion? I can’t help but wonder if leaving things as they are is acceptable.”
• Related Link.

Another Take.

France’s Prime Minister Loses Confidence Vote.

• François Bayrou (French Prime Minister) has stepped down. The National Assembly passed a motion of censure.
• France’s debt-to-GDP ratio stands at 114%, ranking third in the EU behind Greece and Italy. Total accumulated debt reaches €3.4 trillion.
• Bayrou pushed to slash a €44 billion budget over three years and reduce the fiscal deficit from 5.8% to 3% of GDP, but faced backlash and called for a confidence vote.
• With France’s GDP accounting for 15% of Europe’s total and its national debt comprising roughly 20% of the bloc’s total, concerns grow that the crisis could spread across the continent.
• Related Link.

KT’s Small-Payment Hacking: No Simple Matter.

• Unusual small-payment fraud cases are piling up. They have concentrated in Seoul’s Geumcheon-gu, Gwangmyeong-si, and Bucheon-si in Gyeonggi Province.
• Pass app data was manipulated, and evidence of intercepted text authentication has been confirmed. A week has passed, yet the truth remains unclear. Analysis suggests criminals bypassed verification by setting up ghost base stations.
• KT maintains this is not a hacking incident.
• Fifty-three cases have been reported so far, totaling ₩32 million.
• In an editorial, Kyunghyang Shinmun warned, “Covering up the issue quietly could turn a problem solvable with a hoe into one requiring a plow—an error we must avoid.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Gadeokdo Airport: A Potential Disaster.

• Kang Gap-saeng (JoongAng Ilbo transportation reporter) provides the analysis.
• When the 2020 Gimhae New Airport plan collapsed, Gadeokdo emerged as an alternative. Despite widespread criticism that it was even worse than Gimhae, momentum built amid by-elections for the Busan mayoral seat.
• Kansai Airport in Japan sank 13 meters over 20 years. Maintenance alone cost over 10 trillion won. Chung Chung-ki (Seoul National University professor) warned, “Gadeokdo’s conditions are worse than Kansai’s,” adding, “Even if completed, significant subsidence is inevitable.”
• The project’s 13 trillion won budget includes only one runway—and no domestic flights. Yoo Jeong-hoon (Ajou University professor) questioned, “Will airlines launch and sustain new long-haul routes to the Americas and Europe?”
• Gadeokdo bypassed preliminary feasibility reviews (Yeta) and is being pushed forward after only a preliminary feasibility check (Sata). Kang Gap-saeng emphasized, “This is the last chance to objectively reassess the project’s viability and reconsider its pursuit.”
• Related Link.

Google Demands Maps Access: “No Korean Servers.”.

• Google has agreed to the South Korean government’s demand to remove coordinate data from its maps. However, it maintains that establishing a local data center is untenable.
• These were the remarks made by Chris Turner (Google Vice President) during a press conference in South Korea.
• The crux lies not in data export but in taxation. A local data center would classify Google as a fixed business entity, obligating it to pay Korean taxes. Since Google operates in Korea without a physical presence while seeking map data, the export controversy is unavoidable. Debates over security facilities are secondary.
• The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has set a deadline of November 11 for a resolution.
• Related Link.

Rising Defaults on Smartphone Installments.

• SGI Seoul Guarantee’s loss ratio for installment credit insurance reached 122% as of late June. The system compensates when users fail to pay device installments.
• The loss ratio rose from 36% in 2015 to over 70% in 2020, then 73% in 2023, and 92% last year. Exceeding 100% means the guarantor incurred losses. Premium revenue was ₩129 billion last year, but debt recovery fell to 44%.
• Smartphone prices also surged—from ₩550,000 in 2015 to ₩870,000 in 2023.
• Credit card delinquency hit 1.76% in the first half of this year, the highest in a decade.
• Related Link.

The Fix.

Reforming Non-Marital Birth Policies.

• Last year, non-marital births neared 6%—13,827 cases.
• Non-marital/non-blood-related households grew from 210,000 in 2015 to 580,000 last year.
• The Framework Act on Healthy Families only recognizes families formed through marriage, blood ties, or adoption. Childbirth in cohabitation grants child support but excludes family benefits.
• The Presidential Office has ordered a review of policy reforms.
• Related Link.

Education as a Channel for Reproducing Inequality.

• Even with identical middle school first-year grades, students from wealthier families were three times more likely to enter top-tier universities. The top 20% income group had a 5.9% rate of entering top universities, while the bottom 80% group reached only 2.2%.
• According to Bank of Korea analysis, a mediocre but affluent Seoul student has a higher chance of entering a good university than a poor but high-potential regional student.
• A 2018 analysis of Seoul National University admission rates showed that while potential-based admission rates were similar—0.44% for Seoul and 0.40% for non-Seoul—the actual rates were 0.85% and 0.33%, respectively, revealing a significant gap.
• An OECD report states that in Korea, it takes 5.0 generations for children from the bottom 10% income bracket to reach average income levels—higher than the OECD average of 4.5 generations.
• Kang Woo-jin (Kyungpook National University professor) analyzed, “The multiple disparities facing Korean youth are not due to a lack of quantitative growth but are a legacy of past paradigms that absolutized quantitative growth alone.”
• “The time has come for intense debate and social consensus—not on achieving more growth expressed in numbers—but on what kind of growth will create happiness for whom.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Public Education Spending Exceeds OECD Average.

• South Korea’s university enrollment rate is 71%, overwhelmingly the highest. The OECD average is 48%.
• Public education spending was 5.6% of GDP, higher than the OECD average of 4.7%.
• Per-student spending was $19,749 (₩27.43 million) for elementary, $25,267 (₩35.09 million) for secondary, and $14,695 (₩20.41 million) for tertiary education.
• Elementary and secondary spending exceeded OECD averages, but tertiary spending was only 68% of the OECD average.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

ICYMI.

Gold Hits 700,000 Won per Tael.

• At $3,647 per ounce, it has surged 37% this year alone. Some forecasts suggest it could reach $4,000 by the first quarter of next year.
• Per taels, it has surpassed 700,000 won.
• Why the rise? First, as the dollar weakens, gold is increasingly seen as the safest haven asset. Second, U.S. benchmark rates are likely to fall further. Concerns about accelerating inflation also persist. Third, there are growing fears of fiscal instability in Europe—France is even being mentioned as a potential IMF bailout candidate. Fourth, central banks worldwide are aggressively stockpiling gold. According to Shinhan Investment Corp., central bank gold reserves grew from 130 tons annually (2015–2019) to an estimated 260 tons by 2025.
• Related Link.

The Bank of Korea’s 104 Tons of Gold.

• Humankind has mined approximately 200,000 tons of gold globally. It is estimated that about 50,000 more tons can still be extracted.
• 100 countries collectively hold 32,955 tons of gold. The U.S. leads with 8,133 tons, followed by Germany (3,350 tons) and Italy (2,452 tons).
• South Korea ranks 39th with 104 tons. Gold accounts for $4.8 billion of the country’s $416.3 billion foreign reserves—a figure unchanged since 2013.
• The golden bat statue in Hampyeong County, South Jeolla Province, once criticized as a waste of tax money, cost 2.7 billion won to build in 2005. Its maintenance expenses have since ballooned to 25.9 billion won, nearly tenfold the original cost.
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• Humankind has mined approximately 200,000 tons of gold globally. It is estimated that about 50,000 more tons can still be extracted.
• 100 countries collectively hold 32,955 tons of gold. The U.S. leads with 8,133 tons, followed by Germany (3,350 tons) and Italy (2,452 tons).
• South Korea ranks 39th with 104 tons. Gold accounts for $4.8 billion of the country’s $416.3 billion foreign reserves—a figure unchanged since 2013.
• The golden bat statue in Hampyeong County, South Jeolla Province, once criticized as a waste of tax money, cost 2.7 billion won to build in 2005. Its maintenance expenses have since ballooned to 25.9 billion won, nearly tenfold the original cost.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

“Yoon Often Too Drunk by Afternoon to Be Carried to the Residence.”.

• Woohang Sangho (Chief of Presidential Political Affairs) said this in an interview with Kyunghyang Shinmun. “How can the public service sector function if the president is drunk and the first lady is distracted by gifts?”
• The public service sector has lost its DNA for work. It grew accustomed to waiting for orders rather than taking initiative, and after the coup, there were no orders at all. After the new government took office, officials reportedly expressed gratitude for being entrusted with tasks.
• For reference, Kim Young-sam (former president) enjoyed whiskey and wine. Kim Dae-jung’s limit was two glasses of soju, and he did not particularly enjoy drinking. Lee Myung-bak liked bomb shots but reportedly drank less after entering the Blue House. Park Geun-hye rarely drank. Moon Jae-in also has few anecdotes involving alcohol; his resume stated he could drink up to a bottle of soju.
• Stories circulated that Yoon drank 100 soju-and-beer mixes per week. In his youth, he allegedly drank 30,000cc of beer in one sitting. During his presidential campaign, he drank six 500cc glasses of beer in 1 hour and 30 minutes during a chicken-and-beer meeting with Lee Jun-seok (then People Power Party leader).
• According to Kim Min-seok, Lee Jae-myung also does not particularly enjoy drinking.
• Related Link.

Will Paper Law Codes Disappear?

• 8,300 copies were printed in 2005, but this year it dropped to 1,800. The courts, which used to buy 500 copies annually, have also stopped.
• Hyunamsa, the only publisher of paper law codes in South Korea, is considering halting production from next year.
• The 2025 edition of the law code spans 6,000 pages and weighs 6 kg.
• Related Link.

Worth Reading.

Let Us Not Leave Our Fate to the Empire.

• OpenAI’s promise from a decade ago was not kept. It vowed to establish itself as a nonprofit, avoid commercial products, and operate transparently—but it took a completely different path.
• Kim Bo-ra-mi (lawyer) pointed out, “The Silicon Valley narrative that technological progress leads to benefits for all humanity is a fiction.”
• Karen Hao (former MIT Technology Review journalist) warned in ‘Empire of AI,’ “Democracy begins to die when people start to feel their voices don’t matter.” Kim Bo-ra-mi emphasized, “If AI empires increasingly restrict our choices, we might ultimately lose the ability to determine our own destiny.”
• “The future of AI depends on our choices. We must demand more transparency, citizens must understand more about how AI technology works and its societal implications, and researchers and technologists must constantly reflect on whom their work truly serves.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Who Delivers Democracy?

• Pablo Neruda (poet) once said, “If bread is not shared, democracy is nothing.”
• Lee Sang-heon pointed out, “Democracy not only no longer shares bread—it sends even those who deliver it to the other world.”
• “Korean society has grown accustomed to the name ‘Baemin’ (Delivery Nation) and is dazzled by the brilliance of ‘dawn delivery,’ but the safety net for the workers who uphold this nation remains a void. There is no sinkhole larger than this on our streets.”
• Aldous Huxley (novelist) remarked, “Democracy, above all, is the ability to say ‘no’ to the boss. But if there’s no certainty of surviving once you fall out of the boss’s favor, that ‘no’ is never possible.”
• Lee Sang-heon emphasized, “Democracy must prove its value not only in polling stations but daily at the dining table and workplace,” adding, “Those first exposed to the livelihood crisis are precisely the people democracy must protect—and food delivery workers are its symbol.”
• Related Link.

Elites Who See Citizens as Fools.

• This refers to legal elites resisting judicial and prosecutorial reforms.
• Kim Jeong-woo (Head of Hankook Ilbo’s Issue 365 Unit) noted, “The Special Tribunal for Insurrection was triggered by the questionable proceedings of the trial judge in the insurrection case, and the dismantling of the prosecution service was self-inflicted by a political prosecution unchanged from the past.”
• Even the immediate controversy over the flawed investigation into the Gwanbong-gwon case suggests deliberate destruction, and the conclusion remains the same even if it was a mere investigative error.
• “The prosecution has no right to invoke supplementary investigative authority,” goes the critique.
• Related Link.

If the President Makes a Decision, It’s Done.

• Lee Chun-jae (Hankook Ilbo columnist), who has strongly advocated for stripping prosecutors of investigative powers, pointed out, “If you’re afraid of trial and error from dismantling the prosecution, reform cannot happen.”
• “Ultimately, the president must bear responsibility—if completely stripping prosecutors of investigative powers is unsettling, the president can simply make a decision,” he argued.
• Lee views it as impossible to gain agreement from “those who insist the prosecution is a constitutional body simply because the term ‘prosecutor general’ appears in the constitution.”
• He warned, “Dawdling leads to missed opportunities.”
• Related Link.