2026.

• Year of the Fire Horse. (Lunar New Year falls on February 17 this year.)
• Total holidays: 118 days, one fewer than last year—but the quality of rest days differs. Many substituted holidays overlap with weekends.
• Three major holidays—Independence Movement Day, Buddha’s Birthday, Liberation Day, and National Foundation Day—all fall on weekends, extending breaks until Monday.
• Lunar New Year holiday: February 16–18, a five-day break. Chuseok holiday: September 24–27, a four-day break.
• Christmas also falls on Friday, creating a long weekend.

This Year’s Newspaper Front-Page Ad: Samsung Again.

• “2026: A Year to Unfold New Dreams” is the slogan.
• JoongAng Ilbo is the only one missing. Some appear the next day, so check until tomorrow.
• Samsung Group has been placing New Year’s Day front-page ads since 2010—17 years running.
• The Hankyoreh omitted Samsung’s New Year’s front-page ad from 2017 to 2020 but this year, it appears alongside other papers.
• The back-page ads are all Hyundai Motor again this year.

What Matters Now.

New Year’s Day Front-Page Keywords.

• Kukmin Ilbo, Dong-A Ilbo, Segye Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo, Hankyoreh, and Hankook Ilbo all used horse photos on their front pages. It’s the Year of the Horse, so they used horse photos. Clichéd and lazy editing.
• Full election mode. Most newspapers filled their front pages with election forecasts. It’s a new year without common agendas. The abundance of poll articles also suggests the media is uncertain about direction.
• KyeongHyang Shinmun is celebrating its 80th anniversary. Its keyword is “Reading Truth, Connecting the World.” For its New Year’s series, it raised the agenda, “Balancing Between the U.S. and China Won’t Work.”
• Segye Ilbo emphasized, “Local Elections This Year Will Be Won or Lost on Livelihood Issues.”
• Hankook Ilbo began a youth employment series titled, “In Search of Jobs.”

What’s Changing This New Year.

• The minimum wage rises by 290 won to 10,320 won.
• National pension insurance premiums increase by 0.5 percentage points.
• A 1 million won subsidy is available when selling a combustion-engine car and buying an electric vehicle.
• Monthly emergency livelihood support of 342,000 won is provided to crime victims.
• Adopting retired police dogs, detection dogs, or military dogs grants annual 1 million won support.
• Free education expands from age 5 to 4. Tax deductions apply to daycare and kindergarten fees.

Chung Cheong-rae and Jang Dong-hyuk Approval Ratings: 38% and 28% Only.

• In a Gallup Korea poll, 42% responded, “More ruling party candidates should be elected.” Only 36% said, “More opposition party candidates should be elected.”
• In a Kyunghyang Shinmun-Gallup Korea survey, 57% of citizens answered, “Lee Jae-myung (President) is doing well.”
• Responses that Chung Cheong-rae (Democratic Party Leader) and Jang Dong-hyuk (People Power Party Leader) are doing well were limited to 38% and 28%, respectively.
• Related Link.

Jeong Won-o vs. Oh Se-hoon: A Photo Finish.

• In a JoongAng Ilbo poll, Jeong Won-o (Seongdong District Mayor) and Oh Se-hoon (Seoul Mayor) stood at 34% and 37%. Among politically engaged respondents, the split was 40% to 38%.
• A Dong-A Ilbo survey showed 30.4% to 30.9%.
• Kim Min-seok (Prime Minister) outperformed Oh: 33.0% to 30.4%.
• Park Joo-min (Democratic Party lawmaker) also led: 31.5% to 30.2%.
• The Hankyoreh poll projected 59% of Seoul citizens expect a Democratic Party candidate to win. Analysis suggests the party will sweep nearly all metropolitan offices except Daegu and Gyeongbuk.
• Related Link.

Busan’s Jeon Jae-soo Surges Ahead.

• Jeon Jae-soo (former Minister of Oceans and Fisheries) leads Park Hyung-jun (Busan Mayor) by a wide margin: 39% to 30%. Results from a JoongAng Ilbo poll.
• The controversy over Unified Church cash gifts had little impact.
• If Park Hyung-jun faces Cho Kuk (Reform Party Leader), the split would be 32% to 30%.
• Kim Do-up (People Power Party lawmaker) lags comparatively. He trails significantly against either Jeon Jae-soo or Cho Kuk.

Gyeonggi Province: Kim Dong-yeon or Cho Mi-ae.

• Kim Dong-yeon (Gyeonggi Governor) leads Lee Jun-seok (Reform Party Leader) 40% to 18% in a head-to-head matchup. Even with Yoo Seung-min (former Bareun Party Leader) entering, the split remains 39% to 19%.
• Cho Mi-ae (Democratic Party lawmaker) and Lee Jun-seok stand at 40% to 24%, while Cho Mi-ae and Yoo Seung-min also show a significant gap: 37% to 24%.

K-Culture: The Fourth Export Powerhouse.

• Chosun Ilbo headlined the era of K-Culture surpassing 200 trillion won. They launched a series titled, “The K We Didn’t Know.”
• Last year, content industry exports reportedly exceeded $15 billion. K-Food reached $12.3 billion, cosmetics $10.4 billion by November.
• Top exports: semiconductors $152.6 billion, automobiles $66 billion, petroleum products $41.7 billion, and culture $37.9 billion—all as of November.
• Related Link.

58% of Citizens Approve Coupang’s Suspension.

• Kyunghyang Shinmun poll results. (95% confidence level, ±3.1% margin of error, 10.1% response rate)
• “Strongly agree” was 42%, “Somewhat agree” was 16%.
• Progressive-leaning respondents showed higher agreement. 74% of self-identified progressives agreed. Conservatives stood at 44%.
• Related Link.

Deep Dive.

Democratic Party’s Nomination Fund Scandal Leaves Party Reeling.

• “I thought this only happened to the People Power Party. I’m still in disbelief.”
• Park Soo-hyun (Democratic Party spokesperson) said, “It’s unimaginable and so shocking that all lawmakers are in shock.”
• A Democratic Party lawmaker interviewed by Kyunghyang Shinmun said, “The fact that no one tried to stop Kim Byung-gi (former Democratic Party floor leader) when he resigned shows how grave the issue is.”
• A lawmaker interviewed by The Hankyoreh said, “I wondered if Kim Byung-gi, a former National Intelligence Service official, had been recording all his conversations with lawmakers.”
• Related Link.

Returning 100 Million Won and Awarding Candidacy?

• Kim Byung-gi (former Democratic Party floor leader): “Are you saying the local aide kept the money?”
• Kang Sun-woo (Democratic Party lawmaker): “Exactly. They had no idea what they were doing.”
• In a Facebook post early morning, Kang Sun-woo emphasized, “Upon receiving a report from the chief of staff on April 20, 2022, I immediately informed the general manager in charge of the nomination committee’s operations at the time. I repeatedly ordered the money to be returned and confirmed it was returned.”
• The party did not explain why the candidate who provided the funds was awarded the nomination. Kim Kyung (Seoul City Council member) was originally subject to cutoff due to owning two homes.
• Kim Kyung’s assets increased from 6.27 billion won before the nomination to 7.24 billion won after being elected in 2023.

Lee Jae-myung’s New Year Address Keyword: Growth.

• “We will make it a year of great leap forward,” he said. “The only standard is solely the people’s lives,” he emphasized.
• He proposed “growth for all, sharing opportunities and fruits equally” and “sustainable growth with safety as the foundation.”

Policy Efficacy, Live-Streaming All Cabinet Meetings.

• Not only State Council meetings and briefings, but all 47 ministry-level meetings will be live-streamed.
• Lee Jae-myung (President) said, “We will not stop innovating to make direct communication routine and enhance governmental transparency.”

People Power Party’s Online Boardroom Brawl.

• Han Dong-hoon (former People Power Party leader) was petty, but he remains trapped in the family’s chaotic infighting.
• Han claimed, “They fabricated a post by a namesake Han Dong-hoon as if it were a family member’s post.” He admitted the family wrote the post but insisted it was a namesake since he was never even a member. His claim may be technically correct, but it’s a red herring.
• Kim Min-su (People Power Party Supreme Council member) said, “It’s not easy to move forward together.” Kang Myung-gu (People Power Party Organizational Affairs Deputy Chief) asked, “How long will we carry on with division and conflict?” and added, “Admit what needs admitting, apologize, and move on.”

Chosun Ilbo Takes Han Dong-hoon’s Side.

• “The core of a democratic society is press freedom. If posting criticism of the presidential couple on an anonymous board is disciplined as a violation of dignity and defamation, who will dare express dissent on party member boards in the future?”
• The post allegedly written by Han Dong-hoon’s family is not false information—it’s merely an assertion. While some posts border on defamation and vulgarity, they are common on anonymous boards.
• In an editorial, Chosun Ilbo noted, “Critics argue that the board issue is merely a pretext—the real goal is to purge Han Dong-hoon, who is an obstacle to Jang Dong-hyeok.”
• World Ilbo warned, “Expelling Han Dong-hoon would alienate conservatives and moderates who support impeachment.” It added, “How can they appeal to moderates without even embracing rational conservatives?”
• The Hankyoreh observed, “The party cannot shake the impression that it is repeatedly resurrecting the member-board controversy as a political weapon for sustained attacks.”
• Related Link.
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Another Take.

Lee Hye-hoon’s Abuse of Power Controversy.

• “How many times must I tell you to understand? Can’t you comprehend Korean?”
• “Does your brain even process that? Single-digit IQ?”
• “I wish I could have killed you. Why open your mouth and spout nonsense?”
• These were remarks allegedly made by Lee Hye-hoon (nominee for Minister of Planning and Budget) to an intern employee in 2017.
• The intern released a recording of the incident. The employee quit the office after just two weeks. Speaking to a TV Chosun reporter, they said, “I felt deeply humiliated as a human being” and added, “How one treats subordinates—and basic human decency—are critical criteria for evaluating high-ranking officials.” “Lee Hye-hoon has never apologized,” they stated.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

“Kupang Laptop Retrieval: NIS Directive Confirmed.”.

• Kupang officials’ claims are specific.
• They say NIS agents instructed them to meet the suspect and, after the laptop was thrown into the river, demanded it be retrieved urgently.
• “We hesitated, unsure if entering the river was legal or illegal, but the NIS insisted we must attempt it.”
• They also claim forensic analysis was the NIS’s directive. “When asked what to do, we were told to proceed as we saw fit,” they said. Multiple contractors were proposed, and the decision was made after discussions with the NIS.
• The NIS denies all claims.

Coupang’s Compensation? Possibly a Litigation Defense.

• It’s a bundle of 50,000 won vouchers, but they’re nearly useless except for 5,000 won discounts on Coupang and Coupang Eats. Some critics warn that hastily accepting them could exclude recipients from future damage claims.
• A representative from a group pursuing compensation litigation pointed out, “There’s a possibility the terms include a non-litigation agreement clause—stating that using the vouchers constitutes completed compensation and waives future civil or criminal objections.”
• Related Link.

“Unification Impossible” at 43%.

• Results from a Chosun Ilbo poll. A decade ago, it was 14%.
• “Viewing North Korea as a hostile entity” dropped from 44% to 31% over the same period.
• Related Link.

Favorability for Japan Rises, China Declines.

• “Favorable toward China” dropped from 23% to 13%, while Japan rose from 13% to 25%.
• The U.S. remained steady at 54%, and Russia fell from 12% to 10%. Results from a Chosun Ilbo opinion poll.

43 Chinese Unicorns, and South Korea?

• Only Furiosa AI has surpassed 1 trillion won.
• South Korea’s total startup investment is 7.3 trillion won. China’s is 665 billion yuan, equivalent to 133 trillion won. The number of invested startups and SMEs is 1,103 in South Korea and 7,012 in China.
• A securities firm researcher said, “In South Korea, complaints start pouring in after a year of investment—‘When will commercialization happen?’—while in China, they guarantee three years of funding upfront.”
• Kim Chang-hyun (Professor at the China Europe International Business School) said, “In China, if the startup idea is clear, companies are already in place to handle logistics, store operations, and customer service,” adding, “It’s a horizontal platform where you just plug in your idea.”
• Related Link.

Top 1% of Political YouTubers Capture 64% of Traffic.

• Analysis by Kukmin Ilbo of 118,000 videos from 4,639 channels. Total views: 5.42 billion.
• The top predators in the progressive camp are Mae-bul Show and Kim Eo-jun. Their subscriber counts are 2.87 million and 2.29 million respectively. Kukmin Ilbo analyzed, “When these figures plant a flag, trumpet channels immediately process and reproduce their content, creating a gravitational pull in the YouTube ecosystem.”
• Kim Tae-pung, a ‘patriotic youth’ channel classified by Kukmin Ilbo as a trumpet channel, has 370,000 subscribers but recorded 8.7 million monthly views. A short clip titled “Judge Baek Dae-hyun’s Refreshingly Direct Take on Yoon Suk-yeol” garnered 5.46 million views.
• Notably, MBC Gyeongnam’s MKTK and Jeonju Broadcasting’s JTV News were categorized as viral channels.
• Among the top 1% (47 channels), 27 were viral channels—only one of which leaned conservative.
• Han Gyu-seop (Professor at Seoul National University) warned, “The immense power monopolized by a few YouTubers backed by strong fandoms, combined with distorted content distribution by viral channels and the caricaturization of politics, will only deepen political polarization.”
• A separate analysis noted, “The secret of Chinese ‘China High-Tech’ is ‘capitalism to the bone’—the rules of the game are fundamentally different from Korea’s.”
• Related Link.

The Fix.

Taean Coal Plant Unit 1 Shuts Down After 30 Years.

• It’s a 500MW coal-fired power plant that began operations in 1995.
• The government maintains that it will phase out 28 of 59 thermal power plants by 2036.
• What about the lost electricity? Coal will be replaced with LNG. A 501MW LNG power plant in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, was completed in January.

Graduate Job Hunting Becomes the New Normal.

• Fragmented jobs are increasing. One in three young people now starts their career as a contract worker—up from 33% in 2020 to 38% last year. Part-time positions rose from 21% to 25%.
• Among 7.88 million young people, 3.49 million are employed, of which 1.04 million are in short-term jobs. Unemployed youth number between 1.0 million and 1.21 million.
• The Hankook Ilbo analyzed recent three-year job postings and found that hiring dropped from 1.67 million positions (246,000 applicants) to 920,000 positions (1.92 million applicants). Postings fell 35%, jobs by 37%. (Cumulative through October)
• The time to find employment after graduation has extended to 8.8 months.
• Related Link.

ICYMI.

Moving Toward a Four-Force System.

• The Marine Corps commander will hold independent operational control authority at the level of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
• The Marine Corps remains under the Navy but will be reorganized into a quasi-four-force system alongside the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps.

Lavie Resale Prices Plunge.

• 199-yuan dolls once sold for 4,600 yuan with premiums. As of late last month, prices fell to 260 yuan.
• Prices once surged 23-fold but have nearly returned to original levels. Increased production and shrinking domestic demand in China played major roles.
• Pop Mart’s Hong Kong-listed stock also dropped significantly. It had risen 277% from its year-open high but has since fallen 38%.
• Related Link.

Worth Reading.

Kim Jong-un’s Military Obsession: No Need for Overestimation.

• Like a military hobbyist collecting plastic models, Kim Jong-un (North Korean State Affairs Commissioner) releases photos that seem to boast, “I have one too.”
• Yang Sang-hoon (Chosun Ilbo editor-in-chief) analyzed, “If the nuclear submarine North Korea unveiled is actually launched, there’s a high risk of a major accident.” To withstand high water pressure, HY100 special steel is required—but North Korea lacks this technology.
• Yang pointed out, “Kim’s military obsession has no follow-through.” It’s been said that a warship that only floats might not even have an engine.
• Yang emphasized, “What Kim seeks is inflated value from overestimation” and “While wasting national resources on military hobbyism isn’t ideal, distinguishing reality from illusion is essential.”
• Related Link.

The Best Year Has Yet to Come.

• Václav Havel (former Czech president) defined hope as “not the conviction that things will work out well, but the certainty that they are meaningful.”
• Ko Young-gun (professor at Korea University) emphasized, “Hope is the force that allows us to keep challenging what is valuable, even without guaranteed outcomes.”
• “The greatest poem is still unwritten/ The most beautiful song is still unsung/ The best days are those not yet lived/ The widest sea is still unnavigated/ The longest journey is still unfinished.” True Travel / Nâzım Hikmet (poet).
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