Snow That Keeps Falling No Matter How You Clear It.

• Heavy snow in Seoul makes front-page headlines, but even 20cm+ snowfall in regions rarely gets coverage if it doesn’t reach Seoul.
• A multi-vehicle pileup on the snow-covered Seosan-Yeongdeok Expressway left six dead.
• A major wildfire erupted in Gyeongbuk’s Uiseong region.
• Flights were grounded in Jeju, while passenger ferry operations halted in Gwangju and South Jeolla.
• In Uijeongbu, a pedestrian died after being struck by a signboard blown down by strong winds.
• This morning, temperatures will drop to -14°C in some areas, with winds exceeding 20 meters per second also forecasted.
• Related Link.

What Matters Now.

“K-Shaped Growth, a National Crisis.”.

• This was stated by Lee Jae-myung (President) at the ‘National Economic Growth Strategy Report Meeting.’ It refers to the polarization phenomenon where the growth graph splits into the shape of the letter K.
• “While the economy may appear better than last year based on external metrics, the majority of citizens are unlikely to feel this change,” he pointed out.

Per Capita GDP Surpassed by Taiwan.

• 36,107 dollars. A 0.3% contraction from the previous year.
• Taiwan is estimated at 38,748 dollars. Its growth rate last year was 7.4%. It caught up with South Korea for the first time in 22 years.
• The reasons are twofold. First, South Korea’s growth rate last year was only 1.0%. Second, the won depreciated as the exchange rate rose by an average of 4.3%.
• Taiwan’s Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics forecasts per capita GDP of 40,921 dollars this year. South Korea’s is 37,932 dollars.

3% Potential Growth Rate Target.

• Criticism emerges that welfare has been sidelined and revenue measures omitted. Kyunghyang Shinmun assessed it as a “growth-all-in policy.”
• A National Growth Comprehensive Asset Management Account (ISA) will be created.
• A 600-billion-won public participation fund investing in AI and semiconductors will be established, with dividend income taxed separately.
• Woo Suk-jin (Myongji University Professor) noted, “Short-term tactics are visible, but long-term strategy is lacking.”
• People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy also issued a statement: “Diagnoses and solutions for structural causes—such as conglomerate-platform monopolies and financial-asset concentration that have driven asset and income inequality—are missing.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Yoon’s Defense Concludes on the 13th.

• Judge Ji Gwi-yeon (Seoul Central District Court) faces criticism for allowing the trial to drag on.
• Yoon’s rebellion case was originally scheduled to conclude on the 9th, but Kim Yong-hyun’s (former Defense Minister) defense team stretched the day with evidence reviews.
• A staggering 15 hours. It was dubbed a “rebellion filibuster.” The JoongAng Ilbo analyzed, “It was a ‘Yoon Again’ rally show.”
• Though an additional session was set for the 13th, evidence reviews may again delay proceedings. Forecasts suggest final arguments and the special prosecutor’s sentencing request will take significant time.
• Yoon closed his eyes and nodded off intermittently.

“Tongue Too Short to Trip.”.

• When the special prosecutor urged haste, Kwon Woo-hyun (Kim Yong-hyun’s attorney) remarked, “My tongue’s too short—rush and it’ll trip.”
• Lee Ha-sang (Kim Yong-hyun’s attorney) appeared on the YouTube channel ‘Advocates on the March’ and stated, “We completed what needed doing,” adding, “We’re satisfied because the presidential defense team secured a full day’s session despite the delay.”
• Yoon Suk-yeol said nothing that day.
• Related Link.

Democratic Floor Leader: Han Byung-do.

• “Our goal is one: the success of President Lee Jae-myung,” he said.
• Resolving corruption allegations against Kim Byung-ki, Kang Seon-woo, and others is the first priority. “We will swiftly resolve the ongoing chaos,” he said, “but if we call for special prosecutors on every issue, it’ll get too chaotic.” The implication: “Let’s wait and see how the investigations unfold.”
• Han Byung-do is seen as having weak factional ties. All four candidates lacked strong factional colors.
• Han Byung-do and Lee Jae-myung (Democratic Party Leader) maintain relatively smooth relations. Han’s term ends in May.
• Related Link.

New Top Committee: Pro-Cheong to Pro-Myung Ratio 2:1.

• Lee Sung-yoon (Democratic Party lawmaker) and Moon Jeong-bok (Democratic Party lawmaker) are classified as pro-Cheong faction. Kang Deuk-gu (Democratic Party lawmaker) is classified as pro-Myung faction.
• In the central committee vote, the order was Kang Deuk-gu-Moon Jeong-bok, while in the party member vote, it was Lee Sung-yoon-Kang Deuk-gu. Central committee members still feel Jeong Cheong-rae’s influence, but party members appear to harbor some restraint toward him.
• If Jeong Cheong-rae gains more power, he will likely push for a one-person-one-vote system again. The Democratic Party’s Supreme Council now stands at a 5:4 ratio—half pro-Cheong and half pro-Myung, with Jeong Cheong-rae included in the count.

Guts to Attend CES Amid 100 Million Won Bribery Allegations.

• Kim Kyung (Seoul Metropolitan Council member), accused of offering 100 million won in bribes to Kang Sun-woo (then Democratic Party lawmaker), returned from the U.S. and underwent police questioning.
• He departed on the 31st of last month and was spotted at CES in Las Vegas on the 6th of this month.
• There were concerns he might destroy evidence, but police reportedly had no knowledge of his CES attendance.
• According to police, Kim submitted a self-written statement claiming, “I gave the 100 million won and got it back.”
• Police belatedly raided the homes of both Kang Sun-woo and Kim Kyung.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

“Please Consider the Party’s Path.”.

• This was what Jeong Cheong-rae (Democratic Party lawmaker) reportedly told Kim Byung-ki (former Democratic Party floor leader).
• Park Soo-hyun (Democratic Party spokesperson) responded to reporters’ questions—“Are you considering expulsion?”—with, “All possibilities remain open.”
• Either way, Kim Kyung’s case will soon be followed by Kim Byung-ki’s. Speculation grows that a search warrant is imminent.

“Replace All Computers and Phones,” Kim Byung-ki Faces Evidence Destruction Allegations.

• Allegations that Kim Byung-ki’s wife used a Dongjak District Council corporate card were already investigated by police and prosecutors in November 2023.
• After police closed the case, prosecutors launched a separate investigation. When prosecutors summoned Cho Jin-hee (Deputy Speaker of the Dongjak District Council), Cho contacted Kim Byung-ki, who allegedly instructed his aides to replace all computers and mobile phones in the office.
• Related Link.

Will Kim Byung-ki’s Secret Recordings Surface If Pressed?

• Kim Byung-ki secretly recorded his conversations with Kang Seon-woo.
• Rumors circulate that the Democratic Party’s appeals to him—mentioning “the party’s path”—stem from fear of what he might release.
• The Korea Daily’s editorial noted, “Observations that Kim Byung-ki, having operated at the core of power, recorded extensive material and is holding out in confidence of this, do not seem baseless.”
• Related Link.

Deep Dive.

K-Shaped Growth? Warnings Without Diagnosis.

• Articles analyzing K-shaped growth are hard to find.
• The Ministry of Economy and Finance forecasts South Korea’s economic growth rate at 2.0% this year.
• Exports and trade balance have increased. Last year, they recorded $709.7 billion and $78 billion respectively. Semiconductors led the growth.
• Retail sales recorded -3.3% as of November last year. While exports grew, domestic demand hit rock bottom.
• Equipment investment increased by 2.4% as of the third quarter last year, but construction investment continued to slump at -8.1% annually (KDI analysis).
• Household assets grew by an average of 4.9%, but the Gini coefficient worsened.
• The income quintile ratio also widened. The relative poverty rate increased.
• The gap between regular and non-regular workers continues to expand. As of 2024, hourly wages are 27,703 won and 18,404 won respectively.
• Employment rates for seniors increased, but those for youth decreased. The employment rate for those over 60 has caught up with that of the 15–29 age group.
• Self-employment also declined. It fell below 20% for the first time in 2024. While South Korea historically had a high self-employment rate, this also reflects how difficult it has become.
• It’s not the Lee Jae-myung (President) administration’s fault after seven months in office, but from this year, real competence will be tested.

“No Forced Relocation of Semiconductor Cluster.”.

• Lee Jae-myung (President) met with Democratic Party lawmakers from Gwangju and South Jeolla and drove a stake in the ground. The gathering also included Mayor Kang Gi-jung (Gwangju) and Governor Kim Young-rok (South Jeolla).
• According to attendees, when someone suggested, “It would be good to relocate to the Honam region,” he dismissed it as “an impossible idea.”

Who Sent the Drone to North Korea?

• The South Korean government did not send it. The Blue House stated, “We will investigate the truth and promptly disclose the results.”
• Photos released by KCNA suggest it is likely a Chinese-made drone purchased from AliExpress, costing between 300,000 to 600,000 won.
• Experts argue that the South Korean military already has much higher-resolution live-feed systems, making it unnecessary to use such outdated drones.
• Kim Yo-jong (Vice Department Director of the Workers’ Party of Korea) acknowledged, “The South Korean military has officially stated it was not their action,” but warned it was a “grave provocation.” She also used crude terms like “rogue elements” and “scum collective.”
• The drone’s alleged launch site, identified by North Korea, is Hadori, Songhae-myeon, Ganghwa-gun. Located near the border with North Korea, the area is under heavy military surveillance, raising questions about serious gaps in security. The launch time was shortly after noon.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

“Selecting ‘Our Side’ Takes Time.”.

• Seven months after the change in administration, only 12 out of 344 public institutions have appointed new heads.
• 88 institutions still lack appointed heads despite expired terms—46 remain vacant, while 42 retain expired incumbents.
• Past administrations faced criticism for “reward appointments,” but the Lee Jae-myung (President) government is now criticized for delays.
• A Democratic Party official interviewed by the JoongAng Ilbo explained, “Since the transition wasn’t through normal elections, selecting ‘our side’—those who accurately understand the president’s philosophy and can execute policies—inevitably takes time.”
• Related Link.

Another Take.

“The Day the Landlord Calls, Food Doesn’t Go Down.”.

• This was a remark made by Lee Hye-hoon (Minister of Planning and Budget nominee) in a 2020 interview. It later emerged she lived in the Banpo Raemian Firstige apartment with a 2.6 billion won deposit. Critics accused her of “stealing poverty.”
• In 2024, Lee Hye-hoon received an allocation for the Banpo Raemian One Pentace, scoring full marks under the five-family-member condition. Suspicions arose that she listed her married son—living separately—as part of her household to meet eligibility. The apartment, purchased for 3.6784 billion won, now nears 9 billion won in market value.
• Lee’s son, under suspicion of falsely claiming single status, had already married in December 2023 and lived in a Yongsan apartment on a lease. The couple changed their address two days after the subscription deadline.
• Violating the Housing Act constitutes a criminal offense punishable by contract cancellation, up to three years in prison, or a 30 million won fine.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Public Opinion: Only 16% Say “Lee Hye-hoon Is Suitable.”.

• Results from a Gallup Korea poll. “Unsuitable” was 47%.
• Lee Jae-myung (President)’s job performance received 60% positive approval. Democratic Party support stands at 45%.
• Related Link.

The Finale of the Prosecutors-Police Avengers.

• Baek Hae-ryong (Hwagok District Chief, Seoul Gangseo Police Station) was once close enough to Lim Eun-jung (Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office Chief) that he said, “There are times when just exchanging glances is comforting.”
• Expectations were high when the two formed a joint prosecution-police investigation team last October to probe the alleged external pressure in the drug case.
• Yet now they attack each other: “You’re overstepping” or “You don’t know the basics” (Baek Hae-ryong), “Feelings and speculation must be separated from facts” (Lim Eun-jung). Lim concluded that all suspicions raised by Baek lacked basis.
• Baek Hae-ryong is set to return to the Hwagok District Station after completing his prosecution dispatch.
• Related Link.

South Korea’s Autonomous Vehicle Tech: 89.2% of U.S. Level.

• China stands at 92.4%, Japan at 86.7%. South Korea trails behind China but leads Japan.
• The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) classifies autonomous driving into five levels—Tesla’s FSD (Full Self-Driving) is at Level 3. Google’s Waymo and Baidu’s Apollo Robotaxi have achieved Level 4 certification.
• According to the JoongAng Ilbo, South Korean companies like RidePlus and Masaut are testing Level 3 or higher systems, but these are still considered preliminary stages.
• Waymo’s cumulative driving distance has reached 160 million kilometers.
• Seo Seung-woo (Seoul National University professor) assessed, “It’s too late.” South Korea’s autonomous driving ecosystem is at a standstill. Criticism arises that a decade has been wasted.
• “It’s questionable whether any domestic company has the capital or technical prowess to participate in a full-scale autonomous vehicle pilot project involving hundreds of vehicles across an entire city,” he added.
• Related Link.

“We Could Give $100,000 to Greenlanders.”.

• Donald Trump (U.S. President) is throwing out ideas. He proposed $6 billion for 57,000 Greenlanders.
• One resident told the BBC, “We’re not for sale and don’t want to become Americans.” The dominant reaction is that it’s absurd.
• In a January 2023 poll, only 6% said they “wanted to become part of the U.S.,” but 56% said they “wanted independence from Denmark.”
• Trump’s plan is to first incite separatism, then explore next steps.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

What Trump-Appointed Supreme Court Justices Have Done.

• Judges appointed during Trump’s first term overwhelmingly ruled in his favor.
• According to the New York Times, they voted in favor 92% of the time. Judges appointed by Democratic presidents had only a 27% rate. Those appointed by other Republican presidents stood at 68%.
• Related Link.

Iran’s Anti-Government Protest Death Toll Reaches 192.

• Rage is boiling over. Traditional market merchants rose up first as the exchange rate skyrocketed. Slogans like “Death to the dictator” have emerged.
• Statistics are all over the place. Some projections suggest the death toll could exceed 2,000.
• Trump could also use the crackdown as a pretext to attack Iran.

Kang Ho-dong’s 5-Star Suite? The Bigger Issue Is Closed-Door Management.

• Kang Ho-dong (NH Federation Chairman) sparked controversy for staying in a 2 million won-per-night suite. His five business trips incurred 40 million won in excess spending.
• The NH Federation chairman is nominally an unpaid honorary position, yet earns an annual salary of 700 million won and a severance package of 700 million won. After a four-year term, with performance bonuses, they leave with nearly 4 billion won.
• The NH Federation chairmanship has a notorious history.
• Han Ho-sun (1st elected chairman) received a 2-year-6-month prison sentence (4 years probation) for creating slush funds.
• Won Cheol-hee (2nd elected chairman) also got 2 years and 6 months (3 years probation) for slush funds.
• Jeong Dae-geun (3rd elected chairman) was sentenced to 5 years in prison for bribery.
• Choi Won-byung (4th elected chairman) faced prosecution for preferential loans but avoided punishment.
• Kang Ho-dong (7th elected chairman)’s term runs until March 2028.
• After President Lee Jae-myung ordered a review of NH issues, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs released a special audit. The problem lies in corruption networks: the board has abused self-awarded bonuses, special allowances, interest-free loans to insiders, covered up hiring irregularities, and buried election fraud.
• Critics argue this isn’t just Kang Ho-dong’s issue. Others warn digging deeper could paralyze NH operations. Can the Lee Jae-myung administration reform NH?
• Related Link.

Which Country Charges Higher Electric Rates for Industry Than Households? Only South Korea.

• South Korea is the only OECD country where industrial electricity rates exceed household rates.
• South Korea’s rate is around 113%, while the UK is 71%, Japan 68%, and the US 50%.
• Jeon Woo-young (Professor at Seoul University of Science and Technology) believes South Korean electricity rates are likely to rise further. He cites three reasons.
• First, while LNG prices have stabilized, increasing profits for Korea Electric Power Corporation, the company is likely to maintain current rates for some time to recover accumulated losses.
• Second, investments in transmission and distribution networks will cost over 74 trillion won and 40 trillion won respectively, with renewable energy backup systems requiring an additional 40 trillion won.
• Third, energy transition costs are also a factor. Renewable energy mandate costs and greenhouse gas emissions trading costs are projected to exceed 8 trillion won and 5 trillion won respectively.
• Jeon Woo-young emphasized, “A cool, strategic judgment from a national interest perspective is needed.” He argues, “Industrial electricity rates must be adjusted rationally.”
• Related Link.

Run for Office for 990,000 Won.

• This is Lee Jun-seok (Reform Party Leader)’s election experiment. He set the deposit fee to 0 won and decided to conduct 100% online nominations.
• Compared to the Democratic Party and People Power Party, which earned over 10 billion won during local elections under names like “screening fees,” this is undeniably a fresh attempt.
• The criticism that “only those with money, time, and connections remain in politics” also resonated strongly.
• Related Link.

The Fix.

Surviving Cancer Doesn’t Guarantee Employment.

• In South Korea, the return-to-work rate for cancer survivors is around 30%.
• In a 2019 survey, 78% of the public responded, “Cancer survivors will hinder work performance.” 70% of cancer survivors answered, “Discrimination exists.”
• Kim Do-mi (author of “Love, Control, and a Glass of Freedom”) warned, “You might be someone who ‘hasn’t gotten cancer yet.’”
• “This is not a curse but an immediate reality. No one can guarantee their health, and ‘living long with illness’ has become an unavoidable way of life.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Winter Olympics Without Snow.

• For the 2022 Beijing Olympics, they diverted water equivalent to 800 swimming pools to create artificial snow—enough for 100 million people’s daily drinking water.
• During the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, snow melted mid-event, forcing them to transport snow by truck and helicopter.
• For the 2014 Sochi Olympics, they stored snow in special facilities and retrieved it later.
• February temperatures at Winter Olympics host sites from the 1920s–1950s averaged around 0.5°C. Since the 2000s, it’s 7.8°C—rain replaces snow.
• Artificial snow usage rose to 80% at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, 90% at the 2019 Pyeongchang Olympics, and 100% at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Stopping Life-Sustaining Treatment: Patient Decisions Reduce Burden.

• If a patient writes an advance directive, they spend 10.22 million won in their final month before passing. When families decide, costs rise to 12.1 million won.
• The most common final medical interventions for patients on life-sustaining treatment were anticancer drugs (89%) and blood pressure elevators (82%). Calls grow for measures to ease the burden on families.

National Pension Fund’s Unrealized Gains Surge by 70 Trillion Won in Three Months.

• The fund holds 7.8% of Samsung Electronics and 7.4% of SK Hynix. Their valuations increased by 26 trillion won and 21 trillion won respectively.
• Reducing its stake in domestic demand-driven stocks also caught attention—cutting holdings in Daesang, Orion, Emart, CJ CheilJedang, and Nongshim by 1–2 percentage points.

Re-employment After Career Break: 43% See Wage Cuts.

• While the so-called M-shaped curve has eased, the issue remains the quality of jobs.
• Wages showed a gap of over 1 million won: women earned 2.88 million won monthly, men 3.89 million won.
• Time to re-employment averaged 48 months for women, 20 months for men.

An Era of 2.73 Million Foreign Residents.

• Among 457 people who died from industrial accidents by September last year, 60 were foreign workers.
• Among 2.16 million long-term foreign residents (over 90 days), 1.61 million were registered, of whom 600,000 were foreign workers on employment visas.
• In Yeongam County, South Jeolla Province, the foreign population ratio reaches 21%. In a Ministry of Justice poll, 77% of respondents in Yeongam agreed that “migrants should be accepted as community members”—compared to the national average of 42%.
• Related Link.

ICYMI.

Hong Joon-pyo and Bae Hyun-jin.

• Bae Hyun-jin (People Power Party lawmaker), once called a “Hong Joon-pyo kid,” is now engaged in a profanity battle with Hong Joon-pyo (former Daegu mayor) on Facebook.
• Hong Joon-pyo attacked Han Dong-hoon, prompting Bae Hyun-jin to snap back.
• Hong Joon-pyo: “I misjudged the person. I took her in like a daughter, but I didn’t know her character was like this. She’s a moth chasing empty desires.”
• Bae Hyun-jin: “To a pig, everything looks like a pig; to a Buddha, everything looks like a Buddha. Hong Joon-pyo’s lifelong driving force is his inferiority complex. Since you’ve retired, I hope you’ll let go of jealousy and rivalry toward much younger juniors and focus on a peaceful retirement.”
• Related Link.

Why America Needs Venezuelan Oil.

• The U.S. is the world’s top crude oil producer, third-largest exporter, and second-largest importer. It exports light crude and imports heavy crude from Canada and elsewhere for refining.
• 70% of U.S. refining infrastructure is designed for heavy crude. If it could secure Venezuela’s extra-heavy crude at low cost, production costs could drop significantly.
• Venezuela exported 400,000 barrels to China—this volume could redirect to the U.S., while Mexican and Saudi Arabian oil previously bound for America might flow to Asia instead.
• Shin Hyun-don (Professor at Inha University) projected, “If oil prices stabilize downward, it wouldn’t be a bad situation for South Korea, which relies 100% on oil imports.”
• Related Link.

Students Recording Lectures.

• No need for notes. Record and let AI handle it—it organizes and even generates practice questions.
• High schools are worse. Class recordings leak to private tutors. Combining recordings from multiple classes boosts accuracy.
• Han Ae-ran (Dong-A Ilbo reporter) pointed out, “Outcome-based relative grading that fails to keep up with technological progress fuels the crisis in public education.”
• “It’s time to rethink evaluation systems.”
• Related Link.

KOSPI 5,600 Is Possible.

• Hanwha Securities’ outlook.
• The projected net profit growth rate for semiconductors in 2026 compared to 2024 is 189%, with an estimated stock price return rate of 204% (189% × 1.08x).
• Since semiconductor sector stock prices have already risen by 143% (reflecting January 2026 highs), subtracting the existing growth rate leaves a remaining 61% upward potential.
• Semiconductors account for 38% of the KOSPI’s market cap, giving the index a 23% (61% × 38%) upward potential based on semiconductors alone. Applying this, the analysis suggests the KOSPI could reach 5,600 points.

Much Higher, Yet Still Cheap.

• Compared to last year, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix show better earnings forecasts for this year, and they remain cheaper than overseas semiconductor firms.
• While AMD’s price-to-earnings ratio exceeds 100x, Broadcom is at 70x, Nvidia at 46x, and Micron Technology at 32x—Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix stand at 26x and 15x, respectively.
• This ratio, which reflects market capitalization relative to operating profit, indicates that the lower it is, the more undervalued the stock.

Maduro’s 600,000 Bitcoins.

• If rumors that Nicolás Maduro (Venezuelan President) is a Bitcoin billionaire are true, Venezuela would become the world’s largest holder, with holdings worth 87 trillion won.
• According to Kim Oi-hyun (East Asia Editor at Beincrypto), there are three reasons for this speculation.
• First, there were suspicions that he smuggled out gold and exchanged it for Bitcoin between 2018–2020. If purchased at $5,000, the value would now be worth hundreds of billions of dollars.
• Second, there were rumors that since 2023, he received stablecoins for oil exports and converted them to Bitcoin—a workaround against U.S. account freezes.
• Third, there were rumors that he seized equipment from private miners and started mining directly.
• Bitcoin’s price surged over 7% in two days after Maduro was detained, possibly for this reason. Whether Trump seizes it for reserves or Maduro hoards it, if it doesn’t hit the market, it’s seen as bullish.
• Related Link.

Civil Service Exam Takers Rise Again.

• Q4 2024 saw a 25% drop (year-on-year), but Q4 2023 rebounded with a 26% increase. (Analysis by Eduwill)
• According to Kyobo Bookstore and others, sales of 9th-grade civil service exam prep books also rose 25% and 15% in November and December, respectively.
• This may reflect reduced entry-level hiring due to increased AI adoption.
• Seo Yi-jong (Seoul National University Professor) analyzed, “There’s a stronger tendency to move toward civil service jobs, which are relatively difficult to fire and legally guaranteed tenure.”
• Related Link.

Worth Reading.

“Rallies Without Earnings Don’t Last.”.

• “Follow the calendar, but question the earnings.” This is the advice of Kim Han-jin (Economist at SamProTV).
• The January effect—where a rally in January extends through year-end—has held true over 70% of the time probabilistically. What about this year?
• Kim Han-jin assessed, “It’s a precarious tightrope-walking phase.” For now, leading stocks will surge by riding the wall of skepticism, and cyclical trading will fill gaps with other sectors, but he warns the balance could break at any moment.
• Kim Han-jin emphasized, “What’s needed now is not blind faith but conditional trust.”
• Related Link.

Forget Public Broadcasting as It Has Been.

• Kang Hyung-chul (Sookmyung Women’s University Professor) emphasized, “I hope someone with the vision and capability to provide high-quality services distinct from private broadcasters and implement rational management will step forward and be selected.”
• Looking at the U.S. situation clarifies the direction. Trump denounced public broadcasters like NPR and PBS as “radical, progressive propaganda disguised as news.” The shock of the CPB, which funds public broadcasting, dissolving itself was also a significant event.
• Kang Hyung-chul stressed, “First, public broadcasting must reexamine its role in the age of YouTube and Netflix and pursue transformative change at the level of a complete overhaul.” “Sustainable funding and structural foundations must be established,” he added.
• Related Link.

Will Jang Dong-hyeok Lead the Party to Local Elections?

• Seong Han-yong (senior reporter at The Hankyoreh) analyzed, “There’s no faction within the party capable of ousting Jang Dong-hyeok (People Power Party leader) and establishing an emergency committee.”
• Two scenarios exist.
• First, transitioning to an emergency committee might just barely avoid the worst-case scenario.
• Second, continuing under Jang Dong-hyeok’s leadership and collapsing spectacularly before stepping down is the more likely outcome.
• Jang Dong-hyeok has climbed onto the tiger’s back of “Yoon Again,” and the moment he dismounts, he’ll be devoured. In Seong Han-yong’s view, Jang Dong-hyeok is undoubtedly failing to properly read even the conservative media (Chosun, Joongang, Dong-A). Like Yoon Suk-yeol, he’s likely immersed in far-right YouTube channels.
• Related Link.

Why Lee Hye-hoon?

• Lee Young-tae (Korea Ilbo editorial writer) pointed out, “If they push ahead like this, it’s not unification but a divisive appointment.”
• “For unity and inclusion to resonate with genuine emotion and message, the substance must be solid, not just the shell.” The implication is that someone on the level of Lee Hun-chae (former Minister of Finance and Economy), who led restructuring during the Kim Dae-jung administration, is needed.
• As for Lee Hye-hoon? She apologized for shouting “Yoon Again” and sold her soul to beg for a position. After frothing at the mouth over expansionary fiscal policy, she now claims “active fiscal policy is her final calling.” Will she survive the confirmation hearings?
• Lee Bon-young (Hankyoreh senior reporter) noted, “Under a pragmatic agenda, black cats or white cats are fine—but not thieving cats.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.