Kim Byung-ki’s Expulsion.

• Democratic Party’s Ethics Tribunal resolved to expel Kim Byung-ki (former floor leader of the Democratic Party). It is the strongest disciplinary action the tribunal can impose.
• The allegations against Kim Byung-ki total 13. The suspicion that he received nomination bribes from Dongjak-gu council members in 2020 has passed the 3-year disciplinary statute of limitations. The incident where Kang Sun-woo (then Democratic Party lawmaker) allegedly received a 100 million won nomination bribe, which Kim Byung-ki allegedly tolerated, also occurred in 2022 and has passed the 3-year limit.
• The allegation that Kim Byung-ki’s wife used a corporate card from Dongjak-gu Council is also a 2022 incident.
• Han Dong-soo (chair of the Democratic Party’s Ethics Tribunal) stated, “Companies like Korean Air and Coupang are included.” He explained, “We referenced the expired statute of limitations for certain allegations and concluded that expulsion is warranted based solely on the non-expired disciplinary grounds.”
• To finalize expulsion, approval from the Supreme Council is required. A majority vote from party lawmakers is also necessary.
• Related Link.

Visited University President: “My Son Is Interested.”.

• In November 2021, Kim Byung-ki visited the president of Soongsil University and made this statement. Not a new allegation, but more specific circumstances have emerged.
• According to aides who accompanied him, Kim inquired about ways his son could transfer. The president reportedly responded, “I’ll help in any way I can.”
• Kim Byung-ki’s constituency is Dongjak-gu, where Soongsil University is located.
• Related Link.

What Matters Now.

Seoul City Bus Strike.

• Operations halted from the first 4 a.m. route. Wage negotiations finally collapsed at 1:30 a.m. this morning.
• The regular wage is the key issue. The union argues that applying recent precedents requires a 12%+ increase. Management counters with 6–7%.
• Seoul has around 7,400 city buses.
• During the 2024 strike, negotiations concluded after 11 hours, resuming service in the afternoon.
• The Seoul Metropolitan Government has decided to increase subway operations for now. Free shuttle buses will also operate.
• Related Link.

Will Fukushima Seafood Be Allowed?

• The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is a Japan-led free trade agreement.
• Lee Jae-myung (President) told NHK in an interview, “It will be difficult in the short term because we must address the sentiments and trust of the South Korean people,” while adding, “It is a crucial agenda item if we are to gain cooperation for joining the CPTPP.”
• “It’s an issue that must be resolved in the long term.”
• He drew a line, stating that the Sino-Japanese conflict is not a matter for South Korea to intervene in.
• Over 100,000 tons of Fukushima contaminated water have been released over two years, with over 1.34 million tons still remaining.
• As Democratic Party leader, Lee Jae-myung strongly criticized the Fukushima water discharge. At a 2023 rally, he said, “Since they call it contaminated water, we should start calling it nuclear sewage.” The Lee Jae-myung administration’s pragmatic diplomacy is facing a serious test.
• Lee Jung-ho (Korea Economic Daily deputy industry editor) pointed out, “We cannot burden future generations with potential risks to the safety of the ocean for the convenience of the current generation.”
• Issues abound for the Korea-Japan summit, including the Japanese military’s “comfort women,” forced labor, and the Sado Mine memorial ceremony. The two-day summit begins today.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Takahashi’s Personal Appeal, 78.1% Approval.

• Takahashi Sanae (Japanese Prime Minister) is a hardline conservative with no factional backing in her party, yet enjoys high public popularity. The LDP’s approval rating, however, stood at only 29.7%.
• Lee Jae-myung (President) is similarly situated, though to a lesser degree. In a Gallup Korea survey for the second week of January, the president’s approval was 60%, while the Democratic Party’s rating lagged at 45%—a significant gap.

Prosecution Office-Serious Crime Agency Bill Emerges.

• It doesn’t differ from what was already known. Prosecutors’ authority to investigate crimes disappears starting in October. Only the Serious Crime Investigation Agency (SCIA) remains, while the prosecution office—which handles indictments and trials—is separated. The prosecution service disappears.
• The prosecution office will be placed under the Ministry of Justice, retaining the title of Prosecutor General.
• The SCIA will handle nine major crime categories: corruption, economic crimes, public officials, elections, defense projects, major disasters, drugs, and national security (insurrection and treason). It will fall under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
• The SCIA will employ investigative legal officers with law licenses. It will have 3,000 personnel and handle 20,000–30,000 cases annually. Critics question whether this is merely a name change, effectively preserving the prosecution service under a different label.

Deep Dive.

Is the Serious Crime Agency Up to the Task?

• Hardliners in the Democratic Party remain defiant.
• Lee In-young (Democratic Party lawmaker) criticized, “Creating the Serious Crime Investigation Agency (SCIA) with the same people and structure is just ‘Prosecution Special Unit Season Two.’” Kim Yong-min (Democratic Party lawmaker) also protested, “It will reinforce the prosecution’s vested interests and corruption cartel.”
• Some argue, “Splitting the prosecution into two organizations is too awkward to even call a reform.”
• Jeong Cheong-rae (Democratic Party leader) issued a gag order, saying, “Please refrain from voicing individual opinions.”
• Critics also note that the prosecution’s culture and authority have been transplanted—even amplified—into the SCIA.
• The Kyunghyang Shinmun editorial assessed it as “an awkward compromise that fails to fully capture the essence of prosecution reform.”
• The Hankook Ilbo criticized, “The design has been distorted in an attempt to superficially separate investigations from indictments.” Some question whether it’s just a name change.
• Yang Hong-seok (advisory committee member of the Prosecution Reform Task Force) pointed out, “If you carve out the prosecution’s special functions, create another agency, and reuse the existing system, problems will inevitably recur.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Controversy Over the Prosecution Office’s Supplemental Investigation Authority.

• Han Byung-do (Democratic Party floor leader) initially claimed, “The prosecution office’s supplemental investigation authority must be abolished,” then backtracked. The day after his election as floor leader, he appeared on “Kim Eo-jun’s News Factory” and said, “Over 30 lawmakers have raised objections.”
• Yesterday, however, he posted on Facebook, “There is no disagreement. We just want to discuss and coordinate thoroughly.” Kim Byung-wook (Blue House Political Affairs Secretary) stated, “Han Byung-do admitted it was a mistake.”
• The People Power Party is highly critical. They argue that granting the prosecution office supplemental investigation authority is not true judicial reform. Hwang Un-ha (People Power Party lawmaker) insisted, “Bong Wook (Blue House Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs) should resign.”

15-Year Sentence Sought for Lee Sang-min Over “Insurrection” Allegations.

• Lee Sang-min (former Minister of the Interior and Safety) faced a final hearing yesterday in his trial for alleged participation in insurrection. His claim of “never receiving such orders” was cited as perjury.
• The special prosecution requested, “A minister tasked with protecting citizens’ lives, safety, and disaster response joined a violent uprising aimed at disrupting the constitutional order led by the president. We ask for a 15-year prison sentence.”
• Lee insisted, “I merely asked the fire chief if he’d received any instructions based on a document.” He added, “Hearing about the martial law declaration felt like being hit with a hammer,” yet “I couldn’t investigate further.”
• The prosecution dismissed this as “pathetic, pitiful excuses that disgrace the office.”
• Lee argued, “Martial law is martial law, insurrection is insurrection—equating them is creative.”
• The verdict will be announced at 2:00 PM on February 12.
• Related Link.

Anti-Discrimination Law Reintroduced.

• First proposed in 2007, it has repeatedly been scrapped—but Son Sol (Progressive Party lawmaker) reintroduced it in the 22nd National Assembly.
• It prohibits discrimination based on gender, disability, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, educational background, and other criteria.
• Among OECD’s 38 member states, South Korea and Japan are the only countries without an anti-discrimination law.
• Related Link.

Aligning Reserve Forces Training Compensation with Minimum Wage.

• Compensation for 2-night-3-day mobilization training is currently 95,000 won, but would rise to 289,000 won if aligned with minimum wage. Last year, 450,000 reservists participated in mobilization training.
• Chosun Ilbo criticized it as typical populism. Some suggest it’s for local elections.
• South Korea’s active-duty military will decrease from 450,000 last year to under 350,000 by 2040. Reservists will shrink from 2.56 million this year to under 900,000 by 2040.
• Related Link.

“Don’t Get Too Big for Your Boots,” Kim Keon-hee’s Notes.

• Special prosecutors have secured Kim Keon-hee (wife of Yoon Suk-yeol)’s notebook, stamped with the Covana Contents logo. It includes a note: “To win the general election, (Kim Ki-hyun’s) organization.”
• Prosecutors believe the notes show Kim Keon-hee’s involvement in selecting the People Power Party’s leadership candidates ahead of the 2023 party convention.
• “1) Charisma, 2) Must be likable.”
• “Kwon Sung-dong and Jang Je-won will help.”
• “Simple political chessboard.”
• This may relate to a February 2023 message from Geonjinbeopsa (Jeon Seong-bae) to Yoon Young-ho (then Unification Church director): “They say the party leader should be Kim Ki-hyun, with Park Sung-jung, Jo Soo-jin, and Jang Ye-chan as supreme council members.”

Another Take.

People Power Party to Change Its Name.

• The party asked members, and 68% approved. The symbolic red color will also be reconsidered.
• The People Power Party’s lineage traces back to Chun Doo-hwan’s (then Security Command commander) Democratic Justice Party in 1980.
• It transformed into the Democratic Liberal Party in 1990 via a three-party merger,
• became the New Korea Party after the 1995 local election defeat,
• the Grand National Party in 1997,
• the Saenuri Party after the 2012 election loss,
• the Liberty Korea Party after Park Geun-hye’s 2017 impeachment,
• the Future United Party in 2020, and finally the People Power Party.
• A public contest for a new name received over 18,000 submissions.

Greenlanders’ MAGA: “Make America Go Away.”.

• ‘Make America Go Away (Get out of here, America).’
• Anti-Trump sentiment is spreading.
• AP analyzed, “Trump’s fixation on Greenland is less about securing rare earths than about countering Russian and Chinese advances into the Arctic and expanding U.S. strategic influence.”
• According to AFP, Andrus Ansip (EU Commissioner) argued, “A strong, permanent European army of 100,000 troops must be established.”

25% Tariff on All Countries Trading with Iran.

• Trump warned on Truth Social that a military strike on Iran is possible.
• “A strike is also one of many options the commander-in-chief can choose. The president does not hesitate to use military options if deemed necessary, and Iran knows this better than anyone.”
• The U.S. is pressuring Iran with both military and non-military options.
• BBC analyzed that Iran’s anti-government protests have entered an unprecedented phase in the 47-year history of the Islamic Republic. They have surpassed the scale of the hijab protests four years ago, with casualties reaching thousands. Some speculate the republic’s system may collapse.
• In-nam Seok (professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy) said, “It’s hard to judge whether the tipping point has been crossed, but it’s true that the Islamic Republic faces its biggest crisis since the 1979 revolution.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Seized Daejang-dong Accounts: Empty Shells.

• After prosecutors abandoned the appeal, Seongnam City froze accounts of Kim Man-bae (major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu) and other Daejang-dong conspirators—only to find them empty.
• Total criminal proceeds: 444.9 billion won. Remaining funds: approximately 400 million won. Kim Man-bae’s account held just 70,000 won.
• The Hankook Ilbo editorial noted, “It’s true that Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin has politically exploited this case,” yet insisted, “Prosecutors must provide sufficient information on hidden assets, whether funds flowed elsewhere or other frozen accounts exist, to cooperate in recovering criminal proceeds.”
• “That’s the bare minimum of accountability following the inexplicable decision to abandon the appeal.”
• Related Link.

Lee Jae-myung’s Four Proposals to Xi Jinping.

• Proposed a high-speed rail connecting Seoul-Pyongyang-Beijing.
• Included plans for Wonsan Galma peace tourism, inter-Korean health and medical cooperation, and the Tumen River regional development project.
• According to indirect confirmation by The Hankyoreh, Xi Jinping (Chinese President) called it “a good proposal” but added, “patience is needed.”

The Fix.

How Much Solar Power Do We Need?

• Claims diverge, but rough estimates are possible.
• It’s true that South Korea’s renewable energy ratio is lower than other OECD countries. As of 2023, it stood at 9.6%, compared to the OECD average of 30.3%.
• South Korea’s solar power capacity was 26.7GW as of 2024. The Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment plans to expand renewable energy to 100GW by 2030, with 87GW coming from solar power. This means adding 10GW annually from this year.
• If 500㎢ is required for 50GW, it translates to covering an area equivalent to 40 soccer fields daily with solar panels.
• Han Sam-hee (environmental columnist) argued, “An energy mix strategy utilizing all power sources—solar, wind, nuclear, and gas—must be adopted.”

Wet Wipes Are Plastic, Not Paper.

• Annual sewer maintenance costs are around 250 billion won, with wet wipes causing over 100 billion won in damages.
• According to the National Assembly Research Service, wet wipes are more harmful than most single-use items yet remain unregulated. Used wipes are waste but not subject to waste fees—naturally, no levies apply.
• They’re exempt from advertising regulations. Claims like “natural pulp” or “cotton-like feel” go unverified. Descriptions stating they dissolve in water and can be flushed are often false.
• The UK has banned plastic-containing disposable wet wipes in phases starting this year. Germany has imposed a 0.061 euro per kilogram levy since 2023.
• Related Link.

What If There Had Been No Disaster Alerts?

• An analysis estimates that human and property damage during the 2023 Seoul metropolitan area heavy rains would have approached 10.2 billion won.
• The result compares pre-pilot operation conditions. The implementation cost was 170 million won.
• Related Link.

ICYMI.

‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ Wins Golden Globe for Best Original Song.

• It’s a double win, also taking the Feature Animation award. It beat ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ and ‘Zootopia 2.’
• Directed by Maggie Kang, ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ is the first Netflix production to surpass 300 million cumulative views.
• Lee Jae (singer), who performed the theme song, said, “I dedicate this award to everyone facing closed doors. Now I can confidently say rejection is a chance to move in a new direction. Never give up.”
• ‘Hamnet,’ not yet released in Korea, won Best Drama Series, while ‘One Battle After Another’ won Best Comedy Series.
• Related Link.

Last Year’s Unemployment Benefits Reached 12.288 Trillion Won.

• 1.72 million recipients, a 2.4% increase.
• Manufacturing and construction employment remain sluggish.
• As of December, there were 0.39 jobs per job seeker.

NH Chairman Steps Down as Farmers’ Newspaper Head.

• Kang Ho-dong (NH Chairman) has stepped down as chairman of the Farmers’ Newspaper. With the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs releasing a special audit result, some assess this as a gesture of taking partial responsibility.
• The NH Chairman has concurrently served as Farmers’ Newspaper chairman. Their respective annual salaries were approximately 390 million won and 300 million won.

K-Food Exports Reach $13.6 Billion.

• It’s the first time exports have surpassed $10 billion.
• Ramen accounted for $1.52 billion, sauces for $410 million.
• Kimchi sold $160 million worth, and ice cream reached $110 million.

The Exchange Rate Surges to 1,468 Won.

• The rate has risen daily since the new year. The JoongAng Ilbo headlined on page one, “There is no foreign exchange control tower.” The criticism: no foreign exchange experts among economic leadership, and scapegoating retail investors and exporters.
• “Failure to manage expectations” is another critique. Market fears of further rate hikes are fueling dollar hoarding. Since January, individual investors have purchased an additional $1.942 billion in U.S. stocks. One assessment: “The government went to the trouble of strengthening the won, only to give investors more opportunities to buy American shares.”

Worth Reading.

Democrats’ Opposition Strategy.

• “Local elections are a waste of time.”
• Chosun Ilbo’s discontent is boiling over. Bae Seong-gyu (Chosun Ilbo political editor) warned, “Public patience with the People Power Party has reached its limit,” adding, “If they keep refusing change, eviction notices will follow.”
• Jang Dong-hyeok took five months to apologize and is still embroiled in internal strife. Recently, some in the Democratic Party argue that a 30-year ruling plan is needed—one that shakes conservative foundations and captures the 2030 voter base.
• From the Democratic Party’s perspective, the Lee Hye-hoon card isn’t bad. It seizes the “national unity” narrative, and since she was a People Power Party member, they can counter that the blame lies with the People Power Party. Indeed, the president’s approval rating has risen.

Don’t Professionals Whine?

• Kim Min-ah (Khan columnist) noted, “Professionals don’t get dragged along.”
• She was referring to remarks by Judge Ji Gwi-yeon (Seoul Central District Court senior judge), who is handling the Yoon Suk-yeol case, that “professionals don’t whine.”
• The virtue of a professional is strict adherence to deadlines.
• The implication: even if it meant pulling an all-nighter, the trial should have been concluded.
• Related Link.

Lee Hye-hoon’s Fighting Spirit.

• Lee Hye-hoon (nominee for Minister of Planning and Budget) once clashed with Park Geun-hye (then-president) by declaring, “Creative economy is futile without economic democratization.” She was later sidelined, shifting from pro-Park to anti-Park.
• She moved to the Bareun Party, joined Yoon Suk-yeol’s camp, and returned as part of Yoon Again.
• Kwon Tae-ho (editorial director of The Hankyoreh) assessed, “She merely chased power.”
• Selecting Lee Hye-hoon could symbolize unity. While Kang Sun-woo withdrew over staff abuse allegations, Lee persists for this reason.
• Kwon Tae-ho warned, “Lee Hye-hoon’s symbolism may benefit the Lee Jae-myung government, but accepting her requires tolerating too many conflicting values.” Even if she reaches confirmation hearings, she’ll burden the administration.
• Related Link.

Why Did Euisun Chung Do It?

• Articles about Jung Chang-cheol (son of Euisun Chung (Hyundai Motor Chairman))’s drunk driving disappeared or were anonymized en masse—despite being four years old.
• When controversy erupted, The Hankyoreh saw its editor and newsroom director resign from their posts.
• Multiple media outlets were thrown into chaos, yet Chosun Ilbo and JoongAng Ilbo have no articles at all—either deleted or never published. Reporters at both papers remain silent.
• Seo Soo-min (Sogang University professor) pointed out, “They might have overcompensated to improve the heir’s image.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.