“The Bridge to Prosecutorial Meddling Is Cut.”.

• These were the words of Lee Jung-kye (Democratic Party Leader).
• The Democratic Party has finalized negotiations with the Blue House regarding the Public Prosecutors’ Office Act and the Central Criminal Investigation Office Act. The contentious and tumultuous judicial reform has passed a critical stage.
• For now, the scope of prosecutors’ duties will be defined by law—a measure to block the loophole exploited by Han Dong-hoon (then Minister of Justice) during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, who overturned legal provisions via enforcement decrees.
• The Central Criminal Investigation Office will become a subordinate body of the Public Prosecutors’ Office, but it will not be obligated to report case filings to the latter, nor will prosecutors have the right to demand such filings. The clause granting the Public Prosecutors’ Office authority to command special judicial police has also been removed.
• The title “Prosecutor General” will remain, creating an awkward pairing with the head of the Public Prosecutors’ Office.
• The Democratic Party’s hardline faction, which demanded the dismissal and re-evaluation of all prosecutors, did not prevail.
• Kim Yong-min (Democratic Party lawmaker) emphasized, “The public clearly remembers the abnormal practice of arbitrarily seizing and reassigning cases to suit the preferences of past supreme powerholders,” and stressed, “We have codified that superior oversight must be based solely on legal grounds.” “This marks an improvement over the rigid top-down culture centered on the Prosecutor General,” he added.
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“Problems in the Deliberation Process.”.

• Lee Jae-myung (President) indirectly expressed dissatisfaction with Jung Chung-rae (Democratic Party Leader) during a Cabinet meeting, saying, “The process management seems a bit lacking.” He emphasized, “The more contentious the issue, the more earnestly and openly it should be deliberated.”
• Lee Jae-myung’s request was to proceed with the government’s original proposal for prosecutorial reform, but the final version ended up incorporating significant portions of the Democratic Party’s hardline stance.
• In an editorial, *The Hankyoreh* pointed out, “The government, which initially drafted the bill, should reflect on whether it tried to push through a version containing so many problematic clauses without proper deliberation.” On judicial reform issues, *The Hankyoreh*’s tone leans closer to the Democratic Party’s hardliners.
• The JoongAng* assessed, “The hardliners rewrote everything except the prosecutor general’s name.” While the Blue House pressured Jung Chung-rae heavily, the outcome ultimately aligned with the intentions of Jung Chung-rae and Choo Mi-ae (Judiciary Committee Chair).
• In an editorial, *The Korea Daily* warned, “Reforms aimed at taming the ‘dinosaur-like’ prosecution could end up creating another monster.” It questioned whether weakening the prosecution had excessively empowered the police.
• The Chosun Ilbo* took a different stance, criticizing, “While claiming to reform the prosecution for failing to maintain investigative neutrality, the government has created a structure allowing the ruling party to control the police and the Central Criminal Investigation Office.”
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Remaining Issue: Prosecutors’ Office Supplemental Investigation Authority.

• Lee Jae-myung (President) and Jung Sung-ho (Minister of Justice) maintain that it is necessary, but Democratic Party hardliners are fiercely opposed. For now, as it concerns a revision of the Criminal Procedure Act separate from the Prosecutors’ Office Act or the Central Criminal Investigation Office Act, it has been postponed until after the local elections.
• Chosun Ilbo cited an unnamed Blue House official criticizing, “The president is being dragged along by Democratic Party hardliners.” Rumors also circulated that Bong Wook (Blue House Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs) opposed the move.
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Who Checks the Special Judicial Police?

• Police power has grown, and concerns arise that there is no means to control the Special Judicial Police (SJP), who operate without prosecutors’ supervision.
• JoongAng Ilbo’s front-page headline reads, “Trying to rein in prosecutors has loosened the reins on the SJP.” Lee Geun-woo (Gachon University Professor) criticized, “Depriving prosecutors of command over SJP investigations was a reckless move made without any safeguards.”
• As of last year, the SJP numbered 21,263. With frequent personnel changes, over half have less than one year of experience. The prosecution rate for SJP-referred cases remains below 50%.
• Related Link.

What Matters Now.

“Include 5.18 and the Busma Uprising in the Constitution.”.

• Lee Jae-myung (President) has renewed a proposal for constitutional revision, lending support to Woo Won-shik (National Assembly Speaker)’s initiative.
• The People Power Party insists on postponing it until after the local elections. To hold a referendum alongside the local elections, a constitutional amendment bill must be proposed by April 7.

South Korea’s Democracy Index Jumps from 44th to 22nd.

• It is an annual indicator published by the University of Gothenburg’s “Variety of Democracy” Institute. South Korea has risen from the “electoral democracy” stage to the “liberal democracy” stage in just two years.
• The participatory democracy index, which reflects actual political engagement such as the proportion of female lawmakers, ranked 44th.
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Ali Larijani’s Death.

• He was a key figure following the death of Ali Khamenei (former Supreme Leader of Iran). Yesterday, Ali Larijani (Iran’s Security Chief) was killed in an Israeli airstrike.
• A tanker anchored off the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was hit by a missile. The war’s dynamics are growing more complex.
• Related Link.

Trump Postpones Visit to China.

• Trump has decided to postpone the summit with Xi Jinping (Chinese President).
• The meeting, scheduled for the 31st of this month, implies the war will not end by then.
• From Trump’s perspective, he has few bargaining chips to negotiate with Xi even if they meet.
• There are also observations that it was likely Beijing that first proposed delaying the talks. The U.S. application of the Super 301 clause, instead of reciprocal tariffs, is another sticking point.
• For Beijing, welcoming Trump is awkward given current tensions with Iran and the delicate diplomatic situation.

Imminent Threat? Not Exactly.

• Donald Trump (U.S. President) said the attack on Iran was due to an “imminent threat.”
• Joe Kent (Director of the U.S. Counterterrorism Center) resigned, stating, “I cannot in good conscience support this war.”
• He claimed, “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and the reason we started this war was due to a disinformation campaign by powerful Israeli and American lobbying groups.”
• Trump responded, “He’s a good man, but he doesn’t know much about security issues.”
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One Year of Iran War Could Bring South Korea’s Growth to 0%.

• NH Financial Research Institute analysis. If the war continues for over three months, this year’s growth rate would fall by 0.3 percentage points—and could drop to near 0% if it lasts a year.
• Inflation would rise by 2–4 percentage points, while consumption would shrink by 0.3–0.6 percentage points and investment by 0.6–0.7 percentage points. The risk of sliding into stagflation is significant.
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“Protected You for 40 Years,” Trump Was Serious.

• He continues to pressure sending warships to the Strait of Hormuz.
• “There are 45,000 troops in Japan, 45,000 in South Korea, and 45,000–50,000 in Germany. We’ve protected you for 40 years.”
• Cho Jung (Minister of Foreign Affairs) said, “It’s a situation where it’s not clear whether it’s a request or not,” adding, “At this point, it’s quite difficult to provide an answer.”
• The numbers are also incorrect. U.S. forces in Japan total around 50,000, while South Korea hosts approximately 28,500. Germany has about 35,000.
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“Why Us?” EU Draws the Line.

• “Not our war.” Kaja Kallas (EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy) stated, “No one wants to actively engage in this war.”
• Friedrich Merz (German Chancellor) also said, “There is absolutely no reason for NATO to get involved in the war.”

Oh Se-hoon Files Candidacy, for Now.

• Oh Se-hoon (Seoul Mayor) applied for nomination, stating, “I am registering as a candidate in the spirit of ‘party before self.’”
• None of Oh’s demands were accepted, but with Park Soo-min (People Power Party lawmaker) declaring his candidacy, Jang Dong-hyeok (People Power Party leader) now had a Plan B.
• The third delay of the open nomination process had already deflated morale, and controversies over nominations continued unabated.
• Critics have labeled the nominations of Kim Jin-tae (Gangwon Governor) and Park Wan-su (Gyeongnam Governor)—both implicated in the Myeong Tae-gyun scandal—as “Yoon Again” nominations.

Deep Dive.

SK Hynix Heads to U.S. Stock Markets.

• DRAM prices have surged from $1–2 a year ago to $13. Semiconductor supplies are struggling globally.
• Chey Tae-won (SK Chairman) forecasted, “Supply shortages of over 20% will persist until 2030.”
• The company is reviewing plans to list ADRs (American Depositary Receipts). Like Taiwan’s TSMC, inclusion in the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index could attract capital inflows.
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170,000 More Households Now Subject to Property Tax.

• Publicly announced prices rose, and so did taxes. Seoul saw an 18.7% increase. The national average is 9.2%.
• The eight Han River Belt areas could see property taxes rise by up to 50%.
• Jamsil El Cruse 84㎡ in Songpa-gu, Seoul, saw its publicly announced price jump from 1.9 billion won to 2.3 billion won—a 25% increase. Property taxes rose from 5.72 million won last year to 8.59 million won, a 48% increase.
• Banpo One Valley 84m² will see property taxes increase from 18.29 million won last year to 28.55 million won this year—a 56% jump.
• Households subject to comprehensive real estate tax will rise from 169,000 last year to 487,000 this year.
• Lee Chang-mu (Hanyang University Professor) predicted, “Given the Lee Jae-myung administration’s repeated emphasis on increasing property tax burdens, it’s highly likely they will raise the fair market value ratio.”
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OD Play Trend, Yet Warehouse Pharmacies Sell Without Questioning.

• OD stands for Overdose. A trend has emerged where teens consume multiple pills at once—cold medicine, sleep aids, painkillers—to induce hallucinations.
• Some warehouse-style pharmacies sell these drugs to minors without restrictions. As over-the-counter medications, they can be purchased like groceries.
• An emergency room nurse interviewed by The Korea Daily said, “We see up to four teen overdose patients a week.”
• According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of teenagers treated for drug poisoning rose from 1,375 in 2020 to 1,918 in 2024.
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Another Take.

10 Million Party Members.

• Democratic Party has 5 million members, People Power Party has 4.44 million. Members paying over 1,000 won in dues—called voting members—total 1.31 million and 850,000 respectively.
• Cash assets are 71.3 billion won and 27.6 billion won, while land and building assets are 19.2 billion won and 85.7 billion won. Over 10 billion won in cash remains after each election.
• Dues revenue is 37.6 billion won and 24 billion won.
• High dues dependency has amplified member voices. One Democratic Party lawmaker said, “To earn member approval, lawmakers line up more for pro-government YouTube shows” and “When requesting meetings with leadership to resolve internal issues, they insist on live debates.”
• Cho Jin-hyeong (The Korean Economic Daily Political Affairs Bureau Chief) noted, “Parties must address dues criteria and transparency issues.”
• Related Link.

Fuel Price Shock: Local Currency Handouts for Low-Income Households.

• In 2008, workers earning under 36 million won and self-employed individuals with under 24 million won in comprehensive income received up to 240,000 won via income tax refunds.
• In 2022, emergency livelihood support was given to 2.27 million low-income households.
• A supplementary budget is being prepared, and a five-day vehicle restriction system is under review.

HDC Affiliate Concealment Controversy.

• Illegal activities allegedly spanned up to 19 years—strange that the Fair Trade Commission remained unaware all this time.
• Jeong Mong-gyu (HDC Chairman) is under prosecution for allegedly omitting affiliates controlled by his brother and maternal uncle’s family. The FTC belatedly filed a complaint with prosecutors. A total of 20 affiliates were excluded—collectively valued at 1 trillion won.
• HDC claims it was a simple oversight. An FTC official stated, “Changes over 1–2 years are easy to verify, but prolonged concealment becomes harder to detect as time passes.”

The Fix.

2,500 Youth Transitioning to Independence Annually.

• Children raised in childcare facilities or foster homes leave at 18 to enter society. They are called “youth preparing for independence.”
• A one-time settlement fund of 10 million won and a monthly allowance of 500,000 won are provided, but this is far from sufficient for living expenses.
• Koo Hyun-mo (August Editor) noted, “No adults to scold them, no guardians to prevent delinquency, no community to return to—these youth, teetering between independence and isolation, have drawn no one’s attention.”
• 47% of youth preparing for independence have considered suicide—four times the average. When asked what they needed most, the most common response was “a friend or mentor to talk to.”
• “The problem isn’t solved just by giving money to those without networks,” goes the saying.
• Related Link.

ICYMI.

A $30,000 Bloomberg Terminal for $2,400?

• Perplexity’s “Perplexity Computer” claims to offer functionality comparable to Bloomberg Terminal, sparking uproar.
• Bloomberg Terminal is an infrastructure network service for financial analysis and trading, with 350,000 subscribers and $12.6 billion in revenue last year.
• Industry reactions were lukewarm: the interface seemed plausible, but the numbers were flawed, and the data sets it could scrape were inherently limited.
• CompoundingAI noted, “If a service is 20% better, we’d pay double—but we wouldn’t choose a 20% inferior service just for the price.”
• The Wall Street Journal added, “Those excited about this clearly have no experience working in financial institutions.”
• Bloomberg Terminal’s competitive edge lies in its verified data and interfaces optimized for experts’ workflows. No matter how advanced Vibecoding may be, there are still barriers it cannot cross in specialized domains.
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Worth Reading.

Reading Text Written by Machines.

• “Is there truly no place to escape?” Kim Hyun-ho (CEO of Vostok Press) noted, “We must not surrender to hasty conclusions that AI has dismantled everything and corrupted the once-pure, authentic human craft of writing.”
• Compared to AI-generated images, photographs instead “feel like harmless, nostalgic fragments.” Just as 19th-century painters felt apocalyptic dread at photographic technology, writing too will eventually transform.
• Kim Hyun-ho forecasted, “Though it now feels acrid and hollow, if history repeats, those who write with AI in ways we’ve never imagined may one day arrive.”
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Schools These Days.

• They avoid competitive games to prevent children from feeling intimidated.
• Awards are given privately to avoid discomfort among those who don’t win.
• Some schools prohibit birthday parties, as children celebrating during vacation might feel excluded.
• Field trips are so problematic that second-year homeroom classes are often avoided by regular teachers, frequently offloaded to temporary instructors.
• In school violence cases, students without legal representation are often placed at a disadvantage.
• Jeong Seung-hoon (The Kookmin Ilbo columnist) noted, “Laws are increasingly becoming tools for perpetrators to evade responsibility, reinforcing inequalities and biased outcomes by favoring the powerful,” adding, “It’s common to see complaints disguised as legal issues paralyzing normal school functions.”
• Related Link.

Caught in the ‘New Lee Jae-myung’ Controversy.

• Expanding the base is the key.
• Lee Se-young (Hankyoreh Columnist) emphasized, “If the goal is a stable majority coalition, the task is clear,” adding, “It’s about creating new symbols and policies that bind together the desires and demands of traditional and new supporters.”
• Related Link.

“The Head of the Prosecution Office Shall Be the Prosecutor General.”.

• Article 6, Clause 1 of the Prosecution Office Act.
• Oh Chang-min (Kyunghyang Shinmun Columnist) questioned, “Does it make sense for a prosecution chief without investigative authority to retain the title of prosecutor general?” Upon closer inspection, it’s not without shortcomings.
• Oh Chang-min emphasized, “From a head of a vast, arrogant power institution, to a head of a human rights protection agency that checks investigative bodies and manages prosecutions rigorously. This is true prosecutorial reform and rectification of names.”
• Related Link.
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Can the People Power Party Self-Destruct?

• Shin Jin-wook (Chung-Ang University Professor) sees little possibility. It’s also premature to assume the far-right will be isolated.
• Looking back to the immediate aftermath of Park Geun-hye’s impeachment, Moon Jae-in’s (then-president) approval rating peaked at 75% in his second year, while the Liberty Korea Party’s support fell to 10%. Did conservatism collapse? No—they didn’t sever ties with the far-right; they mobilized every ounce of hatred and conflict to reclaim power.
• Shin Jin-wook warned, “There should be no complacency.” The best way to suppress far-right politics, he argued, is to demonstrate through competent democratic governance just how inept and deceitful their demagoguery truly is.
• Related Link.

Feedback.

Over 3.11 Million Hold Caregiver Certificates.

• Currently, over 700,000 active caregivers are employed, while the total number of certificate holders reaches 3.11 million.
• Certificate holders are numerous, but only 22% are actively working. Why? Due to poor working conditions and low social recognition. Care labor—which helps maintain dignity during life’s final stages—remains undervalued.
• Prioritizing foreign labor recruitment is secondary to creating conditions that enable certificate holders to enter the workforce. Care labor cannot be replaced by AI, and it is precisely the kind of work needed in the AI era.