Slow Letter is
a curated snapshot of Korea.

We go beyond the headlines, connect the dots, and show you what really matters — with insight and edge. We surface the stories behind the noise and bring the context you didn’t know you needed. It’s not just about what’s happening. It’s about why it matters.

This English edition combines AI-powered translation with careful human editing — using Upstage Solar-Pro-2 — and it’s still in beta mode.We’re learning as we go, and your feedback is invaluable.

“The Crime Is Serious,” Oh Se-hoon Fined 10 Million Won.

• The court ruled all allegations presented were factual. Oh Se-hoon (Seoul mayoral candidate) met Myeong Tae-gyun (political broker) in January 2021 while preparing for the mayoral primary and commissioned a poll. The 21 million won poll cost was paid by Kim Han-jeong, a supporter of Oh Se-hoon.
• The bench stated, “While the actual poll results mostly appeared unfavorable to Oh Se-hoon and the impact on the party primary seems limited,” it judged, “the crime is serious.”
• Since the Kim Kun-hee Special Prosecutors Act mandates appellate and supreme court rulings within three months each, a final verdict is likely by January next year at the latest. A fine over 1 million won would disqualify him from the mayoral position. As a violation of the Political Funds Act, his eligibility to run for office is also restricted for five years—barring him from the next presidential election.
• The charges are clear: Oh Se-hoon first contacted Myeong Tae-gyun, commissioned an unpublished poll, then added a published one. The goal was to have media report polls favorable to him.
• If the invalidation is finalized, a by-election will be held on April 7 next year.
• Oh Se-hoon claimed, “I cannot accept this,” adding, “The ruling was based solely on the testimony of Myeong Tae-gyun, a notorious liar, and circumstantial evidence.”
• Kang Jun-hyun (Democratic Party spokesperson) called it “a just outcome for a clear crime.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

What Matters Now.

Moving Toward Full Abolition of Investigative Powers.

• “The time has come to unite the party’s will. Reform always faces resistance. If even the smallest loophole remains, forces seeking to revert to the past will activate. Compromise here would only change the signboard from ‘Prosecutors’ Office’ to ‘Public Prosecution Service’—leaving the essence of prosecutorial power intact.”
• Han Byung-do (Democratic Party floor leader) stated, “There is no dissent on the overarching principle.”
• The plan is to resolve the issue before the August 17 party convention—possibly as early as next week.
• Park Chan-woon (Hanyang University professor, former head of the prosecution reform advisory committee) remarked, “The Democratic Party seems bewitched.”
• In an editorial, Chosun Ilbo argued, “Only public sentiment can judge politics intoxicated by power.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Self-Employed Delinquency Rate Hits 13-Year High.

• Small business delinquency rates are also at an 11-year peak.
• Self-employed (individual business owners) and small corporations are classified together as small businesses, with delinquency rates of 0.84%, 1.11%, and 1.00% respectively.
• 73% of corporate loan growth at the five major banks went to large enterprises. According to the Bank of Korea, the loan demand outlook index was 25 for small businesses and 6 for large enterprises—meaning funds are not flowing where they are needed.
• Credit card loan rates have surpassed 15% annually, with average rates for low-credit borrowers (below 700 credit score) nearing 20% annually.
• Park Hyung-joong (Woori Bank analyst) said, “Polarization is accelerating rapidly, yet there is no clear solution to address it,” adding, “The question is not whether delinquency rates will rise sharply or moderately—they are unlikely to stabilize in the short term.”

Jeong Cheong-rae vs. Kim Min-seok: 26:22.

• Results from the KSOI opinion poll.
• Limiting to Gwangju-Jeolla, where Democratic Party members are concentrated, the split is 34% to 23%.
• Jeong Cheong-rae (former Democratic Party leader) said, “In the Honam region, I’ve reversed the gap and pulled ahead.” Kim Min-seok (former prime minister) stated, “The party member vote is critical.”
• Among Democratic Party supporters alone, Jeong Cheong-rae and Kim Min-seok stand at 33% and 36%, respectively.
• Related Link.

Shincheonji: “No Interest in Democratic Party Convention.”.

• Two figures are clashing over Shincheonji. After Kim Min-seok (former prime minister) posted on X, “We will overcome anti-illumination, divisionism, Shincheonji, and any collusion,” Jeong Cheong-rae (former Democratic Party leader) countered, “Provide precise evidence according to the five Ws.”
• Shincheonji issued a statement, claiming, “We have no interest in the Democratic Party convention and have made no intervention.”

Deep Dive.

ChatGPT Test Model Launched Unprompted Attack.

• They were testing an unreleased advanced AI model. Its resistance to hacking commands had been intentionally weakened for evaluation purposes.
• According to OpenAI, it exploited an unknown vulnerability, connected online, and suddenly attacked Hugging Face.
• Clément Delangue (Hugging Face CEO) wrote on X, “I strongly believe there was no malice,” but added, “I still can’t believe this all happened on its own.”
• Greg Casar (Democratic Congressman) noted, “AI is advancing incredibly fast with no real safeguards to keep us safe.”
• Nathan Calvin (Encode legal advisor) said, “This time, we were lucky the damage was limited. Next time, we might not be.”
• Related Link.

Brent Crude Hits $95 per Barrel.

• It has surged 30% this month, reaching its highest level since June 11.
• The U.S. has struck Iran for 11 consecutive days.
• Goldman Sachs warned Brent crude could jump to $120.
• Pete Hegseth (U.S. Secretary of Defense) estimated the war cost at $37.5 billion. The White House requested an additional $67 billion in funding.
• Analysis suggests that if the Bab el-Mandeb Strait joins the Hormuz Strait in being blocked, 25% of global oil supply would be affected.
• Related Link.

“38 Months of Public Health Service: Are You Out of Your Mind?”.

• Lee Jae-myung (president) made these remarks at a regional-essential-public healthcare meeting. While active-duty service has been reduced to 18 months, the service periods for public health doctors and military physicians have remained unchanged since the 1950s.
• Lee Jae-myung said, “A systematic review and improvement plan seem necessary.”
• A public health clinic director attending the meeting stated, “Residents in medically underserved areas can only get sick on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays.”
• The government plans to pilot public health clinics by consolidating scattered health centers and operating them under contract.
• Related Link.

AI-Driven Job Losses? Population Shrinks Faster.

• 10 years, working-age population declines by 390,000—AI displaces 260,000 jobs.
• 260,000 represents 2% of employed workers. KDI estimates 72% of tasks could be AI-replaceable—potentially rising to 90% in a decade.
• Nam Chang-woo (KDI Research Fellow) analyzed, “AI displacement won’t outpace population decline, leaving room for workforce reallocation.”
• Total factor productivity is projected to rise 1.5–3.5%.
• Wage compression may occur as high-income sectors see slower wage growth, narrowing income gaps.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

“Same Work, No Profit.”.

• Rising exchange rates and oil prices are exacerbating pain for SMEs. A JoongAng Ilbo analysis of 176 semiconductor subcontractors found an 8% operating profit margin. This contrasts sharply with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which reported operating profits of 54 trillion won and 38 trillion won, respectively, with margins of 66% and 72%.
• Domestic semiconductor equipment localization stands at around 20%. Of the 70 trillion won spent on equipment for a 100 trillion won factory, 56 trillion flows to foreign suppliers.
• Material sector localization is also about 30%.
• Park Jae-geun (Hanyang University Professor) emphasized, “We can’t force domestic use when product quality is poor,” adding, “Fundamental capacity-building is essential for stabilizing the materials, components, and equipment supply chain.”
• Related Link.

Another Take.

Black Rain Fell Like Ash.

• The Coupang warehouse fire was extinguished after 109 hours.
• Some residents said, “The headaches won’t stop.”
• Among 330 large warehouses over 15,000㎡ registered since 2020, 55% are within 500 meters of residential complexes.

SK Hynix’s Performance Bonus: 29 Trillion Won.

• According to KB Securities projections, this amounts to 840 million won per person. The company is expected to post 29 trillion won in operating profit this year.
• Yesterday’s labor-management talks at SK Hynix saw the company propose partial payment in company stock rather than full cash payouts.
• Samsung Electronics paid 100% in company stock—one-third immediately sellable, with the remainder available one and two years later.
• Related Link.

Half of Traffic Is AI Bots.

• Some media outlets are considering blocking crawling bots altogether. USA Today saw search traffic drop by half. CNN’s fell by 25%, while Business Insider’s plummeted by 85%.
• Reddit receives $60 million annually from Google for content provision but is reviewing whether to renew the contract. This is because AI Overviews have significantly reduced search traffic.
• Josh Munke (Economist Vice President) said, “Traffic may fluctuate or decline, but traffic is still traffic.”
• Mark Howard (Time Chief Operating Officer) said, “There are two types of users: humans and bots.” The idea is that exposing brands in AI responses could also become a pathway to potential customers.
• Related Link.

Alphabet’s Earnings Surprise.

• Second-quarter revenue hit $119.8 billion—a 24% increase from the same period last year. Cloud revenue surged 82%.
• Capital expenditures, a focal point, reached $44.9 billion, aligning with market expectations, but free cash flow (FCF) came in at -$5.9 billion. Shares fell -1.2%.
• U.S. markets closed broadly lower yesterday. The S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq dropped -0.14%, -0.01%, and -0.57%, respectively.
• Related Link.

“Every Fish Market Stinks.”.

• Yoo Si-min (author)’s rhetoric is growing harsher. “The leader of the ‘New Lee Jae-myung’ faction is Lee Jae-myung himself,” he declared, “and absolute power corrupts 100%.” He claimed, “Everything the ‘New Lee Jae-myung’ does isn’t just chaos stirred by self-proclaimed ‘pro-Lee’ factions—it’s orchestrated by some unknown advisors, not the president or us.”
• Park Ji-won (Democratic Party lawmaker) criticized, “It’s like a broken tape recorder on repeat.”
• Jeong Cheong-rae (former Democratic Party leader) distanced himself, saying, “I’ll withhold comment.”
• Chosun Ilbo frames Yoo’s remarks as tied to the Lee Jae-myung indictment cancellation. Their analysis: “They avoid mentioning it because it’s a sensitive issue, but the real concern is fear of the indictment being dropped.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Tokyo-Osaka in 67 Minutes.

• They will build a Shinkansen line passing through Shizuoka Prefecture. It will cover 9 km at 505 km/h in 64 seconds. The project cost is $68 billion.
• Once completed, the final bottleneck section of the Chuo Shinkansen will be resolved. Though Takaichi Sanae (Prime Minister of Japan) did not lead the initiative and merely held the position when the deal was finalized, its symbolic significance is substantial. Coincidentally, a $2.3 trillion investment plan was also announced by 2040.
• The Financial Times assessed, “The government is not merely promoting growth but implementing a new form of industrial policy that supports sectors in ways unattainable through market principles alone.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

“Sleeps Only 0–3 Hours” Japanese Prime Minister.

• “I finally slept a full five hours for the first time in ages” sparked massive controversy. On weekends, he reportedly re-read policy documents, processed thousands of backlogged emails, and ironed underwear and sewed torn skirts in his spare time.
• Kunishige Toru (Komeito lawmaker) warned, “Chronic sleep deprivation can impair judgment, posing risks to crisis management.” Konishi Hiroyuki (Constitutional Democratic Party lawmaker) noted, “The prime minister’s real job isn’t scrutinizing documents—it’s setting policy direction.” The implication: bragging about working without sleep is not commendable.
• Iwama Yoko (professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies) argued, “Creating a support system so the prime minister can focus on work without handling household chores would advance women’s participation in society.”
• Related Link.

The Fix.

Why the President Says He Can’t Sleep.

• “The world is in chaos over energy issues—it’s so dire I can’t sleep.”
• Lee Jae-myung (President) said this at a Jeju town hall meeting in March. “The situation is worse than you think,” he stressed, “and we must switch to renewable energy immediately.”
• His remarks came after the U.S.-Iran conflict, but the crisis has since worsened. Energy transition and security have been sidelined, while power demand surges. No wonder he’s sleepless.
• Climate Solutions compiled a fix. They released an interactive storytelling page titled [Energy Cool-Sleep Kit for the Sleepless President].
• The core ideas: self-reliance, detachment, and system overhaul.
• First, self-reliance: produce renewable energy domestically.
• To reduce energy import dependence, we must accelerate renewable energy to 100GW. Start by lifting solar spacing regulations and overhauling the fossil-fuel-centric grid.
• Expand the renewable energy market. Broaden real-time power markets and invest in flexible resources like ESS and VPP.
• Second, detachment: break free from fossil fuels.
• Lower LNG reliance and increase grid access for renewables. Halt new gas plants and LNG terminals, which risk becoming stranded assets.
• Cut ties with coal. It’s neither a security power source nor compatible with renewable transition.
• Treat renewable energy as a corporate competitiveness issue. Focus government support on commercializing hydrogen-based steelmaking and electrifying NCCs.
• Third, system overhaul: redirect institutions and finance.
• Break KEPCO’s monopoly. Separate its voting rights in power subsidiaries and transfer grid access authority to an independent body. Phase out blanket cost-based compensation and exclude fossil plants from capacity payments.
• Stop public financing for fossil fuels. Create a transition finance track for green hydrogen, renewables, and grid infrastructure.
• 👉 [Energy Cool-Sleep Kit Link.]
• Related Link.

Is 90% Greenhouse Gas Reduction by 2045 Feasible?

• The National Assembly’s Climate Crisis Special Committee passed an amendment to the Carbon Neutrality Framework Act. It comes 1 year and 11 months after the Constitutional Court’s 2024 ruling that the original law was unconstitutional.
• The 2040 target is 69–80% reduction compared to 2018 levels,
• the 2045 target is 84–90% reduction compared to 2018 levels.
• Plan1.5 argued, “Setting the linear reduction path as the lower bound of the long-term reduction path clearly contradicts the Constitutional Court’s ruling in the climate lawsuit, which demanded a long-term reduction path that protects the basic rights of citizens and future generations from the climate crisis.”
• Bae Bo-ram (Deputy Director, Green Transition Institute) stated, “Since the upper bound has virtually no legal enforceability, the lower bound is likely to function as the de facto legal standard. Existing systems like the emissions trading scheme have also been linked and applied based on the lower bound.”

40% of Baby Box Infants Are Foreign-Born.

• The two-year-old anonymous birth system saw a sharp decline: babies left in baby boxes fell from 79 in 2023 to 26 last year.
• This year’s first half recorded 14 infants—6 of them foreign-born.
• The anonymous birth system guarantees childbirth without disclosing identity at medical institutions. Critics argue the system remains inaccessible to foreigners.

ICYMI.

The Loudness War.

• Analysis suggests K-pop is turning up the volume. According to Choi Sung-rak (Kangseo University professor), the perceived loudness of popular music has increased by nearly 30% compared to the 1990s.
• Choi Jung-hoon (Audio Guy CEO) explained, “Even the same music sounds richer and more vibrant when played louder, as low and high frequencies become more pronounced,” adding, “When radio stations began playing some songs softly and others loudly, record producers wanted their tracks to blast louder.”
• ‘High-gain’ sound differs from simply increasing volume. It lifts quieter sounds while suppressing excessively loud ones, making the entire track sound bigger and clearer.
• It uses ‘compressors’ and ‘limiters.’ Compressors reduce the difference between loud and soft sounds to even out overall volume, while limiters prevent audio from exceeding set thresholds.
• Related Link.

SK Hynix Denies Plans to Acquire Intel’s Ohio Factory.

• JoongAng Ilbo’s exclusive report was debunked by an official statement: “While reviewing various investment and acquisition opportunities, there has been no pursuit or decision to acquire Intel’s factory.”
• The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy also issued a clarification: “The report is untrue, and no discussions with the government have taken place.”
• Industry observers note that U.S. investment possibilities remain open.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Worth Reading.

Trump, Netanyahu, and Putin.

• All are men who believe they are the smartest in the room. Reality? They’re surrounded by sycophants, careening down blind alleys.
• Thomas Friedman (New York Times columnist) noted, “This foolish war cannot go on indefinitely,” adding, “It will eventually end in negotiations.” The only question is when.
• Related Link.

“By Presidential Directive.”.

• Under Yoon Suk-yeol’s administration, the phrase “was enraged” appeared often, but under Lee Jae-myung’s government, “by presidential directive” is ubiquitous.
• Yeo Young-joon (JoongAng Ilbo editorial director) noted, “Even if it’s a display of loyalty to credit the president with everything, one must question whether such explicit attribution is necessary or if leaving announcements to frontline ministries would be more appropriate.”
• Yet why the silence on the supplementary investigation authority issue? As recently as January, the administration stated, “There are exceptional cases where it is necessary,” and until last month maintained, “Our stance on the necessity of supplementary investigation authority remains unchanged.” Yeo Young-joon observed, “The ruling party has been handed the ball while the president steps back—a troubling dynamic.” Such issues, he argues, demand presidential leadership to avoid accusations of hypocrisy and fulfill accountability: “Only by addressing them directly can the president reconcile rhetoric with action.”

Six Stages of Sinophobia and the Lost Rapport.

• When asked how far elementary students study these days, they say, “Up to page 523.” It’s the day Roh Moo-hyun (former president) took his own life.
• According to Woo Suk-hoon (economist), the third stage of anti-China initiation is Kim Jong-un–Xi Jinping–Roh Moo-hyun. The third stage of anti-China completion is Roh Moo-hyun–Moon Jae-in–Lee Jae-myung. Absurd claims like “Lee Jae-myung will hand Korea over to China as a colony” are filled with humor codes like “destroying soybeans.”
• Woo Suk-hoon pointed out, “What strengthens this narrative structure is the loss of rapport—the relationship between parents and children.”
• “Fathers generally stop talking to their children around 5th–6th grade. Mothers, around 2nd–3rd year of middle school, have no real conversations once studies and academies are excluded. Teachers also struggle to build rapport. After six years of middle and high school, many Korean teenagers graduate as fully formed far-right extremists.”
• “With Roh Moo-hyun as the dividing line, two narratives are now at war in Korea, and it has become a genuine generational conflict—a developed-world-style far-right phenomenon.”
• Related Link.