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.

821 Trillion Won ‘Super Budget’.

• Increased by 12.8% from this year.
• Park Hong-geun (Minister of Planning and Budget) said, “Bold fiscal investment will open the floodgates of growth, and this growth will in turn strengthen the fiscal foundation—we will solidify a virtuous cycle of proactive fiscal policy and economic growth.”
• Lee Jae-myung (President) emphasized, “Fiscal policy must play a precise role in minimizing the suffering of vulnerable groups due to rising interest rates and preventing the erosion of growth potential.”
• Over five years under the Lee Jae-myung administration, total expenditure will increase by 332 trillion won—matching the combined 348 trillion won increase over 13 years under Park Geun-hye, Moon Jae-in, and Yoon Suk-yeol governments (75+207+66 trillion won respectively).
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National Debt Ratio Drops to 48.3%.

• This year’s 51.6% will actually decrease.
• Although national debt will grow by 106 trillion won to 1,519.8 trillion won, the denominator (GDP) is expanding faster.
• By 2030, total expenditures will rise to 1,005.2 trillion won.
• Park Chang-hwan (Budget Review Director, Ministry of Planning and Budget) noted, “While Korea’s fiscal spending as a share of GDP is around 35%—compared to the OECD average of 42% and the U.S. at 37.7%—I sometimes wonder if we should be surprised by reaching 1,000 trillion won or if we should instead be aiming higher.”
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What Matters Now.

Is the Welfare Budget Sufficient or Not?

• Newspapers differ in their assessments.
• The Chosun Ilbo criticized in an editorial, “Though growth is cited as the justification, the actual funds have been allocated elsewhere.” While health+welfare+employment budgets increase by 24.6 trillion won, R&D+industry+SMEs+energy+SOC combined only rise by 14.6 trillion won.
• The Hankyoreh, citing the same figures, noted that industry+SMEs+energy budgets grew by 29.7%, while health+welfare+employment increased by only 9.3%. Jeong Se-eun (Professor, Chungnam National University) emphasized, “While economic growth is important, at a time when polarization is worsening due to semiconductor-led growth, welfare spending is more urgently needed.”
• The Kyunghyang Shinmun assessed in an editorial, “The welfare sector has been marginalized.” It pointed out, “Given the reality of deepening polarization as semiconductor boom benefits concentrate among certain corporations and classes, this is the budget’s most critical flaw.”
• Related Link.
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Budgets Brimming with Rosy Projections.

• Kim Sang-bong (Professor, Hansung University) warned, “In a situation where we don’t know when the semiconductor industry might enter a downturn, drastically increasing total expenditures like this could widen the fiscal deficit—it’s concerning.”
• The JoongAng Ilbo cautioned in an editorial, “Global economic ‘gray rhinos’—obvious yet ignored risks—are lurking everywhere, ready to shake the Korean economy at any moment.” Already, U.S. national debt has emerged as a global risk, and talk of a semiconductor peakout is surfacing.
• The Chosun Ilbo criticized in an editorial, “Increased national debt should be repaid during periods of strong tax revenue, yet this budget proposal shows no such effort.”
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Emergency Fund 104 Trillion Won? Fiscal Reservoir 162 Trillion Won.

• Future Response Funds are set at 162.3 trillion won. Project expenditures will be reduced by 45.4 trillion won, government bond issuance by 12.5 trillion won, and the remaining 104.4 trillion won will be held as reserve funds.
• Park Hong-geun said, “When tax revenues are high during economic booms, we should temporarily expand spending, and when revenues fall during recessions, we should implement austerity to correct the flawed structure that leads to economic downturns.”
• There are observations that this could become a slush fund bypassing parliamentary review.
• Kim Hyun-dong (Professor, Pai Chai University) stated, “Given the fund’s large scale and the overly broad scope of its purpose and projects, it violates the National Finance Act’s requirement for fund establishment—‘a specific purpose.’”
• Lee Sang-min (Senior Researcher, Korea Institute of Public Finance) warned, “If the Future Fund grows excessively and encompasses too many projects, it could become a ‘second general account’ rather than a fiscal stabilization fund. To prevent it from degenerating into a slush fund that the government withdraws from at will, maximum accumulation limits and sunset clauses should be set, and once structural increases in tax revenue are confirmed, related projects should be reintegrated into the general account.”
• Related Link.
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Global Bond Panic.

• Government bond prices have plummeted (bond yields are soaring). The U.S., UK, Japan, and others are shattering records not seen since 2008.
• Kevin Warsh (former Federal Reserve Chair) mentioning the possibility of rate hikes was the trigger. Axios analyzed that the market panicked at the phrase “fiscal dominance”—a scenario where fiscal policy overrides monetary policy, ultimately raising fears that the Fed might capitulate to Trump.
• Amid surging corporate bond issuances by hyperscalers, anxieties are escalating.
• Analyses suggest the bond market has entered a “doom loop.” The New York Times noted, “No country has presented a credible plan to reduce debt.” French government bond yields have even surpassed Italy’s.
• Donald Trump (U.S. President) stated, “We should have the lowest interest rates in the world,” adding, “Our rates are way too high.”
• Paul Donovan (UBS Global Economist) pointed out, “The real risk for the U.S. isn’t failing to sell Treasuries—it’s having to accept ever-higher rates to do so.”
• All three major U.S. indices fell yesterday. The S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq dropped -0.71%, -0.79%, and -1.03%, respectively.
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To Whom Shall the Money Be Lent?

• First, the U.S. is a once-flamboyant businessman who squandered his fortune on parties and drugs. Still spending lavishly, it still needs more cash. The U.S. has neither a plan nor the will to address its 6% GDP deficit.
• Second, Japan is an aging but diligent, well-regarded businessman. It is the world’s largest creditor nation, yet remains hobbled by an aging population.
• Third, Europe is a debt-ridden aristocrat. Profligate spending has drained its assets. It must cut spending, but that is no easy task.
• The Financial Times noted, “The one who cannot repay is more frightening than the one who will not.”
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Deep Dive.

30,000 Won More, Yet Called “Thick Below, Thin Above”?

• Basic pensions were left largely untouched. The eligibility criteria—70% of income-quartile seniors aged 65+—remain unchanged.
• The bottom 0–30% (348,000 people) receive 380,000 won monthly. The 30–45% bracket (174,000 people) gets 360,000 won, and the 45–70% group (290,000 people) remains at 350,000 won as in 2023.
• Despite the “thick below, thin above” rationale, the government neither reduced the recipient pool nor significantly increased the “thick below” portion—only a 30,000 won boost.
• Chosun Ilbo assessed, “Fearing backlash from older voters and civic groups, the government retreated, offering a plan that is neither ‘thick below’ nor ‘thin above.'”
• Oh Geun-ho (co-chair of “Welfare State We Make”) quipped, “Calling a 30,000 won increase ‘thick below’ is a joke.” Over 1 million seniors on livelihood benefits will see even that sum slashed.
• Related Link.
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What Jeong Eun-kyeong Did Not Say.

• On the 27th of last month, Jeong Eun-kyeong (Minister of Health and Welfare) abruptly canceled a planned announcement of basic pension reform.
• It would have gradually reduced eligibility to 80% of the median income by 2030.
• Cho Yong-beom (Vice Minister of Planning and Budget) explained, “This is not about taking from the upper tier to support the lower—it’s about reinforcing the lower tier while leaving the upper tier intact.”
• The “give and take” structure remained unchanged.
• The Hankyoreh assessed, “For low-income seniors who had hoped for ‘thick below, thin above,’ this was a thoroughly disheartening overhaul.”
• Related Link.
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Kim Yong-beom Steps Down Over Leverage ETF Fallout.

• Kim Yong-beom (Blue House Policy Chief) submitted his resignation, which was immediately accepted. Most Blue House staff were unaware until the announcement.
• The Blue House held two briefings, stating, “Senior staff typically serve 1 year 2 months to 1 year 6 months, and rotations ensure smooth policy implementation,” but explanations remained lacking. The timing—announced a day after ministerial reshuffles—also raised eyebrows. A successor has yet to be named.
• Kim remarked, “It stings to be called a ‘sacrificial replacement.’”
• Speculation had long held that he retained Lee Jae-myung (President)’s strong trust. While he publicly pressured Kim Yun-deok (Minister of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport) and Lee Won-bok (Financial Services Commission Chair) in Cabinet meetings, he was never directly reprimanded.
• According to Chosun Ilbo, the atmosphere was, “With approval ratings at 30%, it’s absurd no one is taking responsibility.” Though calls to replace Kim began in late June, a Realmeter poll showing 38.9% approval proved decisive.
• Related Link.
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Who Replaces Kim Yong-beom?

• Kim Jeong-gwan (Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy) is a potential candidate.
• Go Hyung-kwon (BS Group Vice Chairman), Kim Lee-tae (Samsung Card CEO), and Lee Ho-seung (former Blue House Policy Chief) are also mentioned.
• Internal promotions like Ryu Deok-hyun (Blue House Fiscal Planning Advisor) or Ha Joon-kyung (Blue House Economic Growth Chief) remain possibilities,
• as do Park Yong-jin (former Democratic Party lawmaker), Lee Yong-woo (former Democratic Party lawmaker), and Hong Seong-guk (former Democratic Party lawmaker).

Non-Resident Single-Home Tax Hike Reversed.

• Plans to lower the comprehensive real estate tax basic deduction from 1.2 billion won to 900 million won (expanding the taxable base) were scrapped, keeping it at 1.2 billion won. A proposed increase in the property tax + comprehensive real estate tax cap from 150% to 200% was also withdrawn.
• It has been 29 days since the August 3rd measures. According to Kyunghyang Shinmun, Kim Yong-beom reportedly insisted on maintaining the original plan until the end. The sudden reversal—despite agreeing to proceed with the original plan just a day prior—suggests Lee Jae-myung’s intervention.
• A 84㎡ Pangyo Jae unit (official price: 3.49 billion won) will see taxes reduced by 5.54 million won: from 33.18 million won (non-resident) and 27.64 million won (resident) to lower amounts.
• A 84㎡ Mapo Raemian Prugio unit (official price: 1.75 billion won) will see taxes reduced by 840,000 won: from 6.05 million won (non-resident) and 5.21 million won (resident) to lower amounts.
• Kim Hyun-dong (Pai Chai University Professor) warned, “The government has severely undermined its reform momentum by signaling to the market that strong resistance guarantees retreat.” He criticized, “If fairness in taxation was the policy goal, the government should have persuaded the public despite challenges—abandoning it without explanation is unacceptable.”
• In an editorial, JoongAng Ilbo called it a “relief.”
• The government’s credibility is damaged. JoongAng Ilbo noted, “The ruling party should treat this policy failure—where half-baked measures confused the public and triggered a drop in approval ratings—as a lesson for its second year in power.”
• Only 3% of the 15.98 million homeowners are subject to the comprehensive real estate tax.
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U.S.-North Korea Summit Possible at Any Time.

• This is the National Intelligence Service’s analysis. Talks between the U.S. and North Korea are underway, using the recovery and repatriation of U.S. military remains as a pretext.
• Kelly McKeague (Director of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Accounting Agency) told the White House, “First, it would be helpful for North Korea to hand over the remains it possesses, and second, it would be helpful to resume joint field search activities, which were last conducted in 2005.”
• The recovery of U.S. military remains is one of the few issues North Korea is willing to cooperate on. “It’s a small window where the two countries can start a dialogue purely from a humanitarian perspective, without any preconditions.”
• Nam Sung-wook (Professor at Sookmyung Women’s University) said, “The key feature of Trump’s ‘October surprise’ in October is that Kim Jong-un holds the decision-making power,” adding, “If Kim Jong-un proposes Pyongyang, Trump is likely to accept.”
• Park Won-gon (Professor at Ewha Womans University) predicted, “While a U.S.-North Korea summit is likely in the fall, the venue being Pyongyang is unlikely.” Candidates include Vladivostok, Russia.
• Related Link.
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Nepal Flood Death Toll Exceeds 1,000.

• Missing persons are nearing 4,500.
• The situation is dire, with unidentifiable bodies being buried with numbered tags.
• Sishir Khanal (Nepal’s Minister of Foreign Affairs) stated, “Nepal is entirely bearing the brunt of climate change caused by carbon emissions from developed and powerful nations,” adding, “We will approach this issue not as a matter of ‘charitable aid’ but as a question of ‘rightful entitlement and obligation fulfillment.’”
• Related Link.

Another Take.

Yong Hye-in’s Dilemma.

• Ministerial and parliamentary roles can be held concurrently. However, the Basic Income Party has only one lawmaker, and if Yong Hye-in resigns, the party’s subsidy—worth 1.1 billion won annually—will be cut.
• Yong Hye-in (Basic Income Party lawmaker, gender equality and family minister nominee) has taken a stance of confronting the issue head-on.
• Shin Hyun-young (Democratic Party spokesperson) criticized, “This cannot help but appear as excessive privilege and greed.”
• Na Kyung-won (People Power Party lawmaker) stated, “I will propose a ‘Yong Hye-in Prevention Act.’”
• Jang Hye-young (former Justice Party lawmaker) condemned, “Why should the public tolerate the penalty from cheating by joining a satellite party? This is nonsense.”
• She lacks allies. Choi Min-hee (Democratic Party Supreme Council member) said, “It’s not too late to listen to her explanations during the confirmation hearing and then decide.”
• If she attends the hearing, there will be many contentious issues. Ahn Hye-ri (JoongAng Ilbo editorial writer) criticized, “While her tax-saving and investment skills are acknowledged, I don’t see why someone who seems lacking in parliamentary qualifications should become a minister.”
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Why Is Won Min-kyung Stepping Down?

• Won Min-kyung (Minister of Gender Equality and Family) is being replaced for unclear reasons.
• According to Kyunghyang Shinmun, “Speculation has emerged that it may be due to clashes with Lee Jae-myung over lowering the age of criminal responsibility for juvenile offenders.”

Kim Seung-won’s Pharma Lobbying Allegations: What’s the Truth?

• Kim Seung-won (Democratic Party lawmaker, Minister of Justice nominee) was caught on camera sending a message to Seo Young-kyo (National Assembly Judiciary Committee chairman): “Chairman, here’s a summary of the MFDS-related content. My apologies.”
• The case dates back to 2021. Kim Seung-won faced a prosecution investigation over allegations that he, at a broker’s request, lobbied Kim Kang-lip (then head of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety) to approve a new drug treatment by Genencel.
• Prosecutors delayed the case for three years before giving Kim Seung-won a suspended indictment in December 2024.
• Kim Seung-won has filed a constitutional appeal, protesting the suspended indictment.
• Han Dong-hoon (independent lawmaker) argued, “A person like this should not be the Minister of Justice, tasked with upholding fairness and justice.”
• Related Link.
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“Jeong Cheong-rae’s factional maneuvering has begun.”.

• Kang Min-goo (Deputy Head of the Democratic Party’s Ethics and Inspection Unit) was caught on camera by a Segye Ilbo reporter sending a message to Park Seon-won (Democratic Party lawmaker): “I think we need to go quickly and take control.”
• Kim Min-seok (Democratic Party leader) immediately dismissed Kang Min-goo.

Minty’s Debut Broadcast: News Factory Receives 54.58 Million Won in Donations.

• It is a shortened form of Democratic Party TV. The concept is to broadcast for 37 minutes starting at 7 p.m. Yesterday, the first broadcast had 55,000 concurrent viewers.
• Kim Eo-jun’s News Factory, which aired at the same time, had 210,000 viewers—higher than usual—and received 54.58 million won in donations, 29 times the average. The Hankyoreh assessed, “Kim Eo-jun smiled as Democratic Party TV emerged.”
• The JoongAng Ilbo evaluated, “The competition for discourse leadership within the camp appears to be intensifying.” On the Ddanzi bulletin board, posts flooded in: “Let’s support with Mae-bul Show in the afternoon” and “Unsubscribe from Democratic Party TV.”
• No Jong-myeon (Democratic Party lawmaker), appearing on News Factory, explained, “It is unthinkable—and self-destructive for the entire camp—to ban or discourage lawmakers from appearing on News Factory just because Democratic Party TV has launched.” Kim Min-seok commented on No Jong-myeon’s Facebook post, “Ban on appearances? Obviously not.”
• Han Woong-hyun (Democratic Party TV preparation TF head) stated, “We have no intention of competing with Kim Eo-jun’s broadcast.”
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“Will My Workload Increase?”.

• These were the words of a police officer who falsely closed a missing persons report. A Jeju Police Agency internal investigation confirmed that out of 298 cases, 25 were falsely closed.
• Suspicion remains. The investigation is being conducted by the missing persons unit. There is no reason for this officer to feel burdened.
• The JoongAng Ilbo editorialized, “It is astonishing anew that the laxity of a missing persons system—where a single police officer’s discretion can sway outcomes—has reached this level.”
• The Chosun Ilbo noted, “A ‘systemic disaster’ compounded by police moral decay, complacency, malfunctioning protocols, and paralyzed command functions.”
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The Fix.

Lowering Unemployment Benefits, Extending Payment Periods.

• Saturdays will now be excluded when calculating unemployment benefit payment days.
• The minimum payment will decrease from 1.98 million won to 1.76 million won per month, and the maximum from 2.04 million won to 1.81 million won. In exchange, the payment period will increase from 5 months to 5.8 months under the 150-day standard.
• The rationale is to correct income inversion where unemployment benefits exceed the minimum wage. Analysis suggests annual unemployment benefit expenditures will decrease by over 1 trillion won.
• Kim Dae-jong (Sejong University professor) noted, “For low-income groups, this is money that directly affects immediate livelihoods,” and added, “To receive unemployment benefits, one must be ‘fully unemployed,’ but there is a need to adjust eligibility criteria to allow income supplementation through work up to a certain level.”
• Kim Gi-seung (Pusan National University professor) questioned, “I doubt this reform will significantly help achieve goals like encouraging job-seeking or alleviating fiscal strain.”
• Related Link.
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Will Busan, Jeonnam, and Chungnam National Universities Become Seoul National University?

• They are the first universities to receive focused support under the “10 Seoul National Universities” initiative.
• The Ministry of Education will provide approximately 70 billion won annually until 2030 to national flagship universities—3.9 trillion won over five years.
• A representative from a failed national university pointed out, “There was no presentation opportunity, and scoring results were not disclosed after evaluation.” Another official claimed, “It seems they were preselected with regional balance in mind.”
• In an editorial, the Kyunghyang Shinmun warned, “If university support does not link to job creation, the result will be the futile outcome of trained talent again flowing into the capital region.”
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ICYMI.

Semiconductors Account for Half of Exports.

• August exports reached $98.24 billion, of which $46.65 billion came from semiconductors. Semiconductor exports surged 209% compared to the same month last year.
• Cumulative exports through August totaled $693.3 billion. Analysis suggests, “Following Germany, the U.S., and China, South Korea could become the fourth country to surpass $1 trillion in annual exports.”
• DDR4 8GB DRAM, priced at $5.3 in the third quarter of last year, now exceeds $25.
• Kang Gam-chan (Director-General of Trade and Investment, Ministry of Industry) told the JoongAng Ilbo, “While the proportion may suggest overreliance on semiconductors, exports of other items remain robust.”
• The won-dollar exchange rate hit 1,364.3 won—its lowest level in a year and two months.
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How Data Maxxers Manage Their Health.

• ‘Datamaxxers’ refers to people obsessed with biometric data like heart rate and sleep cycles.
• Some believe analyzing heart rate can reveal who stresses them out the most.
• In the U.S., MRI scans are trending among influencers. Stories of detecting malignant brain tumors went viral, but experts advise healthy individuals don’t need unnecessary MRIs.
• Critics note tests don’t improve health and overdiagnosis can lead to unwarranted treatments. A freno-bravo scan costs around $2,500.
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SIU Staffing Only 61% Filled.

• Of 2,376 applicants, 615 withdrew their applications.
• Only 1,716 of 2,874 total positions have been filled.
• A detective interviewed by Chosun Ilbo said, “With the SIU’s opening less than a month away, many officers withdrew their applications after seeing how unprepared things still were.”
• Related Link.

ChatGPT Ads: $1 Billion Annually.

• Annualized figure. Applies only to free and low-cost plans.
• OpenAI stated, “Conversation content is not directly shared with advertisers, and responses are strictly separated from ads.”

Make the DMZ the Panama Canal of the Region.

• Children don’t answer when asked whether they prefer their mother or father. The question forcing a choice between alliance or enemy, between the U.S. and China, must change.
• Kim Seong-hae (Professor at Daegu University) said, “We must escape the framework of being forced to choose” and proposed, “Let’s turn the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) into a neutral zone like the Panama Canal and establish a multilateral security system.”
• It doesn’t have to go as far as unification. It could remain as a Korean Union where each state exercises sovereignty while sharing significant interests.
• A neutral zone on the Korean Peninsula requires three things. First, now is the opportunity as U.S. hegemony wanes and multilateralism emerges. Second, we must leverage Korea’s irreplaceable geographical strength. We need to gather countries that share interests. Third, we need the power of democracy that builds self-respect, national dignity, and solidarity.
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What You Don’t Know Matters More.

• “We judge based on current information” must be distinguished from “it has been confirmed as fact.” We cannot know everything and must accept the risks of uncertainty.
• Jang Seok-gwang (Secretary-General of the National Intelligence Research Association) emphasized, “The level of an intelligence agency is revealed in its ability to distinguish between what it knows and what it doesn’t, what is an estimate, and what is confirmed fact.”
• Related Link.

‘New Lee Jae-myung’ or ‘Core Democratic Party’?

• “The Democratic Party is the largest ruling party in its 40-year democratic history. Countless challenges pile up before them, yet debates on the public duties politics must fulfill are nowhere to be found.”
• Inequality worsens, but policies move in reverse. The financial investment tax was abolished, and dividend income is now taxed separately. Strengthening property taxes may be scrapped altogether. Even the Yellow Envelope Law is under threat.
• Cho Hyung-keun (sociologist) warned, “If the Lee Jae-myung administration believes only completing judicial reforms is enough, the regime might as well have already been abandoned.”
• Related Link.

Has Yong Hye-in Broken the Unwritten Rule?

• How did the unwritten rule emerge that district representatives can concurrently serve as ministers while proportional representatives must resign?
• If a district representative resigns, a by-election must be held, potentially reducing their party’s seats—but a proportional representative’s seat simply passes to the next in line, leaving the party’s seat count unchanged. Lee Woo-yeon (Hankyoreh reporter) interpreted this as, “A convention solidified not by asking ‘which choice benefits voters’ but ‘which benefits the party.’”
• From Yong Hye-in’s (Basic Income Party representative) perspective, she naturally thinks from her party’s standpoint. If Yong, a satellite party member, resigns, her seat would transfer to the Democratic Party.
• There’s a more critical issue: According to the National Assembly Research Service, a sitting lawmaker’s bill sponsorships drop by 14.5 when concurrently serving as a minister. The issue isn’t district vs. proportional representation—it’s that resigning to become a minister should apply equally to both. This is a strange convention.
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Tenure Neutrality in Housing Policy.

• It is a principle that tax, financial, and housing support systems should not excessively favor either homeowners or renters. South Korea is a country with strong homeownership bias.
• Jeong Joon-ho (Professor at Kangwon National University) emphasized, “While housing price stability is important, it alone cannot achieve full housing security,” adding, “The condition of being able to live long-term without owning a home should be treated as an independent policy goal, and the benefits and protections the system provides to both homeowners and renters must be examined together.”
• Related Link.

“It Has to Make Sense.”.

• Koo Yoon-cheol (former Minister of Economy and Finance) once said, “If the market stabilizes, there’s no need to meddle with taxes.”
• But taxes were ultimately touched, real estate wasn’t controlled, and the tax reform plan was overturned within a month. Koo’s year did not “make sense.”
• The comprehensive real estate tax became a Gangnam tax. It’s a sharp blade and easy to target, but politically burdensome. Though an old stake, it’s not easy to remove. Jo Min-geun (JoongAng Ilbo columnist) pointed out, “Beyond debating individual clauses, we must discuss how to establish a real estate tax system that can find its proper place.”
• Related Link.

Two Paths Before Lee Jae-myung.

• There is the path of following public sentiment, and there is the path of continuing as before. Yoon Tae-gon (head of The More Political Analysis Lab) assessed, “The government and ruling party have run hard as they always have.”
• The next step after prosecutorial reform is judicial reform, and if they win this tug-of-war, public sentiment will only worsen. “The issue is not speed or execution, but direction,” with the analysis that “this personnel reshuffle appears to be a declaration that the party, government, and presidential office will unite and run even harder in the same direction they’ve pursued so far.”
• Related Link.

Feedback.

An Old Question: Why Do Women Earn Less?

• Yesterday’s Slowletter briefly mentioned a gender wage gap graph, which drew criticism for not accounting for differences in working hours, job type, rank, tenure, etc.
• True. We’ve explored this with Slow Data before.
• First, women work fewer hours: 154 hours/month for men vs. 137 for women in 2024.
• Second, does less work mean lower pay? Even hourly wages are lower: 28,734 won for men vs. 20,363 won for women.
• Third, shorter tenure: 7.7 years (men) vs. 5.5 years (women) on average. Childbirth and childcare leave often force career breaks or lower-quality jobs.
• Fourth, higher non-regular employment rates: 31% (men) vs. 47% (women). Even among non-regular workers, women earn less.
• Fifth, higher concentration in SMEs and low-wage industries.
• Sixth, even in the same workplace, women earn less on average—likely due to factors like underrepresentation in senior roles.
• Seventh, unexplained factors persist. Even when controlling for all variables, 47% of the gap remains unaccounted for.
• The statistics reveal a truth: working hours and tenure are both causes and effects. Structural constraints and discrimination cannot be ignored.
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