Supreme Prosecutors’ Office Investigates Lim Eun-jung.

• “Many citizens are watching with concern as senior officials of the newly established agency obsess over criticizing the Supreme Prosecutor nominee.”
• Yoon Ho-jung (Minister of the Interior and Safety) ordered an investigation into Lim Eun-jung (Gwangju Regional Supreme Prosecutor).
• He posted on X: “Lim Eun-jung seems to mistake the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office for a political institution rather than an investigative body. I worry that past misconduct from the prosecution—political interference and collective action—might be migrating to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office.”
• Lim wrote on Facebook, “It is deeply regrettable and sorrowful to be the first target of an investigation,” adding, “I will respond with a sense of duty.”
• A Democratic Party lawmaker interviewed by The Hankyoreh said, “The president has resorted to direct reprimands after failing to persuade,” and warned, “If this continues, a strong response will be unavoidable.”
• Park Ji-won (Democratic Party lawmaker) cautioned, “If we dig up our own graves, rebel forces will rise again and seize power.”
• Chosun Ilbo criticized in an editorial, “A truly irresponsible and absurd situation.” JoongAng Ilbo remarked, “A comedy, pure and simple.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

“A Hundred Thoughts Still Say Kim Ji-yong Is Unfit.”.

• “Is it right for someone from a law firm that defended coup plotters to become the first head of the Corruption Investigation Office?” asked Jeong Choon-saeng (lawmaker, People Power Party).
• Lee Hyun-sang (JoongAng Ilbo columnist) noted, “A bizarre scene where Lee Jae-myung—who has made ‘reform’ his trademark—is being scrutinized for his reformist credentials within his own party.” He diagnosed, “Judicial risks are eroding political power, and that weakened power is leading to further stagnation in governance.”
• Jang Se-jung (JoongAng Ilbo editorial writer) assessed, “A serious fracture within the ruling coalition.” He analyzed, “The power struggle over the 2028 parliamentary nominations and the 2030 presidential race has already begun within the ruling bloc.”
• The Hankook Ilbo warned in an editorial, “Lim Eun-jung is precisely the figure who should serve as a cautionary example.” It cautioned, “Regardless of conservative or progressive administrations, tolerating investigative officials who wield partisan influence will undoubtedly become a grave liability for the entire nation.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

What Matters Now.

Democratic Party Support Drops to 35%.

• Lowest since the Lee Jae-myung administration.
• Lee Jae-myung (President) recorded 37% approval in a Gallup Korea poll—29% in Seoul alone.
• Kim Min-seok (Democratic Party Leader) urged, “Our fate depends on internal unity and coordination.”
• A Democratic Party lawmaker interviewed by The Hankyoreh analyzed, “The result stems from a combination of factors: farmland investigations, real estate issues, the single-stock leveraged ETF controversy, factional divisions within the ruling camp, and some of the president’s heated social media messaging.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

“Park Won-soon, the One Who Taught Us the Importance of Social Media.”.

• Lee Jae-myung (President)’s X continues to fuel controversy.
• He evaluated Park Won-soon (former Seoul mayor) as “a man of brilliant ideas who always emphasized and enjoyed communicating with citizens.”
• The Justice Party issued a statement, criticizing, “We are enraged that the nation’s highest authority openly honors an abuser—this is clear secondary victimization.”
• Related Link.

Does This Align with the Goal of Being a “President for All”?

• Lee Jae-myung (President) has posted 65 times on X this month.
• Lee Jae-myung (President) stated, “They may criticize me for lacking ‘dignity’ or ‘authority,’ but I will continue visiting back-alley sites with minimal security, communicating via SNS, and connecting in the language of ordinary people.”
• Seong Gi-hong (Chief of Presidential Communications) emphasized, “The era where the president hides behind veils of authoritarianism or mysticism, and where others interpret, convey, or embellish his intentions on his behalf, is over.”
• Many interpret the post as criticizing Cho Mi-ae (Gyeonggi Province Governor): “Enjoying every luxury paid for by taxpayers’ money while being even harsher toward powerless citizens.”
• A Democratic Party lawmaker interviewed by JoongAng Ilbo said, “Cho Mi-ae, who lives in a 1.2 billion won mansion while slashing welfare budgets due to fiscal difficulties, is exactly the kind of ‘power figure’ Lee Jae-myung described.”
• Lee Jae-myung (President) warned, “Those in power must recognize that careless swings of their sword can cut down lives they never saw or considered.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

“The Problem Is Demanding Big Roles Without the Ability.”.

• Lee Jae-myung (President) shared and criticized an article by Cho Hee-yeon (former Seoul Superintendent of Education), stating, “The bigger issue is how they push for radical reforms under the guise of grand causes, attacking from within when their attempts to control personnel and national policy fail.”
• Chosun Ilbo analyzed that the remarks targeted figures such as Choo Mi-ae (Gyeonggi Province Governor), Kim Yong-min (Democratic Party lawmaker), and Lee Seong-yoon (Democratic Party lawmaker).
• Related Link.

Deep Dive.

Not a ‘Summons’ but an ‘Invitation’.

• The Ukrainian government called in Park Ki-chang (South Korean Ambassador to Ukraine) for an explanation.
• It used the term “invite” rather than “summon,” a phrase diplomatically reserved for expressing protest.
• Hennadiy Tihyi (Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson) stated, “Diplomacy must take precedence over emotions.”
• The South Korean government recalled Park Ki-chang. Summoning an overseas ambassador is a highly intense form of protest.
• Related Link.

Na Kyung-won’s Letter of Gratitude.

• Na Kyung-won (People Power Party lawmaker) sent a letter to Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Ukrainian President) thanking him for sending prisoners.
• Jeon Eun-soo (Democratic Party spokesperson) criticized, “Labeling the government as a ‘regime repaying grace with enmity’ the day after it formally protested is beyond common sense.”
• Related Link.

“Replace Jeong Dong-yeong.”.

• Chosun Ilbo cited an anonymous Blue House official, noting, “Jeong Dong-yeong (Unification Minister)’s remarks are burdening the administration.”
• Donga Ilbo argued in an editorial, “We must prevent the shaking trust in the ROK-US alliance from leading to greater fractures,” insisting, “Jeong Dong-yeong and Lee Jong-seok (Director of the National Intelligence Service) must be replaced.”
• Jeong Geum-sik (People Power Party floor leader) claimed, “They should not be called ‘pro-engagement’ but ‘pro-North’—that is the accurate term.”
• Kim Seung-ryeon (Donga Ilbo editorial director) remarked, “The problem began with a diplomatic-security line that had one sun and two moons,” adding, “Regrettable as it may be, decisive action is needed. If that’s impossible, restraint must be enforced in their words and actions.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

“Which Country’s Party Is the People Power Party?”.

• Jang Dong-hyeok (People Power Party leader) claimed, “It’s beyond misunderstanding—it seems the ROK-US alliance is heading toward collapse.”
• Hankyoreh argued in an editorial, “If it’s truly a South Korean party, it should prioritize our national interest and speak first to the US. At the very least, it should avoid the spectacle of smearing public officials with color-labeling to attack the government and end up championing another country’s interests.”
• If the US withheld visa issuance for Jeong Cheong-rae (Democratic Party lawmaker), it would be only right to criticize the US. Yet the People Power Party is siding with the US, claiming the alliance is faltering.
• Seong Han-yong (Hankyoreh senior reporter) noted, “The People Power Party and certain conservative newspapers’ mindset and behavior stem from the profligate sycophancy ingrained in South Korea’s establishment.”
• Park Won-gon (Ewha Womans University professor) pointed out, “Some in the US MAGA faction perceive the South Korean government as pro-China, reflecting dissatisfaction over its ambiguous stance.” Kim Seong-bae (director of the National Security Strategy Institute) stated, “Attacking specific government officials over their perceived leanings in this context could only weaken the government’s negotiating power.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Another Take.

Han Ji-yoon and Kim Hee-dan.

• Han Dong-hoon (independent lawmaker)’s daughter and Kim Min-seok (Democratic Party leader)’s son. The Democratic Party attacked Han Ji-yoon, so Han Dong-hoon dragged Kim Hee-dan into the fray.
• Han Ji-yoon faces allegations that, as a high school student, she sold an e-book containing math problems created by someone else for $0.99. Han Dong-hoon explained, “Permission was obtained from the copyright holder.”
• Han Dong-hoon counterattacked by alleging that Democratic Party lawmakers proposed an amendment to the Framework Act on Education that Kim Hee-dan created in a high school club. Critics call it “a father’s privilege misusing public office.” Kim Min-seok rebutted, “It was not used for college admissions.”
• Related Link.

“Is This All for the YouTube Clout?”.

• Seo Young-kyo (Democratic Party lawmaker, Judiciary Committee chair) said this to Kim Tae-gyu (People Power Party lawmaker).
• Kim Tae-gyu retorted, “Chairman Seo is so good at filming YouTube videos.”
• Both posted short-form videos.
• Choi Hyuk-jin (independent lawmaker) and Lee Jin-suk (People Power Party lawmaker) also made short-form videos criticizing each other.
• Cho Jin-man (professor at Duksung Women’s University) pointed out, “Lawmakers are failing to restrain themselves from short-form video politics amid a polarized political landscape.”
• Lim Hyun-seok (head of the digital lab’s strategic video team at Donga Ilbo) noted, “The short-form video grammar—cutting out opponents’ rebuttals and leaving only shouting—is the antithesis of politics.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

US Midterms Hinge on 2 Percent.

• Republicans are on the defensive. Traditionally red districts are swaying.
• The GOP is diverting funds from North Carolina to defend Kansas and South Carolina. Additional ad spending was allocated to Texas. Some Republican candidates are distancing themselves from Trump.
• Colin Reed (Republican strategist) said, “A president with 30s approval makes it hard for any Republican to win.” Low-income and blue-collar voters who backed Trump are reeling from inflation.
• Trump pledged $90 payments to Medicare-eligible seniors. Some recipients received $500 rebate checks. He promised $5,000 per voter if Republicans secure a majority. To lower fuel costs, he approved Russian oil imports.
• Democrats aren’t safe yet. Barack Obama (former US president) warned, “They could lose by 2 points.”

Live-Streaming Executions? A Sign of America’s Decline.

• Pete Hegsettes (US Secretary of Defense) is considering broadcasting the execution of a terrorist live.
• Republican opposition has emerged. “Live-streaming executions is what jihadists do—America is better than that,” said Austin Scott (Republican House Representative).
• John Curtis (Republican Senator) warned, “Broadcasting death degrades our dignity.” Thom Tillis (Republican Senator) condemned the plan as “beyond disgusting.”
• JD Vance (US Vice President) said, “I’m not sure it’ll happen” and added, “I won’t watch.”
• Edward Gibbon once warned, “It was the moral decay within Rome, not external barbarians, that brought it down.” Edward Luce (Financial Times columnist) noted, “The debate over live-streaming executions is a symptom of America’s moral decline.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Desperate Trump Turns to Russian Oil.

• Diesel prices in the US have surged over 70% since the US-Iran conflict.
• Trump said, “Lowering prices for our great farmers, ranchers, and truckers is my top priority.”
• The US Treasury’s general license permitting the sale, transport, and import of Russian diesel is a midterm election-conscious move.
• Michael Lynch (special research fellow at the US Energy Policy Research Foundation) assessed, “It’s like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic as it sinks.”
• Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Ukrainian President) protested, “Allowing Russia to sell oil products is effectively investing in the prolongation of a war that must end,” calling it “an unfair and dishonest deal.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Why Beijing and Brussels Agreed to Cut Hybrid Exports.

• China has agreed to reduce hybrid vehicle exports to Europe. Some analysts predict shipments will drop below half over four years.
• The EU imposes up to 45.3% tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles but only 10% on hybrids. Chinese brands’ share in Europe’s plug-in hybrid market rose from 2% in 2024 to 25% in the first half of this year.
• Maros Sefcovic (EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security) said, “This is the first time Beijing has reached a deal without trade tension measures.”
• Moon Hyung-hoon (Osan University professor) said, “Chinese automakers facing narrower European export channels are likely to divert hybrids to South Korea, where regulations are looser.” South Korea’s tariff on Chinese cars is 8%.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Will the US Attack the Houthis?

• Yemen’s Houthi rebels attacked Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid Airport. At least 12 people were killed and over 300 injured.
• The Houthis have controlled the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait while allowing US vessels to pass. Though neither side seeks direct confrontation, the frontlines are expanding.

Instagram Overrun with Far-Right Content.

• Hankyoreh created eight Instagram accounts set as 16-year-olds and observed them. Posts mocking politicians or disparaging women, disabled people, and sexual minorities appeared in their feeds. Accounts set as interested in history showed videos claiming North Korean military involvement in the May 18 Gwangju Uprising.
• When teens were asked, 41.1% cited Instagram as their primary source for social issue information.
• A high school student interviewed by Hankyoreh said, “I follow music and humor accounts, but memes mocking former President Roh Moo-hyun still pop up.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

Reconstruction Completed, People Power Party Support Rises.

• Conservative trends were confirmed in 7 out of 10 apartment complexes where large-scale redevelopment and reconstruction had finished. A JoongAng Ilbo special report.
• The most pronounced conservative shift occurred in Seoul’s Gangdong-gu, Duncheon 1-dong (Olympic Park Foreon, 12,032 households). The conservative lead widened from 6.5 percentage points in 2017 to 23 percentage points last year. In last year’s election, Kim Moon-soo (People Power Party candidate) and Lee Jae-myung (Democratic Party candidate) received 53.5% and 33.7%, respectively.
• In Dongdaemun-gu’s Imun 1-dong (7,390 households), Moon Jae-in (Democratic Party candidate) and Hong Joon-pyo (People Power Party candidate) received 41.1% and 22.5% in the 2017 election. Last year’s election saw Kim Moon-soo and Lee Jae-myung flip the result with 45.1% and 40.1%.
• Regional variations exist. In Incheon’s Bupyeong-gu, Cheongcheon 1-dong (5,050 households), the conservative lead weakened.
• Kim Soo-in (researcher at Sungkyunkwan University’s Center for Good Democracy) noted, “Redevelopment itself doesn’t necessarily make neighborhoods conservative—it’s more about demographic shifts driven by new housing prices.”
• Olympic Park Foreon saw only 3,914 original members resettle, with around 8,000 new residents moving in. The proportion of 30–40-year-olds rose from 31.6% pre-move to 46.9%.
• In Imun 1-dong redevelopment, only about 100 households out of 1,800 original residents actually moved back in.
• A 60-year-old redevelopment participant complained, “Property taxes more than doubled,” adding, “It feels like a tax bomb hit.”
• Kim Soo-in analyzed, “Overcoming ‘voter gentrification’ has become a challenge for the progressive camp.”
• Related Link.
• Related Link.

The Fix.

“No Matter How Many Notices We Post, We Can’t Fill the Positions.”.

• This is the story of pediatrics.
• Eulji University’s Tuntun Children’s Hospital also saw its pediatric staff drop from six to four. Daytime care was reduced from three to two doctors, night shifts from two to one, and two of the remaining doctors are over 60.
• Last year, only 27 out of 199 first-year pediatric residency positions were filled. Of 61 training hospitals, 52 failed to recruit even one first-year resident. Pusan National University, Kyungpook National University, and Chonbuk University Hospitals also had no applicants.
• The number of pediatric residents fell to 113 last month, down sharply from 593 in 2021.
• Choi Yong-jae (President of the Korean Society of Pediatric Hospitals) warned, “If the government delays implementing support measures further, essential pediatric care in regions will soon cease to function.”
• Related Link.

Why the Ministry of Trade’s “Fake Work” Reduction Failed.

• Minister Kim Jeong-gwan (Minister of Trade) pledged to “cut fake work by 30%,” to which President Lee Jae-myung responded, “What an amusing idea—have other ministries implement it simultaneously.”
• The most egregious fake work, however, is the National Assembly’s endless waiting game.
• A Sejong City official’s story of staying overnight at a motel near the Assembly to explain a bill after arriving early is hardly new. Demands to produce five years of data by tomorrow, followed by late-night calls after midnight, are routine.
• Cho Sun-il (Chosun Ilbo reporter) noted, “The structure where dozens of officials and businesspeople lose entire days for a single lawmaker’s five-minute questioning is, no matter how you look at it, sheer abuse.”
• Related Link.

ICYMI.

The Crisis in Napa Valley.

• The place called the Disneyland of wine.
• Last year, Napa Valley discarded 20% of its harvestable grapes. The high-end winery Sine Qua Non Estate filed for bankruptcy, unable to manage a $37 million loan.
• Global wine consumption last year fell to its lowest level since 1957. In California, 7% of vineyards were uprooted, and 500,000 tons of grapes remained unharvested.
• The average tasting cost in Napa Valley is $81. Rob McMillan (First Citizens Bank executive vice president) said, “The solution isn’t just lowering prices—it’s getting people to come to the wineries.”
• Stew Smith (winery operator) remarked, “When I started, quality far outpaced price. Now, price far outpaces quality.” Fearing the loss of their premium brand image, they refuse to cut prices, while inventory piles up.
• The deeper issue is generational turnover. David Pearson (Joseph Phelps Vineyards chairman) said, “We’ve been selling wine to baby boomers for 30 years.” Existing customers’ cellars hold more wine than they’ll drink in their remaining lifetimes, but younger generations don’t drink the same way.
• Related Link.

Will Ramen Exports Hit $2 Billion This Year?

• Exports reached $940 million by June this year.
• $390 million to China and $250 million to the U.S. Japan accounted for $80 million.
• An aT official said, “We’re not competing with Japan’s sweet, mild ramen but creating our own market demand.”
• Samyang Foods reported overseas sales of $1.2 billion—83% of its $1.5 billion first-half revenue. Nongshim’s overseas share was 34%.
• Paldo is promoting its Vietnam-specific brand, Koreno.
• Ottogi is targeting the U.S. with cheese-flavored ramen.
• Jang Ji-hye (DS Investment & Securities researcher) analyzed, “The next challenge for K-ramen is not just exports but expanding production capacity and securing local distribution networks to grow the market.”
• Related Link.

37% of Time Saved by AI Spent on AI Cleanup.

• The New York Times’ analysis. The ‘verification tax’—ensuring outputs are accurate, safe, and actually useful.
• Ion Stoica (UC Berkeley professor) said, “You can’t verify what you don’t understand.”
• A survey of corporate executives found 90% reported no impact on hiring or productivity.
• Thorsten Sløk (Apollo chief economist) assessed, “AI’s productivity effect remains a forecast, not an observed fact.”
• Christian Catalini (MIT Sloan School researcher) stated, “The only useful AI is verified AI.” Even when AI verifies AI, shared blind spots between models can let errors slip through, he noted.
• Related Link.

Computing Power Is More Precious Than Money.

• NVIDIA H100 server rental fees have risen 60% over the past year.
• Noam Shazeer (AI developer), hired by Google for $2.7 billion, left for OpenAI for an even higher salary.
• The Wall Street Journal analyzed, “Even within Google, there’s conflict over allocating resources between long-term research and immediate product development.”
• Competitors are also joining forces. Anthropic signed a deal to borrow over 300MW of computational infrastructure capacity from SpaceX—worth up to $45 billion.
• Startups are in an even worse position. Previously, they could rent only for needed periods, but now must pay up to 30% upfront. It’s like demanding a five-year lease and one year’s advance rent from someone used to monthly payments.
• Nick Frost (Cohere co-founder) said, “Many announced projects have been canceled.” There are many data center construction plans, but immediate computing resources remain scarce. Delays, local opposition, and regulations are slowing supply.
• Borrowing too much is also risky. Jack Bratton (Gradient Ventures partner) said, “Companies could go bankrupt due to rental obligations.” Conversely, insufficient capacity halts growth and increases service failures. The ability to predict demand has become as critical as technical skill.
• Related Link.

Like Laying Tracks While Driving the Train.

• AI companies’ borrowing has sharply declined—from $113 billion in June to $23 billion in September.
• This year alone, borrowing reached $466 billion—four times last year’s total. As supply floods the market, investors are demanding higher interest rates.
• John Eilward (Sona Asset Management founder) said, “Routine fundraising is getting slightly more challenging.”
• Oracle’s ‘Project Jupiter’ is faltering for similar reasons—rumors even suggest its $1-par bonds are selling at 85 cents.
• Jordan Rieger (Monarch Alternative Capital credit head) assessed, “The slowdown in borrowing could signal the start of a crisis, but it might also be a chance to reassess loan terms and risks.”
• Related Link.

The Global Economy’s All-In on AI.

• Katy Martin (Financial Times columnist) warned, “Stocks, real estate, infrastructure, energy, and emerging market assets—diverse investments are now tied to the same risk.”
• Oil prices are flirting with $100 a barrel, U.S. 10-year Treasury yields exceed 5%, yet the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit record highs. Optimism is overpowering anxiety.
• Corporate profits are indeed rising rapidly. Earnings growth outpaces stock gains, making valuations appear cheap on a relative basis. The issue is that all investors are banking on the same assumption.
• The AI market would need to grow to $6 trillion by 2031 to justify current valuations. Debate rages over whether AI will lower inflation by boosting productivity or raise it through massive construction and power demands. Martin cautioned, “Whether we intended it or not, we’ve all bet our fate on the idea that everything will work out.”
• Related Link.

U.S. Treasury Rates Could Hit 6%.

• Fire sales are cascading. Hedge funds and others invested in bonds are offloading at losses, driving prices lower, which forces other investors to sell—a vicious cycle.
• The average rate for a 30-year fixed U.S. mortgage hit 7.4% as of October 8, the highest since 2023. Junk-bond rates for the lowest-rated firms have surged to 17%.
• Higher rates, however, attract buyers. Recent auctions for 10- and 30-year Treasuries saw strong demand. Dan Ivascyn (Pimco Chief Investment Officer) noted, “This demand could act as a ceiling on rate hikes.”
• Related Link.

A Nation Where the Elderly Are Rich.

• The median U.S. household net worth grew just 2% to $216,000 between 2022–2025—sharply slower than the 37% rise from 2019–2022.
• The gap widened: Top 10% earners saw a 31% increase, while the bottom 40% shrank.
• By age, those 75+ saw assets rise 37%, while under-35s fell 23%.
• Black households dropped 25%, and those without high school diplomas fell 55%.
• Households reporting overdue debt jumped from 12% in 2022 to 20% in 2025. (All median net worth figures.)
• Consumer sentiment improved among the top third of stockholders compared to late 2022, but worsened for the rest and non-stockholders. Same economy, different realities.
• Related Link.

Worth Reading.

“Lee Jae-myung: A Man Born Under Lucky Stars, Why Fear Post-Presidency?”.

• Cho Gap-je (representative of Cho Gap-je.com)’s column title in JoongAng Ilbo.
• The assessment that Lee Jae-myung (President) was born under a lucky star involved several coincidences: Yoon Suk-yeol’s military-like politics accelerated the election, allowing him to avoid trial in the election law violation case. A semiconductor boom struck early in his term. This year’s estimated growth rate is 3.7%.
• Cho Gap-je advised, “He must return to the role of a ‘unifying leader of the people (President)’ rather than the head of a faction.”
• “Humans waste time worrying about things that won’t happen (Mark Twain),” he wrote. “Koreans are not cruel enough to send a president who leaves office to prison. Trust the Korean people’s nature and take a gamble. If timing is lost and the prosecution cannot avoid canceling the indictment, and public sentiment shifts to ‘worse than Yoon Suk-yeol,’ something bigger than lame-duck politics may come.”
• Related Link.

Pessimism Fatigue.

• People’s apathetic reactions may stem from being desensitized to an overabundance of crisis narratives.
• Zanny Minton Beddoes (Financial Times columnist) warned, “When exaggerated predictions are repeated, even subsequent valid warnings lose credibility.”
• “Despair is dangerous not because it makes us more vigilant over time, but because it makes us less vigilant.”
• Minton Beddoes emphasized, “Even plausible warnings must be used sparingly to avoid becoming ignorable white noise.”
• Related Link.

To Whom Will AI Agents Be Loyal?

• Whoever pays? Or the platform that pays more?
• Meta Muse’s revenue model is transaction fees; OpenAI Dotz’s is subscription fees.
• They might recommend better products—or collude with shopping malls to push alternatives.
• For now, even platform operators are in a wait-and-see mode.
• Richard Waters (Financial Times columnist) noted, “If a dominant agent emerges and locks users into a specific ecosystem, it could reshape the consumption habits of billions.”
• Related Link.

The Era of Experience Has Arrived.

• David Silver (CEO of Ineffable Intelligence) warned that diversity has collapsed.
• Ineffable Intelligence—a company that secured $500 million in funding with plans to develop emergent intelligence surpassing human cognition—
• The “era of experience” refers to the need for AI that evolves by accumulating its own experiences beyond what humans can teach.
• Related Link.

Interest Rate Surge? Perhaps a Return to Normal.

• Kong Jong-rak (Economist, Daishin Securities) analyzed, “When reassessing interest rates against the nominal growth rate—a real economy benchmark—current rates are not unusually high; rather, ‘the past two decades saw abnormally low rates.’”
• The low inflation era of the past 20 years, where rates lagged nominal growth, may have been the exception.
• “This is not a ‘high-rate surge’ but a correction—a distorted rate finding its proper place,” the argument goes.
• Related Link.

The Paradox of the Bit.

• The horse and deer fought, and the horse sought help. A human offered to defeat the deer if the horse accepted a bit and allowed them to ride. The horse agreed, drove off the deer, but became forever bound by bridle and bit.
• Jeong Yeon-woo (Professor, Semyung University) noted, “The sale of JoongAng Ilbo marks a pivotal shift in one pillar of South Korea’s public discourse.”
• Jeong Yeon-woo added, “Media can survive crises by leveraging capital, but surrendering editorial control erodes its core purpose. The JoongAng Ilbo sale should be an opportunity to institutionalize—not merely declare—editorial independence.”
• Related Link.

Today’s State Council Audit.

• Slow News is covering the State Council Audit intensively.
• The [State Council Audit Special Page] updates twice daily.
• [Rep. ◯◯◯’s Audit Notes] compiles key issues by individual lawmakers. We also select the top 12 lawmakers daily.
• [Today’s Corporate Issues] examines major corporate disputes.
• [Daily Audit Report] provides key issues and context by committee.
• [Audit TMI] Part 1 was sent via Slowletter.
• The list below compiles last Thursday’s audit reports:
• October 8, 2026 Legislative and Judiciary Committee Audit Report.
• October 8, 2026 Political Affairs Committee Audit Report.
• October 8, 2026 Financial and Economic Planning Committee Audit Report.
• October 8, 2026 Defense Committee Audit Report.
• October 8, 2026 Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee Audit Report.
• October 8, 2026 Health and Welfare Committee Audit Report.
• October 8, 2026 Climate, Energy, Environment, and Labor Committee Audit Report.
• October 8, 2026 Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Committee Audit Report.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.
• Related Link.