“Foreign Workers Don’t Help Much” Controversy.

• “Bringing in foreign workers doesn’t significantly help the national economy—they just send all their earnings abroad, causing other problems.”
• The original intent of Lee Jae-myung’s (President) remarks was that since rural areas lack labor, the government should subsidize wages to create more jobs for locals.
• The daily wage is around 120,000 won, about 2.4 million won monthly—adding government support to raise it to 5 million won could attract young people to rural areas, he suggested loosely.
• The *Hankyoreh* ran an article titled [“Foreign Workers Don’t Help the Economy,” Backlash Over Lee Jae-myung’s Remarks], prompting Lee to demand a correction and apology on X, stating, “There’s a big difference between ‘not helpful’ and ‘not *significantly* helpful.”
• After *Hankyoreh* changed the headline to [Foreign Workers Don’t *Significantly* Help the Economy], Lee criticized, “If you changed the headline, explain why. If the article was wrong enough to warrant revision, an apology is in order.”
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Foreign Workers’ Remittances: 26%.

• “All earnings are remitted abroad”—President Lee Jae-myung’s claim is untrue. According to the National Data Service, the proportion of foreign workers’ income remitted abroad is 26%, with living expenses and housing costs accounting for 37% and 12%, respectively.
• The Korea Daily reports that for seasonal agricultural workers alone, some analyses suggest the figure exceeds 70%.
• Ko Ki-bok (Director of the Migration Human Rights Culture Center for All) noted, “Remitting legitimately earned wages to their home countries is not ‘capital flight’ or charity, but a universal right.”
• Jang Young-wook (Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy) pointed out, “Subsidizing wages could shift existing self-employed farmers and unpaid family workers into wage labor, increasing fiscal burdens.”
• The Korean Women’s Political Network argued, “It is migrant workers who have filled the labor shortages and production gaps in poor working conditions shunned by domestic workers. Without their labor, the domestic agricultural production base and food security would have collapsed long ago.”
• There are 2.66 million foreign residents in South Korea.
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“Multicultural Family Preferential Policies Spark Backlash.”.

• President Lee Jae-myung’s citation of a Femco (Femkorea) post—“policies favoring multicultural families are problematic”—was also shocking.
• The Femco post Lee referenced argued that giving multicultural households priority access to public kitchens is unjust.
• The Hankyoreh pointed out, “Even with subsidies, many cannot afford to use public facilities due to dire circumstances, or there are not enough facilities available.”
• Lee later posted on X, “Constructive criticism is valid regardless of its source, and mistakes must be corrected,” adding, “Extreme confrontation and hostility are expanding infinitely, darkening the future.”
• Femco is a conservative-leaning community often compared to Ilbe, a far-right platform.
• Lee’s X account erupted that day: “Some prioritize ideological purity or make inflammatory claims that hinder reform for personal agendas,” and “I urge irresponsible extremists to reflect.”
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President’s Hateful Remarks.

• A Democratic Party lawmaker interviewed by The Hankyoreh said, “Some extreme conservative youth attacking multicultural policies harbor racist perceptions—we worry the president’s remarks may stem from the same mindset.”
• Shin Kyung-ah (Professor, Hallym University) noted, “Attempting to divide foreigners and Koreans is a hallmark of far-right politics in the West.”
• Kwon Soo-hyun (Professor, Gyeongsang National University) criticized, “The president shifted blame for the shortage of public postpartum care centers onto socially vulnerable groups who can be easily scapegoated.”
• The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions condemned the remarks as “dehumanizing migrant workers as ‘remittance machines’ and legitimizing discrimination.”
• Lee Hyun-jin (Labor Committee Chair, Jookuk Innovation Party) called it “ignorant, bigoted nonsense.”
• The Kyunghyang Shinmun editorial warned, “The president’s repeated messaging must not incite xenophobia or cast a shadow of anxiety over multicultural society.”
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What Matters Now.

Jin Sung-jun’s Visa Denial.

• Jin Sung-jun (Democratic Party lawmaker and chair of the National Assembly Defense Committee) had his visa application denied. He had finalized interview schedules for a planned visit to the U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii.
• Jin stated, “This blocks the National Assembly’s official legislative activities,” adding, “No matter how I think about it, this doesn’t seem like treatment befitting an ally.”
• Lee Byung-chul (professor at Kyungnam University) remarked, “Targeting only progressive politicians for visa denials is the U.S. expressing displeasure—it’s a form of taming.”
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Public Verification of 2.47 Million Songpa District Ballots.

• 147 days after the polling station blockade. The election commission’s special investigation team entered the Olympic Park handball stadium to secure ballot boxes.
• Protesters swelled to 2,000 by afternoon. Complaints and objections poured out: “If we can’t film it, it’s invalid,” or “How can you trust a cat with fish?”
• The Dong-A Ilbo emphasized in an editorial, “Verify transparently and objectively, and both parties must accept the results without weighing political gains or losses.”
• The special investigation team is probing 12 allegations, including ballot shortages, vote-count manipulation, irregular hiring, and preferential sole-source contracts.
• Ballot box removal began at 6:30 AM today.
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Daishin Securities Hack Traced to North Korean IP.

• Data of 38,490 customers was leaked.
• Evidence suggests personal information was also breached at Mirae Asset Asset Management and Bithumb.
• Approximately 4.4 million attempts to probe financial systems were detected from IPs assigned to North Korea.
• A financial authority official stated, “It is highly likely that an external entity hacked North Korean systems and then used their IPs to attempt domestic breaches.”
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Deep Dive.

“South Korea Is Leaning Toward Russia.”.

• “I wonder if South Korea remains a trustworthy partner,” said a European diplomat in Seoul interviewed by the Financial Times.
• First, there are suspicions that South Korea exported aviation fuel and refined oil to Russia. Second, the Arctic route is impossible without Russian government cooperation. Third, the partial withdrawal from the Ukrainian embassy was also a shocking incident.
• The Financial Times analyzed, “European allies are growing anxious.”
• A diplomat who requested anonymity criticized, “South Korea is not truly a like-minded country. The attitude seems to be that the Ukraine war won’t last forever, and once it ends, business with Russia will resume.”
• The South Korean Foreign Ministry refuted, “Concerns that South Korea is excessively leaning toward Russia are unfounded,” adding, “We support international efforts to end the war.”
• Kim Semi (research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies) assessed, “The approach is shifting away from what was called value-based diplomacy toward a more pragmatic, national-interest-centered strategy.” However, she noted, “We must start from the recognition that Russia is strengthening North Korea’s military capabilities, which directly escalates security threats to South Korea.”
• Mason Richey (professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies) said, “European governments still need weapons because of the Ukraine situation,” adding, “South Korea is not easily replaceable.”
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The Meaning of Israel’s Winnerless Election.

• Benjamin Netanyahu (Israeli Prime Minister) is likely to fail to secure a majority.
• It is an ambiguous result—neither a verdict nor a vote of confidence.
• In the 120-seat parliament, Netanyahu’s bloc holds 54 seats, Jewish opposition 49, and Arab parties 19.
• Netanyahu claimed, “We have secured a meaningful and decisive majority in the Jewish camp.”
• Gadi Eisenkot (Yashar Party leader) argued, “He must accept the public’s no-confidence vote and announce his retirement from politics.” The New York Times analyzed, “Netanyahu didn’t win—Eisenkot lost.” It suggests Eisenkot failed to establish himself as a credible alternative.
• If a coalition is not formed within six weeks, the Knesset will gain the right to elect a prime minister. Speculation grows that Arab parties could become kingmakers. If coalition-building fails, a new election may be inevitable.
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SK Hynix Posts 10.4 Trillion Won in Q3 Revenue.

• Operating profit reached 8.3 trillion won. Compared to the previous quarter, revenue and operating profit surged 32% and 38%, respectively. The operating margin hit 79.7%.
• Kim Woo-hyun (SK Hynix Chief Financial Officer) stated, “The supply-demand imbalance will persist until 2030.”
• Park Joon-deok (SK Hynix Vice President) remarked, “DRAM and HBM are effectively sold out for the next three years.”
• Shareholder returns will be expanded to 10 trillion won—over 6 trillion won for buybacks and cancellations, and at least 3 trillion won in cash dividends.
• All three major U.S. indices rose yesterday. The S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq gained 0.28%, 0.19%, and 0.27%, respectively.
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Leukemia Fund Used to Purchase 26.7 Billion Won Building.

• Of the 50 billion won fund Samsung Electronics pledged to resolve leukemia victim issues, only 3.9 billion won (11%) was allocated to industrial accident prevention.
• The Occupational Safety and Health Agency, which managed the fund, used this money to purchase a building—a six-story commercial structure in Gwonseon-gu, Suwon.
• To establish a public office in an overcrowded control zone, approval from the Ministry of Land’s Capital Region Coordination Committee is required; to expand an organization in the capital region, review by the Local Era Committee is also mandatory. Both procedures were bypassed.
• The Local Era Committee has notified the agency to vacate the building by year-end and donate it free of charge. The property has remained unused for four years.
• Yoon Jae-ok (People Power Party lawmaker) criticized, “The fund built with victims’ tears was spent without verifying regulations.”
• Yoon added, “The decision to purchase the building was made under the Moon Jae-in administration, but its repercussions extend to the Lee Jae-myung government,” and condemned, “The former directors, ministers, vice ministers, and chief of staff from that period are not free from responsibility.”
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Another Take.

Jeju Island’s Illegal Stays Surge by 39%.

• As of August this year, the number stands at 11,945.
• Chinese nationals account for 85%.
• Jeju Island has allowed visa-free visits since June 2022.
• Many enter without visas and then move to the mainland.
• They use forged IDs or hide in car trunks, refrigerated trucks, etc., paying around 4 million won to reach Busan Port or 5.4 million won to Mokpo Port.
• Lee Geon-su (Baekseok University Professor) argued, “Jeju’s visa-free entry system has major loopholes” and insisted, “Immigration screening must be tightened, and a tracking system for arrivals must be established.”
• A Ministry of Justice official stated, “We do not separately monitor or manage foreigners nearing the end of their visa-free stay.”
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“Heading Toward Death, But I Don’t Know Why.”.

• Yoo Si-min (author) said this on Park Si-young TV. “It’s like a ship encountering a backcurrent,” he warned, “and if trust is lost, the ship can capsize at any moment.”
• “The biggest problem is the disintegration of the camp. The more the new Lee Jae-myung speakers are active, the more isolated Lee Jae-myung becomes.”

Elliott to Receive 153 Billion Won in Damages.

• Elliott (private equity fund) filed an Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) against the South Korean government in 2018, claiming losses from the merger of Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries. The arbitration tribunal ordered the government to pay $48.49 million, prompting South Korea to file a cancellation lawsuit. Though the government initially won the cancellation lawsuit, it lost again in the remand trial.
• The Ministry of Justice decided not to pursue further litigation.
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WOTC Talks Postponed, Spill Over Into Next Year.

• The South Korea-US Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) has been delayed until early next year.
• Doo Jin-ho (visiting research fellow at Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies) said, “If the SCM is postponed, it’s hard to rule out the possibility that the wartime operational control transition timeline could also be delayed.”
• Cho Yong-geun (former Defense Ministry policy director for North Korea) remarked, “A SCM that ends by simply noting disagreements might be less productive than one that achieves meaningful outcomes.”
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The Fix.

Namhae County’s 49.8 Billion Won Basic Income Experiment.

• 10 years of population decline have reversed.
• Last September’s 39,296 residents rose to 41,143 by June this year but are now falling again—41,032 as of September.
• Ahn Sung-pil (Namhae County Population and Youth Policy Team Leader) noted, “Most people with ties to Namhae via jobs, hometowns, or property have already registered residency, so the influx seen early in the project has stopped.” He added, “While natural decline cannot be halted, basic income’s settlement effect has slightly reduced out-migration, slowing last year’s population loss.”
• Cheongyang County’s population is falling again, while Jeongseon and Yeongyang Counties remain stagnant.
• Okcheon and Yeoncheon Counties still show growth.
• Choi Ho-taek (Pai Chai University Professor) questioned, “Is it appropriate to spend such vast public funds on policies that merely slow population decline in vanishing regions?”
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Control the Grid, Half the Battle Is Won.

• Securing the right to connect to the power grid is that difficult. Park Jong-bae (Konkuk University professor) noted, “The grid is the highway of energy transition,” adding, “You can’t just keep expanding roads if there aren’t enough lanes.”
• The Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment decided to revise grid access allocation criteria to eliminate speculative projects. Renewable energy capacity targets will increase from 119GW to 171GW.
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Judicial Hospitalization: Not a Burden to Pass to Families.

• Judicial hospitalization is a system that forcibly admits individuals with severe mental illnesses.
• Kwon Jun-soo (professor at Hanyang University College of Medicine) emphasized, “Medical professionals should determine the need for treatment, but decisions restricting physical freedom must be handled by an independent judicial process.” Currently, guardians become the enforcers of forced hospitalization.
• Kwon Jun-soo stressed, “More important than the procedure of sending someone to a hospital is the condition of living outside it.”
• “The real question is separate: Why have families borne responsibilities that should fall on the state? Without answering that, tragedies will repeat regardless of the system introduced.”
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Total Fertility Rate: 0.87.

• August marriages fell 1.2% to 19,218.
• August births rose for the 26th consecutive month—23,703, up 13.0% year-on-year.
• The total fertility rate increased by 0.09 to 0.87.
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ICYMI.

Chinese Cars Shaking the World, but Struggling at Home.

• Chinese cars are shaking global markets.
• Domestic sales in China are projected to drop over 20% this year to 1.85 million units. Prices have also fallen nearly 20%. Profit margins have narrowed to 3.6%.
• Exports continue to rise, on track to hit 12 million units this year.
• Michael Dunn (CEO of Dunn Insight) said, “An earthquake in China triggers a tsunami overseas.”
• Oliver Blume (CEO of Volkswagen) remarked, “Prices that Europe’s cost structure cannot match.”
• The domestic slump in China is pressuring global auto industry pricing and employment.
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Where Have All the Car Commercials Gone?

• Only four car ads aired during this year’s Super Bowl period—down from over 10 a decade ago.
• The automotive sector’s share of total U.S. ad spending is projected to fall below 10%, down from 13% a decade ago.
• Gina Reduto (NBCUniversal executive vice president) said, “Marketers are under pressure to justify every dollar spent.”
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Anthropic’s View of a $40 Trillion Market.

• This is the estimated economic value of work done by knowledge workers globally in one year.
• Anthropic claimed in its IPO report, “We have the potential to meaningfully increase the productivity of knowledge workers.”
• The Wall Street Journal emphasized, “The potential market is not a sales forecast, nor does it imply an expectation to capture the entire market.” Anthropic’s revenue is in the billions, not trillions.
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Worth Reading.

Preparing for the Next Trump.

• Jameel Bouie (New York Times columnist) criticized, “Trump is the first president to abandon even the pretense that the law matters.” Richard Nixon (former U.S. president) tried to cover up Watergate, but Trump acts as if he is above the law entirely.
• Jameel Bouie pointed out, “Accountability is essential for good government.” The message is clear: “Trump must be made an aberration in American history.”
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Not an Opinion, Not a Controversy.

• Articles claiming that ‘Dr. X’ is embroiled in controversy drag undeniable historical facts into a manufactured debate.
• Kwon Hyuk (professor at Korea National Sport University) criticized, “Already disproven claims and distorted rhetoric are polluting algorithms,” adding, “Regardless of intent, this ultimately serves the insidious strategy of historical negationism—demanding ‘treatment as one opinion among many.’”
• “Please, for once, address confirmed facts with the weight of truth—not as ‘controversies.’ You know better than anyone that treating facts and falsehoods as equals does not make for fair reporting.”
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Will South Korea Become Like France?

• JoongAng Ilbo claimed in an article titled, “The future of Korea in 10 years… France’s burning warning letter,” that “France’s present could become Korea’s future.” The argument is that excessive welfare spending threatens fiscal health and fuels social conflict.
• Lee Myung-hee (Kyunghyang Shinmun columnist) pointed out, “The French protests are not about reducing pensions but demanding higher taxes on the wealthy to redistribute income,” adding, “Korea’s welfare reality is too embarrassing to even compare with France’s.”
• France’s pension income replacement rate is 74%, while South Korea’s is 39%. Korea’s elderly poverty rate is 39.8%.
• Lee Myung-hee emphasized, “The lesson from the French protests is not to criticize welfare populism but to prepare a comprehensive welfare framework suited to Korea’s circumstances in anticipation of the fallout from becoming a super-aged society.”
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Today’s State Council Audit.

• Slow News is covering the State Council Audit intensively.
• [Special Audit Coverage 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 controversies.
• [Daily Audit Report] provides key issues and context by committee.
• The audit is in its final stretch. Yesterday, only the Gender Equality Committee meeting was held. We’ll continue producing analysis reports.
• October 28, 2026 Gender Equality and Family Committee Audit Report.
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