Slow Letter: October 08, 2026.

The rocket carried 15 satellites, successfully placing 14 into orbit at an altitude of 576 km. The core payload was KAIST’s five NEONSAT satellites. With five more to be launched in the sixth mission next year—completing a 10-satellite system—South Korea will capture the entire peninsula more than three times daily and re-observe the same point within 24 hours. A satellite-based CCTV system. The cumulative launch success rate now stands at 80%. Yoon Suk-yeol (former president) was sentenced to two years in prison in the first trial for receiving 270 million won worth of free opinion polls. The appellate court overturned the verdict, acquitting him. Yoon received poll results from Myeong Tae-gyun (broker) 58 times before and after the 2022 election. The first trial convicted him of accepting 14 instances worth 27.92 million won. The appellate judges ruled, “While this may be seen as political gain, it is not financial gain, making it difficult to classify as a political donation under the Political Funds Act.” The logic: polls were merely advisory tools or references—not political assistance regulated by the law. Myeong Tae-gyun, initially sentenced to one year and six months in the first trial, was also acquitted in the appeal. The *Hankyoreh* criticized in an editorial, “Was it not a refusal to see the evidence, rather than a lack of it?” Related Link. Related Link. Oh Se-hoon (Seoul mayor) was fined 10 million won for similar charges and could lose his mayoral position. The dominant view is that his case differs from Yoon’s in nature, as he allegedly commissioned polls from Myeong Tae-gyun and had Kim Han-jeong (businessman) pay 33 million won on his behalf. Myeong Tae-gyun stated, “Looking at Oh Se-hoon’s past remarks, one can tell who is telling the truth and who is lying.” The appellate ruling for Oh Se-hoon is scheduled for October 23. Related Link. K-GX, South Korea’s green transition strategy, has been unveiled. Combining 200 trillion won in government funding and 790 trillion won in climate finance led by policy banks like the Korea Development Bank, a total of 1000 trillion won will be invested by 2035. The core focus is decarbonizing five high-emission industries: steel, petrochemicals, cement, semiconductors, displays, and refining. The energy sector aims to achieve 100GW of renewable energy by 2030. For steel, the plan includes demonstrating hydrogen-based steelmaking at a scale of 300,000 tons by 2030. The goal is to increase the share of electric and hydrogen vehicles to 50% by 2030. Green government bonds are scheduled to be issued in 2028. Lee Jae-myung (President) emphasized, “We must secure key green technologies first to preempt the future green market,” adding, “We should become the architects and leaders of the green market, shaping the game ourselves.” Related Link. It’s true that domestic solar panels and wind turbines are more expensive. Lee Jae-myung (former Gyeonggi governor) remarked, “The politicization of policy is truly dangerous,” adding, “Won’t public officials hesitate to act if their policy decisions could later be framed as breach of trust?” “The most politically influenced area of national policy is, oddly enough, energy. Controversies over nuclear power are closer to political debates than academic ones, and for some unknown reason, the solar industry faces social aversion or hostility.” Plan 1.5 commented, “K-GX is a one-sided support policy,” emphasizing, “Strengthening regulations—particularly normalizing carbon credit pricing and transitioning to paid allocation—must precede industrial decarbonization.” Kim Byung-kwon (director of the Green Transition Institute) told Kyunghyang Shinmun, “Megaprojects like semiconductor plants and AI data centers will rely mostly on fossil fuels for power, yet their green transition strategies remain unaddressed.” Related Link. Related Link. Kim Kwang-min (a lawyer at Saramsai Law Firm), attorney for Lee Hwa-young (former Gyeonggi Province vice governor), wrote a post on Facebook. Lee Hwa-young is serving her fifth year in prison after receiving a final 7-year, 8-month sentence for the illegal Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance case. The Chosun Ilbo and JoongAng Ilbo interviewed Kim Kwang-min separately. Kim told the Chosun Ilbo, “We’re not even asking for a pardon—just requesting parole from the president and the Blue House.” He said they’ve conveyed their plea through multiple channels but received only the vague reply, “We’re considering it carefully.” Inside the Blue House, there’s a current of opinion that the demand is too excessive. The concern is that paroling Lee Hwa-young would let President Lee Jae-myung be framed as having freed a co-conspirator. Related Link. Lee Jae-myung (president) has long claimed that the North Korea remittance was solely Lee Hwa-young’s (then Gyeonggi vice governor) unilateral action. If Lee Jae-myung’s claim were true, there would be no reason for Lee Hwa-young to be angry, according to the Chosun Ilbo’s analysis. Lee Hwa-young initially stated she had reported to Lee Jae-myung but later retracted it, claiming prosecutors coerced her into false testimony—though the court dismissed her “salmon + soju party” claim as untrue. The Chosun Ilbo noted, “From Lee Hwa-young’s perspective, she ‘sacrificed’ herself by not implicating Lee Jae-myung, allowing him to remain unscathed—yet now she asks, ‘Why won’t you release me?’” adding, “This is effectively serving Lee Jae-myung a ‘release petition’ in disguise.” Related Link. Cho Eun-hee (People Power Party lawmaker) criticized, “History related to 5.18, Sewol, or Roh Moo-hyun (former president) must not be distorted either,” adding, “Why is only Yuk Young-soo (Park Chung-hee’s wife) subject to cinematic imagination?” Kim Seok-gi (People Power Party lawmaker) countered, “Would creative freedom also justify films on Roh Moo-hyun’s alleged assassination or North Korean involvement in 5.18?” Choi Hwi-young (Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism) responded, “The government does not interfere with creative works—there is no prior censorship.” Zhang Yimou (director), visiting Korea as Busan International Film Festival jury chair, stated, “Creation is creation—it doesn’t always need to be based on truth or facts,” adding, “Historical truth itself can be debated.” Related Link. Related Link. The Guardian analyzed ship-tracking data and reported that seven Russian oil tankers were traced to 14 visits to Ulsan, Yeosu, and other locations before moving toward Russia. Isaac Levy (CREA analyst) stated, “It’s shocking that EU-sanctioned tankers loaded fuel at South Korean ports and transported it to Russia,” adding, “This undermines sanctions and weakens South Korea’s support for Ukraine.” Vladyslav Blavtsuk (adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office) criticized, “This starkly contradicts South Korea’s stated sanctions policy against Russia.” The criticism arises amid Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries, which have caused fuel shortages—raising questions about whether South Korea is supplying Russia with fuel. Kang Yu-jeong (Blue House spokesperson) claimed, “This is factually incorrect and inappropriate.” A National Security Office official explained, “Refined oil products like diesel and aviation fuel are not subject to export controls.” Park So-young (JoongAng Ilbo columnist) emphasized, “What’s needed now isn’t a truth game to determine who lied,” adding, “Rather than escalate through public disputes, backchannel negotiations should seek an exit to resolve the conflict.” Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. According to the Chosun Ilbo, a senior U.S. government official reportedly stated, “U.S.-South Korea relations are so bad it’s unprecedented.” The JoongAng Ilbo similarly cited anonymous remarks as if by prior agreement. Yesterday’s Foreign Ministry audit session also saw claims that “Lee Jong-seok (Director of the National Intelligence Service) was denied entry to the U.S.” Cho Jung (Minister of Foreign Affairs) refuted this, stating, “As far as I know, there is no such fact.” It is true that National Intelligence Service staff have been unable to obtain visas. In an editorial, the JoongAng Ilbo noted, “The recent agreement on U.S. investment, reached through arduous negotiations, should serve as a turning point to transform distrust into trust.” Related Link. Related Link. Lee Jae-myung (President)’s X posts keep increasing. A Cheong Wa Dae official met by Dong-A Ilbo said, “After reducing posts following staff recommendations, direct communication was intensified again as approval ratings continued to fall.” The official added, “For about the first year of the administration, there were guidelines urging staff to refrain from SNS use—but now, the President has instructed policy advisors to actively promote policy achievements.” Related Link. Kyeongyang Sinmun met with Larry Persily (former Alaska LNG project coordinator). The Alaska LNG pipeline project—demanded by Donald Trump (U.S. president) and requiring over $50 billion in Korean investment—has been under review for over 30 years before being abandoned. Construction is only possible in winter when the ground freezes, and avoiding permafrost damage introduces numerous variables. Subsea tunnel work in strong currents is also required. Larry Persily noted, “The advantage of proximity to Asia is relative to the U.S. Gulf Coast, not compared to western Canada.” He added, “Price-sensitive Asian buyers are unlikely to pay several dollars more per million BTU for stability.” According to the JoongAng Ilbo, the 13 million tons annually cited in current discussions—below the 16 million tons needed for financing—are non-binding agreements. Critics warn, “Carbon neutrality could reduce demand, forcing sales below cost.” An Energy Economics Institute official remarked, “Many view completion only after 2040 due to environmental assessments,” adding, “If delayed, it’s questionable whether LNG (a fossil fuel) will retain its projected economic viability.” Related Link. Related Link. Jeong Dong-young (Unification Minister) proposed replacing the term “defector” with “bukhyangmin” (lit. “those with hometowns in North Korea”), arguing the former carries negative connotations. Park Chung-kwon (People Power Party lawmaker) retorted, “The term ‘defector’ reflects the will and resolve of those who opposed North Korea’s abnormal dictatorship and came to free South Korea.” He added, “If the minister insists on calling them ‘bukhyangmin’ here, I will refer to him as either a North Korean spokesperson or the ‘North+Jeong Dong-young’ minister.” Park, who defected from North Korea in 2009, argued, “The word ‘defector’ embodies the choice to leave a dictatorship for freedom.” Related Link. Recognition of the parent company’s employer status has sparked speculation that its workers could be deployed during subcontractor strikes. LG U+ created a plan to deploy 250 parent company workers in preparation for strikes by subsidiaries and partner company unions. The Korea Enterprises Federation argues, “It is reasonable to interpret that parent company workers and employees from other subcontractors can be assigned as replacements.” A labor official interviewed by Chosun Ilbo stated, “Even in LG U+’s case, parent company technicians handle cell tower or public-dedicated line installation and repairs, while subsidiary technicians manage residential internet, TV, and phone installations and repairs.” The work is fundamentally different, and broadly allowing replacement labor could cripple subcontractor unions’ right to dispute. Related Link. Anthony Vinci (former Chief Technology Officer of the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency) warned, “The greatest risk isn’t that AI can lie, but that it can persuade.” It’s not about spreading disinformation directly, but weaving it into AI responses. There’s no alternative but to cross-check with original sources, compare other references, and keep questioning and verifying. Related Link. France’s 10-year bond yields have surged to 5%. The time to refinance debt accumulated during low-interest periods at higher rates is approaching. According to the Wall Street Journal, French debt maturing by 2030 exceeds $1 trillion. Next year, the country plans to issue approximately $380 billion in government bonds. Debt-related costs are projected to increase by 59% by 2030. Emmanuel Macron (French President) has repeatedly opened the fiscal taps to quell crises—from the Yellow Vest protests and the COVID-19 pandemic to energy shocks caused by the Ukraine war. He pledged support “whatever the cost,” but temporary measures have become permanent burdens, with tax cuts and wage hikes adding to structural expenses. Investment hesitancy fuels more uncertainty. The Wall Street Journal described it as a vicious cycle where economics and politics reinforce each other. Corporate investment grew 4.5% in 2023 but has stagnated since 2024. Many companies delay decisions due to uncertainty over taxes, regulations, and economic policy direction. Related Link. On October 7, 2023, Hamas’ attack on Israel killed 1,200 and took 251 hostage. The war that began then has nearly completed three years. According to Palestinian Wafa News Agency, cumulative deaths in Gaza reach 74,245, with 175,267 injured. 1,462 have died since last October’s ceasefire. Satellite comparisons by The Guardian show over 82% of Gaza’s buildings damaged. Israeli military control has expanded to 70% of the territory, pushing residents into narrow coastal strips. The UN estimates 10-year recovery and reconstruction costs at $71.4 billion. António Guterres (UN Secretary-General) stated, “The cycle of destruction and despair must end now.” Related Link. JoongAng Ilbo spoke with a 70-year-old man who owns a 700-million-won home but still works as a cleaner due to insufficient living expenses. “Since the house is practically my entire fortune, I hesitate to sell it or join a reverse mortgage program to cover living costs, especially since I need to leave something for my children,” he said. The employment rate for those aged 65+ was 41.5% as of July this year. The OECD average is 14.1%. Average assets stand at 542.72 million won, with real estate and financial assets accounting for 79.9% and 16.9%, respectively. The pension income replacement rate is 38.9% (based on average income). The OECD average is 63.2%. Workers aged 55–79 left their longest-held jobs at 53 on average but desired to retire at 73.6. Kim Min (Deputy Director, Bank of Korea International Department) analyzed, “Even with aging, the structure makes significant savings reduction unlikely to sustain consumption.” He added, “Concerns over the National Pension Service’s low payout levels and potential fund depletion compared to major advanced economies are reinforcing precautionary savings motives.” Yang Joon-seok (Professor, Catholic University Department of Economics) stated, “Extending the retirement age requires wage system reforms, and to convert real estate assets into liquidity for living expenses, tools like reverse mortgages must be expanded.” Related Link. CGV Yeonnam branch is piloting the service. Reusable containers are the default on ordering kiosks, with an option to switch to single-use. A Kyunghyang Shinmun reporter observed that roughly one in three customers chose the reusable option. On the second and last Wednesday of each month, a 1,000 won discount is applied. A specialized company collects the containers daily, subjecting them to high-temperature washing, sterilization, and disinfection before redistribution. According to Seoul Metropolitan Government data, from 2022 to July this year, 81.24 million reusable containers were supplied at stadiums, festivals, and funeral halls, reducing waste by 1,726 tons. Related Link. Last year, the number of people waiting for organ donations exceeded 55,000. Brain-dead organ donors numbered 370. Tissue donors—providing bones, cartilage, fascia, skin, ligaments, heart valves, blood vessels, nerves, etc.—totaled 170. Due to shortages, 91% of tissue grafts are imported. As of last year, the average wait time was 6.2 years. Related Link. Memory division: 750 million won, common organizations: 530 million won, System LSI and Foundry divisions: 240 million won. All pre-tax, with 49.5% withheld at source. Based on a projected 37 trillion won operating profit for this year, allocating 10.5% of that figure. “I played just for the military exemption reward,” said Yang Min-hyuk (athlete). Choi Hwi-young (Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism) called this remark “childish behavior.” Kang Shin-chul (Minister of National Defense) stated, “The Ministry of National Defense’s goal is to gradually reduce and ultimately abolish sports-related military exemptions.” According to The Hankyoreh, 80% of sports and arts-related exemption recipients are Asian Games gold medalists. Seo Jae-won (Korea Economic Daily reporter) emphasized, “Even BTS fulfills their military duty—it’s time to not only re-examine the exemption system from scratch but also overhaul the entire ROK Sports Corps (Sangmu) framework, which disproportionately benefits a few popular sports, to align with modern times.” Related Link. Related Link. This is the salary of a tanker captain. They receive an additional $50,000 bonus for each passage. Their regular monthly wage was previously around $15,000. These days, even ordinary crew members receive at least 4–6 times their usual wages. Freight rates have risen to $1.3 million per day. Until last year, they ranged from $20,000 to $50,000. Some ultra-large tankers incur additional insurance premiums of up to $20 million. According to the International Maritime Organization, at least 93 vessels have been attacked and 24 crew members killed since February 28. Manohi Yadav (Secretary-General of the All India Seafarers’ Federation) said, “Some shipowners are pressuring crews to replace them if they refuse to sail and deduct repatriation costs from their wages.” Refusing means losing their job; agreeing means risking their lives. Among 237,331 taxi drivers, 119,362 (50.3%) are aged 65 or older. Drivers under 40 account for just 1.1%. Bok Gi-wang (Democratic Party lawmaker) analyzed, “Even after the abolition of the franchise taxi fare collection system, real income improvements have not materialized,” adding, “The job has deteriorated into one young people avoid due to unaddressed long hours and poor rest conditions.” Related Link. David Robinson (OpenAI’s head of safety transparency) said this upon leaving OpenAI. “I’m not certain we’re dealing with civilization-scale risks. But I am certain we can no longer afford to assume they aren’t.” Robinson stated, “Watching models escape safeguards changed my thinking.” The issue isn’t just speed—it’s standards. “Jumping off a cliff and walking down slowly aren’t that different.” His argument: if safety benchmarks aren’t met, even after two months of pause, work should stay halted. Recursive self-improvement—AI creating smarter AI—is the bigger problem. “It’s not about lacking resources or effort—we don’t know how to do it safely,” he warned. In a New York Times interview, he added: “We need to make good choices. We have no time to rush.” Related Link. Lee Jae-myung (President) posted on X, “You’ve labeled the other country’s head of state a liar”—a remark he called “unacceptable.” The Korea Daily editorialized, “One might wonder whether it was appropriate for the president to personally and unfilteredly vent emotions toward the other nation.” “Ukraine must remember that South Korea is an indispensable partner. South Korea, as a responsible member of the international community, actively participates in global efforts to end the war. Both nations should now seek diplomatic solutions while managing tensions. The biggest beneficiaries of deteriorating bilateral relations would ultimately be North Korea and Russia.” Related Link. “There’s a reason to rely on public deliberation: it’s the perfect way to postpone thorny decisions. If things go wrong later, responsibility can be shifted to the individuals and groups involved in the process. It risks becoming an event for stalling and dodging accountability.” Ko Hyun-gon (Chosun Ilbo editorial page editor) cites the 2003 Buan nuclear waste site controversy and the National Pension Service reform debates since 2018 as failed examples of public deliberation. The Buan site lacked clear government standards and intervention, while the pension reform saw the government delay decisions, inflaming the debate. Ko assessed, “If the Roh Moo-hyun administration’s failure was a ‘well-intentioned mistake’ from trying to resolve issues through public deliberation, the Moon Jae-in administration’s was a ‘malicious failure’—dumping problems into public deliberation and botching governance.” Standards are also unclear. Controversies over juvenile offenders and health insurance coverage for young people’s hair loss went to public deliberation, but the Yellow Envelope Law and prosecutorial reform did not. Recently, expanding nuclear power plants was proposed for public deliberation. The 52-hour workweek regulation is also likely to follow. Ko emphasized, “It is the president’s role to exercise authority while bearing direct responsibility.” Related Link. “Prosecutorial reform and indictment cancellations have become inextricably linked. Regardless of the truth behind these conspiratorial suspicions, an emotional climate has emerged where rational debate is impossible. President Lee Jae-myung (President) himself has squandered the trust needed for reform. Jeong Hyeok (Kyunghyang Shinmun editorial writer) suggested, “The fundamental solution is to break free from the cumbersome barriers imprisoning Lee Jae-myung,” adding, “If he declares he will face trial after leaving office, no one could doubt his commitment to prosecutorial reform.” “It won’t be easy humanely, but recalling the desperation felt during the night of insurrection, the tearful devotion of citizens confronting armored vehicles and soldiers’ guns—there is nothing he cannot achieve.” Related Link. Why does Lee Jae-myung (President) criticize Ukraine on X without mentioning the $50 billion Alaska investment? Kim Hoe-kyung (The Korea Daily Politics Editor) emphasized, “National unity and diplomacy can only be achieved through arduous persuasion and negotiation,” adding, “They require a systematic, principled approach based on the Blue House and government—not personal SNS theatrics.” Lee Chung-jae (former The Korea Daily Editor-in-Chief) warned, “Lee Jae-myung’s SNS appears to cater more to his core supporters than unify the public,” and “When a president seems to be chasing something, it unsettles the nation.” Related Link. Related Link. State Council audits were held in nine committees on October 8. Slow News analyzed 653 issues and selected 12 topics per committee. We prepared reports and issue cards for each. Check the links for reports; issue cards can be viewed by clicking the images below. Follow-up articles will continue. Education Committee: October 7 State Council Audit Report and Top 12 Issues. Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee: October 7 State Council Audit Report and Top 12 Issues. National Defense Committee: October 7 State Council Audit Report and Top 12 Issues. Public Administration and Security Committee: October 7 State Council Audit Report and Top 12 Issues. Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee: October 7 State Council Audit Report and Top 12 Issues. Agriculture, Food, and Fisheries Committee: October 7 State Council Audit Report and Top 12 Issues. Industry, Trade, SMEs, and Startups Committee: October 7 State Council Audit Report and Top 12 Issues. Health and Welfare Committee: October 7 State Council Audit Report and Top 12 Issues. Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Committee: October 7 State Council Audit Report and Top 12 Issues. 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. Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. 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