Slow Letter: October 06, 2026.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff released the investigation results of the DMZ landmine explosion incident. Kwon Dae-won (Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs) stated, “We determined it was a typical North Korean military landmine that was intentionally buried, not a stray mine.” Kwon Dae-won said, “We strongly demand that North Korea sincerely apologize immediately and remove all installed landmines without delay.” Chosun Ilbo’s front-page headline reads, “No reciprocal measures.” This implies only a demand was made. A Ministry of National Defense official remarked, “We cannot take substantive measures against North Korea at this moment.” The Hankyoreh emphasized that the military had removed landmines in the accident area. It described the action as “the first physical response measure by our military in response to the North Korean landmine explosion.” Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. Cho Hyun (Minister of Foreign Affairs) argued that unilateral sanctions were necessary, while Jung Dong-young (Minister of Unification) opposed them. The JoongAng Ilbo reported, “The two ministers clashed, raising their voices.” The Military Demarcation Line (MDL) was never clearly defined to begin with. 1,292 markers were erected in 1953, but only about 200 remain today. The South Korean military uses a 2004 US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency map as its reference, while the UN Command uses 23,000 coordinates installed at 10-meter intervals in 2016. Park Won-gon (Professor at Ewha Womans University) stated, “After agreeing on a baseline with the UN Command, we should preemptively notify North Korea that if they refuse dialogue, mine removal will proceed according to that baseline.” Related Link. Lee Cheol-jae (senior reporter at JoongAng Ilbo) pointed out, “If we try to wrap up the situation with a ‘condemnation statement,’ it would mean we are tacitly accepting North Korea’s refusal to recognize the DMZ and its so-called ‘southern border.’” “The disappearance of the buffer zone between the two Koreas increases the risk of accidental clashes in the DMZ escalating into localized conflicts,” he added. Lee Cheol-jae emphasized, “We must strongly demand that North Korea not only acknowledge responsibility and apologize but also immediately halt and reverse all fortification work along the DMZ border.” Chosun Ilbo argued in an editorial, “Resuming even one of the following—anti-North Korea broadcasts, loudspeaker broadcasts, or civilian groups’ leaflet campaigns—would be the minimum reciprocal measure.” Kyunghyang Shinmun proposed in its editorial, “It is mutually beneficial to urgently discuss the redrawing of the MDL baseline.” Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. Seven institutions were attacked: Shinhan Bank, KB Kookmin Bank, Hana Bank, BNK Busan Bank, Yegaram Savings Bank, Welcome Savings Bank, and Hyundai Capital. Vulnerabilities were exploited in loan broker inquiry services and employee mobile work-support systems. Chosun Ilbo assessed, “Basic protocols made the difference.” Woori Bank had a certificate verification step that blocked intrusion, while NH Nonghyup Bank’s protocol automatically blocked repeated logins from the same IP. Related Link. Traces of an AI tool called ARTEX were found. Though Chinese-based, it’s publicly available on GitHub, making it difficult to pinpoint nationality. Lee Sang-geun (Professor at Korea University) stated, “This incident is closer to the ‘automation’ of existing attack methods” and added, “Now, anyone can scan the entire domestic financial sector at once simply by installing the tool, making the process much faster.” Kwak Jin (Professor at Ajou University) pointed out, “AI tools become attack tools when used by attackers and defense tools when used by defenders.” Bruce Schneier (Harvard University researcher) warned in an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo, “AI personal agents are approaching disaster-level risks in terms of security and privacy.” Cheon Ho-jin (Theori Director) explained, “As AI enables rapid attacks on multiple targets, it’s now probing even areas a human wouldn’t bother questioning.” Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. Lee Jae-myung (President) flooded X with posts. “Demagoguery by irresponsible extremists (so-called ‘Mugeukpa’) who spread chaos without the slightest evidence is spreading like a trend,” he warned, adding, “Under no circumstances should anyone attempt to manipulate personnel decisions and investigative-prosecution affairs under the guise of prosecutorial reform for personal gain.” He also criticized, “Unaccountable radical claims and baseless demagoguery often stem not from concern for the public or the nation, but from selfish motives to self-promote and monopolize reform achievements.” “Extremism” and “selfish motives” are direct references to the Democratic Party’s hardline faction. JoongAng Ilbo assessed, “A full-scale battle has erupted,” while The Hankyoreh described it as “tightening the reins of state affairs.” Kyunghyang Shinmun analyzed, “He has directly entered the public opinion war.” Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. Choo Mi-ae (Gyeonggi Province Governor) warned about Kim Ji-yong (candidate for head of the Corruption Investigation Office), saying, “Why appoint as captain of a ship launched with the mission of reform someone who could turn their back on the people and justice at any moment?” She also criticized, “Just when we expected judicial reform to finally crest the ridge, a bullet flew in from behind.” Lim Eun-jung (Gwangju Regional Head of the Corruption Investigation Office) criticized, “The person who should serve as a negative example must not become number one.” Calls for closure are also emerging. Yang Bu-nam (Democratic Party lawmaker) argued, “Stop criticizing, respect the president’s appointment authority, and accept it for stable governance.” Park Ji-won (Democratic Party lawmaker) wrote on Facebook, “Summon the party meeting immediately, debate without limits, and propose a party decision.” Related Link. Related Link. Chosun Ilbo and The Hankyoreh aligned in their critique. Chosun Ilbo warned in an editorial, “If the president truly worries about society’s ‘Mugeukpa’ and their agitation, he must not become consumed by social media politics.” It argued, “SNS politics—addressing only supporters, not the entire nation—only fuels the ‘irresponsible extremism’ he criticizes.” Seong Han-yong (senior reporter at The Hankyoreh) noted, “It’s abnormal for the nation’s top official to pour time and energy into SNS.” “A president’s time and energy are public resources,” he said, adding, “We’ve reached a point where the people worry about the president, not the other way around.” “It seems like a manifestation of victimhood or self-pity. Or maybe he’s just furious about something. Either way, it’s abnormal.” Seong Han-yong insisted, “Aides should risk their positions to stop him,” and argued, “They must take away the president’s SNS access.” Heo Jin (JoongAng Ilbo reporter) cautioned, “Midnight posts are especially risky.” “The amygdala—linked to emotion and memory—is more active at night, intensifying emotional thinking. When this translates to writing, chaos ensues.” Lee Jae-myung’s X posts totaled 34 over five days in October. Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. “Even if it’s painful now, we cannot let South Korea face a lost 30 years at the end of this real estate hot potato game.” This was again Lee Jae-myung (President) writing on X. “Structural issues are difficult to resolve quickly with a few short-term measures,” he emphasized, adding, “Democratic governments’ failure to push through necessary reforms due to resistance and backlash is also a contributing factor.” “Though disappointing, please bear with us and wait a little longer,” he urged. Related Link. Related Link. President’s approval rating rebounded for two weeks but has fallen again. Disapproval dropped to 59.8%. Democratic Party and People Power Party support rates stand at 42.5% and 38.4%, respectively. The sample error is ±2.0%p at a 95% confidence level, with a response rate of 3.9%. Yoo Si-min (author) once claimed, “I’ve never heard talk of separating investigation and prosecution,” adding, “The president has been deceiving the public all along.” Lee Jae-myung (President) shared an episode of Alleleo, in which he and Yoo Si-min appeared together, on X. The video was filmed in April last year, just before the presidential election. It shows Lee Jae-myung stating, “Whether inside the Ministry of Justice or elsewhere, the agencies responsible for investigation and prosecution must be separated.” Related Link. Related Link. He submitted a written notice stating he would not attend despite being summoned as a witness. Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae (Supreme Court) is likely to make a brief statement and leave. It has been customary for the head of the court administration to answer detailed questions. Lee Ju-hee (Democratic Party spokesperson) warned, “Failure to attend without just cause is subject to criminal penalties.” Jeong Jeom-sik (People Power Party floor leader) argued, “Summoning the Chief Justice—the head of one of the three branches of government—to a parliamentary audit is an abuse of power and overreach by the legislature against the judiciary, violating the separation of powers.” The Hankyoreh emphasized in an editorial, “As head of the judiciary, it would be honorable before the public to explain: why the nomination of former Justice Noh Tae-ak’s successor was delayed over 200 days, the circumstances of the breakdown in talks with the Blue House, why Son Bong-gi (Supreme Court nominee) was unilaterally submitted in writing, and the constitutional basis for rejecting the president’s request for renomination.” Related Link. Related Link. From January to September, South Korea imported eggs from the US (125.78 million), Thailand (5.62 million), Brazil (1.12 million), and Denmark (720,000). According to an analysis by Kim Yong-tae (People Power Party lawmaker), the import cost per tray was 39,000 won for Brazilian eggs, 22,830 won for Danish, 13,920 won for American, and 9,150 won for Thai. Focusing solely on Brazilian eggs, they were imported at 1,300 won per egg and sold for 160 won. A industry insider interviewed by Chosun Ilbo said, “If that budget had been given to domestic farms, production could have been sufficiently increased through measures like utilizing older hens. But the government prioritized publicity and played the ‘import’ card.” A Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs official stated, “This was a preemptive response to supply instability” and added, “It also had the effect of suppressing further price increases.” Related Link. Jang Dong-hyeok (People Power Party leader) visited the birthplace of Yuk Young-soo (Park Chung-hee’s wife) and said, “I cannot contain my anger. Distorting history with unverified allegations goes beyond freedom of expression.” Shin Dong-wook (People Power Party lawmaker) stated, “There are clear parts suggesting Park Chung-hee (former president) orchestrated his wife’s assassination from behind the scenes.” Some protesters have gathered in front of Yoo Hae-jin (actor)’s home to stage demonstrations. Joo Jin-woo (People Power Party lawmaker) sparked controversy by commenting “North Korea resident” on an online post criticizing Yoo Hae-jin, which read, “Just go live in North Korea.” Choi Hwi-young (Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism) argued, “If criticism crosses the line and threatens personal safety, it cannot be tolerated.” Lee Jae-jung (Democratic Party lawmaker) said, “The film did not distort history—the political sphere distorted the film.” Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. Yang Min-hyuk (national football team player) sparked controversy by saying, “The medal didn’t matter—I competed solely for the military exemption.” Park Sung-hoon (People Power Party spokesperson) stated, “We must reexamine without sacred cows whether the current arts and sports personnel system aligns with the times and public common sense.” Ahn Cheol-soo (People Power Party lawmaker) remarked, “Is the military a hate facility? Are all the young men enlisting annually just suckers?” Kim Byeong-ju (Democratic Party lawmaker) argued, “A gradual reform—phasing out targets and criteria step by step—is the realistic solution.” The sports personnel military exemption system, introduced in 1973, initially covered third-place finishes at world championships and top 10 graduates from Korea National Sport University. In 1990, eligibility narrowed to Olympic third-place and Asian Games gold medalists; 2002 added World Cup Round of 16 and 2006 WBC top-four finishes, which were later excluded in 2008. Currently, only Olympic top-three and Asian Games gold medalists qualify. In an editorial, JoongAng Ilbo noted, “While abolishing or scaling back exemptions might threaten non-mainstream sports, the current criteria are undeniably out of step with public expectations.” Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. Soaring U.S. Treasury rates mean falling bond values. Issuance has increased while capital inflows shrink, forcing price adjustments. The U.S. federal debt has surpassed $40 trillion. China, France, the UK, and others continue unloading U.S. Treasuries. South Korea’s 10-year bond rate also hit 4.6%. Mid-term household loan repayments are declining. Some say, “With loans so hard to get, paying early feels like a loss.” The term “loan FOMO” has even emerged. Han Min-soo (Democratic Party lawmaker) emphasized, “Repeated measures like reduced loan limits and halted sales have hit hardest those low-income citizens who desperately need funds.” Real wages have fallen for four consecutive months. Regular and temporary/day laborers’ real wages are 3.87 million won and 1.45 million won, respectively. These represent a 0.6% increase and a 5.2% decrease. Related Link. No outright majority—runoff vote inevitable. Flávio Bolsonaro (Liberal Party candidate) and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Brazilian President, Workers’ Party candidate) secured 47.3% and 44.9%, respectively. Analysts suggest Brazil may join the Blue Tide (right-wing wave of governments). Household debt, fiscal deficits, and security concerns are driving factors. Flávio Bolsonaro is the son of Jair Bolsonaro (former Brazilian president), who was sentenced to 27 years in prison for alleged coup plotting. If Lula loses, Trump’s influence over the Latin American conservative bloc will grow. Ha Sang-seop (professor at the National Diplomatic Academy) predicted, “Though a razor-thin margin is expected, the current momentum favors Flávio.” Related Link. Sea surface temperatures in parts of the equatorial region have risen over 3°C above average. The probability of a very strong El Niño persisting until year-end exceeds 80%, with potential to become the strongest on record. Jeffrey Shaman (Columbia University professor) stressed, “Responses must be expedited.” Southern Africa and India face drought risks, Indonesia wildfires, while Kenya, eastern China, and the southern U.S. could see increased precipitation. A warning that next year may be more severe than this one. Related Link. A study suggests cutting the fleet by roughly one-third and consolidating rental stations. Operating losses are projected to exceed 20 billion won this year, up from 17.6 billion won last year. Usage dropped from 44.91 million trips in 2023 to 37.37 million last year. Revenue from rentals fell from 15.5 billion won to 13.6 billion won, while operating costs rose from 28.2 billion won to 30.9 billion won. Labor costs account for 53% (16.5 billion won) of operating expenses. Shared bikes surpassed Ttareungi last year, reaching 45,283 units. A industry insider interviewed by Chosun Ilbo remarked, “A significant portion of Ttareungi users appear to have switched to shared electric bikes.” Son Eun-young (Seoul City University professor) emphasized, “Public bike systems shouldn’t be evaluated solely on profitability.” Related Link. Twenty-four cafes and fast-food chains alone used 1.089 billion units last year. Usage briefly declined when plastic cup restrictions tightened in 2018, but has risen again since the government excluded them from regulated items in 2023. Non-capital region patients incur 1.748 trillion won in net socioeconomic costs annually by choosing Seoul’s top-tier hospitals over local national university hospitals. Healthcare system costs due to price disparities amount to 1.3416 trillion won, while non-medical expenses like transportation and lodging total 406.3 billion won. Local national university hospitals average 43.7% of the bed capacity and 26% of the physician numbers of Seoul’s Big Five hospitals. Heo Jong-sik (Democratic Party lawmaker) stated, “Comprehensive support for specialized personnel and advanced equipment must be prioritized to rapidly establish self-sufficient regional public healthcare.” Related Link. Jung Soo-jin (national judo team athlete) was disqualified for exceeding weight limits at the Nagoya Asian Games. Her coaches told her she wasn’t subject to weigh-in, so she ate—but learned 15 minutes before the deadline she was required to weigh in. She ran until the final moment to cut weight but exceeded by 100g. Her breakfast that morning: 300g of porridge, 200g of banana, and 600g of ionized drink. Related Link. Companies that encouraged employees to use AI as much as possible are now stunned by the bills. Lower token prices don’t mean lower overall costs. A Stanford University study analyzing over 6,800 tasks found that in 32% of cases, cheaper models incurred higher costs. In a Wall Street Journal example, Gemini 3.1 Pro completed a task in 85 steps for $1. The cheaper Gemini 3 Flash failed after 952 steps, costing $14. Even the same model can produce varying costs for identical tasks—and failed attempts still incur charges. Related Link. Prices have plummeted to one-tenth in three years—so steep that farmers say they lose 2,000 won per 2kg box sold. A 2kg box now costs 7,000 won, down from 60,000 won three years ago and 30,000 won last year. According to the Korea Rural Economic Institute, Shine Muscat cultivation area expanded from 278 hectares in 2016 to 6,458 hectares in 2023—over 23-fold growth. A farmer interviewed by Kyunghyang Shinmun explained, “Word spread that Shine Muscat sold for three times the price of regular grapes and yielded twice as much—so everyone jumped in, thinking ‘there’s money in this.’” Related Link. Ruchir Sharma (CEO of Rockefeller International) analyzed, “A significant portion of Americans perceive the current growth as the wrong kind of boom.” Investment in AI-related industries is rising 25% annually, while the rest of the economy struggles to reach 1% growth. Overall construction is contracting, yet data center construction maintains double-digit growth. Gasoline prices have surged over 40%, and mortgage rates exceed 7%. Real wage growth adjusted for inflation has turned negative. There is also a reverse Robin Hood effect, where stock market gains concentrate among the top tiers: the top 0.1% gains more than the top 1%, who in turn gain more than the top 10%. Ruchir Sharma assessed, “Trump, who rose to power fueled by anti-establishment anger, is now making his own party the target of that rage.” Ruling and opposition party seats face each other across a 2.5-meter gap. Park Gil-sung (Korea University professor) noted, “The confrontational face-to-face seating structure exacerbates partisan conflict and dilutes the purpose of checking the executive branch.” The Icelandic parliament does not assign fixed seats by party and determines seating by lottery before each session. There is also a proposal to consider redesigning the Sejong Government Complex into a circular or fan-shaped layout. Related Link. Park Kyung-ryul (KAIST professor) finds ideas for conflict resolution in the motion of a pendulum. “Boring dialogue, compromise, and the patience to endure discomfort reduce amplitude. Clock hands move forward not because the pendulum swings violently in one direction, but because it inevitably descends and passes through the lowest point.” Park Kyung-ryul emphasized, “Society moves not by forces pulling toward polar extremes, but by the restoring force that stubbornly returns to the center.” Related Link. Kyunghyang Shinmun filled its front page with comics for its 80th-anniversary special feature—an audacious editorial choice. ‘Jeongbyeong’ is short for mental illness. The paper analyzed, “Appearance jeongbyeong, weight jeongbyeong, central-government-employment jeongbyeong, academic-background jeongbyeong, rural-town jeongbyeong, jeongbyeong in dating… wherever society imposes its ‘correct’ standards, mental illness emerges.” Analyzing social media and community mentions revealed: 2016’s ‘Hell Joseon’ and ‘escape from Joseon,’ 2018’s ‘small but certain happiness’ and ‘YOLO’ (You Only Live Once), 2022’s ‘godly life,’ followed by 2024’s ‘who’s threatening me with a knife?’ and ‘none of my business,’ with ‘jeongbyeong’ emerging in 2026. Kyunghyang Shinmun concluded, “In this era of rampant ‘jeongbyeong’ across seasons, youth receive prescriptions and navigate today with their emotional switches turned off.” Related Link. Related Link.