Slow Letter: October 07, 2026.

Day one of the national audit: live reports compiled. Search by key terms or browse issue cards by committee. We’ve also selected the top 12 key issues. Updates continue daily. Legislation and Judiciary Committee October 6 audit report and top 12 issues. Political Affairs Committee October 6 audit report and top 12 issues. Finance and Economy Planning Committee October 6 audit report and top 12 issues. Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee October 6 audit report and top 12 issues. Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee October 6 audit report and top 12 issues. Public Administration and Security Committee October 6 audit report and top 12 issues. Industry, Trade, Energy, SMEs, and Startups Committee October 6 audit report and top 12 issues. Climate, Energy, Environment, and Labor Committee October 6 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. The Supreme Court Chief Justice answering lawmakers’ questions during a national audit is unprecedented since 1987. Previously, it was customary to only deliver opening remarks and depart. Cho Hee-dae (Supreme Court Chief Justice) refused to take the witness oath during yesterday’s National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee audit. Cho Hee-dae’s remarks were as follows: “Prior consultations lack constitutional basis but were voluntarily cooperative; omitting them poses no issue.” “The constitution imposes no restrictions on written nominations.” “My authority and duty end with the nomination.” “Failing to respect the recommendation committee’s proposal is neither unconstitutional nor illegal.” “Interfering with the Supreme Court Chief Justice’s nomination violates the constitutional distribution of powers and judicial independence—an explicit constitutional violation.” Related Link. Seo Young-kyo (Chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Democratic Party lawmaker) retorted, “Do you think the president is on the same level as the Supreme Court Chief Justice?” and added, “One should not presume to equate themselves with the position of head of state.” Son Sol (Progressive Party lawmaker) asked, “Are you dreaming of becoming the second Yoon Suk-yeol?” to which Cho Hee-dae replied, “That is deeply insulting and saddening.” Lee Sung-yoon (Democratic Party lawmaker) pointed out, “You remained silent on Yoon Suk-yeol’s emergency martial law and overturned the case against Lee Jae-myung (then Democratic Party candidate) right before the election, effectively staging a judicial coup,” to which Cho Hee-dae countered, “I never cooperated with the emergency martial law.” A Democratic Party official met by Chosun Ilbo said, “As the ruling party, it’s impossible to start discussing impeachment immediately after launching audits on livelihood, policy, and state affairs.” Related Link. 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Hankyoreh criticized in an editorial, “He spun sophistry as if the president’s appointment power and the Supreme Court chief justice’s nomination power were equal.” “The reason the constitution does not explicitly specify procedures for when the president and Supreme Court chief justice disagree is that it presupposes as a matter of constitutional principle that the people’s sovereignty is ultimately exercised through the elected authority of the president.” Kyeongyang Shinmun pointed out in an editorial, “One cannot help but ask whether it is a legitimate constitutional interpretation that a Supreme Court chief justice lacking democratic legitimacy should exercise absolute authority in selecting fellow justices and dominate the composition of the highest court.” Chosun Ilbo warned in an editorial, “The mockery of the Supreme Court chief justice by power does not end with damaging an individual’s dignity,” adding, “When the principles of separation of powers and judicial independence are shaken, democracy itself is threatened.” Kang Yu-jeong (Blue House spokesperson) stated, “We hope the re-nomination process will proceed as swiftly as possible.” Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. “Our members’ wish is to try foods they haven’t been able to eat before.” This was Cho Hee-dae’s statement. When Seo Young-kyo pointed out, “They recorded 10 people eating as 25,” No Kyung-pil (Court Administrator) said, “It’s true that the number of people was inflated.” There was also controversy over encouragement funds. Cho Hee-dae said, “The Chief Justice does not get involved,” but No Kyung-pil stated, “The Chief Justice cannot recall, but ultimately approves the disbursement.” Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. Lim Eun-jung (Gwangju Regional Chief of the Central Investigation Service) told reporters on her way to work, “It’s difficult to normalize the system within a month or two.” Yoon Ho-jung (Minister of the Interior and Safety) said, “That doesn’t seem precisely accurate,” adding, “I judge that preparations are about two-thirds complete.” Yoon Ho-jung’s remark that “We don’t intend to disadvantage former prosecutors, but personnel accustomed to special investigations, manipulated investigations, or covert investigations will remain at the prosecution (Public Prosecutors’ Office)” also drew attention. Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. At 11:21 PM, the Blue House issued a notice stating, “Cho Kuk (Director of the Innovation Policy Research Institute, Innovation Party) has previously stated that supplementary investigation should be acknowledged under certain conditions.” After Lee Jae-myung (President) posted on X that afternoon, “Not only the Innovation Party but also most advocates of prosecutorial reform have proposed establishing a Central Investigation Service for investigations and a Prosecution Service for indictments within the Ministry of Justice,” the controversy continued, prompting the Blue House to intervene. Cho Kuk, meeting with reporters, said, “What relevance does my past position have now?” Park Sang-byeong (political commentator) noted, “The more the president speaks, the bigger the controversy grows,” adding, “He should have addressed it once at the press conference; the rest should be handled by the Blue House or the party.” Related Link. Kyeongyang Shinmun warned in an editorial, “Far from resolving conservative factional conflicts, tensions are escalating to an emotional breaking point,” adding, “They must recognize that if they push aside urgent tasks to dredge up stale historical grievances, the only outcome will be mutual destruction.” Cho Mi-ae (Gyeonggi Province Governor) wrote on Facebook, “I never imagined a bullet would come from behind.” The Hankyoreh noted in an editorial, “This is perceived by the public as a wasteful contest of strength.” Chosun Ilbo criticized in an editorial, “A historical regression evoking the Yeongjeong Debates of the Joseon Dynasty.” Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. Lee Jae-myung (President) said at the State Council meeting, “Even if ten guilty escape, we must not create one wrongfully accused suspect,” emphasizing the point. The unusual attendance of Lee Jung-hyun (Acting Prosecutor General), Jeon Jong-min (Acting Central Investigation Service Chief), and Kim Jong-cheol (Acting Police Commissioner) at the State Council meeting drew attention. Principally, prosecutors and police are not seated at the State Council, and there are criticisms that they should maintain distance to preserve the neutrality and independence of investigative agencies. Joo Jin-woo (People Power Party lawmaker) remarked, “It’s like becoming vassals bowing before King Lee Jae-myung.” Kong Bong-suk (Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office prosecutor) noted, “The neutrality and independence of investigative agencies could be compromised.” JoongAng Ilbo editorialized, “The first step of restraint is not summoning the heads of the Central Investigation Service and prosecution to the State Council.” Donga Ilbo also editorialized, “To add persuasiveness to words, political power must itself maintain distance,” stressing, “Maintaining the appearance of political neutrality in investigative and prosecutorial institutions is as important as their actual substance.” The Korea Herald pointed out, “There is no guarantee that the very act of meeting will not be perceived as intimidation or pressure.” Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. North Korea was unresponsive. The North Korean Foreign Ministry issued a statement, drawing a line: “Under no circumstances will we discuss matters of military sovereignty with an enemy state.” It warned, “If even 1mm of our territory is violated, border forces will respond immediately and decisively.” Lee Jae-myung (President) did not mention the mine incident at the State Council meeting. Kang Shin-chul (Minister of National Defense) emphasized, “All responsibility lies with North Korea.” The Hankyoreh editorial stressed, “With dialogue severed, the UN Command must step forward,” adding, “If one claims authority, one must also bear the corresponding obligations.” Related Link. Related Link. Cho Jung-hyun (Minister of Foreign Affairs) stated, “We received a message containing an apology, but it falls short of our expectations.” The controversy escalated after initially agreeing not to disclose the repatriation of North Korean POWs, only to later claim no such agreement existed. The Blue House announced, “We are seriously reviewing various measures, including recalling the South Korean ambassador to Ukraine.” Han Dong-hoon (Independent MP) pressed, “Why target Ukraine like a rat? Is North Korea the enemy or Ukraine?” Cho Jung-hyun retorted, “I will refuse to answer as long as expressions like ‘rat-trapping’ or ‘not a peep’ are used.” Yoon Wan-joon (Donga Ilbo columnist) emphasized, “If relations with Ukraine deteriorate, we must consider how European nations will perceive it,” adding, “While a firm protest against Ukraine’s breach of trust is necessary, a pragmatic approach prioritizing national interest is equally essential.” Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. An initial portion of the $22.3 billion investment in Texas power plants has been transferred. The $1.7 billion drop in September’s foreign reserves is partly attributed to this. The Alaska LNG project remains undecided. Kim Jeong-gwan (Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy) stated, “The project’s profitability is clearly low, so we never considered it as an investment target,” yet added, “With Middle Eastern LNG halted and Gulf of Mexico volumes rerouted via the Cape of Good Hope instead of the Panama Canal, it holds strategic value.” The $10 billion advance payment for eight nuclear reactors is also likely to be transferred within the year. Jeong Cheong-rae (Democratic Party MP) criticized, “This should have been reviewed by the investment committee, but as far as I know, there was no discussion or resolution.” “The first investment has already misaligned the procedural framework set by Parliament,” he said, adding, “The responsible ministry lacks detail and has been complacent.” Related Link. Related Link. Jeong Bit-na (Ministry of National Defense spokesperson) stated, “We deeply regret certain remarks made by some in the sports community” and added, “We plan to reflect the reduction or abolition of supplementary service exemptions in the Defense Reform Master Plan.” A proposal to introduce a “mileage system” for military service exemptions has also emerged. Bae Joon-yong (Chosun Ilbo reporter) suggested, “The ‘lottery-style’ exemption granting full discharge for a single gold medal should be abolished. Instead, like Turkey, we could extend the enlistment deferment limit to around age 35 to guarantee athletes’ careers.” A Korean-style model—where athletes serve as professional soldiers under military status, with salaries returned to the state and only receiving military-grade pay—could also be considered, similar to Switzerland or Finland. A “mileage system” (point-accumulation system) could be reviewed, granting exemptions only to athletes who consistently perform in major international competitions. In an editorial, Kyunghyang Shinmun noted, “Since the system has also prevented career disruptions for young athletes and supported non-mainstream sport athletes in international competitions, the sports community’s opinions must be fully considered during reforms.” Related Link. Related Link. Related Link. Spoken by Cho Eun-hee (People Power Party MP) during the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s audit. Yoon Ho-joong (Minister of the Interior and Safety) responded, “Is it necessary to risk one’s position?” and added, “Isn’t it one of the ways to communicate with the public?” Na Kyung-won (People Power Party MP) pointed out that Ha Dong-geun (District Heating Corporation CEO) ranked last in both documents and interviews during the CEO recruitment process. Ha Dong-geun previously served as head of the Seongnam Environmental Movement Coalition and worked with Lee Jae-myung (President) on establishing Seongnam Municipal Medical Center. He is particularly close to Kim Hyun-ji (First Deputy Chief of Staff to the President), having officiated her wedding. Chosun Ilbo reported that “a senior executive contacted officials requesting leniency for Ha Dong-geun.” In an editorial, JoongAng Ilbo criticized, “No committee member gave Ha Dong-geun an A grade,” adding, “Even if rewarding loyalty, one should choose the timing and position wisely.” There are suspicions that Nam Kwang-woo (Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute CEO), former secretary-general of a Seongnam civic group, was also appointed over the top-ranked candidate. Related Link. Related Link. Farmers’ backlash is intensifying, raising the possibility that the government may retreat. Yoon Won-seup (Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Ministry Policy Director) stated, “Regarding the legalization of illegally converted farmland, we plan to take legalization measures if applications (reports) are submitted within the 2–3-year validity period of the special measures act.” Moon Geum-ju (Democratic Party lawmaker) argued, “Even if this survey reveals illegal speculation or conversion, it would be better to overlook it for now.” Related Link. Words from a closed Cabinet meeting. Lee Jae-myung (President) instructed, “Do not rush to a predetermined conclusion—start the conversation anew from scratch.” The CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) is a multilateral trade agreement involving 12 countries including Japan, Australia, Canada, Singapore, and Mexico. The Moon Jae-in administration also pursued accession but paused, and discussions resumed under Lee Jae-myong’s government. While a production ripple effect of 6.7 trillion won is expected for manufacturing-based industries, projections suggest agricultural and fisheries output could shrink by over 850 billion won. A ruling party official met by Chosun Ilbo stated, “The president’s land survey initiative to crack down on speculators is non-negotiable,” adding, “Since Japan was never fully enthusiastic about the CPTPP from the start, revisiting it was feasible.” Related Link. Crude oil has rebounded to 10.3 million barrels per day, 76% of pre-war levels. Petroleum products like gasoline and diesel remain limited to 1.3 million barrels daily. Crude oil exiting the Hormuz Strait takes a month to reach Asia. China, Japan, and South Korea are retaining most refined products domestically to secure their own supplies. The U.S. has become one of the few countries supplying the world’s fuel deficit. The Wall Street Journal projected that even if current shipping volumes persist, full recovery will only be possible well after 2027. The analysis notes that restoring oil fields, refining facilities, and replenishing hundreds of millions of barrels lost to war will require time. Related Link. Lee Chang-yong (former Governor of the Bank of Korea) made this argument. The proposal suggests expanding the white-collar exemption to all industries, using twice the median wage as the threshold—around 1.49 million people, or 11% of all salaried workers. Lee Chang-yong stated, “For white-collar workers whose performance is clearly measurable, where engagement matters more than hours, and who require concentrated work in a global competitive environment, regulations should be relaxed and autonomy granted. Only then can Korea’s competitiveness be enhanced.” Ryu Je-gang (Head of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Policy Bureau) countered, “South Korea remains a country where workers still labor over 100 hours more annually than the OECD average.” His argument: “We must pursue further statutory work-hour reductions combined with wage protection, adequate staffing, and improved work practices.” Related Link. Related Link. Can heatwaves and flood damage be claimed from oil companies? Jeff Goodell (climate writer) argued, “Thanks to attribution science, we can now specifically assign responsibility for climate impacts.” The principle is this: Compare the actual climate with a hypothetical one where human greenhouse gas emissions never occurred. This method calculates how much stronger a specific heatwave or flood became due to climate change and how much more likely it was to occur. Linking this to corporate emissions data allows estimation of individual companies’ contributions. A Dartmouth study cited by Goodell estimated that CO2 emissions from 111 fossil fuel companies caused up to $28 trillion in global economic losses. Chevron, ExxonMobil, and BP accounted for $2 trillion, $1.9 trillion, and $1.5 trillion respectively. Related Link. The Korea Poultry Association reports that 9–10-week-old broiler chicken prices were 3,308 KRW per kg as of September—38% lower than March’s 5,308 KRW. What about chicken? Main menu items remain around 23,000 KRW. Franchises like Kyochon Chicken argue that rising labor, logistics, and cooking oil costs make lowering consumer prices difficult. The Fair Trade Commission’s investigation came six days after Lee Jae-myong (President) posted on X, “I’ll have this checked.” A franchisee interviewed by The Hankyoreh said, “While farmgate chicken prices have dropped, compared to peak periods, the price per bird purchased by stores fell only about 500 KRW.” A franchise headquarters official stated, “Demanding uniform price reductions based solely on temporary farmgate price declines ignores the franchise distribution structure and the headquarters’ cost burdens.” Related Link. Related Link. Next year’s national tax revenue will increase by 41% compared to this year’s supplementary budget, but local subsidies will only grow by 2%. Lee Sang-min (research fellow at the Korea Institute of Public Finance) likened it to “winning the lottery but cutting your spouse’s allowance under the pretense of saving for the future.” The government plans to amend the National Finance Act to create an exception to the principle of total budgeting. Lee Sang-min pointed out, “No household cuts their spouse’s share just because they have more money.” “To say something unpopular to local governments: just hand next year’s additional tax revenue cleanly to the central government. However, this year’s surplus must be settled with local governments as per current law. Isn’t this the minimum they deserve?” Related Link. According to the National Data Service, the average age at which people leave their longest-held job is 53—exactly the age at which Kim Nak-su departs his company in the drama “Kim’s Department.” Only about one in ten workers in Korea reaches the official retirement age. Lee Seung-yoon (professor at Chung-Ang University) pointed out, “For those who never reach the ‘retirement age,’ extending it doesn’t directly translate to financial stability in retirement.” Extending retirement age and youth employment are not strongly linked. Over the past four years, 94% of reduced youth jobs occurred in sectors heavily impacted by AI. Lee Seung-yoon emphasized, “Forcing out ‘Mr. Kim’ doesn’t automatically free up positions for young people.” Lee Seung-yoon proposed two directions: First, for young people, the solution isn’t their parents’ early retirement—it’s rebuilding the first rung of the collapsed career ladder. Second, for the majority who leave before retirement, social insurance that tracks their work history, adequate pensions, and second or third careers that are respected—even if short—must be established alongside their primary jobs. Related Link.