Politics/Society
- Choo Kyung-ho’s Criticism: Choo Kyung-ho, the floor leader of the People Power Party, criticized the Democratic Party’s push for legislation to reduce the prosecution’s power, calling it “revenge against prosecutors” in response to Lee Jae-myung’s two-year sentence.
- North Korea’s Trash Balloons: North Korea continues sending trash-filled balloons to the South, and the South Korean military maintains a “collect after fall” policy, while warning of potential military action.
- President Yoon’s Approval Rating Rebound: President Yoon Seok-yeol’s approval rating rose slightly, recovering to 30% after four weeks.
- Low Enrollment in Medical Schools: The average enrollment rate in 40 medical schools across Korea has dropped below 4%, raising concerns over large-scale failures and expulsions.
- Increase in Foreign Doctors: The number of foreign doctors practicing in Korea continues to rise, highlighting the growing role of foreign medical professionals in the Korean healthcare system.
Economy
- Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) Price Freeze Impact: KEPCO saw a sharp 7% drop in early trading after the announcement that electricity rates will be frozen in the fourth quarter.
- Interest Rate Hikes and Margin Criticism: Following the U.S. Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes, banks are being criticized for maintaining high loan rates while offering low interest rates on deposits.
- High Demand for Small Apartment Units: The increase in dual-income, childless couples (DINKs) has led to fierce competition for small apartment units (60㎡ or smaller).
- Popularity of Yuhan Corporation Stock: Yuhan Corporation’s stock is soaring, with top investors making significant net purchases due to ongoing favorable developments.
Technology/IT
- Samsung Securities’ Popular Stock Accumulation Service: Samsung Securities’ automatic stock and ETF accumulation service is gaining significant popularity.
- Hyper Corporation Acquires TikTok Live Partner: Hyper Corporation has acquired the only domestic mobile coupon supplier for TikTok Live.
- Naver Cloud Launches AI Health Checkup Service: Naver Cloud, in collaboration with KMI, has launched an AI-based health checkup analysis service called “AskMe.”
- Global Foundries TSMC and Samsung Cooperation: TSMC and Samsung are planning to build a large semiconductor factory in the UAE.
- Samsung Electro-Mechanics Develops Small Solid-State Battery: Samsung Electro-Mechanics has developed a world-leading small solid-state battery to be used in wearable devices.
International
- Joe Biden Criticizes China: U.S. President Joe Biden’s remarks criticizing China’s aggressive actions were unintentionally broadcast during a private meeting.
- Falling Popularity of Shine Muscat in China: The popularity of Korean-grown Shine Muscat grapes is declining in China due to increased local production.
Games
- Iron Device’s IPO Surge: System-on-chip (SoC) specialist Iron Device saw its stock surge 110% on the first day of its KOSDAQ IPO.
- Battlegrounds Mobile New Theme Mode: Krafton launched a new theme mode for Battlegrounds Mobile, featuring a war between vampires and werewolves called “Blood War.”
- League of Legends Illegal Gambling Crackdown: Riot Games announced a stronger crackdown on illegal gambling in League of Legends’ top-tier matches.
- New Character in ‘Goddess of Victory: NIKKE’: A new character, Ruuju, has been added, bringing new skills and buffs that change gameplay dynamics.
Culture/Entertainment
- IU’s Successful Stadium Concert: IU became the first Korean female solo artist to hold a solo concert at Korea’s largest stadium, drawing 100,000 fans.
- Actress Kim Ji-ho Opens Up About “Perfect Couple” Image: Actress Kim Ji-ho expressed how the image of being part of a “perfect couple” has been a burden.
- Starbucks 25th Anniversary Renewal: Starbucks Korea announced the renewal of its first store at Ewha Womans University to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
- Pop Star Olivia Rodrigo’s First Concert in Korea: Olivia Rodrigo held her first solo concert in Seoul, captivating the audience with a range of performances.
Sports
- Lee Yong-dae Shares Post-Divorce Feelings: Badminton gold medalist Lee Yong-dae shared his thoughts on his divorce, six years after it happened, during a conversation with his juniors on a broadcast.
- Shohei Ohtani’s Historic 50-Home Run, 50-Stolen Base Season: Shohei Ohtani became the first player in 120 years of Major League Baseball to achieve 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.
Environment
- Shinyoung Securities Participates in “Bye Bye Plastic” Challenge: Shinyoung Securities CEO Hwang Sung-yeop participated in the Ministry of Environment’s “Bye Bye Plastic Challenge.”
- Seoul Begins Collecting Ginkgo Tree Fruits: The Seoul government has started collecting ginkgo tree fruits to address the odor and inconvenience caused by fallen fruits in the autumn season.