Korea Daily News (December 2, 2024)

Budget Deadlock: Rival parties failed to reach an agreement on next year’s budget by the legal deadline, leaving it unaddressed in the plenary session.
Speaker’s Urgent Briefing: National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik urged the budget to be passed by December 10, emphasizing bipartisan cooperation.
Audit Office Criticism Rejected: Secretary-General Choi Dal-young dismissed allegations of political bias in audits, stressing their importance.
Impeachment Controversy: The Democratic Party’s push to impeach Audit Chief Choi Jae-hae has sparked strong opposition from the People Power Party, escalating political tension.
Support for Daegu-Gyeongbuk: Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung highlighted the need for economic revitalization in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions.

UNIQLO Stock Decline: Fast Retailing’s shares plunged amidst concerns of a Chinese boycott following remarks by Chairman Yanai.
Lotte Rental Stock Buyback: Completed a 10 billion won stock buyback to enhance shareholder value.
Bitcoin Misappropriation Scandal: Japanese crypto exchange DMM Bitcoin shut down after losing assets worth 450 billion won.
Housing Subscription Competition: Price-capped areas recorded 7.5 times higher average application rates than unrestricted zones.
NH Nonghyup Bank Platform Upgrade: Expanded financial and healthcare services for improved customer convenience.

Hyundai Factory Investigation: Police raided research centers after a fatal incident involving three researchers.
Elementary School Fire Evacuation: 900 students and teachers were safely evacuated during a cafeteria fire in Suwon.
Black Ice Warnings: Meteorological warnings about black ice on highways are being expanded nationwide.

China-Taiwan Tensions: China established a research center to prepare for potential economic impacts of conflict with Taiwan and sanctions akin to those on Russia.
Turkish Electric Car Growth: Nio’s battery-swapping technology has led to 9,200 global patents and rapid expansion.
Swedish AI in Hospitals: AI successfully reduces diagnostic time for cancer detection in Sweden’s largest private hospital.
UK Defense Industry Plan: The UK plans to launch a defense industry council as it recognizes South Korea’s advances in defense technology.
Hunter Biden Pardon: President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden amidst tax evasion and gun possession allegations.

Scarcity of Large Apartments: Supply of large apartments in Seoul is expected to decrease sharply next year, potentially driving up prices.
Gyeonggi New Residential Sites: The government announced three new residential development areas in Gyeonggi Province.
BTS Jimin’s Donation: Participated as the first individual donor in Busan Habitat’s community housing improvement project.
Lotte Castle Development in Daejeon: Announced plans for luxury apartment sales in Daejeon.
Commercial Building Transactions Drop: Transaction volumes for commercial buildings in Seoul have significantly decreased compared to last year.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Leak: Specifications of the upcoming Galaxy S25 series were leaked, garnering significant attention.
AI Road Hazard Alerts: The Meteorological Administration expanded AI-based road hazard warnings to five major routes.
Smart Platform Upgrades: Major IT companies like Naver and Upbit announced improvements to their platforms.
Fintech Export Success: Crosshub signed its first export deal with Vietnam for blockchain-based ID systems.
Tencent Acquires Kuro Games: Tencent took a majority stake in Kuro Games to boost development capabilities.

Seoul Nobel Literature Festival: Celebrated Korean authors through book talks and lectures coinciding with the Nobel Literature Prize ceremony.
Van Gogh Exhibit: Original works of Van Gogh return to Korea after 12 years, drawing anticipation.
Im Young-woong’s Donation: Proceeds from a charity soccer match were donated to support those in need.
Blue Dragon Film Awards: Actor Lee Byung-hun lightened the mood with witty remarks during the ceremony.
Seoul Winter Festivals: The city hosts various winter events, including light shows and New Year celebrations.

Eco-Friendly Construction Materials: Dongwha Enterprise received the Minister of Environment Award for its sustainable materials.
Chuncheon Floating Bridge Plan: Plans are underway to connect Soyang Dam and Cheongpyeongsa Temple with a floating bridge.
Carbon Neutrality Commitments: Cities around the world are setting ambitious carbon-neutral goals.
Green Ammonia Supply Deal: LUPro signed a $4.5 billion contract with a Thai company for green ammonia supply.
Waste Management Technology: The Ministry of Environment announced expanded support for innovative waste management solutions.

Nexon Showcases Updates: Major updates for Dungeon Fighter and Mabinogi raise expectations for upcoming events.
Valorant Global Tournament: SVL 2024 will bring top Valorant teams to Seoul for a week-long tournament.
Cookie Run TCG Expansion: New global releases and updates planned for Cookie Run: Braveverse.
Tencent’s Game Studio Buyout: Tencent acquired a majority stake in Kuro Games to strengthen its portfolio.
LoL KeSPA Cup Revival: The KeSPA Cup returns after three years, exciting esports fans.

Gold Investment Boom: Gold prices surged to 120,000 won per gram, fueling a wave of gold investment interest.
Bithumb Enhances Services: Simplified account registration and incentives for new users introduced.
ISA Promotion: Shin Young Securities offers cultural event invitations for ISA account participants.
XRP Price Surge: Ripple exceeded 3,000 won per coin for the first time since 2017.
Top-Performing Stocks: IT stocks like Cafe24 showed continued growth in the stock market.

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