The incompetent martial law attempt by former President Yoon appears now to be used as an excuse to conduct a complete purge of conservatives from the Korean government:

The government will launch a task force to investigate whether public officials were involved in illegal activities or misconduct in connection with former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed martial law attempt last December, the prime minister’s office said Tuesday.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok made the proposal during a Cabinet meeting earlier in the day, stressing that the government’s top priority is to uphold the sovereignty of the people and democracy.

“We will swiftly conduct an internal investigation into public officials who participated in or cooperated with the martial law bid and secure the grounds for taking appropriate personnel measures,” Kim said in his opening remarks.

All 49 central government agencies, excluding those under the presidential office or independent bodies, will be subject to the investigation, which will run through Jan. 31.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

It looks like workers will be working five years longer in South Korea before they can retire:

Debate is heating up over raising Korea’s statutory retirement age, as the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) moves to increase it from 60 to 65, citing the nation’s transition toward a super-aged society.

Critics warn the move could reduce job opportunities for younger workers and place additional burdens on companies already facing high labor costs.

The DPK stated that its special committee on raising the retirement age has been in discussions with leading labor and business organizations — including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) and the Korea Enterprises Federation (KEF) — to coordinate their positions on the proposed legislation.

The ruling party has pledged to pass the bill by year’s end, with gradual increases starting in 2027 bringing the age up to 65 by 2033. 

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang-chol (3rd from R) holds talks with Russian Gen. Viktor Goremykin (4th from L), who has led a delegation of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces, in Pyongyang on Nov. 6, 2025, in this photo released by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency the next day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

This act has been reintroduced periodically since 2008 and hopefully this latest renewal if approved will authorize for Radio Free Asia to resume broadcasting into North Korea:

This file photo, taken March 25, 2024, shows U.S. Rep. Young Kim speaking during a visit to South Korea’s unification ministry in Seoul. (Yonhap)

A U.S. lawmaker has reintroduced a bill to reauthorize the North Korean Human Rights Act aimed at promoting rights and freedom in the reclusive state, Congress’s website showed Monday, as the authorization of the act expired in 2022.

On Friday, Rep. Young Kim (R-CA) introduced the bill, with Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) co-sponsoring it. First adopted in 2004, the North Korean Human Rights Act is updated and reauthorized periodically. It was extended in 2008, 2012 and 2018 with the last extension having expired in September 2022.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Anyone believe this claim?:

Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho denied Monday that President Lee Jae Myung had any part in the prosecution’s recent decision to not appeal a high-profile development corruption case stemming from his time as mayor of Seongnam.

Jung made the remark as he arrived for work at the justice ministry in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, as controversy has flared up over the prosecution’s failure to appeal the case by last Friday’s deadline, which critics allege was a result of government interference. (……)

The development corruption case centers on allegations that a small number of unheard-of private asset management companies, including Hwacheon Daeyu, were allowed to reap astronomical investment profits from a real estate development project in Seongnam’s Daejang-dong district in 2015, when Lee was the city’s mayor.

Lee stood trial on charges of inflicting losses to Seongnam Development Corp., which was in charge of the project, before a court indefinitely postponed his trial following his presidential election victory in June.

In a separate trial, however, a district court sentenced Yoo Dong-gyu, former acting president of Seongnam Development Corp., and Kim Man-bae, a major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu, to eight-year prison terms each on charges, including breach of duty, on Oct. 31.

Three other suspects were sentenced to prison terms ranging from four to six years.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Please leave anything you want to discuss in the comments section.

This is an interesting way to discourage foreigners from being a drain on public services:

A bill recently submitted to the Seoul Metropolitan Council to apply “reciprocity” to welfare and support programs for foreign residents has sparked controversy over potential discrimination.

Thirty-three council members from the conservative People Power Party submitted the proposal on Oct. 20, calling on the city government to “review reciprocity when implementing financial, education, housing and transportation support policies for foreigners.”

If passed, the ordinance would only allow foreign residents to receive city-funded benefits if their home countries offer comparable support to Koreans living there.

The draft further stipulates that foreign residents could be excluded from support programs if Korean nationals face discriminatory treatment or receive unequal benefits in the resident’s home country.

The proposal includes exceptions. Refugees requiring humanitarian protection, foreign nationals covered under bilateral or international agreements, as well as business owners and “skilled workers” would remain eligible for support regardless of reciprocity. The proposal did not say how skilled workers would be defined.

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link.

Hopefully rescuers can find these workers soon who are trapped underneath this collapsed tower:

A boiler tower collapsed at a thermal power plant in the southeastern city of Ulsan on Thursday, trapping seven workers, with a rescue and search operation under way, authorities said. 

The collapse was reported at the Ulsan branch of Korea East-West Power Co., a state-run utility company, shortly after 2 p.m. (…………)

“We are making efforts to pull out the trapped individuals who have been found, and are considering lifting or dismantling the collapsed structure to quickly locate the remaining people,” a firefighting official said.

Rescuers, meanwhile, have installed searchlights after sunset, allowing them to continue operations through the night. 

The collapsed tower was 60 meters tall and reportedly in the process of being dismantled using explosives. The trapped people are all presumed to be employees of a subcontractor.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.