Bank of England Holds Interest Rate at 3.75% Amid Inflation Concerns The Bank of England (BOE) decided on September 17 to maintain its base interest rate at 3.75%, but indicated that it may raise rates again if inflationary pressures from rising energy prices persist. According to Reuters, the BOE's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to keep the interest rate steady, marking the sixth consecutive meeting this year where rates have not changed since a 0.25 percentage point cut in December. This decision aligns with market expectations. However, only 6 of the 9 September 17, 2026

Details Emerge on Stabbing Incident at Bucheon Convenience Store Details have emerged regarding a stabbing incident at a convenience store in Bucheon, South Korea, linked to prior death threats, as well as a worker's death at a construction site in Jangseong.On September 17, MBC's 'Real Story Investigation' will trace the stabbing incident that occurred in August at a convenience store in Bucheon.A man in his 30s, identified only as Choi, entered the store shirtless and attacked a female employee with a knife. The victim suffered a deep stab wound to her left September 17, 2026

President Lee: 'It's better to act now than wait for perfect solutions' as abortion pill introduced after 7 years The government has decided to gradually introduce abortion pills for pregnancies up to nine weeks, with President Lee stating, "It's a better decision to do what we can now rather than wait for a perfect solution." The government plans to manage the abortion pill within the national healthcare system following approval and review procedures.On September 17, President Lee expressed his stance on the introduction of abortion pills on X (formerly Twitter), noting, "It has been seven years since the September 17, 2026

Seongnam Mayor Questions Priorities of Postpartum Support Amid North Korea Aid Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin criticized the prioritization of government budgets on September 17, questioning, "We have no postpartum support for our children, but is there a budget for North Korean infants?"In a post on his Facebook page, Mayor Shin highlighted the absence of the 500,000 won postpartum support for local families while pointing out the 155.8 billion won allocated for North Korean infant aid.His comments suggest a need to reassess budget priorities in response to the low birth ra September 17, 2026

National Assembly Approves Multiple Prosecutorial Reform Bills On September 17, the National Assembly passed a series of bills aimed at reforming the prosecutorial system, including a law that assigns the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCIA) to handle supplementary investigations into seven major crimes affecting vulnerable populations. This legislative action comes ahead of the planned dissolution of the Prosecutors' Office and the establishment of the SCIA and the Public Prosecutors' Office on October 2.During the session, the National Assembly vote September 17, 2026

Government Invests 49.2 Billion Won in Small Business Energy Equipment, But Inspections Fall Short The South Korean government has invested 49.2 billion won over two years to replace energy equipment for small businesses, but only 34 locations were inspected last year. Despite the ability to verify the closure status of supported businesses, there have been no instances of such checks by relevant agencies. Some businesses have completed their equipment disposal restriction period without being included in the inspection list.According to data from the Korea Energy Agency obtained by Rep. Park September 17, 2026

SK On and L&F Form Alliance for LFP Supply Chain to Strengthen ESS Market Response SK On and L&F are collaborating to establish a domestic supply chain for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery materials, enhancing their response capabilities in the energy storage system (ESS) market.On September 17, SK On signed a supply contract for LFP cathodes with L&F at its headquarters in Jongno-gu, Seoul.Under this agreement, SK On will receive LFP cathodes worth 160 billion won from L&F for the production of ESS batteries over the next three years, from 2026 to 2028.The two companies p September 17, 2026

Leadership Candidates Present Visions for Seoul National University Amid Challenges Seoul National University (SNU) is facing multiple challenges, including stagnation in global university rankings, fierce competition from rival institutions, and a high dependency on government funding that has accumulated over 15 years since its transition to a corporate structure in 2011. As the university approaches its centennial in 2046, the race for the 29th president has officially begun. The first public presentation, organized by the SNU Presidential Recommendation Committee, took pl September 17, 2026

Shinhan Bank Retains Incheon City’s Primary Treasury Management for 20 Years Shinhan Bank has successfully retained its role in managing Incheon City’s primary treasury, a position it has held for nearly 20 years, overseeing approximately 15 trillion won in city funds for the next four years.On September 17, Incheon City announced the selection of Shinhan Bank as its primary treasury manager during a treasury designation review committee meeting. The selection process saw Shinhan Bank and Hana Bank compete for the role. Despite Hana Financial Group recently relocating it September 17, 2026

U.S. Treasury Secretary Discusses Common AI Risks with China Ahead of Summit As the United States and China prepare for a summit, discussions on economic and trade negotiations are underway, with the U.S. indicating a willingness to address common risks in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).Axios reported on September 16 that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Yellen expressed openness to discussions with China regarding AI-related risks and preventing technology separation.Yellen stated, "The U.S. remains a leader in the AI sector," adding that both sides are open to September 17, 2026