Pohang City Council Speaker Kim Il-man Announces Run for Mayor Kim Il-man, speaker of the Pohang City Council, officially announced his candidacy for Pohang mayor on the 28th in front of the “Goddess Statue” in Songdo, saying the city’s next decade should be guided by “one blueprint,” not fragmented projects. He adopted the campaign slogan “Only Pohang, only citizens, therefore Kim Il-man,” and set “a self-sufficient city where citizens are happy, a Pohang that feels good to live in” as his municipal administration slogan. “Politics is ultimately about making citizens’ daily lives less inconvenient and giving them a sense a month later that ‘things have changed,’” Kim said. Rather than listing lengthy, sweeping pledges, he said he would clearly set the city’s direction and move the entire administration consistently under it. Kim said Pohang’s growth agenda should move “together,” not “separately.” He argued that when industry, the port, tourism and urban renewal operate on their own, results weaken and residents feel less impact. “Now we need a ‘city administration blueprint’ that ties scattered projects into one direction,” he said. “Achievements that citizens can’t feel ultimately don’t last,” he added, saying he would judge city policy by changes in daily life rather than by numbers. Kim named Yeongil Bay Port as the first key pillar of Pohang’s development, saying port revitalization must be linked to regional and national strategies. He said he would establish ongoing cooperation channels with the central government, North Gyeongsang Province and industry to secure cargo volume and routes and make Pohang a gateway to the East Sea economic region. He also presented a single track that includes redefining Homigot’s status, restoring the old downtown and strengthening Pohang’s city brand. “Cities are not completed by industry alone. There must be a structure where people stay and return,” Kim said. He said a city is complete when alleys are lit after work, children can walk safely, older residents have shade to rest, and young people have places to stay. He pledged to link development and renewal to bring people back to the city center. Kim said politics is “not words but action,” and that leaders must follow through to the end. He pledged an administration that citizens feel they can trust with responsibility. “Explanations will be sufficient, decisions will be made openly, and results will be verified through indicators,” he said, adding that he would focus on Pohang and its citizens to open the city’s next 10 years.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-29 01:51:00

North Gyeongsang Provincial Council Approves Support for Daegu Integration North Gyeongsang Province’s council approved a measure backing administrative integration with the city of Daegu, even as opposition sentiment has been rising in the province’s northern region. The North Gyeongsang Provincial Council said it passed a motion titled “Submission of the council’s opinion on the integration of North Gyeongsang Province and Daegu Metropolitan City” at the first plenary meeting of its 360th extraordinary session on Jan. 28. The vote was 46 in favor, 11 against and two abstentions. The resolution, submitted under Article 5, Paragraph 3 of the Local Autonomy Act, formally states the council’s position on the proposed integration. The council said it took up the matter directly in the plenary session, citing urgency and the need to manage its schedule efficiently, and approved it through a recorded electronic vote. The council described the move as a strategic choice aimed at supporting follow-up steps at the national level, including legislation for a special law related to the integration. Ahead of the plenary vote, the council held the third meeting of its special committee on the Daegu-North Gyeongsang integration and a lawmakers’ general meeting on Jan. 27. Council members reviewed key issues and held extensive discussions, it said. During deliberations, members discussed responses to National Assembly action on a special integration law, measures to address regional imbalances such as concerns about the northern area being left behind, and strategies to attract a second round of public institutions after integration. In the plenary debate, opponents raised concerns that the talks were moving too quickly and said the push should proceed cautiously without sufficient public input. Supporters argued that integration between North Gyeongsang and Daegu is a choice that can no longer be delayed to counter the risk of regional decline, and said the current period is the right time because the central government is actively supporting the effort. Council Chair Park Seong-man called the decision “a historic determination” to create a new breakthrough for local autonomy in South Korea as regions face the risk of decline. He said the council presented its opinion in line with residents’ wishes and would closely monitor the entire legislative process so residents’ voices are properly reflected. Park added that the integration is not simply a merger of two areas, but a long-term plan to build a broader economic zone with global competitiveness and a new model for balanced development. He said the council would play an active role so the decision can lead to regional development, improved public welfare and a stronger local economy.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-29 01:30:00

Busan’s City Treasury Deposit Rate Lags at 2.46%, Near Bottom Among Major South Korean Cities Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city, is posting one of the lower treasury deposit rates among the nation’s metropolitan governments, newly released data show. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety, publishing a nationwide comparison for the first time, disclosed figures that allow side-by-side analysis of local governments’ treasury interest rates. According to the “local government treasury rate integrated status” posted Tuesday on the Local Finance Integrated Disclosure System (Local Finance 365), Busan City Hall’s contracted rate for long-term deposits of 12 months or more stood at 2.46% as of the 13th. That is below the average of 2.61% for South Korea’s 17 metropolitan-level governments, placing Busan in the mid-to-lower tier at about ninth to 10th. The release marks the first time the ministry has consolidated treasury rates that local governments previously disclosed individually. The gap with other major governments was clear in the data. Incheon secured 4.57%, the only metropolitan government in the 4% range and the highest nationwide. Seoul posted 3.45%, about 1 percentage point higher than Busan, and neighboring South Gyeongsang province recorded 2.60%, also above Busan. North Gyeongsang province was lowest at 2.15%. At the basic local government level, Busan also trailed. While Incheon’s Seo District recorded the highest rate nationwide at 4.82%, the average long-term deposit rate across Busan’s 16 districts and counties was about 2.55%. Within Busan, Gangseo District was the only one above 3%, at 3.00%. Most others remained in the 2% range, including Yeongdo District at 2.36% and Busanjin District at 2.51%. Treasury rates are a key fiscal indicator because they directly affect local governments’ interest income. With metropolitan governments managing funds ranging from hundreds of billions to trillions of won, even a 0.5 percentage-point difference can translate into tens of billions of won in annual interest income. The figures have fueled criticism that Busan failed to secure better terms, unlike Incheon, which drew intense bidding competition among commercial banks to obtain a higher rate. Busan has long faced criticism that, in selecting its treasury banks, it prioritizes stability and customary consideration for local financial institutions over rate competitiveness. Fiscal experts said the integrated disclosure should strengthen transparency by enabling comparisons across local governments. They said it will be difficult to break a pattern of low rates unless evaluation criteria place greater weight on contracted treasury rates and on measurable contributions to interest income. Busan’s 2026 budget totals 17.933 trillion won. BNK Busan Bank manages about 70% of the city’s funds, including the general account, as the primary treasury bank, while KB Kookmin Bank manages the remaining 30%, including special accounts, as the secondary treasury bank. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-29 00:45:00

South Korea’s Democratic Party to Introduce Special Act for Jeonnam-Gwangju Special City The Democratic Party said it will introduce, as a party-line bill, a special act to establish “Jeonnam-Gwangju Special City,” a key step toward administrative integration between Gwangju and South Jeolla Province. The party said on Tuesday that its special committee on the Gwangju-Jeonnam integration plan postponed the filing of the bill that had been scheduled for that day. The delay was to address shortcomings in the draft. Provincial and city officials and local lawmakers had agreed to hold a meeting Wednesday morning, but canceled it and decided to hand the bill to the party’s legislative support group. The committee said the legislative support group will review the Jeonnam-Gwangju Special City bill, along with other regional integration measures, so it can be processed quickly and introduced as the party’s official position. A day earlier, the committee agreed to name the merged local government “Jeonnam-Gwangju Special City,” and to use “Gwangju Special City” as an abbreviated name. It had said it would file the special act on Tuesday. The location of the main city hall will be left to the authority of the unified mayor, whose term begins July 1.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 21:57:00

Ruling Bloc Slams Court After Kim Keon Hee Gets 1 Year, 8 Months; Parties Agree on Chip Bill Ruling bloc blasts court after Kim Keon Hee gets 1 year, 8 months Yoon Suk Yeol’s wife, Kim Keon Hee, who was indicted on charges including stock-price manipulation involving Deutsche Motors, was sentenced in a first trial to 1 year and 8 months, far below what prosecutors sought. Lawmakers in the ruling bloc responded with broad criticism of the court. On Tuesday, Park Soo-hyun, senior spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said, “Kim, a ‘comprehensive case of power-type corruption,’ was sentenced to 1 year and 8 months.” He said it marked “the first case in constitutional history in which a former president and spouse have both been punished,” but added the sentence was “nowhere near enough” for “shaking democracy with insurrection and ruining state affairs for private gain.” Park said the ruling “left many regrets,” arguing there was clear evidence Kim “manipulated the capital market and gained more than 800 million won in illicit profits,” yet the court did not recognize her as a co-perpetrator. He criticized the court’s reasoning, quoting it as saying it was “difficult to conclude co-perpetration even if she recognized price-manipulation acts.” Parties agree to pass chip bill, filibuster chair-transfer rule at plenary The ruling and opposition parties agreed to pass a special semiconductor bill and a revision to the National Assembly Act at a plenary session on Wednesday. The agreement was reached Tuesday in a meeting in the National Assembly steering committee chair’s office between Democratic Party floor leader Han Byung-do and People Power Party floor leader Song Eon-seok. The proposed Assembly Act revision would allow the National Assembly speaker to transfer presiding authority during prolonged unlimited debate, citing fatigue. The parties decided to keep the current handwritten method for voting to end a filibuster, rejecting a switch to electronic voting. Late ex-Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan to be buried in Sejong after Jan. 31 rites Former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, who died on Jan. 25 while on a business trip to Vietnam, will have a funeral procession on Jan. 31, followed by a memorial service at the National Assembly, and will be buried in Sejong City. Lee Hae-sik, a Democratic Party lawmaker serving as vice chair of the funeral committee’s executive body, told reporters Tuesday at the funeral hall at Seoul National University Hospital. According to Lee, the procession will be held at 6:30 a.m. on Jan. 31, followed by visits to the office of the National Unification Advisory Council and the Democratic Party headquarters for rites. A memorial service will be held at 9 a.m. at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building, followed by cremation at 11 a.m. at the Seoul Memorial Park in Seocho-dong. The cortege will then visit the deceased’s home in Jeondong-myeon, Sejong, before burial at Sejong’s Eunahsu Park. Presidential office: Real estate tax overhaul not ready within a month or two The presidential office said it is approaching discussions on real estate tax changes cautiously because of their potential market impact, while stressing the need for a long-term review to address underlying housing issues. On Tuesday, Kim Yong-beom, the presidential office’s policy chief, told a news briefing that “taxation is an important part” if the government is to find a fundamental solution to real estate problems. But he said it is “not something to announce within a month or two,” adding it is a topic that requires “long-term, in-depth discussions involving multiple ministries.” His remarks suggested the government is not immediately reviewing tax regulations, while acknowledging taxation as a possible tool for addressing deeper real estate problems. It also left room for the possibility of using tax measures if market conditions change sharply.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 21:42:00

Ruling, opposition parties agree to pass chip bill and filibuster rules change at Assembly session South Korea’s ruling and opposition parties agreed to pass a semiconductor special act and a revision to the National Assembly Act at a plenary session on Jan. 29. Democratic Party floor leader Han Byung-do and People Power Party floor leader Song Eon-seok reached the deal during a meeting on Jan. 28 in the office of the National Assembly steering committee chair. The Assembly Act revision would allow the National Assembly speaker to hand off presiding duties if an unlimited debate, or filibuster, drags on, citing the speaker’s fatigue. The parties also agreed to keep the current manual method for voting to end a filibuster, rejecting a switch to electronic voting. Separately, Democratic Party deputy floor leader for Assembly operations Chun Jun-ho and People Power Party counterpart Yoo Sang-bum agreed later that day to put noncontroversial bills on the plenary agenda. A total of 90 bills, including the semiconductor special act, were placed on the agenda. The move was seen as an effort to speed up legislation supporting national strategic industries and people’s livelihoods. An amendment to the espionage law was excluded because the parties remain divided over a provision that would create a new offense for distorting the law. The February extraordinary session of the National Assembly opens on Feb. 2. Speeches by the leaders of the two parties’ negotiating groups are scheduled for Feb. 3 and 4.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 21:33:27

Late Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan to be cremated Jan. 31, laid to rest in Sejong Late Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, who died while on a business trip to Vietnam on Jan. 25, will be laid to rest in Sejong City after a funeral procession and memorial service on Jan. 31. Lee Hae-sik, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party who serves as vice chair of the funeral committee’s executive body, told reporters at the funeral hall at Seoul National University Hospital on Tuesday about the planned schedule. According to Lee, the funeral procession will begin at 6:30 a.m. on Jan. 31. The cortege will then visit the office of the National Unification Advisory Council and the Democratic Party headquarters for farewell rites. A memorial service will be held at 9 a.m. at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building, followed by cremation at 11 a.m. at Seoul Memorial Park in Seocho-dong. The cortege will then visit the deceased’s home in Jeondong-myeon, Sejong, before burial at Sejong’s Eunahsu Park. Explaining the choice of burial site, Lee Hae-sik said, “Both his father and mother (graves) are at Eunahsu Park,” adding, “It was his wish to go to Eunahsu Park. He was also advised to consider a national cemetery, but we decided to lay him to rest at Eunahsu Park in line with the family’s wishes.” Born in 1952 in Cheongyang, South Chungcheong province, Lee graduated from Seoul National University and entered politics after winning a seat in the 13th general election in 1988 in Seoul’s Gwanak-eul district. He served seven terms in the National Assembly. Under the Kim Dae-jung administration, he served as education minister, and under the Roh Moo-hyun administration, he served as prime minister. During the Moon Jae-in administration, he led the Democratic Party and oversaw the party’s record victory of 180 seats in the 21st general election. After stepping down as party leader in August 2020, he announced his retirement from politics. While serving as a senior vice chair of the National Unification Advisory Council, he collapsed from a heart attack on Jan. 23 during a trip to Vietnam and was treated at a local hospital. He did not regain consciousness and died at 73. The funeral’s official name was set as the “State Funeral for the Late Lee Hae-chan, 36th Prime Minister.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 21:06:00

South Korea presidential office says real estate tax overhaul not imminent The presidential office said it is taking a cautious approach to discussions on revamping real estate taxes, citing the potential impact on markets, while stressing the need for a long-term review to address housing issues at their root. In a briefing with reporters on Tuesday, Policy Chief Kim Yong Beom said that if the government is to find a fundamental solution to real estate problems, the tax system is “an important part” of that effort. But he said it is not something that can be announced “within a month or two,” given its market effects, adding that it requires “long-term, in-depth” talks involving multiple ministries. Kim’s remarks suggested the government is not immediately moving to tighten tax rules, but sees taxation as a possible tool if market conditions shift sharply. He said the government had signaled during last year’s Oct. 15 measures that it would review real estate taxes based on principles including tax fairness, and that related research projects are underway. Kim said there are “many possible combinations” for what to do and when, indicating that ministries are conducting deeper discussions and simulations. He also addressed President Lee Jae Myung’s comment at a New Year’s news conference that real estate tax regulation would be a “last resort,” saying it did not mean it would be used as a priority, but that the government would prepare thoroughly so it can be used whenever necessary. Citing Lee’s remarks about the dangers of real estate-driven national decline, Kim said the government is keeping all options open for a fundamental solution. On the closely watched issue of the temporary suspension of heavier capital gains taxes for multi-homeowners, Kim reaffirmed the principle that it will end as scheduled. “Under the principles of administration, there will be no extension,” he said, while adding that “technical” adjustments are under review. Kim noted the end date is May 9 and said, in hindsight, that date may have been set too hastily. He said the office is internally considering ending the measure not on May 9 but a month or two later, after contracts are signed and transactions are completed. He stressed this would not be an extension, but a possible shift of the cutoff date by about one or two months. He added that nothing has been decided. 2026-01-28 20:39:00

Ruling party bloc slams court after Kim Keon Hee gets 1 year, 8 months in stock case Former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s wife, Kim Keon Hee, was sentenced in a first trial to 1 year and 8 months in prison on charges including alleged stock manipulation, drawing sharp criticism from politicians aligned with the ruling camp who said the punishment was far lighter than prosecutors had sought. On Tuesday, Park Soo Hyun, senior spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said Kim — whom he called a “comprehensive case of power-related corruption” — received a 1-year, 8-month term, adding it marked the first time in South Korea’s constitutional history that a former president and spouse have both been legally punished. Still, he said the sentence was “far from enough” for wrongdoing he said shook democracy and damaged state affairs for private gain. Park said the ruling left “many regrets,” arguing there was clear evidence Kim manipulated the capital market and gained more than 800 million won in illicit profits, yet the court did not recognize her as a co-perpetrator in the stock manipulation. He criticized the court’s reasoning that even if she knew about price-rigging acts, it was hard to conclude she was a joint offender. He also pointed to the court’s partial acceptance of allegations that Kim received polling results from political broker Myung Tae Kyun and accepted valuables — including an expensive necklace and Chanel bags — while receiving requests from the Unification Church. Park said the decision left a “bizarre precedent,” with one luxury bag deemed not taken in exchange for influence-brokering while another was. Park said he deeply regretted what he called a ruling out of step with the facts, the public and legal common sense, and urged a special prosecutor to appeal. He said the sentence was so light it seemed aimed at protecting the standing of Kim, who he said was known as “V0” and wielded influence over state affairs. Rep. Park Jie Won, a member of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, criticized the ruling as one that “rolled out the red carpet” for Kim to walk free soon, adding, “This is too much.” Democratic Party lawmaker Kang Deuk Gu called it a biased ruling that ignored public common sense, and party Supreme Council member Lee Sung Yoon said it felt as if the judges were acting like Kim’s lawyers. Rep. Park Sung Joon asked whether Kim had become a sanctuary immune from punishment and called for judicial reform, saying he was seriously concerned about the court’s grasp of reality. Cho Kuk, leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, wrote on social media that Kim, an “unelected power,” exercised authority alongside Yoon, alleging she engaged in influence peddling, intervened in candidate nominations and used political prosecutors as underlings — but that the court saw it differently. He said Kim may have wanted to shout “manse” in court after hearing the sentence, while the public would have felt empty, drained and angry. Cho said equality before the law was still far off, arguing it was easy to find cases where people received two or three times heavier sentences for conduct that did not reach even half of Kim’s alleged wrongdoing. He said the verdict should be overturned on appeal and said he would renew his resolve, as the head of a party that has advocated prosecutorial and judicial reform. Earlier Tuesday, the Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 27, led by Presiding Judge Woo In Sung, sentenced Kim to 1 year and 8 months in prison and ordered her to forfeit 12,815,000 won. Kim had been tried on charges of violating the Capital Markets Act and the Political Funds Act, and for influence peddling under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. Of the three main allegations, the court found her guilty only of receiving valuables tied to the Unification Church. It acquitted her of all charges related to the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation and receiving polling results from Myung. The special prosecutor team led by Min Joong Ki said the ruling was unacceptable legally and as a matter of common sense, and said it would appeal.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 19:57:00

Remembrance as an obligation: Nussbaum exhibit in Seoul SEOUL, January 28 (AJP) -Silence settled over the Democracy Movement Memorial Hall in Seoul on Jan. 27, as the Israeli and German embassies came together to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Beneath the vaulted stillness of the space, remembrance took shape not through speeches alone, but through the collective pause of those gathered. Around 150 people — diplomats, scholars and ordinary citizens — stood in quiet attention, their faces composed, their gazes drawn inward as much as toward the images before them. In the absence of sound, memory did the speaking. Titled “Remembering for the Future,” the special exhibition traces the fragile boundary between civilization and its collapse. Works by Jewish-German artist Felix Nussbaum, painted in exile and fear, confront visitors with fractured bodies and haunted landscapes. Nearby, images from “The Auschwitz Album,” preserved by the Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center, document lives suspended between arrival and annihilation — moments captured just before history closed in. International Holocaust Remembrance Day, designated by the United Nations in 2005, calls not only for mourning the dead but for vigilance among the living — a reminder that human dignity, once stripped away, is difficult to reclaim. The exhibition will remain open to the public free of charge from Jan. 28 to March 15, inviting visitors to linger, to look, and to bear witness — not as an act of the past, but as a responsibility carried forward. 2026-01-28 19:39:22