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  • Trump Announces Oil Agreement with Venezuela, Securing Majority Control of Reserves
    Trump Announces Oil Agreement with Venezuela, Securing Majority Control of Reserves President Donald Trump announced on August 28 that the United States has reached an oil trade agreement with resource-rich Venezuela.According to Yonhap News, Trump stated on social media platform Truth Social, "The United States has just reached an agreement on the largest oil deal in world history with Venezuela."He added, "Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former Secretary of War Pete Hegseth have closely collaborated with Venezuela's respected interim President Delcy Rodriguez, securing majority control of over 65 billion barrels of confirmed oil reserves in Venezuela without burdening American taxpayers through partnerships with private companies."However, he did not disclose specific details regarding the agreement.AP News reported that the agreement would allow the U.S. to establish a new private company to manage the oil reserves in collaboration with Venezuelan private operators.A Trump administration official explained, "Interim President Rodriguez has granted the newly established private company 100 years of oil development rights, and the U.S. will secure 55% of the company's actual production, including ownership stakes and rights to purchase crude oil at cost." The official noted that if the agreement is implemented, this company would have the second-largest confirmed reserves after Saudi Arabia's state-owned oil company, Aramco.Venezuela, historically a staunch opponent of U.S. influence, holds the world's largest oil reserves and has cooperated with the Trump administration since a successful military operation in January to oust former President Nicolás Maduro, ordered by Trump.This agreement raises questions about whether international oil prices, which have surged due to the Iran conflict, will decrease along with energy prices in the U.S.Trump stated on Truth Social, "This historic deal will more than double America's oil reserves, significantly increase oil supply, and greatly reduce gas prices for all Americans for a long time to come, while helping Venezuela move toward tremendous success and great prosperity. This deal will greatly strengthen the already growing relationship between Venezuela and the United States."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-29 19:24:00
  • Russia Launches Drone Attack Near Kyiv, Leaving at Least 27 Dead
    Russia Launches Drone Attack Near Kyiv, Leaving at Least 27 Dead Russia has carried out a drone attack in the Bucha region near Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, resulting in at least 27 fatalities.According to Tamur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv regional military administration, on August 29, "This is not the final count; the death toll may rise further."He also reported that at least 50 residential buildings were damaged in the attack, which sparked a large fire that spread to nearby homes and restaurants.In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated, "There were chain explosions," and pointed out that regulations prohibit storing ammunition near residential areas. He noted that the situation arose after a warehouse in the village of Milla was struck, and a criminal investigation into official negligence has been initiated, although he did not disclose specific details about the attack site.Meanwhile, Russia's airstrikes on Kyiv have continued for the third consecutive day. Despite more than four and a half years since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the conflict shows no signs of abating.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-29 19:12:00
  • Gwangju Military Airport to Relocate to Manguwon-myeon in Mu-an
    Gwangju Military Airport to Relocate to Manguwon-myeon in Mu-an The site for the relocation of Gwangju Military Airport has been decided to be in Manguwon-myeon, Mu-an. The Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 28th that this decision was made during the "Gwangju Military Airport Relocation Site Selection Committee" meeting held at the Ministry of National Defense. The site selection committee is a statutory body established under the Special Act on the Relocation and Support of Military Airports, chaired by the Minister of National Defense. Attending the meeting were Minister of National Defense An Gyu-baek, Gwangju Mayor 2026-08-29 18:48:20
  • Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin Announces Transformation of Snow Removal Base into Community Sports Space
    Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin Announces Transformation of Snow Removal Base into Community Sports Space Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin expressed his satisfaction on August 28, stating, "It is very meaningful that the space previously used as a snow removal base has been transformed into a community sports area for the health and leisure of citizens."During the opening ceremony for the 'Jeongja-dong Snow Removal Base Sports Facility Project,' Mayor Shin toured the newly established sports facilities, which include a soccer field and tennis courts, and celebrated the opening with local residents.Mayor Shin emphasized his commitment to continuously expand community sports spaces that allow citizens to enjoy health and leisure close to home.Approximately 200 attendees were present at the ceremony, including Mayor Shin, HD Hyundai Vice Chairman Cho Young-cheol, Member of Parliament Kim Eun-hye, and local residents.Participants commemorated the opening of the sports facilities with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a celebratory event.The former snow removal base in Jeongja-dong, which had been difficult for citizens to access, has now been transformed into a community sports area featuring one soccer field, two tennis courts, green spaces, and relaxation areas.The facility was developed as a public contribution project in collaboration between Seongnam City and HD Hyundai.HD Hyundai covered the entire cost of the sports facility construction and the relocation of the existing snow removal base.Mayor Shin expressed gratitude to HD Hyundai for their full financial support for the project, stating, "I hope this project becomes a model of exemplary public-private cooperation that enhances the quality of life for local residents."He particularly highlighted the importance of safe and convenient operation of the newly established sports facilities.The opening of the Jeongja-dong sports facilities is seen as a case of expanding sports and relaxation spaces within the community while returning corporate public contributions to local residents.Local residents generally welcomed the establishment of sports facilities, such as the soccer field and tennis courts, in their vicinity.One resident remarked, "I am glad that a space that was previously difficult for citizens to use has been transformed into an area for exercise and relaxation. I hope there will be systematic management to ensure residents can use it conveniently in the future."Mayor Shin assured, "We will strive to manage and operate the facilities so that citizens can use them safely and conveniently."He added, "We will continue to expand community sports and leisure spaces through cooperation with businesses, allowing citizens to enjoy health and leisure close to home."In addition, Mayor Shin plans to enhance cooperation with private enterprises to expand community sports and leisure infrastructure that residents can feel, while promoting policies that improve citizen health and quality of life. 2026-08-29 18:16:00
  • Police Officer Investigated for Falsely Closing Missing Person Cases
    Police Officer Investigated for Falsely Closing Missing Person Cases A police officer, identified as A, has been arrested on charges of falsely closing missing person cases. Reports indicate that A accessed location data for a 60-year-old man, referred to as B, after a missing person report was filed, similar to a previous case involving a 30-year-old woman, referred to as J.According to Yonhap News and the Jeju Police Agency, A accessed B's location information at least once after a missing person report was received on July 2 at 6:02 p.m. Just over five and a half hours later, at 11:38 p.m., A claimed to have made contact with B and closed the case, entering 'location found' into the missing person profiling system.However, B's family reported that they had not been in contact with him, leading them to file a second report on July 21. The following day, B was found dead in Gujwa-eup, Jeju City.In a previous case on May 15, at 6:43 p.m., A had also accessed J's location data seven times after the initial missing person report. A closed that case after about two and a half hours, entering 'traffic accident death' into the profiling system and deleting related data. Despite this, when a second report was filed on July 19, A accessed J's phone location four more times the next day.A maintained that he had made contact with both J and B when closing their cases. However, during an investigation on the night of July 27, he admitted that his claims about contacting the missing persons were false.The police stated, 'Since A's emergency arrest on July 22, we have been focusing on understanding the motives behind his actions by analyzing statements obtained during interviews with profilers.'* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-29 18:04:00
  • Special Prosecutors Indictments Move Forward as Trials for Shim Woo-jung and Hong Jang-won Set to Begin Next Month
    Special Prosecutor's Indictments Move Forward as Trials for Shim Woo-jung and Hong Jang-won Set to Begin Next Month The second special prosecutor team, led by Kwon Chang-young, has completed its investigation and is set to begin indictments next month.According to legal sources on August 29, the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 38-3, presided over by judges Choi Young-gak, Jang Sung-jin, and Jeong Soo-young, will hold the first pre-trial hearing on September 30 for former Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung and former Chief of the Planning and Coordination Bureau at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, Jeon Mu-gon, who are charged with insurrection-related offenses.The pre-trial hearing is a procedure to organize the positions of the defendants and the special prosecutor's office before the main trial begins, and attendance by the defendants is not mandatory.Shim is accused of participating in insurrection by considering sending prosecutors to the joint investigation team of the Martial Law Command under the direction of former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae during the emergency martial law on December 3.Jeon is charged with conspiring with Shim to have prosecutors from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office review the jurisdiction and procedures for investigating and prosecuting violators of the martial law proclamation, and for creating documents regarding the jurisdiction of trials under emergency martial law.On the same day, Criminal Division 38-2, presided over by judges Jeong Soo-young, Choi Young-gak, and Jang Sung-jin, will also hold the first pre-trial hearing for former National Intelligence Service Director Jo Tae-yong, former First Deputy Director Hong Jang-won, former Second Deputy Director Hwang Won-jin, and former Planning and Coordination Director Kim Nam-woo, who are charged with insurrection-related offenses.Jo is accused of holding a political task force meeting during the emergency martial law and broadly directing the NIS to carry out the martial law, as well as explaining the justification for the martial law to U.S. intelligence agencies.Hong is charged with establishing contact points with the National Police Agency and the National Intelligence Service regarding counter-espionage related to the martial law and directing personnel to be dispatched to the police situation room.The first pre-trial hearing for four former officials from the Gyeongbuk Police Agency and presidential office aides indicted in connection with the death of late Marine Sergeant Chae Hae-byeong is also scheduled for next month.Criminal Division 32, presided over by Judge Ryu Kyung-jin, will hold the first pre-trial hearing on September 10 for former Gyeongbuk Police Chief Choi Joo-won, former Gyeongbuk Police Investigation Division Chief Noh Gyu-ho, and former presidential office officials Lee Si-won and Lim Gi-hoon, who are charged with abuse of authority and leaking official secrets.Choi and Noh are accused of knowing that the records of the Chae Hae-byeong case were legally transferred to the Gyeongbuk Police Agency and that returning them was illegal and improper, yet they handed the records over to the Ministry of National Defense's prosecution team.Lee is accused of leaking the search plan to Lim just before the Gyeongbuk Police Agency was set to search the Marine Corps' 1st Division on September 7, 2023. Lim is also charged with leaking this information to officials at the Ministry of National Defense.The special prosecutor's cases are expected to continue into October. The trial for Colonel Cho Sung-hyun, who instructed his subordinates not to cross the Seogang Bridge during the emergency martial law, will begin in October.Criminal Division 38-1, presided over by judges Jang Sung-jin, Jeong Soo-young, and Choi Young-gak, will hold the first pre-trial hearing for Cho on October 2, who is charged with insurrection-related offenses.Previously, the insurrection special investigation team, led by Special Prosecutor Jo Eun-seok, had decided not to pursue charges against Cho, believing he contributed to the early termination of the martial law by halting his subordinate units moving toward the National Assembly. However, the comprehensive special prosecutor's office determined that Cho's actions, based on the initial directive from former Capital Defense Command Commander Lee Jin-woo to 'remove the National Assembly members,' constituted grounds for insurrection charges.Meanwhile, the comprehensive special prosecutor's office concluded its investigation on August 23, indicting 58 individuals, including former President Yoon and Kim Geon-hee.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-29 18:00:20
  • Kim Min-seok Calls for Dismissal of Lee Jin-sook Over 5·18 Controversy
    Kim Min-seok Calls for Dismissal of Lee Jin-sook Over 5·18 Controversy Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party, stated on August 29 that the People Power Party should either dismiss Representative Lee Jin-sook, who is embroiled in controversy over remarks about the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, or remove the photo of the late President Kim Young-sam from their party office.Speaking at the opening of Park Hong-bae's district office in Busan's Sasang-gu, Kim noted, "President Kim was elected in 1992 and delivered a special address on May 18 in 1993." He added, "At that time, the YS civilian government claimed to inherit the spirit of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement."He emphasized that the government established the May 18 Special Law and dismantled the Hanahoe organization, completing the Gwangju National Cemetery just before the new government took office in 1997. Kim criticized the People Power Party for displaying Kim's photo while embracing Lee Jin-sook.Meanwhile, the Democratic Party and other ruling coalition members passed a resolution on August 26 in the National Assembly calling for Lee's expulsion. For Lee to be expelled, a two-thirds majority vote from the total members is required, which necessitates some agreement from People Power Party lawmakers. Kim stated that if the expulsion does not occur, he will pursue a suspension of Lee's parliamentary qualifications. 2026-08-29 17:52:00
  • Weather Forecast: Cloudy with Rain Across the Country, Continuing Until August 31
    Weather Forecast: Cloudy with Rain Across the Country, Continuing Until August 31 On Sunday, August 30, the weather will be generally cloudy with rain expected nationwide.The Korea Meteorological Administration forecasted on August 29 that "tomorrow will see widespread cloudiness and rain across the country," adding that "there will be many periods of calm from the morning until late dawn the following day in various areas of the capital region and Gangwon Province."Expected precipitation amounts until August 31 are as follows: - Southern Gyeonggi: 30-100mm - Seoul, Incheon, Northern Gyeonggi, and the five islands of the West Sea: 10-60mm - Southern Gangwon: 30-80mm - Central and Northern Gangwon: 5-40mm - Daejeon, Sejong, and Chungnam: 80-150mm (with some areas exceeding 200mm) - Chungbuk: 50-100mm (with some areas exceeding 150mm) - Jeonbuk: 50-150mm (with some areas in Northwestern Jeonbuk exceeding 200mm) - Gwangju and Jeonnam: 30-80mm (with some areas exceeding 100mm) - Daegu, Gyeongbuk, Ulleungdo, Dokdo, Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam: 30-80mm - Jeju: 10-60mm.The expected morning low temperatures nationwide are: - Seoul: 23°C - Suwon: 23°C - Incheon: 23°C - Busan: 26°C - Ulsan: 26°C - Daegu: 24°C - Gwangju: 26°C - Jeonju: 23°C - Daejeon: 23°C - Cheongju: 23°C - Chuncheon: 21°C - Gangneung: 22°C - Jeju: 27°C.The expected daytime high temperatures nationwide are: - Seoul: 28°C - Suwon: 28°C - Incheon: 27°C - Busan: 33°C - Ulsan: 33°C - Daegu: 30°C - Gwangju: 31°C - Jeonju: 30°C - Daejeon: 28°C - Cheongju: 28°C - Chuncheon: 27°C - Gangneung: 27°C - Jeju: 32°C.The levels of fine dust and ultrafine dust across the country are expected to be at a "good" level. 2026-08-29 17:36:00
  • BTS Arirang tour sets record as highest-grossing concert run
    BTS' 'Arirang' tour sets record as highest-grossing concert run SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - K-pop juggernaut BTS raked in US$120.5 million in ticket sales in July through their ongoing world tour "Arirang," making it the group's highest-grossing tour, Billboard said on Friday. BTS ranked second on Billboard's July tour chart, behind The Weeknd, who topped the chart with $124.4 million. The group earned nearly as much as The Weeknd despite performing half as many shows, with eight shows in Europe, compared with The Weeknd's 16. The American music chart also said their agency HYBE posted second-quarter revenue of nearly $1 billion, with operating profit topping $115 million, thanks to BTS' record world tour sales. Billboard also said BTS became the third artist in history, after American singer-songwriter and actress Beyoncé and Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny to surpass $100 million in monthly tour revenue in multiple months. BTS performed at Stade de France in Paris, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Allianz Arena in Munich and King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels. In Paris alone, BTS drew a combined 185,000 fans. The tour is scheduled to continue through the first half of next year, with its overall proceeds expected to far exceed BTS's previous records. BTS will next perform at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles next week, continuing the North American leg of their tour. AJP Takeaways • BTS' "Arirang" tour earned $120.5 million in July, making it the group's highest-grossing tour, according to Billboard. • BTS ranked second on Billboard's July tour chart, earning nearly as much as The Weeknd despite performing half as many shows. • The "Arirang" tour is expected to set new records, with BTS scheduled to continue touring through the first half of next year. 2026-08-29 17:27:38
  • South Korean Prime Minister Pledges to Advance K-Culture in Honor of Kim Gu
    South Korean Prime Minister Pledges to Advance K-Culture in Honor of Kim Gu South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-sook pledged on August 29 to continue building the era of K-Culture, inspired by the legacy of Kim Gu.According to Yonhap News Agency, during a ceremony at the Kim Gu Memorial Hall in Yongsan, Seoul, commemorating the 150th anniversary of Kim Gu's birth, Han stated, "I will do my utmost to create a South Korea that contributes to world peace and happiness through the power of high culture, as envisioned by Kim Gu."She added, "Reading the phrase, 'What I desire endlessly is high culture,' I was moved by how such thoughts could arise at that time. That dream is now becoming a reality in today’s South Korea."Han emphasized that the cultural power Kim Gu longed for has now become a force that connects the hearts of people around the world, marking the era of K-Culture that we are so proud of.Additionally, she highlighted the significance of UNESCO officially designating the 150th anniversary of Kim Gu's birth as a 'UNESCO Commemoration,' calling it a truly meaningful and proud event for all citizens.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-29 17:12:00