Latest by
-
Ansan Mayor Lee Min-keun Pledges to Create Tangible Changes for Residents Lee Min-keun, the mayor of Ansan, expressed on the 27th, "I will listen on-site and create changes that residents can feel." On this day, Mayor Lee visited Bon-o 2-dong, where he toured key locations with residents and gathered their opinions on everyday inconveniences and local issues. The mayor continues his on-site communication efforts by directly visiting residents' living environments to address local concerns and hear their voices. The 'Dialogue with Residents' event included Mayor Lee, relevant officials, local organization leaders, and residents. Shifting away from the traditional approach of explaining policies to residents, the focus was on directly confirming the inconveniences they experience in their daily lives and collaboratively finding improvement directions. The first stop was the Bon-o 2-dong public complex, which is set to open soon. Mayor Lee carefully inspected the main facilities and interior spaces of the new building, ensuring that all necessary aspects for its operation and resident use were thoroughly checked. In particular, he aimed to identify any potential concerns or inconveniences residents might face after the opening, ensuring accurate guidance can be provided. Next, at Palkok Mountain Park, he toured the park with residents to identify everyday inconveniences. Residents reported that the park's restrooms, exercise equipment, and benches are aging and suggested improvements to these facilities. After listening to their explanations, Mayor Lee personally assessed the condition of the facilities and discussed maintenance plans and improvement measures with the responsible department to enhance resident convenience. This on-site visit has been praised for demonstrating Mayor Lee's administrative philosophy of "listening to citizens' voices on-site and finding answers there." Residents responded positively to the mayor's direct engagement in assessing facility conditions and listening to their concerns. One resident remarked, "I have mentioned several times that the park facilities are old and inconvenient, but seeing the mayor come to the site and listen to our issues made it possible to convey what is inconvenient more effectively. I have high expectations because we confirmed the actual site together, not just through words." Another resident stated, "Once the new complex opens, many residents will use it, so it is reassuring to see the mayor and officials inspecting the facilities beforehand. I hope they prepare carefully to ensure residents can use it conveniently." Meanwhile, Mayor Lee Min-keun stated, "It was meaningful to hear and observe the inconveniences and desires of residents directly on-site. I will ensure that citizens' voices lead to real changes, not just words, by thoroughly examining the site." He emphasized, "I will continue to communicate closely with residents and implement administration that allows citizens to feel changes in their daily lives."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 11:12:00 -
Choi Hwi-young: Ticket Scalping to Be Eradicated Starting Today Choi Hwi-young, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, announced on August 28 that starting today, all fraudulent transactions involving performance and sports tickets will be prohibited, regardless of the use of macro programs.During a joint inspection meeting on ticket scalping held at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Jongno, Seoul, Choi stated, "Scalpers, who neither perform on stage nor compete in sports, are disrupting the market by taking advantage of the value created by artists and athletes through their hard work."The newly implemented amendments to the Enforcement Decree of the Performance Act and the Enforcement Decree of the National Sports Promotion Act focus on banning all fraudulent purchases and sales, addressing previous limitations that primarily targeted ticket scalping through macro usage.Additional measures include mandatory actions for businesses to prevent fraudulent activities, rewards for reporting, fines up to 50 times the sale price, and confiscation of illicit profits.Choi particularly highlighted the impact of ticket scalping on youth, stating, "Artists and sports stars are idols for young people, yet they are unable to enjoy performances and sports events freely. Scalpers are bulk-buying tickets and reselling them at prices that are unaffordable for youth."Regulations on movie ticket scalping are also being pursued. Choi mentioned, "We will swiftly push for amendments to the 'Act on the Promotion of Movies and Video Works' to address the recent issues of ticket scalping, particularly in special screening venues, reflecting voices from the field."The meeting included representatives from 19 organizations, such as the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Fair Trade Commission, the National Police Agency, major ticket sales platforms, second-hand trading platforms, relevant associations, and ticket scalping reporting agencies.A representative from NOLU Universe stated, "In the past, even if reports of fraudulent transactions were received, we could not provide information to relevant agencies without a warrant. Now that legal grounds have been established, we will actively cooperate to ensure smoother information sharing going forward."The Korea Sports Promotion Foundation will also strengthen its crackdown on scalping. A foundation official remarked, "In preparation for the upcoming fall baseball season, we will actively monitor ticket scalping. Just this morning, we have already received four reports related to scalping."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 11:08:00
-
YouTuber BJ Kay Admits to Police Investigation Over Prescription Drug Allegations BJ Kay (36, real name Park Jung-kyu), the boyfriend of YouTuber Gwajuseyeon, has acknowledged that he is under police investigation for allegedly obtaining prescription sleep medication illegally and has issued an apology.During a live broadcast on the 27th, BJ Kay stated, "There was an article about the prescription drug allegations, and I admit it is true."He added, "I am currently receiving prescriptions properly and I apologize for creating this issue. I have cooperated fully with the investigation, and I am waiting for the results."According to the Korea Economic Daily, the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul reported that on July 30, they placed Park under non-custodial investigation for violating the Narcotics Control Act. Park is accused of having a friend obtain a prescription for a sleep medication classified as a psychotropic drug and then taking the medication himself.Initially, Park was known to have started his internet broadcasting career in 2012 and has approximately 700,000 subscribers on YouTube. However, suspicions arose online that he might be BJ Kay. With BJ Kay admitting to the allegations, attention is now focused on the investigation's outcome.Meanwhile, BJ Kay, born in 1989, is active as a streamer on SOOP (formerly AfreecaTV). In April, he publicly revealed his relationship with Gwajuseyeon, who is 11 years younger than him.Gwajuseyeon, born in 2000, began her broadcasting career in 2019 and gained recognition by appearing in Netflix's original variety show 'The Influencer.' She later attracted attention in 2024 when photos surfaced of her with Bang Si-hyuk, the chairman of HYBE, in Beverly Hills, USA.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 11:08:00
-
Lotte On Supports Small Businesses with Live Commerce, Aiming to Assist 70 Companies This Year Lotte On, the e-commerce platform of Lotte Shopping, is supporting small businesses in expanding their online sales through live commerce.On August 28, Lotte On announced its participation in the '2026 Live Commerce Production and Operation Support Project' in collaboration with the Korea Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups Agency and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. By the end of this month, approximately 30 small businesses have participated in the live commerce program 'OnLive,' with plans to expand support to 70 companies by the end of the year.Lotte On will provide one-on-one merchandise planning (MD) consulting to participating companies, assisting with product composition, pricing strategies, and broadcasting operations. After the broadcasts, a replay service will be offered to help attract additional customers and boost sales.The support has already shown positive results. Last month, small businesses that participated in OnLive reported an average sales increase of about five times. This month, relay broadcasts have focused on beauty and food products from small businesses, including Bebeang's wet wipes, SRB's enzyme facial cleanser, and Jo Eun Moon Market's eel and abalone health foods.Kim Eun-soo, head of the brand marketing team at Lotte On, stated, "Based on Lotte On's accumulated know-how in live commerce operations and MD consulting capabilities, we will support small businesses in expanding their online sales channels and enhancing product competitiveness."Separately, Lotte On is also running an 'Online Exhibition for Small Businesses in Seoul' with participation from about 2,000 companies until the end of the year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 11:00:00
-
KOSPI slips on chip losses despite Nvidia rally SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) — South Korean shares retreated Friday as investors digested the Bank of Korea's back-to-back rate hikes, with losses in major chip and biotech stocks overwhelming the positive spillover from Nvidia's overnight surge. The KOSPI traded at 6,818.87, down 1.29 percent, as of 10:30 a.m. amid broad selling and thin turnover. Losers outnumbered gainers 575 to 294. Foreign investors led the outflows, selling a net 233.5 billion won ($169.1 million). Institutions unloaded 10.4 billion won, while retail investors also turned net sellers with 34.7 billion won in net sales. The retreat followed Thursday's decision by the Bank of Korea (BOK) to raise its benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 3.00 percent, delivering its first back-to-back hikes since January 2023. Higher U.S. Treasury yields and lingering geopolitical uncertainty added to the pressure. U.S.-Iran tensions remained elevated, with Washington keeping its options open and Tehran warning of retaliation. The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield rose 3.0 basis points to 4.6762 percent, while the 30-year yield climbed 2.6 basis points to 5.1931 percent. The weakness in Seoul contrasted with a strong overnight rally on Wall Street, where Nvidia's earnings and sales outlook reinforced expectations for continued artificial intelligence investment. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.20 percent, the S&P 500 gained 0.72 percent and the Nasdaq Composite jumped 1.57 percent. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index climbed 2.33 percent, while Nvidia surged 8.74 percent. The enthusiasm failed to carry over into Korean chip shares. About 40 minutes after the opening bell, SK hynix was down 0.75 percent at 1,717,000 won, while Samsung Electronics fell 0.85 percent to 263,750 won. Samsung Electronics preferred shares lost 2.42 percent to 189,600 won, while SK Square declined 1.83 percent to 1,048,500 won. The declines erased part of Thursday's gains, when Korean chipmakers rallied after Nvidia's strong results and outlook strengthened expectations for sustained demand for advanced memory used in AI infrastructure. Elsewhere in technology, Samsung Electro-Mechanics bucked the weakness, rising 2.24 percent to 1,416,000 won. LG Energy Solution fell 1.48 percent to 365,000 won, while Samsung SDI gained 0.53 percent to 572,000 won. Biotechnology shares were among the sharpest decliners. Samsung Biologics plunged 6.15 percent to 1,496,000 won after announcing plans to raise about 3 trillion won through a new share issue. The company said most of the proceeds will be used to acquire PolyPeptide Group, a Swiss drug-ingredient manufacturer, with the remainder going toward expansion of its second biocampus in Songdo. The new shares would increase Samsung Biologics' share count by about 4.9 percent, diluting existing shareholders and weighing on the stock. Automakers proved relatively resilient. Hyundai Motor rose 0.38 percent to 399,500 won and Kia gained 0.16 percent to 126,300 won, while Hyundai Mobis slipped 0.22 percent to 450,000 won. Among industrial and defense shares, Hanwha Aerospace fell 2.43 percent to 1,122,000 won, while Doosan Enerbility rose 0.70 percent to 86,500 won. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries was unchanged at 470,000 won. Financial shares also weakened, with KB Financial down 0.65 percent at 167,000 won and Shinhan Financial falling 0.64 percent to 108,100 won. Samsung Life declined 1.47 percent to 302,500 won. Samsung C&T fell 1.60 percent to 369,500 won, while SK dropped 2.70 percent to 541,000 won. One notable exception was SK Telecom. The stock climbed 2.22 percent to 101,300 won at the open after unveiling a plan to bring in 3.08 trillion won of outside investment to expand its AI data center business. The investment will help finance the expansion while SK Telecom retains a 51 percent stake in the new unit. The stock later pared most of its gains and was up about 0.4 percent. The junior KOSDAQ followed a similar pattern, surrendering an early gain and turning lower. About an hour into trading, the index stood at 833.78, down 0.46 percent, after falling as low as 829.79. Retail investors bought a net 126.5 billion won, while foreign investors sold 103.1 billion won and institutions unloaded 23.5 billion won. Biotech and battery-material stocks were mostly lower. Alteogen slipped 0.16 percent to 311,000 won. Battery-material maker EcoPro BM dropped 2.29 percent to 115,300 won, while parent EcoPro fell 3.04 percent to 89,200 won. Robot maker Rainbow Robotics lost 2.76 percent to 458,000 won. Among semiconductor-equipment shares, Jusung Engineering rose 1.62 percent to 182,000 won. Wonik IPS gained 0.44 percent to 113,200 won and LEENO Industrial climbed 0.60 percent to 67,100 won, while EO Technics fell 1.11 percent to 402,000 won. The Korean won strengthened slightly to 1,379 per dollar as of 10:03 a.m., compared with 1,380.9 in the previous session. Japan's Nikkei 225 added 0.6 percent to 66,524.88. AJP Takeaways • The KOSPI fell 1.29 percent to 6,818.87 as of 10:30 a.m., as investors digested the BOK's back-to-back rate hikes while higher U.S. Treasury yields and geopolitical uncertainty weighed on sentiment. • Samsung Electronics and SK hynix gave back part of Thursday's Nvidia-driven gains despite an 8.74 percent surge in Nvidia and a strong overnight rally in U.S. chip stocks. • Samsung Biologics plunged more than 6 percent after announcing a roughly 3 trillion won share issue, while SK Telecom briefly rallied on a 3.08 trillion won outside investment plan for its AI data center business. 2026-08-28 10:48:35 -
Stray Kids to open Japan tour at Tokyo National Stadium SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - K-pop boy group Stray Kids will become the first foreign male artist to hold a solo concert at Tokyo National Stadium, the group's agency JYP Entertainment said Friday. The group will perform at the venue, also known as MUFG Stadium, on Aug. 29 and 30 as the first overseas stop of its new world tour, "RUN IT." The tour opened in Seoul in July with five sold-out shows at KSPO Dome. Stray Kids will continue the Japan leg with concerts at Vantelin Dome Nagoya on Sept. 5 and 6, Kyocera Dome Osaka on Sept. 19 and 20, and Mizuho PayPay Dome Fukuoka on Oct. 24. The seven Japan shows are expected to draw a combined 370,000 people, according to JYP. The group has also been setting records on the U.S. charts. Its mini album "THIS & THAT" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 dated Aug. 22 after selling 369,000 units in its first week in the United States. It was Stray Kids' ninth Billboard 200 chart-topper, the most by any group this century, JYP said. The album stayed near the top the following week, ranking No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the World Albums chart dated Aug. 29. Stray Kids will release its fourth Japanese mini album, "SUIATSU," on Nov. 25, its first Japanese mini album in about 17 months since "Hollow" in June 2025. "Hollow" won Album of the Year and Best 3 Albums in the Asia category at the 40th Japan Gold Disc Awards. The group is also set to headline Rock in Rio in Brazil on Sept. 11, followed by headlining slots at "STRAYCITY," a new festival series led by the group, across three locations in Latin America that same month. AJP Takeaways · Stray Kids will perform at Tokyo National Stadium on Aug. 29 and 30. · JYP said they will be the first foreign male artist to hold a solo concert at the venue. · The shows open the overseas leg of the group's new world tour, "RUN IT." 2026-08-28 10:48:26 -
Seoul rolls out borrower relief to cushion rate-hike fallout SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - South Korea rolled out a targeted financial-relief package for heavily indebted households and small businesses Friday, seeking to contain the fallout from the Bank of Korea's back-to-back rate hikes without reversing the central bank's broader monetary tightening. The government said it will buy and restructure billions of won in long-delinquent debt, expand cheap refinancing for small merchants and increase subsidized lending to low- and middle-credit borrowers after the BOK lifted its base rate to a 19-month high of 3.00 percent on Thursday. The 25-basis-point increase followed an identical hike in July, marking the first back-to-back tightening since January 2023. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol announced the measures at an emergency economic meeting in Seoul, saying the government would provide heavier protection for young people, lower-income households, small merchants and small and midsize companies. The government explicitly cited the BOK's latest rate increase and rising market rates as reasons for the package, warning that higher benchmark and bank funding costs are likely to feed progressively into loan rates as borrowers reach their repricing dates. The concern is amplified by Korea's exceptional debt load. Household credit reached a record 2,019.8 trillion won ($1.5 trillion) at the end of June after increasing 25.9 trillion won in the second quarter. The buildup gives the BOK another reason to tighten but also leaves the economy unusually exposed to higher borrowing costs. The pressure is more severe among the self-employed. Outstanding loans to self-employed borrowers reached a record 1,095.5 trillion won at the end of March, while delinquent debt climbed to 22.3 trillion won. Among vulnerable self-employed borrowers — people with multiple loans who are also low-income or low-credit — the delinquency rate reached 12.7 percent in the first quarter, compared with an average 5.3 percent in 2021, according to the government's policy document. The delinquency rate among vulnerable household borrowers stood at 10.9 percent. The BOK has estimated that a 25-basis-point rise in lending rates would add about 1.8 trillion won to the self-employed sector's annual interest bill. The government's first line of defense is to remove or restructure debt that has little realistic prospect of being repaid. A nationwide review in June identified 1.1 trillion won of loans held by securitization companies that have been delinquent for at least seven years and carry balances of 50 million won or less. Money lenders hold as much as another 4.5 trillion won of such debt. The government plans to purchase as much of the combined 5.6 trillion won pool as possible through the New Leap Fund in the second half of this year, then write off debts of borrowers with no repayment capacity or restructure them for those capable of partial repayment. A separate debt workout will target loans extended to sole proprietors during the pandemic. Banks and policy lenders supplied 358.7 trillion won of personal-business loans between 2020 and 2023, of which 154.7 trillion won, or 43.1 percent, remains outstanding. About 4.1 percent has been delinquent for at least three months. Government officials estimate that could leave roughly 6 trillion to 7 trillion won potentially subject to restructuring, although final eligibility and the scale of write-offs have not been determined. A detailed program is expected in the fourth quarter ahead of implementation next year. Public financial institutions will separately clean up loans delinquent for more than 20 years where recovery is deemed virtually impossible. The Export-Import Bank of Korea will write off 16.2 billion won of long-unpaid special claims against smaller companies this year, together with related debts of joint guarantors. The government said write-offs will not be automatic solely because of the age of the debt. Repayment capacity and prospects for recovery will be reviewed in an effort to limit moral hazard and resentment among borrowers who have continued servicing their loans. For borrowers still capable of repayment, Seoul is trying to prevent the BOK's higher policy rate from flowing fully into their financing costs. The BOK will keep the interest rate on its Bank Intermediated Lending Support Facility at 1.25 percent despite Thursday's base-rate increase and plans to redesign the program next year to provide greater support to regional SMEs and sole proprietors. The government is also widening a refinancing program run by the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency that allows small merchants to replace loans carrying interest rates of at least 7 percent with borrowing at 4.5 percent. Eligibility will be expanded from loans approved before June 30, 2025, to those approved by the end of that year. Industrial Bank of Korea will double its "Hope Dream" lending for small merchants facing business difficulties to 3 trillion won this year from 1.5 trillion won. Eligible borrowers who have maintained repayments can receive interest-rate discounts of as much as 1.8 percentage points. Korea Development Bank will increase its rate-conversion facility to 1.5 trillion won next year from 1 trillion won this year, while policy interest subsidies for SMEs will also be expanded. The approach effectively seeks to separate borrowers according to their ability to survive higher rates: bad debt is restructured, viable but vulnerable borrowers receive cheaper refinancing, while borrowers with sufficient capacity continue to face the tighter rates intended by the BOK. The government will also expand its subsidized lending programs for lower-credit households. Annual supply through the Sunshine Loan program will increase by 300 billion won to 6.2 trillion won in 2027 from 5.9 trillion won this year. A new loan for lower- and middle-credit borrowers will offer up to 1 million won at an annual rate of 4.5 percent with a maturity of 10 years, while the ceiling on youth microfinance loans will double to 10 million won from 5 million won. Eligibility will also be expanded to some borrowers in the bottom half of the credit-score distribution with annual income of 35 million won or less. Banks will be encouraged to introduce mortgages carrying fully fixed interest rates for at least 10 years in the second half of this year. The government is considering a separate policy mortgage next year for young first-time buyers purchasing non-apartment homes worth 400 million won or less, with loan-to-value ratios of up to 80 percent. AJP Takeaways Seoul is responding to the BOK's back-to-back hikes with targeted debt relief and cheap refinancing rather than broad stimulus, allowing monetary tightening to continue while cushioning its weakest borrowers. Up to 5.6 trillion won of seven-year-plus delinquent debt held by securitization companies and money lenders could be purchased for write-off or restructuring, with a separate program planned for pandemic-era small-business loans. Small merchants with loans costing at least 7 percent can refinance at 4.5 percent, while subsidized SME lending and Sunshine Loan supply will be expanded. The package exposes the central policy tension of a 3 percent rate environment: the BOK wants tighter credit to restrain inflation and debt, while Seoul is trying to prevent that tightening from turning existing financial weakness into a wave of defaults. 2026-08-28 10:48:04 -
Pro-Trump Companies Strengthen Ties with Democrats Ahead of Midterms Major U.S. corporations closely aligned with President Donald Trump are reportedly strengthening their ties with the Democratic Party in anticipation of the November midterm elections, amid concerns that they could face congressional investigations or scrutiny. These companies, which have made significant donations to the Trump administration or closely aligned themselves with its policies, are assessing potential vulnerabilities should Democrats gain control of the House.The Wall Street Journal reported on August 27, citing multiple corporate advisors and lobbyists, that key companies are evaluating how their actions might be scrutinized if Democrats take the House in the upcoming midterms. Some firms have formed internal task forces to prepare for congressional inquiries and are considering the implications of their financial support for Trump and Republican political activities.Companies have already begun practical preparations for potential congressional investigations. This summer, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce held a seminar on 'Managing Potential Congressional Oversight and Investigations,' attended by representatives from major corporations like Amazon, Chevron, Pfizer, and UnitedHealth. Additionally, the law firm Cahill hosted a seminar in June focused on responding to congressional inquiries. Notably, Meta and Palantir, which have maintained close ties with the Trump administration, discussed the possibility of facing document requests or congressional hearings if Democrats take power.The companies' efforts to 'insure' against a Democratic takeover are also evident in their political donations. Sources indicate that Meta recently donated $5 million each to House Majority Forward, a political group linked to the Democratic House, and to Majority Forward, associated with Senate Democratic leadership.Moreover, companies are actively building connections with Democrats. OpenAI organized a dinner this summer in Washington, D.C., attended by Democratic lawmakers and CEO Sam Altman, while Paramount SkyDance and Kalsey have recruited Democratic-affiliated figures as event coordinators.This strategic shift by corporations stems from concerns that businesses linked to Trump and his associates could become primary targets of investigations if Democrats regain control of the House in the midterms. Currently, Republicans hold a slight edge in the House, with 218 seats compared to the Democrats' 212. However, public sentiment toward Trump and the Republican Party has soured, increasing the likelihood of a Democratic takeover in the midterms.In this context, House Democratic leaders are already emphasizing accountability for corporations. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated, 'The era of unlimited corruption brought on by the Trump cartel is about to end.' Democratic strategist and Silicon Valley fundraising consultant Cooper Tebo urged companies that have maintained close ties with Trump while neglecting Democrats to rebuild their relationships with the latter.However, not all companies are pivoting toward the Democrats. With more than two years remaining in the Trump administration, the influence of the White House remains significant in key business decisions, such as regulatory rollbacks and government contracts. Some companies are instead focusing on wrapping up regulatory and policy-related deals during Trump's term.For instance, SpaceX and Tesla, led by Elon Musk, who served as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during the Trump administration, have significantly funded Trump's reelection efforts and plan to expand their support for the Republican Party. Musk is reportedly set to spend over $100 million to help Republicans maintain control in the midterms.Ultimately, American companies appear to be adopting a strategy of maintaining influence with the Trump administration while also preparing for the possibility of a Democratic takeover, effectively hedging their political bets. As the midterm elections approach, the political maneuvering of these corporations is likely to become more pronounced.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 10:48:00
-
President Lee's Approval Rating Hits Record Low Amid Housing Policy Criticism 이재명 대통령의 직무 수행 긍정 평가가 전주보다 3%포인트 하락한 42%를 기록하며 취임 후 최저치로 떨어졌다. 부정 평가는 취임 후 처음으로 50%를 기록했고, 부정 평가 이유로는 ‘부동산 정책’이 27%로 가장 많이 꼽혔다. 한국갤럽은 28일 이 대통령이 직무를 ‘잘하고 있다’는 응답이 42%로 집계됐다는 결과를 발표했다. 직전 조사인 8월 셋째 주 45%에서 3%포인트(p) 하락한 수치다. 이 조사는 지난 25일부터 27일까지 전국 만 18세 이상 유권자 1001명을 대상으로 조사한 결과다. ‘잘못하고 있다’는 부정 평가는 전주보다 5%p 상승한 50%로 나타났다. 의견을 유보한 응답자는 8%였다. 이 대통령의 직무 긍정률은 취임 후 가장 낮았고, 부정률은 가장 높았다. 부정 평가가 50%를 기록한 것도 취임 후 처음이다. 이 대통령의 직무 긍정률은 지난달 넷째 주 51%에서 이달 둘째 주 44%로 7%p 하락하며 당시 취임 후 최저치를 기록했다. 이어 이달 셋째 주 45%로 1%p 반등했지만, 이번 조사에서 다시 3%p 떨어지며 최저치를 경신했다. 취임 후 첫 조사에서 기록한 64%와 비교하면 22%p 낮고, 지난 3월과 4월 기록한 취임 후 최고치 67%보다는 25%p 하락했다. 긍정 평가 이유로는 ‘외교’가 16%로 가장 많이 꼽혔다. 이어 ‘경제·민생’ 11%, ‘소통’ 10%, ‘전반적으로 잘한다’와 ‘부동산 정책’ 각각 7%, ‘서민 정책·복지’와 ‘직무 능력·유능함’ 각각 6%, ‘열심히 한다·노력한다’ 4% 순이었다. 부정 평가 이유로는 ‘부동산 정책’이 27%로 가장 높은 비중을 차지했다. ‘검찰 권한 축소’와 ‘경제·민생’, ‘도덕성 문제·본인 재판 회피’가 각각 7%로 뒤를 이었다. ‘전반적으로 잘못한다’와 ‘국방·안보’, ‘독재·독단’은 각각 5%, ‘통합·협치 부족’은 4%였다. 부동산 정책은 지난 7월 넷째 주부터 연속해서 부정 평가 이유 1위에 올랐다. 정당 지지도는 더불어민주당이 직전 조사보다 2%p 하락한 39%를 기록했다. 국민의힘은 전주와 같은 25%였다. 양당 지지율 격차는 14%p로 줄었다. 조국혁신당은 4%, 개혁신당은 3%, 진보당은 1%였으며 무당층은 26%로 집계됐다. 이번 조사는 이동통신 3사가 제공한 무선전화 가상번호를 무작위로 추출해 전화조사원 인터뷰 방식으로 진행됐다. 표본오차는 95% 신뢰수준에서 ±3.1%포인트, 응답률은 10.5%다. 자세한 내용은 중앙선거여론조사심의위원회 홈페이지에서 확인할 수 있다.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 10:44:00
-
Investigation Launched into 15 Medical Facilities for Fraudulent Practices Medical facilities that allegedly engaged in fraudulent practices, such as inducing patients to prepay high medical fees after confirming their health insurance status and offering cash or massage coupons as part of a 'payback' scheme, are now under investigation.On August 28, the Ministry of Health and Welfare's administrative investigation team announced that it has referred 15 medical institutions suspected of illegal reimbursements to the police for further investigation.This action marks the third referral following investigations conducted in July. The administrative team selected these 15 facilities based on cases reported to the 'Abnormal and Fake Treatment Reporting Center' by the end of July and the need to clarify specific legal violations among the institutions targeted in the second investigation. With this latest referral, the total number of medical facilities under police investigation has risen to 33 since the administrative team's establishment in June.Among the 15 facilities referred for investigation, eight are nursing hospitals, four are oriental medicine clinics, two are clinics, and one is a general hospital. Geographically, four are located in Gyeonggi Province, three in Seoul, and three in Gwangju and Jeonnam.The fraudulent practices identified at these medical institutions were bold and sophisticated. For instance, Hospital A allegedly induced a cancer patient to prepay approximately 10 million won for a package after confirming their health insurance enrollment during an admission consultation. They promised to provide 500,000 won in health insurance benefits each month, and when the patient declined, they reportedly refused to admit the patient's family member.Hospital B was found to have encouraged patients to pay for expensive package hospitalization fees regardless of their health status, offering reimbursements in the form of coupons for cafes, nail salons, and massages, as well as taxi fare support.Some facilities meticulously executed their schemes by creating 'discount management sheets' for each patient. Hospital C is accused of providing tailored discounts based on patients' insurance enrollment status and manipulating medical records and prescriptions to facilitate insurance claims.Hospital D allegedly concealed the payback scheme by conducting cash transactions for admission and discharge fees, scheduling treatments like high-frequency and skin beauty injections in advance, and providing cash paybacks based on a month's treatment fees. Reports also indicated that they allowed hospitalized patients to leave freely.The administrative investigation team plans to launch a third round of investigations in early September. Additionally, to fundamentally eradicate abnormal and fraudulent treatments, they will establish a cooperative framework with the Korean Medical Association and promote the 'Expert Evaluation System' to enhance self-regulatory efforts within the medical community.Kwack Soon-hun, head of the administrative investigation team for abnormal and fraudulent treatments, stated, "The government views abnormal and fraudulent treatments as a chronic practice that harms legitimate medical institutions and patients, leading to financial leaks in health insurance and health insurance. We will respond strictly and decisively. We will thoroughly verify the legality of reported cases through administrative investigations and referrals to law enforcement."Report abnormal and fraudulent treatments: Call 129 or email medi129@korea.kr (available to patients, guardians, and medical staff)* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 10:44:00