Lee Jae-myung Vows Tough Punishment for Syringe Hoarding as U.S.-Iran Talks Eyed

President Lee Jae-myung said he would deal sternly with companies accused of stockpiling syringes after a special crackdown by health authorities found widespread violations. 

In a post Friday on X, formerly Twitter, Lee said he had instructed the Cabinet to keep up enforcement and to take all possible follow-up steps, including swift investigations, strict punishment and maximum administrative penalties, for confirmed violations. 

He said making money by exploiting a community crisis is an “antisocial” act that will be “severely punished.” 

Earlier, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said a special nationwide inspection of syringe sellers, aimed at stabilizing distribution, found 32 distributors violated a government notice banning syringe hoarding. 
 
As Washington and Tehran send mixed signals on whether to resume peace negotiations, there is speculation the two sides could meet as soon as this weekend in Pakistan. 

Yonhap reported that The New York Times, citing two senior Iranian officials, said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to meet U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s eldest son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in Pakistan this weekend. 

The officials said Araghchi headed to Islamabad carrying a written response to a U.S. peace proposal. They said Iran has publicly maintained it would not hold talks until the U.S. blockade of Hormuz is lifted, but has privately explored ways to restart negotiations through mediators including Pakistan. Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on April 25 local time. 
 
Lee Jin-sook, the former chair of the Korea Communications Commission who was cut from the People Power Party’s primary for Daegu mayor, said Friday she will not run in the June 3 local election. 

With Rep. Joo Ho-young also having declared he will not run, the party’s internal turmoil over the Daegu race appeared to ease. 

Yonhap reported Lee told a news conference at the party’s Daegu office that she was stepping down as a preliminary candidate. She said that once the party selects its nominee on Saturday, she will help that candidate defeat the Democratic Party contender and “protect Daegu from the reckless Democratic Party administration.” 

While calling the party’s decision to cut her unfair, she said she would not run as an independent. 
 
The Trump administration said it will allow the firing squad as a method of execution for federal death sentences. 

Yonhap and Reuters reported Friday that the Justice Department said in a recent report it would add the firing squad, the electric chair and gas asphyxiation as alternative methods, citing difficulties obtaining lethal injection drugs. 

Lethal injection remains the most common method of execution in the United States, but the department said it plans to broaden the options. 

The department also said it would restore procedures for using pentobarbital, the drug adopted for executions during the first Trump administration.