Editor's Letter
Fair Rules Start with Agreement
This week's editorial makes a simple point about Seorak's four counties working together. Some worry that Sokcho gets most of the benefits from regional cooperation, while Goseong, Yangyang, and Inje carry more of the costs. The proposed fix is a shared tourism fund with clear rules for splitting income and costs fairly. Our debate topic asks a related question: now that next year's minimum wage has been set at 10,700 won per hour, should the rate be different for different industries?
Nationally, the government's housing supply plan sparked a public dispute. The central government and the Seoul city government disagreed over redeveloping Yongsan Park. Bond yields surged worldwide, and the Kospi stock index fell 5.8% in a single day. The Democratic Party also elected Kim Min-seok as its new leader on August 17.
This week's opinion section returns to the Gallup poll. It found the president's approval rating at 45%, tied with disapproval for the first time. Housing policy was the top reason people gave for disapproving.
County Notices
Summer Winds Down, Regional Cooperation Moves Forward
Sokcho
Sokcho held its 2026 Eulji civil defense drill from August 18 to 21. Civilian, government, military, police, and fire teams practiced working together for emergencies.
Waterbomb Sokcho 2026, a large music festival, was held on August 22 at Hanwha Resort Seorak Sorano. The city expected about 10,000 visitors and prepared traffic and safety plans in advance.
Goseong
Goseong held its 2026 Joint Defense Council meeting on August 12, bringing together civilian, government, military, and police officials to review readiness in this border region.
Despite this summer's heat wave and drought, Goseong brought in its first rice harvest of the year.
Yangyang
Yangyang's beaches are closing in stages starting in late August. The county will keep some safety staff on duty afterward, since a few visitors still come by.
A heat wave warning remains in effect. Cooling shelters at senior centers and community halls stay open, and residents are asked to call 119 right away if they feel signs of heat illness.
Inje
Inje's project was selected for the second stage of the national fund for counties facing population decline. From 2027 to 2031, Inje will share 2 billion won with four neighboring border counties — Hwacheon, Yanggu, Cheorwon, and Goseong.
Following an earlier joint meeting on border-region peace and safety in Seoul, Inje continues to press national ministries to fund the issues it raised there.
This Week's Terms
Words in the News, Explained
Three terms that came up often in this week's national newspaper editorials — explained simply, so you can follow the news even if you're new to Korean politics and policy.
A new government fund that will hold the extra money left over when school funding rules change. It is meant for early childhood and higher education, but ministries disagree about how it should be used.
A nickname for investors who sell government bonds to push interest rates up when they think a government is spending too freely. This week, bond yields surged worldwide as these investors reacted to rising government debt.
When the head of the Supreme Court recommends a judge candidate by letter, instead of meeting the president in person as past chief justices have done. This week's editorials questioned whether that broke with the spirit of the constitution.
Vocabulary Note
Today's Vocabulary
Tap a word to see its meaning and an example.
regional cooperation/ˈriːdʒənəl koʊˌɑːpəˈreɪʃən/
광역 협력"This week's editorial makes a simple point about Seorak's four counties working together."minimum wage/ˈmɪnɪməm weɪdʒ/
최저임금"Next year's minimum wage has been set at 10,700 won per hour."dispute/dɪˈspjuːt/
분쟁, 갈등"The government's housing plan sparked a public dispute."bond yield/bɒnd jiːld/
채권 금리"Bond yields surged worldwide this week."approval rating/əˈpruːvəl ˈreɪtɪŋ/
지지율, 직무 긍정률"Gallup found the president's approval rating at 45%, tied with disapproval."civil defense drill/ˈsɪvəl dɪˈfɛns drɪl/
민방위(을지) 훈련"Sokcho held its 2026 Eulji civil defense drill from August 18 to 21."drought/draʊt/
가뭄"Despite this summer's heat wave and drought, Goseong brought in its first rice harvest."heat illness/hiːt ˈɪlnəs/
온열질환"Residents are asked to call 119 right away if they feel signs of heat illness."population decline/ˌpɒpjʊˈleɪʃən dɪˈklaɪn/
인구(지방) 소멸"Inje's project was selected for the national fund for counties facing population decline."government debt/ˈɡʌvərnmənt dɛt/
국가 부채"These investors reacted to rising government debt."nominate/ˈnɒmɪneɪt/
지명하다, 제청하다"The chief justice recommends a judge candidate by letter."Was this useful to you? We'd like to know whether to keep making this every week.
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