[Yonhap News headlines at this time] - 07:30

■ Court "Political community of Kim Geon-hee...involved in Kim Young-seon's nomination for Myung Tae-gyun"

The appeals court in the case of former President Yoon Seok-yeol's alleged violation of the Political Fund Act acknowledged that former President Yoon and his wife were involved in the People Power Party's nomination for Myung Tae-gyun. It was also pointed out that at the time of the incident, First Lady Kim Kun-hee formed a political community with former President Yoon beyond simply being the spouse of a presidential candidate. However, even taking this into account, it was judged that it was not proven that the couple had agreed to receive a free opinion poll from Mr. Myeong.

View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20261007204900004

■ U.S. Vice President "Regardless of whether it is the current Korean government or the next government, we will complete Alaska LNG."

Regarding the Korean government's investment participation in the Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) development project, U.S. Vice President JD Vance cited 'political dynamics' in Korea as a factor in uncertainty, but expressed his stance that he would complete the project no matter what. Vice President Vance said in an interview with Alaska News Source, a local Alaska broadcaster, on the 6th (local time), "Honestly, I think there are some political dynamics in Korea." “But we will get this project done, whether it is the current government in Korea or the next government or, frankly, whether we have to cooperate with Japan or other countries,” he continued.

View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20261008001600071

■ Third day of government audit… Public Prosecution Office, Leveraged ETF, Future Fund Battle Notice

On the 8th, the third day of the National Assembly audit, the ruling and opposition parties clash over the Lee Jae-myung administration's criminal justice system reform, single-stock leveraged exchange-traded fund (ETF), and DMZ mine explosions. On this day, the National Assembly will conduct a national audit in nine standing committees, including the ▲ Legislation and Judiciary Committee ▲ Political Affairs Committee ▲ Finance and Economic Planning Committee ▲ Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting and Communications Committee ▲ National Defense Committee ▲ Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee ▲ Health and Welfare Committee ▲ Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee ▲ Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee. In the Judiciary Committee's audit of the Ministry of Justice, a fierce battle is expected between the ruling and opposition parties over the reform of the criminal justice system, which includes separation of investigation and prosecution.

View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20261007199700001

■ President Lee holds a summit meeting with the Egyptian president today... Discussion of supply chain cooperation, etc.

President Lee Jae-myung will hold a summit meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is visiting Korea as a state guest, at the Blue House on the 8th. Starting with an official welcoming ceremony this morning, the leaders of the two countries will sequentially carry out schedules such as a small group meeting, an expanded meeting, an agreement and memorandum of understanding signing ceremony, a joint press release, and a state luncheon. The meeting is expected to discuss economic cooperation such as trade, investment, infrastructure, and supply chains, expansion of human exchanges, regional situations, and international issues.

View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20261007185400001

■ Saudi Arabia “3 dead at Riyadh and Abha airports”… Houthis claim successive airstrikes

Saudi Arabia, which supports the Yemeni government forces' fight to reclaim territory from the pro-Iran rebels Houthis, is facing a fierce counterattack from the Houthis. The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority announced in a statement on the afternoon of the 7th (local time) that King Khalid International Airport and Abha International Airport in the capital Riyadh were attacked on the 6th and 7th respectively, resulting in a total of 3 deaths and 36 injuries. According to the Aviation Administration, two people, a Moroccan woman and an Algerian woman, were killed in this attack at Abha International Airport.

View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20261008001751099

■ Trump threatens the Nobel Peace Prize again… “Tariffs prevented many wars.”

On the 7th (local time), two days before the announcement of this year's Nobel Peace Prize winner, U.S. President Donald Trump once again expressed his expectations for the award, saying that he fully deserves the award. “I don’t know how they (the Nobel Peace Committee) will decide,” President Trump said at the White House that day, adding, “They have a reputation for not giving awards to people like me.” “Whether I get the award or not, I have done so much more,” he said. “It would be a great discredit to them (not to give the award).”

View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20261008004500071

■ Industrial Bank of Korea suffered again… KRW 9.4 billion in financial accident at the company founded by the president of the accident company

It was pointed out that IBK Industrial Bank of Korea [024110] brought about a financial accident by making loans and investments without carefully examining the history of the company's representative. Even though fraud was discovered at a company he had invested in in the past, the person who served as the company's president made the mistake of lending a large amount of money to a newly founded company. According to data submitted by IBK to People Power Party lawmaker Shin Dong-wook, a member of the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee, on the 8th, IBK disclosed a financial accident worth 9.44 billion won related to power semiconductor company A on August 20.

View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20261007195700002

■ Housing loan interest rate of 7.49% due to rise in US government bonds... Best in 3 years

Reuters reported on the 7th (local time) that the interest rate on 30-year mortgage loans rose to the highest in three years due to the rise in U.S. Treasury yields. The American Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) announced that the average 30-year fixed mortgage interest rate for the week ended on the 2nd was 7.49%, up 0.19 percentage points from the previous week. It is the highest level since November 2023. According to a survey by Freddie Mac, a national mortgage loan company, the 30-year fixed interest rate as of the 1st was 7.28%, the highest since October 2023. It is nearly 1 percentage point higher than a year ago (6.34%).

View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20261008011200009

■ ‘Stocks for which no owner can be found’ approaches 1.5 trillion won… 26,000 unclaimed shareholders

Although the amount of unclaimed stocks held by the Korea Securities Depository is close to KRW 1.5 trillion, the annual average of stocks returned to owners through the Find Back Campaign over the past five years has been found to be only KRW 55.7 billion. According to data submitted from the Korea Securities Depository by Rep. Han Min-soo of the Democratic Party of Korea, a member of the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee, on the 8th, the total number of unclaimed stocks held by the Korea Securities Depository as of the end of August this year is 808,404,18. The valuation of these stocks was calculated to be 1.4707 trillion won. The reason why such lost stocks occur is because the stock certificates issued through the company's paid-in capital increase, free capital increase, stock dividend, etc. are not received.

View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20261007149600008

■ 'Hanro' with cold dew, clear across the country and large daily temperature range... Beware of morning fog

On the 8th, which is Thursday, which is the seasonal cold dew when cold dew begins to form, the entire country will be mostly cloudless and clear. However, thick fog will form throughout the inland and mountainous regions of Gangwon until the morning, and there will be fog in other inland parts of the country as well. In most areas of the country, the temperature difference between day and night will be very large, around 15 degrees, so you should also pay attention to your health.

View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20261008006700034