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

■ [US midterm election report] Reminiscent of a vote for or against Trump… “The worst president” “He has golden hands”

On the 3rd (local time), when the U.S. midterm elections were held, the atmosphere at the polling place was similar to a vote for or against U.S. President Donald Trump. It made us realize that this election, which is being held ahead of the turning point of Trump's second administration term, is ultimately resulting in a mid-term evaluation of President Trump's administration. Voters who oppose President Trump expressed their support for the Democratic Party, pouring out complaints about the high cost of living and gasoline prices and excessive immigration crackdowns.

■ Kim Yo-jong, regarding the Binance incident, “There are optional talks, but it is not the same as national interest.”

While North Korea once again protested against being identified as the mastermind behind the Binance hacking incident, it also mentioned 'dialogue' and put pressure on the United States to withdraw its hostile policy. Kim Yo-jong, the head of the Workers' Party's General Affairs Department, issued a statement on the 4th and said to the United States, "The options for maintaining peace clearly include dialogue, but for us, this is not necessarily the same as our national interest," the Korean Central News Agency reported on this day. These comments can be interpreted as an intention to leave room for dialogue with the United States but not to focus solely on dialogue.

■ The second trial of the election law case involving 39.7 billion won of national power was sentenced today… broadcast live

The appellate court's ruling in the case of former President Yoon Seok-yeol's violation of the Public Official Election Act, which will depend on the return of 39.7 billion won in presidential election expenses preserved by the People Power Party, will be made on the 4th. Seoul High Court Criminal Division 2-1 (High Court Judge Baek Seung-yeop, Hwang Seung-tae, and Kim Young-hyeon) will hold a second trial sentencing former President Yoon on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act at 2 p.m. The sentencing scene will be broadcast live on TV and YouTube. The court has permitted the live broadcast of sentencing in some cases of high social interest, taking public interest into consideration.

■ If the ‘Special Prosecution Bill on Fabricated Indictments’ is passed… 8 out of 12 cases related to President Lee

The Democratic Party of Korea is pushing to remove the right to cancel indictments from the 'Special Prosecution Bill on Manipulated Indictments' due to public backlash, but political controversy is expected to continue as eight of the 12 cases subject to investigation involve President Lee Jae-myung. The Democratic Party adopted the so-called special prosecution bill on fabricated prosecutions as its party line and decided to pass it at the plenary session of the National Assembly on the 5th at the earliest. According to the legal community on the 4th, the name of the special prosecutor bill is 'A bill on the appointment of a special prosecutor to uncover the truth about suspicions such as fabricated investigations and fabricated indictments by the Prosecutor's Office of the Yoon Seok-yeol regime, the National Intelligence Service, the Board of Audit and Inspection, etc.'

■ Coupang Inc, operating loss in the third quarter of KRW 642.3 billion... Fire costs alone are estimated at 350 billion won.

Coupang Inc, Coupang's parent company, recorded an operating loss of over 600 billion won in the third quarter. Although sales increased, it failed to escape the red, recording the second-largest quarterly loss in history. Coupang Inc, a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, announced on the 3rd (local time) that it recorded an operating loss of 642.3 billion won ($450 million) in the third quarter of this year, turning into a loss compared to the same period last year.

■ “You pay taxes, but health insurance premiums are excluded”… Review of imposing health insurance premiums on separately taxable income

A plan is being considered to impose an insurance premium on separately taxable income, such as daily earned income and some financial and pension income, which are taxed but excluded from the calculation of health insurance premiums. The purpose is to resolve the equity issue of imposing health insurance premiums on the salaries of office workers and business income of the self-employed while excluding some separately taxed income. According to the 'Major Business Progress Status' data submitted by the National Health Insurance Corporation to the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee audit on the 4th, the Corporation officially reported 'Promotion of imposing insurance premiums on unimposed (separate taxation) income' as a key task to improve the fairness and equity of the insurance premium burden.

■ “The U.S. blocks the import of equipment from SK Hynix’s Chinese factory… Investment in the New York factory is also disrupted.”

Reuters reported on the 3rd (local time) that SK Hynix's investment plans for a semiconductor factory in New York, USA are being disrupted as the U.S. government withholds permission to export American semiconductor manufacturing equipment needed to expand SK Hynix's Chinese factory. Citing multiple sources familiar with the matter, Reuters reported that SK Hynix has requested permission to export US-made semiconductor manufacturing equipment needed to expand production capacity at its Dalian plant in China, but the US Department of Commerce has not yet approved it. Management of SK Hynix's American subsidiary, Solidigm, has been continuing negotiations, holding nearly 10 meetings with the U.S. Department of Commerce since the end of August.

■ Europe’s skyways are also unstable… Report of threat to bomb 7 passenger planes

On the 3rd (local time), reports of explosives were received one after another from seven passenger planes flying over Europe, causing an uproar as the planes made emergency landings and fighter jets were scrambled. According to Reuters and the British daily Guardian, a bomb threat warning was issued at 9:54 a.m. on a Boeing 737 MAX passenger plane belonging to Poland's LOT Airlines, which departed London Heathrow Airport and was heading to Warsaw Chopin Airport, and landed at Modlin Airport on the outskirts of Warsaw seven minutes later. Authorities closed Modlin Airport and checked the plane, but no explosives were found. The 181 people on board the plane took a bus to Chopin Airport after safety measures were completed.

■ Foreign exchange reserves increased to $443.2 billion in October… Moved to 9th place in international rankings

Due to the influence of profits from foreign currency asset management last month, Korea's foreign exchange reserves increased for the first time in two months. The ranking of countries in terms of foreign exchange reserves rose two levels to 9th. This is due to the fall in gold prices. According to the Bank of Korea on the 4th, Korea's foreign exchange reserves as of the end of October were $443.16 billion, an increase of $2.6 billion from the end of September.

■ Rain is reported in Jeonnam and Jeju starting during the day… Beware of daily temperature difference of 15 degrees

On Wednesday the 4th, there will be rain in the south coast of Jeollanam-do and Jeju Island starting during the day. The expected precipitation is 10-40 mm in Gwangju and Jeonnam, 5-30 mm in Jeonbuk, 20-60 mm in the mountainous and mid-mountainous areas of Jeju Island, and 10-40 mm in Jeju Island (excluding the mountainous and mid-mountainous areas). There will be a lot of clouds across the country, including Seoul and other metropolitan areas, but it will become cloudy starting at night, and Jeju Island will be mostly cloudy.