■ [Teenage drug trap] There is no place for treatment… Medical staff who experience assault suffer ‘burnout’
Drug use is spreading rapidly among teenagers, but there are no good places for teenagers who want treatment after being caught to get help. Parents are often anxious to hide the fact that their children are taking drugs for fear of being labeled a 'drug addict.' The current situation is that the drug-only hospitals that were difficult to find are suffering from severe manpower shortages and violence from patients, with medical staff leaving one after another and even the wards being closed.
View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20260919045700004
■ Exemption from lump-sum disposal of inherited and aged farmland… Conditional disposition suspension for ‘conventional lease’
The government and the ruling party decided on the 21st not to collectively dispose of violations of the Farmland Act other than for speculative purposes in relation to the complete survey of farmland. In order to normalize farmland that is difficult to farm directly due to inheritance or aging, and leases that are customary in rural areas, through voluntary maintenance and entrustment to farmland banks, specific relief and guidance procedures for farmland surveys have been prepared.
View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20260921008700030
■ President Lee’s approval rating rebounded in just 10 weeks to 34.8%… Slight recovery in youth support [Real Meter]
The results of a public opinion poll were released on the 21st showing that President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating for his performance of state affairs has increased slightly for the first time in 10 weeks. As a result of a Real Meter survey of 2,507 people aged 18 or older across the country from the 14th to the 18th at the request of the Energy Economy News, the positive evaluation of President Lee's performance of state affairs was calculated to be 34.8%, up 1.0 points (p) from last week. The negative evaluation was 63.4%, up 0.1%p from the previous week, and was higher than the positive evaluation, outside the margin of error (28.6%p) for 8 consecutive weeks. The response ‘I don’t know’ accounted for 1.8%.
View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20260921019851001
■ 靑 “There is no obligation to respond to Kim Seung-won’s gossip…Start review of personnel system”
Regarding the additional controversy surrounding Kim Seung-won of the Democratic Party of Korea, who withdrew from his candidacy for Minister of Justice, the Blue House said on the 21st, "There is no responsibility or obligation to respond," and "I responded with my personnel authority." Chief Blue House Spokesperson Kang Yoo-jeong appeared on KBS Radio's 'Blitzkrieg Current Affairs' on this day and answered the question, 'Has the Blue House received a petition regarding Rep. Kim's suspicions?'
View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20260921051300001
■ Additional postponement of actual residence obligation in Tohe District… “There are properties for sale, but the market is a wait-and-see approach.”
While the government extended the grace period for actual residence in land transaction permit zones to the end of next year on the 17th, the Seoul apartment market generally remained in a wait-and-see mode last weekend. Not only in Gangnam, where the number of properties for quick sale increased after the tax reform plan was announced last month, but also in the Gangbuk area, where housing prices are strong, there does not seem to be a significant increase in purchase inquiries. However, there are also observations that some high-priced apartment complexes in Gangnam, where entry-level properties have recently flooded, may be bottoming out with low-price purchases taking place.
View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20260921041500003
■ [Asian Games] ‘Iron Man’ Kim Woo-min’s challenge… Aiming for a second consecutive medal in the 1,500m freestyle
Korean swimming star Kim Woo-min (Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province) will challenge for his second consecutive 1,500m freestyle medal on the Asian stage. Kim Woo-min will begin the individual event at this competition with the 1,500m freestyle event at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games to be held at the Tokyo Aquatics Center in Japan on the 22nd. In this competition, Kim Woo-min stands on the starting line the most among the Korean athletes participating in the management event.
View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20260920015400007
■ 4th quarter electricity rates frozen… Fuel cost adjustment unit price maintained at ‘+5 won’
Electricity rates for the fourth quarter (October to December), effective next month, will be frozen at the current level. KEPCO announced on the 21st that it will maintain the fuel cost adjustment unit price for the fourth quarter at the current 5 won per kWh (kilowatt hour). Electricity rates are comprised of a basic rate, electricity rate, climate environment rate, and fuel cost adjustment rate.
View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20260921019151003
■ Kim Seong-wan is the new Blue House spokesperson… “Communicate with humility”
Current affairs critic Kim Seong-wan was appointed as the new Blue House spokesperson. According to the Blue House on the 21st, Spokesperson Kim officially started working from this day. Spokesperson Kim met with reporters that day and said, “I feel a heavy sense of responsibility,” and added, “I will try to communicate better with the people with a humble attitude, as President Lee Jae-myung said.”
View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20260921023751001
■ Exports in mid-September amounted to $71.4 billion, the highest ever... Semiconductor proportion: 48%
Sejong = Yonhap News) Reporter Ahn Chae-won = Exports exceeded $70 billion in mid-September, reaching an all-time high for the same period. Semiconductor exports increased by nearly 260%, accounting for nearly 48% of total exports. According to the Korea Customs Service on the 21st, the export amount (provisional value based on customs clearance) from the 1st to the 20th of this month was $71.4 billion, an increase of 78.3% compared to the same period last year. As of the 1st to 20th, it is the highest ever.
View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20260921031151002
■ KOSPI rises around 1% in early trading… Temporary recovery of '7,000 blood' during intraday trading
KOSPI showed strength in the early part of the market on the 21st and is attempting to recover to '7,000 pi' (KOSPI 7,000 points). As of 9:19 am on this day, KOSPI is at 6,942.64, up 48.41 points (0.70%) from the previous day. The index started at 6,938.34, up 44.11 points (0.64%) from the previous day, and continued its strong performance in the early part of the session, briefly exceeding the 7,000 mark at one point.
View full text: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20260921033051008
