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Lawmaker Claims NEC Falsified Voter Turnout Data in Multiple Elections

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 05:27:11 GMT

Photo : YONHAP News

A lawmaker has alleged that the National Election Commission falsified voter‑turnout data not only during the June 3 local elections but also in last year's presidential election and the 2024 general election.

Rep. Joo Jin‑woo of the main opposition People Power Party said at a press conference Sunday at the National Assembly that his review of NEC log records found what he described as "time‑machine entries" at 47 locations during the local elections, 26 during the presidential election, and 44 during the general election.

According to the records he released, 4 p.m. turnout figures at polling stations in Seoul's Ahyeon area during last year's presidential election were entered at 2:35 p.m., roughly an hour and a half early.

Joo said similar instances of allegedly false data entry were identified nationwide across all three elections.

He claimed the records showed a single NEC employee entering large amounts of false data for multiple polling stations at once, including repeated entries of zero voters as future turnout figures.

Joo called for the special counsel probe into the NEC to be expanded beyond the local elections to include the presidential and general elections, urging authorities to launch an immediate compulsory probe.

21 Descendants of Korean Independence Activists to Visit S. Korea for Liberation Day

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 05:12:45 GMT

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Twenty‑one descendants of Korean independence activists living in the United States, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mexico will visit South Korea ahead of the 81st anniversary of Liberation Day.

The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs said Sunday it will host the descendants from Monday through next Sunday.

The participants are descendants of 15 activists who contributed to Korea's independence through efforts including the June 10 Movement, a student‑led independence protest in 1926, armed resistance, fundraising and activities with the Korean Provisional Government.

The group includes descendants of activist Park Yong‑gyu, who distributed anti‑Japanese leaflets and helped plan the June 10 Movement.

The visitors will arrive Monday and visit the Seoul National Cemetery, the National Memorial of the Korean Provisional Government, Seodaemun Prison History Hall and the Demilitarized Zone before attending the Liberation Day ceremony on Saturday.

The annual invitation program, launched in 1995, has so far brought one-thousand-13 descendants of independence activists from 21 countries to South Korea.

Heat Wave to Continue Nationwide, Rain Forecast for East Coast

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 05:00:26 GMT

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Most regions nationwide will continue to see hot, humid conditions and tropical nights, while rain is forecast along the east coast through Monday morning.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, 20 to 60 millimeters or more of rain is expected in parts of North Gyeongsang Province, while Busan and Ulsan could receive five to 40 millimeters.

Heat wave warnings and advisories remain in effect across most of the country, except for the eastern coastal areas.

Monday morning lows are expected to range from 21 to 26 degrees Celsius, with Seoul forecast to bottom out at 25 degrees.

Daytime highs will range from 27 to 34 degrees, similar to Sunday, with temperatures in Seoul reaching 34 degrees.

Waves are expected to run high at two to four meters in most coastal waters on Monday.

Gov't Ramps Up Response as Extreme Heat Threatens High‑Risk Workers

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 04:52:57 GMT

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The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters held a meeting Sunday to review measures to respond to the ongoing heat wave, with a particular focus on protecting elderly farmers and outdoor workers.

The headquarters reviewed progress made by emergency response units established across ministries to address the prolonged heat.

Officials called for stronger efforts to deploy personnel for heat‑illness prevention and urged local governments, the Korea Forest Service, and the Rural Development Administration to expand surveillance using drones and vehicles and to use village broadcasts to advise farmers to avoid outdoor agricultural work.

The headquarters also instructed agencies to pay close attention to vulnerable elderly residents in areas under heat wave advisories and to manage senior community centers operating with extended hours.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor will conduct intensive inspections through Friday at workplaces vulnerable to extreme heat, including construction sites and logistics centers.

The government additionally urged employers to strictly follow five basic heat‑safety measures and suspend work when required under heat wave alerts.

Seoul Reports Two Heat‑Related Deaths as Heat Wave Persists

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 04:14:57 GMT

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Two people died from heat‑related illnesses in Seoul on Friday as temperatures reached 38 degrees Celsius amid an ongoing heat wave.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, a man in his 50s was found on a roadside in Jungnang District, while a woman in her 80s developed heat‑related symptoms at her home in Gangnam District.

Both were taken to nearby hospitals after emergency calls but did not survive. Authorities said neither had underlying medical conditions.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said 35 people in Seoul, including the two victims, suffered heat‑related illnesses on Friday alone.

It was the first heat‑related death reported in Seoul since June 29, when one person died, and the highest number of daily heat‑related deaths recorded in a single day this year.

Since the city's heat‑related illness surveillance system began on May 15, Seoul has recorded 386 cases, including four deaths.

Pentagon Urges Defense Contractors to Boost Weapons Output as Stockpiles Shrink

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 04:06:12 GMT

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The United States Department of War is reportedly pressing American defense companies to rapidly increase weapons production as the country's stockpiles of ammunition and other munitions have declined amid the war with Iran.

The Washington Post reported Saturday, citing a Pentagon memo, that Deputy War Secretary Stephen Feinberg sent letters to major defense contractors on Wednesday asking them to submit plans within 21 days to "drive significantly faster, more aggressive delivery schedules and/or increased production for critical capabilities."

Feinberg wrote that years‑long development cycles are no longer acceptable and called on defense companies to dramatically accelerate program timelines and immediately expand production capacity.

He also urged companies to provide specific plans for capital investment and facility expansion to support the Pentagon's continued large‑scale weapons orders.

According to the Post, the United States fired more than 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles and over one thousand air‑defense interceptor missiles, including Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense systems, during the first month of the war with Iran.

Over 1,800 Nabbed in First-Half Crackdown on Organized, International Crime

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 03:47:48 GMT

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Police are launching another intensive crackdown in the second half of the year targeting organized and international crime, following the arrest of more than 18-hundred people in the first half.

The National Police Agency said it apprehended one-thousand-185 people and detained 225 of them during a four‑month crackdown on organized crime that began in March.

The operation focused on offenses such as fraud and money laundering, crimes commonly committed by so‑called MZ gangs, criminal groups largely made up of people in their 20s and 30s.

People age 30 or younger accounted for 63-point-six percent of those arrested, and fraud made up 42-point-seven percent of the crimes committed.

During the same four‑month period, police also carried out an intensive crackdown on international crimes, including drug offenses involving foreign nationals, arresting 641 offenders and detaining 133.

Police said they will continue the effort in the second half of the year, launching another intensive crackdown on organized and international crime from Monday through October 31.

KOSPI Struggles to Find Momentum as Trading Value, Volume Hit Yearly Lows

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 03:41:57 GMT

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The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) continued to weaken in August amid heightened volatility, with fading investor sentiment pushing trading value and volume to their lowest levels of the year.

According to the Korea Exchange and Yonhap Infomax on Sunday, average daily trading value on the KOSPI has fallen to 26-point-27 trillion won so far this month, the lowest level this year.

Trading value topped 50 trillion won in May and June during the KOSPI's strong rally, then dropped to 36-point-87 trillion won in July before declining further in August.

Average daily trading volume also slid to 301-point-67 million shares this month, another yearly low.

The KOSPI has fallen five-point-one percent this month, with sidecars triggered twice amid continued market weakness.

Market analysts say stronger shareholder‑return policies and institutional reforms are needed to attract foreign inflows and restore momentum.