Overview
- President Trump announced tariffs on South Korean exports will revert from 15% to 25%, targeting goods such as automobiles and pharmaceuticals.
- Opposition leader Jang Dong-hyuk urged President Lee Jae-myung to call Trump directly, faulting the government for performative messaging over diplomacy.
- Jang ended an eight-day hunger strike and returned to public activity with retail price checks and a field meeting in Seoul’s Seocho district.
- He criticized consumption coupons and cash handouts during high inflation, warning they strain household finances ahead of Lunar New Year.
- The People Power Party is elevating a livelihoods-first platform, considering a dedicated economic review body and pressing for dual special-prosecutor legislation.