[Today's Hot Issue] Gallup: 61% Say Hyein Yong Not Suitable as Minister [Sisa Show]

[Top 5 Hot Issues for September 11]

Prosecutors Reject Arrest Warrant for Lawmaker Byungki Kim

U.S.-Iran Tensions Push Oil Prices to 107 Dollars

1. Another public opinion poll shows that a significantly higher percentage of people believe Seungwon Kim and Hyein Yong are not suitable candidates for ministerial positions, compared to those who think they are.

According to a poll conducted by Gallup Korea from September 8 to 10 among 1,000 adults aged 18 and over nationwide, and released on this day, 61% said Hyein Yong is "not suitable" as a ministerial candidate, and 43% said the same of Seungwon Kim. Meanwhile, President Jaemyung Lee’s approval rating recorded a new low of 38%. In Seoul, it fell by 9 percentage points to 29%. (Randomly selected mobile phone numbers, telephone interviewer method, margin of error ±3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level, contact rate 46.7%, response rate 9.4%. For details, please refer to the website of the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.)

2. Minseok Kim, leader of the Democratic Party, said "Seungwon Kim is a well-chosen candidate" and vowed to stand by him.

Chairman Kim, referring to Seungwon Kim, who is embroiled in allegations of "new drug lobbying," stated, "The more I observe, the more I believe he is a well-qualified choice," adding, "We will protect him." In response to opposition parties raising suspicions and criticism, the Democratic Party countered by calling it a "conspiracy to derail prosecutorial reform."

Independent lawmaker Byunggi Kim, who is under suspicion of bribery, appeared on April 8 at the Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Mapo-gu, Seoul for questioning. Photo by Yonhap News

3. The prosecution has rejected the arrest warrant for Assemblyman Byunggi Kim, requested by the police.

The prosecution explained that Assemblyman Kim had responded to seven rounds of summons for questioning, and that about five months had passed between the last investigation on April 10 and the request for an arrest warrant. They judged that there was insufficient explanation of the necessity for detention. The prosecution also demanded supplementary investigation, saying, "It is necessary to reinforce evidence on some charges," raising criticism of the police's investigative capabilities.

4. Exports for early September hit an all-time high, driven by semiconductors.

According to data from the Korea Customs Service, exports from September 1 to 10 amounted to $34.97 billion, up 82.6% from a year earlier—the highest ever for the same period. Semiconductor exports surged 270.1% to $16.483 billion, raising their share to 47.1% of total exports.

5. The U.S.-Iran conflict intensifies, sending oil prices up to $107 a barrel.

On the London futures market, November delivery of Brent crude rose 6.3% from the previous day to $107.63 per barrel. Goldman Sachs mentioned the possibility that, if attacks on vessels in the Hormuz Strait and Red Sea worsen, prices could exceed $120 next year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.