[Today's Hot Issue] JMS Jeong Myeong-seok Sentenced to 33 Years in Prison for 'Sexual Assault'

[Hot Issues: Top 5]
Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hyeong-il: "This Year's Growth to Reach the Mid-3% Range"
Yu Hong-jun Apologizes Over Controversy Surrounding Recommendation of Calligraphy by a Pro-Japanese Collaborator

1. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy Lee Hyeong-il forecast this year's growth rate at 3.4%-3.6%.

Lee said, "It is not just the growth rate that is improving; the potential growth rate, a measure of the economy's underlying strength, is also getting better."

2. President Lee Jae-myung's job approval rating rebounded for the first time in three weeks.

In a survey commissioned by The Asia Business Daily, Realm­eter surveyed 2,520 people aged 18 or older nationwide from October 12 to 16. The results showed that 37.3% viewed Lee's performance as president positively, up 2.1 percentage points (p) from the previous week.

National Museum of Korea Director Yu Hongjun bows his head in apology over the controversy surrounding the exhibition of his personal collection before delivering a work report at a parliamentary audit held by the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee on the 19th. Yonhap News.

3. Yu Hong-jun, director of the National Museum of Korea, apologized over the controversy surrounding his recommendation of calligraphy by a pro-Japanese collaborator.

Appearing at a parliamentary audit by the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, Yu said, "I am ashamed and deeply regret what happened," adding, "I will do my best to restore the museum's reputation."

4. Jeong Myeong-seok, head of the Christian Gospel Mission, who is serving a 17-year prison sentence finalized over the sexual assault of female followers, was sentenced to 33 years in prison.

Jeong was indicted on charges of raping or molesting 16 female followers from 2018 to 2022 at locations including a retreat center in Jinsan-myeon, Geumsan County, South Chungcheong Province, after brainwashing them into believing he was the "Messiah."

5. Cost-of-living protests across France escalated into riots.

About 550,000 people took part in weekend protests against rising fuel costs and prices, while looting and arson broke out in Paris, Marseille and other cities.

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