Military Service Reform: The head of South Korea’s Military Manpower Administration says a “fundamental” overhaul of the conscription system is vital for national security as the conscript pool shrinks, stressing the need for public trust and broad consensus. Jeju Air Crash Litigation: Families of victims from the Dec. 29 Jeju Air crash plan damages lawsuits against the state, Korea Airports Corporation, and Jeju Air, moving to preserve CCTV and recovered personal effects and weighing overseas action against Boeing. Party Cybersecurity: A Democratic Party data breach tied to the “Blue Wave” community exposed about 17,000 members’ information, with a former party leader apologizing and saying he sought security checks during his tenure. Stock Market Rules Bite: KOSDAQ and KOSPI firms are racing to avoid delisting after new “administrative issue” rules take effect, with dozens filing warnings after share prices fell below 1,000 won for 30 straight trading days. Heatwave Pressure on Daily Life: A severe heat wave is driving up food prices, with spinach, cucumbers, and other vegetables surging, while livestock and fish deaths are also pushing costs higher. North Korea-Russia War Link: Ukraine’s Zelensky warns Russia plans to deploy 30,000–50,000 North Koreans to study the war, urging South Korea to deepen cooperation with Kyiv—especially on air defense—despite constitutional limits.