Democratic Party Leadership Race: Kim Min-seok is leading in Honam polls ahead of the Aug. 17 convention, even floating Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae impeachment as he targets hardliners, while Jung Cheong-rae leans on a “traitor” narrative over Kim’s past party exits. Housing & Real Estate Politics: President Lee Jae-myung held a second, six-hour housing meeting for the Seoul metro, pushing ministers to act “boldly” to speed supply and financing; Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon fired back at the ruling party over blame, defending Yongsan Park as “future generations’ lungs” and rejecting apartment development “by even a centimeter.” Economy Watch: Gasoline prices fell for the 12th straight week, while industry output rose 7.3% in June, though July growth may cool. National Security & North Korea: South Korea is restarting repairs on a railway line that could one day link to North Korea’s Wonsan, reviving a near-decade-stalled project. Law & Free Speech: U.S. House Republicans challenged South Korea’s revised “false information” law, warning it could chill online speech and press. Extreme Heat Response: North Korea promoted dog soup and samgye-tang remedies as South Korea battles record heat deaths, while Seoul expanded drone-based warnings and sheltering measures. Tech & Industry: SK hynix approved $38B+ for two new memory fabs, betting on AI-driven demand.