Cabinet Shake-Up: President Lee Jae-myung nominated Vice Finance Minister Lee Hyoung-il as finance minister and tapped Kang Shin-chul as defense minister, alongside new posts for land, justice, gender equality and SMEs. North Korea Watch: Pyongyang dismissed defense minister No Kwang-chol in a military leadership reshuffle, naming Kim Song Gi as the new defense chief. Retail Investing & Markets: South Korea’s regulators are tightening leveraged ETF access, requiring first-timers to complete mock trading and education before placing real orders, as retail demand cools. Public Health: With Covid-19 infections rising, convenience stores report renewed sales of masks and self-test kits. Housing Pressure: More people are closing housing subscription savings accounts than opening them for the fourth straight year, as home prices keep climbing. Education Reform: The education commission is debating adding essay-style questions to the CSAT as part of a broader admissions overhaul. Medical Tourism: Foreign medical tourists in 2025 topped 2 million, with spending heavily concentrated in Seoul. International Ties: Korea’s tax agency urged Thailand to improve delayed tax refunds for Korean firms, after years-long delays. Sports Diplomacy: South Korea and Bahrain marked 50 years of ties with volleyball friendlies in Seoul, while Bahrain’s youth handball team advanced to the Asian U19 final.