South Korean Newspapers Lead With New Investigation Agency, DMZ Blast and POW Transfer

The Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that Lee is expected to appoint a new investigation agency chief nominee after returning from an overseas trip. The Segye Times reported that 2,168 cases have been transferred as the new investigation agency is set to launch without leaders and systems in place. The Chosun Ilbo reported that the government seeks to keep the transfer of North Korean POWs under wraps despite the achievement. The Korea Times reported that the POW transfer and the DMZ blast complicate Lee's peace initiative. The Korea JoongAng Daily reported that Seoul says the POW transfer was a secret, while Kyiv says it was not. The Seoul Shinmun reported that South Korea's military and the U.N. Command failed to reach the DMZ blast site. The JoongAng Ilbo reported that the investigation into the DMZ blast began six days later, compared with two days after the 2015 wooden-box land mine incident.

The Donga Ilbo reported that the U.S. and China opted for managing tensions over a grand bargain and extended a trade truce for two more months. The Maeil Business Newspaper reported a new normal of high interest rates, with the five-year U.S. Treasury yield hitting 5%. The Korea Economic Daily reported that the outdated inheritance tax hits middle-class homeowners of a single home. The Korea Herald reported that SK hynix is weighing U.S. memory production. The Kookmin Daily reported that South Korean databases on the dark web have become popular commodities, drawing a steady stream of buyers. The Hankyoreh reported that Nepal floods revived debate over "climate justice." The Hankook Ilbo reported that an Australian farm next to a data center seeks rules for coexistence.

Yonhap's roundup did not provide additional details beyond the headlines. The English-language dailies included the Korea Herald, Korea Times and Korea JoongAng Daily. The Korean-language dailies included Kyunghyang Shinmun, Kookmin Daily, Donga Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun, Segye Times, Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo, Hankyoreh, Hankook Ilbo, Maeil Business Newspaper and Korea Economic Daily.