January 24, 2026 – South Korea Headlines

Story gist: South Korea faces a cold wave this weekend with temperatures to minus 18°C, snow, and winds up to 55 km/h. Seoul reported 115 frozen water meters in one day during the fifth day of cold snap, totaling 325 cases.

Bias summary: Left-leaning Hankyoreh frames the story with dramatic forecast details like minus 18°C, snow, and 55 km/h winds, emphasizing severity. Center KBS offers neutral updates on snow until tomorrow and continuing weekend cold, without intensity. Right-leaning Chosun Ilbo stresses impacts like frozen Seoul water meters with daily (115) and cumulative (325) figures, highlighting duration and consequences over weather specs.

Story gist: Heavy snowfall blanketed the Seoul metropolitan area overnight during an extreme cold wave. A heavy snow advisory was issued for Dangjin in South Chungcheong Province.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets absent, leaving that perspective unrepresented. Center (Yonhap News) reports factually on specific heavy snow advisory in Dangjin. Right (Chosun Ilbo) employs dramatic framing with terms like ‘extreme cold wave,’ ‘snow chaos,’ and vivid imagery of capital region ‘blanketed white overnight,’ emphasizing widespread disruption and urgency.

Story gist: US investors in Coupang alleged the South Korean Lee administration targeted the company to benefit Chinese competitors and requested a US government investigation, citing Prime Minister Kim’s ‘mafia purge’ remarks. Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho dismissed the claim as baseless.

Bias summary: Right-leaning Dong-A Ilbo exclusively frames the US investors’ allegation as an ‘absurd claim’ against the Lee government. Left-leaning Kyunghyang emphasizes Justice Minister’s denial of the ‘baseless’ accusation. Center outlets like Policy Briefing highlight the investors’ US investigation request tied to PM Kim’s ‘mafia purge’ remarks, with neutral governmental sourcing.

Story gist: South Korea’s Corruption Investigation Office summoned an inspector from the special prosecution team probing First Lady Kim Keon-hee over suspicions of biased investigation into Unification Church lobbying of the Democratic Party. It raided special prosecutor Min Jung-ki and his deputy for alleged neglect of duty.

Bias summary: Left-leaning Hankyoreh frames the summons as an ‘exclusive’ probe into ‘biased investigation’ on Unification Church-Democratic Party lobbying tied to Kim Keon-hee team, emphasizing political suspicions. Right-leaning sedaily highlights ‘breaking’ raids on special prosecutor Min Jung-ki for ‘neglect of duty,’ stressing misconduct. No center coverage observed, absent neutral procedural focus.