February 18, 2026 – South Korea Headlines

Story gist: Iran announced it will close the Strait of Hormuz for several hours during military training. The statement follows US aircraft carrier deployment as US-Iran nuclear talks begin in Geneva.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets frame Iran’s drill as a reaction to US nuclear carrier deployment, linking US moves to escalating tensions during nuclear talks. Center outlets emphasize bilateral tensions alongside Geneva talks progress on ‘basic principles.’ Right-leaning sources directly quote Iran’s strait closure threat, highlighting military tension rise without mentioning US actions.

Story gist: South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol marked Lunar New Year by releasing a greeting video featuring Dokdo guards and short track athletes, watching the film ‘The Man Who Lives with the King’ with his wife, and sharing a cartoon stating ‘Who would have thought 2026 would catch real estate.’

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets emphasize the president’s inclusive Seollal greeting video portraying national unity across groups like Dokdo guards and athletes. Center outlets focus on the casual ‘surprise’ movie date with his wife and a hit film. Right-leaning coverage highlights the shared cartoon predicting real estate stabilization in 2026, stressing policy optimism. No major omissions across lanes.

Story gist: In 1997, Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee decided to invest heavily in image sensor technology. This led to advanced cameras in Galaxy smartphones, now widely used for selfies.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets provided no coverage, omitting any perspective on Samsung’s tech history. Center coverage via Samsung Global Newsroom shifts focus to future 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics involvement, emphasizing emotional everyday moments beyond spotlight. Right-leaning Korea Economic highlights Lee Kun-hee’s 1997 decision as a bold ‘winning bet’ behind today’s Galaxy selfie popularity.

Story gist: U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby urged European nations to take greater responsibility for conventional defense. He cited South Korea as a representative example during his remarks.

Bias summary: Left-leaning JTBC frames the story as a ‘storm of praise’ for South Korea with dramatic phrasing like ‘please be like Korea,’ emphasizing flattery. Center VOA offers neutral direct quotes on Europe’s duties and Korea’s model role without emphasis. Right-leaning DongA Ilbo probes ‘why’ Korea was singled out amid U.S. pressure on Europe, implying investigative scrutiny of motives.

Story gist: A South Korean court sentenced former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min to seven years in prison in the first trial for ordering power and water cutoffs to a broadcasting station. The sentencing was live-broadcast at Seoul Station.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets like Media Today question if the 7-year sentence for Lee Sang-min’s ‘media blackout’ order is a heavy punishment, using skeptical tone. Center outlets like Yonhap News report neutrally on the live sentencing broadcast without emphasis. Right-leaning coverage is absent, omitting the story and potentially downplaying accountability in Yoon administration events.