1. North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the East Sea from the Pyongyang area at around 9:20 a.m. today (October 12). The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that one of them is estimated to have flown over 900 km. This marks North Korea's ballistic missile launch in nine days since October 3, and the 16th of this year. This missile launch comes four days after our government made public its first test launch of a domestically developed hypersonic glide vehicle. Analysts suggest this is intended as a countermeasure against our test launch. The National Security Office held an emergency security situation inspection meeting attended by relevant agencies, including the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
2. On October 11, local time, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched another attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, leaving 1 person dead and 11 others injured. This attack using an unidentified projectile came just a day after a previous Houthi attack killed 13 people, including an American, and injured about 300 others. The Houthi rebels claimed that the attack was retaliation for Saudi-led coalition airstrikes that hit mainland Yemen 124 times over the past 24 hours, causing civilian deaths. As Saudi air defense systems are repeatedly breached and even American casualties occur, the United States, which had previously provided only indirect support such as intelligence sharing for airstrikes, has strongly signaled the possibility of military intervention.
3. The military service exemption system continues to be controversial, and the government is preparing measures. First, it is pushing to raise the requirement for military service exemption through winning international art competitions from second place to first place. The Military Manpower Administration stated during its parliamentary audit response to the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly today that it will tighten the criteria in consideration of changes in national status and equity in military service. For domestic art competitions in the traditional arts sector, it plans to integrate categories and reduce the number of military service exemption beneficiaries, which had previously been 2 to 3 people per competition, to 1 person. The Military Manpower Administration pointed out that 8.6% of those incorporated as arts personnel over the past five years were winners of domestic competitions, adding that it will reorganize international art competitions recognized for exemptions to focus on prestigious events.
4. The Democratic Party continues its offensive regarding allegations of false credentials involving the daughter of independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon. Acting Police Commissioner General Kim Jong-chul stated that the possibility of a reinvestigation is not ruled out. In response to a point raised by Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Kun-young during the parliamentary audit by the Public Administration and Security Committee of the National Assembly today—noting that the past investigation consisted of only a single written interrogation of the accused without a single search and seizure or warrant request—Acting Commissioner General Kim replied that he believes proactive investigative efforts were necessary. Regarding demands for a full-scale reinvestigation, he said he believes the procedure was handled according to law and principles at the time, but if new facts come to light, the possibility of a full-scale reinvestigation will not be ruled out. The police, who investigated the allegations following a civic group's complaint in May 2022, decided not to forward the case in December of the following year due to a lack of charges.
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