1. Around 12:00 p.m. today (October 20), fires broke out consecutively at two buildings in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul, reportedly resulting in multiple casualties. First, a fire broke out on the third floor of S Building in Yeoksam-dong at around 11:55 a.m., sending one person to the hospital in cardiac arrest. Ten others sustained moderate to severe injuries and are receiving treatment. Authorities stated that 60 people inside the building evacuated outside when the fire started, and it is understood that no one is currently trapped. About five minutes later, however, another fire broke out on the fourth floor of nearby H Building, injuring eight people. Firefighting operations at both locations have been completed. Police and fire authorities are investigating the causes of both fires and whether they are connected.

2. Two years and four months have already passed. Park Soon-gwan, the CEO of Aricell, who was indicted on charges of failing to fulfill safety duties in connection with the Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province factory fire that claimed 23 lives in June of the year before last, has had his four-year prison sentence finalized by the Supreme Court. Previously, the first-instance court sentenced Park to 15 years in prison after acknowledging charges that he violated safety and health obligations, such as failing to inspect hazardous and risk factors and failing to prepare manuals for responding to serious disasters. However, his sentence was reduced to four years in prison after some charges were overturned as not guilty in the second trial. Today, the Supreme Court also dismissed the appeals of both the prosecutor and the defendant, finalizing the appellate court's ruling. Following the Supreme Court ruling, the bereaved families of the Aricell victims held a press conference and expressed strong regret over the finalization of the substantially reduced sentence.

P>3. Kim Seong-woo, 26, who was detained on charges of murdering his mother-in-law and kidnapping his wife in Songpa-gu, Seoul, was transferred to the prosecutors' office today. Police announced that Kim was handed over to the prosecutors' office with charges including retaliatory murder, retaliatory confinement, injury resulting from special obstruction of the performance of official duties, and violation of the Stalking Punishment Act. Kim is accused of stabbing his mother-in-law to death with a weapon after she tried to stop him from forcibly dragging away his wife at the victims' home on October 11, and then threatening his wife and forcibly kidnapping her all the way to Gangwon Province. Police concluded that Kim committed the crime in retaliation after his wife reported him for assault and filed a lawsuit to annul their marriage.

4. President Lee Jae-myung stated his stance on housing supply policies during a Cabinet meeting today. He remarked, "Without being bound by conventional practices and procedures, I ask you to drastically and maximally shorten the time required from land development to various licensing and commencement of construction, thereby launching an all-out supply offensive." Emphasizing this, he noted that housing stability is a core foundation for practically improving the lives of the public. President Lee strongly urged speed in housing supply, stressing that what is particularly important is not simply declarations or announcements of how many homes will be built, but actual construction and move-ins.