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1. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said Sunday that radiation levels in the waters near South Korea remain below the standards for drinkable water defined by the World Health Organization. This is according to the first radiation tests conducted Friday after Japan began releasing wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean last Thursday.

2. Military authorities of South Korea and the United States on Monday began the second phase of the Ulchi Freedom Shield joint exercise. The second phase will be conducted solely by the military until the 31st, and may possibly involve U.S. strategic assets.

3. The newly appointed head of the Korea Communications Commission, Lee Dong-kwan, officially took office Monday. In his inaugural address, Lee emphasized that his top priority will be “reforming the public broadcasting structure.”

1. Japan on Thursday started releasing treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean at 1 PM, despite concerns raised by neighboring countries. The controversial move comes a month after the International Atomic Energy Agency gave final approval to the discharge last month.

2. North Korea said Thursday its second attempt to launch a spy satellite has ended in failure. According to the Korean Central News Agency, the launch failed due to “an error in the emergency blasting system during the third-stage flight.”

3. The Bank of Korea said Thursday it will hold its key interest rate steady for the fifth straight time. The monetary policy board of the Bank of Korea kept the benchmark seven-day repo rate unchanged at 3-point-5 percent, as the economy faces the prospect of slowing down and household debts increase.

1. According to Japan’s Kyodo News Wednesday, the Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) are in talks to start discharging wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean as early as 1 PM Thursday.

2. South Korea’s Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Wednesday the government will actively consider reinstating the system of allowing military conscripts to serve in the police force as part of measures to tackle heinous crimes targeting random people.

3. South Korea’s health authorities said Wednesday that the country will lower the infection level of COVID-19 to the lowest category, Class 4 diseases. The measure will take effect on August 31st, and is aimed at implementing a full transition to pre-pandemic normalcy for the medical system.

1. The South Korean government said Tuesday that it sees no scientific or technical problems with Japan’s plan to release wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean. Japanese Prime Minister Kishida announced earlier that the release of the Fukushima wastewater will begin Thursday.

2. Japanese media reported on Tuesday that North Korea has notified Japan’s coast guard of its intention to launch a satellite between Thursday and August 31st, ahead of the 75th anniversary of the regime’s founding on September 9th. This period overlaps with the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise between South Korea and the U.S.

3. The presidential office announced Tuesday that President Yoon Suk Yeol nominated Lee Gyon-ryong, a judge at the Seoul High Court, as the new Supreme Court chief justice. Bang Moon-kyu, minister of government policy coordination, has also reportedly been chosen to replace the current Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy.

1. President Joe Biden on Friday signed agreements with the leaders of South Korea and Japan with promises of strengthening each nation’s economic and national security interests. It was President Biden’s first summit hosted at Camp David, and he said the location symbolized a “new era” of cooperation for the three countries.

2. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday will meet fishermen to convince them of releasing treated water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific. The leader of a Japanese fisheries industry group told officials on Monday he was “greatly concerned” about the discharge.

3. South Korean officials said the country’s Air Force staged air defense drills Monday to reinforce its combat readiness as tensions linger over North Korea’s continued missile launches. The Air Force plans to stage various combined field exercises with the U.S. Air Force during the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise.

1. The UN Security Council on Thursday convened an open meeting on North Korea’s human rights situation, the first such discussion since 2017. Meanwhile, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol arrived in Washington the same day to attend a trilateral summit on Friday with U.S. President Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida.

2. An independent corporate compliance committee of Samsung Group recommended Friday the company rejoin the Federation of Korean Industries again, but will leave if another corruption case occurs. Samsung withdrew from the Federation years ago following a corruption scandal during the Park Geun-hye administration.

3. Lee Dong-kwan, nominee for head of the broadcasting watchdog, the Korea Communications Commission, attended a parliamentary confirmation hearing on Friday. He denied allegations about his role in influencing the media and claims of his son’s past school violence.

1. President Yoon Suk Yeol is set to depart for the United States on Thursday to attend a trilateral summit with U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The summit will be held at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland on Friday.

2. Opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung appeared before prosecutors Thursday for questioning over suspicions surrounding a land development project in Seongnam during his previous term as the city's mayor.

3. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced Thursday that starting next year, the acquisition tax will be exempted within the limit of 5 million won on houses for families with children. The special property tax rate for households that have only one house with a public price of 900 million won or less will also be extended until 2026.

1. South Korea’s Board of Audit and Inspection said Wednesday it has initiated preparations to look into what went wrong in the hosting of the 25th World Scout Jamboree. The Board vowed to conduct a thorough inspection from the winning of the right to host the event to its closure.

2. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said to Bloomberg News on Wednesday that the world would never accept North Korea as a nuclear weapons power. He further said the door is open to a possible breakthrough in cooperation on deterrence with the U.S. and Japan during the trilateral summit this Friday.

3. Maui County officials said Tuesday the death toll in the Maui wildfires has risen to 106, a week after flames burned through the Hawaiian island. Authorities said only five of the dead had been identified and released two names.

1. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said during his Liberation Day address Tuesday that South Korea and Japan are now partners sharing universal values and pursuing common interests. He further called for strengthening trilateral security cooperation with Japan and the U.S. to counter threats from North Korea.

2. President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday designated two areas hit hard by last week's Typhoon Khanun as special disaster zones. The presidential office said the two towns are Gunwi in Daegu, and parts of Goseong in Gangwon Province.

3. Britain's air force said Monday that British fighter jets intercepted two Russian bombers north of Scotland. The UK's Defense Ministry said the Russian Tu-142 Bear-F and Tu-142 Bear-J, which are used for maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare, were in airspace that is part of NATO's northern air policing area.