NEWS BRIEF

[Anchor Lead]

The won-dollar rate today once reached 1,300 won lper dollar for the first time in nearly 13 years. Shortly after 9 a.m., the Korean currency traded at 1,300 won per greenback on the Seoul foreign exchange market. It’s up 2.7 won from the previous day. The last time the rate topped 1,300 won was July 14, 2009.
As the demand for power is increasing amid sweltering summer heat, the nation’s electricity supply reserve rate hit a new low of this summer on Tuesday. The Korea Power Exchange said today that the power supply reserve rate fell to the annual low of 12.2 percent on Tuesday, with heat wave alerts issued for Gyeongsangbuk-do Province and Daegu. This is even lower than the previous record of 12.4 percent posted on May 23. A drop in the reserve rate indicates a growing possibility of unstable power supply.
Police are up in arms about the measures the Ministry of the Interior and Safety proposed to reform the police system. An association of police officers held a press conference in front of the Seoul government complex this morning and denounced the ministry’s recommendation as a scheme to control the police. They then urged the ministry to withdraw the plan to establish a new police bureau. The police officers also criticized Interior Minister Lee Sang-min for attempting to have the police under his control.