Seoul: South Korean President Lee has made a surprise announcement by nominating conservative politician Lee Hye-hoon as the new budget chief for the newly created budget ministry. This decision has raised eyebrows, considering Lee Hye-hoon's previous critical stance on President Lee's basic income policy.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the nomination of Lee Hye-hoon, a veteran conservative politician, has been highlighted across major South Korean newspapers. The move is seen as part of President Lee's unexpected appointments, which also included two former opposition lawmakers for ministerial-level posts. The newspapers emphasized the surprise element of Lee Hye-hoon's appointment, given her past criticisms of the administration's economic strategies.

In other developments, the online retail giant Coupang has declined to attend a joint parliamentary hearing concerning a massive data breach. Despite the refusal, Coupang's Kim has issued a reluctant apology, a stance that has been widely reported in the Korean-language dailies. Meanwhile, financial news is also making headlines, with Mirae Asset's acquisition of the Korbit crypto exchange being a notable mention.

The nomination of Lee Hye-hoon and the developments around Coupang and Mirae Asset are shaping the current discourse in South Korea, as reported by major newspapers and detailed by Yonhap News Agency.