Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

On August 26, South Korean newspapers reported on various headlines. The Korean-language daily Kyunghyang Shinmun covered the government's principle of residence-based taxation being tested. Meanwhile, the Kookmin Daily reported on growing discipline concerns due to the police chief post remaining vacant for 20 months. Donga Ilbo reported on a case where a Jeju police officer falsely logged a woman as killed in a traffic accident on the day of the report.

Lee, the president, stated that the police would become the biggest power and instructed the prime minister to establish a body to oversee police reform. This statement was echoed by the Seoul Shinmun and the Segye Times. The Chosun Ilbo reported on police splitting a single theft case into 51 individual cases to inflate the record. The JoongAng Ilbo reported on a Jeju police officer who dismissed a missing person case with a suicide risk. The Hankyoreh and Hankook Ilbo also reported on Lee's call for police reform.

English-language dailies like the Korea JoongAng Daily and the Korea Herald reported on Korea assessing its exposure as the U.S. broadens Iran sanctions. The Korea Herald also reported on Lee asking the prime minister to take the lead in the police reform drive. The Korea Times reported that President Lee was being pressed to change course as his approval rating hit a record low.