A summary of the news briefing for January 24, 2025 is as follows. * **Economy:** South Korea's economic growth rate for last year was recorded at 2%, which is higher than the previous year but lower than expected. * **Society:** With heavy snow and cold waves expected during the Lunar New Year holiday period, the government reviewed response plans with relevant agencies. Additionally, the initial salary for new civil servants is scheduled to increase to 3 million won in stages by 2027. * **International:** China announced that the first marine inspection results from Japan's Fukushima contaminated water discharge showed no abnormalities. Trump signed an executive order to establish a working group to review policies related to virtual assets. * **Miscellaneous:** Highway tolls for families with three or more children will be discounted by 20% on weekends and holidays. Cheoin-gu in Yongin saw the largest increase in land prices due to semiconductor industrial complex construction.
