South Korea Approves $17.7 Billion Budget to Counter Mideast Conflict Fallout

South Korea's National Assembly has passed a 26.2 trillion-won ($17.7 billion) supplementary budget aimed at mitigating the economic strain from the ongoing Middle East conflict. The approval comes just 10 days after the government proposed the measure, with a decisive 214-11 vote and 19 abstentions. Both the ruling Democratic Party and the opposition People Power Party reached a rare bipartisan agreement to keep the budget unchanged, underscoring the urgency of the situation. The package includ