Ask what Korea is talking about.

A consortium comprising CJ, Shinsegae and two other companies will sign a deal Thursday to acquire debt-laden South Korean newspaper publisher JoongAng Ilbo, the company said Wednesday, according to Yonhap and the Korea Times. The reports do not specify a purchase price, so the $520 billion figure in the query is not supported. Korean media coverage focuses on the acquisition itself, with the Korea Times and Yonhap both reporting the planned signing on Nov. 4, 2026.