We present recent progress in $\varepsilon_K$ (the indirect CP
violation parameter in the neutral kaon system) determined directly
from the standard model (SM) with lattice QCD inputs such as $\hat{B}_K$,
$|V_{cb}|$, $|V_{us}|$, $\xi_0$, $\xi_2$, $\xi_\text{LD}$, $f_K$, and $m_c$.
We find that the standard model with exclusive $|V_{cb}|$ and other
lattice QCD inputs describes only 65\% of the experimental value of
$\varepsilon_K$ and does not explain its remaining 35\%, which leads to a
strong tension in $\varepsilon_K$ at the $5.1 \sigma$ level between the SM
theory and experiment. We also find that this tension disappears
when we use the inclusive value of $|V_{cb}|$ obtained using the heavy
quark expansion based on the QCD sum rule approach, although this
inclusive tension is small ($\approx 1.4\sigma$) but keeps
increasing as time goes on.