Trump Discusses North Korea with Xi, Says No Promises on Taiwan During his visit to China, President Donald Trump stated on May 15 that he exchanged views with President Xi Jinping regarding North Korea. Trump made these remarks while returning to the U.S. on a private jet after his trip to Beijing, as reported by Yonhap News, citing Reuters. Trump also addressed the Taiwan issue, which was a significant topic during the U.S.-China summit, saying, "I had many discussions with President Xi and do not believe there is a dispute with China." He added, May 16, 2026

President Lee Engages with Community Through Rice Planting and Lunch with Former Teacher President Lee Jae-myung continued his community engagement efforts on May 15, traveling between his hometown of Andong in Gyeongbuk and Gunwi-gun in Daegu.On the occasion of Teacher's Day, President Lee had lunch with his former elementary school teacher, Park Byeong-gi, and alumni from Samgye Elementary School in Andong before visiting Umusil Village in Gunwi-gun.Dressed casually in beige pants and a checkered shirt, President Lee arrived at the village, donned a straw hat and boots, and partic May 16, 2026

President Lee's Approval Rating Drops to 61% Amid Controversy President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating has slightly decreased to 61%. This decline follows discussions within the Democratic Party regarding granting the special prosecutor investigating allegations of manipulated investigations and prosecutions the authority to dismiss charges. According to a survey released by Gallup Korea on May 15, 61% of respondents rated President Lee's job performance positively, a decrease of 3 percentage points from the previous survey, which recorded a 64% May 16, 2026

KOSPI Surpasses 8000 Points, Setting New Records in Trading and Market Capitalization The KOSPI index has reached a historic milestone by surpassing 8000 points for the first time, establishing a new chapter in market history. Key indicators such as market capitalization, trading volume, investor deposits, and margin loan balances are also setting record highs. According to the Korea Exchange, the KOSPI, which started the year at 4214.17, closed at 7493.18 on May 15, marking a 77.81% increase since the beginning of the year. After a remarkable 75% rise last year, which mad May 16, 2026

Prosecutors Seek 5-Year Sentence for Former KTV Chief Over Censorship Charges Lee Eun-woo, the former chief of the Korea Policy Broadcasting (KTV), has been sentenced to five years in prison for allegedly ordering the removal of broadcast subtitles that criticized the constitutionality and legality of the martial law declared on December 3. According to Yonhap News on May 15, the special prosecutor's team, led by Cho Eun-seok, requested this sentence during the final hearing of Lee's case at the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Judge Oh Se-yong. May 16, 2026

South Korea's Blue House Protests Bloomberg's AI Profit Distribution Report The Blue House has confirmed that it sent an official letter to Bloomberg protesting the news agency's interpretation of Policy Chief Kim Yong-beom's proposal for a 'citizen dividend' as a distribution of 'excess profits' from artificial intelligence (AI) companies.In the letter sent the previous day, the Blue House expressed serious concerns about how Bloomberg reported Kim's personal social media post.The Blue House stated that Bloomberg's 'inaccurate framing' has caused 'substantial confusio May 16, 2026

Debris from Drone Strike on South Korean Ship Arrives in Country for Analysis Debris from the drone that struck the South Korean vessel Namooho in the Hormuz Strait has arrived in South Korea. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on May 15 that the debris was transported via air after consultations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government and that a detailed analysis will be conducted by specialized institutions. The debris was reportedly transported in a diplomatic pouch on a commercial flight from Abu Dhabi to Incheon. A senior official from the F May 16, 2026

Weekend Weather Forecast: Early Summer Heat with Temperatures Above 30 Degrees On Saturday, temperatures are expected to exceed 30 degrees Celsius in most regions of South Korea, continuing the early summer heat. Morning lows are forecasted to be between 12 and 18 degrees Celsius, while daytime highs will range from 23 to 32 degrees Celsius. Notably, Daegu is expected to reach a high of 32 degrees Celsius, indicating a significant heat event, particularly in inland areas. Most regions, including the capital area, will experience generally clear weather. However, May 16, 2026

Jang Dong-hyuk Attends 5·18 Memorial Ceremony for First Time as Party Leader Jang Dong-hyuk, the leader of the People Power Party, will attend the 5·18 Democracy Movement memorial ceremony for the first time since taking office. Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae is also expected to attend, marking a potential meeting of the two party leaders.According to the People Power Party on May 15, Jang and the party leadership plan to participate in the 46th anniversary memorial ceremony at the 5·18 Democracy Square in Gwangju on May 18.The party stated that Jang's attendan May 16, 2026

Samsung Electronics Union Signals Willingness to Resume Talks After Meeting Labor Minister Ahead of a total strike by the Samsung Electronics labor union, Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon visited the Pyeongtaek campus to persuade the union, which indicated a possibility of resuming negotiations. On May 15, the Supercorporate Labor Union Samsung Electronics Branch (Supercorporate Union) announced in a post titled "Update on Meeting with the Labor Minister" that "Minister Kim Young-hoon and officials from the Ministry of Employment and Labor visited the Supercorporate Union office." They e May 16, 2026