Samsung Electronics CEOs Urge Staff to Avoid Loss of Competitiveness Ahead of Union Strike Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Jun Young-hyun and President Roh Tae-moon, the company’s co-CEOs, issued a formal message to employees as the labor union prepares for a general strike. Samsung Electronics said the two CEOs posted the statement on the company intranet on the 7th, outlining the status of wage talks. They said the company has negotiated with the union since last December and has presented alternatives after considering employee interests, the company’s future competitiven May 7, 2026

Seoul mayoral candidates clash on transit: card merger vs. free bus fares for 70+ Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party candidate for Seoul mayor, on May 7 proposed expanding rail service in northern Seoul and merging the city’s Climate Companion Card with the government’s K-Pass. Rival candidate Oh Se-hoon of the People Power Party said savings from a merger should be used to subsidize bus fares for residents 70 and older. Jung announced the plan at the National Assembly press center as part of his “30-minute commute” pledge. His proposals include building a new Dongbu Li May 7, 2026

Pope Leo XIV’s Bank Call Ends Abruptly After Agent Doubts His Identity Even Pope Leo XIV, leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, could not get past a U.S. call center. A bank agent reportedly hung up on him when he called for help with his account. The New York Times reported May 5 that the story was shared by the pope’s close friend, Father Tom McCarthy, at a recent event in Naperville, Illinois. McCarthy, a well-known figure in the U.S. South, is chaplain at St. Rita of Cascia High School, a Catholic private school in Chicago. He met Leo XIV in Chica May 7, 2026

South Korea launches task force to normalize fiscal management, boost transparency The government has launched a task force to correct what it called irrational systems and practices in fiscal management, aiming to strengthen transparency and efficiency. The effort will focus on tightening oversight of fraudulent receipt of national treasury subsidies and normalizing research and development investment, among other reforms. The Planning and Budget Office said it held the first meeting of the “Fiscal Management Normalization Task Force” on Thursday afternoon at the Fisca May 7, 2026

South Korea’s top court says arrest of suspect who voluntarily appeared was unlawful South Korea’s Supreme Court has ruled that police unlawfully executed an arrest warrant by taking a suspect into custody after he voluntarily appeared at a police station, saying the grounds and necessity for arrest were not met. According to the legal community on Wednesday, the Supreme Court’s First Division (Justice Ma Yong-ju presiding) upheld an appeals court ruling that sentenced a man identified only as A to 18 months in prison, a 10 million won ($7,300) fine and 17.6 million won May 7, 2026

Ruling, opposition parties clash over constitutional amendment vote in South Korea Rival parties traded sharp words May 7 over a constitutional amendment bill set to be brought to the National Assembly floor. The Democratic Party urged the People Power Party to take part in the vote, while the PPP said it would oppose what it called a rushed, patchwork revision. At a meeting at the National Assembly ahead of the plenary session, Democratic Party floor leader Han Byeong-do said the bill would add references to the Bu-Ma Democratic Protests and the spirit of the May 18 May 7, 2026

South Korea to Accept Land-Deal Permit Applications on Saturday, May 9 South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Wednesday it will accept applications for land-transaction permits on Saturday, May 9, at district offices in Seoul and at relevant city and district offices in Gyeonggi province where the properties are located. The ministry said the Saturday intake applies only to permit applications tied to the temporary suspension of heavier capital gains taxes for multi-homeowners. Applications will not be accepted at Seoul City Hall May 7, 2026

DP Floor Leader Han Byung-do Meets Senior Presidential Aide, Vows to Finish Key Bills by December Democratic Party floor leader Han Byung-do met Thursday with Hong Ik-pyo, the presidential senior secretary for political affairs, and pledged to complete legislation tied to the government’s already identified policy agenda by December to support stable state administration. Han also stressed a “one-team” approach among the party, government and presidential office, saying he would work to deliver results and help drive the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration in the National Ass May 7, 2026

Woori Bank to Lead Investment in Government Future City Fund for First-Generation New Town Redevelopment Woori Bank said Wednesday it will participate as the largest investor in the government-backed “Future City Fund,” aimed at supporting redevelopment projects in first-generation new towns. The policy fund was created to provide stable financing for aging apartment complexes in areas such as Bundang and Ilsan, where reconstruction is being pursued. It is designed to supply essential early-stage project costs from the planning stage, helping projects move forward more smoothly. Woori Bank May 7, 2026

KB Kookmin Card Creates Board-Level Consumer Protection Committee KB Kookmin Card said Thursday it has created a Consumer Protection Committee within its board of directors to strengthen its financial consumer protection function. The company said the move is intended to proactively implement the Financial Supervisory Service’s “best practices for financial consumer protection governance” announced in September last year and to make consumer protection a core management value. The new committee will set basic policies for building and operating an inter May 7, 2026