South Korea Launches Project to Give Sea Forests Official Names "I think you have to give it a name. How lonely would it be without one? I already named it 'Bonny.' Now I'll call this geranium 'Bonny.'" That line comes from the novel "Anne of Green Gables," when Anne names a geranium on the windowsill. The moment it has a name, it becomes more than just one plant among many. Naming something can be a gentle promise to care for it and stay with it. Underwater, South Korea has many places still waiting for that May 7, 2026

South Korean Won Strengthens to 1,440s on Easing Middle East Tensions The South Korean won strengthened into the 1,440s against the U.S. dollar for the first time in about 2 1/2 months as expectations of easing Middle East tensions revived risk appetite. In Seoul trading, the won was quoted at 1,447.9 per dollar as of 9:20 a.m. Thursday. The exchange rate opened at 1,448.6, down 6.5 won from the previous session, and fell into the 1,440s during intraday trading. It was the first time the rate returned to the 1,440s since Feb. 27, just before the outbreak May 7, 2026

Davichi’s Kang Min-kyung denies using staff for solo Shanghai vlog, says she used tripod Davichi singer Kang Min-kyung has addressed criticism over how she filmed a YouTube video, denying claims that staff accompanied her on a solo trip. In a post on her YouTube channel, “Gyeong Mingyeong,” Kang said on the 6th that she has been “struggling to film vlogs on my own,” adding that it has now been nine years. “I’ve kept at it for nearly 10 years, so I thought people might recognize it by now, but I guess I still have a long way to go,” she said. She explained that one scene that May 7, 2026

South Korea’s Kospi briefly tops 7,500, sets another intraday record South Korea’s benchmark Kospi briefly climbed above 7,500 early Thursday, setting another intraday record. According to the Korea Exchange, the Kospi was up 52.22 points, or 0.71%, at 7,436.78 as of 9:07 a.m. It opened at 7,499.07, up 114.51 points (1.55%) from the previous session, then extended gains and touched 7,500 shortly after the bell. Brokerages said profit momentum led by semiconductors and foreign investor flows were supporting further upside. Han Ji-young, a researcher at May 7, 2026

LS Eco Energy Moves to Commercialize 400kV Extra-High-Voltage Cables, Targets U.S. Market LS Eco Energy is moving to commercialize high-end 400-kilovolt (kV) extra-high-voltage power cables as it steps up its push into the global power market, including the United States. The company said Wednesday that its Vietnam manufacturing unit, LS-VINA, will begin international certification and PQ testing for 400kV-class extra-high-voltage cables. It plans to complete a year of performance verification and long-term operating reliability evaluation, then start mass production in the May 7, 2026

Trump Halted 'Project Freedom' After Saudi, Gulf Allies Withheld Base and Airspace Access U.S. President Donald Trump halted “Project Freedom,” an operation aimed at helping ships transit the Strait of Hormuz, after pushback from key Gulf allies, NBC News reported. NBC News, citing two U.S. officials, reported May 6 that Trump abruptly reversed his plan to support ships passing through the strait after core Gulf partners withdrew permission for U.S. forces to use their bases and airspace for the mission. According to the report, Trump announced Project Freedom over the weeke May 7, 2026

South Korea to name medical facilities hoarding supplies; prioritize plastic feedstock for makers As concerns grow that the war in the Middle East could disrupt supplies of medical products, the South Korean government will investigate and publicly disclose medical institutions holding excessive inventories. It will also prioritize plastic feedstock for manufacturers to keep production running smoothly.  The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced the steps in a report titled “Medical product supply and price trends and measures in response to the Middle East war,” presented at a spec May 7, 2026

KB Kookmin Bank Expands Support for Youth Leaving Care Through KB Dream Home Program KB Kookmin Bank is expanding inclusive-finance efforts, including support for youth preparing to live independently after leaving care. The bank said May 7 it has selected sites for its KB Dream Home program, which supports these young people. KB Dream Home is a corporate social responsibility initiative that offers capacity-building programs such as job counseling and help obtaining professional certificates. The goal is to help participants build a foundation for independence while liv May 7, 2026

South Korea Weighs Fines for Fuel Hoarding, Says Diesel Could Have Hit 2,800 Won a Liter The government said it estimates diesel prices could have surged to about 2,800 won per liter without a cap on petroleum product prices, and it is considering introducing administrative fines to punish market disruptions such as hoarding. Officials said the risk of further inflation remains high as higher global oil prices, driven by uncertainty from the Middle East war, could feed into domestic prices with a lag. The government discussed its assessment and response plan at a meeting o May 7, 2026

South Korea to tighten tariff-quota oversight, speed bonded-warehouse releases The government said it will tighten customs and distribution oversight of tariff quotas to prevent delays and misconduct, including by speeding releases from bonded areas and strengthening penalty rules. Officials said they reviewed follow-up steps to improve tariff-quota operations at a meeting of the interministerial task force on special management of consumer prices held on May 7. The government has used tariff quotas to help stabilize prices, but it said it identified improper cas May 7, 2026