U.S. Warns Shipping Firms Paying Iran for Hormuz Passage Could Face Sanctions; Trump Says 'We Are Pirates' 미국 정부가 호르무즈 해협을 통과하기 위해 이란에 통행료를 지불하는 해운사들을 향해 제재 대상이 될 수 있다고 경고했다. 2일(현지시간) 로이터통신, AP 통신 등에 따르면 미국 재무부 해외자산통제국(OFAC)은 공지를 통해 “안전 통항을 위해 이란 정권에 자금을 지불하거나 (공격하지 않겠다는) 보장을 요청하면 제재당할 위험이 있다는 경고를 하려고 주의보를 발령한다"고 전했다. 이란은 자국 해안에 가까운 우회 항로를 제안하며 선박들에 통행료 징수를 추진하고 있으며, 미국은 이란 정권의 전쟁자금 수입을 May 2, 2026

Lottery Interest Builds as Lotto 1222 Numbers Near; Pension Lottery Winner Shares Story "I had been going through a time when the tears never seemed to stop because several sad and difficult things happened at once, and this win has been a great comfort and a new turning point in my life." With interest building in Donghaeng Lottery’s Lotto draw No. 1222 on May 2, a personal account posted to the company’s winners’ bulletin board has drawn attention.  The writer said they won Pension Lottery 720+ round 303 with one first-prize ticket and four second-priz May 2, 2026

Backlash Grows as South Korea Keeps Juvenile Criminal Responsibility Age at 14 Public backlash is spreading after a plan to keep the current age threshold for “juveniles exempt from criminal punishment” at 14 was effectively finalized. Posts about the issue have appeared in a steady stream on online communities in recent days. Under South Korean law, the term refers to minors ages 10 to under 14 who are not criminally liable under the Criminal Act. Even if they commit a crime, they are subject to protective measures rather than criminal punishment. In rec May 2, 2026

Uiwang Apartment Fire Leaves Family Homeless After Gas Blast Kills 2 A resident who lost a home in a recent apartment fire in Uiwang, south of Seoul, has shared the family’s story online, drawing sympathy as authorities investigate a blast that killed two people and injured six. In a post on an online community, the writer, identified only as A, said the fire spread quickly from a lower floor and heavily damaged the parents’ unit. “My parents’ home, where they lived for more than 20 years, burned down overnight and we lost everything,” A wrote. Clothing, b May 2, 2026

South Korea Names 2026 ‘Year to Visit Islands,’ Offers Up to 100,000 Won in Travel Aid The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said Friday it has designated 2026 as the “Year to Visit Islands” and will provide up to 100,000 won in travel support for people who visit islands. The initiative is being launched for the first time to highlight the tourism value of Korea’s islands, which the ministry said has been underestimated, and to promote tourism as part of efforts to support balanced regional development in island communities. The ministry said it will subsidize lodging May 2, 2026

Restaurant Featured on Sung Si-kyung’s YouTube Accused of Abandoning Dog as It Closed A seafood restaurant that appeared on singer Sung Si-kyung’s YouTube channel has come under criticism after online posts alleged it shut down and left a dog behind. On the 2nd, multiple online communities shared a post titled, “A Yongsan sashimi restaurant believed to have abandoned a 14-year-old dog when it closed.” The author, identified only as A, wrote, “Seeing it in person makes my heart race,” and added, “Fortunately, it seems a resident takes the dog at night and cares for it,” May 2, 2026

Seoul mayoral candidates trade blame over housing and rents Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party’s candidate for Seoul mayor, and Oh Se-hoon of the People Power Party traded barbs May 2 over the city’s housing market. With the June 3 local elections a month away, the two sides are intensifying their fight over who is responsible for Seoul’s housing and rental strains. Speaking at a party rally at Seodaemun Cultural and Sports Center, Jung criticized Oh for what he called silence when President Yoon Suk Yeol was “ruining the country,” while now attacki May 2, 2026

Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon holds weekly Gwanghwamun rallies after visiting Yoon Suk Yeol On May 2, Jeon Kwang-hoon held a downtown Seoul rally after visiting former President Yoon Suk Yeol, Yonhap News Agency reported. Jeon’s group, the Korea First National Movement Headquarters, began its rally at 11:30 a.m. near the Dongwha Duty Free Shop in the Gwanghwamun area. About 6,000 people attended, according to an unofficial police estimate, waving South Korean and U.S. flags. From the stage, Jeon referred to his visit with Yoon. Jeon’s visit to Yoon at the Seoul Detention Center May 2, 2026

Iran War Risks Hormuz Strait Disruption, Exposing China’s Oil Import Dilemma When the tide goes out, what was hidden is exposed. A line attributed to the Chinese poet Su Shi has become a shorthand for what the Iran war is revealing about the global economy.  In years of ample liquidity and optimism, the world rode a wave of growth. The shock of war has pushed that water back, exposing structural weaknesses. China, the world’s largest oil importer, is now at the center of that strain. Global outlets have pointed to early signs. The BBC recently reported that the w May 2, 2026

Seoul mayoral race: Poll lead holds, but undecided voters and turnout loom large Seoul’s political mood is hard to read. Poll numbers are moving, but many voters are holding back. The central dynamic in the race is this: public sentiment appears to be shifting, but many people still hesitate to vote. Recent published polling trends still show a gap, with candidate Jeong Won-o ahead and candidate Oh Se-hoon closing in. But reading the race only through charts is risky. The key is momentum. Oh’s gradual rise matters because small shifts can become the start of a tur May 2, 2026