BTS’ ‘ARIRANG’ Holds U.K. Top 100 for Sixth Week; No. 4 on Billboard 200 BTS’ fifth full-length album, ‘ARIRANG,’ has stayed on the U.K. Official Charts Top 100 for a sixth straight week. According to Yonhap and other reports on May 2, ‘ARIRANG’ ranked No. 17 on the Official Albums Chart Top 100, down four spots from the previous week. The title track, ‘SWIM,’ placed No. 41 on the Official Singles Chart Top 100, down seven. The releases also remained on U.S. Billboard charts. ‘SWIM’ fell 10 places to No. 22 on the Hot 100, while ‘ARIRANG’ slipped th May 2, 2026

South Korea Gasoline, Diesel Prices Stay Above 2,000 Won a Liter; Seoul at 2,048 South Korean gasoline and diesel prices at gas stations continued to hover in the 2,000-won range on a weekly basis. Data from Yonhap News Agency and the Korea National Oil Corp.’s Opinet system showed that in the fifth week of April (April 26-30), the nationwide average retail price of gasoline rose 4.8 won from the previous week to 2,008.6 won per liter. By region, Seoul posted the highest price at 2,048 won per liter, up 8.7 won from a week earlier. Daegu was the lowest at 1,993.6 won May 2, 2026

Chinese Diplomats Visit North Korea’s Border Region Near Planned Russia Bridge As North Korea and Russia push ahead with construction of a road bridge over the Tumen River, Chinese diplomats stationed in North Korea visited the North Korea-China-Russia border area to review local conditions. Yonhap News Agency and the Chinese Embassy in North Korea said Wang Chongling, a minister-counselor, led a delegation that visited North Hamgyong province and the city of Rason from April 25 to 30, inspecting five factories and exhibition facilities. The embassy said May 2, 2026

Why Pluto’s Planet Status Debate Still Resonates in U.S. Politics Pluto’s long-running status fight has moved well beyond astronomy. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union redefined what counts as a planet and reclassified Pluto as a dwarf planet. The decision followed scientific criteria, yet the argument keeps returning in ways that science alone does not explain. National memory and identity have helped keep Pluto at the center of public debate. Pluto was discovered in 1930 by American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh. For many Americans, that fact carri May 2, 2026

Pokemon Event Overwhelms Seoul’s Seongsu-dong, Highlighting the Power of Content On May 1, Seoul’s Seongsu-dong effectively ground to a halt. Streets filled with people, mobile service nearly failed, and routine movement became all but impossible. Some posted warnings not to head toward Seongsu; others complained they could not get online. It was not an accident or a disaster. The cause was simple: a Pokemon event. Many people’s first explanation is nostalgia: a childhood character and storyline returned, drawing crowds. That is part of it, but not the whole story. P May 2, 2026

Yang Hyang-ja Picked as People Power Party’s Gyeonggi Governor Candidate Yang Hyang-ja, a top official of the People Power Party, has been selected as the party’s candidate for Gyeonggi governor in the June 3 local elections. According to Yonhap News Agency and the party’s central nomination committee on Friday, Yang secured the nomination based on a combined tally of a two-day vote by party members (50%) and a public opinion poll of the general electorate (50%). In a news conference immediately after the primary result was announced, Yang said she would “end May 2, 2026

Debate Over Samsung Electronics’ Projected 300 Trillion Won Profit Revives Questions About Shareholder Capitalism ■ Summary of the veteran commentator’s original remarks With forecasts that Samsung Electronics’ operating profit could reach 300 trillion won, a sharper debate has emerged over who should receive any outsized gains. Labor unions are calling for bigger performance bonuses, markets are looking for greater shareholder returns, and politicians are stressing corporate social responsibility. The core issue, the article argues, is not emotion or morality but capital structure — specifically, the “res May 2, 2026

South Korea’s Next-Gen Medium Satellite 2 to Launch on SpaceX Falcon 9 After War Delay South Korea’s Next-Generation Medium Satellite 2 is set to head to space from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 on May 2 local time. The Korea Aerospace Administration said the satellite is scheduled for launch at 3:59 p.m. May 3 in South Korea (tentative). According to the launch sequence, the Falcon 9 will shut down its first-stage engine 135 seconds after liftoff and ignite the second-stage engine 146 seconds after liftoff. The payload fairing is to se May 2, 2026

Minister Han Seong-sook urges Donghaeng Festival to drive lasting growth for small merchants SME and Startups Minister Han Seong-sook visited the Donghaeng Festival and stressed the need to boost spending at small businesses. The co-marketing sales event linking major retailers with small merchants is a meaningful attempt. Policies that energize struggling neighborhood commercial districts and encourage consumer participation are needed in the current economic climate. The question is whether the effort stops there. The success of the policy will hinge on whether it moves beyond a one-o May 2, 2026

Korea’s National Museums Roll Out Family Programs for May Holiday Break May, widely marked in South Korea as Family Month, is bringing a slate of programs at major museums nationwide, with hands-on activities, performances and education designed to make cultural heritage easier and more engaging for visitors. The National Museum of Korea said Thursday it will host a family-focused event, “Gukjungbak Outing,” from May 2-5 across its outdoor plaza, Mirror Pond Square and the permanent exhibition halls. Outdoor photo zones will feature character-themed install May 2, 2026