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

Pentagon Orders Withdrawal of About 5,000 U.S. Troops From Germany Within a Year The United States has decided to withdraw about 5,000 U.S. troops stationed in Germany, a move expected to be carried out over the next year as part of a broader review of force posture in Europe. According to Yonhap News Agency and other reports on May 2, the Donald Trump administration made the decision on May 1 local time to pull 5,000 troops from Germany. Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, told Yonhap that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the withdrawal of about 5 May 2, 2026

Lee Jae-myung Calls for Labor-Business Coexistence, Urges Policy Follow-Through President Lee Jae-myung delivered a clear message at a Labor Day ceremony on Thursday: the country should move beyond what he called an outdated binary that treats pro-labor policies as anti-business, and pro-business policies as anti-labor. He said a society that respects workers and a country that is good for business can coexist, creating a virtuous cycle of growth and distribution, and of fairness and innovation. The direction is clear. The central question is what comes next: how to turn th May 2, 2026

Seoul Tourism Chief Gil Gi-yeon Pitches ‘Post-Hallyu’ Push for Arts Travel Seoul tourism is rebounding after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down international travel and hit airlines, travel agencies, hotels, duty-free shops, restaurants and performance venues. The disruption also accelerated a shift away from low-cost, shopping-focused group tours toward travel that blends hiking, Korean pop culture, arts, hands-on experiences, festivals and city lifestyle. At the center of that shift is Gil Gi-yeon, CEO of the Seoul Tourism Organization, who took office during the pand May 2, 2026

Holiday Weekend Day 2: Mostly Cloudy Nationwide; Rain Overnight in Seoul Area Saturday the nation was expected to be mostly cloudy, with rain starting overnight mainly in the Seoul metropolitan area and inland Gangwon Province. The Korea Meteorological Administration said very dry conditions would persist around Seoul as well as inland parts of the Chungcheong and North Gyeongsang regions. Rain was forecast to begin in some areas overnight Saturday and spread nationwide between daytime Sunday and Monday. Forecast rainfall totals were 5-30 millimeters for May 2, 2026

No One Is Selling: Leverage Surges as South Korea’s KOSPI Rallies "Sell in May and go away." It is one of Wall Street’s oldest sayings, built on the idea that returns tend to lag from May through October. The phrase traces back to 19th-century London, when aristocrats left the market during the social season. In South Korea’s market in 2026, the saying lands differently: There is no one eager to leave, because many investors believe prices will keep rising. The KOSPI surged 30.61% in April, quickly recouping losses from an earlier drop tied to the May 2, 2026

As U.S. Links Iran War Response and Tariffs, South Korea Faces a Hard Choice The United States’ response to the war involving Iran and its tariff talks are increasingly converging into what amounts to a single front. The era when military, security and trade policy moved on separate tracks is ending. Washington is pressing allies on both security contributions and trade rules as it seeks to reshape the international order. After President Donald Trump appeared to target the European Union’s lack of cooperation on the Iran war by floating a review of withdrawing 5,000 U. May 2, 2026

How to Use Korea’s RIA Account as the Kospi Hits Record Highs Korea’s Domestic Market Return Account, known as the RIA, has marked its first month on the market, introduced to steer money back into local stocks. With the Kospi repeatedly setting record highs, investor interest in the account has also grown. Experts say investors should weigh the benefit structure, restrictions and the direction of the local market, rather than signing up solely for tax breaks. The RIA is a special account the government introduced on a limited-time basis this year t May 2, 2026