Employment Declines for First Time in 17 Months Amid Middle East Conflict As the impact of the Middle East conflict intensifies, the number of employed individuals has decreased for the first time in 17 months. Despite ongoing growth in exports, particularly in semiconductors, the job market remains sluggish. According to the "May 2026 Employment Trends" report released by the National Data Agency on June 11, the number of employed individuals fell by 40,000 from the same month last year, totaling 29.12 million. This marks the first decline since December 2024, June 11, 2026

BNK Busan Bank Launches Mobile-Based Retirement Pension Enrollment Service BNK Busan Bank has introduced a mobile-based retirement pension enrollment service, becoming the first in the financial sector to do so. This service allows corporate clients to complete the enrollment process entirely via smartphone without visiting a branch. The bank announced on June 11 that it has officially launched this service. It enables corporate clients to carry out the entire process—from application to agreement on terms and registration of investment products—on their mobile June 11, 2026

Woori Bank Develops Digital Wallet for Foreign Tourists Woori Bank announced on June 11 that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with fintech startup CrossHub to improve payment convenience for foreign visitors and develop joint services.The agreement aims to reduce the inconveniences foreign tourists face when using domestic financial and payment services. The two companies plan to jointly develop a 'digital wallet exclusively for foreigners,' targeting a launch in the second half of the year. This service will allow foreign customers June 11, 2026

Iran Responds to U.S. Airstrikes with Drone Attack on Bahrain's Navy Base Iran has launched attacks on U.S. military positions in the Gulf region, including the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet stationed in Bahrain, in response to two consecutive days of American airstrikes, according to reports from foreign media outlets. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on June 10 that it had targeted the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet in Bahrain with drones. The IRGC also claimed to have designated other U.S. military bases in the region, including the Azraq Air Base in June 11, 2026

Anthropic Calls for Mandatory AI Safety Testing and Job Market Preparedness Anthropic, the developer of the AI model Claude, has called for robust regulations and labor market measures in response to advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). On June 10, the company stated that unless Congress establishes strict federal laws addressing "catastrophic AI risks," state-level AI regulations should not be blocked. Previously, President Donald Trump urged Congress to replace state-level AI regulations with federal standards. In response, Anthropic argued that indepe June 11, 2026

International Media Highlights Lee Jae-myung Administration's Pragmatic Diplomacy and K-Culture International media portray the Lee Jae-myung administration as characterized by pragmatic diplomacy, artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors, and K-culture. Over the past year, South Korea has been redefined as a key player in shaping diplomatic order and global supply chains, as well as a leader in the global cultural industry, moving beyond its previous image shaped by nuclear threats and geopolitical risks. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on June 11 that June 11, 2026

Naver Cloud Unveils Defense AX Strategies at National Defense Seminar Naver Cloud announced on June 11 that it held a seminar focused on the application and strategies for defense AI, which can be executed on the battlefield, as part of the Sovereign AI-based Defense AX Development Strategy Seminar. The seminar took place on June 10 at the Daejeon Convention Center (DCC) during the 'InLEX Korea Defense Industry Development Exhibition,' attended by officials from the defense, military, and ICT sectors. During the seminar, Naver Cloud presented its core de June 11, 2026

Former Japanese House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono Dies at 89 Yohei Kono, the former Speaker of Japan's House of Representatives who issued a heartfelt apology regarding the Japanese military's comfort women issue, has passed away at the age of 89. The Yomiuri Shimbun reported on June 10, citing sources, that Kono died on June 8. He was the second son of former Agriculture Minister Ichiro Kono. Kono graduated from Waseda University and was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1967, serving 14 consecutive terms. In 1976, he left the Libe June 11, 2026

KOSPI Plummets Over 4% Amid Increased Foreign Selling The KOSPI and KOSDAQ are experiencing significant declines in early trading. The KOSPI has dropped over 4% as foreign selling intensifies, while the KOSDAQ shows a decline of more than 3%. According to the Korea Exchange, as of 9:10 a.m., the KOSPI was trading at 7,403.38, down 327.44 points (4.24%) from the previous trading day. The index opened at 7,509.62, down 221.20 points (2.86%), and continued to fall. Individuals are net buying stocks worth 230.9 billion won, and institutions are June 11, 2026

KB Securities Raises SK Telecom's Target Price Amid AI Infrastructure Growth KB Securities announced on June 11 that it has raised its target price for SK Telecom from 130,000 won to 150,000 won, citing significant growth in the company's AI infrastructure business. The firm maintained its "buy" rating on the stock. Analyst Kim Jun-seob from KB Securities noted that SK Telecom has secured both data center and GPU as a Service (GPUaaS) segments, which are critical to its infrastructure business. Since launching its GPUaaS operations in 2024, SK Telecom has been co June 11, 2026