SK Biopharm Establishes Open Innovation Hub in the U.S. "We will solidify a sustainable ecosystem by organically combining innovative technologies and resources through diverse open innovation with promising domestic biotech companies." SK Biopharm opened its 'SK Life Science LinX' hub within its subsidiary in New Jersey on June 5, where CEO Lee Dong-hoon expressed the company's commitment to strengthening collaboration with biotech firms. He described LinX as "a base for co-growth that will drive the growth of promising Korean biotech companies on t June 8, 2026

Foreign Exchange Authorities Reject Currency Volatility, Intervene as Won Drops to 1540s South Korea's foreign exchange authorities stated on June 8 that they will not tolerate excessive volatility or one-sided movements in the currency market and will respond strongly to such developments. The Bank of Korea and the Ministry of Economy and Finance noted that recent fluctuations in the foreign exchange market have been exacerbated by speculative currency trading, including offshore non-deliverable forward (NDF) transactions. This statement was made by Yoon Kyung-soo, head of t June 8, 2026

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon Criticizes President Yoon's Real Estate Policies Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has openly criticized President Yoon Suk-yeol's perception of the "normalization of the jeonse market," asserting that the recent jeonse crisis in Seoul is not a natural market change but a result of government policy failures that have led to the collapse of the housing ladder. On June 8, Mayor Oh expressed his views on Facebook, stating, "The disappearance of jeonse is not normalization but a policy disaster that has destroyed the housing ladder for ordinary ci June 8, 2026

Travel Industry Unveils Customized Vacation Packages for Summer 2026 Domestic travel agencies are rolling out a variety of customized strategies in anticipation of the upcoming summer vacation season. Hana Tour is focusing on the 'coolcation' demand with charter flights to Hokkaido, while Modu Tour is launching a curated travel exhibition aimed at family travelers. ◆Hana Tour Seizes 'Coolcation' Demand for Japan in Second Half of 2026 Hana Tour announced on June 8 that it has sold out all seats for its direct charter flights from Cheongju Airport to Matsuyam June 8, 2026

Ministry of Science and ICT Prepares for Kakao Union Strike to Ensure Service Stability The Ministry of Science and ICT is taking steps to ensure service stability in anticipation of a strike by the Kakao union. On June 8, the ministry held a meeting with Kakao officials at the Government Sejong Center to discuss measures for maintaining service continuity and stability ahead of the union's planned strike on June 10. The meeting included Choi Woo-hyuk, head of the ministry's Information Protection and Network Policy Office, and Seo Young-hoon, Kakao's vice president. The June 8, 2026

Lee Tae-sik Visits Premium Tea Company to Address Challenges Lee Tae-sik, CEO of the Korea Small Business and Startups Agency, visited a company that operates in the policy duty-free market to tour its production facilities and listen to its challenges. On June 8, the agency announced that Lee visited 'Flower in a Jar', a premium tea manufacturer located in Guri, Gyeonggi Province, on June 5. According to the agency, 'Flower in a Jar' was established in 2016 and offers a premium flower tea and herb blending tea brand called 'Aldip', made from flow June 8, 2026

New Regulations Aim to Prevent Sudden Closures of Postpartum Care Centers New regulations are set to curb the illegal practices of postpartum care centers that suddenly close after encouraging mothers to make large advance payments. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has announced a comprehensive overhaul of the procedures for the closure and suspension of these facilities, requiring them to notify users at least 30 days in advance and ensure the safe transfer of mothers and newborns still in their care. On June 8, the Health Ministry stated that the governmen June 8, 2026

Criticism Grows Over Jeong Won-o's Policy Responses After Seoul Mayoral Loss Following his defeat in the Seoul mayoral election, Jeong Won-o of the Democratic Party is facing criticism from some progressive communities over his policy response chart. On June 8, a comparison chart of policy responses from Seoul mayoral candidates circulated on an online community. The post's author, identified as A, stated, "Jeong Won-o lost not because of young male voters or real estate issues, but because he was unprepared to be mayor. This shows he thought he could get away June 8, 2026

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang Visits South Korea, Highlights Robotics Investment Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, made his first visit to South Korea in seven months, stating that the country has many important clients and that he is planning significant collaborations with local partners.Huang arrived at Gimpo Airport at 1:30 PM on June 5 and spoke with reporters outside the airport, emphasizing the importance of the South Korean market. He noted, "Our partners in Korea are doing very well, and last year's performance was excellent. We are currently engaged in many projects, an June 8, 2026

Coupang Launches Rocket Food Festival with Discounts on Over 4,000 Food Items Coupang announced on June 8 that it will hold a large-scale food discount event, the "Rocket Food Festival," for Wow members until June 14.The event will feature discounts on over 4,000 food items, including fresh and processed foods. To ease the burden of rising prices, Coupang is offering exclusive coupons for Wow members and special time-limited deals.During the event, a limited-time super discount zone will be available. Each day at 7 a.m., the "Daily Special" will showcase nine popular food June 8, 2026