President Lee: Media Must Bear Responsibility for Special Protections President Lee Jae-myung emphasized the importance of the media during a press conference on June 8, stating, "The media is crucial. It is one of the key pillars supporting a democratic republic. Therefore, it must be protected and guaranteed. However, it must also bear corresponding responsibilities." During the event at the Blue House, he remarked, "The media should be protected. In a democratic society, information serves as the basis for the judgment of the sovereign, and the primary June 8, 2026

One in Five Wage Workers in South Korea Lacks Retirement Benefits More than one in five wage workers in South Korea are estimated to be in a blind spot regarding retirement benefits. Despite the expansion of retirement pension systems and improvements in regulations, the increase in part-time, short-term, and non-regular workers, particularly among women and youth, has significantly contributed to this issue. According to a report by the Korea Labor Institute titled "Estimation and Characteristics of the Retirement Benefit Blind Spot," approximately 471, June 8, 2026

Orion Experiences First Partial Strike Amid Labor Dispute Orion's sales labor union has initiated its first partial strike in the company's history amid ongoing disputes over wage system reforms. The food industry is closely watching the situation as companies face prolonged domestic stagnation and rising labor costs. According to industry sources, the Orion branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions conducted a partial strike from June 4 to June 5. Approximately 70 sales employees responsible for supplying and selling products to domest June 8, 2026

Token Securities Market Faces Challenges Amid Competition for Platform Dominance As the implementation of the token securities (STO) system approaches, competition among brokerages to dominate the market is intensifying. Major firms are accelerating efforts to build issuance and distribution platforms and secure blockchain infrastructure. However, concerns are growing that there are 'no products to trade' in the market. While competition for distribution platforms heats up, the issuance ecosystem is struggling to gain traction, raising fears that the token securities ma June 8, 2026

Jensen Huang: Now is Hyundai's Time as He Showcases Physical AI Alliance "The era after artificial intelligence (AI) will be Hyundai Motor Group's time." On June 8, Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, visited Hyundai Motor Group's Yangjae headquarters, emphasizing the scalability of the company's physical AI. Dressed in a black leather jacket, Huang was welcomed by Chairman Euisun Chung and Vice Chairman Jae-hoon Chang. After passing through the main entrance, he took time to sign autographs and pose for photos with employees gathered on the right side. The atmosphe June 8, 2026

Samsung Heavy Industries Finalizes Major FLNG Contract in Africa Samsung Heavy Industries announced on June 8 that it has finalized a contract worth 3.6536 trillion won for a large floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) production facility with a shipowner in Africa. The finalized FLNG contract follows preliminary work agreements and ongoing processes. Currently, the upper module work is underway, and the facility is expected to be delivered in 2028 after module installation and commissioning. The FLNG, which will be installed offshore, is emerging as a June 8, 2026

Binggrae Donates 90 Million Won to Support Vulnerable Groups During Heatwave Binggrae announced on June 8 that it has donated 90 million won to the Korean Red Cross to support vulnerable populations during the summer heatwave. The Korean Red Cross plans to use the donation to provide 2,000 summer blankets to those in need, particularly targeting disaster-prone communities. The blankets will be distributed primarily in areas where Binggrae operates, including Seoul, Gwangju and Namyangju in Gyeonggi Province, and Nonsan, Gongju, and Cheonan in Chungcheongnam-do, a June 8, 2026

President Lee Criticizes Election Commission Over Ballot Shortage President Lee Jae-myung criticized the Election Commission for its mismanagement of the ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections. However, he emphasized that this issue is “entirely different” from the allegations of election fraud raised by some opposition parties, including the People Power Party.During a press conference at the Blue House on June 8, marking his first anniversary in office, President Lee described the ballot shortage as “absurd,” stating, “This has completely undermin June 8, 2026

Iran Claims U.S. Involvement in Israeli Attacks, Hints at Further Action Tensions between Iran and Israel have escalated again after two months of relative calm, with Iran accusing the United States of being involved in Israel's renewed attacks. On June 8, during a regular briefing, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated, "No one believes that the Zionist regime (Israel) acts without prior coordination and cooperation with the U.S. in our region. We still have information that the U.S. is coordinating with this regime in both offensive and d June 8, 2026

Internet Banks See Surge in Overseas Assets as Toss and Kakao Expand Investments Internet-only banks are rapidly increasing their overseas assets. While Toss Bank focuses on managing increased foreign currency in international financial markets, Kakao Bank is expanding its overseas operations through strategic investments. As of the end of March this year, Toss Bank's overseas asset management totaled $210 million, more than quadrupling from $50 million during the same period last year. By country, loans in Japan rose from $30 million to $81 million, while loans in Si June 8, 2026