Early Voting Participation Reaches 46.0% in Local Elections The voter turnout for the 9th nationwide local elections reached 46.0% as of 1 p.m. on June 3. This figure is 7.7 percentage points higher than the turnout of 38.3% at the same time during the 8th local elections in 2022. According to the National Election Commission, out of a total of 44,649,908 eligible voters, 20,518,553 had cast their ballots by 1 p.m. This includes 10,564,222 participants in early voting and 9,954,331 on the day of the election. Regionally, South Jeolla Province reco June 3, 2026

Demand for Villas Rises Amid Apartment Rental Crisis in Seoul Seoul's rental crisis for apartments is spilling over into the non-apartment rental market, including villas and multi-family homes. Following a series of rental scams, demand for villas has rebounded, leading to a 7.4% increase in rental transactions for multi-family housing in Seoul during the first four months of this year compared to the same period last year. As transaction volumes rise, rental prices are also climbing. As of June 3, an analysis of rental transaction data reported to June 3, 2026

Resident Doctor Found Guilty for Distributing Medical Blacklist A resident doctor has been found guilty by the Supreme Court for distributing a so-called "medical blacklist" that revealed the personal information of doctors and medical students who did not participate in collective actions during a conflict between the medical community and the government. As a result, the doctor is set to lose their medical license under the law. On June 3, legal sources reported that the Supreme Court's third division, led by Justice Lee Suk-yeon, upheld a lower co June 3, 2026

Voter Turnout Reaches 19.0% at Noon, Highest in Daegu at 23.7% As the 9th nationwide local elections are underway, the voter turnout across South Korea reached 19.0% by noon on June 3. This figure is 4.0 percentage points higher than the turnout of 15.0% recorded at the same time during the 8th local elections in 2022. According to the National Election Commission, by noon, 8,497,711 of the 44,649,908 registered voters had cast their ballots. Voting began at 6 a.m. at 14,288 polling stations nationwide. Regionally, Daegu reported the highest voter turn June 3, 2026

Samsung Begins Direct Purchase of Renewable Energy at Vietnam Factory Samsung Thai Nguyen (SEVT) and the TTC Duc Hue 2 solar power plant have marked the first instance of a Direct Power Purchase Agreement (DPPA) in Vietnam. As the system allowing large-scale consumers to directly contract with power producers through the national grid officially begins, interest is growing in the potential expansion of renewable energy trading and its cost structure. This has sparked both positive feedback, with calls to "continue supporting investments," and questions about June 3, 2026

TVING Reports Data Breach Affecting User Information TVING, an online video streaming service, has reported a data breach that has compromised the personal information of some users due to unauthorized external access. On June 3, TVING announced on its official website that it had confirmed the unauthorized access to its systems, which resulted in the leakage of certain members' personal information. The company stated that it took immediate security measures upon discovering the breach and significantly enhanced its monitoring systems to p June 3, 2026

Nonghyup Distribution Supports Rural Labor in Pyeongchang Employees of Nonghyup Distribution visited Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, to assist with labor shortages during the farming season. On June 2, Nonghyup Distribution, which operates Nonghyup Hanaro Mart, announced that its employees visited farms in the Jinbu Nonghyup area to help install support stakes for pepper plants. This volunteer activity was organized to address the worsening labor shortages in agriculture due to an aging rural population and the migration of young people to urban June 3, 2026

Contractor Fined for Failing to Pay Subcontractor in Sehwa Academy Case School corporation Sehwa Academy has been penalized by the Fair Trade Commission for failing to pay a subcontractor despite agreeing to do so. On June 3, the Fair Trade Commission announced that it had issued a corrective order to Sehwa Academy for not paying 26.4 million won to the subcontractor as required under a direct payment agreement. In 2021, Sehwa Academy commissioned a construction project to reinforce a hazardous area at Sehwa High School in Pohang to a primary contractor, Company A. June 3, 2026

City Construction Fined 38 Million Won for Delayed Contracts and Unpaid Discounts City Construction has been found to have issued contracts late to its subcontractors and failed to pay subcontracting fees in accordance with legal standards. Despite receiving full payment in cash from the client for construction work, the company paid subcontractors significantly less than the legal requirement. On June 3, the Fair Trade Commission announced that it imposed a corrective order and a fine of 38 million won on City Construction for violating subcontracting laws. The company June 3, 2026

Voter Turnout at 15.0% in June 3 Local Elections with 6.71 Million Participants As the 9th nationwide local elections are underway, voter turnout across South Korea was reported at 15.0% as of 11 a.m. on June 3. This figure is 3.0 percentage points higher than the turnout of 12.0% recorded at the same time during the 8th nationwide local elections in 2022. According to the National Election Commission, approximately 670,000 voters had participated out of a total of 44,649,908 eligible voters by 11 a.m. The main voting began at 6 a.m. at polling stations nationwide. Reg June 3, 2026