Local Election Voter Turnout Reaches 4.5% by 8 AM, Up 0.7 Percentage Points from 2022 The National Election Commission reported that voter turnout for the 9th nationwide local elections reached 4.5% as of 8 AM on June 3. Voting began at 6 AM at polling stations across the country, with 2,017,995 of the 44,649,908 registered voters having cast their ballots. This turnout is 0.7 percentage points higher than the 3.8% recorded at the same time during the 2022 local elections. The early voting turnout of 23.51%, conducted from May 29 to 30, will be included in the overall turnou June 3, 2026

Voting Begins in Local Elections with 2.0% Turnout at 7 AM The National Election Commission reported that as of 7 AM, the voter turnout for the 9th nationwide local elections stands at 2.0%. According to Yonhap News, voting began at 6 AM at polling stations across the country, with 881,375 out of 44,649,908 registered voters having cast their ballots. This turnout is 0.3 percentage points higher than the 1.7% recorded at the same time during the 2022 local elections. The early voting turnout, conducted from May 29 to 30, was 23.51% and will be June 3, 2026

U.S. Secretary of State: Iran's Nuclear Program More Serious than North Korea U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on June 2 that Iran has agreed to negotiate aspects of its nuclear program. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Rubio stated that this marks the first time he can recall Iran engaging in discussions about its nuclear program, noting that just a month or a year ago, they had refused to even mention it. Rubio emphasized that Iran had previously not only avoided discussions but had outright rejected them, highlighting that U.S. mil June 3, 2026

Insurance Payouts Rise Amid Ongoing Debate Over '8-Week Rule' Discussions surrounding the so-called '8-week rule' for managing treatment periods for minor injury patients have been ongoing for some time. The issue of over-treatment in auto insurance has also emerged as a significant social concern. Stakeholders, including the government, insurance companies, and the medical community, have acknowledged the need for improvements to the current system. There has been a consistent awareness that the financial burden on auto insurance is increasing due to June 3, 2026

Oman Faces Pressure from U.S. Amid Iran Tensions Oman, a small Gulf nation that has maintained a neutral position for decades while mediating conflicts between the U.S. and Iran, is now facing extensive pressure from the United States. The U.S. is essentially demanding that Oman choose a side, with President Donald Trump even stating that Oman should be "blown out" if it does not comply. Oman and the U.S. have a relationship that dates back nearly 200 years. The U.S. Department of State records that the two countries mutually recognized June 3, 2026

Hanwha Aerospace Faces Scrutiny Under Serious Accident Punishment Act Hanwha Aerospace's Daejeon facility is under scrutiny to determine if it will be the first in the defense industry to be subject to the Serious Accident Punishment Act. While many experts believe that applying the law, which holds management accountable for safety violations leading to fatalities, is unlikely due to the nature of the defense sector, there are calls for strict penalties given that the facility has recorded 13 fatalities from major accidents over the past decade. Despite a June 3, 2026

Final Campaign Rallies Held Ahead of Seoul Mayoral Election Jung Won-o of the Democratic Party and Oh Se-hoon of the People Power Party held their final large-scale rallies on June 2, one day before the voting for the Seoul mayoral election. Jung emphasized "national stability," while Oh focused on the need to "check the government." At his rally in Cheonggye Plaza, Jung urged voters, "By voting, you can choose a successful Seoul alongside President Lee Jae-myung." He added, "We can create a Seoul where the dreams of young people come alive, a cit June 3, 2026

Oh Se-hoon Concludes Campaign with Economic Focus from Garak-dong to Dongdaemun Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party candidate for Seoul Mayor, wrapped up his official campaign on June 2 at the Dongdaemun wholesale market. He began his campaign on May 21 at the Garak-dong agricultural and fishery wholesale market, declaring his intent to "revitalize Seoul's economy" and concluded by promoting his vision of making the city one of the world's top three cities. After touring the wholesale market area, Oh spoke with reporters in front of the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) June 3, 2026

Oh Se-hoon Appeals for Support in Final Campaign Rally in Sinchon Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party candidate for Seoul mayor, made a passionate appeal for support during his final campaign rally on June 2, stating, "My dream is to create a Seoul that is admired and respected by people around the world." During the rally held near Sinchon Station in Seodaemun-gu, Oh emphasized his commitment to establishing the foundation for Seoul to become one of the world's top three cities within four years. Taking the stage with clenched fists, he declared, " June 3, 2026

Jang Dong-hyuk Wraps Up Campaign with Final Walk in Jongno and Hongdae Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, concluded his official campaign on June 2, one day before the local elections, in Seoul, a key battleground. He visited Jongno 3-ga Station and Hongdae to encourage voter participation.At around 10:20 p.m., Jang walked along the street filled with food stalls connecting Line 5 to Line 1 at Jongno 3-ga Station, greeting citizens. The area was bustling with young people in their 20s and 30s, as well as foreign visitors.As Jang appeared, citizens si June 3, 2026