SBS Announces Next Chapter in Drama Strategy After Six Consecutive Years of 2049 Ratings Success SBS has unveiled its next chapter in drama strategy, building on six consecutive years of leading ratings among viewers aged 20 to 49. The network aims to enhance its competitive edge in season-based intellectual property while expanding weekday dramas, collaborating with global OTT platforms, and integrating artificial intelligence (AI) production technologies to adapt to the evolving media landscape.On June 1, a media day event titled 'SBS Drama Media Day: Next Episode' was held at Hotel Naru June 1, 2026

Middle East Conflict Leads to $4.2 Billion Loss in Foreign Stock Investments In the first quarter, South Korea's major institutional investors saw their foreign securities investments decrease by more than $4.2 billion. According to a report released by the Bank of Korea on June 1, the balance of foreign securities investments by institutional investors stood at $503.33 billion as of the end of March, down $4.26 billion from the previous quarter. This decline was attributed to stock market adjustments due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and rising U. June 1, 2026

Trip.com Fined $10,000 for Selling Tickets Without Proper Registration A global travel platform has been caught by regulatory authorities for selling airline tickets online without proper registration as an online sales business and for engaging in deceptive refund practices. On June 1, the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) announced it has imposed a fine of 10 million won ($10,000) on Trip.com Korea for selling airline tickets without registering as an online sales business and for refunding customers through methods different from their original payment metho June 1, 2026

Climate Ministry Supports Green Companies' Expansion into China with Hydrogen and Battery Recycling Technologies South Korean green companies are set to target the Chinese market by leveraging future green technologies such as hydrogen and battery recycling. Following the establishment of the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, the scope of cooperation in the energy and resource recycling sectors has expanded, enhancing Korea-China green industry collaboration.The ministry announced on June 1 that it will operate a public-private joint delegation in Beijing and Tianjin from June 2 to June 5, in co June 1, 2026

New Compensation Guidelines Established for Humidifier Disinfectant Victims Compensation standards and procedures for victims of the humidifier disinfectant disaster are being established for the first time. Affected students will receive support for up to eight semesters of college tuition, and the financial burden on raw material suppliers will significantly increase to secure compensation funds.The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment announced on June 1 that it will open a public comment period from June 2 to July 13 for a comprehensive revision of the enforc June 1, 2026

Controversy Arises Over Church Tithing on Loans In South Korea, negative perceptions of Protestant Christianity remain persistent, as a recent post on an online community has reignited controversy over church donations. The author of the post claims that their family was asked to tithe on a loan taken out to build a house. They stated, "The pastor said that the borrowed money counts as income, so we should tithe on it," adding that the family was shocked to later discover a significant construction donation had been made without thei June 1, 2026

AI Command in Action: LIG D&A Unveils Intelligent USV Demonstration Unmanned vessels operating under artificial intelligence (AI) command are becoming a reality. LIG Defense & Aerospace (LIG D&A) announced on June 1 that it held an "Intelligent Command and Control Demonstration for Unmanned Surface Vessels (USV)" on May 27 at Korea Maritime University in Busan, showcasing the operational capabilities of AI-based multi-purpose unmanned systems. The demonstration focused on the technology that integrates different types of unmanned systems under a single June 1, 2026

Lotte Home Shopping Expands AIGLE's Retail Presence with Second Store in Seoul Lotte Home Shopping has launched the second official store of the global outdoor brand AIGLE in South Korea, marking a significant expansion in its offline retail operations. The company announced on June 1 that the AIGLE Dosan store opened on May 29 in Gangnam, Seoul. This location follows the concept of AIGLE's first flagship store, which opened in 1989 in Saint-Germain, France. It is the third global store to open, following locations in France and Hong Kong, and reflects the brand' June 1, 2026

Jeong Cheong-rae: Record Voter Turnout Proves Claims of Election Fraud Are Baseless Jeong Cheong-rae, the head of the Democratic Party's Central Election Campaign Committee, emphasized that the record early voting turnout in the June 3 local elections demonstrates how disconnected claims of election fraud are from public sentiment. He criticized former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye for their involvement in the campaign, labeling it as a disregard for the public. Speaking at a campaign committee meeting in Cheonan on June 1, Jeong stated, "The fervor for earl June 1, 2026

Innovation Party Criticizes Kim Yong-nam's Pursuit of Power and Wealth The Jo Kuk Innovation Party recently criticized Kim Yong-nam, a candidate from the Democratic Party running in Pyeongtaek, saying he is merely chasing power and wealth while questioning the authenticity of others. They emphasized that for true unity, Jo Kuk, who is also running in the same district, must win. Lee Hae-min, the party's secretary-general, spoke to reporters on June 1 at the National Assembly, stating that the Innovation Party's decision to unify with the Democratic Party dur June 1, 2026