Candidates Clash Over LegoLand Crisis and Local Knowledge in Gyeonggi Election Debate Candidates for the Gangwon governor position, Woo Sang-ho of the Democratic Party and Kim Jin-tae of the People Power Party, engaged in a heated debate on May 28 regarding the LegoLand crisis and their familiarity with the province. Woo emphasized his status as a candidate from a strong ruling party, while Kim questioned, "Why does every banner say 'sent by the president'? Can't you do anything on your own?" During the Gangwon Election Broadcasting Debate Committee's forum, Woo stated, "Th May 28, 2026

Bank of Korea Holds Interest Rate Steady Amid Inflation Concerns The Bank of Korea's Monetary Policy Committee has kept the base rate steady at 2.50% for the eighth consecutive time. Amid rising inflation expectations due to high oil prices and exchange rates stemming from the Middle East conflict, two committee members expressed dissenting opinions advocating for a rate hike, indicating a stronger hawkish stance within the bank. On May 28, the Monetary Policy Committee decided to maintain the base rate at 2.50%. While inflationary pressures are inc May 28, 2026

Bank of Korea Governor Shin Hyun-sung Signals Rate Hike Amid Inflation Concerns Bank of Korea Governor Shin Hyun-sung stated on May 28 that "inflation, growth, exchange rates, and real estate are all pointing in the same direction," indicating the need for a rate hike at an appropriate time. His remarks suggest a clear intention to tighten monetary policy in the second half of the year. After presiding over his first Monetary Policy Committee meeting, Shin noted that inflation is expected to remain above target for an extended period while growth continues to show so May 28, 2026

Wage Disparity Worsens in Q1; Low-Income Households Face Increased Deficit Spending Despite improvements in average wage indicators in the first quarter of this year, driven by performance bonuses in large export-oriented companies, the economic sentiment among ordinary citizens remains bleak. The growth in real wages has slowed, and low-income households are experiencing a faster increase in consumption than in income, leading to a deeper structure of deficit spending.According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor's "April 2026 Business Labor Survey Results" released on May May 28, 2026

National Pension Service Increases Domestic Stock Target Allocation to 20.8% The National Pension Service has decided to increase its target allocation for domestic stocks from 14.9% to 20.8% this year. This adjustment reflects the significant rise in the KOSPI index, which has pushed the actual share of domestic stocks held well above the initial target. According to Yonhap News Agency, the National Pension Fund Management Committee held its fifth meeting on May 28, where it reviewed and approved a proposal to adjust the target allocations for various asset class May 28, 2026

Dabangti Raises Prices of Coffee and Beverages by Up to 500 Won, Americano Prices Unchanged Dabangti will raise prices of its coffee and beverages by up to 500 won, excluding the Americano. According to a notice posted on Dabangti's website on May 28, prices for some beverages will increase by 100 to 500 won starting May 29. The price of a large Vanilla Deep Latte will rise from 3,500 won to 3,700 won, while the jumbo size will increase from 5,500 won to 5,700 won. Cold Brew prices will go up from 3,300 won to 3,700 won, and the jumbo size will increase from 5,300 won to 5,700 May 28, 2026

SK On CEO Lee Seok-hee Resigns, Yoon Wook Takes Over Sole Leadership Lee Seok-hee, CEO of SK On, is resigning due to health issues. On May 28, industry sources reported that Lee announced his decision in a letter to SK On employees, stating, "I wish to conclude my duties as CEO of SK On by the end of May," and added, "It has been a great honor to work alongside SK On members at the center of the secondary battery industry." He explained, "I have been deeply contemplating the significant responsibilities of the CEO role since the end of last year, but I d May 28, 2026

POSCO International to Import North American LNG Amid Middle East Tensions As tensions in the Middle East rise due to instability stemming from Iran, POSCO International is set to advance its plans to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) from North America. This move reflects a broader trend among South Korean energy companies to reduce dependence on Middle Eastern energy sources and diversify supply chains. According to industry sources on May 26, POSCO International plans to start importing North American LNG from Cheniere Energy by the end of this year. The ann May 28, 2026

Candidates Present Visions for Integrated Gwangju-Jeonnam City in Debate In a televised debate ahead of the June 3 local elections, candidates for the Gwangju-Jeonnam integrated special city mayoralty presented their visions for integration and balanced development. However, their proposals for utilizing the allocated 20 trillion won in resources differed significantly. The candidates also addressed the need to check the dominance of the ruling party and the call for accountability from the opposition party. Min Hyung-bae of the Democratic Party, Lee Jung-hyu May 28, 2026

Dream of Falling into Dirty Water Leads to Simultaneous Lottery Wins "The day after dreaming of falling into dirty water, I bought the pension lottery as usual in that area." As interest mounts in the winning numbers for the 317th Pension Lottery 720+ on May 28, the story of the winner of the 292nd Pension Lottery 720+, who won 1st place (1 ticket) and 2nd place (4 tickets), has captured attention. In a recent post on the Donghaeng Lottery winners' bulletin board, the winner shared, "Due to the nature of my job, I often travel throughout Daejeon and Chung May 28, 2026