North Korean Coach Ri Yu-il Walks Out of Press Conference Over 'North Side' Reference Ri Yu-il, the coach of North Korea's My Hometown Women's Football Team, walked out of a press conference after expressing dissatisfaction with the term "North Side" during discussions about his team's victory. According to Yonhap News on May 23, My Hometown secured the championship title by defeating Japan's Tokyo Verdy Beleza 1-0 in the final of the 2025-2026 AFC Women's Champions League held at Suwon Sports Complex. During the press conference following the match, Coach Ri expressed May 24, 2026

North Korean Women's Soccer Team Wins AFC Champions League Title The Nae Go Hyang Women's Football Team from North Korea has claimed the title of the AFC Women's Champions League by defeating Japan's Tokyo Verdy Beleza 1-0. According to Yonhap News, the decisive match took place on May 23 at the Suwon Sports Complex, where team captain Kim Kyung-young scored the winning goal in the 44th minute. With this victory, Nae Go Hyang becomes the first North Korean team to win this tournament, including its predecessor, the AFC Women's Club Championship. The May 24, 2026

Lee Calls for National Unity to Boost Economic Recovery; Moon Misses Growth Fund Enrollment President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung met with Roh Moo-hyun's widow, Kwon Yang-sook, before attending the memorial service for the late president on May 23 in Bongha Village, Gimhae, according to Deputy Spokesperson Ahn Gyu-ryeong in a written briefing.The meeting took place at Roh's former residence and included former President Moon Jae-in, his wife, Chairman Cha Seong-soo of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, and Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik. Roh's eldest son, Roh Geon-ho, was also p May 24, 2026

Exploring the Impact of '21st Century Great Lady' on Historical Drama and Korean History MBC's drama '21st Century Great Lady' has sparked significant discussion. The first point to evaluate is the writer's imagination and the strength of the plot development. Few recent Korean dramas have boldly reinterpreted royal politics, human desires, love, and the tragedy of power with a modern sensibility as this one has. The ability to present the age-old theme of court power not merely as a historical reenactment but as a narrative about contemporary humanity is quite impressive. May 23, 2026

Voter Registration for June 3 Local Elections Reaches 44.6 Million The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on May 23 that the total number of registered voters for the 9th nationwide local elections, scheduled for June 3, is 44,649,908. This figure represents an increase of 346,459 voters compared to the 8th nationwide local elections held in June 2022, and a rise of 250,837 from the presidential election in June last year. Among the registered voters, 44,409,225 are South Korean citizens, while 89,151 are overseas citizens, and 151,532 are May 23, 2026

Trump Cancels Attendance at Son's Wedding Amid Iran Strike Considerations Tensions are rising in Washington as the Trump administration considers the possibility of resuming airstrikes against Iran. President Trump canceled plans to attend his son’s wedding on May 22, opting to remain at the White House instead after holding a high-level national security meeting. According to reports from Axios and CBS News on May 23, President Trump is seriously contemplating military action if Iran does not accept the “final proposal” the U.S. delivered on May 20. During a May 23, 2026

Park Geun-hye Visits Traditional Market to Support Choo Kyung-ho Ahead of Local Elections Dubbed the "Queen of Elections," former President Park Geun-hye visited a traditional market in Daegu on May 23, just 11 days before the June 3 local elections, to rally support for Choo Kyung-ho, the People Power Party's candidate for mayor. Around 2 p.m., Park arrived at Chilseong Market in northern Daegu, dressed in a brown patterned top. She and Choo toured the bustling market for about 30 minutes, greeting vendors and shoppers alike. Merchants and citizens, out for weekend shopping, May 23, 2026

South Korean Tanker Passes Through Red Sea Amid Hormuz Blockade As the Hormuz Strait remains blocked due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East, South Korean vessels are now transporting oil through the Red Sea. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced that as of 4 p.m. on May 23, the fifth South Korean tanker has safely passed through the Red Sea while transporting oil back to South Korea. The first instance of a South Korean tanker navigating the Red Sea occurred in mid-April. That tanker arrived at the GS Caltex oil terminal in Yeosu on Ma May 23, 2026

17th Anniversary Memorial Service for Former President Roh Moo-hyun Held in Bongha Village A memorial service marking the 17th anniversary of former President Roh Moo-hyun's passing was held on May 23 in Bongha Village, Gimhae, South Korea. According to Yonhap News Agency, the service took place at 2 p.m. at a special stage in the Bongha Village Ecological Cultural Park, themed "Democracy of My Life, From the Square to the Village." This theme signifies that while democracy awakens with the cries from the square, it truly blossoms in the village, the foundation of life. The Ro May 23, 2026

High-Stakes Race in Busan's North District: Candidates Mobilize Big Names Candidates for the Busan North Gap National Assembly by-election are mobilizing influential figures to attract voters as the official campaign kicks off this weekend. According to political sources, Hah Jung-woo, the Democratic Party candidate, will hold a joint campaign event at 5 p.m. on May 23 with Jeon Jae-soo, the party's candidate for Busan mayor, near the Gupo Market in North Busan. The North Gap district is considered a stronghold for the Democratic Party, as Jeon, who previous May 23, 2026