Court Issues Arrest Warrants for Kim Dae-ki and Yoon Jae-soon in Budget Misuse Case The Seoul Central District Court has issued arrest warrants for Kim Dae-ki, former chief of staff, and Yoon Jae-soon, former secretary for general affairs, in connection with allegations of illegal budget reallocations during the relocation of the presidential residence from Cheong Wa Dae to Hannam-dong. This marks the first arrest since the special prosecutor's team, led by Kwon Chang-young, was established in February. The court conducted a pre-arrest hearing for Kim Dae-ki, Yoon Jae-soo May 23, 2026

Exchange Rate Near 1520 Won Amid Middle East Tensions; Authorities Warn of Action Exchange rate rises to near 1520 won; authorities ready to intervene if needed The won-dollar exchange rate has climbed close to the 1520 won mark, prompting foreign exchange authorities to issue verbal interventions to stabilize the rate. This marks the highest level for the exchange rate since early last month. On May 22, the Bank of Korea and the Ministry of Economy and Finance issued a joint statement just before the close of trading in the Seoul foreign exchange market, stating, " May 23, 2026

Candidates Clash Over Development Strategies in Jeonbuk Governor Debate Lee Won-taek of the Democratic Party, independent candidate Kim Kwan-young, and Yang Jeong-moo of the People Power Party engaged in a heated debate over regional development strategies and each other's political and legal vulnerabilities during a televised debate on May 22 at KBS Jeonju Broadcasting. During the debate, Kim criticized Lee's "internal development strategy," stating, "While I agree with the idea of nurturing local businesses over attracting external companies, the reality is May 23, 2026

Air Premia Joins Growing Trend of Unpaid Leave Amid Rising Fuel Costs As the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to drive up fuel prices, Air Premia, a long-haul low-cost carrier, has announced it will implement unpaid leave for its employees. On May 22, the airline informed its current full-time cabin crew that it would accept applications for unpaid leave. The leave period is set to begin on July 1 and last for one month, with the possibility of extending unpaid leave into August if high fuel prices persist. In its announcement, Air Premia stated, May 23, 2026

Samsung Electronics Union Vote Exceeds 66% on First Day Amid Bonus Dispute As voting begins on the tentative wage agreement for 2026 at Samsung Electronics, union participation surpassed 66% on the first day, indicating strong member engagement. According to the Samsung Electronics branch of the Korea Metal Workers' Union, the turnout reached 66.16% by 8:25 p.m. on May 22. The nationwide Samsung Electronics union reported a turnout of 69.15%. This vote is to determine approval or rejection of the '2026 wage negotiation tentative agreement' reached on May 20. May 23, 2026

Police Investigate AI-Generated Fake Articles Distorting May 18 Democratic Movement Police are investigating the authors of fake newspaper articles that distort and mock the May 18 Democratic Movement using artificial intelligence (AI). On May 22, the National Police Agency stated, "We recognize the seriousness of recent violations of the May 18 Democratic Movement Act spreading online," adding that they are also investigating numerous posts claiming that "May 18 was a riot." Recently, images of fake newspaper articles, believed to be created using AI, have been circu May 23, 2026

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Claims Control Over Hormuz Strait Shipping Iran has intensified its control over shipping in the Hormuz Strait by effectively requiring prior approval for vessels passing through the strategic waterway. On May 22, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced that "35 vessels, including oil tankers and container ships, have passed through the Hormuz Strait in the past 24 hours." The IRGC claimed that all these ships navigated approved routes with Iranian authorization, stating, "While U.S. military actions have de May 23, 2026

Retailers Expand Quick Commerce Services Across Convenience Stores and Supermarkets The competition among retailers to penetrate consumers' daily lives with quick commerce (instant delivery) is intensifying. Convenience store giants CU and GS25 have announced a 24-hour delivery system, filling the delivery gap from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. Meanwhile, grocery platforms like Curly, Homeplus, and SSG.com are also entering the local instant delivery market. According to industry sources, CU and GS25 began their 24-hour delivery service in partnership with the delivery platfo May 23, 2026

Starbucks Apologizes Again Over Controversial 5·18 Slogan, Urges Restraint on Staff Criticism Starbucks Korea has issued another apology following backlash over promotional slogans related to the May 18 Democratic Movement. On May 22, the company released a statement to all its stores nationwide, expressing, "We deeply apologize for the significant hurt caused to the spirits of the May 18 Democratic Movement, the bereaved families, and the public." Starbucks Korea clarified that the controversy stemmed from a mistake made during the operation of its online business and emphasize May 23, 2026

Presidential Office Launches Investigation into Fire Chief Kim Seung-ryong The Presidential Office initiated an investigation into Fire Chief Kim Seung-ryong on May 22. Chief Spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong announced to reporters that President Lee Jae-myung has ordered an immediate inquiry into the fire chief. The investigation is reportedly related to personal misconduct, although the Presidential Office has not disclosed specific details. Kim has been acting in the role since last September, following the dismissal of former Fire Chief Heo Seok-gon over all May 23, 2026