Election Commission Faces Trust Issues Amid Surge in Leave Requests The National Election Commission (NEC) is once again at the center of public distrust. With the upcoming 9th nationwide local elections scheduled for June 3, it has been revealed that 176 employees are currently on leave, marking the second-highest number in the past decade. This surge in leave requests, particularly before major elections such as presidential and general elections, raises concerns beyond mere personnel issues, pointing to a broader crisis of confidence in the election managemen May 23, 2026

Doosan Fuel Cell Shares Surge to Record High Following $529 Million Supply Contract Doosan Fuel Cell saw its shares soar more than 25% during trading, reaching an all-time high, following the announcement of a 529 billion won ($429 million) supply contract for fuel cell systems. The surge in stock price is attributed to growing expectations for increased power demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, coupled with the re-emergence of previously postponed large-scale orders, which has boosted investor sentiment. According to the Korea Exchange, at 9:46 a.m. o May 23, 2026

Jo Eung-cheon Criticizes Jang Dong-hyuk's Leadership as a Disaster for South Korea Jo Eung-cheon, the Reform Party candidate for Gyeonggi governor, strongly criticized the leadership of Jang Dong-hyuk, stating that its continuation would be a disaster for South Korea. During an appearance on CBS Radio's "Park Seong-tae's News Show" on May 22, Jo responded to a question about whether the opposition party's leadership should change to effectively check the ruling party. He remarked, "Jang will try to hold onto power in any way possible." He added that if Yang Hyang-ja, May 23, 2026

Namyang Dairy Reports 10% Increase in Formula Sales in Q1, Accelerates Southeast Asia Expansion Namyang Dairy is achieving success with its premium formula strategy, focusing on ingredient competitiveness. The company reported a 10% increase in formula sales in the first quarter of this year, with exports soaring by 54%, indicating a rapid expansion of its global business. On May 22, Namyang Dairy announced that its formula sales in Q1 rose by 10% compared to the same period last year. Domestic sales increased by 4%, while exports experienced a remarkable 54% surge. The compan May 23, 2026

Kakao Pay Waives Transaction Fees for New Small Business Merchants Kakao Pay announced on May 22 that it will fully waive transaction fees for Kakao Pay Money payments made by newly registered small and micro merchants until the end of this year. From May 18 to June 30, small businesses with annual sales of 500 million won or less can apply for this benefit. The fee waiver applies to Kakao Pay Money barcode and QR code payment transactions. Merchants who record their first payment will receive a "Success Kit for Business Owners," which includes fee reduct May 23, 2026

Yoon Bo-mi Exits 'Nasol Saga,' Thanks Viewers for Support Yoon Bo-mi of the girl group Apink has exited the reality show 'Nasol Saga.' During the May 21 broadcast of SBS Plus and ENA's entertainment program 'I Am SOLO, Love Continues' (also known as 'Nasol Saga'), the final selection of solo participants was featured in a special episode. At the end of the episode, host Defconn announced, "I have some disappointing news to share. Today is Yoon Bo-mi's last recording day." In response, Yoon Bo-mi expressed her gratitude, saying, "I feel I have n May 23, 2026

Bodyfriend Unveils New Color 'Daiadenim' for Healthcare Robot 'New Falcon' Bodyfriend has expanded its color lineup for the compact healthcare robot 'New Falcon' with the introduction of a new color, 'Daiadenim.' According to Bodyfriend, the 'New Falcon' is the flagship model of the company's Falcon series of compact healthcare robots, which has sold a total of 100,000 units and generated 300 billion won in revenue. The series includes popular models such as 'Falcon S,' 'Falcon i,' and 'Falcon N.' The new 'Daiadenim' color is the second addition to the lineup, f May 23, 2026

Iran Resumes Drone Production During Ceasefire, U.S. Intelligence Reports Faster Recovery Iran has reportedly resumed some drone production during the ceasefire with the United States and Israel. U.S. intelligence agencies assess that Iran's recovery of its military production capabilities is occurring faster than initially expected. According to CNN on May 21, two sources familiar with U.S. intelligence assessments stated that Iran began resuming some drone production during the six-week ceasefire that started in early April. Four additional sources indicated that the Iranian May 23, 2026

Samsung Electronics and Labor Union Withdraw Complaints Amid Ongoing Police Investigation Samsung Electronics and its labor union have agreed to withdraw various civil and criminal complaints ahead of a union vote on a tentative agreement. This decision aims to resolve ongoing conflicts and foster a healthier labor-management relationship.According to industry sources on May 22, Samsung Electronics and the labor union recently held a meeting to discuss performance bonuses, during which they decided to withdraw complaints related to allegations of creating a 'blacklist' of non-union m May 23, 2026

Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yoon-cheol Announces Expansion of Entrepreneurship Support Koo Yoon-cheol, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, stated on May 22 that the government will continue to implement measures to alleviate the burden on citizens in preparation for the post-war period. He announced plans to double the scale of the second phase of the "Everyone's Entrepreneurship" project. Koo made these remarks during a meeting at the Government Seoul Complex that combined the Emergency Economic Headquarters, the Economic Ministers' Meeting, and the N May 23, 2026