South Korea's CPTPP Membership Talks Gain Momentum Amid Regional Cooperation In light of the unstable international situation, establishing a Korea-Japan economic community has become more crucial than ever. Discussions regarding South Korea's potential membership in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) are seen as a concrete way to achieve this goal.Kazuhisa Shibuya, a professor at Kansai Gakuin University and former chief policy coordinator for Japan's TPP negotiations, stated at the Korea-Japan Business Conference on May 20 May 21, 2026

Hanwha Robotics Accelerates Its Entry into the Physical AI Market Hanwha Group is making a bold move into the physical artificial intelligence (AI) market with Hanwha Robotics. As competitors like Doosan Robotics and Rainbow Robotics dominate the domestic collaborative robot sector, Hanwha Robotics aims to leverage synergies with its distribution and service subsidiaries and its AI technology to overcome the challenges of being a latecomer. According to industry sources, Hanwha Robotics is led by Vice President Kim Dong-sun, the third son of Hanwha Group May 21, 2026

Park Min-sik Rules Out Alliance with Han Dong-hoon in Election Campaign Park Min-sik, the People Power Party candidate for the Busan Buk-gap parliamentary by-election, dismissed the possibility of an alliance with other conservative candidates on the first day of his official campaign on May 21. "There will be no alliance. I will go all the way and win for sure," he declared, expressing his determination to complete the race.At the campaign launch held at Ssamji Park in Gupo Market, Park shaved his head and stated, "I will end Han Dong-hoon's predatory and parasitic May 21, 2026

Seoul Police Investigate Starbucks 'Tank Day' Incident Involving Shinsegae Chairman On May 18, the 46th anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Movement, Jeong Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group, was reported to the police over the controversy surrounding Starbucks' 'Tank Day' promotion. According to police on May 21, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency initially assigned the case involving Jeong and former Starbucks Korea CEO Son Jeong-hyun to the Gangnam Police Station but later reassigned it to the Public Crime Investigation Unit. The Seoul police had originally desig May 21, 2026

Cloudy Weather Expected Nationwide with Rain in Jeju On Friday, May 22, cloudy weather is expected across the country, with conditions becoming increasingly overcast in the evening. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on May 21, rain is anticipated in Jeju starting late in the day, with expected precipitation of less than 5 millimeters. Morning low temperatures are forecasted to range from 12 to 17 degrees Celsius, while daytime highs are expected to be between 17 and 27 degrees Celsius. Although the weather will be relati May 21, 2026

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok Launches Global AI Hub to Tackle Global Challenges "International organizations, governments, academia, industry, and civil society must come together to innovate towards 'AI for All' and 'human-centered inclusive AI.'" Prime Minister Kim Min-seok made this statement during his opening remarks at the 'Global AI Hub Vision Declaration Ceremony' held on May 21 at the Grand Hyatt Seoul. He introduced the vision of 'AI for All, AI to Solve Global Challenges.' The Global AI Hub is a global AI cooperation platform being established in So May 21, 2026

Iran's Internet Shutdown Hits Economy, Leaving Over 1 Million Jobless The ongoing internet shutdown in Iran, now in its third month, is exacerbating the country's already strained economy, which has been affected by war and sanctions. More than 1 million people have lost their jobs as online sales, international transactions, and remote work have come to a standstill. According to the Wall Street Journal on May 20, Iran's internet connectivity has remained at just 1-2% of its total capacity in recent weeks, a stark decline from 90-100% before anti-government May 21, 2026

Kim Boo-kyum Aims to Transform Daegu into Southern Korea's Tech Hub Kim Boo-kyum, the Democratic Party's candidate for mayor of Daegu, stated that to revive the city's economy, a fundamental change in its industrial structure is necessary. He plans to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into Daegu's traditional manufacturing sectors, including machinery, metals, automotive parts, and textiles, while positioning AI robotics, future mobility, healthcare, and quantum technology as new growth engines. In an interview with Aju Economy, Kim described his top campai May 21, 2026

Foreign Shoppers Boost South Korea's Duty-Free Sales in Q1 After a prolonged slump, South Korea's duty-free industry is showing signs of recovery this year. The shift away from the costly daigong (Chinese personal shoppers) model to a focus on foreign high-spenders through K-content and experiential strategies is credited for this turnaround. The second quarter is expected to see continued growth, bolstered by the influx of foreign visitors during China's Labor Day and Japan's Golden Week holidays. According to the Korea Duty Free Associa May 21, 2026

LG Electronics Shares Surge Amid Optimism for AI and Robotics LG Electronics saw its shares hit the daily limit increase as investor optimism grew around its new robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) ventures. The company’s shift away from a traditional home appliance focus has renewed expectations for growth, significantly improving investor sentiment. On May 21, the Korea Exchange reported that LG Electronics' stock closed at 235,000 won, up 54,000 won (29.83%) from the previous trading day. The surge in buying interest is attributed to expec May 21, 2026