87% of This Year's African Swine Fever Cases Linked to Foreign Sources This year, 87% of the confirmed cases of African swine fever (ASF) in South Korean farms have been traced back to foreign sources. The primary routes of transmission are believed to be through feed ingredients and the compounded feed made from them. The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency released the findings of its epidemiological investigation into the causes of ASF on May 19. Between January 16 and March 16, 24 cases of ASF were reported across seven provinces nationwide. Notably, the di May 19, 2026

President Lee Welcomes Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi in Andong President Lee Jae-myung personally welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on May 19 in Andong, where they were set to hold a Korea-Japan summit.President Lee stood at the entrance of a hotel in downtown Andong around 1:40 p.m. waiting for the arrival of Prime Minister Takaichi's vehicle.As the black car arrived, President Lee greeted Takaichi with a bright smile, clapping his hands and shaking her hand.The two leaders, meeting for the third time in an official capacity, displayed their May 19, 2026

Kim Kwan-young Leads Slightly Over Lee Won-taek in Jeonbuk Governor Race A recent poll indicates a tight race between Lee Won-taek of the Democratic Party and independent candidate Kim Kwan-young in the Jeonbuk governor election. The survey, conducted by Hangil Research on May 16-17 and commissioned by the New Jeonbuk Newspaper, involved 1,001 residents aged 18 and older in Jeonbuk. The results, released on May 18, show Kim Kwan-young leading with 42.1% support, while Lee Won-taek follows closely with 40.5%. The poll also recorded 4.9% for Yang Jeong-moo of May 19, 2026

LG Energy Solution Partners with Honda and Hanoi to Expand Electric Motorcycle Market LG Energy Solution announced on May 19 that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Honda and the city of Hanoi to collaborate on the establishment of public battery swapping stations for electric motorcycles. The partnership will focus on several key areas: building battery swapping stations in central Hanoi, developing battery standardization and safety management systems, and jointly creating business models for electric motorcycle platforms. Starting in the third quarte May 19, 2026

Public Housing Applications Open for New Towns in South Korea As public housing applications begin for key districts in South Korea's third new towns, prospective buyers are facing complex calculations. While the application price cap is expected to make these units more competitively priced than surrounding markets, rising construction and land costs have led to higher-than-expected prices, making it difficult to view these applications as a "lottery" opportunity. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Korea Land and H May 19, 2026

Credit Card Companies Expand Loan Services Amid Declining Profitability As the credit card industry faces declining profitability due to reduced merchant fees, companies are expanding their financial services focused on credit loans, resulting in increased funding levels. Samsung Card, in particular, has shown aggressive growth, recording the largest increases in both credit loans and funding balance. In contrast, Shinhan Card, the industry leader, has adopted a strategy emphasizing asset efficiency, leading to a different trend. According to the financial se May 19, 2026

KOSPI Plummets Over 3% Amid Heavy Foreign Selling, Falls Below 7200 The KOSPI and KOSDAQ are experiencing significant declines during trading hours. Following substantial foreign net selling, the KOSPI dropped to the 7100 range, while the KOSDAQ, which had initially risen, fell over 2%. As of 2:18 PM on May 19, the KOSPI was trading at 7267.63, down 248.41 points (3.31%) from the previous trading day. The index opened at 7425.66, down 90.38 points (1.20%). The KOSPI fell to as low as 7141.91 during the day, marking the second consecutive trading day belo May 19, 2026

DL E&C Proposes 'Acro Apgujeong' in Competitive Apgujeong 5 District Reconstruction DL E&C has launched a comprehensive campaign in the competitive bidding for the reconstruction of Apgujeong 5 District, emphasizing a construction period of 57 months, a 244-pyeong super penthouse, and attractive financial conditions. The atmosphere is heating up as they openly challenge Hyundai Engineering for the support of district members. On May 19, DL E&C held a presentation at the promotional center for Apgujeong 5 District (Apgujeong Hanyang 1st and 2nd phases) located in the Taese May 19, 2026

Kakao Mobility and HD Hyundai Site Solutions Expand Collaboration on Physical AI in Logistics Kakao Mobility is partnering with HD Hyundai Site Solutions to expand the Physical AI ecosystem focused on logistics operations. On May 19, Kakao Mobility announced that it has signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with HD Hyundai Site Solutions to build a next-generation unmanned logistics and Physical AI ecosystem. The two companies plan to jointly promote automation and unmanned operations across logistics sites in line with the industry's shift from hardware-centric au May 19, 2026

Hyundai Engineering & Construction Shares Plummet for Third Consecutive Day Amid Rebar Shortage Hyundai Engineering & Construction is experiencing a decline in stock prices for the third consecutive trading day due to the fallout from a rebar shortage in the GTX-A Samsung Station construction project. Concerns over the financial burden of reinforcement costs and potential administrative penalties are weighing heavily on investor sentiment. As of 2:20 PM on May 19, the Korea Exchange reported that Hyundai Engineering & Construction shares were trading at 139,700 won, down 5,200 won ( May 19, 2026