Samsung Electronics and Labor Union Resume Final Negotiations Ahead of Strike Samsung Electronics and its labor union began their final round of negotiations on May 19, ahead of a planned general strike on May 21.The two sides met at the Central Labor Relations Commission in Sejong at 10 a.m. to resume wage negotiations for the year.Park Soo-geun, chairman of the commission, stated as he entered the meeting room, "We will see if both sides can reach an agreement. If not, we will present a mediation proposal. There is still a possibility of an agreement, so we will assess May 19, 2026

Court to Decide on Arrest of Lee Eun-woo, Former KTV Director, on Sedition Charges The arrest status of Lee Eun-woo, former director of the Korea Policy Broadcasting (KTV), who faces sedition charges related to the emergency martial law, is expected to be decided on the 21st. According to legal sources on the 19th, Judge Lee Jong-rok of the Seoul Central District Court will conduct a warrant review for Lee on the 21st. On the 18th, the Special Prosecutors' Team, led by Kwon Chang-young, filed for an arrest warrant against Lee on charges of promoting sedition. This marks the fi May 19, 2026

May Housing Business Outlook Index Rises Amid Investment Shift to Non-Metropolitan Areas The outlook for the housing business improved in May as investment demand shifted to non-metropolitan areas due to stricter real estate regulations in the metropolitan region. On May 19, a survey of housing developers revealed that the housing business outlook index rose by 13.9 points from the previous month to 77.6. While the metropolitan area saw a decline of 5.3 points to 72.9, non-metropolitan areas experienced an increase of 18.0 points to 78.6. In the metropolitan region, the May 19, 2026

Government to Offer Up to 40% Discount on Stocked Seafood Amid Seasonal Price Fluctuations The government will supply stocked seafood at prices discounted by up to 30-40% as the fishing season begins and production declines. According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on May 19, the entry into the fishing season in May is likely to increase price volatility for seafood. To stabilize prices, the ministry plans to release up to 8,000 tons of stocked seafood into the market from May 20 to July 15. Typically, seafood production decreases during the fishing season. The Nati May 19, 2026

Hyundai Mobis Expands Robotics and AI Partnerships in Silicon Valley Hyundai Mobis is expanding its global network in robotics and physical AI in Silicon Valley. The company is increasing collaboration with local startups, investors, and developers to secure key technologies for future mobility. On May 18, Hyundai Mobis announced it held the 5th Mobis Mobility Day in Sunnyvale, California. This year's event focused on robotics and physical AI, attracting over 400 attendees, the largest turnout to date and more than double last year's participation. The aud May 19, 2026

Government to Support Lunch Costs for Small Business Workers The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on May 19 that it will launch the "Substantial Lunch Program for Workers" starting on the 21st to alleviate the lunch cost burden for employees of small businesses and stimulate sluggish dining consumption.This initiative aims to ease the burden of "lunchflation" on small business employees by providing partial support for lunch expenses through collaboration between the government, local governments, and sponsorship from KB Financia May 19, 2026

Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryeong to Host Live Commerce Event Amid Onion Price Drop As onion prices plummet due to oversupply, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mi-ryeong will take to live commerce to sell fresh onions. The Ministry announced that Minister Song will participate as a "guest host" in a live commerce broadcast scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Iksan Agricultural Cooperative online studio in North Jeolla Province. The event aims to encourage onion consumption, during which Minister Song will explain the benefits and storage methods of onions. May 19, 2026

Apple Announces Schedule for WWDC, Expected to Feature AI Announcements Apple has unveiled the schedule for its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), which is expected to be Tim Cook's last as CEO. On June 8, Apple announced that WWDC 2026 will take place from June 8 to June 12. WWDC is Apple's yearly developer event, typically showcasing the next generation of operating systems and software updates. Given Apple's recent announcement that it will adopt Google's generative AI model, Gemini, for the next version of Siri, this year's event is likely to May 19, 2026

Ruling Party Criticizes Oh Se-hoon Over GTX-A Steel Shortage and Han River Bus Issues The Democratic Party criticized Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party candidate, on May 19, over allegations of missing steel reinforcements in the GTX-A project and issues related to the Han River bus service. They stated, "He is unfit to take responsibility for Seoul. He should resign and take accountability," and emphasized, "We cannot entrust citizen safety to someone who shifts blame." During a National Assembly meeting, Han Byeong-do, the party's floor leader, highlighted three major a May 19, 2026

Jung Won-oh Criticizes Oh Se-hoon for Safety Negligence as Democratic Party Launches Campaign Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party's candidate for Seoul mayor, held his final public meeting before the official campaign kickoff. The meeting, held on the morning of May 19 in Jung-gu, Seoul, featured key figures including Seo Young-kyo, Park Joo-min, Jeon Hyun-hee, and Lee In-young, who launched a coordinated attack on Oh Se-hoon, the candidate from the People Power Party. During the meeting, Jung stated, "This election must serve as a judgment on Mayor Oh's incompetence and irrespons May 19, 2026