Close Race in Pyeongtaek: Jo Guk Leads with 29.3%, Kim Yong-nam at 25.5% A recent poll indicates a tight race among candidates for the Pyeongtaek by-election, coinciding with local elections. Jo Guk of the Jo Guk Innovation Party leads with 29.3%, followed by Kim Yong-nam of the Democratic Party at 25.5%, and Yoo Yi-dong of the People Power Party at 22.4%. The poll, conducted by Ace Research from May 16 to 17, surveyed 504 adults aged 18 and older residing in Pyeongtaek. Other candidates, including Hwang Kyo-ahn of the Liberty and Innovation Party at 9.4% and May 19, 2026

Samsung Electronics Strike Looms as Mediation Talks Continue As the second day of mediation by the Central Labor Relations Commission (CLRC) unfolds, attention is focused on whether Samsung Electronics and its labor union can find common ground. The CLRC is conducting the second day of mediation talks for Samsung Electronics' 2026 negotiations from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the government complex in Sejong. The meeting is closed to the public. Prior to entering the meeting, Choi Seung-ho, chairman of the Samsung Electronics union's joint action headquarte May 19, 2026

International Oil Prices Continue to Rise as Exchange Rate Shows Mixed Trends The won-dollar exchange rate opened lower but showed mixed trends in the 1500 won range. As of 9:55 a.m. in the Seoul foreign exchange market, the exchange rate for the Korean won against the U.S. dollar was 1500.1 won. The rate opened at 1493.8 won, down 6.5 won from the previous session. The slight decline in the value of the dollar and mixed performance in the New York stock market are believed to have influenced the rise in international oil prices. In the New York stock market, May 19, 2026

Musk Loses Lawsuit Against OpenAI as Anthropic Acquires Stainless A U.S. jury has dismissed Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI. At the same time, competitor Anthropic has acquired the AI development infrastructure company Stainless to strengthen its API and agent ecosystem. "Lawsuit filing deadline has passed"… Musk loses against OpenAI According to reports from TechCrunch and other outlets on May 19, a jury in a California federal court ruled in favor of the defendants in Musk's lawsuit against Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, OpenAI, and Microsoft on May 1 May 19, 2026

Choi Jin-yeob Appointed Head of the National Contemporary Dance Company Choi Jin-yeob has been appointed as the head and artistic director of the National Contemporary Dance Company. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism awarded him the appointment certificate on May 19. His term as head will last for three years. Choi graduated from the Korea National University of Arts and the London Contemporary Dance School. He currently serves as the representative and artistic director of Collective A. He has been actively involved in creative projects, includi May 19, 2026

KOSDAQ Faces Crisis as Major Companies Depart for KOSPI Once a thriving commercial district, a once-bustling area is now filled with vacant storefronts. Initially, businesses flourished, drawing crowds eager to enter shops that often had long lines. However, as time passed, the atmosphere shifted. Empty shops began to dominate the streets, and many restaurants now operate without a single customer all day. The owner of the last successful fish market ultimately decided, "If I stay in this area any longer, I will go bankrupt too." He planned t May 19, 2026

Korea's Investment Opportunities Highlighted at London Economic Briefing Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy Koo Yun-cheol held a Korean Economic Investment Briefing in London, urging global investors to consider opportunities in South Korea, stating that the term "Korea Discount" is now outdated. The Ministry of Finance and Economy announced on May 19 that the briefing took place at the South Korean Embassy in London on May 18, targeting major global investment institutions. Attendees included representatives from leading asset manage May 19, 2026

LG Electronics Shares Vocational Training Expertise with Somalia LG Electronics is sharing its experience from over a decade of operating a vocational training school in Ethiopia with youth skills education in Somalia. On May 19, LG Electronics announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) at the LG-KOICA Hope Vocational Training School in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The agreement aims to enhance vocational training for Somali youth. Under t May 19, 2026

POSCO Faces Unprecedented Uncertainty Amid Direct Employment Controversy POSCO is facing unprecedented uncertainty as tensions escalate between labor and management over the company's plan to directly employ workers from its partner companies. The labor union has initiated dispute procedures, claiming the move was made unilaterally without prior consultation. There are even discussions about the possibility of a first-ever general strike in the company's history. In April, POSCO announced its decision to directly hire 7,000 employees from partner companies throu May 19, 2026

Shooting at San Diego Islamic Center Leaves Three Dead; Hate Crime Suspected Three men were killed in a shooting at a large Islamic center in San Diego, California, when two teenagers opened fire. The suspects were found dead in a nearby vehicle shortly after the incident, and police are investigating the case as a hate crime. According to reports from AP and CNN, the shooting occurred on May 18 at the San Diego Islamic Center located in the Clairemont area of San Diego County, resulting in the deaths of three adult men, including a security guard. San Diego Polic May 19, 2026