Japan's Arms Export Ambitions: Are There Enough Products to Sell? Japan has long faced peculiar restrictions on the military equipment it can export. Despite possessing advanced capabilities, the country was limited to selling products for non-combat purposes such as structure, transport, surveillance, and mine clearance. This effectively meant that weapons could not be sold. However, the Japanese government recently revised its operational guidelines for the "Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment," easing these restrictions. With case-by-ca May 19, 2026

Shinsegae Chairman Jeong Yong-jin Apologizes for Starbucks 'Tank Day' Controversy Jeong Yong-jin, Chairman of Shinsegae Group, publicly apologized for the controversial 'Tank Day' marketing campaign conducted by Starbucks Korea on the anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement. In a statement released on May 19, Jeong said, "On the day before the 46th anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement, Starbucks Korea, a subsidiary of our group, engaged in inappropriate marketing that should not have occurred and is unacceptable. This has caused dee May 19, 2026

Jung Cheong-rae Dismisses Speculation About Party Leadership Bid Jung Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party, dismissed rumors about his candidacy for the party convention scheduled for August, stating, "I will only be around until 6 PM on June 3, when the local election vote counting begins." During an appearance on the YouTube channel "Kim Eo-jun's Humility is Difficult News Factory," Jung responded to a question about speculation surrounding the party convention by saying, "It seems there are various discussions in the media about the need for May 19, 2026

KP Aerospace Industries Hits Upper Limit on First Day of KOSDAQ Merger Listing KP Aerospace Industries surged to its upper limit on the first day of its KOSDAQ merger listing. According to the Korea Exchange, as of 9:12 a.m. on May 19, KP Aerospace Industries was trading at 43,850 won, up 10,100 won (29.93%) from its listing price of 33,750 won. The stock hit the maximum price limit shortly after the market opened. The Korea Exchange approved the merger listing of KP Aerospace Industries on May 15, with trading commencing on May 19. KP Aerospace Industries entere May 19, 2026

KOSPI Falls Over 1% Amid Foreign Selling; KOSDAQ Mixed The KOSPI index has dropped over 1% in early trading due to foreign selling. Meanwhile, the KOSDAQ is showing mixed movements with fluctuations between gains and losses. As of 9:09 a.m. on May 19, the KOSPI was trading at 7,398.29, down 117.75 points (1.57%) from the previous trading day. The index opened at 7,425.66, down 90.38 points (1.20%), and continued to decline. Individual investors have purchased a net 658.5 billion won worth of stocks, while foreign investors have sold a net 70 May 19, 2026

President Lee to Hold Summit with Japan's Prime Minister Takaichi Today President Lee Jae-myung will hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi today in his hometown of Andong, North Gyeongsang Province.Prime Minister Takaichi is visiting Andong for a two-day trip to meet with President Lee.This visit serves as a reciprocal gesture following President Lee's trip to Nara Prefecture, Prime Minister Takaichi's hometown, in January as part of ongoing shuttle diplomacy.This marks the third in-person meeting between the two leaders, following the APEC summi May 19, 2026

Starbucks Faces Backlash Over 'Tank Day' Promotion on May 18 Starbucks Korea is facing significant criticism online for its 'Tank Day' promotion, which coincided with the anniversary of the May 18 Democracy Movement. On May 19, many social media users expressed their discontent, stating, "It was thoughtless to have Tank Day on May 18," "I won't go there anymore," "I will use other cafes for a while," and "I was a fan of Starbucks, but I'm disappointed." Previously, Starbucks Korea had launched a tumbler promotion event from May 15 to May 26, usin May 19, 2026

Coinone Launches 'Coin Collecting' Service via KakaoBank Coinone announced on May 19 that it will offer its savings investment service, 'Coin Collecting,' through the KakaoBank app.Coinone transitioned its real-name account partnership from NH Nonghyup Bank to KakaoBank in August 2022 and has renewed the contract annually since then. Customers of Coinone with KakaoBank accounts can now conveniently access the Coin Collecting service.Coin Collecting is an automated order service that allows customers to purchase virtual assets on designated dates based May 19, 2026

Schneider Electric Named One of TIME's Top 10 Energy Companies Schneider Electric has been named one of the "Top 10 Most Influential Energy Companies in the World" for 2026 by TIME magazine. The recognition comes as demand for power and cooling in data centers surges due to the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, highlighting the company's competitive edge in energy efficiency innovations. Schneider Electric announced that it is included in the energy sector of TIME's newly released "TIME100 Companies: Industry Leaders" list, wh May 19, 2026

Elon Musk Loses Lawsuit Against OpenAI, Easing IPO Pressure Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has lost a lawsuit he filed against OpenAI. A jury determined that Musk had filed his lawsuit after the legal deadline, and the court accepted this finding, dismissing all of Musk's claims. This outcome is seen as a relief for OpenAI, which is planning to go public (IPO) later this year. On May 18, local time, a jury in the U.S. District Court in Oakland, California, unanimously ruled in favor of OpenAI. The jury concluded that Musk did not file his lawsuit within May 19, 2026