Trump and Xi Confirm Joint Goal of North Korean Denuclearization Donald Trump, the President of the United States, and Xi Jinping, the President of China, have confirmed their joint goal of denuclearizing North Korea. This comes amid speculation that the Trump administration may effectively recognize North Korea as a nuclear state, as the White House officially included "North Korean denuclearization" in its documents. On May 17, the White House released a fact sheet from the US-China summit, stating that Trump and Xi "confirmed their joint goal of denu May 18, 2026

Messi Aims for World Cup Goal Record as Ronaldo Targets Scoring Streak Lionel Messi of Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, two giants of world soccer for over two decades, are set to challenge for records in their sixth FIFA World Cup. The 2026 North America World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will kick off on June 12 with a match between Mexico and South Africa, running through July 20. This tournament is expected to be a significant milestone, as it may mark the last World Cup appearance for both Messi and Ronaldo. Born May 18, 2026

Kim Sang-wook and Kim Jong-hoon Agree on Unified Candidate for Ulsan Mayor The Democratic Party and the Progressive Party reached an agreement on May 15 to unify their candidates for the Ulsan mayoral election in the upcoming June 3 local elections. Kim Sang-wook of the Democratic Party and Kim Jong-hoon of the Progressive Party will be selected as a single candidate through a 100% opinion poll. This agreement follows the withdrawal of Hwang Myung-pil, the candidate from the Justice Party, the previous day, effectively concluding the unification of progressive ca May 18, 2026

Marina Abramović's 'Transforming Energy' Exhibition Opens at Venice's Accademia Gallery On May 7, the Accademia Gallery in Venice opened a solo exhibition titled 'Transforming Energy' by Serbian performance artist Marina Abramović, 80. This exhibition marks Abramović as the first living female artist to showcase work at the gallery, which has a history spanning over 200 years. 'Transforming Energy' resembles a mineral spa. Visitors, wearing large earplugs, set aside their smartphones to meditate or take a nap. They leaned against mineral objects installed on the walls for re May 18, 2026

Government Plans Major Overhaul of Real Estate Tax System The South Korean government is expected to announce a significant reform of the real estate tax system in July, moving beyond merely reducing special exemptions to a phase of normalization. The policy focus is shifting toward a resident-centered approach and addressing market distortions, which is likely to result in a general reduction of various tax benefits. According to the Ministry of Economy and Finance on May 17, the long-term holding special deduction (장특공) for capital gains ta May 18, 2026

Debate Reignites Over Financial Investment Tax Amid Cryptocurrency Taxation Plans The debate over the potential reintroduction of the Financial Investment Income Tax (FIIT) is resurfacing as discussions about the taxation of cryptocurrencies gain momentum. With the implementation of cryptocurrency taxation set for next year, how to ensure equitable taxation between stocks and digital assets has become a key issue in tax reform discussions. According to sources in the financial sector on May 17, there is a growing call among government and political circles to overha May 18, 2026

Government Signals Shift to 'Primary Residence' Focus in Real Estate Taxation The government is preparing a comprehensive redesign of the asset taxation system, focusing on real estate taxation ahead of next year's tax reform announcement. The core of this initiative is a shift from simple tax rate adjustments to a framework centered on 'primary residence and investment income taxation,' which is expected to have significant repercussions across the real estate and financial markets. According to the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the government plans to unveil t May 18, 2026

The Rise of Voice Phishing: Is Financial Education Keeping Up? Recent news and films often evoke a sense of unease. The barrage of phone calls and text messages can make it difficult to enjoy daily life. From the movie "Voice" to reports of voice phishing-related deaths, and the prevalence of romance scams and online fraud, financial crime has infiltrated our everyday existence. During the day, unsolicited calls about insurance and mobile phone upgrades flood in, while weekends bring requests to participate in various election polls. Stock trading May 18, 2026

President Lee Discusses Middle East Peace with Trump President Lee Jae-myung held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on the evening of May 17, discussing the recent U.S.-China summit results and ways to enhance Korea-U.S. relations.According to Chief Presidential Secretary Kang Yu-jeong, the call took place at 10 p.m. and lasted about 30 minutes. The conversation was initiated at the request of South Korea to hear about the outcomes of the U.S.-China summit.During the call, President Trump shared details of the U.S.-China summit with Pr May 18, 2026

Samsung Electronics Strike Looms as Government Considers Emergency Mediation Samsung Electronics strike imminent as government weighs emergency mediation As the strike by Samsung Electronics' labor union approaches, the government's concerns are deepening. The administration, which has maintained a principle of 'autonomous resolution' between labor and management, is now officially considering the possibility of emergency mediation, facing a choice between pro-labor policies and national economic risks. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok stated in a public address on May May 17, 2026