Jangheung County Mayor Promotes Integrated Medicine Expo from Baseball Commentary Booth Jangheung County Mayor Sa Soon-moon served as an honorary commentator during a professional baseball game to promote the upcoming '2026 Korea Integrated Medicine Expo' scheduled for October in Jangheung. According to Jangheung County on the 18th, Mayor Sa participated as an honorary commentator for CMB Gwangju Broadcasting during the KIA Tigers vs. Kiwoom Heroes game held at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on the 17th. His involvement in the commentary and promotional activities for the expo has bee September 18, 2026

Apple Launches iPhone 18 Pro Series in South Korea On September 18, Apple officially launched its new iPhone 18 Pro series in South Korea. Customers began lining up outside the Apple Myeongdong store before it opened, eager to pick up their pre-ordered devices. However, the crowd was noticeably smaller compared to previous years, likely due to the shift to in-store pickups for pre-orders and anticipation for the upcoming iPhone Duo.This year, customers could not purchase devices on launch day; only pre-order pickups were allowed. The demand for September 18, 2026

Highway Gas Prices to Drop by 100 Won, Gas Stations Protest The government announced a 100 won per liter reduction in fuel prices at highway gas stations during the Chuseok holiday, prompting a strong backlash from the gas station industry.On September 18, the Korea Gas Station Association criticized the government's decision to lower prices at 226 highway gas stations managed by the Korea Expressway Corporation from September 24 to 27, arguing that artificially lowering prices at specific stations distorts competition with regular gas stations.The assoc September 18, 2026

Fire Breaks Out at Logistics Center in Incheon, No Injuries Reported A fire broke out at a logistics center in Oryu-dong, Geumdan District, Incheon. According to Yonhap News, the fire started at approximately 2:44 p.m. on the 18th, prompting firefighting authorities to respond. The blaze began in external boxes outside the warehouse and spread to the building, but no injuries have been reported. The Seohae District sent out a safety message stating, "A fire has occurred at the logistics center," advising vehicles to detour around the area and urging people inside September 18, 2026

International Oil Prices Surpass $100, Pressuring Food Industry Costs International oil prices have once again surpassed $100 per barrel, intensifying cost pressures on the domestic food industry, which had already been grappling with high inflation and exchange rates in the first half of the year. While the recent decline in the won-dollar exchange rate has eased some burden on imported raw materials, the ongoing high oil prices are raising logistics, packaging, and energy costs for factory operations, becoming a significant factor for profitability in the second September 18, 2026

Homeplus Seeks New Owners for 67 Hypermarkets as M&A Process Begins Homeplus, which recently received court approval for its rehabilitation plan, has officially begun the process of asset sales and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Following the sale of its corporate supermarket division, Homeplus Express, the company is now seeking new owners for its remaining hypermarkets, online business, and headquarters as part of its recovery efforts.According to the retail and financial investment sectors on September 17, Homeplus has initiated M&A procedures for 67 hyperma September 18, 2026

Im Han-kyu Selected as Top Candidate for President of Mokpo National University Im Han-kyu has been selected as the top candidate for the presidency of Mokpo National University. Ryu Dong-young secured the second position. According to the Mokpo National University Presidential Recommendation Committee, the election results announced on the 18th showed Im Han-kyu, candidate number one, received 53.9% of the votes, while candidate number two, Ryu Dong-young, garnered 39.8%. The turnout for those who did not participate was recorded at 6.3%. The final voter turnout announce September 18, 2026

President Lee Addresses Public Concerns in Press Conference 이재명 대통령이 18일 청와대 영빈관에서 진행한 취임 후 7번째 기자회견은 대체로 절제 되고 무거운 분위기 속에서 진행됐다. 최근 국정 지지율이 취임 후 최저 수준으로 떨어진 가운데, 이 대통령은 국민에게 송구하다는 뜻을 밝히며 국정 운영의 부족함을 자신의 책임으로 돌렸다. 연임 논란과 조작기소 특검의 공소취소 논란에는 분명하게 선을 그었고, 여권 내 갈등과 단일종목 레버리지 상장지수펀드(ETF) 도입 등 논란이 된 사안에서도 책임을 피하지 않았다. 그러면서도 검찰개혁과 부동산 시장 안정 등 이재명 정부의 핵심 국정 September 18, 2026

Saudi Arabia Turns to China for Help Amid Conflict with Houthi Rebels Recently, a peculiar situation has emerged in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia, a long-time ally of the United States, has reportedly sought assistance from China to resolve its military conflict with the Houthi rebels in Yemen. This marks a significant moment where a U.S. ally is leveraging the influence of a rival power to address security issues.Initially, Saudi Arabia turned to the U.S. for support, requesting military action against the Houthi rebels. However, the U.S. declined the request. In September 18, 2026

National Tax Service Extends Tax Deadlines for Flood-Affected Residents in Yeonggwang The National Tax Service (NTS) will extend the tax filing and payment deadlines for residents of Baeksu-eup in Yeonggwang County, who were affected by heavy rainfall, by up to two years. The NTS will also suspend property seizures and sales, as well as tax audits, and expedite the payment of tax refunds to support recovery efforts.On September 18, the NTS announced that this tax relief measure follows the designation of Baeksu-eup as a special disaster area due to the severe flooding that occurr September 18, 2026