500 College Students and Young Volunteers Gather in Muan for Community Service Event The Hyun-gyeong district in Muan County, South Jeolla Province, hosted a large-scale integrated volunteer event connecting college students and young volunteers with local residents. On September 18, the district held the 'Youth Volunteer Group & Value-UP Mutual Sharing Project' at the Hyun-gyeong Cultural Welfare Center, featuring participation from college students, young volunteers, social solidarity organizations, and related institutions. This event was organized following the Ministry of t September 18, 2026

South Korea Revamps Certification System for Innovative Pharmaceutical Companies The South Korean government is overhauling its certification system for innovative pharmaceutical and biotech ventures to help them grow into leading global companies. The new system will differentiate between 'leading' companies focused on blockbuster drug development and 'growth' companies aimed at nurturing startups, creating a structured 'growth ladder' tailored to the stages of company development.On September 18, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that it will propose amendments September 18, 2026

Strength of the Won Boosts Bank Stocks Amid Export Concerns The strengthening of the won is increasing the performance burden on export companies in the domestic stock market, while bank stocks are showing relatively strong trends. Analysts note that the direct impact of exchange rate changes on bank performance is limited, and expectations for foreign exchange translation gains and improvements in Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratios due to the decline in the won-dollar exchange rate are raising expectations for third-quarter results.According to the Kore September 18, 2026

New Book Explores Why Japanese People Hide Their True Feelings Why do Japanese people often conceal their true feelings? Even in close relationships, they tend to draw physical and psychological boundaries.The new book Curious About Japan delves into the mindset and behaviors of Japanese people, which may seem familiar yet foreign to Koreans, through 100 thought-provoking questions. Written by Professor Yoon Kyung-min of Eulji University, who majored in Japanese and served as a YTN Tokyo correspondent for three years, the book is based on extensive research September 18, 2026

Heavy Traffic Expected During Short Chuseok Holiday With this year's Chuseok holiday lasting only four days, a surge in travel is anticipated on specific dates, prompting special traffic measures nationwide.The Southern Gyeonggi Police Agency announced on September 18 that it will implement a special traffic management period from September 17 to 27. According to the police, the average daily traffic volume during this year's Chuseok holiday is expected to reach 6.05 million vehicles, an 11.8% increase from last year's 5.41 million. In the metrop September 18, 2026

Park Hong-keun: Economic Growth Benefits Must Be Shared Across Generations and Regions Park Hong-keun, the Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, stated on September 18 that the direction for establishing a national development strategy should focus on enhancing growth potential and ensuring that the benefits of economic growth are distributed across generations, regions, and social classes. He emphasized the need to provide hope for citizens to lead basic lives and to have opportunities for recovery even after failures.On this day, Minister Park co-chaired the September 18, 2026

Hwawoo Law Firm Concludes Seminar on Corporate Criminal Risks Hwawoo Law Firm announced on September 18 that it held a seminar on September 17 at its training center, titled 'Transformation of Investigation Structure: Changes in Corporate Criminal Risks and Response Strategies.'The seminar was organized to proactively assess the criminal risks that companies may face in response to fundamental reforms in the criminal justice system, including the abolition of the prosecution office, the establishment of the Public Prosecution Service and the Serious Crimes September 18, 2026

Naver Cloud Unveils Defense AI Strategy for Military Applications Naver Cloud has introduced a Defense Sovereign AI strategy aimed at applying and validating civilian AI technology in military operations. The strategy includes plans for enhancing autonomous weapon systems and supporting real-time decision-making based on data, while ensuring that the military retains control over data and AI models through a specialized defense cloud.On September 18, Naver Cloud hosted the 'Defense AI Day' seminar at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul, attended by 550 representatives f September 18, 2026

Democratic Party Lawmaker Jung Jun-ho Receives Disqualification Sentence for Illegal Election Activities Jung Jun-ho, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea representing Gwangju Buk-gu Gap, was sentenced to disqualification in the first trial for engaging in illegal election activities and receiving illicit political funds during the 22nd National Assembly elections.On September 18, the 12th Criminal Division of the Gwangju District Court, presided over by Judge Jang Woo-seok, imposed a fine of 10 million won and an additional forfeiture of 50 million won on Jung for violating the Public Off September 18, 2026

Construction of Gadeokdo New Airport to Begin This Year as Collaboration Framework Launched The construction of the Gadeokdo New Airport is set to begin this year, with the government, Busan Metropolitan City, and the project implementer establishing a continuous cooperation framework.On September 18, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced the first meeting of the 'Gadeokdo New Airport Project Promotion Council' with Busan City and the Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Corporation.The council includes the head of the Ministry's Aviation Policy Division, the Vice M September 18, 2026