Stories from South Korea

A campaign committee has been formed for the Gyeonggi province elections, with 44 out of 51 regional lawmakers participating.

Park Chan-dae, a Democratic Party candidate for Incheon Mayor, held a vision declaration ceremony. He revealed a master plan strategy centered on artificial intelligence and biotechnology. The announcement aims to establish these sectors as core economic pillars. People Power Party candidate Yoo Jeong-bok held a campaign launch at City Hall Plaza, said administrative continuity and experience. Both candidates are competing for the Incheon mayoral position.

Democratic Party Seoul mayoral candidate Jung Won-ho visited a redevelopment district to announce real estate pledges. The core of the proposal is to reduce the current redevelopment project duration of approximately 15 years to under 10 years.

Christian church leaders in South Korea issued a statement calling for the inclusion of the 5.18 Gwangju Democratization Movement spirit in the preamble of the national constitution.

Police have referred a non-union driver to the prosecution while in custody following a fatal accident involving a union member.

President Lee has instructed officials to review lifting restrictions on using high oil price subsidies at gas stations. Voice phishing damages in South Korea exceeded 1 trillion won for the first time in 2025. The scale of losses has increased significantly from approximately 470 billion won in 2013. The source noted that the methods used for deception are becoming more diverse and large-scale. The situation is described as a serious issue that anyone can fall victim to. The source noted that the use of AI has made these scams easier to execute. Scammers are utilizing various payment methods and social platforms, including in-app game purchases and family group chats, to facilitate fraud. The era of easily distinguishing between legitimate and fraudulent communications is ending due to these technological advancements.

The Democratic Party reported that tire production plants are facing difficulties due to rising raw material prices. These price increases are linked to disruptions in crude oil supply caused by the war in Iran. Specifically, the cost of petrochemical products such as synthetic rubber used in tire manufacturing has risen significantly. This has led to concerns regarding decreased operating profits. Manufacturers are expressing concerns regarding potential decreases in operating profits. Rising costs of petrochemical-based raw materials are impacting tire manufacturing plants. Synthetic rubber and carbon black, which comprise over half of a single tire's components, have seen price increases. The import price of synthetic rubber rose by 40% over a two-month period due to disruptions in crude oil supply caused by the war in Ukraine. One facility produces 140,000 tons of tires annually.

South Korean production banner Something Special has promoted InSoon Kim to co-chief executive and chief business officer.

The Democratic Party has officially recruited former Blue House AI Future Planning Secretary Ha Jung-woo to run for office in Busan. The party is reportedly beginning a campaign to promote his candidacy. He called on the National Assembly to finalize the necessary legislation to support these developments. Ha said that the intersection of local governance and AI will create a new era. There are ongoing calls within the conservative sector to demand no nominations in Busan Buk-gap. The People Power Party announced it is accepting applications for candidates in nine districts for the upcoming June 3 by-elections. The recruitment includes Busan Buk-gu, Daegu Dalseong, Incheon Yeonsu-gap, and Gyeonggi Hanam-gap. Busan Buk-gu has emerged as a primary area of interest due to the potential recruitment of Ha Jung-woo.

Incheon is planning to connect the KTX line to Songdo Station by the end of this year. The plan includes using shuttles to link the Incheon International Terminal to create KTX demand.