May 18 Democratization Movement Commemoration and Major Domestic and International Political and Economic News
On May 18, the 46th anniversary commemoration of the May 18 Democratization Movement was held at the May 18 Democracy Square in Gwangju. President Lee Jae-myung attended the ceremony and reaffirmed his promise to include the spirit of May 18 in the preamble of the Constitution. He also stated that the government would take the lead in identifying victims who have not yet been registered as persons of national merit, ensuring that not a single sacrifice is overlooked and that all are treated with due respect.
In the international community, tensions between the United States and Iran are rising. U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran in an interview that time is running out and urged them to move quickly. President Trump is reportedly scheduled to hold a meeting with his national security team on the 19th to discuss various response measures, including military options against Iran.
In domestic politics, fierce debates and cooperation continue ahead of the elections. Regarding the Busan Buk-gu Gap by-election, Mayor Hong Joon-pyo mentioned the possibility of the opposition candidate's victory, leading to a sharp exchange of words with candidate Han Dong-hoon, who strongly criticized the remark. Meanwhile, in the Busan Yeonje-gu District Head election, the Democratic Party of Korea and the Progressive Party have agreed on a single candidate and are preparing for their campaign.
In Sejong City, local women's organizations have come forward to criticize the attitude of politicians. The Sejong Women's Solidarity expressed regret over the fact that major mayoral candidates announced their intention to be absent from the women's policy debate scheduled for the 26th. The group argued that candidates should attend the debate without conditions and engage in sincere communication with citizens regarding women's policies.
In the industrial sector, a family dispute within the Hanmi Pharmaceutical Group is drawing attention as it escalates into a legal battle. This conflict began with the burden of inheritance taxes amounting to 460 billion won following the death of the founder. In the process of resolving the inheritance tax payment issue, differences of opinion among family members grew, leading to a lawsuit worth over 60 billion won, which is significantly impacting management rights.
In the cryptocurrency market, "Worldcoin," created by ChatGPT founder Sam Altman, experienced a crash where its value plummeted by 97%. Although it gained attention as an innovative project using iris recognition technology to prove identity, analysts suggest that its asset value has reached a near-ruinous level due to a structure overly dependent on the founder's reputation and overlapping legal controversies.
Finally, in sports news, Choi Doo-ho, the "Korean Superboy" competing in the mixed martial arts organization UFC, achieved a thrilling comeback TKO victory against Daniel Santos. Overcoming early difficulties in the match, Choi secured the win with a fierce offensive, proving his confidence that any fight involving him becomes exciting.