After the chaos of the Yoon era, South Korea prepares to pick a new president

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National

🗳️ After the turbulence of the Yoon era, South Korea gears up for a pivotal presidential election.

After six months of political turmoil and the dramatic impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, South Korea is preparing for a pivotal presidential election on June 3. Yoon’s suspension of civilian rule and declaration of martial law plunged the country into its deepest crisis in decades, leaving behind a fractured political landscape and a shaken public.

Now, attention turns to the economy—stagnating growth, soaring youth unemployment, and one of the world’s lowest birthrates. Conservative candidate Kim Moon-soo, backed by a divided People Power Party (PPP), faces off against liberal Lee Jae-myung, who leads in the polls despite ongoing legal battles.

Kim promises stability, economic revival, and hardline diplomacy, including a proposed summit with Donald Trump. Lee, campaigning in a bulletproof vest after past threats, pledges tech-driven growth, family incentives, and renewed North Korea dialogue.

With just weeks to go, polls show Lee leading by 10–14%, but uncertainty remains high in a nation eager for steady leadership and economic reform.

Business

🚫 Kakao Entertainment Shuts Down Major Piracy Site

Kakao Entertainment has officially shut down Reaper Scans, one of the largest English-language piracy sites for Korean webtoons and web novels. The move was led by Kakao’s anti-piracy unit P.CoK, which used proprietary tech to identify and halt the site’s operations last Friday.

Reaper Scans had operated for six years, attracting 10 million monthly visits and building a Discord community of over 95,000 subscribers. Kakao says this takedown marks a major step in protecting creators and IP in Korea’s growing content industry.

Lee’s been busy all week, popping into Xiaomi’s EV plant in Beijing on March 23 and BYD’s HQ in Shenzhen on March 24. Word on the street: he’s eyeing deals in auto chips, panels, and more—Samsung’s next big thing. With China’s EV giants like BYD (world’s top dog) and Xiaomi in his sights, Lee’s betting on car components to juice Samsung’s future. Exports to China hit 65 trillion won ($44.3B) in 2024, edging out the U.S., even as Chinese brands dominate Samsung’s phone and appliance turf. Chips, though? That’s where the real action is—Samsung’s Xi’an plant pumps out 40% of its NAND memory.

No big chip plant upgrades yet (thanks, U.S. CHIPS Act), but a tweak here and there? Could happen. For now, Lee’s moves scream one thing: China’s still Samsung’s VIP.

Travel Guide Korea

Let’s have fun today and learn about Korean Pickup lines!

Imagine this: You're dancing under neon lights at a buzzing club in Itaewon or Gangnam, surrounded by music, energy, and the heartbeat of Seoul. Suddenly, your eyes meet someone across the room. Time slows. The bass drops. You take a breath, step off the floor, and glide through the crowd like a K-drama lead in slow motion.

With a confident smile, you lean in and say:

"Are you a hanok? Because my heart feels at home with you."

💘 Cue blushes, laughter, or maybe the start of a Seoul love story. In Korea, nightlife even has its magic. [link]