Seoul: The major headlines in South Korean newspapers today predominantly focus on the commencement of early voting and the impact of U.S. visa policy changes on foreign students. Early voting has begun, with presidential candidates actively participating and encouraging citizens to cast their ballots.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Kyunghyang Shinmun reports that early voting has started, with presidential candidates expressing their commitment to participate in the voting process. The Kookmin Daily highlights the unity among progressive voters, contrasting it with the challenges faced by conservative voters. Meanwhile, the Donga Ilbo emphasizes the significance of early voting as an opportunity for the people's choice to begin.
The Seoul Shinmun and Segye Times both report on the suspension of U.S. visa issuance for foreign students. The Seoul Shinmun notes that this suspension comes alongside increased scrutiny of students' social media activities, while the Segye Times confirms that U.S. visa interviews for foreign students have been temporarily halted.
In political news, the Chosun Ilbo covers the Democratic Party's pledge to curb judicial power and strengthen the legislature. The JoongAng Ilbo highlights the solidification of a three-way race as early voting gets underway, and the Hankyoreh encourages citizens to participate in early voting either today or tomorrow.
Further, the Hankook Ilbo reports on the integration of robots into daily life in China under new industrial policies, while the Maeil Business Newspaper discusses the government's intention to delay redevelopment projects if relocation plans for new town residents are not implemented. The Korea Economic Daily announces that HD Hyundai Group has reached a market capitalization milestone of 100 trillion won.
English-language newspapers also focus on early voting. The Korea Herald reports on the start of early voting under tightened monitoring, and the Korea Times notes the beginning of early voting for the June 3 election. Additionally, the Korea JoongAng Daily highlights an increase in births during the first quarter, marking the first uptick in a decade.