LG H&H Returns to Operating Profit in Q1 as North America Sales Jump 35% LG Household & Health Care said it returned to an operating profit in the first quarter, reversing a loss in the previous quarter, as profitability improved after a restructuring of its domestic distribution channels. In a regulatory filing on Wednesday, the company reported first-quarter operating profit of 107.8 billion won ($107.8 billion won), down 24.3% from a year earlier. Revenue fell 7.1% to 1.5766 trillion won. Compared with the fourth quarter of last year, however, reve April 30, 2026

Blue House Monitors Samsung Electronics Strike Risk; Taiwan Growth, Iran Warning, LG Energy Deal, Nobel Field Blue House watches Samsung Electronics closely as strike deadline nears As a union-planned general strike at Samsung Electronics draws closer, the presidential office is closely tracking developments. Yonhap News reported on April 30 that the Blue House policy office recently prepared a report analyzing the potential impact on the South Korean economy if a strike materializes. Samsung Electronics has helped drive economic growth and a strong stock market during a semiconductor boom cyc April 30, 2026

ECB, Bank of England Hold Rates as Middle East War Clouds Inflation Outlook The European Central Bank and the Bank of England kept their benchmark interest rates unchanged, as the Middle East war added uncertainty to energy prices and inflation while concerns about slowing growth also mounted. According to Yonhap on April 30, the ECB held its deposit rate at 2.00%, its main refinancing rate at 2.15% and its marginal lending facility rate at 2.40% after a policy meeting that day (local time). The ECB said recent information broadly matched its previous a April 30, 2026

Labor Day Holiday Starts With Sunshine and Warmth; Ozone, Dry Winds a Concern Labor Day on May 1, the start of a long holiday stretch, is expected to be mostly sunny and mild. Skies are forecast to clear gradually from western areas in the morning, making conditions generally suitable for outdoor activities. According to Yonhap on April 30, temperatures are expected to be near seasonal norms, with morning lows of 8-12 C (46-54 F) and daytime highs of 18-26 C (64-79 F). Seoul is expected to reach 26 C, with Daejeon at 23 C and Daegu at 24 C. Inland areas are expecte April 30, 2026

Nobel Peace Prize Field Set at 287 Nominees; South Korean Citizens and Trump Mentioned The field for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize has been tallied at 287 nominees, reflecting a broad mix as global conflicts spread. According to Yonhap News Agency and foreign media reports on the 30th, the Norwegian Nobel Committee registered 287 nominees for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize — 208 individuals and 79 organizations. The total reflects an increase in new nominees from a year earlier. The committee does not release the list, keeping nominations confidential for 50 years, though some April 30, 2026

Hanwha Solutions Rights Offering Delayed Again After Regulator Seeks More Disclosures Hanwha Solutions’ plan for a paid-in capital increase has been delayed again after South Korea’s financial regulator demanded further revisions, saying more investor-protection disclosures are needed even after the company reduced the deal size. According to Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday, the Financial Supervisory Service again asked Hanwha Solutions to submit an amended securities registration statement for its rights offering. It was the second such request, following an earlier one o April 30, 2026

Korea Mine Agency Sells Mexico Boleo Stake for $2 After Trillions of Won Invested Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corp. said it has effectively ended an overseas resource development project after investing more than 3 trillion won, selling its Mexico mining interests for a total of $2. The exit amounts to a withdrawal without recovering its investment after years of accumulated losses. The agency said Thursday it sold all of its equity stake and bonds in the Boleo copper mine in Mexico on Nov. 27 last year for $1 each, or $2 in total. While structured April 30, 2026

MBC’s “True Story Expedition” Probes Parking Dispute at Car Wash, With 4.8 Million Won in Fees MBC’s investigative program ‘True Story Expedition’ is tracking a dispute over a commercial building’s parking lot. In an episode titled ‘Parking War, Don’t Cross the Line,’ airing on the 30th, the show examines a conflict between a car wash operator and a building representative over parking rules at a shopping complex. Kim Dong-su runs a car wash on the building’s first floor. He said he signed a lease and opened after reviewing about 100 potential locations, but soon faced unexpected April 30, 2026

Iran’s Supreme Leader Calls U.S. Attack a ‘Defeat,’ Vows New Control System for Strait of Hormuz Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei called U.S. military involvement a “defeat” and declared plans to build a new order around the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy shipping route. The remarks come as tensions in the Middle East rise again and competition intensifies over control of major transport corridors. According to Yonhap on the 30th, Khamenei said in a message marking “Persian Gulf Day” that “the U.S. attack ended in a humiliating failure” and that it was time to “completel April 30, 2026

People Power Party By-Election Nominations Draw 25 Applicants Across Nine Districts Competition for the People Power Party’s nominations in upcoming by-elections is intensifying, with applications heavily concentrated in a handful of districts. Yonhap News Agency reported Thursday that the party’s nomination committee received 25 applications across nine districts by the close of registration that day. The largest field was in South Chungcheong’s Gongju-Buyeo-Cheongyang, with seven applicants. Gyeonggi’s Hanam Gap drew six, emerging as a key battleground in the Seoul met April 30, 2026