BNK and JB Post Solid Q1 Profit Gains as iM Stalls; Nonbank Units Lift Results Results diverged among South Korea’s three major regional financial holding companies in the first quarter. BNK Financial Group and JB Financial Group posted steady net profit growth, while iM Financial Group’s net profit was essentially flat despite expansion in scale. According to the financial sector on Wednesday, combined first-quarter net profit for BNK, JB and iM totaled 532 billion won, up 9.9% from 483.7 billion won a year earlier. By group, BNK reported 211.4 billion won in net April 30, 2026

Army Chief Kim Gyu-ha Calls for Korea-Specific Drone Doctrine, Expanded Force The Army said it will actively bring in attack drones, including loitering munitions, and sharply expand education and training so all service members can operate drones with ease. Army Chief of Staff Kim Gyu-ha said at a policy meeting with reporters at Gyeryongdae on April 29 that he wants to define drones “as the same concept as personal weapons,” adding that troops should be able to use them “freely,” like the individual weapons every combatant carries. Kim said drone operations April 30, 2026

Ha Jeong-woo Faces Backlash Over Hand-Wiping Gesture After Shaking Voters’ Hands Ha Jeong-woo, who has signaled he will run in the Busan Buk-gu Gap by-election, is facing criticism over video showing him rubbing or shaking his hands after greeting voters. On the 29th, Ha, identified as a former presidential office senior secretary for AI Future Planning, visited Gupo Market in Busan’s Buk-gu district and greeted merchants. Footage captured him appearing to rub or shake his hands after handshakes, and the clips spread quickly online. Opposition figures responded by ask April 30, 2026

Vietnam Jewelry Gold Demand Hits Record as Bullion Buying Slumps; PM Urges Less Hoarding Vietnam posted a record for gold jewelry demand in the first quarter, even as demand for gold bars and coins fell sharply, highlighting a split between consumer buying and investment flows. The government says it will continue to recognize citizens’ right to hold gold as an asset, while seeking to curb hoarding and speculation and steer money toward the real economy. Vietnamese media on April 30, citing the World Gold Council’s first-quarter report, said Vietnam’s gold jewelry demand tota April 30, 2026

Da Nang Apartment Presale Prices Jump as New Supply Shifts to Luxury Units Da Nang’s apartment market is increasingly centered on high-end and luxury projects, pushing prices higher even as sales show signs of slowing amid high borrowing costs. All newly launched units were in the luxury segment, and presale prices posted double-digit gains, Vietnamese media reported Thursday, citing industry data. CBRE said 100% of apartments newly introduced in Da Nang in the first quarter were luxury units. The average initial presale price was about 83 million dong per squar April 30, 2026

Comprehensive Special Prosecutor Seeks Discipline of Acting Prosecutor General for Alleged Probe Obstruction Kwon Chang-young’s second comprehensive special prosecutor team has asked the Justice Ministry to begin disciplinary proceedings against Ku Ja-hyeon, the acting prosecutor general, over alleged obstruction of its investigation. According to legal sources on the 30th, the team requested that the ministry open discipline procedures against Ku and others in connection with what it described as interference with the comprehensive special prosecutor’s probe. In a notice to the media, the tea April 30, 2026

Samsung Electro-Mechanics tops 3 trillion won in first-quarter sales on AI demand Samsung Electro-Mechanics said it posted record quarterly results, with sales topping 3 trillion won for the first time, helped by expanding demand tied to artificial intelligence infrastructure. The company said momentum is expected to continue in the second quarter, led by higher-value industrial and automotive products. In a regulatory filing on Wednesday, the company reported first-quarter consolidated sales of 3.2091 trillion won and operating profit of 280.6 billion won. Sales ros April 30, 2026

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon Pledges Citywide Mental Health Plan to Fight Loneliness Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party’s candidate for Seoul mayor, said April 30 he would pursue a policy package called “Seoul Mind Fitness Recovery” so that “Seoul residents can be healthy not only in body but also in mind.” Oh announced the mental health pledge at the Seoul Mind Convenience Store Gwanak branch inside Seongmin Comprehensive Social Welfare Center in Sillim-dong, saying he would “overwhelmingly complete” changes launched under the city’s “Loneliness-Free Seoul” policy initia April 30, 2026

LG Uplus to Retire 5.4 Million Treasury Shares in 80 Billion Won Cancellation LG Uplus said Wednesday it will cancel all about 5.4 million treasury shares it bought last year, as it moves to accelerate its “value-up plan” aimed at boosting shareholder value. In a regulatory filing, the company said it will cancel treasury stock worth about 80 billion won in book value on May 15. The cancellation covers all roughly 5.4 million shares acquired since last year, equal to 1.26% of total shares outstanding. LG Uplus previously canceled about 6.78 million shares, worth April 30, 2026

Democratic Party’s Lee Kwang-jae shrugs off ‘parachute nomination’ criticism in Hanam by-election bid Lee Kwang-jae, confirmed as the Democratic Party of Korea’s candidate for the June 3 parliamentary by-election in Gyeonggi Province’s Hanam Gap district, said he would take criticism over his nomination as a call to work harder for the area.  Responding to remarks by People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo of Bundang Gap, whom Lee faced in the 22nd general election, Lee said at a news conference at the National Assembly on April 30 that he would accept the criticism as meaning he should April 30, 2026