Public Agencies Hired 27,000 in 2025 as Debt Ratio Fell 6.4 Points Public agencies hired about 27,000 new employees last year, a sharp increase, while their debt ratio fell, indicating improved financial health. The Finance and Economy Ministry said Wednesday it disclosed management data for 342 public agencies through the public-sector information system ALIO. New hiring totaled about 27,000, up about 7,000 people, or 34.5%, from a year earlier. The rebound followed two straight years of declines, driven in part by expanded staffing in public health c April 30, 2026

HMM Reaches Labor Deal to Move Headquarters to Busan, Plans North Port Office Tower HMM and its labor union, which had been locked in a sharp standoff that included talk of a possible general strike over the planned move of the company’s headquarters to Busan, reached a broad agreement after weighing concerns about potential disruptions to logistics at home and abroad and wider social impact. With union opposition — the last major obstacle — now removed, the relocation of the headquarters of South Korea’s largest container shipping line is expected to be confirmed at a s April 30, 2026

Labor Ministry: 177 Public-Sector Employers Got Bargaining Demands After Yellow Envelope Law After the so-called Yellow Envelope law — revisions to the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act — took effect, 177 public-sector workplaces received bargaining demands, with local governments accounting for the largest share at 112, according to the Labor Ministry. The Ministry of Employment and Labor reported the findings Thursday at an emergency economic headquarters meeting held jointly with a meeting of economy and external economy ministers, as part of its “response directio April 30, 2026

Iran Says It Can Share Military Experience With China-Russia-Led SCO Iran said it is ready to share its military experience and defensive capabilities with members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional security bloc that includes China, Russia and Central Asian countries. The remarks signaled Tehran’s interest in expanding security cooperation with the SCO after its recent clashes with the United States and Israel. According to Times of Central Asia and Reuters on April 30, Iranian Deputy Defense Minister Reza Talaei-Nik told an SCO defense April 30, 2026

Finance Minister Koo to Extend Fuel-Linked Subsidies 2 Months, Unveil Foreign Worker Roadmap in June Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said the government will extend fuel price-linked subsidies to ease the burden of high oil prices and will draw up a roadmap by June to overhaul overall foreign labor policy. Chairing an emergency economic meeting and a joint meeting of economy and external economic relations ministers at the Government Complex Seoul on April 30, Koo said, “Following this week’s payment of high oil price damage support funds, we will also extend by April 30, 2026

Lee warns excessive union demands can hurt other workers President Lee Jae-myung on April 30 called on workers to show solidarity with one another, saying labor’s strength comes from unity among people in the same position. Presiding over a meeting of senior presidential aides at Cheong Wa Dae, Lee said the guarantee of the “three basic labor rights” exists for that reason. The rights refer to the freedom to form and join unions, the right to bargain collectively, and the right to take collective action such as strikes. Lee also stressed res April 30, 2026

South Korea weighs combined intake, pumping stations to cut river work and costs The government is considering building a single integrated facility when two or more water intake stations and pumping stations are located close together, aiming to reduce costs by minimizing river construction work. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced the plan after holding a regular meeting of their 2026 working-level consultative body on intake and pumping station upgrades on Wednesday at the Government April 30, 2026

South Korea releases list of 28 designated presidential records from Sewol ferry disaster day after dropping appeal The Presidential Archives under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said Wednesday it has provided requesters with a list of presidentially designated records related to rescue efforts on the day of the Sewol ferry disaster. The disclosure followed an April 10 Seoul High Court ruling that overturned the government’s decision to withhold the list. The government decided not to file a further appeal, making the ruling final. The case began with a June 2017 information request seeking April 30, 2026

Iran Soccer Federation Leaders Turned Back at Canadian Airport, Miss FIFA Congress Iran’s soccer federation leadership was blocked during the entry process in Canada and was unable to attend the FIFA Congress. Reuters and The Associated Press reported on April 29 (local time) that a delegation including Iran Football Federation President Mehdi Taj, Secretary-General Hedayat Mombeni and Vice President Hamed Momeni arrived in Toronto with valid visas but ran into problems at the airport and returned on the first available flight. Iran said the delegation turned back b April 30, 2026

POSCO E&C to Open Model Home for Daejeon’s The Sharp Gwanjeo Arte, 951 Units POSCO E&C said Wednesday it will open a model home on May 1 for The Sharp Gwanjeo Arte, a new apartment complex in the Gwanjeo-dong area of Seo-gu, Daejeon, and begin sales. The project, planned for 1988 Gwanjeo-dong, will have nine buildings ranging from three basement levels to up to 25 stories, with a total of 951 units. By size, it will include 143 units of 59 square meters, 450 units of 84 square meters, 287 units of 104 square meters and 71 units of 119 square meters. Applicatio April 30, 2026