Science Ministry Checks Deployment of Homegrown AI Chips as Commercial Use Expands South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT has begun on-site checks at major AI companies as it moves to speed adoption of Korean-made neural processing units, or NPUs. The ministry said it visited SK Telecom’s Incheon data center and LG AI Research on the 29th to review how domestic AI semiconductors are being used in real services and to hear feedback from companies. The visit was arranged to assess the rollout of Korean-made NPUs. At SK Telecom’s Incheon data center, Lee Do-gyu, direct April 29, 2026

South Korea Unveils Youth New Deal to Expand Training and Help 100,000 Find Jobs Unemployed young people total 171, and the youth employment rate stood at 43.5% in the first quarter, underscoring a prolonged hiring slump for people in their 20s and 30s. The government said it drew on feedback from young people to craft a “Youth New Deal implementation plan” built around three tracks — advancement, experience and recovery — to support entry into the workforce. The government announced the plan on the 29th at a public-private Youth New Deal briefing chaired by Deputy Pri April 29, 2026

South Korea Lawmakers Push Strategic Export Finance Fund to Boost Arms Sales South Korea’s National Assembly began accelerating debate on legislation aimed at closing a financing gap that has hindered defense exports, as competition in large export projects increasingly hinges on bundled financial support. The Assembly’s Fiscal and Economic Planning Committee held a public hearing April 29 at the main Assembly building to discuss the need for the proposed Strategic Export Finance Support Act. The bill, introduced by Democratic Party lawmakers Han Jeong-ae and Ah April 29, 2026

Samsung C&T Construction Q1 Operating Profit Falls 30% to 111 Billion Won Samsung C&T Corp.’s construction division said April 29 that its first-quarter operating profit fell 30.1% from a year earlier to 111 billion won. Revenue for the quarter slipped 5.7% to 3.413 trillion won, it said. A company official cited one-time costs and the completion of major projects as reasons revenue and operating profit declined from a year earlier. The official said results are expected to improve gradually as key businesses continue to move forward steadily. April 29, 2026

LG Electronics Cites Uncertainty, Plans B2B, Subscription and Online Push LG Electronics said on April 29 that external uncertainty, including the war in the Middle East and concerns about U.S. inflation, has delayed a recovery in consumer sentiment and weighed on revenue. The company said operating profit faced pressure from some higher raw material prices and the impact of tariffs that intensified in the second half of last year, but it is maintaining solid profitability by expanding higher-margin businesses. LG Electronics said uncertainty will remain hig April 29, 2026

Netflix’s ‘Girigo’ Turns a Familiar Teen Horror Setup Into Korean Shamanic Occult * This review contains spoilers. There is an app called “Girigo.” Users hold a paper with their fortune written on it, speak a wish, record the moment on video and send it in. The app grants the wish — then starts a 24-hour timer. When the countdown ends, the person who made the wish dies. It is a familiar setup, common in teen horror across cultures. Netflix’s series “Girigo” opens with students in school uniforms trying the app as a prank, only to meet brutal deaths. Through the mi April 29, 2026

Doosan to Invest 180 Billion Won to Build CCL Production Base in Thailand for AI Demand Doosan Corp. is setting up a new production base in Thailand to get ahead of rising demand for copper-clad laminate, or CCL, driven by the expansion of artificial intelligence data centers. The company said Tuesday it will establish a new local entity and build a CCL plant at the Araya Industrial Park in the Bang Bo area of Samut Prakan province. Total investment will be about 180 billion won. The site will cover about 73,000 square meters. Doosan plans to break ground within this year an April 29, 2026

Finance Ministry Holds 4th Strategic Economy Advisory Panel Meeting on AI Shift The Ministry of Finance and Economy said it held the fourth meeting of the Strategic Economy Advisory Panel’s steering committee on the 28th at the Government Complex Seoul, chaired by Park Young-sun, head of the panel. Launched on the 13th, the panel has been identifying field-focused policy tasks tied to strategic industries. Over about two weeks, it convened both the steering committee and subcommittees to continue work on selecting key assignments. At the meeting, members discussed April 29, 2026

China Halts New Level 4 Self-Driving Permits After Baidu Robotaxi Disruption China has reportedly suspended new permits for Level 4 (highly automated) self-driving vehicles, including robotaxis, after a major service disruption involving Baidu’s Apollo Go in Wuhan. The move is expected to slow the rollout of new vehicles, new pilot programs and expansion into additional cities. Bloomberg reported on the 29th that three government agencies, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, held a meeting earlier this month with local officials April 29, 2026

Budget Office Seeks Strategic Fiscal Investment to Boost Key Industries South Korea’s Planning and Budget Office said it will prepare fiscal investment measures to strengthen the competitiveness of key industries. The office made the announcement at a meeting held on the 29th at the Seoul Regional Procurement Service to discuss “strategic fiscal investment measures to strengthen industrial competitiveness.” The meeting was convened as global technology competition intensifies around advanced industries such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence, an April 29, 2026