Police Clear Rep. Kang Sun-woo of Alleged Fake Address Registration Police have concluded there is no basis to pursue allegations that independent lawmaker Kang Sun-woo arranged a fake address registration for her family. The Seoul Gangseo Police Station said on the 28th it forwarded the case to prosecutors with a recommendation not to indict. The complaint alleged violations of the Resident Registration Act and the Public Official Election Act, as well as aiding and abetting under the Criminal Act. Police said there was insufficient evidence to suppor April 28, 2026

South Korea Finalizes 2027 Medical School Enrollment, Adding 490 Seats The Education Ministry said on the 28th it has finalized medical school enrollment quotas for the 2027-2031 academic years without changes from its previously announced plan. For the 2027 academic year, total medical school enrollment will be 3,548, up 490 from 3,058 in the 2024 academic year before the expansion. Kangwon National University and Chungbuk National University will see the largest increases, with 39 additional seats each. The ministry issued a preliminary notice of the quot April 28, 2026

Police to Remove Barrier Around ‘Statue of Peace’ Near Former Japanese Embassy in Seoul Police will remove a barricade surrounding the “Statue of Peace,” a symbol of victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery, about six years after it was installed. The barricade outside the former Japanese Embassy in Seoul’s Jongno district is set to come down to coincide with the weekly Wednesday rally on May 6, according to the Jongno Police Station and other officials on April 28. The removal is seen as restoring the area so the public can again approach the statue freely. The barricad April 28, 2026

Samsung Biologics Union Begins Partial Strike After Talks Break Down Samsung Biologics’ labor union began a partial strike on the 28th after negotiations with management broke down. About 60 union members in the materials aliquoting unit joined the walkout starting that day. The partial strike is scheduled to run through the 30th. The union has demanded what it calls “setting personnel principles straight” and narrowing wage gaps within the group. Labor and management have held 13 bargaining sessions since their first meeting in December last year but fai April 28, 2026

Wednesday Forecast: Big Spring Temperature Swings, Highs Near 20 C Wednesday the 29th will bring generally mild spring weather nationwide, but temperatures will dip in the morning, making it feel chilly. Seoul’s morning low is forecast at 8 C, about 3 degrees lower than the previous day. Other areas are also expected to start in the single digits, keeping conditions cool early. Temperatures will rise sharply during the day, with most regions reaching around 20 C. Central areas will be mostly sunny, while the south and Jeju Island will be mostly cloudy. April 28, 2026

Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis Meets South Korea’s Top Business Leaders on AI Chips Demis Hassabis, the Google DeepMind co-founder and CEO known as the creator of AlphaGo, has met in quick succession with leaders of major South Korean conglomerates as he seeks closer cooperation on AI semiconductors. The string of visits by global tech chiefs is fueling views that South Korea is emerging as a key hub in the global AI supply chain. According to industry officials on April 28, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong held a closed-door meeting with Hassabis that afterno April 28, 2026

Ruling, Opposition Parties Clash Over Claim Witness Met Committee Chair Before Hearing Rival parties clashed April 28 at the National Assembly over allegations that Kim Seong-tae, a former Ssangbangwool chairman testifying as a witness, entered committee Chair Seo Yeong-gyo’s office before the hearing. Rep. Kim Hyeong-dong, floor secretary for the People Power Party, asked during the special committee’s comprehensive hearing that officials confirm whether Kim entered the chair’s office before 10 a.m., before proceedings began. If the witness met the chair in advance, Kim sai April 28, 2026

KOSPI Sets Another Record as Chip Stocks Drive Rally; How Long Can It Last? The KOSPI’s run of record highs shows little sign of slowing, with some market watchers saying the index could even push past 7,000 in short order if the trend holds. The rally has been led by semiconductors, as gains in Samsung Electronics and SK hynix — together accounting for more than 40% of total market value — have amplified the index’s rise. Analysts say how long the rally lasts will largely depend on the semiconductor cycle. Optimists argue that an AI-driven “super cycle” c April 28, 2026

Korea to List 2x Leveraged ETFs Tied to Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix as Hong Kong Demand Grows South Korea is set to list 2x leveraged exchange-traded funds tied to Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix by late May, drawing attention to whether money that flowed into Hong Kong-listed products could shift back to the domestic market. According to the Korea Securities Depository, as of April 24 the Hong Kong holdings of South Korean investors ranked the “CSOP SK Hynix Daily 2X Leveraged ETF (XL2CSOPHYNIX)” seventh and the “CSOP Samsung Electronics Daily 2X Leveraged ETF (XL2CSOP April 28, 2026

Korea Weighs Trading Curbs on Single-Stock Leveraged ETFs for Finance Staff, Civil Servants As South Korea prepares to introduce single-stock leveraged exchange-traded funds, attention is turning to whether financial investment professionals and civil servants will be allowed to trade them. The financial sector is already moving to effectively restrict employee trading, and similar rules are expected for government workers. Although the products are structured as ETFs, they track the price of a single company directly, fueling calls for tighter controls. The Korea Financial April 28, 2026