Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik Bars Any Election-Influencing Acts Ahead of June 3 Local Vote Kang Hoon-sik, the presidential chief of staff, on Sunday stressed that public officials must remain politically neutral ahead of the June 3 local elections. In a written briefing on a senior aides meeting chaired by Kang, Cheong Wa Dae Deputy Spokesperson Ahn Gwi-ryeong said Kang emphasized that officials must strictly refrain from any act that could influence the election. Kang said election-related involvement by public officials could undermine the fairness of the vote and public t April 27, 2026

JW Pharmaceutical Expands License-In Drug Strategy With VC Acquisition JW Pharmaceutical is doubling down on a “license-in” strategy—bringing in drug candidates developed elsewhere and handling development and regulatory approval in South Korea—while widening its reach by adding venture investment, industry officials said. According to the industry on the 27th, JW Holdings, the group’s holding company, recently acquired venture capital firm Solidus Investment and made it a subsidiary. The deal was valued at 30.6 billion won. Solidus Investment is a biotech-f April 27, 2026

South Korea says Google to open AI Campus in Seoul; Lee discusses AI safety with DeepMind CEO Google will open a Google AI campus in Seoul within this year to expand cooperation with researchers and startups, South Korea’s presidential office said Sunday. Google DeepMind and the government also agreed to build a cooperation framework for “K-Moonshot,” a government project aimed at AI-driven innovation in science and technology. Cheong Wa Dae said President Lee Jae-myung met Demis Hassabis, Google DeepMind’s co-founder and CEO, to discuss ways to cooperate in artificial intelligen April 27, 2026

AI Rally Lifts South Korea, Japan and Taiwan Stocks to Record Highs as South Asia Lags Asian stock markets moved in different directions as expectations for artificial intelligence helped lift Northeast Asia to fresh records despite the fallout from the Iran war, while South and Southeast Asia stayed under pressure from higher oil prices. Northeast Asian benchmarks have risen since the war began on Feb. 28, Bloomberg News reported. Taiwan’s Taiex gained 9.9% through April 24. Over the same period, South Korea’s Kospi rose 3.7%, Japan’s Nikkei 225 added 1.5% and China’s CSI April 27, 2026

Dongin Elects Attorney Won Chang-yeon as Fourth Managing Partner Law Firm Dongin has elected attorney Won Chang-yeon, a member of the Judicial Research and Training Institute’s 28th class, as its fourth managing partner. Dongin said it chose Won at a general meeting of its members held on the 27th at its headquarters in Seocho-dong, Seoul. Won graduated from Yonsei University with a degree in political science and diplomacy, earned a master’s in law from Yonsei University’s Graduate School of Legal Studies, and completed an M&A practice program at Se April 27, 2026

PM Kim Min-seok: Nation Must Honor Sacrifice With Lasting Support for Veterans Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said April 27 that the government’s consistent goal is to build a country where honoring those who served becomes “common sense” and a source of pride. In opening remarks at the first National Patriots and Veterans Committee meeting of the new government, held at the Government Complex Seoul, Kim said veterans affairs is not simply about paying compensation for past sacrifice. “Through the memory of dedication, it binds the hearts of the people into one, a April 27, 2026

Dining Industry Eyes Short-Term Boost as High Fuel Price Relief Payments Roll Out High fuel price relief payments have begun rolling out, and expectations are rising across South Korea’s dining industry. Because the payments can be used only at neighborhood businesses and small-merchant franchise outlets, the industry expects spending to flow to everyday dining such as fried chicken and snack foods. According to the industry on the 27th, dining franchises allow the relief payments to be used at franchisee-run stores, but not at company-owned outlets. Franchise operato April 27, 2026

SSM Stores Say They’re Unfairly Excluded From South Korea’s High Fuel Price Relief Vouchers “In terms of being neighborhood shops where self-employed owners stake their livelihoods, we’re no different from regular supermarkets. It feels unfair that the vouchers can’t be used here.” A franchise owner in his 50s who runs a corporate supermarket, known as an SSM, in Seoul said he was disappointed by news of the government’s high fuel price relief vouchers. Unlike convenience stores and other franchise outlets, SSMs were excluded from eligible place April 27, 2026

TIPA, Ace Bed, SEMAS and Kiturami Announce Sales, Safety and Product Initiatives TIPA to support TV home-shopping sales for smart-factory firms The Korea Technology and Information Promotion Agency for SMEs said Sunday it is recruiting participants through May 22 for its “2026 Smart Manufacturing Innovation Companies Public Home Shopping Coaching Consultation.” TIPA said the program will provide one-on-one consultations with TV home-shopping product planners to assess marketability and offer step-by-step support aimed at helping companies enter distribution channels. April 27, 2026

Olive Young to Hold Beauty Festa in Japan; Gmarket Taps Director Jang Hang-jun; Lotte Duty Free Signs Deal With Paradise City Olive Young to hold ‘Olive Young Festa JAPAN 2026’ in Chiba CJ Olive Young said Sunday it will hold “Olive Young Festa JAPAN 2026” from May 8-10 in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The event is tied to “KCON JAPAN 2026” and will be staged at Makuhari Messe, a convention center in Chiba City, on a 164-pyeong site. A total of 55 brands will operate booths. The walkways will be designed to resemble the streets of Myeongdong and Hongdae to highlight K-beauty’s identity, the company sa April 27, 2026