South Korea Industry Minister Urges Caution as Samsung Electronics Labor Dispute Grows “Samsung Electronics is not just a company; it is an asset of the national community.” Industry Minister Kim Jeong-gwan’s remark captures the stakes in the labor dispute now unfolding at Samsung Electronics. While the conflict appears to center on wages and performance bonuses, it also touches on South Korea’s core industrial competitiveness and its future. Treating it as a routine labor negotiation, he suggested, understates its broader impact. Samsung Electronics is a private company, but it April 27, 2026

Review: Lee Myung-se’s ‘Ran 12.3’ Recasts Dec. 3, 2024, as a Cinematic Documentary Director Lee Myung-se, long known as a visual stylist whose images often outshine story, has turned to documentary filmmaking. Billed as a “cinematic documentary,” ‘Ran 12.3’ is a tightly assembled visual record of the night of Dec. 3, 2024 — and a large-scale collage shaped by Lee’s editing and staging choices. Lee avoids the usual documentary tools of narration and interview clips. Instead, he builds a 96-minute work from music, archival footage and a small amount of newly staged mat April 27, 2026

Google to Open AI Campus in Seoul This Year; Lee Says He Often Uses Gemini Google will open a Google AI campus in Seoul within this year to expand cooperation with researchers and startups. Google DeepMind and the government also agreed to build a cooperation framework for K-Moonshot, a government project aimed at AI-based innovation in science and technology. Cheong Wa Dae said on the 27th that President Lee Jae-myung met with Demis Hassabis, Google DeepMind co-founder and CEO, often called the “father of AlphaGo,” and discussed ways to cooperate in the AI fie April 27, 2026

South Korean Court Acquits Security Guard After CCTV Shows Self-Defense A security guard charged with assault for restraining a woman who kicked him in the groin has been acquitted after CCTV footage supported his account. According to legal officials on the 27th, the Changwon District Court’s Criminal Division 4, in a single-judge trial presided over by Judge Seok Dong-woo, found apartment security guard A, 30, not guilty of assault. Prosecutors said A assaulted B, 39, by knocking her to the ground after she kicked him in the groin at about 1:40 p.m. on Sep April 27, 2026

South Korea: Elementary Student Faints After Neck Caught on Illegal Banner Cord An elementary school student in Pocheon, South Korea, fainted after his neck became caught on a banner cord while crossing a crosswalk, according to a local report. Gyeonggi Ilbo reported on April 27 that the incident happened about 4 p.m. on April 25 near the Jungang Intersection in Songu-ri, Soheul-eup, Pocheon. The 11-year-old boy, identified only as A, was crossing with friends when a thin banner string that was hard to see snagged his neck, knocking him to the ground. The April 27, 2026

May Movie Releases: 'Mortal Kombat 2,' Michael Jackson Biopic, Korean Zombie Thriller and New Star Wars Film May theaters are preparing a lineup of genre films, from a video game-based action blockbuster to a music biopic, a Korean zombie suspense film and a new Star Wars title. First up is the video game-based action film 'Mortal Kombat 2,' set for release May 6. A sequel to 2021's 'Mortal Kombat,' it puts the franchise’s signature lethal tournament fights and fantasy action front and center. The previous film drew attention for its intense action and built-in fan base; the new installment signals an April 27, 2026

South Korea Begins Paying High Fuel Price Relief Grants of Up to 600,000 Won High fuel price relief grants began being paid at 9 a.m. April 27 to basic livelihood recipients, the near-poor and single-parent families. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on April 27, basic livelihood recipients will receive 550,000 won per person. The near-poor and single-parent families will receive 450,000 won per person. Residents outside the Seoul metropolitan area and in depopulation areas will receive an additional 50,000 won per person, for a maximum of 600,0 April 27, 2026

South Korea Forecast: Cloudy Nationwide With Rain; Wildfire Risk Elevated 28일은 전국이 대체로 흐리겠다. Rain is expected in some areas: in the Chungcheong region through early morning, the Seoul metropolitan area through the afternoon, and Gangwon Province (excluding the southern East Sea coast) through the evening. Forecast rainfall: 5-10 mm in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi; about 5 mm in the five West Sea islands; 5-20 mm in Gangwon inland and mountainous areas; and less than 5 mm along the central and northern Gangwon coast and the East Sea coast, as well as April 27, 2026

Lee Beom-heon Elected Chair of Arts Council Korea Arts Council Korea (ARKO) said Lee Beom-heon, a special-appointed professor at Shinhan University, was elected as its ninth chair at an extraordinary meeting held on the 27th. The term for the ninth committee, including the new chair, is three years (2026.4.27.~2029.4.26.). ARKO convened the extraordinary meeting with the ninth-term members appointed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. All 11 members attended, including eight newly appointed members and three members whose April 27, 2026

Delisting Tender Offers Rise in South Korea, but First-Round Successes Hit Zero This Year Tender offers aimed at delisting are increasing, but the share that closes successfully is falling. After revisions to the Commercial Act strengthened minority shareholder rights, the decision-making process has become more demanding, and second and third tender offers are becoming more common. According to the financial investment industry on the 27th, global private equity firm EQT acquired an additional 1,213,466 common shares through a second tender offer for Douzone Bizon conducted f April 27, 2026