Delivery App Fee Talks Stall as Second Meeting Collapses A social dialogue body launched under the leadership of the Democratic Party’s Euljiro Committee to discuss overhauling delivery platform commission structures is faltering from the outset, with talks on shared-growth measures such as fee cuts repeatedly stalling. Industry officials said the second meeting of the delivery app coexistence consultative body, scheduled for the 27th, was called off after merchant groups that list on the platforms did not attend. The first meeting on April 10 April 27, 2026

Moon Urges Kim Jong Un to Meet Boldly With Trump as Panmunjom Declaration Turns 8 Former President Moon Jae-in urged North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to “boldly sit down” with U.S. President Donald Trump, saying dialogue remains the quickest and safest way to break the current stalemate. Moon made the remarks in a commemorative speech on April 27 at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building during an event marking the eighth anniversary of the April 27 Panmunjom Declaration, hosted by the Democratic Government Korean Peninsula Peace Inheritance and Development Co April 27, 2026

Insurers urge reforms to dementia trusts as aging fuels need to manage 'dementia money' As South Korea’s population ages and dementia cases rise, calls are growing to better manage patients’ assets — often referred to as “dementia money.” Experts and insurers say reforms to the trust system and a larger private-sector role in insurance and long-term care are needed to protect assets in a more structured way. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 27th, the dementia prevalence rate among people 65 and older is about 9.25%, and it exceeds 20% among those 85 and April 27, 2026

NH NongHyup Bank Launches No-Branch Loans for Successor Farmer Development Funds NH NongHyup Bank said Sunday it has been fully rolling out a no-branch loan service for its Successor Farmer Development Fund since April 24, allowing customers to complete the process without visiting a branch. The fund is a government policy loan designed to foster future agricultural workers and help farmers settle stably. Loans are offered at an annual interest rate of 1.5% for up to 25 years, the bank said. Under the new service, applicants can use the bank’s All One Bank mobile app April 27, 2026

Daeryuk & Aju, Lin Begin Merger Process, Signaling Shake-Up in Midtier Law Firms Daeryuk & Aju and Lin have begun formal steps toward a merger, a move that could accelerate a reshuffle among South Korea’s midtier law firms. If completed, the combined firm would jump into the top tier by both revenue and headcount. According to the legal community on the 27th, the firms plan to sign a memorandum of understanding on the 29th at Daeryuk & Aju’s main conference room in Donghun Tower in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul’s Gangnam district. The agreement would bring into the ope April 27, 2026

Korea’s Discount Policies Shift Costs to Insurers and Card Issuers As policy-driven benefits expand — including a vehicle five-day rotation discount rider and broader gasoline discounts — insurers and credit card companies are facing rising costs. While the discounts are billed as support for household finances, critics say the structure repeatedly leaves financial firms to absorb the expense. According to financial authorities on the 27th, the five-day rotation rider offers private auto insurance customers a 2% annual premium discount. Drivers limit use April 27, 2026

South Korea Science Ministry, Google DeepMind Sign MOU for Joint AI Research and Talent Training South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT said it has signed an agreement with Google DeepMind to build a cooperation framework for the government’s “K-Moonshot” initiative and the responsible use of artificial intelligence. The ministry said it signed a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, with Google DeepMind on Sunday at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul. The partnership centers on joint AI research, talent development and expanding the adoption of responsible AI. Google D April 27, 2026

K-Musical Industry Urges Overhaul of Outdated Standard Contracts to Protect New Creators "Too many young people don’t know how much they can earn before a premiere, how long it will take, or what they’ll be responsible for. We’re still using a standard contract from more than 10 years ago, and there aren’t even specific amounts or average rates," writer Han Jeong-seok said. At the second meeting of the Musical Theater Subcommittee of the Arts and Culture Policy Advisory Committee on April 27 at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul, participants April 27, 2026

Analyst: OpenAI may develop an 'AI agent phone,' with mass production eyed for 2028 OpenAI may be moving toward developing its own smartphone, as the competition around ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools spreads from apps and services into hardware. The key question is whether it can build a new device architecture centered on an AI agent, rather than simply adding AI features to existing phones. According to China’s Kechuangban Daily on Sunday, TF International Securities IT analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, known for tracking Apple’s supply chain, said OpenAI is pursu April 27, 2026

Korea’s consumer relief policies add profit pressure on insurers and card firms Financial regulators in South Korea are rolling out a series of measures aimed at easing household costs, but the burden is increasingly being absorbed by financial companies. Insurers and card issuers say they support the policy goals, yet warn that added obligations are squeezing profitability at a time when their core businesses are already under strain. The Financial Services Commission on the 27th introduced a new auto insurance rider offering discounts for drivers who follow a vehi April 27, 2026