Ruling Party Says Middle East Crisis Recovery May Take Over a Year, Energy Supplies Stable The ruling party and the government on April 27 reviewed economic response measures as the war in the Middle East drags on. They said it could take more than a year for energy supplies and global oil prices to return to pre-crisis levels, but assessed that there is no immediate problem with energy supply. They also said an auto insurance discount tied to participation in a driving-day program will be launched next month to ease the burden on households hit by high oil prices. The Nationa April 27, 2026

EU to Spend 15 Million Euros to Support Myanmar Refugees in Thai Border Camps The European Union said on the 20th it will launch a 15 million euro (about 2.8 billion yen) support program for Myanmar refugees living in nine camps in Thailand along the Myanmar border, as well as refugees living outside camps in Thailand’s northern Tak province, for 2026-28. The EU said the program is intended to help shift support away from reliance on humanitarian aid and toward self-reliance. The program will be carried out in cooperation with the EU, the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, April 27, 2026

HiteJinro Promotes Chamisul at Manila Culture Festival to Reach Young Consumers South Korean liquor maker HiteJinro said it took part in “2026 Round in the Philippines,” a cultural exchange festival between South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations held in Manila, promoting its brands to younger local consumers. The company set up a tasting booth inside the Araneta Coliseum, featuring its flagship soju brand Chamisul and five fruit liqueur products. It also ran a pop-up store at a nearby shopping mall with hands-on promotions. HiteJinro established April 27, 2026

U.S., Japan Plan First Dual-Use Defense Project: Make U.S.-Developed Drones in Japan The United States and Japan are moving to deepen cooperation on developing defense equipment using dual-use technology that can serve both military and civilian purposes. As a first project, the two sides are considering producing in Japan drones developed by a U.S. startup. The aim is to curb reliance on China, which holds a large share of the global drone market, and to strengthen defense supply chains within the alliance. Japanese media, citing Kyodo News on Monday, reported that the t April 27, 2026

Fadu posts 7.7 billion won Q1 operating profit, returns to profitability Data center semiconductor company Fadu said Monday it returned to profitability in the first quarter, posting 59.5 billion won ($59.5 billion won) in revenue and 7.7 billion won in operating profit in a preliminary earnings filing. The company swung from an operating loss of 12.0 billion won a year earlier to an operating profit of 7.7 billion won. Net profit also turned positive, reaching 10.2 billion won after a 12.1 billion won loss in the same period last year. Revenue jumped about April 27, 2026

India’s Haryana Plans Toy-Focused Industrial Cluster Under 2026 Industry Policy India’s northern state of Haryana plans to develop an industrial cluster specializing in toys, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said on the 23rd, according to PTI. Saini made the remarks after a high-level meeting to review the final draft of the “Haryana Industrial Policy 2026.” He said the state aims to build a toy industry cluster on a 250- to 350-acre site (about 101 to 141 hectares). He said the cluster would help diversify industry in the state and could also strengthen India’s ec April 27, 2026

South Korea, Australia to Hold Foreign Ministers’ Talks on Energy Security, Defense Cooperation South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong will meet in Seoul on April 30 to discuss cooperation in areas including energy and defense, the Foreign Ministry said Monday. According to the ministry, the two will hold South Korea-Australia foreign ministers’ talks on Wednesday afternoon, covering high-level exchanges, economic security, defense and the arms industry, and regional developments. The meeting will come about a month after the ministers April 27, 2026

SCMP: South Koreans’ trips to China surge as visa rules ease and ties improve South Koreans are traveling to China in rapidly growing numbers, driven largely by looser visa rules and improving bilateral relations, a Hong Kong newspaper reported. The South China Morning Post reported on the 27th that the rise in visits by South Korean tourists and content creators has coincided with China’s eased visa policies and a steadier trend in South Korea-China ties. China has allowed South Koreans to stay visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism, business and family visits April 27, 2026

Jakarta’s Plaza Senayan Marks 30th Anniversary With Ceremony Plaza Senayan, a shopping mall in South Jakarta, has marked its 30th anniversary. SENAYAN TRIKARYA SEMPANA (STS), the mall operator and a unit of Kajima Development, Kajima Construction’s Southeast Asia development arm, held a ceremony on April 24. Plaza Senayan opened on April 26, 1996. The mall has one basement level and three floors above ground, with net leasable area of about 70,000 square meters. It has about 200 tenants and an occupancy rate of about 90%. It draws about 30,000 visi April 27, 2026

Labor Ministry Official: Migrant Workers Must Not Face Discrimination or Safety Gaps Ryu Hyeon-cheol , head of the Occupational Safety and Health Headquarters at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, said on the 27th that migrant workers play key roles across shipbuilding, manufacturing, construction, and farming and livestock, but cases of human rights abuses and discrimination continue to recur. “No one should be discriminated against at work or face gaps in safety and health simply because of a different nationality,” Ryu said. Ryu made the remarks in Ulsan during a April 27, 2026