Five Firms Vie for South Korea’s $2 Billion GPU Project as Next-Gen Platform Looms Competition is intensifying among major companies for the government’s 2.08 trillion won project to secure advanced graphics processing units, with the ability to build large clusters, whether to adopt Nvidia’s next-generation “Vera Rubin” platform, and how much of the GPUs bidders plan to use themselves emerging as key factors. Yonhap News reported on Saturday that the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA) plans to select operators next month for the “GPU procurement, buildout and April 26, 2026

South Korea’s top court rejects trust firm liability limits not explained to buyers South Korea’s Supreme Court has ruled that a trust company cannot rely on a contract clause limiting its liability if it did not explain the clause to the buyer. The decision means the trust company may still be responsible for penalties tied to delayed occupancy. According to the legal community on the 26th, the Supreme Court’s Third Division, with Justice Lee Sook-yeon as presiding justice, recently upheld a lower court ruling that partly favored the plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by a pe April 26, 2026

Mandatory Spending Nears 55% of South Korea Budget as Basic Pension, Education Grants Top 100T Won More than half of the government’s total spending next year is set to be locked in as legally mandated outlays, rapidly narrowing fiscal flexibility. The basic pension and education grants to local governments are emerging as key drivers of the burden as they approach a combined 100 trillion won a year. According to the government’s 2025-2029 National Fiscal Management Plan submitted to the National Assembly last year, total spending next year is projected at 764.4 trillion won, with ma April 26, 2026

Woori, KB and Shinhan Asset Trusts Sign MOU for Anyang Mixed-Use Redevelopment Anyang’s Manan district area west of Myeonghak Station is set to be redeveloped into a mixed-use space combining housing and commercial functions. Woori Asset Trust, KB Real Estate Trust and Shinhan Asset Trust said April 26 they signed a memorandum of understanding to advance the urban mixed-use redevelopment project west of Myeonghak Station in Anyang. The project aims to revitalize an aging residential neighborhood and underused land near the station on Seoul Subway Line 1. The site i April 26, 2026

Trump Evacuated After Gunfire at WHCA Dinner; Same Hotel as 1981 Reagan Shooting Gunfire broke out at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, prompting an emergency evacuation of President Donald Trump and drawing renewed attention to a past presidential shooting at the same hotel. CNN reported that the shooting on April 25 (local time) occurred at the same location where President Ronald Reagan was targeted in an assassination attempt while in office. The Washington Hilton Hotel was the site of the March 30, 1981, attack in which Reagan was shot by John H April 26, 2026

WMO Warns Strong El Nino Possible by Mid-2026, Raising Flood Concerns for South Korea The World Meteorological Organization has formally announced that a strong El Nino could develop by mid-2026. South Korean climate experts urged early preparations for possible heavy rain in the country’s south and for water-resource management, with some warning the event could intensify into a “super El Nino.” According to the Science Media Center Korea on Saturday, the WMO said Thursday afternoon (Korea time) that sea-surface temperatures are rising rapidly in the equatorial Pacific, April 26, 2026

South Korea to Inspect Livestock Traceability, Grading and Origin Labels; DNA Tests Possible South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Saturday it will conduct a joint inspection of livestock product traceability, grading and country-of-origin labeling from Sunday through May 15, working with the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency and local governments. The roughly three-week crackdown will focus on businesses suspected of violating rules on price and grade labeling and origin labeling fo April 26, 2026

South Korea to Launch ‘So-Prize 2025’ Hanwoo Sale With Discounts Up to 50% South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Saturday it will run a nationwide Hanwoo beef discount campaign from Sunday through May 10, offering markdowns of up to 50% at Nonghyup-affiliated Hanaro Mart stores, major supermarkets and leading online malls. The online Hanwoo marketplace operated by the Hanwoo Self-Reliance Fund will hold its sale from Sunday through April 30. Most online and offline retailers will run promotions from April 29 through May 10. Store-b April 26, 2026

Trump Says He Will Hold White House Briefing After Suspected Shooting at Press Dinner President Donald Trump said he would hold a White House news conference after what he described as a suspected shooting incident at a dinner for the White House press corps on April 25 local time. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said law enforcement asked those at the scene to leave under established procedures and that they would comply immediately. "We will hold a press conference in the White House briefing room in 30 minutes," he wrote. Trump added that April 26, 2026

Iran Foreign Minister to Return to Pakistan, Raising Prospects for Second Round of Talks Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to return to Pakistan on April 26 (local time), Iran’s state media reported, as speculation grows about whether ceasefire talks with the United States could resume and a second round could still be held. IRNA, citing Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said on April 25 that Araghchi would “return to Pakistan again after completing his Oman schedule and before heading to Russia.” His trip had been expected to run Pakistan-Oman-Russia, but was adjust April 26, 2026