Choo Mi-ae Pledges ‘One-Team’ Support to Boost Gyeonggi Semiconductor Cluster Choo Mi-ae, the Democratic Party candidate for governor of Gyeonggi Province, said April 24 she would work as a “one team” with the government and the ruling party to strengthen the global competitiveness of the region’s semiconductor cluster. Choo visited Samsung Electronics’ Pyeongtaek campus, a Korea Land & Housing Corp. (LH) site for a national industrial complex in Yongin, and SK hynix’s Yongin industrial complex. Calling the Gyeonggi semiconductor cluster “a core task that will April 24, 2026

PM Kim Min-seok calls for whole-of-government approach to AI education Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said artificial intelligence education should be treated as a whole-of-government task, not the sole responsibility of the Education Ministry. Yonhap News Agency reported that Kim chaired a meeting of relevant ministers on AI education on Thursday afternoon at the Government Complex Seoul. “AI has a major impact across all areas, including how government operates and education, as well as our society,” he said. Kim said AI education cannot remain confined to April 24, 2026

SME Ministry Holds Startup Forum at Sungkyunkwan University; K-Beauty Vietnam Push and More SME Ministry holds startup forum at Sungkyunkwan University, shares support plans The Ministry of SMEs and Startups said April 24 it held a roundtable at Sungkyunkwan University’s Natural Sciences Campus with student startup clubs, students interested in entrepreneurship and alumni founders. Participants shared startup ideas and discussed difficulties in preparing to launch businesses, along with areas they said need improvement. The ministry also heard views on campus startup-support p April 24, 2026

Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae makes private hospital visit to fasting lawmaker Ahn Ho-young Jeong Cheong-rae, leader of South Korea's Democratic Party, paid a private hospital visit to Rep. Ahn Ho-young, who was hospitalized after his health worsened during a hunger strike, Yonhap News Agency reported. According to Yonhap, Jeong visited Ahn at Green Hospital in Seoul's Jungnang district at about 4:50 p.m. on Thursday. Jeong and Rep. Kim Young-hwan met with Ahn for about 15 minutes, the report said. Ahn began the hunger strike after losing the Democratic Party's primary for N April 24, 2026

Macron Says He Won’t Stay in Politics After Leaving Office, Rejects 2032 Return Talk French President Emmanuel Macron said he plans to step away from politics after leaving office next year. According to TF1 and other French media on April 24, Macron was asked about his political future a day earlier while meeting students at the French-Cypriot School in Nicosia, Cyprus. “I don’t have a career plan,” he said, adding, “I wasn’t in politics before I became president, and I won’t be afterward.” Macron cannot run in the 2027 presidential election. France’s constitution s April 24, 2026

Court to Livestream Kim Keon Hee Appeal Verdict on April 28 Kim Keon Hee’s appeal verdict will be broadcast live on April 28 after the court approved real-time public access, citing the public interest and strong social attention. The Seoul High Court said April 24 that its Criminal Division 15-2 (Judges Shin Jong-oh, Sung Eon-ju and Won Ik-seon) will livestream the sentencing hearing at 3 p.m. on April 28 in Kim’s case. The broadcast is expected to show Kim seated in the defendant’s chair and the courtroom interior in real time. Kim was indict April 24, 2026

Poland’s Tusk Questions Whether U.S. Would Honor NATO Defense Pledge if Russia Attacks Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has publicly questioned the United States’ commitment to NATO’s collective defense pledge, saying Europe’s security hinges on whether Washington would act if Russia attacked a member state. Reuters reported on 24일(현지시간), citing a Financial Times interview, that Tusk said, “Europe’s biggest and most important question is whether, if Russia attacks a NATO member, the United States is ready to act as a loyal ally, as the treaty states.” His remarks re April 24, 2026

Prosecutors Reject Police Request for Arrest Warrant for HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk Prosecutors have rejected police requests for an arrest warrant for HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, who is accused of misleading investors during the company's listing process and reaping large illicit gains. Prosecutors said they did not see sufficient grounds at this stage to justify detention. The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office's Financial and Securities Crime Joint Investigation Division said Thursday it returned the warrant request to police and asked for additional i April 24, 2026

Hyundai Motor Group to Build AI, Software R&D Hub in Wirye With 8 Trillion Won Investment Hyundai Motor Group is moving to create a new research hub after acquiring a site tied to a mixed-use development project near Bokjeong Station in Seoul’s Songpa district. The group is expected to relocate existing research staff from its Namyang Research Center to the new hub once it is built. Hyundai Motor, Kia, Hyundai Mobis, Hyundai Steel and Hyundai Rotem said in regulatory filings on Thursday that they will acquire equity securities in a new corporation tentatively named HMG Futur April 24, 2026

New Seoul Arts Center President Jang Han-na Vows to Broaden Access Jang Han-na, the newly appointed president of the Seoul Arts Center, said on the 24th that she would “faithfully and diligently” carry out her duties so the center becomes “a hub for culture and the arts that is open and closer to more people, embracing this era.” Jang made the remarks after receiving her letter of appointment from Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choi Hwi-young. Her term is three years. She added, “It is an honor to be able to contribute to the future of the Seoul A April 24, 2026