GS E&C Teams With Vietnam’s FPT to Pursue Data Center, Smart City Projects GS Engineering & Construction Corp. said it is moving to develop new businesses in Vietnam centered on data centers and smart cities. The company said it signed a memorandum of understanding on April 22 with FPT Corp. at the Vietnamese firm’s headquarters in Hanoi to cooperate on data center development and smart city construction. GS E&C CEO Heo Yun-hong and FPT CEO Nguyen Van Khoa attended the signing, along with other officials. GS E&C said the agreement is intended to April 24, 2026

Germany and Japan Rearm as Security Shifts; What South Korea Should Do Major shifts are underway in global security as Germany and Japan, once defined by post-World War II limits on military power, move to expand their forces. After the war, both countries sharply reduced their militaries, and Japan even wrote a renunciation of war into its constitution. That posture is changing. Germany has declared it will build “the strongest military in Europe,” and Japan has said it will develop “the capability to strike first if necessary.” The shift reflects a changing sec April 24, 2026

South Korea Stocks Mixed at Open as Foreign Selling Pushes Kospi Lower South Korean stocks traded mixed early Thursday, with the Kospi turning lower as foreign investors sold after a modestly higher open. As of 9:14 a.m., the Kospi was down 12.92 points, or 0.20%, at 6462.89, according to the Korea Exchange. The benchmark opened up 20.29 points, or 0.31%, at 6496.10 before reversing course. Han Ji-young, a researcher at Kiwoom Securities, said the market was likely to face profit-taking pressure early in the session amid “fatigue” after a short-term peak, M April 24, 2026

South Korea to Ease Public Procurement Rules for Non-Capital Region Firms Companies outside the Seoul metropolitan area, especially those in depopulating regions, will face fewer hurdles in public procurement as the government expands negotiated contracts and preferential purchasing. Koo Yun-cheol, deputy prime minister and minister of economy and finance, announced the measures at an Emergency Economic Headquarters meeting and a National Startup Era Strategy meeting on the 24th. The plan aims to lower entry barriers and expand participation for non-capital r April 24, 2026

South Korea to Grant 10 Startup Cities Mega-Zone Regulatory and Funding Perks The government will roll out a broad package combining regulatory exemptions with fiscal, financial and talent support for 10 “startup cities” to be designated by next year, aiming to spur a nationwide startup boom and reshape local startup ecosystems beyond simple subsidies. The Finance and Economy Ministry announced the plan on the 24th at an emergency economic headquarters meeting and National Startup Era strategy session chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance and Economy Ministe April 24, 2026

South Korea to Add 200 Billion Won to ‘Startup for All,’ Name 10 Startup Cities The government said it will expand a nationwide, public-participation startup initiative and build technology- and region-based startup ecosystems, aiming to ease a growth structure centered on the Seoul metropolitan area and large conglomerates and shift toward a startup-driven economy. The Ministry of Finance and Economy announced the plan on April 24 after an emergency economic headquarters meeting and a National Startup Era strategy meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance April 24, 2026

Song Young-gil Says He Would Seek Defense Committee Seat if He Returns to Parliament Song Young-gil, former leader of the Democratic Party, said on Thursday that if he returns to the National Assembly, he would seek a seat on the Defense Committee. Speaking on KBS radio's "Jeongyeok Sisa," Song was asked whether the transfer of wartime operational control should be completed within President Lee Jae-myung's term. "I'll go to the Defense Committee and make sure it's handled properly," he said. On the transfer of wartime operational co April 24, 2026

Won Weakens to 1,480s per Dollar as U.S.-Iran Tensions Lift Safe-Haven Demand Renewed military tensions between the United States and Iran pushed the won-dollar exchange rate back into the 1,480-won range in early trading. As of 9:12 a.m. on April 24, the won was trading at 1,482.9 per U.S. dollar in Seoul. The rate opened at 1,483.0, up 2.0 won from the previous session. With talks on ending the war failing, rising tensions between the two countries were seen boosting demand for safe-haven assets. Overnight, all three major U.S. stock indexes fell in New York. T April 24, 2026

Samsung’s Lee, LG’s Koo urge results, higher-quality growth at Korea-Vietnam forum President Lee Jae-myung’s state visit to Vietnam brought a large contingent of South Korean business leaders to a Korea-Vietnam business forum, underscoring efforts to deepen economic cooperation. The forum, hosted by Lee and Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, was held April 23 (local time) at a hotel in Hanoi. It drew key officials from both governments, an economic delegation of 109 South Korean companies, and about 500 participants from public institutions and the private sector. April 24, 2026

NCSoft CEO Kim Taek-jin says insight is key in AI era, urges games built on instinctive fun NCSoft CEO Kim Taek-jin told newly hired employees that “insight” will be a core competitive edge in the age of artificial intelligence. NCSoft said it held a “Conversation with the CEO” event on April 23 at its Pangyo R&D center in Seongnam, Gyeonggi province, where Kim and this year’s new hires discussed competitiveness in the AI era and the direction of game development. “As AI technology advances rapidly, the human role moves further into more essential areas,” Kim said. “To s April 24, 2026