South Korea’s Q1 Surprise Growth Faces Q2 Test From High Oil Prices and Weak Won South Korea posted a surprise expansion in the first quarter, but attention is shifting to cost shocks expected from the second quarter as high oil prices and a weak won threaten to squeeze manufacturers and households. The first-quarter gain also underscored the economy’s heavy reliance on semiconductors, while external risks tied to the Middle East war have yet to fully show up in the data. Growth’s shadow behind a semiconductor-led surge 23일 the Bank of Korea said manufacturing GDP April 24, 2026

KOSPI Rally Lifts ‘Million-Won’ Shares to Nine; ESG AGM Concerns and Key Filings ◆Aju Economy Top News ▷‘Million-won’ shares jump from four to nine as stock rally accelerates -Amid a KOSPI rally, the number of so-called “emperor stocks” priced at 1 million won or more surged from four to nine in five months. -The KOSPI closed at 6,475.81, extending its record run to three straight sessions, and briefly topped 6,500 intraday. -Buying focused on sectors expected to benefit from the postwar period, including semiconductors and defense, helped drive gains. -Shares and targ April 24, 2026

2PM’s Ok Taec-yeon Marries Non-Celebrity Partner; Hwang Chan-sung to Host 2PM member Ok Taec-yeon is getting married today. According to the entertainment industry on the 23rd, Ok will hold a wedding ceremony at a location in Seoul with his non-celebrity girlfriend, who is four years younger. The wedding will be private. Fellow 2PM member Hwang Chan-sung is expected to serve as host, and the group’s members are reported to sing the congratulatory song. Ok previously announced his marriage plans in a handwritten letter in November last year. At the time, he sa April 24, 2026

Musinsa Opens Seongsu Mega Store With First Permanent Beauty Shop, Taking On Olive Young In Seoul’s Seongsu-dong neighborhood, where CJ Olive Young stores are clustered, fashion platform Musinsa has opened a supersized complex anchored by its first permanent offline beauty shop. The new Musinsa Mega Store Seongsu is a seven-minute walk from Olive Young N Seongsu, billed as the chain’s largest store nationwide. Musinsa is bundling beauty, food and hands-on experiences as it seeks a bigger presence in the offline beauty market. The store, shown during a media tour on April 24, 2026

Gwangjang Market Overcharging Dispute Raises Concerns About Korea’s Image Traditional markets popular with foreign visitors are often a condensed view of South Korea — its food, people, atmosphere and prices. Against that backdrop, the overcharging dispute at Seoul’s Gwangjang Market has become more than a complaint about cost, raising questions about how the country is seen by tourists. A Myanmar-born YouTuber who has lived in South Korea for 13 years recently said he visited Gwangjang Market with a Russian friend and was asked to pay 2,000 won for a bottle of April 24, 2026

Trump Says He Has No Intention of Using Nuclear Weapons Against Iran U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he has no intention of using nuclear weapons against Iran, which he said the United States is at war with. According to Yonhap News Agency, Trump made the remarks at a White House event on lowering medical costs when asked whether he would use nuclear weapons on Iran. “No,” he said. “We’ve already completely devastated them with conventional means, without nuclear weapons, so why would I use nuclear weapons?” Trump said. “I will not use nucl April 24, 2026

POSCO Expands Tactile Exhibits Using Steel-Based 'PosArt' for Visitors With Visual Impairments POSCO Group is combining steel technology with art and giving to expand access for visitors, including people with visual impairments. Industry officials said April 23 that the group is producing tactile exhibits using PosArt to help people with disabilities and other underserved visitors experience museum displays. PosArt is POSCO Group's premium color steel sheet made by applying high-resolution inkjet printing to specialized steel. Using 3D layering that builds ink in stacked layer April 24, 2026

South Korea Moves to Overhaul Decades-Old Tourism Laws as Industry Pushes Reform In the first quarter of 2026, inbound tourism to South Korea topped 4.76 million visitors, setting a record, as the government, academics and the private sector moved to modernize tourism laws written decades ago. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism held a policy forum on the afternoon of April 23 in central Seoul to discuss a broad overhaul of the Tourism Framework Act and the Tourism Promotion Act. The forum followed up on the 10th National Tourism Strategy Meeting held in Septe April 24, 2026

Blue House policy chief says Samsung strike talks not at breaking point Kim Yong-bum, the Blue House policy chief, said April 23 (local time) that he hoped talks would resolve the possibility of a strike by Samsung Electronics’ labor union. Speaking at a press center briefing in Hanoi, Kim was asked whether the government could step in to mediate if Samsung workers strike. “I hope it will be resolved wisely through dialogue,” he said. Kim added that he did not yet see it as a special problem, saying labor and management were “not at the stage of headi April 23, 2026

South Korea-Vietnam Forum Spurs Deals on Nuclear Power, AI and Energy Infrastructure South Korean and Vietnamese business leaders gathered in Hanoi to expand economic cooperation, with talks and agreements spanning artificial intelligence, energy and other future industries. The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry said it sent an economic delegation to Vietnam and held a South Korea-Vietnam business forum on April 23 (local time), timed to President Lee Jae-myung’s state visit. About 500 government and business figures from both countries attended. Lee and Vietnamese April 23, 2026