Korean Bar Association Urges Government to Cap Bar Exam Passers at 1,500 or Fewer With the announcement of results for the 15th bar exam approaching, lawyer groups held a rally urging the government to cut the number of successful applicants. On the 23rd, the Korean Bar Association and the Seoul Bar Association rallied outside the government complex in Gwacheon, where the Ministry of Justice is located, calling for a reduction in the number of bar exam passers. In opening remarks, Korean Bar Association President Kim Jeong-uk said the 15th bar exam pass list April 23, 2026

T’way Holdings Hits 52-Week Low After Announcing 5-for-1 Capital Reduction T’way Holdings shares slid into a 52-week low Thursday as investors reacted to the company’s announcement of a capital reduction without compensation.  According to the Korea Exchange, as of 2:26 p.m., T’way Holdings was trading at 268 won, up 37 won, or 12.13%, from the previous session. The stock fell as low as 253 won during the session, marking a new 52-week low.  In a filing Wednesday, the company said it decided on an 80% capital reduction by consolidating five common sha April 23, 2026

Samsung Electro-Mechanics Ends 11-Session Rally, Falls 5% on Profit-Taking Samsung Electro-Mechanics ended an 11-session winning streak and turned lower, as investors locked in gains after a sharp run-up, analysts said. As of 2:29 p.m., the stock was down 44,000 won, or 5.42%, at 768,000 won, according to the Korea Exchange. The shares had risen for 11 straight sessions from April 8 through April 22, surging from 514,000 won to 812,000 won and setting fresh record highs along the way. The rally reflected expectations that demand for electronic components wo April 23, 2026

South Korea Adds 50 Billion Won to Expand Farm Product Discounts, Including Melons and Tomatoes South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Thursday it will put 50 billion won in supplementary budget funds into a discount program for agricultural and livestock products to counter rising prices driven by high oil prices and a weaker won linked to the war in the Middle East. With the added funding, the program’s total budget will rise to 158 billion won from 108 billion won. The government said it aims to ease household grocery costs while also boosti April 23, 2026

Korea’s chip-led boom masks weak consumer demand and rising household debt South Korea’s headline numbers look strong. First-quarter gross domestic product grew a surprise 1.7%, the highest in five years, and the Kospi surged past 6,500. But the gains are heavily concentrated in one industry, leaving the broader economy uneven and vulnerable. Semiconductor giants posted outsized results. SK hynix reported first-quarter revenue of 52 trillion won and operating profit of 37.6 trillion won, both records. Its operating margin of 72% is far above typical manufacturing leve April 23, 2026

Samsung E&A Q1 2026 Operating Profit Rises 19.6% to 188.2 Billion Won Samsung E&A said it posted solid results as all business segments grew despite global uncertainty. In a preliminary earnings filing on April 23, the company said first-quarter 2026 revenue rose 8.1% from a year earlier to 2.2674 trillion won. Operating profit climbed 19.6% to 188.2 billion won, and net profit increased 3.9% to 163.3 billion won. The company attributed the steady growth to the fuller reflection of revenue from large petrochemical plants and domestic advanced-i April 23, 2026

Korean Unions Press for More Pay and Job Security, Raising Labor Risk for Major Firms South Korea’s industrial sector is being shaken by growing labor risk, with unions stepping up pressure even as companies expand record bonuses and broaden conversions to regular employment aimed at job stability, industry officials said. According to the industry on the 22nd, the Samsung Electronics labor union’s joint struggle headquarters plans a large rally on the 23rd with about 37,000 participants, widely seen as a show of force ahead of any strike. The union’s key demand is to abo April 23, 2026

Korea Expressway Corp., ChildFund Korea Launch Run-to-Donate Drive for Caregiving Children Korea Expressway Corp. said Thursday it signed an agreement with ChildFund Korea to run the “2026 Run-to-Donate Challenge” to support children in North Gyeongsang Province who are in caregiving blind spots. Under the deal, the company will raise donations through the campaign, and ChildFund Korea will work to ensure the funds are used transparently for living, education and medical needs for 50 households of children who provide family care. The Run-to-Donate Challenge is a public pa April 23, 2026

South Korea, Vietnam Sign MOU to Expand Food and Drug Regulatory Cooperation South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said April 23 it signed a memorandum of understanding with Vietnam’s Ministry of Health on April 22 (local time) to strengthen cooperation on the safety of food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and medical devices. The signing took place with President Lee Jae-myung and Vietnam’s Party chief and state president, To Lam, in attendance, the ministry said. The MOU calls for exchanging information on laws, approvals, technology and supply chains, a April 23, 2026

Court Dismisses Damages Suit Against Young Poong Executives Over Environment Ministry Penalty Young Poong said Thursday it welcomed a first-instance court ruling dismissing a damages lawsuit filed against its current and former executives based on an Environment Ministry penalty. In November 2024, the Good Corporate Governance Research Institute and the Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice filed the suit, arguing that the executives violated duties under the Commercial Act — including the duty of care and oversight — and caused losses to the company, citing the ministry’s impos April 23, 2026