Taiwan President Lai’s Eswatini Trip Canceled After African States Revoke Overflight Permits Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s planned trip to Eswatini, the island’s only diplomatic ally in Africa, was canceled a day before departure after three countries withdrew overflight permission for his charter flight. Taiwan said China’s economic pressure was behind the move and condemned it. According to Hong Kong’s Ming Pao and other outlets on April 22, Pan Meng-an, secretary-general of Taiwan’s Presidential Office, said at a news conference the previous evening that Seychelles, April 22, 2026

Vietnam Emerges as a ‘Second Home Market’ for South Korean Food Companies South Korean food companies are stepping up investment in Vietnam, a country of about 100 million people, treating it as a “second home market” by expanding local production and tailoring products for Vietnamese consumers. Backed by annual growth in the 6% range and a large young consumer base, the companies aim to strengthen their foothold while using Vietnam as an export base. Industry officials said April 22 that major South Korean food makers have expanded in Vietnam since the late 19 April 22, 2026

Democratic Party Weighs Special Subsidies, 30 Trillion Won Fund to Draw Firms to Mega Special Zones The Democratic Party is considering special subsidies and support from a 30 trillion won National Growth Fund to attract companies to “mega special zones” it is promoting in five regional hubs outside the Seoul metropolitan area, according to reporting by Aju Business Daily. The party has been discussing a package of measures aimed at boosting regional economies and fostering national strategic industries. The plan would offer what it calls top-level preferential treatment for anchor comp April 22, 2026

Former Vietnam Ambassador Says Lee Jae-myung Visit Can Lift Korea-Vietnam Partnership Nguyen Vu Tung, a professor of international politics at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam who served as Vietnam’s ambassador to South Korea from 2020 to 2023, said President Lee Jae-myung’s state visit to Vietnam from April 21-24 could be a turning point that lifts the two countries’ “comprehensive strategic partnership” to a higher level. Tung wrote in an online commentary published Monday (local time) by Viet Nam News that the trip is significant because it is the first visit by April 22, 2026

Hanwha heir Kim Dong-seon leaves Hanwha Corp. to focus on new Tech & Life holding company Hanwha Group Vice President Kim Dong-seon, the conglomerate chairman’s third son, has left Hanwha Corp. and will concentrate his management efforts on the Tech & Life business that is set to be spun off, according to the business community. Some analysts said the move suggests the group’s third-generation management structure is nearing completion. According to the business community on Tuesday, Kim is believed to have resigned from Hanwha Corp. at the end of March. He had served as he April 22, 2026

Stablecoin-Linked Stocks Jump in South Korea on U.S. CLARITY Act Hopes As the U.S. Congress moves toward taking up the CLARITY Act, a key digital-asset regulation bill, South Korea’s market for stablecoin-related plays is reacting quickly. Expectations that global rules will be clarified, along with domestic policy signals, have helped lift related shares and investor interest. According to the securities industry on the 22nd, investors are increasingly betting that if regulators set standards to classify assets as securities or commodities, regulatory unce April 22, 2026

Samsung Biologics Q1 revenue tops 1.2 trillion won; operating profit 580.8 billion won Samsung Biologics said it extended its growth streak in the first quarter, starting the year strongly as it targets annual revenue of 5 trillion won.  The company reported first-quarter revenue of 1.2571 trillion won and operating profit of 580.8 billion won, it said in a regulatory filing on the 22nd. Revenue rose 25.8% from a year earlier and operating profit increased 35%. Samsung Biologics maintained its full-year revenue growth guidance of 15% to 20%, citing full utilization at Pla April 22, 2026

LIG D&A Signs First Export Deal for Haegung Naval Missile With Malaysia South Korea’s shipborne guided weapon system Haegung will be exported for the first time. LIG D&A and Malaysia’s Defense Ministry signed a supply contract for Haegung on Tuesday at the DSA 2026 defense exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, the company said. The deal, Haegung’s first overseas export, is worth $94 million (about 140 billion won). The missile is to be installed on Malaysia Navy littoral patrol vessels built by Turkish defense company STM. Haegung is a domestically develo April 22, 2026

Yulchon, OnYul conference examines nonprofit regulation, governance and social value metrics Yulchon LLC, the OnYul public-interest foundation and the Social Value Institute held the third Yulchon-OnYul Public Interest Legal System Conference at 2 p.m. April 21 at Yulchon’s lecture hall in Seoul’s Gangnam district. The three organizations have hosted an annual conference since 2024, selecting topics aimed at improving public-interest legal frameworks. This year’s agenda focused on legal and legislative issues surrounding the permit-based system for establishing nonprofit corpora April 22, 2026

US Military Seeks to Triple Drone and Air Defense Spending in FY2027 Budget After Iran War The U.S. military is pushing a fiscal 2027 defense budget that would sharply increase investment in drones, air defenses and missile capabilities, citing lessons from the Iran war. The Pentagon plans to raise spending on drones and related technologies to more than $74 billion — about triple previous levels — and to put more than $30 billion into securing key munitions such as missile-intercept systems, The Associated Press reported on April 21. The proposal would significantly expand fun April 22, 2026