Korean Drivers Boost Auto Insurance Coverage While Cutting Premiums With Mileage Discounts Even as vehicle prices rise, auto insurance customers are increasingly buying higher coverage limits while paying less in premiums, reflecting a clear shift toward cost-conscious policies. Wider use of non-face-to-face sales channels and discount riders is helping drivers pursue both stronger protection and lower costs. According to the Korea Insurance Development Institute on Monday, its analysis of 2025 private passenger auto insurance policies found the average insured value of new car April 21, 2026

Naver Nears Launch of AI Search Tab, Aiming to Shift From Keywords to Agents Naver is in the final stages of shifting its search service toward an artificial intelligence-driven model, a change expected to significantly reshape what users see after they enter a query. As search once moved from PCs to mobile, the company is now pushing a broader transition from keyword-based results to AI-based search. On the 21st, Naver began closed beta testing of an "AI tab" for employees last week, aiming for a second-quarter launch. Because closed beta testing is typicall April 21, 2026

Samsung Biologics Faces Strike Threat as Court Ruling Looms Labor tensions at Samsung Biologics are edging closer to a strike after management and the union failed to reach a deal following 13 rounds of wage and collective bargaining talks since last December. With global competition intensifying, industry officials warn a walkout could disrupt production and damage confidence in South Korea’s biotech sector. Industry sources said Tuesday that the Samsung Biologics Sangsaeng Union plans to hold a rally of about 2,000 workers Wednesday at the comp April 21, 2026

Consul General Jeong: Vietnam a Key Partner for Peace on the Korean Peninsula President Lee Jae-myung is to make a state visit to Vietnam from April 21 to 24. With South Korea now Vietnam’s largest investor, the trip is expected to be a turning point for expanding cooperation into advanced sectors such as semiconductor supply chains, artificial intelligence and smart manufacturing. Consul General Jeong Jeong-tae in Ho Chi Minh City said he also hopes Vietnam will play a role beyond economic ties, including in security, defense and efforts related to peace on the Kor April 21, 2026

Rain Forecast for Southern Korea, Jeju; Dust to Worsen Air Quality Wednesday the 22nd is expected to be mostly cloudy nationwide, with conditions turning increasingly overcast in the south and on Jeju Island. Rain is forecast to begin on Jeju in the morning, spread to the Jeolla South region by afternoon and reach the Gyeongsang South region by night. Parts of North Jeolla may see brief sprinkles from afternoon into the night, with less than 0.1 millimeter of precipitation. Through the 23rd, expected rainfall is 5 to 20 millimeters in Gwangju April 21, 2026

LG H&H’s Physiogel wraps Seongsu pop-up promoting Red Soothing line LG Household & Health Care said Tuesday that Physiogel has successfully concluded its pop-up store, “The Red Trace,” in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. The event ran from April 17-19 at “Anderson C Seongsu” as part of the “Mega Beauty Show Virtual Store.” A related Mega Beauty Show promotion will continue through April 26, the company said. The pop-up focused on Physiogel’s “Red Soothing” line, aimed at calming sensitive skin and reducing redness. Featured products included the Red Soothing AI April 21, 2026

LG Innotek Begins Mass Production of Variable-Aperture Camera Modules for iPhone 18 LG Innotek is moving into full-scale mass production of variable-aperture camera modules expected to be used in Apple’s iPhone 18 series, due to be released in the second half of this year, according to industry sources. The move is seen as an effort to push past smartphone camera limits that have relied heavily on software processing by improving hardware instead. Industry officials said on the 21st that LG Innotek recently built a dedicated production line for the modules at its plant April 21, 2026

KOSPI Closes at Record 6,388.47 on Foreign and Institutional Buying South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI on Monday broke past its previous high for the first time in about two months, lifted by heavy buying from foreign investors and institutions. According to the Korea Exchange, the KOSPI closed up 169.38 points, or 2.72%, at 6,388.47, an all-time closing high. The index opened at 6,302.54, up 83.45 points, or 1.34%, from the previous session and extended gains through the day. Lee Kyung-min, a researcher at Daishin Securities, said uncertainty has increased s April 21, 2026

Turkey Pitches Overland Energy Route for South Korea as Hormuz Strait Is Blocked South Korea’s industrial base, including production lines in Ulsan and semiconductor hubs in Gyeonggi Province, is facing an existential threat after the Strait of Hormuz was paralyzed by an all-out war involving Iran, the United States and Israel, cutting off crude oil supplies bound for South Korea. Turkey’s Embassy in Seoul held an emergency briefing on April 21 at its compound in central Seoul, presenting what it called an essential overland energy bypass route for the survival of th April 21, 2026

Israel’s Katz Says Goal in Lebanon Is to Disarm Hezbollah, Pairing Military and Diplomatic Pressure Israel has again increased pressure on Lebanon, putting the disarmament of the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah at the center of its approach. Asharq Al-Awsat, a Saudi-owned pan-Arab outlet, reported on the 21st that Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the goal of Israel’s operation in Lebanon is “to disarm Hezbollah and remove the threat to northern Israel.” He said Israel is pursuing military and diplomatic steps in parallel. That stance has also been reflected in April 21, 2026