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

CU Stores Hit by Delivery Strike as Kimbap, Lunch Boxes Vanish and Sales Slide “Dozens of customers ask for kimbap or lunch boxes every day. When the shelves are empty, they don’t buy anything else and just leave. Why do only franchise owners have to bleed because headquarters and drivers are fighting?” A CU convenience store near a middle school in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, was quieter than usual on Monday afternoon. Students who came looking for triangle kimbap turned away empty-handed, and the store owner sighed as he spoke. CU franch April 21, 2026

National Unity Chief Lee Seok-yeon Calls Culture a Shared Memory The presidential National Unity Committee said on the 21st that Chair Lee Seok-yeon visited the National Museum of Korea and met with Director Yu Hong-jun. The committee said the visit was arranged to reflect on the community value of cultural heritage and to explore a foundation for national unity in a rapidly changing society. In his meeting with Yu, Lee said cultural heritage is not simply an artifact of the past but a “shared memory” that connects generations and social groups. April 21, 2026

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun: Lee Jae Myung’s Vietnam trip to bolster supply chains, advanced tech ties Cho Hyun, South Korea’s foreign minister, said Monday that President Lee Jae Myung’s state visit to Vietnam will be used to build an institutional foundation to strengthen cooperation in strategic areas, including supply chains for critical minerals and advanced science and technology. In a written interview with local daily Tuoi Tre, Cho said Vietnam is not simply an ASEAN member for South Korea but its most important “core global cooperation partner” in addressing global challenges, incl April 21, 2026

Airbnb to Unveil CORTIS ‘Secret Seoul Space’ With Special Stay and Fan Experiences 글로벌 숙박 공유 플랫폼 에어비앤비가 K-팝 그룹 코르티스(CORTIS)와 손잡고 팬들을 위한 특별한 공간을 선보인다. 에어비앤비는 코르티스의 미니 2집 앨범 'GREENGREEN'의 타이틀곡 'REDRED' 발매를 기념해 '코르티스의 서울 비밀공간'을 단독 공개한다고 21일 밝혔다. 에어비앤비 자체 조사에 따르면 한국을 방문했거나 계획 중인 여행객의 94%가 K-컬처의 영향을 받은 것으로 나타났다. 에어비앤비는 글로벌 팬덤의 수요를 실제 여행과 경험으로 연결하기 위해 이번 프로젝트를 기획했다고 밝혔다. 코르티스는 “코어(COER·팬 April 21, 2026

Kim Dong-hwan Seeks Jury Trial in Killing of Airline Captain; First Hearing Set for May 19 Kim Dong-hwan, who has been indicted in custody on charges of trying to kill co-workers at an airline and fatally stabbing one of them, has applied for a jury trial, legal officials said. According to the legal community on the 21st, Kim’s attorney submitted a written request and an opinion statement to the Busan District Court’s Criminal Division 7, headed by Presiding Judge Lim Ju-hyeok. The panel is reviewing whether to hold the case as a jury trial or to exclude it as inappropriate. April 21, 2026

Special Counsel Seeks 4 Years for Rep. Kwon Seong-dong in Appeal Over Unification Church Funds Special prosecutors again sought a four-year prison term for People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong in his appeal over allegations he took 100 million won (about $100,000) in political funds from the Unification Church. The case has focused on whether money and requests exchanged ahead of a presidential election reflected improper ties between politics and a religious group. At a closing hearing Monday at the Seoul High Court, the special counsel team investigating Kim Keon April 21, 2026

Japan’s Self-Defense Forces Join U.S.-Philippines Balikatan Drills in First Combat Training Role Japan’s Self-Defense Forces are taking part in U.S.-Philippines joint exercises in a full operational role for the first time, a move aimed at tightening allied coordination as concerns grow about a potential “power vacuum” in Asia while the United States concentrates military resources on the Middle East, the Nikkei business daily reported. According to Nikkei on the 21st, the United States and the Philippines began the large-scale Balikatan exercises on the 20th. This year, Japan is jo April 21, 2026

KOSPI Hits Record High for First Time in Two Months on Chip Optimism, Foreign Buying South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI closed at a record high, lifted by expectations of a semiconductor upturn and renewed foreign inflows. The Korea Exchange said the KOSPI finished Monday at 6,388.47, setting new intraday and closing records for the first time since February. The previous closing high was 6,307.27 on Feb. 26. Market capitalization also hit an all-time high of 5,236 trillion won. The index had slid sharply in March amid heightened U.S.-Iran tensions, but has rebounded this m April 21, 2026

People Power Party Pledges Free City Buses for Seniors 70 and Older South Korea’s People Power Party said it will push to make city buses free in part for seniors ages 70 and older, and to introduce a locally tailored ride-sharing system dubbed “rural Uber” in areas with few or no taxis. The party also plans to expand transit rebates by raising K-Pass refund rates. Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok announced the mobility welfare package at the National Assembly on the 21st, describing mobility as a universal right and pledging to ensure seniors and young peo April 21, 2026