Budget Minister Park Hong-geun Says 'Vision 2045' Plan Due by Year’s End; Second Supplementary Budget Unclear Park Hong-geun, minister of the Ministry of Planning and Budget, said the government plans to report to the public by the end of this year on “Vision 2045,” a long-term national development strategy. On whether a second supplementary budget will be drafted, he said it was “too early to prejudge,” signaling caution. Speaking April 21 at the Government Complex Sejong in his first briefing with reporters since taking office, Park said he would prepare “a roadmap on a timeline” that would allo April 21, 2026

Kim Sei-young Rises to No. 9 in Women’s Golf World Ranking After LA Championship Runner-Up Kim Sei-young, who finished second at the LPGA Tour’s JM Eagle LA Championship (total purse $3.75 million), moved up one spot in the women’s world rankings. In the rankings released April 21 (Korea time), Kim rose to No. 9 from No. 10 a week earlier. Kim led through the final day of the LA Championship, which ended April 20, but after finishing tied she lost in a playoff to Hannah Green of Australia. Im Jin-hee, who also went to the playoff and finished tied for second with Kim and Green April 21, 2026

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon Blames Regulations for Slowing Redevelopment, Pledges Reforms Oh Se-hoon, mayor of Seoul, said regulations are a key reason reconstruction and redevelopment projects have slowed, and he called for expanding private-sector-led housing supply and speeding institutional reforms. He said the city will reflect on-the-ground feedback to revitalize urban renewal projects. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Oh met Tuesday morning at City Hall with officials from the Seoul metropolitan area reconstruction and redevelopment association to discuss ways to April 21, 2026

Hanwha Construction Partners With Mastern Investment Management on Real Estate Development Hanwha Construction said Tuesday it has partnered with Mastern Investment Management to expand its real estate development business. The companies signed a memorandum of understanding Monday at Hanwha Building in Janggyo-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, to jointly pursue development projects. Attendees included Yoon Seong-ho, head of Hanwha Construction’s Development Business Division, and Park Kyung-bae, head of Mastern Investment Management’s Domestic Division 1. Hanwha said the agreement is ai April 21, 2026

South Korea EV Registrations Top 1 Million as 2026 New Sales Pass 100,000 South Korea’s new electric-vehicle registrations have topped 100,000 this year, pushing cumulative EV registrations above 1 million. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said Tuesday that new EV registrations surpassed 100,000 on April 14. The pace is faster than in previous years. In 2025, when EV adoption was highest for the year at 220,919 vehicles, new registrations crossed 100,000 in the second week of July. In 2024, with 146,902 vehicles, the milestone came in the secon April 21, 2026

Labor Ministry: Casualties at Cargo Truckers Rally Go Beyond Yellow Envelope Law South Korea’s Labor Ministry said the casualties at a Cargo Truckers Solidarity rally should not be framed as an issue limited to the so-called Yellow Envelope Law, which revises Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act. In an explanatory note released April 21 in response to reports linking the incident to the law, the ministry said it "expresses very deep regret" over the injuries and death. It said the case "goes beyond" disputes over prime contracto April 21, 2026

South Korea’s Exports Jump 49.4% in Early April on Chip Surge; Crude Imports Rise for Third Month Semiconductor strength pushed South Korea’s exports through mid-April to the highest level ever recorded for that point in the month, while crude oil imports rose for a third straight month amid the war in the Middle East. The Korea Customs Service said Monday that exports for April 1-20 totaled $50.4 billion on a customs-clearance basis, up 49.4% from a year earlier. With the same 15.5 working days as last year, average daily exports came to $3.25 billion. Semiconductors led the gains. C April 21, 2026

South Korea Says Kuwait Force Majeure to Have Limited Impact; Russian Oil Imports Unlikely The government said Kuwait’s declaration of force majeure on crude oil and petroleum product exports is unlikely to have a major impact on South Korea, and it sees little chance of bringing in additional Russian crude or petrochemical products despite a temporary easing of U.S. sanctions. Yang Gi-uk, director general for industrial resources and security at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, said at a Middle East war response task force briefing on the 21st that some domestic ref April 21, 2026

Yuyu Pharma Launches Prune-Based Probiotic Powder Sticks Yuyu Pharma said Tuesday it has launched “Janganehwaje Prunebiotics,” a probiotic product in powder stick form. The product combines prunes with four types of bifidobacteria and contains 100 million CFU of probiotics per stick, the company said. It is designed to be taken once a day, one stick at a time. Yuyu Pharma said it also includes six additional ingredients intended to support beneficial bacteria growth, including fructooligosaccharides, chicory dietary fiber and butyric April 21, 2026

Herbalife Korea Launches Limited-Edition 2026 Family Month Gift Sets Herbalife Korea said Tuesday it has launched a limited run of its “2026 Family Month Gift Set,” aimed at helping customers express appreciation to loved ones ahead of Family Month. The company said the sets reflect seasonal demand as outdoor activity increases in spring, with options focused on energy support, weight management and skin care. The packaging features a bright design intended for gifting. The flagship “Premium Triple Health Drink Gift Set” targets people who want help manag April 21, 2026