South Korea Sees Crypto-Related Complaints Surge More Than 1,000%, Regulator Says Crypto-related complaints surged more than 1,000% in a year, driving an overall rise in financial complaints as exchange-related dissatisfaction grew alongside an investment boom. According to the Financial Supervisory Service report, “2025 Trends in Financial Complaints and Financial Counseling,” released on the 21st, crypto-related complaints totaled 4,491 last year, up 1,014.4% from the previous year. The jump was a key factor behind growth in complaints in the financial investment sec April 21, 2026

Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jung Vows to Wrap Up Remaining Work as City’s ‘Last Mayor’ Kang Ki-jung, mayor of Gwangju, said April 21 that he will work to properly wrap up the city’s remaining tasks as the “last mayor” of Gwangju Metropolitan City. Speaking with reporters over tea at City Hall, Kang said he had recently visited sites across Gwangju and South Jeolla Province and “once again felt the weight of integration.” He said he would closely review city affairs and “firmly bring Gwangju Metropolitan City’s history to a close.” Kang also laid out 10 key tasks he plan April 21, 2026

Jung Won-oh says one-homeowners’ tax break rights must be protected, criticizes Oh Se-hoon Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party’s Seoul mayoral candidate, writes in the guest book after paying respects at the late President Roh Moo-hyun’s gravesite in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, on April 21. (Yonhap) Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party’s candidate for Seoul mayor, said April 21 that the current rights of owner-occupiers who own a single home must be protected amid controversy over scrapping the long-term holding special deduction for capital gains tax. Jung also stepped up his April 21, 2026

U.S., Iran Signal Second Round of Talks as Truce Deadline Nears The United States and Iran, after days of brinkmanship ahead of a truce deadline, appear closer to a second round of negotiations. In a phone interview with Bloomberg on April 20, U.S. President Donald Trump said the two-week truce with Iran would end "Wednesday (22) evening, Washington time." Asked about extending it, he said the chances were "very small" and said a U.S. naval blockade of Iran would remain in place until an agreement is reached. The U.S. and Iran agreed to the truce on A April 21, 2026

China Recasts Coal as Power-Grid Backstop Amid Energy Security Concerns China is again elevating coal in its energy policy as surging electricity demand, the intermittency of renewables and geopolitical uncertainty sharpen concerns about energy security. Analysts say Beijing, which has promoted a shift away from coal, is redefining it as a “safety valve” to help keep the power grid stable. The direction was underscored at a recent State Council meeting. China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency reported on April 21 that the State Council held its 19th group study April 21, 2026

Park Chan-dae to Officially Enter Incheon Mayoral Race on Tuesday Democratic Party lawmaker Park Chan-dae, the party’s candidate for Incheon mayor, said he will make his official announcement of candidacy on April 22, launching his campaign in earnest. Park told reporters on April 21 after visiting Bongha Village in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang province, and paying respects at the grave of the late President Roh Moo-hyun that he would “make the announcement tomorrow.” It will be his formal entry 49 days after the party finalized its nomination on March 4. April 21, 2026

Taiwan TV Host Dee Hsu Says She Urged Late Sister Barbie Hsu to Take Japan Trip, Feels Guilty Taiwanese TV personality Dee Hsu (Hsu Hsi-ti) has spoken publicly about her grief after the death of her older sister, the late Hsu Hsi-yuan, known as Barbie Hsu. According to Taiwan media outlets including ETtoday, Hsu said at the taping of a local variety show on Sunday that her sister’s death left “a long period” of emptiness in her life and that she felt so lost she did not even know what she was doing. She said she drank with their mother and talked about her sister, calling April 21, 2026

South Korea’s National Assembly to Host Forum on AI-Era Job Training Reform A National Assembly forum will be held to discuss how vocational training should evolve in the AI and digital era. The Korea Federation of Vocational Schools said April 21 it will hold the forum April 23 in the main auditorium of the National Assembly Members’ Office Building under the theme, “Ways to Develop Vocational Training in the AI and Digital Era.” Organizers said the event is intended to share the need to shift the vocational training system amid rapid industrial change and to di April 21, 2026

Budget Office, Finance Ministry Review Conditions for 2027 Budget, Keep Expansionary Fiscal Stance The government plans to maintain an expansionary fiscal stance as external economic uncertainty grows, including the war in the Middle East, to cushion spillover effects on the real economy. Officials also agreed that sustained, proactive fiscal policy will be important to address structural challenges such as an industrial shift driven by artificial intelligence and demographic change. The Ministry of Planning and Budget and the Ministry of Finance and Economy on 21 held a meeting at the April 21, 2026

National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik urges PPP to back constitutional amendment on May 18 spirit National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik said the spirit of the May 18 movement left South Korea with a historic lesson that “no power can defeat the people,” and urged the People Power Party to join a parliamentary vote on a constitutional amendment reflecting that spirit. According to Yonhap News Agency, Woo visited the May 18 National Cemetery in Unjeong-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju, on April 21 and reiterated that the May 18 spirit should be included in the preamble to the Constitution. On April 21, 2026