Korean Drugmakers Reshape R&D as Price Cuts and Commercial Law Changes Loom Korean drugmakers are reorganizing research and development around their headquarters and speeding up outside hiring and internal reshuffles as policy changes such as drug price cuts and revisions to the Commercial Act take shape. The moves are aimed at concentrating new-drug development and commercialization capabilities as profitability is expected to come under pressure. According to the industry on the 14th, Ildong Pharmaceutical decided the previous day to merge its R&D subsidiary Unov April 14, 2026

KBO Hits Leader Son Ah-seop Traded to Doosan for Lee Gyo-hoon, Cash KBO League career hits leader Son Ah-seop is leaving the Hanwha Eagles and joining the Doosan Bears in a trade. Hanwha announced on the 14th that it will send Son to Doosan in exchange for left-hander Lee Gyo-hoon and 150 million won in cash. Son, a veteran outfielder, was acquired by Hanwha in a trade from the NC Dinos in July last year. After about eight months with the Eagles, he will now wear a Doosan uniform. Since debuting in 2007, Son has played 20 seasons and owns a .319 career b April 14, 2026

Streamers Gwajuseyeon and BJ K confirm relationship in live broadcast Streamer Gwajuseyeon and BJ K have drawn attention after publicly confirming they are dating. On the 13th, K hosted a live broadcast titled “K’s major announcement” on his SOOP channel. Gwajuseyeon appeared alongside him during the stream. “We’re dating,” K said, making their relationship official. K said they first met at an after-party following an acquaintance’s wedding in July last year. He said they stayed in touch, spent about a month in an early stage of getting to kn April 14, 2026

JW Pharmaceutical to Distribute Hemophilia Comic for Women; MFDS Issues Atopic Dermatitis Injection Guidance JW Pharmaceutical to distribute educational comic for women with hemophilia for World Hemophilia Day JW Pharmaceutical said Tuesday it will produce and distribute an educational comic book for women with hemophilia and carriers ahead of World Hemophilia Day on April 17. Titled “It’s OK to Be a Little Different, Because We’re Together,” the comic is part of the company’s annual hemophilia support program, the Bravo Campaign. The company said it aims to improve public understanding of wom April 14, 2026

Doosan E&C We’ve Golf Team Gets Early 2026 KLPGA Win as Kim Min-sol Goes Wire-to-Wire Doosan E&C’s We’ve golf team has opened the 2026 season with an early victory on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association tour, signaling momentum at the start of the year. Kim Min-sol, who plays for Doosan E&C, won the iM Financial Open, which ended April 12, delivering the team’s first win of the season. She led from the opening round through the final round for her second career wire-to-wire victory, never giving up the lead. The win was notable because April 14, 2026

Banks Brace for Fierce Bidding for Seoul, Incheon and Other Local Government Depository Deals Local governments’ depository contracts are emerging as a major battleground for South Korea’s banks, with competition expected to intensify as several large jurisdictions near the end of their current agreements. According to the financial industry on April 14, five governments — Seoul, Incheon, Sejong City, South Jeolla Province and North Gyeongsang Province — will see their depository agreements with banks expire at the end of December. Shinhan Bank currently handles Seoul’s first a April 14, 2026

Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young seeks film industry solutions on holdback, funding “I think we can work through this quickly.” Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choi Hwi-young said on the 14th that the government, the film industry and the Korean Film Council should form a public-private consultative body to address pending issues, stressing the need for swift action. Speaking at a meeting with filmmakers in Seoul’s Jung District on supplementary budget planning for the film sector, Choi said there were areas that also required talks with theater April 14, 2026

MBC Every1, E Channel’s ‘Dolsing N Mosol’ draws scrutiny ahead of premiere MBC Every1 and E Channel’s new variety show “Dolsing N Mosol” on Monday released viewing points ahead of its first broadcast. The program follows divorced women who want to love again and men who have never dated as they meet at a “dating dorm school” and learn about relationships. Producers have promoted it as an unprecedented pairing, highlighting raw emotions and unpredictable developments. The premise brings together people at sharply different stages: those who have experienced mar April 14, 2026

StreamMusic Launches Web-Based Service to Settle and Manage Overseas Royalties for K-pop Rights Holders StreamMusic, a tenant company at the Korea Creative Content Agency’s CKL Corporate Support Center, has launched an “overseas royalty settlement and management service” for K-pop copyright holders, aiming to address growing challenges in managing rights as the global music market expands. The company said the service is designed to manage overseas royalty income more systematically and transparently. As K-pop has spread globally, royalties have been generated through overseas streaming, co April 14, 2026

Korean Internet Banks Lift Deposit Rates Into 3% Range to Compete for Savers As major commercial banks keep deposit rates in the 2% range, South Korea’s internet-only banks are competing for funding by offering rates even 0.1 percentage point higher. The strategy is aimed at attracting rate-sensitive savers seeking higher returns on deposits. According to the financial sector on Monday, key deposit and savings products at internet banks are generally priced in the 3% range. KakaoBank raised rates on some funding products by up to 0.1 percentage point starting Mon April 14, 2026