Ildong Pharmaceutical Expands DropTop Cholesterol Drug Supply to Three More ASEAN Countries Ildong Pharmaceutical said April 14 it signed an additional agreement with its Indonesian partner, Kalbe Pharma, to expand the supply territory for its drug DropTop as it broadens its presence in Southeast Asia. DropTop is a combination therapy for dyslipidemia that pairs rosuvastatin, a statin that inhibits cholesterol synthesis, with ezetimibe, which reduces cholesterol absorption. Ildong said it signed a contract with Kalbe International, a distribution affiliate of Kalbe Pharma, to e April 14, 2026

KB Kookmin Bank Launches New KOSPI 200-Linked Deposit With Up to 13.8% Annual Return KB Kookmin Bank said April 14 it has launched the “KB Star Equity-Linked Deposit (ELD) 26-3,” a principal-protected product if held to maturity that can offer additional returns depending on the performance of the underlying asset. The one-year product is linked to the KOSPI 200 index and comes in three structures: an upside participation type (minimum-rate guaranteed), an upside knock-out type (minimum-rate guaranteed), and an upside knock-out type (high-yield seeking). For the upside p April 14, 2026

Celltrion Completes Cancellation of 9.11 Million Treasury Shares, Industry’s Largest Celltrion said Tuesday that its largest-ever cancellation of treasury shares has been fully reflected in the stock market following a change listing on April 13. With the process complete, the company said its total number of outstanding shares fell by about 4%. Celltrion described the move as the largest treasury-share cancellation ever in South Korea’s pharmaceutical and biotech industry. The canceled shares accounted for about 74% of the company’s treasury stock and 3.94% of total iss April 14, 2026

Huons Biopharma Names Lee Jeong-hee as New CEO Huons Biopharma, a Huons Group company specializing in botulinum toxin, said April 14 it has appointed Lee Jeong-hee, an executive director, as its new CEO. Lee, born in 1976, earned an MBA from Aalto University in Finland. He has more than 23 years of experience in the dermatology and medical aesthetics market, working in marketing, sales and strategic planning at Ipsen Korea, Hanwha Pharma, Hugel, Daewoong Pharmaceutical, Jetema and Chong Kun Dang Bio, among others. The company said April 14, 2026

Korea’s Traditional Soban Tables Get Modern Showcase at Milan Design Week Korea’s traditional soban, a small low table, will be presented in new forms at Milan Design Week, one of the world’s largest design events. The Seoul Design Foundation said Monday it will stage an international exhibition, “Seoul Life 2026 Milan: Heritage Reimagined, Soban,” from April 20 to May 10 at Italy’s ADI Design Museum. The project is hosted and organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Design Foundation, with cooperation from the ADI Design Museum. It aims to April 14, 2026

KB Kookmin Bank Tightens Oversight of Loan Process to Strengthen Consumer Protection KB Kookmin Bank said on the 14th it will strengthen internal management standards across the entire loan process to bolster financial consumer protection. The measures include monitoring using the Consumer Protection Quality Index (CPQI), tighter management of loans to vulnerable groups, and an overhaul of a pre-review checklist for consumer protection. Within this month, the bank will add key credit indicators to CPQI — including the status of new loans to older customers and first-time April 14, 2026

Gyeongbokgung to Host King Danjong-Themed Programs Tied to Royal Tomb Sites As the film 'The Man Who Lives With the King' draws audiences, visitors will be able to follow the traces of King Danjong and Queen Jeongsun through programs at major heritage sites including Gyeongbokgung, Jangneung, Sareung and Jongmyo. According to the Korea Heritage Service on the 14th, a special program will run at Gyeongbokgung's Saenggwabang from April 27 to May 3, three times a day for seven days. Each session lasts 70 minutes. The program, held 18 times in total, fea April 14, 2026

KakaoBank, Busan Bank sign MOU for joint lending to small businesses KakaoBank and Busan Bank are teaming up to boost regional economic activity and expand financial support. KakaoBank said it signed a memorandum of understanding with Busan Bank on April 13 at Busan Bank’s headquarters to pursue a joint lending program for small and midsize businesses. Under the agreement, the two lenders will work on launching joint loan products for small businesses and sole proprietors, expanding financing support and rolling out related financial services. They said April 14, 2026

China’s Biotech Pipeline Nears U.S. Share, Driving Big Pharma and Korean Partnerships China’s biotech sector is rapidly closing the gap with the United States, reshaping global collaboration in drug discovery, licensing and co-development. As China’s share of new drug candidates rises, global pharmaceutical giants such as AstraZeneca and Pfizer — along with major South Korean drugmakers — are stepping up partnerships with Chinese companies. McKinsey & Company said on the 13th that last year’s global share of new drug candidates was led by the United States at 33%, fol April 14, 2026

Korean-American former Rep. Michelle Steel tapped as US ambassador to South Korea SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) -Korean-American former California congresswoman Michelle Steel (Park Eunjoo in Korean) has been nominated as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to South Korea, the White House said Monday as President Donald Trump finally moves to fill the post that has remained vacant throughout much of his second term. The nomination, which requires Senate confirmation, was submitted to Congress as Washington seeks to restore a formal diplomatic channel in Se April 14, 2026