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  SK Biopharm, Lotte Biologics, LG Chem, AriBio and GI Innovation Announce New Deals and Updates SK Biopharm signs pact with Seoul BioHub to mentor drug-development startups SK Biopharm said Thursday it selected two promising central nervous system startups through an open-innovation program with Seoul BioHub and held a signing ceremony. The program is designed to strengthen the R&D capabilities of Korean startups by sharing SK Biopharm’s experience across the full cycle of global new-drug development. The company said it is the first concrete outcome of an agreement the two si April 3, 2026
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  U.S. sets 15% tariff on Korean drugs, keeps biosimilars duty-free The Donald Trump administration has decided to impose a 100% tariff on pharmaceuticals not produced in the United States, while applying a separate 15% rate to South Korea. Biosimilars, a key Korean export, will remain duty-free. South Korea’s pharmaceutical and biotech industry said the decision eases uncertainty, but warned that companies still need global strategies as supply chains shift. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on April 2 (local time) imposing a 100% tariff on April 3, 2026
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  Songzio Designs Armor-Inspired Looks for BTS’ ‘ARIRANG’ Comeback Stage BTS returned as a full seven-member group for the first time in four years with an outdoor comeback stage expected to draw 160,000 people and streamed live worldwide on Netflix. When the group appeared at 8 p.m. on March 21 with Gwanghwamun as the backdrop for the live “ARIRANG” performance, the armor-like costumes drew nearly as much attention as the music. Behind the scene watched around the world was South Korean fashion brand Songzio, which blended tradition and modernity, toughness a April 3, 2026
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  Woori Bank to Turn Branch Idle Space Into Community Platform With Goodwill Store Woori Bank said Thursday it will convert idle space at branches nationwide into a social-contribution platform aimed at supporting local communities. As some branches scale back operations, the bank will bring in Goodwill Store outlets that sell donated goods. The pilot “Goodwill Branch Yeoju” has continued to provide essential financial services for local residents while also creating jobs for vulnerable groups and encouraging local donations, the bank said. Woori Bank said it p April 3, 2026
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  2026 World Cup Field Set at 48: Iraq Returns After 40 Years, Italy Misses Again On April 1, Iraq beat Bolivia 2-1 in the intercontinental playoff to claim the final ticket to the 2026 World Cup. The result sent Iraq to the World Cup for the first time since 1986, ending a 40-year wait. Iraq, which borders Iran, has been shaken by war in the Middle East, with about 100 people killed, leaving the country in an unstable situation. Despite the security strains, large crowds poured into streets across Baghdad and other cities after the win, setting off fireworks and April 3, 2026
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  National Museum of Korea to Display Andong Bongjeongsa Yeongsanhoi Hanging Scroll Painting A national treasure held by Bongjeongsa Temple in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province — the “Andong Bongjeongsa Yeongsanhoi Hanging Scroll Painting” — will go on display in Seoul.  The National Museum of Korea said Thursday it will present the work in a special exhibition, “A Buddha Leading to Enlightenment: The Andong Bongjeongsa Gwaebul,” from April 7 to June 21 to mark Buddha’s Birthday.  The museum’s annual gwaebul exhibition series began in 2006 to highlight the historical, cultural April 3, 2026
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  KB Kookmin Bank to Contribute 17 Billion Won to Credit Guarantee Fund for 600 Billion Won in Loans KB Kookmin Bank said it signed two agreements with the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund to expand “productive finance” and support a return to growth, including a separate pact aimed at region-specific financing. Under the agreements, the bank will make a special contribution of 17 billion won to the fund and plans to support a total of 600 billion won in loans secured by guarantee certificates. The bank said it expects the split between a general program and a region-focused program to streng April 3, 2026
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  Hana Bank, Bank of Korea and BGF Retail sign MOU for Project Hangang Phase 2 deposit tokens Hana Bank said Thursday it signed a three-way memorandum of understanding with the Bank of Korea and BGF Retail at the central bank’s headquarters in Seoul on Wednesday to help advance “Project Hangang Phase 2,” a pilot program testing deposit tokens, and to promote digital finance innovation. The agreement expands a deposit-token pilot led by the Bank of Korea together with the Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service. It is aimed at enabling real-world payments April 3, 2026
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  MMCA Cheongju to Offer Free Exhibition Admission to Troops in North Chungcheong Province The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art’s Cheongju Art Storage Center said Thursday it signed a memorandum of understanding with the ROK Army’s 37th Infantry Division on March 24 to run arts and culture programs and support museum visits for service members. The agreement is intended to broaden access to cultural experiences for troops carrying out mandatory service, as well as their families and civilian employees. The museum said the program will cover not only the division April 3, 2026
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  Toss Payments Says It Has Fully Deployed Post-Quantum Cryptography in Korea Toss Payments said on April 3 it has become the first company in South Korea’s finance and information technology sectors to fully adopt post-quantum cryptography, or PQC. PQC refers to next-generation encryption based on complex mathematical algorithms designed to withstand decryption attempts even by quantum computers. Quantum computers, which use principles of quantum mechanics, are expected in theory to solve problems that would take conventional supercomputers thousands of years in ju April 3, 2026