Journalist
Lee Hugh
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Court Extends Suspension of Detention for Unification Church Leader Han Hak-ja Citing Health A court has extended by one month the suspension of detention for Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja, who was temporarily released citing worsening health. According to the legal community on the 30th, the Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 27, chaired by Presiding Judge Woo In-sung, decided the previous day to extend Han’s suspension of detention. A suspension of detention allows a defendant to be temporarily released when the court finds an urgent reason such as serious illness, childbirth or attending a family funeral. The decision takes effect immediately and, unlike bail, does not require posting a bond. Han’s suspension had been set to expire at 2 p.m. today. Her lawyers filed a request on the 28th, citing a deterioration in her health and the need for hospital treatment. The court granted the request, extending the suspension until 2 p.m. on May 30. The court also restricted her residence during that period to a hospital. This is not the first time the court has granted Han a suspension of detention. Her side sought it three times — in November last year and in February and March this year — and the court approved each request, citing her advanced age and health issues. The decisions have drawn criticism from some civic groups. Han was jailed at the Seoul Detention Center in September last year but met with her lawyers 441 times as of March 31, sparking controversy. It was also reported that other detainees and attorneys faced inconvenience in arranging visits, though the Justice Ministry’s corrections headquarters said it was not preferential treatment. Some have also questioned whether Han’s recent stay in a hospital, rather than a detention facility, reflects sensitivity to the earlier controversy. Han, along with Yoon Young-ho, former head of the Unification Church’s World Headquarters, and others, was indicted and detained in October last year on allegations including that they learned gambling-related police investigation information from People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong in October 2022 and destroyed related evidence.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 11:27:51 -
KOSPI tests 6,700 milestone amid heavy tug-of-war SEOUL, April 30 (AJP) - South Korea's main index is set to end weekly session at fresh historic high, breaking above the 6,700 mark for the first time as foreign buying fended off local profit-taking. The KOSPI rose 0.4 percent to 6,713.16 as of 11:20 a.m. Thursday, testing above 6,700 mark for the first time. Foreign investors bought 332.7 billion won($224 million), while institutions and retail investors sold 214.9 billion won and 90.4 billion won, respectively. The markets are closed Friday for Labor Day. Samsung Electronics edged down 0.1 percent to 225,750 won, failing to sustain earlier gains despite reporting record first-quarter earnings. The company posted operating profit of 57.23 trillion won, up 756.1 percent from a year earlier with the bulk, 53.7 trillion driven won from chip sales. Revenue jumped rising 69.2 percent to 133.87 trillion won and net profit surged 474.3 percent to 47.22 trillion won. SK hynix rose 0.8 percent to 1,303,000 won, tracking gains in global semiconductor stocks amid sustained demand for AI-driven memory products. LG Electronics jumped 5.8 percent to 143,700 won after reporting first-quarter operating profit of 1.67 trillion won, up 32.9 percent from a year earlier, with revenue rising 4.3 percent to a record 23.73 trillion won, driven by solid performance in home appliances and vehicle components. However, gains were capped as cyclicals and heavy industry shares declined. Hyundai Motor fell 2.9 percent to 540,000 won, while LG Energy Solution dropped 1.6 percent to 465,500 won. Doosan Enerbility slipped 0.8 percent to 128,200 won. Defense and shipbuilding stocks also edged lower, with Hanwha Aerospace down 0.6 percent and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries losing 0.4 percent. Investor sentiment remained cautious amid rising global uncertainties. Brent crude hovered above $110 per barrel on Middle East tensions, raising inflation concerns, while the Federal Reserve maintained a cautious stance on interest rates after holding the target range for the third straight session. The Volatility Index (VIX) rose 5.5 percent to 18.8, signaling a pickup in market uncertainty. Overnight, U.S. stocks closed mixed as investors weighed concerns over OpenAI’s growth outlook against strong earnings momentum from major technology firms. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.6 percent, while the S&P 500 slipped 0.04 percent and the Nasdaq Composite edged up 0.04 percent. Subsequent earnings reinforced the AI investment narrative. Microsoft reported an 18 percent increase in quarterly revenue to $82.89 billion, with cloud revenue rising 29 percent. Alphabet posted a 22 percent rise in revenue to $109.9 billion, while its cloud division surged 63 percent. Amazon reported a 16.6 percent increase in revenue to $181.5 billion, all exceeding expectations. Supporting sentiment, the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose 2.4 percent, indicating that global chip demand remains resilient despite recent volatility in AI-related stocks. The junior KOSDAQ underperformed, falling 1.0 percent to 1,208.1, as foreign and institutional investors sold a combined 249.7 billion won, offsetting buying of 292.3 billion won by retail investors. Among major KOSDAQ stocks, Ecopro fell 2.3 percent to 156,300 won, Alteogen declined 1.5 percent to 374,500 won, and Samchundang Pharm dropped 4.4 percent to 423,500 won. In contrast, Rainbow Robotics rose 1.8 percent to 676,000 won on continued interest in AI-related automation. Regionally, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 0.6 percent, while China’s Shanghai Composite rose 0.1 percent. Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 1.2 percent as investors locked in gains following recent rallies. The Korean won weakened to 1,485.8 per U.S. dollar amid spike in oil prices. 2026-04-30 11:26:47 -
EasyAI Pitches AI Video Safety System to Help Workers Get Home Safely EasyAI said it is proposing an AI-based safety management solution aimed at helping industrial workers return home safely, timed to May’s Family Month and Children’s Day. According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s provisional results released last month on the “2025 status of fatal accidents subject to disaster investigation,” the number of workplace accident deaths covered by the investigation totaled 605 in 2025, up 16 from 589 a year earlier. By sector, construction accounted for 286 deaths, manufacturing 158 and other industries 161. Workplaces with fewer than 50 employees recorded 351 deaths, more than half of the total, underscoring the need to strengthen safety management at smaller sites. The company noted that industrial accidents among men in their 40s and 50s remain high each year, leaving many fathers — often the main breadwinners — among those most exposed to on-site risks. EasyAI said its AI video analysis-based smart safety management system is designed for industrial sites and supports efforts to prevent serious accidents. It said the system can detect failures to wear safety helmets, safety belts and lanyards; identify emergencies such as unauthorized entry, collapses and fires; flag work hazards including collisions, poor housekeeping and pinch points; and provide a KakaoTalk-based hazard notification service. The solution analyzes site conditions in real time and issues on-site alarms and alerts to managers when it detects safety rule violations or accident risks. The company said it aims to raise workers’ safety awareness and help safety managers respond quickly to dangerous situations. An EasyAI official said, “With Children’s Day and Family Month, protecting the dad in children’s drawings so he can always be there is why our AI safety solution exists,” adding, “We will continue expanding a safety management environment that even small and midsize workplaces can adopt without undue burden, so every father working on site can return safely to his family every evening.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 11:25:41 -
S. Korea sees record inbound tourism driven by resurgent Chinese and Japanese markets SEOUL, April 30 (AJP) - South Korea welcomed a record-breaking number of inbound visitors this month, with the majority of travelers arriving from China and Japan, alongside significant contributions from Taiwan and the United States, data released by the state tourism agency showed Thursday. This surge marks a pivotal moment for the nation's tourism sector, signaling a transition from post-pandemic recovery into a period of historic expansion. According to the latest report from the Korea Tourism Organization, total international arrivals for March reached their highest point in the current cycle, comfortably eclipsing benchmarks established in 2019. Total inbound traffic for the month climbed to 2,045,992 visitors, representing a 26.7 percent increase compared to the same period last year. More significantly, this volume represents 133.2 percent of the arrivals recorded in March 2019, suggesting that the industry has established a new, higher baseline for growth. Cumulative figures for the first quarter of 2026 now stand at 4,743,122 visitors, reflecting a broad and sustained upward trend. Mainland China and Japan continue to serve as the primary anchors of this growth. Chinese visitors totaled 501,060 (24.5 percent), while Japanese arrivals followed closely at 481,789 (23.5 percent). Both markets have now fully surpassed their pre-pandemic levels, with China reaching 102.8 percent and Japan reaching 128.4 percent of their respective 2019 volumes. While these regional mainstays provide the bulk of the volume, the current momentum is increasingly reinforced by a successful diversification of source markets. Beyond these traditional hubs, the data highlights a significant structural shift toward broader global appeal. Taiwan and the U.S. have emerged as standout performers. Taiwanese arrivals reached 192,138, a figure that nearly doubles its 2019 performance at 195.0 percent, while the American market contributed 152,416 travelers, standing at 180.9 percent of its pre-pandemic baseline. Southeast Asian demand remains equally robust, led by Viet Nam at 159.3 percent of its 2019 levels and the Philippines at 153,393 cumulative visitors for the quarter. Overall, the broader categories of the Americas and Europe saw their numbers swell to 169.2 percent of historical benchmarks, indicating a surge in long-haul interest. On the outbound side, the appetite for international travel among South Korean citizens has almost fully returned to its previous level. March saw 2,293,716 citizens travel abroad, representing 98.3 percent of the volume seen in March 2019. This stabilization of outbound patterns, coupled with the record-setting inbound performance, underscores the definitive normalization and subsequent expansion of South Korea's standing in the global travel market. 2026-04-30 11:20:39 -
Activist Fund Managers Reaped Big Dividends; KCGI Paid Out 100% of Profit, Align 63% Domestic asset managers known for activist investing posted large cash gains from dividends last year, helped by rising share prices at companies they targeted. Align Partners, one of the most aggressive activist firms, paid out more than 15 billion won in cash dividends. According to the financial investment industry on April 30, Align Partners paid 15.1 billion won in cash dividends out of about 23.9 billion won in net profit last year, a payout ratio of 63%. The dividends effectively went to a single owner. Align Partners’ largest shareholder is Align Holdings, which owns 100% of the firm, and Align Holdings is wholly owned by CEO Lee Chang-hwan. Under that ownership chain, the full 15.1 billion won dividend is effectively attributable to Lee. The size and structure of Lee’s dividend stands out even among other activist-oriented managers. KCGI Asset Management, known in the past as the “Kang Seong-bu fund,” paid out all of its 6 billion won in net profit last year as cash dividends, a 100% payout ratio. KCGI holds 60% of KCGI Asset Management and HS Hwasung holds 40%, meaning about 3.6 billion won went to KCGI and about 2.4 billion won to HS Hwasung. KCGI’s largest shareholder is CEO Kang Seong-bu and related parties, who hold about 64%. Based on that, the owner side, including related parties, is estimated to have received about 2.3 billion won in dividends. Another activist fund manager, Truston Asset Management, paid about 4.1 billion won in cash dividends through its year-end payout out of about 17.9 billion won in net profit. CEO Hwang Seong-taek is the largest shareholder with 50.3%, with 29.2% held as treasury shares and about 20.5% held by other minority shareholders. Based on his stake, Hwang’s dividend income is a little over 2 billion won. Industry officials said Align Partners’ ownership structure as a de facto one-person company helps explain the gap in dividend outcomes. They also said Align Partners’ investment gains likely increased sharply, as the share prices of companies in which it built stakes while pursuing activist campaigns rose noticeably. Some in the industry have raised questions about Align Partners’ dividend structure. One industry official said, “Align Partners is unlisted and effectively a private company, so it’s hard to call it a problem that one controlling shareholder takes a high dividend,” but added, “It is worth thinking about the fact that results created by demanding higher dividends and greater shareholder value from companies ultimately concentrate in the hands of the asset manager’s controlling shareholder.” 2026-04-30 11:19:58 -
U.S. Pushes New Coalition to Restore Shipping Through Strait of Hormuz, WSJ Reports The United States is working to form a new international coalition to restore normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, The Wall Street Journal reported. The effort comes after President Donald Trump declared the strait “fully open,” yet vessel traffic has not returned to normal, the report said. Citing an internal State Department cable sent to U.S. embassies, the Journal said the department on April 29 (local time) instructed diplomats to urge foreign governments to join the new group. The initiative is called the “Maritime Freedom Construct,” or MFC, and would be U.S.-led, combining information sharing, diplomatic coordination and sanctions enforcement, according to the report. The plan follows prolonged disruptions in Hormuz transit. The Journal reported that Iran has laid mines and attacked oil tankers passing through the strait without its approval. The U.S. Navy, meanwhile, has maintained a blockade on vessels broadly traveling to and from Iranian ports. Restoring normal passage has also emerged as a key issue in stalled peace talks between the United States and Iran, the report said. The cable suggested the coalition could go beyond a diplomatic forum. U.S. officials were told to ask whether partner countries would be willing to participate not only as diplomatic partners but also as military partners. The Journal said the MFC “is not a military alliance.” The report described a division of roles under the concept: The State Department would serve as the hub for diplomatic operations, while U.S. Central Command would handle real-time maritime information for commercial shipping and coordinate intelligence sharing among participating militaries. Trump has also made clear he intends to keep the blockade in place. The Journal reported that he told aides on April 28 to prepare for a long-term blockade until Iran accepts U.S. nuclear demands. Speaking to reporters on April 30, Trump called the blockade “genius” and said it is “100% airtight.” He also said the United States could continue “war and the blockade” if Iran does not agree to give up nuclear weapons. The new coalition push differs from Trump’s earlier approach of pressing allies, particularly in Europe, to address the Hormuz issue. In late March, he publicly urged Europe to solve the problem on its own and made remarks suggesting Britain and France should go to the strait and handle it directly. He later criticized NATO as a “paper tiger,” arguing it was not providing enough support. Europe has been preparing its own response. Britain and France held a meeting with more than 50 countries to discuss ways to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz after the war, the Journal reported. While U.S. officials have criticized Europe’s efforts as slow and bureaucratic, the cable included language saying the MFC could be complementary to existing maritime security plans led by Britain and France, according to the report. 2026-04-30 11:18:43 -
South Korea to command multinational naval forces at RIMPAC exercise for first time SEOUL, April 30 (AJP) - South Korea will command multinational naval forces in an U.S.-led maritime exercise late next month, the Navy said on Thursday. According to the Navy, it will be the first time the country assumes command in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), the world's largest multinational naval exercise, since joining in 1990. Launched in 1971, the biennial exercise, hosted by the U.S. Navy's Third Fleet, is designed to enhance cooperation among participating countries, strengthen joint responses to maritime threats, and improve integrated operational capabilities among allied forces. This year's exercise, slated to kick off on June 24 and run until July 31 off Hawaiian waters, will involve more than 25,000 military personnel along with 40 surface ships, five submarines, and 140 aircraft from over 30 countries. South Korea is expected to send the Aegis destroyer Jeongjo the Great, P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, and the 3,000-ton-class submarine Dosan Ahn Chang-ho. "We will complete the mission successfully, showing the world the country’s excellent operational command capabilities," a navy official vowed. 2026-04-30 11:18:18 -
Seoul Apartment Prices Rise 0.14%; Seocho Joins Songpa in Turning Up Price declines eased in Seoul neighborhoods packed with high-end apartments, while gains also cooled in areas dominated by mid- to lower-priced units. After Songpa-gu turned higher last week, Seocho-gu also shifted into gains, as bargain listings dried up following the end of a suspension of heavier capital gains taxes on home sales. Seoul’s weekly apartment sale prices rose 0.14% in the fourth week of April, the Korea Real Estate Board said Thursday. In northern Seoul, gains slowed across 14 districts, which rose 0.15% from a week earlier. Dongdaemun-gu climbed 0.21%, down from 0.25% the prior week. Rapid risers also cooled, including Gangbuk-gu (0.24% to 0.16%), Nowon-gu (0.22% to 0.18%) and Seongbuk-gu (0.27% to 0.21%). Yongsan-gu was the only district in the north to fall, slipping 0.03%, as a short-term surge tightened listings and end-users turned cautious, the report said. In southern Seoul, the 11 Gangnam-area districts rose 0.13%, narrowing the gap with the north. Seocho-gu edged up 0.01%, ending a slide that had continued since the last week of February. Songpa-gu, which turned positive at 0.07% last week, rose 0.13% in the fourth week of April. Gangnam-gu fell 0.02%, improving from a 0.06% drop a week earlier. “Starting with multiple bargain transactions in Songpa-gu, bargain deals have steadily spread to Gangnam and Seocho, and slightly higher asking prices from sellers have been reflected in some price moves,” Nam Hyuk-woo, a real estate researcher at Woori Bank, said. He said macro variables remain, including a second-half tax overhaul plan and the possibility of renewed rate hikes amid inflation, which could affect sentiment in the investment-driven “Gangnam three” market — Gangnam, Seocho and Songpa. He said prices may stay largely range-bound for the time being. Gyeonggi Province rose 0.06%, easing from 0.07% the previous week. Gwangmyeong gained 0.31%, led by large complexes in Cheolsan and Haan. Guri rose 0.29%, driven by smaller units in Inchang and Gyomun. Anyang’s Dongan-gu climbed 0.22%, led by Pyeongchon and Hogye. Nationwide, weekly apartment sale prices rose 0.03% in the fourth week of April. The five major metropolitan cities fell 0.02%, and Sejong fell 0.05%. Eight provinces that had been flat for two straight weeks posted a slight 0.01% gain. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 11:16:45 -
Samsung Electronics Says HBM Sales to Triple in 2026, HBM4 to Top Half From Q3 Samsung Electronics said Thursday on its conference call for 2026 first-quarter results that it expects its high-bandwidth memory, or HBM, sales this year to surge to more than triple last year’s level. The company said it has secured “industry-leading” product competitiveness based on advanced processes and helped drive an upward revision in HBM4 performance specifications. “As customers adopt it, our outstanding performance is translating into a real premium,” the company said, adding that demand has been concentrated on its products and that all capacity it had prepared is sold out. Samsung said HBM4 sales are expected to expand sharply starting in the third quarter. It said it began mass production shipments of HBM4 in February, the first in the world, and plans to ramp up supply in the second half. HBM4 sales are expected to account for more than half of total HBM sales from the third quarter this year, and to make up a majority of annual HBM sales in 2026, the company said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 11:14:10 -
Jang Dong-hyeok says South Korea is becoming a monarchy under Lee Jae-myung Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the People Power Party, stepped up his criticism of the ruling camp on April 30, saying South Korea was becoming a monarchy where “the state is me.” Speaking at a party Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, Jang said that with “one word from President Lee Jae-myung,” the ruling party and government were “busy pushing things through without discussion or review.” Jang said Lee’s remark that “it is fair for nonregular workers to be paid more” was followed by a rush to create a “fairness allowance” and raise pay first in the public sector. “Taxpayer money is being put in, but there was no proper review or debate,” he said. He also criticized comments about school trips, saying teachers were unfairly demonized by claims that trips were being canceled to avoid responsibility. As backlash grew, he said, the Education Ministry said it would present measures in May. “A policy produced in a month because the president ordered it can only be sloppy and rushed,” Jang said. Jang also attacked Democratic Party candidates running for mayor in major cities in the June 3 local elections, including Seoul and Busan. He said Seoul candidate Jeong Won-oh was dodging questions about raising property holding taxes and abolishing the long-term holding special deduction. He also criticized Busan candidate Jeon Jae-soo, saying he would not clearly answer a question about whether he received a Cartier item. Separately, the People Power Party used the meeting to denounce a parliamentary investigation into allegations tied to what it called a “political prosecution” under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. Floor leader Song Eon-seok called it a “self-destructive” probe, saying it began with unconstitutional and illegal actions, proceeded with “barbarism and violence,” but ultimately proved “Lee Jae-myung is guilty.” He said introducing a special prosecutor to cancel an indictment would be an abuse of the rule of law and an act that would destroy the justice system.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 11:12:55