Journalist
Lee Hugh
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Unfounded Claims Spread Online After White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting, Media Say Online claims that the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner attended by President Donald Trump was staged spread rapidly after the incident, according to reports. Posts on X, Bluesky and Instagram asserted without evidence that the gunfire was orchestrated. Foreign media reported that no proof has been verified to support those allegations. U.S. technology outlet Wired reported on April 26 (local time) that social media users quickly circulated “staged” claims after the shooting. Wired said accounts across the political spectrum — including influencers and anonymous users — amplified the narrative without presenting evidence. Wired said the conspiracy theories grew alongside Trump’s remarks about the White House ballroom. Some online users argued that because Trump mentioned the need to build a ballroom after the incident, the shooting must have been staged to create justification for the project, Wired reported. Fact-checking outlets said scenes cited as “proof” online did not match the facts. PolitiFact said a clip of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying before the event, “There will be gunshots in this room tonight,” was not a warning about an actual shooting. It was a figurative line referring to Trump’s speech and jokes, PolitiFact said. PolitiFact also said footage of a man holding up cards next to Trump was not a signal for gunfire. The moment was part of a scheduled performance by mentalist Oz Pearlman, it reported. Information released by investigators also did not align with the staging claims. Reuters reported that acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the suspect appeared to have targeted Trump administration officials, and authorities were investigating whether the president may have been among the intended targets. Reuters also cited a U.S. official as saying Trump may have been the target. The Associated Press reported the suspect was identified as 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen of Torrance, California. Authorities were investigating a motive, and the suspect was arrested at the scene shortly after the shooting, AP said. PolitiFact said the claims spread quickly in the immediate aftermath, when confirmed information was limited. It said some social media posts shared cropped clips that fueled suspicion while the suspect’s identity and the sequence of events were still unclear. In one case, a journalist initially reported incorrectly that the suspect had died and then promptly corrected the report. Wired said the episode mirrored online reactions that often follow political violence in the United States. As with the 2024 attempt to assassinate Trump, it said, users with differing political views again portrayed the incident as staged — for different reasons.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:22:34 -
Han Byung-do Seen as Front-Runner for Second Term as DP Floor Leader After Rivals Bow Out As the Democratic Party prepares to elect a new floor leader on May 6, a string of decisions by potential contenders not to run has boosted the chances of Han Byung-do winning a second term. Han, who previously served as floor leader, formally entered the race on April 23 at the National Assembly, saying, "I am confident I can do well going forward." If elected, he would become the party's first floor leader to serve consecutive terms. Rep. Baek Hye-ryeon wrote on Facebook on April 27 that she would not run, saying the top task is "the success of the Lee Jae-myung government and victory in local elections through party unity." She added that she would "do my best" in the role assigned to her. Rep. Park Jeong also announced a day earlier that he had decided not to run. In a post titled "I have decided not to run for floor leader this time," Park said winning the Democratic Party's June 3 local elections and parliamentary by-elections must come first, adding that the party should deliver a "complete defeat" to "far-right forces." Baek and Park had been seen as possible candidates after both lost to Han in a floor leader by-election held in January following the resignation of Kim Byung-ki. Rep. Seo Young-kyo, who also competed against Kim in that earlier contest, said a day earlier that she had considered running but would sit out this time to focus on her duties as chair of a special committee for a state investigation and as chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Some in the party have voiced concerns about Han serving another term. Rep. Kim Yong-min said on April 24 that the ruling party should move more dynamically to support the administration's success when the president's approval rating is high, arguing that a second term for the floor leader runs counter to the energy and momentum the party needs. He said he hoped "a new figure" would emerge in the party. Kim also argued a day earlier that the share of party member votes reflected in the floor leader election, currently 20%, should be increased to 50% so members' views carry more weight. The floor leader elected this time will have authority over matters including the allocation of standing committee posts for the second half of the year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:21:52 -
HD Hyundai Heavy Signs Deal to Build Sweden’s Icebreaking Vessel, a First for a Korean Yard HD Hyundai Heavy Industries said Sunday it has held a contract-signing ceremony for an overseas icebreaking vessel order, marking the first such deal won by a South Korean shipyard and moving the project into full implementation. The company said it signed the shipbuilding contract with the Swedish Maritime Administration on Friday local time at the National Maritime Museum in Stockholm. CEO Joo Won-ho and Swedish Maritime Administration Director General Erik Eklund attended the event and discussed the significance of the agreement and ways to cooperate going forward, the company said. HD Hyundai Heavy previously disclosed it had secured an order for one icebreaking vessel worth $348.9 million (about 514.8 billion won). The ship is expected to be delivered in 2029 and will have icebreaking capability rated at Polar Class 4. The company said the contract is seen as a step into the global icebreaker market and a foundation for expanding into Arctic-route vessels such as LNG carriers and bulk carriers equipped with icebreaking functions.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:21:19 -
HJ Shipbuilding Wins Order for Two 10,100-TEU Container Ships HJ Shipbuilding said Sunday it has won orders worth a combined 357.2 billion won for two 10,100-TEU container ships. The ships are based on the company’s in-house 7,700- to 9,000-TEU eco-friendly container ship design and were engineered to the largest specifications that can be built in the dock at its Yeongdo shipyard in Busan. The company said the high-efficiency design expands cargo space on deck and in the holds, while applying an optimized layout aimed at improving process efficiency and safety. HJ Shipbuilding previously won its first order for a container ship of 10,000 TEU or more at the Yeongdo shipyard in February. With the latest deal, it has secured four ships of the same design. The company said building identical ships in sequence is expected to boost efficiency across design, procurement and production, improving productivity and profitability. It added that shipowners can also benefit from more efficient operations and maintenance. To meet International Maritime Organization environmental rules, the ships will be built with exhaust gas cleaning systems, known as scrubbers, and an alternative maritime power system for shore power supply. HJ Shipbuilding said it has also completed development of an LNG dual-fuel propulsion model based on the same design to meet future demand for cleaner fuels. Chief Executive Yoo Sang-cheol said the company has laid the groundwork to build four large container ships of 10,000 TEU or more in succession at the Yeongdo shipyard. He said it will strengthen competitiveness through selective, profitability-focused orders and high-quality, on-time delivery.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:15:05 -
HD Hyundai Marine Solution jumps more than 9% on Q1 results, LNG retrofit outlook HD Hyundai Marine Solution surged more than 9% in early trading, buoyed by strong first-quarter results and upbeat brokerage assessments that the stock still has room to rise. According to the Korea Exchange, shares were trading at 277,000 won as of 10:04 a.m., up 23,500 won, or 9.27%, from the previous session. The company said in a filing on April 24 that first-quarter revenue totaled 574.6 billion won and operating profit came to 93.4 billion won. Revenue rose 18.3% from a year earlier and operating profit increased 12.5%. Brokerages have pointed to additional upside potential. Samsung Securities said it expects investor sentiment to improve on expectations of rising demand for liquefied natural gas, or LNG, facility retrofits amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, as well as the group’s expansion of its onshore power-generation engine business. Reflecting a higher valuation for the industrials sector, it raised its target price by 36.9% to 347,000 won. In a report Monday, Samsung Securities analyst Han Young-soo said revenue in the bunkering business jumped on higher oil prices, while the company’s overall profit margin edged down as the lower-margin bunkering segment took a larger share of sales. He added that margins in core businesses excluding bunkering improved from a year earlier and from the previous quarter. Han said net profit “far exceeded” market expectations as foreign-exchange-related gains were reflected. He said core business revenue posted a 19% compound annual growth rate over the past three years and is expected to grow 20% this year. He also said the Iran war is expected to spur LNG projects outside the Middle East, and that gas-importing countries have incentives to diversify supply sources for security reasons, raising the likelihood of increased demand for retrofits of floating storage and regasification units, or FSRUs, and floating storage units, or FSUs. Han added that maintenance work is also under way for engines already installed, and said the group’s shipbuilding volume is rising on a strong shipbuilding market and overseas expansion, while most overhang concerns have been resolved.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:14:21 -
Chey Tae-won to Present South Korea’s AI Growth Strategy at National Assembly Seminar Chey Tae-won, chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, will visit the National Assembly to lay out a national growth strategy for the AI era. The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry said Monday that the National Assembly Korea-China Parliamentary Union will hold its first policy seminar of 2026 at 8 a.m. Tuesday in the first small conference room of the National Assembly Members’ Office Building. The seminar will be held under the theme, “South Korea’s growth strategy amid the U.S.-China AI technology rivalry.” Chey is scheduled to deliver a special lecture offering a global business perspective on how the South Korean economy should respond. The event is set to begin with opening remarks by Kim Tae-nyeon and a commemorative photo session, followed by Chey’s lecture and a question-and-answer session with attending lawmakers. Organizers said about 40 lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties are expected to attend, including Kim Seong-won, senior vice chairman, and Reps. Lee Jae-jung, Min Byeong-deok, Jeong Il-young, Lim O-kyeong, Heo Seong-moo, Cho Bae-sook, Na Kyung-won, Shin Seong-beom and Cha Gyu-geun. Rep. Kim has led policy agendas focused on strengthening national industrial competitiveness and securing future growth engines, and has continued related discussions through an economic policy study group within the Assembly. Organizers said the seminar was arranged as part of that effort to flesh out a national strategy centered on AI and semiconductors. The Korea-China Parliamentary Union is a bipartisan parliamentary diplomacy platform with 145 lawmakers from both parties, and it continues policy discussions across areas including the economy, diplomacy and advanced industries.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:13:36 -
Grand Korea Leisure Named a “Life Guardian” in 2026 Cheonmyeong Project Grand Korea Leisure (GKL) said Monday it has been appointed a “Cheonmyeong guardian” for the government’s “2026 Cheonmyeong Project,” overseen by the Office for Government Policy Coordination’s Life Guardian Promotion Headquarters. The project name, “Cheonmyeong,” carries a double meaning: “1,000 lives” and a person’s innate lifespan, or destiny (天命). A total of 44 organizations, including GKL, were selected as guardians and are expected to play a central role in spreading a culture of respect for life. GKL President Yoon Doo-hyun said the company will “actively participate in the nationwide effort to expand a culture of respect for life,” adding that it will fulfill its role as a public enterprise by helping ease social isolation among marginalized neighbors and supporting their recovery of the will to live. GKL said it is also running a range of community programs, including the “3-Go” initiative supporting at-risk households outside the formal welfare system, a recovery program for residents of Seoul Station’s jjokbang neighborhoods, the “Pyeolchyeodeurim” program for youth in education-vulnerable groups, and training environmental leaders through ESG partnerships. The company said it has been named a recognized community-contribution company for seven consecutive years since 2019. 2026-04-27 10:10:23 -
Lino Industrial Shares Slide More Than 14% on News of Major Shareholder Stake Sale Semiconductor test socket maker Lino Industrial’s shares were down more than 14% on Monday, a move widely attributed to news that its largest shareholder plans to sell a sizable stake. According to the Korea Exchange, Lino Industrial was trading at 106,500 won as of 9:55 a.m., down 14.39% from the previous session. The company said late April 24 that CEO Lee Chae-yoon plans to sell 7 million common shares through after-hours block trades over 30 days from May 26 to June 24. The sale would amount to 9.18% of total shares outstanding and was valued at 863.1 billion won based on the April 23 closing price of 123,300 won. Lino Industrial said the actual price per share could differ, adding that the purpose of the transaction is “asset management through the sale of shares held.” Some in the securities industry have also suggested the plan could be part of preparations to fund gift taxes for transferring shares to his children, citing Lee’s age of 75. Lino Industrial ranks sixth by market capitalization on the KOSDAQ and posted its best-ever annual results last year. On a consolidated basis, revenue rose 33.9% from a year earlier to 372.5 billion won, while operating profit increased 42.5% to 177.0 billion won. Its operating margin climbed 2.9 percentage points to 47.5%, an unusually high level for the industry.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:09:51 -
NH NongHyup Bank launches KOSPI 200-linked ELD deposit with rates up to 10% NH NongHyup Bank said April 27 it will launch “Equity-Linked Deposit (ELD) 26-2,” a principal-protected product designed to offer additional returns. The one-year deposit uses the KOSPI 200 index as its underlying asset and comes in three types: Stable I, Return I and Return II. At maturity, principal and interest are guaranteed. Early termination carries fees and could result in a loss of principal. The deposit can be used as collateral for a loan and is covered by deposit insurance. The Stable I type has no knock-out feature and pays, for individual customers, an annual return of 2.6% to 3.2% (2.45% to 3.05% for corporate customers) if the index at maturity rises 0% to 5% from its initial level. The Return I type offers individuals an annual return of 2.6% to 5.6% (2.47% to 5.47% for corporate customers) if the index rises 0% to 30%. If it rises more than 30%, the return is fixed at the minimum rate. The Return II type offers individuals an annual return of 2.3% to 10.0% (2.17% to 9.87% for corporate customers) if the index rises 0% to 25%. If it rises more than 25%, the return is also fixed at the minimum rate. All quoted returns are annual, before tax. Subscriptions will be accepted through May 6 at branches nationwide and via NH All One Bank and NH Smart Banking. “ELDs are products that guarantee principal at maturity while offering the potential for additional returns,” an NH NongHyup Bank official said, adding the bank will continue to introduce products that meet customer demand. 2026-04-27 10:09:17 -
Trump Says Iran Should Call to Negotiate, Not Expect U.S. Delegation U.S. President Donald Trump is increasing pressure on Iran, saying he may pursue negotiations by phone rather than in-person talks. He also argued that maritime blockades are working and claimed Iran’s oil pipelines could soon suffer internal explosions, extending what he described as economic pressure. In a phone interview with Fox News on April 26 (local time), Trump said he would not send “people” on an 18-hour trip as a U.S. negotiating team. “We’ll do it by phone. So if they want, they can call us,” he said. Referring to a call the previous day with Pakistan, Trump said, “We’re not going to do this anymore,” adding, “We have all the cards.” He said Pakistan would continue to stay involved, underscoring that it would keep its mediating role. “They know what has to be in the (final) deal,” Trump said. “They can’t have nuclear weapons. Otherwise there’s no reason to meet.” The remarks came as Trump weighs whether to resume face-to-face talks with Iran after saying he would keep a ceasefire in place until negotiations end. The United States had planned to send a delegation to Pakistan for talks, but has held off after Iran showed what the article described as a passive stance toward negotiations. Trump’s comments about “phone negotiations” were interpreted as a message aimed at pressuring Iran while reducing reliance on the talks. On the war with Iran, Trump said, “We’ve done a great job, and we’re going to have a big victory.” He added, “I hope they act smart, but even if they don’t, we’re going to win anyway.” On blockade measures targeting Iran-linked vessels in places including the Strait of Hormuz and the Pacific, Trump called them “incredibly effective,” claiming it means Iran “can’t make a lot of money anymore.” He said that when a pipeline carrying large volumes of oil can no longer keep loading containers or ships and the line becomes blocked, “the pipe mechanically explodes internally underground.” He claimed it had happened to Iran and said the blockade left it without ships. “It just explodes,” Trump said, adding that “they say they have only three days left” before that happens. He said that once it explodes, it cannot be restored, and even if it were repaired it would reach only about 50% of its current scale. Trump also complained about the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, saying it “didn’t help us properly.” He said the United States had “poured trillions of dollars” into supporting NATO for a long time, but “when we needed a little help, they weren’t there,” adding, “So we have to remember that.” On China’s role, Trump said he did not think it had helped much. “It could help, but I don’t think there’s a lot they can do,” he said, adding that China could have acted “much worse,” but he did not think it had done so. Trump also said he had “good conversations” with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, without specifying when. “We’re trying to solve the Russia-Ukraine situation,” he said. “I hope we can do it.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:06:16