Journalist
Lee Hugh
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South Korea Reviews External Economic Risks as Middle East Tensions Rise The government has begun reviewing risks and preparing responses to recent shifts in the international order, including instability in the Middle East. The Ministry of Economy and Finance said Sunday that it held a meeting with external-economy experts on April 24 at the Government Complex Seoul to discuss economic risks stemming from changes in global conditions and possible policy responses. The session was convened to consider steps to address external uncertainties such as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, growing supply chain uncertainty and the spread of protectionism. Participants said the Middle East situation has underscored the importance of energy security, calling for diversification of energy supply chains alongside a transition to cleaner energy. They also agreed that policy responses must be flexible and swift. With protectionism spreading and supply chain restructuring accelerating, participants also raised the need to secure key supply chains more reliably and strengthen strategic economic cooperation. They urged expanding cooperation with technologically advanced countries in advanced technology and strategic industries, and pursuing export and supply chain diversification to reduce dependence on specific regions. They also warned that geopolitical risks could shrink overseas construction markets, and said the government should set up a preemptive support system while strategically using future opportunities. Vice Minister Heo Jang said it is important to pursue a balanced approach between managing external risks and preparing mid- to long-term responses. “Based on the discussions at this meeting, we will make our policy direction more concrete and continue communication with the field,” he said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 12:06:26 -
Survey: 89% of South Korean firms oppose immediate punishment in safety inspections Most companies say they feel burdened by an “immediate punishment” approach in occupational safety and health inspections, warning that penalties without a chance to correct problems could increase administrative 대응 rather than improvements at worksites. The Korea Employers Federation said on April 26 that in a survey of 216 domestic companies on problems and improvements in the industrial safety and health inspection system, 89% (193 companies) responded negatively to being punished immediately during inspections without an opportunity to fix issues. The most common reason, cited by 38% (74 companies), was concern that inspectors could overuse findings of legal violations to boost performance. The results come as the government moves to expand the number of industrial safety inspectors and shift inspection policy toward immediate punishment, the federation said. Companies also warned that if even minor violations lead to penalties, they may focus on paperwork and other administrative responses instead of reducing workplace hazards. Distrust of inspectors was also widespread. In the survey, 56% (120 companies) said their level of trust in industrial safety inspectors was low. The top reason was “enforcing the law uniformly without understanding the industry,” cited by 41% (49 companies). By company size, 65% of firms with 300 or more employees, 60% of firms with 50 to 299 employees, and 50% of firms with fewer than 50 employees said trust was low. Larger workplaces were more likely to see problems with punishment-centered inspections. On whether the method of selecting inspection targets is appropriate, 53% (115 companies) responded negatively. Among them, 49% said detailed criteria are not disclosed, and 45% said workplace risk levels are not considered. Companies called for a shift in inspection policy. The most common request was “granting an opportunity to correct minor violations,” at 64%, followed by “expanding guidance and consulting focused on improving risk factors,” at 62%. Among companies inspected over the past three years, 49% said the main issues cited were minor violations such as posting material safety data sheets (MSDS) and missing safety signs. The biggest difficulties during inspections were the burden of assigning staff for administrative work such as preparing documents (82%) and the burden of criminal penalties and fines (78%). Lim Woo-taek, head of the federation’s Safety and Health Headquarters, said companies have strong concerns about immediate punishment during inspections and that trust in inspectors is lacking. He said the government should shift inspections toward prevention rather than punishment, including giving companies a chance to correct minor violations, and should strengthen inspectors’ expertise and capabilities.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 12:05:37 -
Climate Ministry to Hold Nationwide Flood Response Training Ahead of Summer The government will launch a nationwide series of river-basin flood safety trainings for disaster management officials to help prevent summer flood damage. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said Saturday it will hold the traveling program from April 27 to 30 as part of the third week of the "Third Republic of Korea Flood Safety Emphasis Period" (April 15-May 14). The sessions will target disaster management officials at regional environment offices, flood control offices and local governments. Training will be held in sequence at the Han River Basin Environment Office on April 27, the Nakdong River Basin Environment Office on April 28, the Geum River Basin Environment Office on April 29 and the Yeongsan River Basin Environment Office on April 30. The ministry said it has reorganized the program into an integrated, headquarters-led format, replacing the previous approach of separate trainings by institution. Officials will learn the full flood response process, each agency’s role and how coordination works as a single workflow. The curriculum will focus on practical skills, including how to use flood response systems, to strengthen on-the-ground response capacity. The ministry provides flood alerts at 223 locations, water-level data at 983 locations, artificial intelligence closed-circuit television (AI CCTV) and flood risk maps. It also operates systems including the "Integrated Flood Situation Monitoring System" and the "Dam-River Digital Twin Water Management Platform." To increase local government use of these tools, the ministry said it will give step-by-step guidance, from account registration and login to hands-on use during actual flood response, for officials who are new to the systems or unfamiliar with how to operate them. The program will also cover the ministry’s flood measures for this summer, best practices in flood response and situation reporting, ways to use flood risk maps, and management of flood-vulnerable areas. The ministry said the training will be conducted in a practical format so local officials can clearly understand their roles and respond effectively when flooding occurs. "In flood response, careful and swift situation assessment from the early stage is important," said Cho Hee-song, director general of the ministry’s Water Management Policy Office. "We will prepare thoroughly for floods through substantive training that strengthens the capabilities of frontline disaster response officials."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 12:04:48 -
South Korea launches 2026 AI Innovation Challenge to expand AI use in public agencies The government will hold the inaugural "2026 Public Agencies AI Innovation Challenge" to broaden the use of artificial intelligence across public institutions. The Ministry of Economy and Finance said on the 26th it has announced the public-agency track of the "National AI Competition," which opened on March 26 and includes 14 tracks. The challenge is hosted by the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Science and ICT, and organized by the National Information Society Agency. The government created the track for the first time this year to encourage wider AI adoption in public agencies. Participating institutions will use AI to improve administrative efficiency and identify innovative services the public can experience. The competition has two categories: "AI Service Demonstration," in which public agencies plan and test public AI services, and "Best Practices in AI Use," which evaluates results and examples of broader adoption. Entries in each category will be accepted under either open topics or designated topics aimed at addressing social issues. Any public agency listed under the ALIO public disclosure system that wants to participate may apply from June 1 to Aug. 28. After two rounds of expert review, including document screening and presentations, the government plans to select about 30 top cases and hold an awards ceremony in the fourth quarter. It said it will offer incentives such as bonus points in management evaluations and support agencies in adopting advanced AI technologies to generate demand for innovation and serve as test beds for private companies. Jang Jeong-jin, director general for public policy at the ministry, said, "This year, we must quickly produce tangible results that the public can feel through the introduction of AI in public agencies," adding, "Through this challenge, we will actively identify field-driven model cases of innovation and expand them across the public sector."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 12:04:06 -
Climate Ministry to Inspect Sewer Systems Nationwide Ahead of Summer Downpours The government will begin nationwide inspections of sewer facilities to help prevent urban flooding during summer downpours. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said Saturday it will hold a series of meetings starting Sunday with officials from its regional environment offices and local governments to review sewer-facility management ahead of the summer natural-disaster response period, which runs from May 15 to Oct. 15. On Sunday afternoon, the ministry will convene sewer officials from seven regional environment offices, including the Han River Basin Environment Office, at the Government Complex Sejong. On May 7, it will hold a separate review meeting for sewer officials from 17 cities and provinces, chaired by Kim Eun-kyeong, the ministry’s director general for water environment policy, also at the Government Complex Sejong. The meetings will focus on local governments’ maintenance plans for sewer pipes, including storm-drain cleaning, and the status of installing fall-prevention devices on manholes in flood-prone areas. The ministry also plans to share best practices from local governments with strong maintenance records and discuss agency-by-agency steps to improve urban flood prevention. With storm drains clogged by cigarette butts and trash cited as a factor that can worsen flooding during heavy rain, the ministry said it will ask local governments to complete intensive inspections and cleaning before the rainy season. It also plans to strengthen on-site checks in vulnerable areas and expand installation of manhole fall-prevention devices to reduce accidents. During the summer response period, the ministry said it will continue monitoring local governments’ upkeep of storm drains and other sewer facilities and use field inspections to ensure prevention measures are being carried out. Through the end of June, regional environment offices and the Korea Environment Corporation will jointly inspect local governments’ sewer-pipe maintenance plans and performance. The ministry said it will also conduct additional spot field inspections during the summer response period to keep verifying storm-drain conditions and the installation status of manhole fall-prevention devices. It will compile and manage weekly results for storm-drain inspections and cleaning, and check monthly progress on installing manhole fall-prevention devices to help prevent safety accidents. It will also confirm whether such devices are installed in high-risk areas, including low-lying neighborhoods. “Preventing urban flooding depends on advance inspections and ongoing maintenance of sewer facilities such as storm drains,” Kim said. “We will manage sewer facilities thoroughly so the public can stay safe even during torrential rain.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 12:03:18 -
China’s Beijing Auto Show spotlights AI-powered new energy vehicles amid weak domestic demand “We’re the ‘king of the alleyways.’ Our next throne will be in humanoid robots and flying cars,” said He Xiaopeng, chairman of XPeng Motors. At the 2026 Beijing International Motor Show (Auto China 2026) on April 24 at the Capital International Exhibition Center in Beijing’s Shunyi district, crowds of more than 200 reporters packed the booth of XPeng, often called China’s Tesla, to see the world debut of its new SUV, the GX. XPeng said the GX uses four in-house AI chips and a second-generation VLA (Vision-Language-Action) system to deliver Level 4 autonomous driving that can recognize and judge situations on its own. “Autonomous driving is no longer just for early adopters,” He said. “We’re moving into everyday life, from apartment underground parking lots to crowded shopping centers.” When He played video of the second-generation VLA system, the audience reacted loudly as the vehicle navigated a chaotic night market and narrow alleys clogged with illegally parked cars. The video also showed the car reading building signs and “entrance/exit” markings to make decisions. In one scene, a kitten lay in the road; the vehicle hesitated, then edged into the next lane to avoid it. He said advanced autonomous driving is becoming a must-have feature that drives purchases. He said XPeng aims to create new demand and “break through” weak domestic consumption by emphasizing safety, including for mothers in their 60s and older. He added that a second version of the second-generation VLA system, which learns by recognizing voice across the full driving route rather than relying on memory-based approaches, will be unveiled in May, opening an era of “mass-market autonomous driving.” At Auto China 2026, which runs through May 3, Chinese automakers rolled out a wave of AI-enabled new energy vehicles, presenting them as a way to counter a sharp domestic slowdown. The show, themed “Future of Intelligence,” drew global brands including Hyundai Motor as well as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen Group, alongside local players such as BYD Group, Geely Auto Group, Chery Automobile Group, Xiaomi, XPeng and Nio. Organizers said more than 100 automakers and more than 1,000 parts suppliers took part. A representative of Li Auto said China’s NEV strategy is shifting from rapid expansion to higher-quality growth, intensifying competition among local companies. With AI integrated into vehicles, the person said, autonomous driving and infotainment are improving, along with charging and operating systems. The representative said a 1,500-kilometer driving range has become standard and that a 2,500-kilometer era is approaching. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China’s auto sales in the first quarter totaled 6.3 million vehicles, down 6% from a year earlier. Exports rose 50%, but domestic sales fell 16%, after China ended NEV tax incentives late last year. As a result, local brands are rapidly shifting from a low-priced, domestic-focused EV market to an export-driven NEV market, a trend also reflected in their more aggressive push into South Korea. Geely Auto Group, which plans to enter the South Korean market in the first half of this year, built one of the show’s largest booths. Under the concept of “embodied intelligence,” it presented NEV strategy models from Zeekr, Lynk & Co and Galaxy, along with a bipedal robot called “Eva,” smart city initiatives and a methanol ecosystem strategy. A key attraction was the “EVA Cab,” described as China’s first robotaxi-only prototype. Geely said the vehicle applies a “quantum-level” AI architecture and is the industry’s first Level 4 robotaxi prototype to complete mass-production preparation. After a year of pilot operations in cities including Hangzhou and Suzhou, it is set for a full launch starting in 2027. On the show floor, the EVA Cab featured a wide-opening sliding door and a cabin layout with facing seats. Zeekr and Lynk & Co also introduced models they said use AI to improve range, charging time, fuel efficiency and driver safety. Zeekr strengthened its luxury lineup with the new 009, 8X and 9X. The 8X uses a 900-volt high-voltage system and a three-motor electric drivetrain, delivering a peak output of 1,030 kW and a 0-100 kph time in the 2.96-second range, which the company billed as the world’s fastest hybrid SUV. Lynk & Co’s electric sport sedans 10+ and 10, set for release in May, use a 900-volt system and a 95 kWh “golden battery,” which the company said enables ultra-fast charging equivalent to 2 kilometers of driving per second. A Geely Auto Group official said the AI ecosystem technologies unveiled at the show will help the company evolve from an automaker into a global intelligent mobility company. BYD, along with its sub-brands and Denza, Yangwang and Formula Bao, highlighted its ambition to lead China’s NEV strategy. BYD drew attention with a display that placed the Denza Z9 GT and Formula Bao’s Tai 3 inside a freezer so visitors could gauge charging performance in extreme cold. The freezer dropped to minus 35 degrees Celsius, leaving frost on the vehicles, but BYD said its second-generation Blade Battery still charged from 10% to 70% in under five minutes, underscoring its focus on energy efficiency as well as high specifications and stronger autonomous-driving features. Amid the surge by Chinese brands, Hyundai Motor showcased its electric vehicle, the Ioniq V. The Ioniq V is the production model of the previously unveiled concept car “Venus” and the first China-focused model under Hyundai’s Ioniq brand. Hyundai said it will add an SUV model around the first half of next year and introduce 20 new models by 2030. Jang Jae-hoon, vice chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, told reporters at the company’s booth, “We will learn and grow a lot in China,” adding, “It is the toughest market, but we will rise again in China and create success.” 2026-04-26 11:45:24 -
Lee Kang-in scores and assists as PSG beats Angers 3-0 to stay atop Ligue 1 Lee Kang-in scored and set up another goal as Paris Saint-Germain beat Angers 3-0 away and stayed top of France's Ligue 1 despite finishing with 10 men. PSG won at Stade Raymond Kopa in Angers on April 26 (Korean time) in the 2025-2026 season's Round 31. The victory was PSG's second straight. With four matches left, PSG moved closer to the title. It remained first with 69 points (22 wins, three draws, five losses), keeping a six-point cushion over second-place Lens on 63 (20 wins, three draws, seven losses). PSG struck early. In the seventh minute, Achraf Hakimi's shot rebounded off the goalkeeper, and Lee raced in, rounded the keeper and slotted a right-footed finish. It was Lee's third league goal of the season and his fourth in all competitions (three in the league, one in the UEFA Super Cup), his first since the Round 21 match against Marseille in February. Against Angers, he has three goals and two assists in four career appearances. PSG doubled the lead in the 39th minute through Senny Mayulu. Lee then delivered the assist for the third goal in the seventh minute of the second half, curling a precise right-side corner into the box for Lucas Beraldo to head home. PSG went down a man in the 29th minute of the second half when Goncalo Ramos was sent off, but it held on for the clean sheet and a 3-0 win. Lee played the full match and received a 8.1 rating from statistics site SofaScore, the second-highest on the team behind Beraldo (8.8).* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 11:31:01 -
Woori Bank Takes FX Risk Seminars to Regional Importers and Exporters Amid a Middle East-driven geopolitical crisis and heightened exchange-rate volatility, Woori Bank is expanding support for regional small and midsize import-export companies to help them manage foreign-exchange risk. Woori Bank said April 26 it is running a “visiting exchange-rate seminar” program for regional small and midsize exporters and importers. The program is designed to strengthen companies’ practical ability to manage currency risk in areas where access to specialized foreign-exchange and derivatives services is limited. The bank visits worksites first and provides tailored consulting without requiring companies to apply separately. Woori Bank held on-site seminars April 14 at Seongwoo Hitech and Taekwang Fujikin in the Busan area. On April 22, it continued the sessions with visits to MNC Solution, GPC and Woorim PTS in South Gyeongsang Province. Topics include Middle East risks and global commodity market trends, major currency movements and outlooks, and hedging strategies such as forward contracts and currency options, with company-specific response plans. Woori Bank plans to expand the seminars to major industrial hubs including Ulsan and Gwangyang, aiming to help regional companies maintain stable operations amid global uncertainty. “The exchange-rate risks felt by regional import-export companies are significant, but access to information to manage them is relatively limited,” a Woori Bank official said. “We are focusing on providing on-site, company-specific measures to respond to foreign-exchange risk.” 2026-04-26 11:30:18 -
Five Firms Vie for South Korea’s $2 Billion GPU Project as Next-Gen Platform Looms Competition is intensifying among major companies for the government’s 2.08 trillion won project to secure advanced graphics processing units, with the ability to build large clusters, whether to adopt Nvidia’s next-generation “Vera Rubin” platform, and how much of the GPUs bidders plan to use themselves emerging as key factors. Yonhap News reported on Saturday that the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA) plans to select operators next month for the “GPU procurement, buildout and operations support” project. Led by the Ministry of Science and ICT, the initiative aims to quickly secure large-scale GPUs through public-private cooperation and supply them to domestic industry, universities and research institutes. The project centers on using government funds to secure about 15,000 of the latest GPUs and choosing private cloud providers to build and run them reliably. Five companies submitted bids: Naver Cloud, KT Cloud, Samsung SDS, Coupang and Elice Group. Industry officials expect multiple operators could be chosen again, as in last year’s 1.4 trillion won program, which selected Naver Cloud, Kakao and NHN Cloud. A central issue this time is how the GPU volume will be allocated. Last year, based on proposed scale and build capability, NHN Cloud received about 8,000 units, Naver Cloud about 3,000 and Kakao about 2,400, with NHN Cloud winning the largest share after its large-cluster plan scored highly. Cluster size remains a major evaluation item. The government requires at least one cluster of 256 nodes, or 2,048 GPUs, or more, because larger clusters significantly improve processing speed and efficiency. Another new variable is whether bidders will adopt Nvidia’s “Vera Rubin” platform. The government plans to award extra points to proposals that include it. Naver Cloud and Elice Group are reported to be reviewing adoption, while some companies are said to have excluded it. Vera Rubin’s high power density and facility load requirements could limit where it can be deployed, raising concerns that adoption will depend heavily on each company’s data-center infrastructure. Strategies also differ, with some proposing to use existing data centers for large GPU clusters and others promoting new approaches such as modular data centers. How much of the GPUs companies plan to use themselves is also seen as decisive. The government will purchase and retain ownership of the GPUs, but participating companies may use the remainder after meeting public supply requirements. Because the government gives extra points to bidders offering a higher share for public supply, companies must balance profitability against evaluation scores. Industry sources said last year’s participants set self-use at about 20%, limiting profitability. “Once you factor in adopting a next-generation platform, the investment burden rises sharply,” an industry official said. “It’s not an environment where it’s easy to make aggressive large-scale proposals.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 11:27:09 -
South Korea’s top court rejects trust firm liability limits not explained to buyers South Korea’s Supreme Court has ruled that a trust company cannot rely on a contract clause limiting its liability if it did not explain the clause to the buyer. The decision means the trust company may still be responsible for penalties tied to delayed occupancy. According to the legal community on the 26th, the Supreme Court’s Third Division, with Justice Lee Sook-yeon as presiding justice, recently upheld a lower court ruling that partly favored the plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by a person identified as A against K Trust Co. seeking a refund of the purchase price. The dispute arose over the sale of a unit in a knowledge industry center building in Seoul’s Geumcheon District. K Trust, which had signed a managed land trust agreement with the project developer, was the seller that directly executed the sales contract. A became a party to the contract in March 2022 after buying the sales rights from the original buyer. Construction was not completed by the promised move-in date of July 2022. After the delay exceeded four months, A filed suit in November that year seeking to cancel the contract and obtain a penalty payment. The contract stated that if occupancy did not occur within three months of the scheduled move-in date, the buyer could cancel and receive 10% of the sale price as a penalty. During the litigation, K Trust argued it was shielded by a “liability-limitation clause.” The clause said the trust company, as seller, would bear responsibility only within the scope of the trust property and trust agreement, while the developer, as settlor, would be responsible for all obligations including returning cancellation payments. K Trust argued that any refund obligation belonged to the developer, not the trust company. The trial and appellate courts rejected that argument and ruled for A, finding the trust company had to fulfill its obligations as a contracting party. The Supreme Court agreed. The court said the clause “limits or exempts the trustee’s liability to perform obligations to the buyer to the extent of the trust property,” and that it is a matter that “can directly affect” a buyer’s decision on whether to enter the contract. It added that even if such clauses are common in the trust industry, buyers generally have limited transaction experience and lack specialized knowledge of managed land trusts, making it difficult to assume they could anticipate the clause’s existence and content without a separate explanation.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 11:24:09