Journalist
Lee Hugh
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Court: Labor Ministry staffer’s sub-$30 meal with Coupang executive did not violate anti-graft law A court has ruled that a Labor Ministry employee and a Coupang Logistics Service (CLS) executive did not violate South Korea’s anti-graft law by sharing a meal costing less than 30,000 won per person, finding no quid pro quo. According to legal officials on the 25th, Seoul Central District Court Judge Cho Ji-hwan of the court’s Civil Division 79 recently decided there was no need to impose an administrative fine on A, an employee at a local office under the Ministry of Employment and Labor, or on Coupang CLS for an alleged violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act. The judge also decided not to proceed with a fine trial for A after the ministry withdrew its notice of the alleged violation. The court said there was no ongoing guidance, supervision or inspection case involving Coupang CLS at A’s office at the time of the meal, and found the meeting was for social purposes that did not hinder the proper performance of duties. The court cited that the per-person meal cost was 27,500 won, within the 30,000-won limit allowed under the law’s enforcement decree. “The value of the food provided was 30,000 won or less per person, falling within the permitted scope for social or ceremonial purposes,” the court said. The court also pointed to the pair’s personal ties dating to 2006, when they worked together, that the meeting was not planned in advance and happened by chance, and that other staff who attended also knew the Coupang CLS executive. A had been handling industrial accident-related work at the ministry when, around February last year, a Coupang CLS executive provided lunch worth 165,000 won to A and four colleagues. After learning of it, the head of A’s agency notified the court that A had violated the anti-graft law, triggering fine proceedings. In March, the court decided in a summary ruling not to impose a fine. Prosecutors objected, leading to formal proceedings. The government has continued to stress compliance with the anti-graft law. At a National Assembly hearing on Coupang last year, Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon cited several grade 5 and 6 officials who moved to Coupang from six labor offices before the presidential election and warned of punishment at a “ruinous” level, ordering officials not to make contact.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 10:43:58 -
KBO League Tops 2 Million Fans in Record 117 Games The KBO League’s early-season surge in attendance has set another record, reaching 2 million fans in the fewest games in league history. The Korea Baseball Organization said 99,905 fans attended games across five stadiums on the 25th, pushing season attendance to 2,094,481. Four parks sold out: Jamsil (23,750), Gwangju-Kia Champions Field (20,500), Gocheok Sky Dome (16,000) and Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark (17,000). Incheon SSG Landers Field, with a capacity of 23,000, drew 22,655, just short of a sellout. The league reached 2 million in 117 regular-season games, breaking last year’s record of 118 games for the same milestone. The KBO has been drawing strongly since opening day. On the 10th, it topped 1 million fans in 55 games, beating the previous record set in 2025 (60 games). Average attendance this season stands at 17,902 per game, up 7.9% from 16,596 at the same point last year. After setting an all-time record of 12,312,519 total fans last year, the KBO is running ahead of that pace again, fueling expectations of topping 10 million for a third straight year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 10:43:13 -
Loud bang at WHCA dinner prompts Trump evacuation; he says suspect arrested President Donald Trump was rushed out of the White House Correspondents' Association dinner after a loud bang, believed to be possible gunfire, was heard at the venue. CNN and other outlets reported that the incident occurred about 8 p.m. on April 25 (local time) during the WHCA-hosted dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington. After concerns were raised that shots may have been fired, Secret Service agents quickly escorted Trump off the stage. Vice President JD Vance and Cabinet officials who were at the event also left the room in an emergency evacuation. A source said Trump was safe, and administration officials were also reported to be unharmed. According to a press pool report, multiple Secret Service agents shouted, "shots fired," and radio traffic indicated the suspect had already been arrested. After being evacuated, Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, that "the suspect has been arrested" and that the Secret Service and law enforcement "responded excellently." He said he suggested, "LET THE SHOW GO ON," but that the final decision would be left entirely to law enforcement. He added that authorities would decide soon, and that whatever the decision, the event would be "very different" from the original plan and would ultimately need to be held again.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 10:27:16 -
SK hynix wins IEEE Corporate Innovation Award for HBM advances in AI computing SK hynix said April 26 it won the Corporate Innovation Award at the '2026 IEEE* Awards' ceremony hosted by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. IEEE, a leading global organization of technology professionals, has presented the IEEE Awards for more than 100 years. The program honors recipients in three categories — medals, technical field awards and recognition awards — for technological innovation and contributions to society. The Corporate Innovation Award, part of the recognition awards, has been given since 1986 to companies credited with advancing industry and society through innovative technology. It is the first time SK hynix has received the honor. SK hynix said it was recognized for reliably mass-producing every generation of high-bandwidth memory, or HBM, and for contributing to the growth of the global AI computing ecosystem. The company said it aims to provide memory solutions that help overcome performance limits in AI platforms and to strengthen its position as a trusted partner in the global AI market. The company said the award reflects its role in expanding AI computing through HBM innovation and applications, including by proposing HBM solutions early and responding to customer demand in a timely way. The company also cited its efforts to broaden AI infrastructure partnerships with major global technology companies in the United States, under SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won's management focus on securing long-term technological competitiveness. Ahn Hyun, president and chief development officer, attended the ceremony and accepted the award on the company's behalf. Ahn said he was honored to accept the award on behalf of SK hynix employees who have continually challenged and overcome technological limits. He said the company will work closely with global customers and partners to create value ahead of market needs and become a top-tier company leading AI innovation. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 10:25:02 -
Seoul Turns Gwanghwamun Plaza Into Outdoor Reading Space Central Seoul is being recast as a city of readers. Areas once closely associated with rallies and protests — Gwanghwamun Plaza, Seoul Plaza and parts of the Cheonggyecheon stream corridor — are drawing strong public response as places to read and relax. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Sunday it has opened its outdoor library program, operating spaces at Gwanghwamun Plaza and along Cheonggyecheon where residents can read freely. Visitors who came over the weekend spent time reading or resting in warm spring sunshine. Along Cheonggyecheon, seats filled with people reading to the sound of running water. At Gwanghwamun Plaza, a “book yard” offered a range of setups, from cushioned chairs for reclining with a book to small tents for quieter personal time. Visitors said they welcomed the change, coming with friends, partners and family. One resident of Gwanak-gu said, “Downtown always feels noisy, so it feels special to have a place like this where you can read quietly.” Another resident, from Seocho-gu, said, “When I think of Gwanghwamun, I only think of rallies, traffic and noise, so I can’t say how happy I am that there’s now a place to read.” The “Seoul Outdoor Library” began in 2022 as “Reading Seoul Plaza,” aimed at helping people encounter reading culture in everyday life. The city expanded the concept beyond indoor libraries to sites across the downtown area. Seoul said the program drew a cumulative 8 million visitors through last year. Seoul plans to open an additional “Reading Plaza” on May 1. The city said it will place about 5,000 books each at Seoul Plaza and Gwanghwamun Plaza, and about 2,000 along Cheonggyecheon — about 12,000 in total — to broaden access. The initiative has also drawn international attention. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development selected the Seoul Outdoor Library as an example of government innovation, and 22 overseas institutions, including from Japan and the United States, have sought to benchmark it, the city said. Lee Min-kyung, spokesperson for the Seoul Metropolitan Government, said the reading spaces are expanding around Gwanghwamun Plaza and Cheonggyecheon for use in all four seasons. “We will continue to expand an environment where anyone can easily access books in the heart of the city,” Lee said. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 10:24:16 -
LG Unveils Hybrid In-Vehicle Emergency Call System That Works Across 2G-5G Networks LG Electronics has unveiled an in-vehicle “Hybrid e-Call” system designed to quickly send crash information to emergency rescue centers after an accident. The company said April 26 that it demonstrated the system on April 23 at the 37th General Assembly of the 5G Automotive Association, a global vehicle communications group, in Gothenburg, Sweden. An e-call system is an in-car emergency communications function that automatically transmits details such as the crash location, time and vehicle information to a nearby rescue center when an accident occurs. In Europe, e-call systems have been mandatory on newly launched vehicles since 2018. Starting next year, Europe will require “NG e-Call” (Next Generation emergency-Call), a 4G- and 5G-based system. The regulation is expected to expand to regions including China and the Middle East. LG’s Hybrid e-Call is installed in a vehicle telematics control unit and supports networks from 2G through 5G. The company said it combines the fast, high-capacity data transmission of 4G and 5G with the broader coverage of 2G and 3G to minimize connectivity dead zones. LG said it has completed reliability verification and has been supplying the system to global automakers since this year. At last year’s 5GAA general assembly in Paris, LG unveiled a solution using satellite-based non-terrestrial networks, or NTN, to enable two-way in-vehicle communications in areas where terrestrial networks are difficult to access. The company is also expanding its telematics certification capabilities. LG said its VS Certification Lab, under its Vehicle Solution business division, operates a testing and evaluation system based on the international standard ISO/IEC 17025. The lab obtained accreditation last year as an authorized testing institution from the Korea Laboratory Accreditation Scheme, or KOLAS, and also secured qualifications for major European and North American communications certifications, including GCF (Global Certification Forum) and PTCRB. LG said this allows it to handle the full process in-house, from development and testing to conformity certification for vehicle communications components. “Based on world-class technology, we will further strengthen our leadership in the global telematics market,” said Lee Sang-yong, vice president and head of LG Electronics’ VS Research Laboratory.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 10:19:08 -
Samsung Heat Pumps and Air Conditioners Rank No. 1 in Italy Consumer Satisfaction Survey Samsung Electronics said its HVAC products, including heat pumps and air conditioners, ranked first in an Italian consumer satisfaction survey. The company said April 26 it was named No. 1 in the heat pump and air conditioner categories in the “Best Value for Money Quality 2026” study conducted by the German Institute for Quality and Finance (ITQF). ITQF, described as a leading brand-preference research group in Italy, evaluated about 1,350 brands across 127 industries by analyzing roughly 640,000 consumer review data points. Samsung placed first in heat pumps for the third consecutive year and in air conditioners for the sixth straight year, it said. It also ranked No. 1 for six consecutive years in major home appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines, and for five straight years in vacuum cleaners. Samsung said it is strengthening its lineup of high-efficiency heat pumps as Europe’s market for environmentally friendly heating and cooling expands. Heat pumps use air heat and electricity to provide space heating and hot water, and the company said they produce less carbon emissions and offer higher energy efficiency than conventional gas boilers. Samsung said its EHS All-in-One, which received strong marks in the survey, provides air heating and cooling, floor heating and cooling, and hot-water supply using a single outdoor unit. It also includes a heat recovery function that reuses waste heat generated during cooling to improve energy efficiency. The product is designed to operate in heating mode at temperatures as low as minus 25 degrees Celsius and to supply hot water up to 65 degrees Celsius, the company said. In air conditioners, Samsung said its WindFree technology was rated highly. The company said the approach reduces direct airflow, targeting European consumers who are sensitive to drafts. Samsung said it has also applied artificial intelligence features to strengthen personalized cooling based on users’ living patterns and indoor conditions, improving energy-use efficiency and convenience. “This result shows the trust local consumers have in Samsung HVAC products,” said Ettore Giovane, an executive director at Samsung Electronics’ Italy unit. “We will continue to strengthen our competitiveness in the global HVAC market.” Samsung said it plans to expand into the electric-based heating market by launching in Korea this month heat pump boiler products that have been proven in global markets.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 10:12:17 -
Hyundai Motor Group’s Vision Pulse safety campaign wins at The One Show and Spikes Asia Hyundai and Kia said April 26 that their “Vision Pulse technology campaign” won two top prizes at The One Show and a bronze award at Spikes Asia, two major international advertising competitions. At The One Show, the campaign received top honors in the Intellectual Property & Product Design category and the Experimental & Research and Development category. At Spikes Asia, it won bronze in the Innovation category. Vision Pulse is an advanced driving safety technology that uses ultra-wideband, or UWB, signals to detect the location of nearby obstacles in real time to assist drivers. When a vehicle, driver or pedestrian carries a UWB device, the system exchanges signals and issues warnings to both sides if a collision is expected. Because it uses ultra-wideband signals in the gigahertz range, the company said interference is low and diffraction and penetration performance are strong. That allows the system to identify an object’s precise location within about 10 centimeters, within a radius of about 100 meters, even in obstacle-heavy areas such as urban intersections. Hyundai and Kia piloted the technology with kindergarten children and buses as part of a campaign aimed at improving school commute safety, and released a video of the project in January. To make the device easy for children to carry, the companies produced the UWB module as a guardian-character key ring. The key ring also functions as a sleep mood light, designed so children naturally connect it to power at bedtime, enabling charging. Judges at The One Show and Spikes Asia cited the campaign’s cost efficiency and scalability through integration with an existing digital key ecosystem, and its use of technology to address a real-world safety issue. Hyundai Motor Group has also expanded UWB applications to industrial settings. It is running a demonstration project to help prevent collisions between forklifts and workers by applying Vision Pulse to a production line at Kia’s PBV Conversion Center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, last year. Hyundai Motor said it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Busan Port Authority in October last year and plans to verify the technology through demonstration projects aimed at preventing collisions between industrial mobility equipment and workers at Busan Port terminals and nearby logistics areas. A Hyundai and Kia official said the back-to-back wins at The One Show and Spikes Asia reflected recognition of the companies’ commitment to solving social problems by combining advanced technology with creativity.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 10:10:01 -
Samsung’s ‘Coral in Focus’ wins international awards for reef restoration using Galaxy cameras Samsung Electronics said its coral-reef restoration project, 'Coral in Focus,' which uses Galaxy smartphone camera technology, has received a series of international awards in global social contribution and marine-related categories. Samsung said April 26 that the project won a gold award in the sustainability and environmental conservation category at the 2026 Halo Awards, a global corporate social responsibility awards program. A documentary on the project also received the Coastal and Island Culture Award at the 23rd International Ocean Film Festival, a North American marine-focused film festival, Samsung said. Samsung has been running the reef restoration project since 2024, using a Galaxy camera feature called Ocean Mode. The mode is designed to reduce excessive blue tones in underwater shots and better reproduce the natural colors of coral reefs. It also aims to minimize camera shake and motion blur underwater through optimized shutter speed and multi-frame processing, the company said. Coral-reef images captured by local activists using Galaxy AI phones are sent to research institutions, where they are used to build 3D reef restoration models and support marine research. Samsung said more than 80 3D coral-reef models have been created so far, helping restore more than 20,000 corals. Samsung said it plans to make Ocean Mode available to general users through its Expert RAW app starting with the Galaxy S26 series, and to expand the feature to some additional products later.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 10:09:16 -
Talks with Iran fall through again as US cancels planned trip to Pakistan SEOUL, April 26 (AJP) - Anticipated talks to end the conflict between the United States and Iran fell through again after Washington abruptly canceled a planned trip by U.S. officials to Pakistan. Another round of negotiations, following the collapse of the first meeting earlier this month, was expected to take place this week in Islamabad, but U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the trip was called off at the last minute. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Donald Trump said U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner would be wasting "too much time" traveling. He added, "There is tremendous infighting and confusion within their 'leadership.' Nobody knows who is in charge, including them. Also, we have all the cards, they have none! If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!" It comes after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who arrived in Islamabad a day earlier for talks, said Tehran was not planning to meet with U.S. negotiators. "No meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the U.S. Iran's observations would be conveyed to Pakistan," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei wrote on X, formerly Twitter. After meeting with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior Pakistani officials, Araghchi praised Pakistan's "brotherly efforts" to help "bring peace back to the region," describing his trip as "very fruitful," but expressed skepticism about Washington's intentions, saying Iran has "yet to see if the U.S. is truly serious about diplomacy." But Trump said he received a new proposal from Iran "within 10 minutes" after the U.S. delegation's trip to Islamabad was canceled. "They gave us a paper that should have been better. And interestingly, immediately, when I canceled it, within 10 minutes, we got a new paper that was much better," Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One in Florida. He said Iran "offered a lot, but not enough," and added that the deal could be "simple," saying, "That whole deal is not complicated. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon." Despite immediate progress being unlikely, neither side has fully closed the door to talks. The conflict is already approaching two months, with lingering uncertainty and rising tensions across the Middle East increasing pressure on Trump to find a way out. Time is also ticking for Trump, as it would be difficult for him to continue military operations against Iran beyond May 1 without congressional approval under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, which limits the use of force to 60 days unless approved by Congress. 2026-04-26 10:04:46