Journalist
Lee Hugh
=
-
Israel-Hezbollah Clashes Intensify as Lebanon Airstrikes Kill at Least 4 Ahead of Truce Deadline Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group in Lebanon, have stepped up clashes again. Tensions rose after Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed at least four people, days before a U.S.-brokered truce is set to expire. On April 22 (local time), Israel struck Tyre and Yohmor in southern Lebanon, killing at least four people, Reuters reported. The attacks came just days before planned truce talks in Washington. Hezbollah responded with a drone attack targeting Israeli forces, accusing Israel of repeatedly violating the ceasefire agreement. The truce is a 10-day, time-limited deal brokered by the United States and is due to end Sunday. Lebanon’s government says it wants to discuss extending the truce, an Israeli withdrawal, the return of detainees and border demarcation. However, Hezbollah opposes direct talks with Israel, Reuters reported, highlighting divisions inside Lebanon. Also on April 22, Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil was killed in an Israeli airstrike while reporting in southern Lebanon, and another journalist was wounded. Reuters said it was the deadliest day since the truce was announced. The Israeli military said it struck a Hezbollah-linked vehicle that entered a restricted area and denied deliberately targeting journalists.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 09:36:45 -
SK hynix posts Q1 earnings surge as analysts lift annual revenue outlook above 300 trillion won SK hynix posted a first-quarter earnings surge, reporting revenue of 52.5763 trillion won and operating profit of 37.6103 trillion won, results the company said set a new benchmark for the chip industry. Analysts said the performance suggests growth that could extend into the second half, rather than a brief upswing. In a regulatory filing Thursday, SK hynix said first-quarter operating profit rose 405.5% from a year earlier to 37.6103 trillion won. Revenue climbed 198.1% to 52.5763 trillion won. High-bandwidth memory, or HBM, was a key driver of profitability, the report said. With demand for AI server memory surging, fifth-generation HBM (HBM3E) and next-generation HBM have been in short supply. As a higher-value product than conventional DRAM, HBM helped lift overall operating profit, it said. Experts said SK hynix is widening its technology lead and raising barriers to entry. They cited close partnerships with customers and a customized production system that reduces inventory burdens while improving profitability. Ahn Ki-hyeon, executive director of the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association, said SK hynix’s customized strategy has built resilience despite external economic volatility. He called it a signal the company has moved away from a structure centered on commodity products to a model focused on higher-profit, qualitative growth. The report said concerns seen in past memory cycles — often described as a “winner’s curse” or a “chicken game” — have eased. It attributed that to explosive AI demand reinforcing a supplier-favorable market and to advanced process transitions, reshaping the industry toward profits supported by technology barriers. The company’s second-half results are expected to rise further as the industry enters a seasonally strong period, the report said. It pointed to mass production of sixth-generation HBM4 supplies for Nvidia, a recovery in the enterprise SSD (eSSD) market and demand tied to new IT products as potential tailwinds. With SK hynix’s Cheongju M15X set to begin full operations within the year, the report said expanded output could also lead to direct and indirect job creation and increased local spending. Brokerages raised their market consensus for SK hynix’s annual revenue to more than 300 trillion won and lifted operating profit expectations to a level exceeding 230 trillion won, the report said. Kim Rok-ho, an analyst at Hana Securities, said global big tech companies appear willing to accept some memory price increases despite cost pressures. He said that could give SK hynix an opportunity to use a rising-price environment to expand market share. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 09:32:19 -
U.S.-Listed Memory ETF Tops $1 Billion in Two Weeks, Heavy in Samsung and SK hynix A U.S.-listed exchange-traded fund that puts more than half its assets into Samsung Electronics and SK hynix has drawn Wall Street attention after pulling in more than $1 billion in less than a month. As of April 21, the Roundhill Memory ETF (DRAM) had recorded $1.11 billion in net inflows, according to FactSet. The memory-themed ETF trades on the New York Stock Exchange. The fund was launched April 2 by Roundhill, a small U.S. asset manager. With inflows and rising holdings, assets under management jumped from $250,000 at listing to $1.22 billion as of April 21. Roundhill describes the product as a thematic ETF investing in global memory chipmakers and says it is the world’s first memory-stock ETF. The 11-stock portfolio is led by SK hynix at 26.9% and Samsung Electronics at 23.4%, together accounting for more than half. Micron Technology follows at 20.9%. Market watchers have called it unusual for a niche, thematic ETF from a small manager to attract large sums so quickly without major promotion. ETF.com said the fund has had a “surprising run” as a niche product and called it “one of the smartest products” launched this year by a small or midsize manager. It also said inflows were helped by limited access to Samsung Electronics and SK hynix in U.S. semiconductor funds. Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Eric Balchunas wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that the new fund had “crazy trading volume” and called it the most undervalued “AI play.” The Wall Street Journal said the surge is rare for any ETF and unprecedented for a small asset manager. It added that thematic ETFs concentrated in a few stocks are often launched when a theme is near its peak, raising the risk of weaker performance ahead.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 09:31:33 -
The Trail Adds GPX Downloads and Real-Time Location Sharing to Boost Hiker Safety The outdoor platform The Trail has strengthened tracking-record management and safety features for hikers and trekkers. The company said it recently introduced GPX downloads and real-time location sharing, both offered at no additional cost. Users can download data recorded during a hike — including route, distance and elevation — as a GPX file for use on other devices or platforms. GPX is a standardized file format for GPS-based route data and is compatible with many fitness apps and map services. Demand among outdoor users has been rising for more than simple storage of activity logs, with more people seeking to sync records across devices or share them on outside platforms. Use cases such as analyzing activity data and managing personalized workouts in running and trekking have also been increasing. The new real-time location sharing feature lets group hikers see companions’ current locations on a map, helping them track the route and respond if someone strays. In mountainous areas, where terrain and communications conditions can contribute to people getting lost or separated, the feature can serve as a safety tool. According to the Korea National Park Service and other organizations, a significant share of mountain accidents is linked to delays in determining a person’s location, including cases involving getting lost or slipping. The Trail said it already offers official course searches, map-based navigation, workout tracking and user feed-sharing, and that the update strengthens record management and support for group activities. “We focused our update on features users need in real-world conditions,” a company official said. “We plan to continue expanding functions that improve both safety and convenience.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 09:30:46 -
SK hynix forecasts higher Q2 DRAM and NAND shipments; targets U.S. ADR listing this year SK hynix said on an earnings conference call held April 23 for its 2026 first-quarter results that it expects shipments of both DRAM and NAND to rise in the second quarter. The company said it anticipates DRAM shipments will increase by a high single-digit percentage from the previous quarter as it responds to demand for high-capacity server modules and mobile products. It added that NAND shipments are expected to rise by a mid-teens percentage quarter over quarter, driven by expanded sales of 321-layer-based products and enterprise SSDs. SK hynix also addressed its capital markets strategy, saying it confidentially submitted a registration statement to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission related to a public offering for an ADR listing and is pursuing a U.S. market listing within the year. It said details such as the offering size, structure and timing have not been finalized. The company said the final decision on whether to proceed with the listing will be made after considering the SEC’s review of the filing, market conditions, demand forecasting and other requirements. It added it will provide an update when specifics are confirmed. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 09:30:06 -
Samsung Electronics Jumps More Than 4%, Sets Record High Samsung Electronics hit a record high on the 23rd. According to the Korea Exchange, shares were trading at 224,000 won as of 9:18 a.m., up 7,000 won (3.22%) from the previous session. The stock rose to an intraday record of 227,000 won shortly after the open, then pared gains to hover near 220,000 won. At the same time, SK hynix was up 20,000 won (1.64%) at 1,243,000 won. Overnight, all three major U.S. indexes closed higher. On the New York Stock Exchange, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended up 340.65 points (0.69%) at 49,490.03. The S&P 500 gained 73.89 points (1.05%) to 7,137.90, and the Nasdaq rose 397.603 points (1.64%) to 24,657.567. Markets were buoyed after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would extend a ceasefire, citing divisions inside Iran. Optimism also grew after the New York Post reported that Trump said there could be “good news” as early as the 24th regarding a second round of talks on ending the war with Iran.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 09:27:15 -
SK hynix says memory profitability remains strong, plans more HBM supply SK hynix said on a first-quarter earnings conference call on Wednesday that demand is showing signs of softening in the PC and mobile markets as higher memory prices raise cost burdens and prompt product portfolio adjustments. Even so, the company said strong server-memory demand is driving the overall market. The company highlighted structural shifts tied to the spread of artificial intelligence. “As AI expands, the importance of memory is rising and demand for high-performance memory is increasing rapidly,” SK hynix said, adding that a trend is becoming clearer in which customers prioritize securing supply over price. SK hynix also detailed its next-generation product strategy. “For HBM4, we are working closely with customers from the early stages and plan to expand volumes on an agreed schedule with products that meet the performance customers require,” it said. The company added that it is continuing to develop and supply new products across DRAM and NAND to meet increasingly diverse memory needs as AI technology evolves. 2026-04-23 09:24:04 -
SK hynix posts record 72% Q1 operating margin, widening lead over TSMC SK hynix set a quarterly record with a 72% operating profit margin, far surpassing Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., a key profitability benchmark in the chip industry, which posted a 58.1% margin. The company attributed the surge to expanded sales of high-bandwidth memory, or HBM, and a sharp rise in prices for commodity memory chips. SK hynix said in a regulatory filing on the 23rd that it posted first-quarter revenue of 52.5763 trillion won, operating profit of 37.6103 trillion won and net profit of 40.3459 trillion won. The operating margin of 72% topped the previous record of 58% in the fourth quarter of last year. The company said the figure means it earned more than 7,000 won in operating profit for every 10,000 won of products sold, a level rarely seen in manufacturing. The margin gap with foundry leader TSMC widened sharply. In the fourth quarter of last year, SK hynix led TSMC, which had a 54% operating margin, by 4 percentage points. In the first quarter, the gap expanded to 14 percentage points, the company said. Samsung Electronics, which released preliminary results earlier this month, reported a first-quarter operating margin of 43%. Its memory business is estimated to have posted margins in the 60% to 70% range, according to the report. SK hynix has climbed steadily since hitting a low of minus 67% in operating margin in the first quarter of 2023. It turned positive at 3% in the fourth quarter of that year and has risen each quarter since, it said. Quarterly revenue also topped 50 trillion won for the first time. Operating profit roughly doubled from the previous quarter, underscoring a sharp improvement in profitability. The company said demand remained strong despite the seasonal off-peak period, as AI infrastructure investment expanded. It said it boosted sales of high-value products including HBM, high-capacity server DRAM modules and enterprise SSDs, or eSSDs. Analysts cited a steep jump in commodity DRAM prices as a major driver: first-quarter contract prices for commodity DRAM rose more than 90% from the previous quarter. HBM accounts for about 30% of SK hynix’s total DRAM shipments, with the remainder largely commodity products, the report said. The earnings surge also strengthened the balance sheet. Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the first quarter rose 19.4 trillion won from the end of the previous quarter to 54.3 trillion won. Borrowings fell 2.9 trillion won to 19.3 trillion won, resulting in net cash of 35 trillion won, it said. CEO Kwak Noh-jung said at last month’s shareholders meeting that “financial soundness that enables stable investment is essential” to respond to structural demand growth and maintain competitiveness, and he set a goal of securing more than 100 trillion won in net cash. SK hynix said the uptrend could continue as memory demand broadens across DRAM and NAND with the evolution toward agentic AI, and as memory-efficiency technologies spread, improving AI service competitiveness and expanding overall service scale. On that basis, it expects favorable pricing conditions to persist for both DRAM and NAND. The company said it will keep investing to strengthen future competitiveness. For HBM, it plans to enhance execution capabilities spanning performance, yield, quality and supply stability. In DRAM, it will expand supply of LPDDR6 using the world’s first 10-nanometer-class sixth-generation (1c) process, and ramp shipments of the 192-gigabyte SOCAMM2, which began mass production this month on the same process. In NAND, it said it has begun supplying the consumer SSD, or cSSD, “PQC21,” which applies CTF-based 321-layer quad-level cell technology. It plans to respond flexibly to AI demand across the enterprise SSD market with a lineup spanning high-performance triple-level cell products and high-capacity QLC products. It also said it will strengthen competitiveness in AI data center and AI PC storage markets by leveraging synergies with Solidigm, where it has strengths in high-capacity QLC eSSDs. SK hynix expects this year’s investment to rise significantly, with spending on infrastructure preparation such as the M15X ramp-up and the Yongin cluster, as well as securing key equipment including EUV tools. “We will strategically expand our production base to proactively respond to mid- to long-term demand growth,” the company said, adding it will “secure both supply stability and financial soundness through investment that considers demand visibility.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 09:21:22 -
Korea's 'Haegung' naval missile secures first export deal with Malaysia SEOUL, April 23 (AJP) - South Korea’s domestically developed naval missile “Haegung” has been exported for the first time, with a supply contract signed with Malaysia worth about $94 million. LIG D&A said Wednesday it had signed the deal with Malaysia’s defense ministry on the sidelines of the DSA 2026 defense exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, as Malaysia’s navy moves forward with modernization efforts, opening new opportunities in the Southeast Asian market. Haegung is a ship-to-air guided missile designed to intercept incoming threats such as anti-ship missiles and aircraft. Development of the missile began in 2011 under the supervision of the Agency for Defense Development and was completed in 2018. Mass production began in 2019, with deployment on South Korean naval vessels starting in 2021. The export marks a significant milestone for South Korea’s defense industry, expanding its export footprint beyond land-based air defense systems such as the Cheongung-II, which has secured major deals in the Middle East, into the naval missile sector. Unlike Cheongung, which is designed to intercept high-altitude targets, Haegung is optimized to counter low-altitude threats approaching naval vessels. It is equipped with advanced technologies, including a radio frequency radar seeker capable of detecting distant targets and a dual-mode seeker that enables precise tracking by detecting heat signatures. Under the deal, the missiles will be installed on three offshore patrol vessels operated by the Malaysian navy. The vessels are being built by Turkish defense firm STM. Separately, LIG D&A is also seeking to expand into the U.S. market, showcasing its guided rocket system “Bigung” at a maritime defense exhibition in Maryland. The system drew attention from U.S. military officials after achieving a perfect hit rate in a live-fire test conducted near Hawaii in July 2024. A company official said, “We will continue to expand our exports, building on the success of Cheongung-II in the Middle East and the latest Haegung deal in Southeast Asia, while also pursuing opportunities in the U.S. market.” 2026-04-23 09:19:40 -
Airbnb Extends CORTIS ‘Green vs. Red’ Pop-Up in Seoul for ‘REDRED’ Release Airbnb said Wednesday it will extend operations of its “Airbnb & CORTIS Green vs. Red Secret Space Pop-Up,” marking the release of “REDRED,” the title track from the group CORTIS’ second mini album. The pop-up will run May 1-7 in Seoul. Reservations open at noon Wednesday. ◆ Two contrasting rooms built around CORTIS’ identity Airbnb said the event was designed to bring the message of “REDRED” into a physical space so fans can experience the group’s musical world firsthand. The venue is split into two opposing concepts reflecting CORTIS’ creative process. The “Red” room features neon lighting and red walls for an intense, high-energy feel. The “Green” room uses green-toned walls, an arched photo wall and softer lighting for a more emotional mood. Objects and details inspired by the members’ actual studio were placed throughout, Airbnb said. Interactive programs include collecting customized card keys and keycaps, a mailroom with a preference-based bingo game, and a CORTIS crossword puzzle solved with UV light. CORTIS members will not appear at the site, and some programs, including a paint zone, will not operate. ◆ Limited giveaway of unreleased photos for up to 1,000 people Airbnb said it will offer a special benefit for pop-up visitors and Airbnb guests: a “Square Pic” souvenir set featuring six unreleased CORTIS photos. Eligible recipients are pop-up participants or guests who book an Airbnb stay in South Korea between April 23 and May 7. The “Square Pic” can be picked up only at the pop-up site. Detailed pickup instructions will be posted April 30 on Airbnb’s official social media channels, the company said. CORTIS said, “We put our honest selves into the title track ‘REDRED,’” adding that the partnership with Airbnb made it possible to create a space where fans can experience the group’s music in person. Seo Ga-yeon, Airbnb Korea’s country manager, said K-pop is “one of the biggest factors” in travel decisions, but “what keeps travelers staying is the appeal of the city itself.” She said the collaboration aims to introduce South Korea’s “lively and dynamic culture” to the world. Reservations are available through Airbnb’s official website starting at noon Wednesday, Korea time. Airbnb said the pop-up can accommodate more than 1,000 participants but may close early. 2026-04-23 09:17:41