Journalist
Lee Hugh
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Taiwan’s Delta Briefly Tops NT$5 Trillion Market Cap as Shares Hit Record Taiwan power supply unit maker Delta (Taidah Electronics Inc.) saw its shares rise to NT$1,980 on the Taiwan stock market on April 20, briefly pushing its market capitalization above NT$5 trillion, the Economic Daily reported April 21. The report said buying spread after moves by institutional investors. Delta is the second company in Taiwan to exceed a NT$5 trillion market cap, after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world’s largest foundry chipmaker. Delta reported consolidated March revenue of NT$59.77999 billion, up 37.6% from a year earlier. A securities industry official said Delta’s results are benefiting from surging demand for high-voltage direct current power equipment for cloud solution providers, lifting both average selling prices and gross margin.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 16:08:22 -
Why South Korea Sees the Global South as a Supply-Chain Lifeline, Not an ‘Alternative Market’ “Alternative market” is the label often attached to the Global South. But it no longer fits. India and Vietnam are no longer just low-cost production bases meant to replace China. With U.S.-China tensions, war in the Middle East and U.S. tariff pressure colliding, the Global South is increasingly where South Korea must operate to keep its economy resilient. In India, the shift is already visible in the numbers. POSCO’s planned 10 trillion won steel mill with JSW is hard to view as a routine investment. With China shaking markets through pricing, the move reflects a choice to absorb demand through local production and change the structure of competition. HD Hyundai’s push for shipyard cooperation, and Samsung and Hyundai Motor’s expansion in manufacturing and mobility, point in the same direction. With AI and digital technology added to the mix, India is becoming less a destination for entry and more a place to co-design industry — where India’s scale meets South Korea’s speed. Vietnam matters in a different way. President Lee Jae-myung, in Hanoi, stressed that “the relationship between the two countries is truly special,” a message rooted in years of accumulated ties beyond headline figures. South Korea is Vietnam’s largest investor and is already deeply embedded as a production base. The question is what comes next. The message of building supply chains together through nuclear power, infrastructure and science and technology cooperation is directionally sound, but it remains closer to “potential.” For Vietnam to move beyond assembly into a supply-chain pillar combining energy and technology, South Korea will also need to change how it approaches the partnership. That is where the limits of South Korea’s strategy show. The country has not fully moved beyond the model of “make well and export.” But the world no longer works that way. The United States is using tariffs to restrict market access, China is disrupting order through pricing, and the Middle East remains a variable that can halt supplies at any time. In that structure, South Korea cannot endure on its own. The core of a Global South strategy, then, is not market expansion but shared risk management. Cooperation with India on naphtha and LNG, and talks with Vietnam on a nuclear-power supply chain, can be starting points. But if they remain one-off efforts, their value diminishes. What is needed is a framework that links energy, industry and finance. Japan built pathways long ago through official development assistance and policy finance, and China has combined infrastructure and resources to shape the playing field. South Korea is still at a stage of relying on the capabilities of individual companies. The Global South should be treated not as a place to “enter,” but as a partner for joint design. Beyond a simple exchange — South Korea providing technology and speed, and local partners providing markets and resources — the goal should be a structure in which both sides produce together and consume together. That is how they can better withstand U.S. tariff risks and Middle East supply instability. The Global South is no longer an option. From where South Korea stands now, it is already a direction that cannot be reversed. The question is not how fast South Korea gets there, but what kind of relationship it builds once it does. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 16:07:29 -
PPP Floor Leader Song Eon-seok Calls for Major Shift in Housing Policy, Urges Unification Minister’s Dismissal Song Eon-seok, floor leader of the People Power Party, on the 22nd took aim at what he called risks tied to the Lee Jae-myung government’s real estate policy and Unification Minister Jeong Dong-young. He urged a fundamental shift in housing policy and called for Jeong’s immediate dismissal. At a news conference at the National Assembly, Song said the government’s efforts to curb housing demand have reduced listings and transactions and produced “various side effects.” He pointed to the period after the government tightened household lending rules in the so-called June 27 measures last year. Over the following nine months, Seoul’s apartment sales price index rose 11.1%, more than double the 4.9% increase in the nine months before the rules were tightened, he said. Over the same period, Seoul’s jeonse supply-demand index and monthly rent price index rose 18.1% and 5.8%, respectively, which he said signaled a sharp deterioration in rental-market indicators. “In a market structure of demand suppression, delayed supply and weakened transactions, we are only seeing adverse effects: higher prices, fewer jeonse leases and heavier monthly rent burdens,” Song said. He added that “balloon effects” were spreading beyond Gangnam to areas such as Dongjak, Seodaemun and Gangseo, and into nearby cities including Gwangmyeong, Seongnam and Hanam. Song called for a major easing of loan restrictions for would-be homeowners without a house, and for withdrawing what he described as signals that fuel instability, including abolishing long-term holding tax deductions and strengthening property holding taxes. He also urged supply measures such as speeding up redevelopment of multi-family homes in central areas and easing regulations in height-restricted zones. The People Power Party said it plans to pursue an expanded supply policy in Seoul if Oh Se-hoon, its candidate for Seoul mayor in the June 3 local elections, wins, aiming to enable groundbreaking for 310,000 housing units in the city by 2031. Song also demanded personnel action against Jeong over remarks about “North Korea’s constituent nuclear facilities.” “A minister should not make uncertain statements based on claims raised in the private sector,” Song said, adding that only officially recognized information should be cited. He said Jeong had ended up acting “not as the Republic of Korea’s unification minister, but like North Korea’s United Front Department minister.” Song called on the government to disclose in detail whether the commander of U.S. Forces Korea and a U.S. assistant secretary of state visited South Korea’s defense and foreign ministries, respectively, to protest Jeong’s remarks. “This issue will not be resolved by blindly defending Minister Jeong,” Song said. “He should be dismissed immediately.” Lawmakers from the People Power Party on the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee also held a separate news conference, calling for an emergency committee inquiry, Jeong’s immediate removal, and efforts to restore the South Korea-U.S. alliance and normalize diplomacy and security policy. Rep. Kim Geon, a former diplomat, told reporters afterward that when citing private-sector claims, a minister must be clear, but Jeong spoke as if it were an objective fact. He said imprecision in discussing intelligence was a serious problem. Separately, asked about calls in some quarters for an early floor leader election, Song said the party should focus its strength on key tasks such as nominating candidates for National Assembly by-elections held alongside the local elections. He said he would serve out his term and devote his remaining time to winning the elections.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 16:06:25 -
South Korean Ruling Party Candidates Sideline Jang Dong-hyeok as Local Election Tensions Grow People Power Party candidates running in the June 3 local elections are increasingly keeping their distance from party leader Jang Dong-hyeok, as internal disputes over nominations continue and his recent U.S. trip draws criticism. In key battlegrounds including Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and the Daegu-North Gyeongsang region, candidates and lawmakers are moving to set up their own campaign committees, effectively sidelining the central leadership. Jang on the 22nd began his first regional outreach since returning from the United States. He traveled to Yangyang in Gangwon Province to support Gov. Kim Jin-tae, who is running for another term, but faced blunt criticism in person. Meeting Jang at a fishing village community center in Yangyang County’s Susan-ri, Kim said he initially believed he could win by working hard on his own, but added that the party needed to provide support. He said that after spending all day on the campaign trail, he often felt alarmed whenever news from the central party surfaced. Kim said about 300 party candidates are running in Gangwon Province and likely feel the same way. He added that some candidates urged him to speak even more forcefully when meeting Jang. Kim said he hoped Jang would “return to the great Jang Dong-hyeok of the past” and called on him to “take responsibility and resolve” the situation. As Kim’s remarks were interpreted by some as a call for Jang to step back or resign, Jang dismissed that reading, saying he did not know what Kim meant by “take responsibility and resolve it.” Jang said he was working to achieve the best possible result in the local elections and that this was his responsibility. He said he took Kim’s comments as words of concern for the party and would consider what the central party should do to win. It was Jang’s second local-election visit after Incheon. On April 6, he held an on-site meeting of the party’s top leadership in Incheon but was rebuked by Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun, who said Jang was becoming “a burden to the public.” Jang had planned to hold another on-site leadership meeting in Gangwon on the 22nd, but it was replaced with a campaign pledge event. The party leadership plans to launch a central election committee once nominations are finalized. But with regional groups pressing ahead with separate campaign organizations, Jang’s standing is narrowing. Lawmakers in Gyeonggi Province have said they will launch a province-level campaign committee. At a news conference at the National Assembly the previous day, they said the Democratic Party had already finalized its candidates and was campaigning across Gyeonggi, while the People Power Party had not even decided on its candidates. They said they would immediately form a Gyeonggi campaign committee and that the province would move first in a crisis to serve as a forward base for winning the greater Seoul area. Seoul mayoral candidate Oh Se-hoon, Busan mayoral candidate Park Hyung-joon and North Gyeongsang Gov. Lee Cheol-woo also signaled plans to form separate campaign committees.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 16:05:27 -
Seoul mayoral candidate Jung Won-oh proposes 700,000 won 'first independence' grant for young adults Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party’s candidate for Seoul mayor, met with young office workers on April 22 as he stepped up his street-level campaign focused on livelihoods. He said he understood their concerns about living costs, noting that “in reality, real income is declining in some ways.” Jung made the remarks during his third “Seoul In(people)terview” lunchtime session for office workers, held in Jung-gu, central Seoul. A participant identified only by the surname Kim said lunch in busy areas such as Gwanghwamun and Gangnam Station typically costs 12,000 to 15,000 won, calling it a burden. Jung responded that eating two meals at 15,000 won each would total 30,000 won a day, adding up to about 1 million won a month for food. He also cited monthly rent for one-room units near university districts at 600,000 to 700,000 won, and said rent can reach 1 million won, putting combined food and housing costs at about 2 million won. Targeting young adults, Jung pledged a “first independence” grant for those moving out on their own for the first time. The plan would provide 700,000 won in total: 400,000 won for real estate brokerage fees and 300,000 won for living expenses. He also said he would create a mayoral office-level organization and 추진 a “Youth Cheer Start Home” five-part package, including steps to prevent jeonse fraud and strengthen tenant protections. The proposal follows programs Jung promoted in Seongdong-gu, including a “coming-of-age start grant” for 19-year-olds and support for essential purchases for young people who moved into the district and formed one-person households. Jung said that when he was in Seongdong-gu, the district provided a 200,000 won coming-of-age gift at age 20. “It’s small, but it feels good,” he said, adding that it helps young people feel society is paying attention and making an effort for them. Jung has been running the “Seoul In(people)terview” series since April 15. The campaign selects stories from text messages sent to a direct number for the candidate, and Jung visits people in person to hear their concerns and suggest policy responses. He said he plans to develop pledges based on what he hears and present a vision of “Seoul where citizens are the owners.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 15:57:42 -
Korean Card Issuers Face Profit Squeeze as Mid-Rate Loans Rise and Card Loans Are Curbed Korean card issuers are being squeezed as they are pressed to expand mid-rate lending while facing tighter limits on card loans, a key profit driver. The policy mix is forcing companies to grow lower-margin loans and rein in higher-margin products, increasing strain across the industry. In the first quarter, card issuers’ mid-rate loan originations totaled 2.5708 trillion won, the highest quarterly figure on record, according to the financial sector on Tuesday. The rise contrasted with a declining share of mid-rate loans at commercial banks and a roughly 40% year-on-year drop in originations at savings banks, leaving card issuers as the main lenders expanding this segment. The increase has been driven largely by regulators’ policy direction. Authorities have repeatedly called for more mid-rate lending to improve access to credit for mid- and low-credit borrowers. As a result, card issuers’ mid-rate loan originations in 2025 rose 43% from a year earlier to 7.9190 trillion won. But profitability remains a concern: mid-rate loans carry relatively lower interest rates and higher risk, limiting returns for card issuers. At the same time, card loans — a major source of earnings — are under scrutiny. In the first quarter, the outstanding balance of card loans at nine card issuers (Lotte, BC, Samsung, Shinhan, Woori, Hana, Hyundai, KB Kookmin and NH NongHyup Card) reached a record 42.9942 trillion won. Financial authorities are reported to have capped this year’s growth in card issuers’ household lending balances at about 1% to 1.5% from the end of last year, citing household debt management. That is less than half last year’s target range of 3% to 5%. Industry officials say the combination is weighing on both profitability and asset management. With bank lending standards tightening, demand from mid- and low-credit borrowers has been flowing to card issuers, they said. If card loans are also constrained, issuers’ capacity to supply credit could shrink, raising concerns about overall lending operations. Regulators say they plan to offer incentives to encourage more mid-rate lending, but the industry argues the additional impact may be limited because volumes have already been expanded. “We have already increased mid-rate loans in line with the policy direction,” a card industry official said. “If card loans are regulated at the same time, it could make loan management itself difficult.” * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 15:57:00 -
New Books: Hormones Behind Short-Video Addiction and Sleep, Plus Two More Titles Science That Can Change Your Day=Written by Ullim, Dongasia. If you keep watching short videos and still want more — or if you have ever bought enzymes after seeing a social media ad for melting bread — this book is aimed at you. The author, a science communicator, looks at everyday topics such as stress, sleep, exercise, short-video addiction and love through a scientific lens, encouraging readers to rethink routines and make better choices. The book focuses on hormones. It explains that repeatedly watching shorts and reels can build tolerance to dopamine, pushing viewers to seek stronger stimulation in a self-reinforcing cycle. It also offers a remedy, highlighting the role of serotonin — often called a “happiness hormone” — and providing practical tips to promote its release. Sleep, exercise and love are also tied to hormones, the author says. To benefit from fasted aerobic exercise, readers should avoid excessively triggering cortisol, a stress hormone. On love, the book argues that hormones shift as relationships mature, citing phenylethylamine and endorphins. Readers can choose sleep methods, workouts and diets suited to their own circumstances. "In today’s world, dopamine is actually very easy to get without going through the process of dating and adjusting to each other. You can easily satisfy dopamine just by watching stimulating content like shorts or reels. In other words, we already have many ways to satisfy dopamine easily, anytime and anywhere, so dating is no longer the only channel for dopamine. Dating requires a lot of time and energy, yet it’s hard to predict a sure dopamine reward, and you never know when it might fall apart." (p. 190) A Sad Murder=Written by Jonathan Rosen, translated by Park Dasom, Munhakdongne. This memoir and nonfiction work centers on a real person, Michael Laudor. The author closely traces how Laudor, a childhood friend, lived with schizophrenia and, in his 30s, ended up committing murder. Laudor was a celebrated elite: He graduated first in his class from Yale University in three years and joined a top-tier management consulting firm. Behind the résumé, however, was schizophrenia. Once seen as a symbol of hope for overcoming the illness, he shocked the United States in 1998 when he killed his fiancée. Rosen writes his friend’s life in a restrained tone while examining the 1980s U.S. culture of elitism and family environments that prized intellectual achievement — factors he suggests helped worsen Laudor’s symptoms. He also points to the tragedy that can follow when appropriate intervention for mental illness disappears, and to the effects on individuals of a social climate that emphasizes performance while ignoring pressure and stress. "Just as Michael himself had been a symbol of hope, Michael’s film was also seen as a symbol of hope. I had no idea, until the murder happened, what Michael meant to the hundreds of thousands of people who desperately wanted their existence to be recognized and made visible in society. I also didn’t know how much despair his downfall brought to so many individuals. The journal Psychiatric Times titled its article on the case, ‘From a publicity poster to a wanted poster.’" (p. 624) Grand Prince Suyang=Based on an original work by Kim Dong-in, edited by Lee Jeong-seo, Saeum. This edition adapts Kim Dong-in’s “Daesuyang” for modern readers. Without undermining the original form and intent, the editor revises sentences for clarity, adds titles to each chapter and explains difficult Chinese characters. The novel follows events from King Sejong’s reign through King Munjong’s death, when King Danjong took the throne at age 12 and, at 15, handed it to Grand Prince Suyang. It depicts officials who belittled the young king while trying to secure their own power, and a court that effectively neglected state affairs such as border defense and institutional reform. Through this, it questions the familiar image of Suyang as a “cruel uncle who killed his nephew,” offering a more layered view of the era’s power structure and political realities. “‘They say a lion will kill its own cub if it seems the cub can’t live as a lion, but people can’t do that, which is truly pitiful.’ Hearing this lament from his younger brother (Sejong) every time they met, Yangnyeong lowered his head and stayed silent for a long while before finally replying. ‘Your Majesty, it cannot be helped. It seems an era is coming when the qilin sleeps and the lynx (Munjong) dances …’ ‘Then I suppose you, elder brother, must watch over that lynx and guide him so he does not dance too wildly.’" (p. 49) 2026-04-22 15:55:52 -
Thailand’s SSP to Sell Stake in Yamaga Solar Plant in Japan’s Kumamoto Thailand-based solar power company SSP (Sermsang Power Corporation) said its board on the 9th approved a plan to sell the Yamaga Solar Power Plant it operates in Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture. According to a filing with the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), SSP will sell its 90% stake in the plant, held through subsidiaries Sergi Energy and S Global Power, to a Japanese renewable energy power producer. The sale price is expected to be about 4.976 billion yen, and the transaction is set to be completed during the second quarter (April-June). The Yamaga plant has capacity of 34,500 kilowatts. It began operating May 30, 2020, and sells electricity to Kyushu Electric Power under a contracted capacity of 30,000 kW on a 20-year term.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 15:55:06 -
Construction Industry’s AI Adoption Stalls Amid Data Gaps and Unclear Rules South Korea’s construction industry is not adopting artificial intelligence as quickly as expected, largely because jobsite data are scattered in nonstandard formats and rules remain unclear, industry officials said. Analysts also point to a lack of supporting infrastructure as another obstacle to AI-driven change. Industry sources said on the 22nd that many domestic construction sites still lack the data foundation AI systems need to learn and make decisions. Design documents, photos, inspection logs and process data are often stored in different formats, making them difficult for systems to read and use at once. Companies sometimes describe such unstructured material as data “piled up like a stack of drawings.” To improve training data quality, they say, the first step is standardizing dispersed, unstructured records — a task that has fueled calls for government-level guidelines. The Korea Research Institute for Construction Policy said AI bottlenecks include difficulties in standardization and data accumulation, along with fragmented data management. It recommended pursuing a public-private data linkage platform, improving data consistency, establishing security systems and advancing institutional reforms. While construction and engineering firms are trying to expand AI use, efforts often remain at the individual level rather than becoming organizationwide change. According to the Korea Technology and Information Promotion Agency for SMEs, 80% of construction companies with annual revenue of 500 million won or more do not even collect data, underscoring the sector’s low data maturity. Regulation has also struggled to keep pace with changes on the ground. South Korea’s “Framework Act on the Development of Artificial Intelligence and the Establishment of a Foundation of Trust” is in effect, but an AI implementation framework tailored to construction remains unclear. Issues repeatedly raised at construction sites — including data responsibility, liability when AI makes an incorrect judgment, and standards for pilot applications — still require more detailed follow-up rules. Jeon Young-jun, a research center director at the institute, said much of the data held by construction companies is stored as scanned PDFs of drawings or documents, which is not suitable for AI training. “It looks like text on the surface, but it is actually an image, so AI has difficulty recognizing and learning it properly,” he said. He said data must be structured and standardized first, and called for government standards for building a common data environment, or CDE. He added that companies should develop technology under those shared standards. Overseas, results are already emerging in administration and site management. Qatar officially announced last year that it introduced an AI-based intelligent building permit system, cutting average permit processing time from 30 days to about 120 minutes. The system automatically reads design documents and checks compliance, reducing review backlogs. The case has drawn attention because lower permitting uncertainty can make start dates easier to forecast and speed up financing such as project finance, or PF. Singapore is also accelerating jobsite digitalization. The Building and Construction Authority, or BCA, has identified data-driven collaboration and digital transformation as core tasks in its industry transformation strategy. Its Site Management Platform, or SMP, serves as a central digital hub that gathers and manages information generated at sites. BCA is linking SMP with its Site Management Data Standard, or SMDS, to standardize safety, productivity, quality, schedule and cost data — an effort aimed at aggregating site-generated databases into a common data environment and laying the groundwork for AI use. At home, industry participants cited expanding regulatory sandboxes and preparing in advance for predictable risks as key steps to improving AI infrastructure in construction. An industry official said the demonstration process should be simplified so technology can take hold at sites first. The official said adoption will continue to lag unless standards are set in advance for AI misjudgments and safety issues, protection of personal information and trade secrets, and responsibility in procurement and permitting processes. 2026-04-22 15:52:39 -
Special counsel again seeks 15 years for Lee Sang-min in martial law insurrection appeal Special counsel prosecutors on Tuesday again asked an appeals court to sentence Lee Sang-min, former minister of the Interior and Safety, to 15 years in prison for allegedly taking part in insurrection-related acts during the Dec. 3 martial law declaration. At the closing hearing in Lee’s appeal at the Seoul High Court’s Criminal Division 1, the special counsel team led by Cho Eun-seok urged the court to impose the same 15-year term it sought at trial on charges including performing key duties in an insurrection. Arguments concluded Tuesday, leaving the court to rule. Prosecutors said Lee played a central role in carrying out the alleged insurrection by relaying orders to cut electricity and water to media outlets. They argued the aim was to “completely paralyze” specific news organizations, block coverage critical of martial law and shape favorable public opinion. Calling the case “terror against South Korea’s democracy,” prosecutors said insurrection is a grave crime that can draw heavy punishment even at the planning stage. They argued that the absence of casualties or the fact the alleged acts were not completed should not reduce the sentence, adding that strict punishment is needed to prevent a repeat. Prosecutors also disputed Lee’s claims about intent, saying that as a former judge he was in a position to recognize the unconstitutionality and illegality of martial law but still participated. They cited his phone call with former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun on the day martial law was declared and said he remained at the presidential office with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, raising the possibility he knew of the plan in advance. The special counsel team further alleged Lee denied the power-and-water cutoff orders to investigators and at the Constitutional Court and committed perjury. They also said he was uncooperative during the investigation and trial, which should be considered at sentencing. Lee was indicted on allegations that he aided Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration and contacted former National Fire Agency Commissioner Heo Seok-gon and others to order electricity and water cutoffs targeting specific media outlets. Prosecutors also said that as the minister overseeing the government’s martial law-related administration, he failed to stop an illegal declaration and instead joined its execution. In the first trial, the court sentenced Lee to seven years in prison, finding he took part in some acts as a member of an insurrection group. The court said responsibility could be recognized even if the power-and-water measures were not ultimately carried out. The appeals court is expected to decide whether to increase the sentence in line with prosecutors’ request or uphold the lower court’s ruling.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 15:52:01