Journalist
Lee Hugh
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NCSoft Confirms Global Launch of MMORPG Aion 2 in Second Half of 2026 NCSoft has confirmed a global release in the second half of 2026 for its massively multiplayer online role-playing game, 'Aion 2.' The company said on the 22nd that it is developing the global version as a PC-only title for Steam and Purple. Players can add the game to their wishlists on Steam’s official page starting that day. NCSoft said it plans to build and operate servers by major regions, including North America, South America, Europe and Japan. The game will support 10 languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Chinese in both simplified and traditional forms. The Aion 2 development team plans to introduce the game in May and hold a session to address questions and communicate with global players. Baek Seung-wook, NCSoft’s chief business officer, said, "Aion 2 has continued to develop its content and services by listening to the community’s voice," adding, "We will provide these efforts and sincerity, community-centered operations, and a high level of game quality equally to users around the world." 2026-04-22 08:42:17 -
‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Faces Backlash in China Over Chinese Character Portrayal The Hollywood film 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' has been swept into a racial discrimination controversy. Chinese media outlets including Zhonghua.com reported on the 21st that criticism has spread online over a video released ahead of the film’s opening, with viewers alleging it contains elements that belittle Chinese people. At the center of the dispute is Qinzhou, a supporting character played by Chinese actor Sun Yutian. Online in China, some viewers said the character’s name sounds like the slur "Ching Chong," a term historically used in the West to mock Chinese people. Critics also pointed to the character’s glasses and checkered shirt, exaggerated facial expressions and bumbling behavior, as well as scenes in which the character openly criticizes a boss or boasts about himself. They said the portrayal repeats a stereotype that Asians are good at studying but lack social skills. The backlash goes beyond whether one character is drawn as ridiculous. Films can include awkward, exaggerated or abrasive figures, and in comedy and satire such characters can help drive a story. But when a character from a specific racial background is given a name, appearance and mannerisms that overlap with long-standing prejudices, audiences may find it difficult to view it as merely a character choice. That is where much of the reaction from Chinese audiences is rooted. If a global commercial film aimed at the China market includes a Chinese character but uses that person mainly as a caricatured side role rather than giving an independent storyline or depth, the sense of offense can grow. With concerns lingering that Hollywood has long used Asian characters as the "smart nerd," the "socially awkward helper" or an "exotic decoration," the debate is expanding beyond individual scenes to broader questions about representation. At the same time, the article noted it is difficult to label the filmmakers’ intent as racist based only on limited footage released so far. It said the character’s full arc and function in the film still need to be seen. But for a major global release, how audiences receive a portrayal matters as much as intent, and filmmakers have a basic responsibility to consider historical context and how expressions may be read across cultures. The issue, it added, is not that films must avoid any character who could spark controversy. The key is building fuller characters so they are not consumed as symbols of a race or background, and ensuring traits are formed convincingly within the story rather than leaning on racial clichés. Ultimately, the controversy facing 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' also touches on how Hollywood approaches the China market. The debate has moved beyond one film’s commercial pressure in China to a wider question of how the global film industry should view and portray race and culture. 2026-04-22 08:36:59 -
Hanwha General Insurance Tops 1,000 Claims for Childbirth Benefit Rider Hanwha General Insurance said Tuesday that claims for the childbirth benefit coverage in its “Hanwha Signature Women’s Health Insurance” have surpassed 1,000. The benefit pays a set amount upon childbirth, and claims began in November last year. The company said it designed the coverage to ease out-of-pocket costs at a time when spending typically rises for postpartum care and preparations for raising a child. The rider has drawn strong interest among women in their 20s and 30s. As of last month, 46.4% of policyholders in that age group enrolled in “Hanwha Signature Women’s Health Insurance 4.0” had added the childbirth benefit rider. Since coverage began, the number of payouts has steadily increased, with cumulative payments exceeding 800 cases, the company said. “Because we considered the diverse needs of women customers in their 20s and 30s, demand for childbirth-related coverage continues,” a Hanwha General Insurance official said. The official added that the company plans to keep strengthening customer-tailored coverage and services. 2026-04-22 08:36:14 -
Samsung Electronics Launches Infinite Line Induction Cooktop With Built-In Hood Samsung Electronics said on the 22nd it has released a new Infinite Line induction cooktop with an integrated hood. The Infinite Line is the company’s premium home-appliance range, combining upscale materials, refined design and innovative technology aimed at long-lasting value. The new model embeds a hood in the center of the cooktop to remove smoke and odors generated during cooking. It draws air downward to help keep the kitchen comfortable even while food is being prepared. A four-stage filter system — grille, tray, grease and deodorizing filters — is installed in the center to handle cooking residue. The grille blocks larger debris, the tray catches spilled liquids, oil and food scraps, the grease filter captures oil droplets to keep them from spreading, and the deodorizing filter reduces odors. The grille, tray and grease filters can be removed and washed by hand or in a dishwasher. The deodorizing filter is replaced, which Samsung said makes upkeep simpler than with ceiling-mounted hoods. The cooktop includes a “smart mode” that automatically adjusts suction strength. When enabled, the hood starts as cooking begins, and an air-quality sensor detects pollution levels, including total volatile organic compounds, and sets suction accordingly. An “after run” feature keeps air care going after cooking ends. The fan runs at low speed for a set time to clear remaining smoke and odors and dry moisture inside the filters, helping maintain deodorizing performance. The surface uses a matte-finish “Infinite Glass” top. Samsung said the matte coating helps reduce visible stains and fingerprints, and a material rated at Mohs hardness level 8 is intended to improve durability and reduce concerns about scratches and discoloration. Because the hood is built in, users do not need a separate ceiling hood, allowing for a more open kitchen design. Purified air can be discharged either through ducting inside the lower cabinet in a front-venting setup or through a ductless “plug-and-play” option, depending on the installation environment. Samsung said the product offers strong cooking performance, delivering up to 7,400 watts when all burners are used at the same time. An “all flex zone” is designed to distribute heat evenly without boundaries between cooking areas, supporting cookware of various sizes and shapes, from small pans to square grill pans and large hot-pot pots. Power can be adjusted from levels 1 through 9, including boost, and a warming function helps maintain a set temperature after cooking is finished. The new model is rated Grade 1 for energy efficiency, which Samsung said can help reduce electricity costs. Samsung also said it received confirmation of a regulatory special exemption for demonstration under the regulatory sandbox system from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, making it the only product in South Korea to receive a deferral of the requirement to install an automatic fire-extinguishing device (firefighting facility). Moon Jong-seung, a vice president in Samsung Electronics’ DA Business Division, said the new hood-integrated induction cooktop “delivers both interior design completeness and cooking convenience.” He added, “We will continue to expand our home-appliance lineup that consumers can be satisfied with, based on premium design and innovative technology.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 08:30:17 -
Trump Says Iran Ceasefire Extended Until Talks End; Tehran Rejects Move Donald Trump, the U.S. president, unilaterally declared another extension of the ceasefire with Iran, but Tehran said it would not recognize the move, keeping uncertainty over whether the truce will hold and whether talks will resume. Trump said on April 21 (local time) on Truth Social that he had been asked to halt attacks on Iran “until Iran’s leadership and negotiating team can come up with a unified proposal,” citing what he called serious divisions within the Iranian government and requests from Pakistan’s Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He added that he would extend the ceasefire “until the proposal is submitted and the discussion (bilateral negotiations) is concluded one way or the other.” He also said the maritime blockade and military readiness posture would remain in place. The announcement came as the original “two-week ceasefire” was nearing its end. Trump had first pushed back the deadline, originally set to end on April 21, by one day to “Wednesday (April 22) evening, Washington time,” and then extended it again. The latest move follows a series of pauses. After issuing an ultimatum on March 21 that Iran’s power plants would be devastated unless the Strait of Hormuz was opened within 48 hours, Trump delayed attacks for five days, citing ongoing negotiations. That was followed by an additional 10-day delay and then the two-week ceasefire. Including the latest extension, the U.S. has now postponed attacks four times, the report said. Because Trump tied the extension to talks ending, without a fixed deadline, the measure was widely seen as close to an open-ended ceasefire, with the possibility of a longer truce if negotiations continue. Iran, however, said it would not accept the U.S. announcement. Iran’s state broadcaster reported that Iran would not recognize the U.S. extension and would act according to its national interests. It said the ceasefire period with the United States ends at 3:30 a.m. local time on April 22 (midnight GMT on April 22; 9 a.m. April 22 in South Korea). The semiofficial Tasnim news agency reported that as long as the U.S. maritime blockade continues, Iran will at minimum not open the Strait of Hormuz, and that Iran’s military said it could lift the blockade by force if necessary. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesman for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which commands Iran’s armed forces, warned via Tasnim that the military has long maintained “100% combat readiness.” He said that if there is any attack or action against Iran, it would immediately strike preselected targets with force and “once again show a clear response” to the United States and Israel. The United States and Iran held a first round of ceasefire talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 11-12, but ended without results, the report said. A second round was scheduled for April 22, but it collapsed after the Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, decided at the last minute not to attend. The decision was conveyed to the U.S. side through mediator Pakistan, the report said. As a result, a planned visit to Pakistan by Vice President JD Vance, who was to lead the U.S. delegation, was canceled.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 08:25:28 -
Crypto Slips as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Talks Cloud Outlook; Bitcoin Holds Near $75,000 Cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin, edged lower as uncertainty grew over ceasefire negotiations between the United States and Iran. According to CoinMarketCap, bitcoin was trading at $75,642 as of 8 a.m. on the 22nd, down 0.47% from a day earlier. It remained well above the roughly $70,000 level seen a week ago. Major altcoins were also slightly weaker. Tether slipped 0.01% to $1, Solana fell 0.38% to $85.36, and Ethereum declined 0.36% to $2,311.83. Ripple (XRP) was down 0.32% at $1.42. Market uncertainty persisted after the U.S.-Iran talks failed to reach a concrete agreement. Iran’s negotiating team said on the 21st it would not attend the second round of ceasefire talks. President Donald Trump declared an extension of the ceasefire, helping avert an immediate clash, but a maritime blockade continued, appearing to spur some risk-off sentiment. In South Korea at the same time, bitcoin on the won-based exchange Bithumb was up 0.20% from a day earlier at about 112.32 million won ($75,789). The so-called “kimchi premium,” which refers to domestic prices trading above overseas levels, instead stood at minus 0.112%. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 08:24:46 -
Hana Securities Raises LS Electric Target to 220,000 Won After Record Quarterly Results Hana Securities said April 22 that LS ELECTRIC posted its best-ever quarterly results and raised its target price to 220,000 won from 124,000 won. It maintained its “buy” rating. LS Electric reported first-quarter revenue of 1.3766 trillion won and operating profit of 126.6 billion won. Revenue and operating profit rose 33.4% and 45%, respectively, from a year earlier. Operating profit was roughly in line with the consensus estimate compiled just before the earnings release. Yu Jaeseon, an analyst at Hana Securities, said demand tied to data centers and renewable energy in Korea and overseas is driving continued expansion led by the company’s power business. He added that recurring profit margins would likely have exceeded 10% excluding labor costs booked as one-time expenses. Hana Securities said new orders in the first quarter totaled about 1.1 trillion won, up 27.4% from a year earlier, mostly for extra-high-voltage transformers and switchgear. It expects order growth to be led by extra-high-voltage products in the first half and by switchgear in the second half. Yu said rising investment by big tech companies in data centers is fueling structural growth in the switchgear business. He said the company is expanding products that can support areas such as on-site power generation and energy storage systems, and expects meaningful revenue and orders within the year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 08:24:16 -
NHN Cloud, NC AI Partner on Cloud Infrastructure for Physical AI and Industry AI Shifts NHN Cloud and NC AI are joining forces to expand AI infrastructure-based business. NHN Cloud said April 22 that it signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with NC AI to jointly pursue business based on AI solutions and cloud infrastructure. The agreement is designed to combine the companies’ core technologies and business capabilities to support AI adoption across industries and strengthen their presence in South Korea’s cloud market. Under the partnership, the two companies will cooperate broadly on AI infrastructure operations and technology upgrades, joint sales and market expansion, and collaboration on government-funded projects and the public sector. They plan to provide AI infrastructure optimized for public and financial-sector customers, where security and stability are essential, and to bolster competitiveness through technical synergies. The companies also plan to work together so NC AI’s “world model” technology — which simulates real-world physical laws — and its “physical AI” technology, which interacts with real environments, can be deployed across industrial sites. NHN Cloud said it will provide a stable high-performance computing environment by optimizing computing resources based on its experience operating large-scale GPU infrastructure. “Ultimately, the foundation of AI competitiveness lies in stable, advanced infrastructure,” NHN Cloud CEO Kim Dong-hoon said. He said the partnership will support the deployment of physical AI and other AI services in industrial settings, build an AI transition environment that companies can adopt with confidence through industry-tailored services, and expand successful “AX” cases. NC AI CEO Lee Yeon-su said the core of the partnership is building an optimal infrastructure environment so the company’s physical AI and world model technologies can be applied immediately at industrial sites. He said the companies will use their combined strengths to drive successful “AX” for public and private-sector organizations. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 08:23:23 -
Vance Pakistan Trip Put on Hold, Casting Doubt on Second U.S.-Iran Talks U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s planned trip to Pakistan has been put on hold, clouding prospects for a second round of U.S.-Iran talks that had been expected to take place there. With Iran not responding to Washington’s latest proposal, analysts say a diplomatic solution could slip further out of reach. CNBC reported that Vance had been expected to travel to Pakistan for the second round of peace talks with Iran, but the schedule was delayed. The New York Times, citing a U.S. official familiar with the matter, said the departure was postponed because Iran has not replied to the U.S. negotiating position. The uncertainty quickly rippled through markets. U.S. stocks fell and international oil prices rose on renewed concern that potential U.S. and Israeli military action against Iran may not be contained through diplomacy. Reuters quoted a senior Iranian official as saying Pakistan has not yet resolved what he described as a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz. “Iran cannot accept negotiations under pressure or talks premised on surrender,” he said, while leaving open the possibility of meeting U.S. officials in Pakistan if Washington drops what he called its pressure-and-threat approach. The reports came as a two-week cease-fire, brokered on the night of the 7th, was nearing its end. The timing of the U.S. negotiating team’s departure for Islamabad also remained unclear. President Donald Trump said the U.S. delegation “is going now,” but CNBC later cited a source saying the team was “getting ready to leave soon.” In an interview with CNBC, Trump said he believed the United States would ultimately reach “a good deal” with Iran, but added that the chances of extending the cease-fire further were low. After the cease-fire took effect, Vance previously traveled to Islamabad with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for talks with Iranian representatives. That meeting ended without an agreement after 21 hours. The White House said Vance was attending an additional policy meeting on Monday. CNN reported that Vance’s motorcade was seen arriving at the White House later that afternoon. 2026-04-22 08:22:39 -
Hana Securities Cuts CJ Logistics Target Price on Forwarding Weakness, Keeps Buy Hana Securities said Tuesday it lowered its target price for CJ Logistics to 165,000 won, citing clearer signs of a downturn in its forwarding business. The brokerage maintained its “buy” rating, saying the company’s mid- to long-term growth outlook remains intact. In a report, Hana Securities analyst Ahn Do-hyeon said the firm had previously projected CJ Logistics’ full-year profit growth at 10% on rising parcel volumes and expansion in its warehousing and distribution (W&D) business, but cut its estimate to 2%. Ahn said the parcel unit is seeing operating leverage from volume growth, but profitability improvement in the global division is likely to be slower than expected. He added that higher oil prices since the war are expected to raise costs in the contract logistics (CL) unit and could also weigh on port cargo volumes. He said the W&D unit acquired logistics assets from major commerce companies such as E-Mart in 2025, but profitability gains are being delayed as the company works to stabilize the centers. Ahn forecast first-quarter revenue of 3.097 trillion won, up 4% from a year earlier, and operating profit of 99.1 billion won, up 16%, for an operating margin of 3.2%. He said parcel volume is expected to rise 14% from a year earlier, far outpacing market growth of 6%, and that CJ Logistics’ parcel market share continues to increase. However, he said that despite W&D growth, overall CL revenue is expected to rise 5% year over year due to weaker port volumes. Global revenue is estimated to fall 6%, he said, adding that while the U.S. and India units are performing well, a postwar contraction in the forwarding business is becoming more visible. Still, Ahn said CJ Logistics’ growth trajectory “remains valid” in broad terms. He said the parcel business is expected to grow by gaining market share on the back of the company’s seven-day delivery service, and that CJ Logistics’ W&D business should improve profitability as outsourcing expands in the domestic W&D market.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 08:21:50