Journalist

Lee Hugh
  • Celltrion Expands Omliclo Prescriptions Across Europe, Wins Key Tenders
    Celltrion Expands Omliclo Prescriptions Across Europe, Wins Key Tenders Celltrion expands Omliclo prescriptions across Europe Celltrion said April 13 that Omliclo (omalizumab), used to treat chronic idiopathic urticaria and allergic asthma, is gaining prescriptions across Europe and posting tender wins. In Italy, Celltrion’s local unit won bids from 10 regional governments. Supply has begun in some areas, including Umbria, Trentino-Alto Adige and Tuscany, the company said. In the United Kingdom, Celltrion said it won National Health Service tenders in all four administrative areas, including England, the largest omalizumab market. As of January, before the official tenders opened, Omliclo had already reached a double-digit market share, it said. In Germany, Celltrion said Omliclo, launched in September last year, reached a double-digit share within one month and continues to grow. The German unit completed listing agreements with all public health insurers shortly after launch, it said. In Northern Europe, Celltrion said results are becoming clearer. In Denmark, after winning a national tender, the company moved the launch up by four months through talks with the tendering body and secured exclusive supply status through September. Omliclo held a 98% share in Denmark as of January, based on IQVIA and market data, it said. In Finland, it posted a 73% share as of February, as switching from the original product accelerates in key Nordic markets. In Spain, Celltrion said it was selected as the top-ranked supplier in tenders to supply all public medical institutions in Catalonia and the Basque Country. Ha Tae-hoon, head of Celltrion’s Europe headquarters, said, “We will continue expanding our sales coverage so the results achieved in launch countries can spread across Europe.” Daewoong Bio launches 5 mg Glivixa, completing full lineup Daewoong Bio said April 13 it will launch a 5 mg low-dose version of Glivixa (memantine hydrochloride), a treatment for Alzheimer’s-type dementia. The addition completes the product’s dose lineup alongside 10 mg and 20 mg tablets. The company said Glivixa posted a compound annual growth rate of 18% from 2021 to 2025. It ranks No. 2 among prescription memantine products by outpatient prescription sales, and No. 1 in the generic market excluding the original product, it said. Daewoong Bio said it plans to accelerate prescribing based on the full lineup and to maximize synergy with its central nervous system portfolio, including Gliatamin, Cerebrain and Beacept. Memantine hydrochloride works by regulating excessive activity of glutamate, a neurotransmitter linked to Alzheimer’s-type dementia, helping prevent brain-cell damage and improve cognitive function, the company said. It added that early treatment can cause side effects such as dizziness, headache and drowsiness, requiring careful dose adjustment. Memantine therapy typically starts at 5 mg and is increased gradually over three weeks to reduce the risk of adverse reactions, it said. Patients with moderate or worse renal impairment must reduce the dose to 10 mg per day, which has driven steady demand for low-dose products. A Daewoong Bio official said the 5 mg product is expected to provide a safer option for patients starting treatment or those with moderate renal impairment, improving tolerability. Yuyu Pharma pushes AI-based work innovation toward a smart factory Yuyu Pharma said April 13 it is expanding AI-based work innovation beyond its factory, sharing use cases with staff in sales and marketing, research and development, and management support, and rolling out the enterprise AI solution WorksAI companywide. The company said it formed a production AI task force in the second half of last year to support smart-factory operations, including process optimization. The team identified six improvement areas, including manual Excel work, document review and the risk of human error. It compared five paid AI tools, including ChatGPT and Claude, and began applying selected tools tailored to each factory team’s work, it said. Yuyu Pharma said the effort produced practical tools, including production and quality data dashboards, precise comparisons of labeling materials and design drafts, searches and interpretation for GMP and regulatory documents, and equipment manual troubleshooting. The company said frontline staff in production management, quality management and product technology built the tools using AI despite limited IT expertise, with the IT department stepping in only where technical support was needed, such as real-time connections to internal servers. Yuyu Pharma said the tools are now being used to optimize processes, reduce bottlenecks by shifting repetitive tasks to AI, and lower risk factors by detecting structural errors, improving confidence in quality and safety. CEO Park No-yong said the company will deepen and expand AI use in production, including automating labor-hour analysis through data integration and conducting industrial safety risk assessments, while continuing to identify AI models suited to factory needs. CHA Women’s Medical Center signs agreements with Jeju providers to build infertility-care network CHA Women’s Medical Center Seoul Station said April 13 it has signed a series of agreements with four major medical providers in Jeju to build an infertility-care network: Hanmaeum Hospital, Seogwipo Medical Center, Hyundai Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, and L Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic. Under the agreements, the organizations will work on referrals and return referrals based on patient symptoms, share clinical information to ensure continuity of care, and operate a cooperative system aimed at improving public health, the center said. A key goal is to help patients in Jeju receive follow-up care near home after undergoing advanced infertility procedures at the Seoul Station center, it said. The center said the network is expected to help patients focus on preparing for pregnancy and prenatal care without gaps caused by long-distance travel. Director Yoon Tae-gi said, “Through a close referral and clinical cooperation system, we will do our best to provide patients with the greatest convenience and, together with regional hub hospitals, contribute to the task of addressing the low birthrate.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-13 16:39:25
  • Tehran blames shifting US demands as marathon Islamabad talks fail
    Tehran blames shifting US demands as marathon Islamabad talks fail SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) - Indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington concluded in Islamabad after a 21-hour marathon session ended without a final agreement. According to a debriefing released on Monday by the Iranian Embassy in South Korea, the discussions represented the highest level of engagement between the two sides in the past year. While the talks were the longest held in twelve months, the Iranian mission detailed a collapse in momentum just as the parties were reportedly "a few steps away" from a breakthrough. The main agenda for the session, which began on April 11, focused on a proposed Iranian framework and various positions held by Washington. Mediated by Pakistan, the delegations addressed a range of high-stakes issues, including regional developments and the security of the Strait of Hormuz. The engagement pitted the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, against Vice President JD Vance in an effort to de-escalate recent military tensions. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that "Iran entered the negotiations in good faith with the aim of ending the conflict". However, the embassy statement suggests that the potential "Islamabad Understanding" was derailed by what Araghchi described as "excessive demands, shifting conditions, and threats of blockade". Reflecting on the outcome, Araghchi remarked that "No lessons have been learned. Goodwill begets goodwill; hostility brings hostility". Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei noted that reaching a comprehensive agreement in a single session was not realistic given the prevailing atmosphere of distrust. While significant gaps remain on key points, the embassy indicated that Tehran views diplomacy as an ongoing process rather than a single event. Iran has stated it will continue to utilize diplomatic channels to safeguard its national interests and security. 2026-04-13 16:24:42
  • Seoul city to bring books outdoors with libraries on lawns next week
    Seoul city to bring books outdoors with libraries on lawns next week SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) - With the return of balmy weather, several spaces in central Seoul will be transformed into outdoor libraries starting next week, where Seoulites can read books on the lawn in front of City Hall, at Gwanghwamun Square, or along Cheonggye Stream. These open-air libraries, part of the city government's annual summer events, are scheduled to open next Thursday and will feature bookshelves with more than 12,000 books, as well as bean bags, mats, and parasols, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said on Monday. Seoul residents and visitors are welcome to read free of charge, meditate, or enjoy side events such as performances, hands-on activities, lectures, and exhibitions, with each space offering its own distinct vibe and atmosphere. In cooperation with foreign embassies in Seoul, the city will also launch a weekly walking tour program for foreign tourists this year, scheduled to run 20 sessions between May and June and September and October. It will offer a chance to explore different cultures through books and engage with local communities. "Through these events, we want to promote Seoul as a city where reading is part of everyday life," said Kim Tae-hee, a Seoul city official. 2026-04-13 16:19:17
  • Shinhan Bank CEO Jeong Sang-hyeok Joins SOL Mate Trusts to Boost Senior Wealth Services
    Shinhan Bank CEO Jeong Sang-hyeok Joins SOL Mate Trusts to Boost Senior Wealth Services Shinhan Bank CEO Jeong Sang-hyeok has moved to strengthen the bank’s competitiveness in senior wealth management. Shinhan Bank said April 13 it held a pledge ceremony for executives to enroll in its Shinhan SOL Mate will-substitute trust and dementia-care trust. Jeong and 21 executives took part. The bank said the campaign was designed to have management consider the purpose and need for specialized trust products from a customer’s perspective. The Shinhan SOL Mate will-substitute trust allows customers to manage their assets during their lifetime while designating beneficiaries in advance when needed. The Shinhan SOL Mate dementia-care trust is intended to help customers plan asset management in advance in case of dementia or other health issues. A Shinhan Bank official said the campaign reflects the bank’s commitment to supporting senior customers’ stable retirement and the transfer of assets. The official said the bank will continue expanding senior-focused financial services that closely address customers’ needs across their lives.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-13 16:09:00
  • TXT Returns With 8th EP After Renewing Contract, Shifts to More Personal Stories
    TXT Returns With 8th EP After Renewing Contract, Shifts to More Personal Stories TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT) returned with a new album that the group said reflects their own stories more directly, after passing a major career milestone: renewing their contracts seven years after debut. A showcase for the group’s eighth EP, “7TH YEAR: When the Wind Paused Briefly in the Thornbush,” was held Sunday afternoon at Korea University’s Hwajeong Gymnasium in Seoul. The release is TXT’s first since all five members renewed their contracts with BigHit Music in August 2025. The group said the album compares the anxiety and uncertainty they felt over the past seven years to “thorns,” and looks back on that period while committing to a new start. Leader Soobin said, “We’re greeting you with our eighth EP. It feels new because it’s our first album after renewing our contracts. We’ll show you a great side of ourselves.” Hueningkai said the group “put a range of emotions into the music.” Beomgyu added, “We came back with a heartbreaking love story. It’s already our eighth year, and time feels like it flew by. Thank you for being with us as we grew.” Yeonjun said the group prepared “with the mindset of debuting” because it is their first comeback after renewing. Taehyun said, “As always over the past seven years, we’ll work hard.” The group also spoke about moving smoothly through what is often called the “seven-year hurdle” in K-pop, when many groups face difficult contract talks. Taehyun said aligning the members’ views “didn’t even take an hour.” “We wanted to keep promoting as a team, and we wanted to keep promoting with our fans, so it was like, ‘Of course we’re doing this, right?’” he said. He added that the group wanted to reassure fans quickly, and said they sought advice from BTS member RM, who “warmly” congratulated them and reviewed documents with care. Soobin said people told them coordinating among members can be harder than negotiating with the company, but the group reached agreement quickly. He said the company talks took longer than the members’ discussion, but he later learned the process was still considered early and that cases like theirs are rare. The members said the album marks a shift away from a “persona” toward more personal material. Taehyun said the group held long interviews with the production team and found their thinking was similar as they looked for “the most honest story” they could tell at this point. He said the change also raised questions about how to keep the work truthful when drawing from real life. Beomgyu said that while there were many happy moments, there were also periods of anxiety and worry, and he wanted to capture those feelings honestly. Yeonjun said that even after renewing and entering their eighth year, the experience is not “only glamorous,” and he still feels a desire to go higher. He said he once thought debuting would automatically make them global stars, but reality was different, and the process helped him learn and grow. Yeonjun also said he experienced a severe burnout during preparations, while also working on a solo album. “It was a meaningful time,” he said, adding that what he wants at the end of that process is “the team.” He said he hopes to keep the group together “as long as possible” and promote happily with the members. Soobin said discussing their seventh anniversary contract made the members feel especially precious to him. He recalled that the group struggled after COVID-19 hit about a year after debut, cutting off many experiences they expected to have, but said the members matured mentally and became closer through what they went through. The title track, “7TH YEAR: When the Wind Paused Briefly in the Thornbush,” continues TXT’s pattern of long song titles. Hueningkai said people see the long title and say it feels like a TXT song, calling it part of the group’s identity. Soobin said he was glad to have a Korean-language title again, and that fans saying it reminds them of the group’s early days felt like a compliment because TXT prepared with a debut-like mindset. Yeonjun said he suggested a hand-tutting move in the chorus and said the choreography turned out well. The EP includes six tracks: “Bed of Thorns,” “Stick With You,” “Take Me to Nirvana,” “So What,” “21st Century Romance” and “Next of Next.” Taehyun said that while achievements such as Billboard rankings matter, the group’s top priority is staying healthy and happy, and that the process should be enjoyable. “If we need something measurable, I want to be No. 1 on Billboard,” he said. TXT’s eighth EP, “7TH YEAR: When the Wind Paused Briefly in the Thornbush,” will be released worldwide at 6 p.m. Sunday. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-13 16:03:25
  • Rory McIlroy Wins Masters Again, Holds Off Scottie Scheffler by 1 Shot
    Rory McIlroy Wins Masters Again, Holds Off Scottie Scheffler by 1 Shot Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland delivered a commanding performance to win the Masters Tournament, which had a total purse of $22.5 million. McIlroy shot a 1-under 71 in the final round Sunday (Korean time) at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, with five birdies, two bogeys and one double bogey. He finished at 12-under 276, holding off Scottie Scheffler of the United States by one shot to earn the $4.5 million winner’s check (about 6.6 billion won). Augusta National is known for making title defenses difficult. McIlroy’s victory marked the fourth successful title defense in Masters history, following Jack Nicklaus (1965-1966), Nick Faldo (1989-1990) and Tiger Woods (2001-2002). McIlroy became the first player since Woods to win back-to-back green jackets, ending a 24-year gap. He also led from the opening round without surrendering the top spot, completing a wire-to-wire win. Over the past 45 years, only three others have done that at the Masters: Trevor Immelman in 2008, Jordan Spieth in 2015 and Dustin Johnson in 2020. The win was McIlroy’s first of the season and the 30th of his PGA Tour career. The repeat win also added to McIlroy’s major championship record. After capturing his first major at the 2011 U.S. Open, he won the PGA Championship in 2012 and then the Open Championship and PGA Championship in 2014. The Masters had long eluded him, but he finally won the green jacket last year to become the sixth player in golf history to complete the career Grand Slam. With this victory, his major total rose to six. McIlroy said the challenge felt different this year. "Last year, I thought this tournament was especially hard because I had to complete the career Grand Slam at the Masters," he said at a news conference. "But this year I realized the Masters itself is an incredibly hard tournament to win." He added, "Last year my parents couldn’t come, and I thought about it several times during the round. But I kept telling myself, ‘Not yet.’ This year I persuaded them to come, and I’m happy we could share this joy." McIlroy credited mental toughness under pressure and a shift in strategy, particularly on the demanding stretch known as Amen Corner, holes 11 through 13. "In the past I played defensively at Amen Corner and failed, but this time I played aggressively and it worked," he said. After losing three shots there in the third round, he steadied himself with a par at No. 11 in the final round, then made back-to-back birdies at Nos. 12 and 13 to regain momentum. The closing hole provided the most tense moment. Leading by two, McIlroy drove into the woods at the par-4 18th. He recovered with a calm bunker save and a bogey putt to protect the title. "After I hit the tee shot on 18, the process of finding the ball was the most nerve-racking," he said. "When the par putt stopped right next to the hole, I saw my family behind the green. I thought, ‘I did it again.’ I didn’t feel as emotional as last year, but I felt even happier." The win also eased concerns about his health. McIlroy withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational with back pain after tying for second at the Genesis Invitational in February. He then finished tied for 46th at The Players Championship. He said he built his form for the Masters with careful preparation and advice from Nicklaus. "I talk a lot with Jack Nicklaus every year," McIlroy said. "Nicklaus advised that for majors, it’s important to arrive early and not just look around the course, but go out with one ball and actually play and practice scoring." McIlroy said he practiced for four days using only one ball while keeping score. Even after the milestone, McIlroy said he is not finished. "Last year I thought completing the Grand Slam was the end of the goal, but now it feels like part of the journey," he said. "I still have goals I want to achieve. It feels different from last year. I don’t have a specific goal set, but I don’t want to stop here."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-13 15:48:00
  • TXT Says All Members Renewed Contracts After Advice From BTS RM
    TXT Says All Members Renewed Contracts After Advice From BTS' RM TOMORROW X TOGETHER said all members have renewed their contracts. The group made the announcement Sunday at a showcase for its new album, “Seven Year (7TH YEAR): When the Wind Briefly Stopped in the Thornbush,” held at Korea University’s Hwajeong Gymnasium in Seoul’s Seongbuk district. Taehyun said it took “less than an hour” for the members to agree. “We wanted to keep promoting as a team, and we also wanted to stay with our fans, so it came together naturally,” he said. He added that the group wanted to share the news sooner rather than make fans wait until the seven-year mark. Taehyun said he sought advice from BTS, including RM. “He spoke to me very thoughtfully, checked things one by one, and warmly told me it’s already been seven years and that we’ve worked hard,” Taehyun said. Soobin said others had told him aligning views among members can be harder than negotiating with a company, but TXT reached agreement within an hour. He said talks with the company took some time by the group’s standards, but he later heard it was still relatively quick. “I heard cases like this are rare, and thankfully it seems to have worked out well,” he said. The album’s title track, “One More Day a Day (Stick With You),” portrays the longing to hold on to a love that appears to be nearing its end, singing from the perspective of someone who cannot let go while the other person prepares for a breakup. TXT is set to hold a comeback showcase at 8 p.m. Sunday at the same venue to meet fans.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-13 15:36:54
  • Seoul Spring Chamber Music Festival spotlights young Mozart-era prodigies
    Seoul Spring Chamber Music Festival spotlights young Mozart-era prodigies Classical music prodigies will take the spotlight in Seoul this spring, performing works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — often cited as history’s greatest child prodigy — alongside older, established musicians. Violin prodigy Kim Yeon-a, 11, spoke at a news conference April 13 at the Yun Posun House in Seoul for the 21st Seoul Spring Chamber Music Festival, known as SSF. “I’m so excited and nervous — and happy,” she said. Kim, a widely watched young violinist whose YouTube videos have surpassed 160 million views, called the violin “a lovely friend that listens to the sound of my heart.” She said she hopes the festival will help her learn chamber music by “breathing together, listening to other people’s sound, and learning how to do chamber music.” SSF is regarded as a launching pad for rising musicians. Performers now active on international stages — including Cho Seong-jin, Sunwoo Yekwon, Kim Sunwook and Son Yeol-eum — also appeared at the festival when they were young. Artistic director Kang Dong-suk, who has led the festival for 21 years, is also a former prodigy who won the top prize at the Dong-A Music Competition at age 12. Marking the 270th anniversary of Mozart’s birth, SSF is putting “prodigies” at the center of this year’s programming. Under the theme “Mozart and Prodigies,” the festival will run from April 21 to May 31 with 13 performances featuring works by Mozart as well as other early-blooming composers, including Camille Saint-Saens — sometimes called “the Mozart of France” — and Claude Debussy, who entered the Paris Conservatory at age 10. The lineup also includes works by later-blooming masters such as Joseph Haydn and Antonin Dvorak. A May 2 program titled “Family Concert: Prodigies” will feature Kim along with other young performers — Kim Jeong-a, Lee Do-young, the Appassionato Trio (Jeong Hyeon-jun, Jeon Seo-woo and Kim Ju-ho), and Lee Ju-eon — with an average age of 15, performing with senior musicians. The festival said the young artists were recommended by institutions including the Korea National Institute for the Gifted in Arts and the Kumho Foundation. Kang said the festival will also introduce short pieces Mozart wrote at ages 5 and 6. “When you listen, you’ll feel, ‘He really was a genius,’” Kang said. He added that chamber music can teach young musicians about life and how to see “the overall flow of music,” and he hopes SSF will help them grow. Kim said she hopes to become a world-class violinist like Chung Kyung-wha and Kang. “Someday I want to play on the world stage with a Stradivarius, release recordings, and become a violinist who gives people comfort and happiness,” she said. Kim said applause helps her onstage. “It doesn’t matter if there are many people or not, but when there are more people, I actually don’t get as nervous,” she said. “If you clap a lot, I relax.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-13 15:21:20
  • South Korea Food Safety Agency Cites 21 Firms for Misleading Albumin Food Ads
    South Korea Food Safety Agency Cites 21 Firms for Misleading Albumin Food Ads South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Monday it cited 21 businesses after inspecting sellers of albumin-labeled foods from March 20 to April 3. The ministry said nine companies violated labeling and advertising rules, and 12 violated the Food Sanitation Act and the Health Functional Foods Act. At a briefing at the Seoul Regional MFDS office, the agency’s Emergency Response Team for Unfair Food Practices said it found nine firms that sold about 1.8 billion won worth of products by running online ads that could lead consumers to mistake albumin foods for health functional foods. The ministry said seven firms used phrases such as “fatigue relief,” “helps maintain liver function,” “albumin supplement” and “amino acid supplement,” which could mislead consumers into thinking the products had approved health claims. It also said two firms promoted ingredient-related effects as if they were proven benefits of the foods, including claims that “albumin helps maintain osmotic pressure in blood vessels” and that low albumin levels “can cause dizziness, edema and ascites.” The ministry urged consumers not to equate egg-white albumin used as a food ingredient with serum albumin, a medicine. Serum albumin is a protein that performs specific physiological functions in the blood and is a prescription drug injected, under a doctor’s order, into patients such as those with liver cirrhosis. Egg-white albumin, by contrast, is a food protein derived from egg whites and serves only as a source of nutrients when consumed. Baek Nam-i, head of the Emergency Response Team for Unfair Food Practices, said the ministry would continue to quickly block the creation and spread of illegal or misleading ads and respond strictly to violations.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-13 15:03:00
  • South Korea, Poland agree to further deepen ties beyond defense cooperation
    South Korea, Poland agree to further deepen ties beyond defense cooperation SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) - South Korea and Poland on Monday agreed to upgrade their bilateral relationship to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" and pledged to expand cooperation in the defense industry and other areas. "South Korea has global competitiveness across a range of industries, while Poland is strong in basic science and technology and has geographic advantages and a skilled workforce. If these strengths are combined in a mutually beneficial way, a new horizon for bilateral cooperation will open," Lee said during a meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Monday. Lee then said the two countries' defense ties have deepened enough to sign a massive deal worth US$44.2 billion in 2022. Citing South Korea's homegrown weapons such as K2 battle tanks, K9 self-propelled howitzers, FA-50 light attack aircraft, and Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers, Lee said they are helping protect Poland's territory and people. But he said, "Defense cooperation between the two countries does not mean simple purchase deals of weapons," adding that the two leaders vowed to broaden cooperation beyond defense to include exchanges in various sectors including advanced industries, science and technology, space, energy, and infrastructure. Economic and industrial cooperation is already expanding, with South Korean battery companies operating in Poland now pursuing entry into the energy storage system market as they diversify their businesses there. The two sides also agreed to expand joint research, exchanges and government-level support in areas including hydrogen, nanomaterials and space, as well as major infrastructure projects such as a new airport link and the replacement of Warsaw's tram system. Lee and Tusk also affirmed their resolve to work together for global peace and prosperity, addressing that security on the Korean Peninsula and in Europe is closely linked, and agreed to continue cooperation to cope with supply chain disruptions caused by the prolonged conflict in the Middle East. Monday's meeting marks the first visit by a Polish leader to South Korea in 27 years and Tusk's first trip to a non-European country since taking office in December 2023. Lee said Tusk's visit is a "new milestone" in bilateral ties since South Korea and Poland established diplomatic relations in 1989. After the summit, Lee and Tusk attended a luncheon that also included key business leaders from the defense sector, such as Lee Yong-bae, CEO of Hyundai Rotem; Son Jae-il, CEO of Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Systems; and Kim Jong-chul, CEO of Korea Aerospace Industries. 2026-04-13 15:01:49