Journalist
Lee Hugh
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GC Pharma Earns MSCI ESG Rating Upgrade to AA for Third Straight Year GC Pharma said Monday it received an "AA" rating in the latest environmental, social and governance assessment released by Morgan Stanley Capital International, or MSCI. MSCI has evaluated key ESG issues for about 8,500 listed companies worldwide each year since 1999, assigning ratings on a seven-step scale from AAA to CCC. In this year’s review, GC Pharma was rated above industry peers in environmental impact management, corporate ethics, and product quality and safety management, lifting its score by one notch from the previous assessment. The company’s rating has risen for three consecutive years, from B in 2023 to A in 2024 and AA this year. The company said the upgrade reflected steps including building an environmental risk management system and cutting air pollutant emissions, strengthening anti-corruption training for employees, establishing a response system to stabilize pharmaceutical supplies, and adopting a responsible marketing policy. Kim Seong-yeol, head of GC Pharma’s management administration office, said the AA rating "shows our ESG capabilities have been recognized externally," adding that the company will "continue building a sustainable management system that meets global standards."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-30 18:24:26 -
Korea University Medical Center Plans 700-Bed AI-Driven Hospital in Dongtan by 2035 “Once a patient is admitted, artificial intelligence immediately matches and assigns a room and medical staff.” That is the vision Korea University Medical Center laid out for its planned “Dongtan Fourth Korea University Hospital,” which it aims to open in 2035. The center said the new facility will build on strengths of its hospitals in Anam, Guro and Ansan while moving beyond limits in integration and expansion, creating a new model: a smart, future hospital powered by autonomous AI. Yoon Eul-sik, vice president for medical affairs at Korea University and head of Korea University Medical Center, held a news briefing Monday at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul and said the Dongtan hospital would become “a medical hub covering the southern Seoul metropolitan area and a key institution that protects the regional medical delivery system.” He said it would present “a next-generation medical model as an advanced, smart AI-based future hospital.” The hospital is planned as a 700-bed facility, with a target opening in 2035. The center said the AI-based smart hospital will concentrate future medical technologies and infrastructure, including digital pathology, an imaging center, a genetics center and cell therapy center, and a digital-twin preventive management center. It aims to build an optimized, patient-centered precision-medicine workflow and free medical staff from more than 80% of existing administrative work so they can spend more time with patients. Hospital operations are to include an “agentic AI” digital command center. The system would analyze admissions and discharges, bed and operating room utilization, and staffing in real time to allocate resources. The medical center said it expects a seamless patient experience from appointments to care, tests, admission and discharge, while sharply reducing administrative burdens on clinicians. Yoon also emphasized flexibility in design. “Given the pace of technological development, we are separating logistics and clinical routes and designing adaptable spaces that can be quickly reconfigured depending on circumstances,” he said. The Dongtan hospital is also planned as a “life-cycle medical platform” that extends beyond acute care to rehabilitation and long-term support. A convalescent rehabilitation hospital and senior welfare housing would be linked to the main hospital so patients can move from treatment to rehabilitation and return to daily life. The rehabilitation hospital is expected to combine advanced rehabilitation equipment with research, the medical center said. Yoon said the goal is to serve as the “final treatment institution” for southern Gyeonggi Province. He said the medical center aims to move away from a system in which patients with serious illnesses such as cancer and cardiovascular disease are sent to Seoul, and instead build a structure in which treatment is completed within the region. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-30 18:21:09 -
Callaway Golf Korea Launches X Forged 26 Irons and Wedges Callaway Golf Korea said Monday it is officially launching its X Forged 26 (X Forged 26) iron and wedge lineup in South Korea, aiming to boost the performance of traditional forged clubs through new materials and refined design. The company said the new lineup targets skilled golfers seeking improved feel, control and consistency. The X Forged 26 irons are Callaway’s first irons made with S15C forged mild steel. Callaway said the lower carbon content compared with the S20C used in the X Forged 24 delivers a softer, more precise feel at impact. The irons feature a compact head, thin topline and minimal offset for a stable look at address and stronger control. Blade length is proportioned across the set to reduce visual differences from long irons to short irons, supporting consistent setup and shotmaking. Callaway also revised the back-face structure, moving the center of gravity closer to the head’s centerline to improve stability at impact. The company kept its Tri-Sole design while further refining the trailing-edge relief to reduce turf interaction. The X Forged 26 wedges use the same S15C forged mild steel to better match the irons’ feel. Callaway said the model is its newest forged wedge since the Jaws Forged line, with a softer impact sensation. The wedges include Spin Gen 2.0 face technology. Callaway said 17-degree grooves and a cross-hatch laser pattern — a groove-in-groove structure — are designed to produce consistent spin and reliable control from a range of lies. The company said the optimized head size and heel-height design help maintain a stable address even with the face opened, while adjusted leading-edge curvature supports a more natural setup. The X Forged 26 iron set includes seven clubs: 4-iron through 9-iron plus a pitching wedge (PW). Shaft options are Dynamic Gold 105 S200 and 120 S200. The X Forged 26 wedges come in seven lofts from 48 degrees to 60 degrees in 2-degree increments. Shaft options are N.S.PRO 950 NEO STF and Dynamic Gold S200 STF. Callaway applies an S grind on 48- to 52-degree wedges for stable shots and a C grind on 54- to 60-degree wedges for a wider range of shotmaking. A Callaway Golf Korea official said the irons and wedges were refined “in every element, from materials to design,” to meet the performance demands of advanced golfers, adding that the lineup aims to set a new benchmark for forged feel and control.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-30 18:00:00 -
BABYMONSTER to drop third mini album 'CHOOM' on May 4 SEOUL, March 30 (AJP) - K-pop girl band BABYMONSTER will release its third mini album "CHOOM" next month, marking its latest comeback as the group continues to expand its global presence, said the seven-member group's agency on Monday. BABYMONSTER, a hip-hop-based pop-dance group under South Korea's entertainment powerhouse YG Entertainment, is a multinational band launched in 2024, seven years after BLACKPINK. BABYMONSTER consists of seven members — Ruka, Pharita, Asa, Ahyeon, Rami, Rora and Chiquita — from South Korea, Thailand, and Japan, attracting fans from around the world. The agency unveiled a teaser poster titled BABYMONSTER 3rd mini album CHOOM on its official blog on March 29, confirming that the upcoming album will be released at 6 p.m. (0900 GMT) on May 4. Ahead of the comeback, the group will hold a weeklong fan event, “MONSTIEZ DAY,” from Monday to Saturday at "The Same" stores, popular among K-pop fans for its idol-related merchandise, located in Seoul's hipster districts including Hapjeong, Myeongdong, and Insadong. The fan event will feature interactive programs and offer special gifts prepared by the members. 2026-03-30 17:53:04 -
Little sign of relief for the Korean won and bonds amid capital flight SEOUL, March 30 (AJP) - South Korean stocks are holding up — still more than 20 percent above year-end — but the won and bonds are taking a far heavier hit as capital flees amid the Middle East crisis, with little relief in sight unless Gulf shipping routes reopen. Seoul markets opened the week under pressure as the war in the Persian Gulf dragged into a second month with widening fronts and no clear resolution. Both the KOSPI and KOSDAQ fell about 3 percent Monday after Yemen’s Houthi rebels joined the Iranian-led front with attacks on Israel, prolonging disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz — a critical artery for global energy flows. The KOSPI has now shed nearly 6 percent over the past week, as shipments of Korea-bound crude — accounting for roughly 70 percent of imports — remain stranded. Still, equities have fared better than other key financial assets. The Korean won has weakened to its lowest level since March 2009, during the global financial crisis. The dollar has gained about 5 percent against the won this year, compared with just 2.3 percent versus the yen. On Monday, the dollar closed at 1,515.7 won, up 5.3 percent from end-February when the U.S. military campaign in Iran began — roughly double the 2.6 percent rise in the dollar index over the same period. The average exchange rate for March approached 1,490 won per dollar, dealing as the fourth-steepest monthly depreciation on record for the won. With the top three occurring during the 1997–98 Asian financial crisis, the current slide ranks as the second-most severe in practical terms. Capital flight has been a key driver. Foreign investors sold a net 36.4 trillion won worth of local equities in March alone, bringing total outflows for the first quarter to a record 65 trillion won. Bond markets are also flashing stress signals. The three-year government bond yield rose to 3.542 percent on Monday, up 50 basis points from a month earlier and nearly 60 basis points from year-end. The 10-year yield eased slightly to 3.89 percent after breaching 3.9 percent — levels last seen during the peak of the post-pandemic tightening cycle in late 2023. Expectations that Korea’s inclusion in the World Government Bond Index (WGBI) from April would help stabilize markets have largely faded amid the twin shocks of war and supply disruptions. “WGBI inclusion is a process that unfolds over several months, not something that delivers immediate impact,” said Lee Seok-jin, a manager at Hana Bank’s FX Platform Division. “In a wartime scenario like the current one, it is difficult to expect meaningful short-term effects.” Moon Hong-cheol, a researcher at DB Financial Investment, said the benefits of WGBI inclusion had already been priced in, with external shocks now dominating market movements. Even policy efforts are struggling to shift sentiment. Brokerages have rolled out Reshoring Investment Accounts (RIA) ahead of the expected passage of the government’s “Three FX Stability Acts” on March 31, but analysts remain skeptical. “The RIA is merely a temporary incentive,” Moon said. “The instability in the Korean market and the won ultimately stems from structural fundamentals, including demographic decline and weakening confidence in the currency.” “Stopgap measures risk undermining trust rather than restoring it.” 2026-03-30 17:49:44 -
China resumes direct flights to Pyongyang after six-year halt SEOUL, March 30 (AJP) - Chinese flagship carrier Air China has resumed direct flights to Pyongyang after a six-year hiatus, state media reported on Monday. According to state-run Xinhua News Agency, Air China has begun operating a weekly round-trip flight between Beijing Capital International Airport and Pyongyang Sunan International Airport. The resumption comes for the first time since the airline halted all flights to North Korea in January 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic began to spread, and follows the restart of passenger train service between the two countries earlier this month. At a regular briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the resumption of passenger flights between Beijing and Pyongyang would help promote exchanges between the "friendly neighboring countries." North Korea's Air Koryo has resumed its route from Pyongyang to Beijing since 2023, flying twice a week, but Chinese airlines had not operated regular flights to Pyongyang. Chinese Ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun reportedly greeted the first passengers arriving from Beijing and said that friendly exchanges between the two countries will be "further boosted," with road, rail, and air services now fully resumed. 2026-03-30 17:48:53 -
Houthi entry into Gulf conflict adds to Seoul shipping woes SEOUL, March 30 (AJP) - South Korea is closely watching the developments in the Gulf in fear of losing another core chokepoint after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels declared that they had joined with Iran against America and Israel. Analysts warn that any renewed blockade in the Red Sea or escalation in attacks could send shockwaves through global supply chains and deepen existing logistics disruptions. Houthis carried out their “first military operation” targeting Israeli military objectives using missiles, group spokesman Yahya Saree said, adding that the operation was coordinated with Iranian forces and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. The Houthis, part of Iran’s so-called “Axis of Resistance,” previously launched dozens of attacks on commercial vessels transiting the critical Bab el-Mandeb Strait during the Gaza war in 2023, targeting ships linked to Israel and its allies. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait a 29-32 km wide chokepoint separating Yemen and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Roughly 15 percent of global seaborne oil trade passes through the corridor. If the terrorist group deploys missiles, drones, or naval mines again against vessels in the strait, global shipping disruptions could worsen significantly. Such developments would complicate access to the Suez Canal and potentially disrupt oil shipments, including flows through Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port, which has recently been viewed as an alternative route to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. Shipping in the region was already under strain from late 2023, when Houthi attacks prompted major container lines and tanker operators to divert vessels away from the Red Sea and Suez Canal, rerouting them around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa. Despite tentative plans by some carriers to resume Red Sea operations in recent months, analysts warn that renewed hostilities could halt those efforts. “The repercussions of the joint military operation will see the further weaponization of trade and shatter hopes of a large-scale return of container shipping to the Red Sea in 2026,” said Peter Sand, chief analyst at freight intelligence platform Xeneta, through Lloyd's of London. The Red Sea and Suez Canal together handle roughly 15 percent of global maritime trade and nearly 30 percent of container traffic, making the route a critical artery for Asia-Europe shipping. As vessels reroute around Africa, the impact on Korean exporters is becoming increasingly pronounced. A typical voyage from Busan to Rotterdam via the Suez Canal spans roughly 20,000 kilometers and takes three to four weeks. The Cape route adds 3,000 to 4,000 nautical miles, extending transit times by 10 to 14 days. War-risk insurance premiums have also surged from around 0.1 percent to as high as 1 percent. Freight rates are already reflecting the strain. As of late March 2026, the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) rose 7 percent to 1,826.77, driven by continued Red Sea disruptions and rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope. Asia-Europe and Mediterranean routes saw particularly sharp increases. Adding to the pressure, 2026 marks the first year of full implementation of the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for maritime transport. Following a phased rollout — 40 percent in 2024 and 70 percent in 2025 — shipping lines must now cover 100 percent of verified emissions, with voyages from non-EU ports such as Busan to Europe subject to carbon costs for 50 percent of total emissions. The longer detour routes increase fuel consumption by 30 to 40 percent, while many carriers have adopted high-speed “full steaming” to mitigate delays, further driving up emissions. The combined effect of longer voyages and full ETS obligations is creating a new wave of carbon-related surcharges. Industry experts warn that these additional costs could weigh heavily on South Korea’s key export sectors, including automobiles and batteries, potentially eroding their price competitiveness in the European market and adding further uncertainty to global trade already strained by geopolitical tensions. 2026-03-30 17:48:34 -
Korean stocks tumble as oil surge rattles markets; Shanghai stands out as rare gainer SEOUL, March 30 (AJP) - Korean stocks tumbled Monday as surging oil prices and escalating geopolitical tensions triggered a broad selloff across Asia, while China's Shanghai Composite stood out as the only major regional index to close higher. The benchmark KOSPI fell 2.97 percent to close at 5,277.30, after plunging as much as 5.3 percent in early trading. The index pared some losses toward the close as retail and institutional buying emerged, but remained under pressure throughout the session. Foreign investors dumped 2.13 trillion won ($1.40 billion) worth of shares, exerting strong downward pressure. Retail and institutional investors bought 894.4 billion won and 881.5 billion won, respectively, cushioning the decline. Most large-cap stocks ended lower. Samsung Electronics fell 1.9 percent to 176,300 won, while Hyundai Motor dropped 5.2 percent and Kia declined 2.8 percent. Doosan Enerbility fell 4 percent, while Samsung Biologics slid 4.7 percent and Hanwha Aerospace lost 2 percent. Selective buying emerged in a handful of names backed by clear catalysts, even as the broader market remained under pressure. Samchundang Pharm jumped 6.6 percent after announcing a U.S. licensing deal for generic versions of oral diabetes and obesity treatments, providing a rare stock-specific driver in an otherwise macro-driven session. LG Energy Solution rose 4 percent, supported by defensive positioning and continued expectations around battery demand, while Hanwha Solutions gained 2.7 percent on policy-driven momentum linked to energy and clean technology. The KOSDAQ also closed sharply lower, reflecting broader risk aversion in growth-oriented sectors. The tech-heavy index fell 3.02 percent to 1,107.10, with both foreign and institutional investors turning heavy sellers. Retail investors bought 300.4 billion won, partially offsetting the decline. Across the region, markets largely tracked the global risk-off tone, but with notable divergence. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 2.8 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng dropped 0.9 percent. In contrast, China’s Shanghai Composite edged up 0.24 percent, emerging as a rare outlier. The divergence comes as China continues to absorb Iranian crude flows despite disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, where supply risks have intensified following escalating conflict involving Iran, Israel and, as of Friday, Yemen's Houthi forces. Brent crude rose 2.9 percent to $115.8 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate gained 2 percent to $101.5, extending a rally driven by fears of prolonged supply disruption. Market sentiment was further shaken by remarks from Donald Trump, who raised the possibility of U.S. control over Iranian oil infrastructure and potential ground operations. Although Trump later suggested negotiations with Iran were progressing, investors remained cautious as policy signals continued to shift. The Korean won weakened sharply to 1,518.1 per dollar, reflecting sustained foreign outflows and heightened volatility. 2026-03-30 17:40:29 -
S. Korea braces for rain as spring temperature swings disrupt peninsula SEOUL, March 30 (AJP) - Morning air across the Korean Peninsula remained crisp Monday even as the state weather administration warned that a significant frontal system will bring heavy rain and volatile conditions through Tuesday. While Seoul and inland regions recorded morning lows as low as 4 degrees Celsius, daytime highs are expected to surge to 22 degrees, creating a 15-degree thermal gap that officials say poses a legitimate risk to public health and agricultural stability. The disruption marks a sharp transition from the dry, clear conditions of recent days, with clouds expected to thicken by the evening as a weather system strikes Jeju Island and the southern coast with the greatest intensity. The southern resort island of Jeju sits in the direct path of the most severe rainfall, with projections reaching 80 mm across the province and more than 120 mm in high-altitude mountainous regions. Further north, Jeolla and Gyeongsang provinces are bracing for 20 to 50 mm of rain, though coastal hubs including Busan and Ulsan could see totals exceeding 60 mm. Beyond the immediate precipitation, the primary concern for the interior remains the persistence of massive temperature fluctuations. Officials advised the public to take specific precautions to protect their health, noting that such 15-degree swings are particularly taxing on the respiratory system. 2026-03-30 17:37:32 -
Seoul Theater Company’s ‘Big Mother’ Puts Algorithm-Driven Transparency on Stage "In a society where everything is transparently exposed, you gain things, but don’t you also lose things?" The Seoul Theater Company’s production “Big Mother” is staged with screens and transparent glass. The audience can see not only the actors’ gestures and voices, but also real-time projections of political developments. With nothing hidden, the play pushes viewers to consider what “transparency” means, from private backstories to power brokers who dream of creating a “Big Mother.” Director Lee Jun-woo said after a press call on the 30th that he wanted audiences “to sense and experience the media environment around us and the algorithms of the data age.” “Big Mother,” a widely discussed work by French playwright Melodie Mourey, presents a thriller about a modern society where politics, media and big data are intertwined. Through journalists fighting to expose a powerful conspiracy, it tracks how truth functions in a world where control disguised as transparency, data surveillance and manipulation of public opinion have become routine. Lee said he reduced the original’s French-style humor and sharpened its focus on algorithms. “What we search for and buy gets recommended back to us, and I felt like even our desires could be pulled along,” he said. He added that what people see, think and dream “may not be what we truly want, but what an algorithm has led us to,” and warned that algorithm-driven media can leave people believing only what they want and make it harder to encounter those with different views. The play includes scenes that evoke U.S. President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Jeffrey Epstein. Lee said he did not set out to deliberately unpack politics, but pointed to characters absorbed in dramas with plots stranger than political news and others who appeal to tears over reason. He said he hopes audiences examine why emotion-driven media can feel more persuasive than truth. As the story progresses, the focus shifts from algorithms to journalism. Lee said that was unavoidable. He described four reporters: Owen, a pragmatic editor-in-chief; Cook, who writes to win his father’s approval; Julia, who works like a machine after losing her boyfriend; and Kate, who is more focused on the climate crisis than politics. “They flounder in their family ties and personal stories,” he said, adding that only after the midpoint do they confront the case and begin their work. “I thought it had to end as a story about journalism.” The production runs March 30 to April 25 at Sejong Center’s M Theater. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-30 17:33:16