AJU PRESS ASIA FIRST NEWS AGENCY

Journalist

Kwon Ga-rim
  • Bitcoin Slips to $77,064 as U.S.-Iran Talks Stall
    Bitcoin Slips to $77,064 as U.S.-Iran Talks Stall U.S.-Iran negotiations have stalled, pushing bitcoin lower. Bitcoin was trading at $77,064 as of 8 a.m. on the 28th, down 1.66% from the previous day, according to CoinMarketCap. The price briefly topped $79,000 intraday on the 27th, nearing $80,000, before turning lower. The decline followed the breakdown of face-to-face talks between the United States and Iran, with the two sides unable to find common ground. Iran proposed discussing the nuclear issue after a pause in the war and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz under Pakistani mediation. The White House has maintained a cautious stance, saying it is reviewing the matter internally. President Trump has repeatedly said he would not allow Iran to possess nuclear weapons, prompting assessments that Washington is unlikely to accept Iran’s proposal. Major altcoins also fell. Ethereum slipped 0.04% to $1, Solana dropped 2.58% to $85, and XRP fell 2.22% to $1.39. In South Korea, bitcoin on the won-based exchange Bithumb was down 0.7% from the previous day at 114.93 million won (about $78,047) at the same time. The so-called “kimchi premium,” in which domestic prices trade above overseas levels, stood at 1.26%. 2026-04-28 08:30:18
  • Lee Jae-myung Vows Tough Punishment for Syringe Hoarding as U.S.-Iran Talks Eyed
    Lee Jae-myung Vows Tough Punishment for Syringe Hoarding as U.S.-Iran Talks Eyed Lee Jae-myung: Syringe hoarding is antisocial; violators will be punished President Lee Jae-myung said he would deal sternly with companies accused of stockpiling syringes after a special crackdown by health authorities found widespread violations.  In a post Friday on X, formerly Twitter, Lee said he had instructed the Cabinet to keep up enforcement and to take all possible follow-up steps, including swift investigations, strict punishment and maximum administrative penalties, for confirmed violations.  He said making money by exploiting a community crisis is an “antisocial” act that will be “severely punished.”  Earlier, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said a special nationwide inspection of syringe sellers, aimed at stabilizing distribution, found 32 distributors violated a government notice banning syringe hoarding.  U.S. delegation may head to Pakistan for talks; Iran issues denial As Washington and Tehran send mixed signals on whether to resume peace negotiations, there is speculation the two sides could meet as soon as this weekend in Pakistan.  Yonhap reported that The New York Times, citing two senior Iranian officials, said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to meet U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s eldest son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in Pakistan this weekend.  The officials said Araghchi headed to Islamabad carrying a written response to a U.S. peace proposal. They said Iran has publicly maintained it would not hold talks until the U.S. blockade of Hormuz is lifted, but has privately explored ways to restart negotiations through mediators including Pakistan. Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on April 25 local time.  Lee Jin-sook drops out of Daegu mayor’s race, pledges support for party nominee Lee Jin-sook, the former chair of the Korea Communications Commission who was cut from the People Power Party’s primary for Daegu mayor, said Friday she will not run in the June 3 local election.  With Rep. Joo Ho-young also having declared he will not run, the party’s internal turmoil over the Daegu race appeared to ease.  Yonhap reported Lee told a news conference at the party’s Daegu office that she was stepping down as a preliminary candidate. She said that once the party selects its nominee on Saturday, she will help that candidate defeat the Democratic Party contender and “protect Daegu from the reckless Democratic Party administration.”  While calling the party’s decision to cut her unfair, she said she would not run as an independent.  Trump administration allows firing squad and other methods for federal executions The Trump administration said it will allow the firing squad as a method of execution for federal death sentences.  Yonhap and Reuters reported Friday that the Justice Department said in a recent report it would add the firing squad, the electric chair and gas asphyxiation as alternative methods, citing difficulties obtaining lethal injection drugs.  Lethal injection remains the most common method of execution in the United States, but the department said it plans to broaden the options.  The department also said it would restore procedures for using pentobarbital, the drug adopted for executions during the first Trump administration. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-25 21:42:18
  • Iran Foreign Minister Delivers Tehran’s Ceasefire Terms to Pakistan
    Iran Foreign Minister Delivers Tehran’s Ceasefire Terms to Pakistan Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi delivered Tehran’s position on ending the war to Pakistani officials, according to reports. Yonhap reported that after arriving in Islamabad on the 25th, Araghchi met with Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, and conveyed Iran’s perspective and considerations on a ceasefire. Munir is seen as a key figure mediating U.S.-Iran talks. The two sides were reported to have discussed the latest developments related to a ceasefire and ways to cooperate to strengthen peace and stability in West Asia. Reuters also reported that Araghchi told Pakistani officials of Iran’s reserved stance toward U.S. demands and outlined Iran’s negotiating requirements. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Munir thanked Araghchi for Iran’s trust in Pakistan as a neighboring country and said Pakistan would willingly continue its mediation efforts until results are achieved.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-25 21:39:15
  • Iran Foreign Minister Meets Pakistan Army Chief as Truce With U.S. Holds
    Iran Foreign Minister Meets Pakistan Army Chief as Truce With U.S. Holds Iran’s foreign minister, whose country is in a temporary truce with the United States, met with a key Pakistani figure in Islamabad, Pakistan’s role as a mediator drew renewed attention. Yonhap reported on the 25th that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Pakistan’s Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir in the Pakistani capital. Munir has been involved in U.S.-Iran talks aimed at ending the war and is described as a central figure in Pakistan’s government. Details of the meeting were not disclosed, but observers said Iran and mediator Pakistan likely discussed a second round of talks on ending the war. The New York Times, citing two senior Iranian officials, reported that Araghchi would meet in Pakistan with U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s eldest son-in-law, to keep negotiations going. The United States and Iran previously held a first round of talks in Islamabad on April 11-12, but they collapsed. A second round expected on April 21 also did not take place.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-25 20:45:14
  • Trump Administration Expands Federal Execution Methods to Include Firing Squad
    Trump Administration Expands Federal Execution Methods to Include Firing Squad The Trump administration said it will allow firing squads as a method for carrying out federal executions. According to Yonhap News Agency and Reuters on the 25th, the U.S. Justice Department said in a recent report that it will add firing squads, the electric chair and gas asphyxiation as alternative methods, citing difficulties obtaining lethal-injection drugs. Lethal injection is currently the most common execution method in the United States. The department said it plans to broaden the available options. The Justice Department also ordered the restoration of procedures for using pentobarbital, a lethal-injection drug adopted during the first Trump administration. The department said executions using pentobarbital do not violate the Eighth Amendment’s ban on “cruel and unusual punishment” and meet constitutional standards. In a statement, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the previous administration, the Biden administration, “failed to meet its duty to protect the American people” by refusing to carry out the maximum penalty for the most dangerous criminals, including terrorists, child killers and those who kill police officers.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-25 19:30:15
  • Zelenskyy Says Russian Barrage Kills 4, Wounds More Than 30 Across Ukraine
    Zelenskyy Says Russian Barrage Kills 4, Wounds More Than 30 Across Ukraine Russia again attacked targets across Ukraine, leaving more than 30 people killed or wounded.  According to Yonhap News Agency on the 25th, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on social media that overnight Russian strikes killed four people and injured more than 30.  From the previous night into early morning, Russia launched 619 drones and 47 missiles.  The attacks focused on areas including Dnipro, Odesa, Kharkiv and Chernihiv, where nearby facilities were reported to have collapsed.  Zelenskyy said sanctions are needed to limit Russia’s military-industrial capacity and that he is in contact with the European Union on the issue.  Talks aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine have been suspended due to developments in the Middle East. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-25 17:39:16
  • Lee Jae-myung vows tough punishment for syringe hoarding, price-gouging
    Lee Jae-myung vows tough punishment for syringe hoarding, price-gouging President Lee Jae-myung said he will deal sternly with companies caught hoarding syringes, calling it antisocial profiteering that exploits a community crisis. In a post Friday on X, formerly known as Twitter, Lee said he instructed the Cabinet to take all possible follow-up steps, including continued crackdowns, swift investigations, tough punishment and the maximum administrative penalties for confirmed violations. He also wrote, “What’s the point of living well alone? Let’s live together.” The remarks came after the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said a special nationwide inspection of syringe sellers, aimed at stabilizing distribution, found 32 distributors violated a notice banning syringe hoarding. Some companies were found to have stockpiled about 130,000 syringes without selling them, or to have supplied 620,000 only to specific clients. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-25 16:39:15
  • U.S. Energy Exports Hit Record as Hormuz Closure Spurs Demand Amid Iran War
    U.S. Energy Exports Hit Record as Hormuz Closure Spurs Demand Amid Iran War The closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the Iran war has pushed U.S. energy exports to record levels. According to Yonhap News Agency and The Wall Street Journal, Asian and European buyers cut off from Middle Eastern supplies are turning to U.S. crude oil and liquefied natural gas, or LNG. Last week, U.S. exports of crude and petroleum products averaged 12.9 million barrels a day, a record high. U.S. exports of crude and LNG to Asia in March and April rose about 30% from a year earlier. The surge reflects the Hormuz blockade, which has disrupted purchases of Middle Eastern energy. Countries long dependent on the region have had little choice but to seek U.S. supplies. It is unclear whether the shift will last after the war. Many Asian refineries are designed for Middle Eastern crude, and the United States cannot increase exports without limit. Tsuneo Watanabe, a researcher at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, a Japanese think tank, said, “If the Strait of Hormuz reopens and Middle East energy prices return to normal, U.S. crude and gas will no longer be attractive.” 2026-04-25 15:39:15
  • South Korea’s Big Four Financial Groups Post Nearly 5 Trillion Won in Q1 Profit
    South Korea’s Big Four Financial Groups Post Nearly 5 Trillion Won in Q1 Profit KB, Shinhan, Hana and Woori — South Korea’s four largest financial holding companies — posted nearly 5 trillion won in net profit in the first quarter. Despite regulators’ controls on total household lending, wider lending-deposit spreads as market rates rose and stronger brokerage fee income supported results. Still, rising won-dollar exchange rates and growing Middle East-related risks are adding uncertainty, analysts said. According to the financial sector on Thursday, the four groups’ combined first-quarter net profit totaled 5.3288 trillion won, up 8.11% from 4.9289 trillion won a year earlier. KB Financial Group recorded the biggest gain, with first-quarter net profit rising 11.5% to 1.8924 trillion won. Shinhan Financial Group posted 1.6226 trillion won, up 9%. Hana Financial Group earned 1.2100 trillion won, up 7.3%. Woori Financial Group was the only one to decline, with net profit down 2.09% to 603.8 billion won. Interest income, banks’ core revenue source, also increased. The four groups’ combined interest income rose 5.31% to 11.2074 trillion won from 10.6419 trillion won a year earlier. The increase appears to reflect wider net interest margins as banks raised loan rates in line with higher market rates. This year, the top end of fixed-rate mortgage rates at major commercial banks moved above 7% for the first time in three years and five months. COFIX, a benchmark for floating-rate mortgages, turned higher in February. Noninterest income was another key driver. Combined noninterest income jumped 34% to 3.8773 trillion won from 2.8935 trillion won in the first quarter of last year, helped by improved securities-related fee income amid a stronger domestic stock market. Even as most groups started the year with strong earnings, uncertainty around the operating environment is growing. Middle East-related risks are weighing on exchange rates, interest rates and capital ratios. Common equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratios edged lower in the first quarter at several groups. KB Financial’s CET1 ratio fell 0.19 percentage points to 13.63%, and Shinhan’s slipped 0.16 points to 13.19%. Hana’s also declined by 0.15 points. Woori was the only one to rise, up 0.7 points to 13.6%. At the same time, delinquency rates on corporate loans expanded under a push for more “productive finance,” adding to asset-quality pressure. Banks are facing the task of sustaining earnings while managing credit quality and provisioning burdens. 2026-04-24 17:21:21
  • IBK Industrial Bank Q1 Net Profit Falls 7.5% to 753.4 Billion Won on FX Volatility
    IBK Industrial Bank Q1 Net Profit Falls 7.5% to 753.4 Billion Won on FX Volatility IBK Industrial Bank of Korea said Friday its first-quarter net profit fell 7.5% from a year earlier to 753.4 billion won, citing the impact of exchange-rate volatility. The bank said the decline was linked to currency-related factors stemming from Iran. Lending to small and midsize enterprises increased as the bank expanded what it called “productive finance.” The outstanding balance of SME loans rose 0.9% from the end of last year to 264.2 trillion won. Its share of the SME market was 24.4%. Asset-quality indicators were mixed. The ratio of substandard or below loans was unchanged from the end of last year at 1.28%, while the credit cost ratio fell 0.04 percentage point to 0.43%. An IBK official said the bank will continue supporting SMEs facing difficulties from rising exchange rates and oil prices through its “IBK-type Productive Finance 30-300 Project.” The official added that, as disclosed in March, the bank plans to introduce quarterly dividends for the first time, with July 31 set as the dividend record date. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 16:36:18