South Korea watchdog reviews IT controls at internet banks after system glitches The Financial Supervisory Service has urged internet-only banks and affiliated securities firms to strengthen IT internal controls to prevent system incidents. The regulator said it held a review meeting Tuesday with chief information officers and other officials from five companies — K Bank, KakaoBank and Toss Bank, as well as Kakao Pay Securities and Toss Securities — to check their IT risk management status and improvement plans. The FSS shared recent examples of system failures, including a recent Toss Bank incident involving a system error tied to its “half-price yen exchange” service. The watchdog stressed compliance with basic internal controls, calling for thorough procedures when changing programs, including advance impact analysis, testing and third-party verification. It also highlighted the need to expand computing infrastructure to handle surges in transaction volume, review emergency response systems, and speed recovery and consumer notifications when outages occur. Preparedness for cyber threats such as distributed denial-of-service attacks and ransomware was also listed as a key review item. Lee Jong-oh, the FSS deputy governor for digital and IT, said internet banks and related firms must build IT stability and accident-prevention systems that match their growth. He also called for stronger self-regulation, including internal audits, to prevent repeat incidents caused by weak basic controls. The FSS said it plans to shift its oversight toward prevention to stop IT incidents from recurring, and it will take strict action if major system failures occur due to inadequate internal controls.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-01 10:06:19

Actor Lee Tae-ri to Marry Non-Celebrity Partner in May Actor Lee Tae-ri will marry in May, his agency said Tuesday. Y One Entertainment said his fiancee is not a public figure and that the couple decided to spend their lives together based on “deep trust and affection.” The agency said the wedding will be held “quietly and meaningfully” with only family members and close acquaintances in attendance. It asked for understanding that details including the date, time and location will not be disclosed to protect the privacy of the fiancee and both families. “Please send warm congratulations and support to actor Lee Tae-ri as he stands at a new starting line in life,” the agency said, adding that he plans to continue acting with a range of projects and active work. Born in 1993, Lee debuted in the 1998 sitcom “Soonpoong Clinic.” His credits include “The Moon Embracing the Sun,” “The Beauty Inside,” “Extraordinary You,” “Tale of the Nine Tailed,” “The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won,” “Bloody Heart” and “Destined With You.” He recently took on a trot singing challenge through the tvN STORY variety program “Handsome Trot.” * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-01 10:00:20

Italy Misses World Cup Again, Loses to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Penalties Italy, a four-time FIFA World Cup champion, failed once more to reach the tournament finals. Italy drew Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-1 after regulation and extra time, then lost 4-1 on penalties in the UEFA playoff Group A final for the 2026 North America World Cup on April 1 (Korean time) at Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The defeat means Italy has missed the World Cup finals for a third straight time. Italy won the World Cup in 1934 in Italy, 1938 in France, 1982 in Spain and 2006 in Germany, but has not appeared at the finals since the 2014 tournament in Brazil. Even with the World Cup expanding from 32 teams to 48 for the North America edition, Italy again fell short of qualification. Bosnia and Herzegovina, which became independent from Yugoslavia, will make its second World Cup appearance. It debuted at the 2014 tournament in Brazil and was eliminated in European qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Bosnia and Herzegovina, which secured a World Cup ticket for the first time in 12 years by beating Italy, will play in Group B at the finals, competing with Canada, Switzerland and Qatar for a place in the round of 32.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-01 09:48:20

Another goalless defeat in friendly dims South Korea's World Cup hopes SEOUL, April 1 (AJP) - With the FIFA World Cup just three months away, South Korea suffered a 1-0 defeat to Austria in a friendly match held in Vienna on Tuesday, raising concerns ahead of the quadrennial global extravaganza. It was its second straight goalless defeat after a 4-0 loss to Ivory Coast in London last Saturday. Despite having 11 shooting attempts, well ahead of Austria's five, South Korea with a full lineup of star players like Son Heung-min of Los Angeles FC, Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain, and Lee Jae-sung of Bundesliga club Mainz 05 was unable to find the net, failing to convert its chances into a goal. The only goal came from Austrian midfielder Marcel Sabitzer in the 48th minute. Meanwhile, this year's World Cup, which kicks off in June, will be the first to feature 48 teams and three host countries - Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. Already grouped with Mexico and South Africa after last December's draw, South Korea will face the Czech Republic in its opening group-stage match, as the European side secured the final spot in the group by defeating Denmark in a playoff the same day. With two defeats in its last two friendlies just ahead of the football tournament, slated for June 11 to July 19, South Korea has been struggling to find form, leaving its hopes of advancing beyond the round of 32 in doubt. 2026-04-01 09:35:30

Korean stocks and won roar back on Gulf endgame hopes SEOUL, April 01 (AJP) - The first buy-side sidecar in 10 trading sessions was triggered on the Seoul bourse at the open Wednesday, as the market surged nearly 5 percent with institutions returning in force on expectations the war may be winding down following overnight comments by U.S. President Donald Trump. The benchmark KOSPI rose 4.9 percent to reclaim the 5,300 mark, while the KOSDAQ gained 4.6 percent to move above 1,100. The U.S. dollar also fell back below the 1,510 won level after spiking above 1,530 won in the previous session. Investment sentiment improved for the first time in many days after Trump said U.S. operations against Iran could be “wrapped up” within two to three weeks. He also suggested that a formal agreement may not be necessary to end the conflict and that the United States could “leave Iran very soon,” remarks that markets interpreted as signaling potential de-escalation. The comments come amid mixed signals on diplomacy. While Trump said negotiations are underway, Iran has denied direct talks, though it confirmed indirect exchanges through intermediaries. The sharp rally followed strong gains on Wall Street overnight. The S&P 500 rose 2.91 percent to 6,528.51, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite jumped 3.83 percent to 21,590.63. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 2.49 percent to 46,341.33. Gainers on the KOSPI overwhelmed losers 818 to 84, with bellwethers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix soaring nearly 7 percent. 2026-04-01 09:33:26

Park Min-young Showcases OBZEE’s 26 Spring Collection in Dazed Pictorial Actor Park Min-young, who has returned to tvN’s drama “Siren,” is featured in a fashion pictorial for Dazed magazine’s April issue. Shot in Phuket, Thailand, the spread pairs Park’s polished, city-chic image with the resort backdrop. In the released images, Park models OBZEE’s 26 Spring collection with a sleek, modern look. One outfit combines a fluid blouse with a subtle sheen and draped lines with a glitter-fringe skirt, highlighting contrast in materials. Another look uses a deep-blue top and wide-leg pants in a tone-on-tone palette. Draped detailing on the top is matched with the relaxed fit of the pants to emphasize a long, streamlined silhouette, finished with a gold chain belt. In a separate cut, Park wears an all-white ensemble that underscores OBZEE’s couture-style detailing. A blouse with three-dimensional floral appliques is paired with a sheer fabric, matched with a slim boucle-textured skirt to sharpen the overall line. An OBZEE official said Park’s “captivating charm” blended naturally with the mood the brand pursues, creating strong synergy. The official added that it was meaningful to work with Park, saying she helped express the brand’s identity in a detailed way and raised the pictorial’s overall quality. OBZEE’s 26 Spring collection worn by Park in the pictorial is available through the brand’s official online store, TheHandsome.com, and its official social media channels. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-01 08:57:20

South Korea to Open World Cup Group Play vs. Czech Republic After Playoff Win South Korea’s first opponent in the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America will be the Czech Republic. The Czechs secured their place by beating Denmark 3-1 on penalties after the teams were tied 1-1 after 90 minutes and 2-2 after extra time in the UEFA playoff Group D final at Epet Arena in Prague on April 1 (Korea time). It sends the Czech Republic to the World Cup finals for the first time in 20 years, since the 2006 tournament in Germany. With the Czech qualification, Group A is complete. South Korea will compete with Mexico, South Africa and the Czech Republic for a place in the round of 32. South Korea, coached by Hong Myung-bo, will face the Czech Republic in its group opener on June 12 at 11 a.m. at Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico. The Czech Republic is ranked 43rd by FIFA, below South Korea at No. 22. The Czechs finished second in their European qualifying group behind Croatia to reach the playoffs, then advanced by beating Ireland on penalties in the semifinals and upsetting Denmark, which had been rated the stronger side, in another shootout in the final. The Czech Republic has a history of notable World Cup results. As Czechoslovakia, it finished runner-up in 1934 in Italy and in 1962 in Chile, and reached the quarterfinals in 1938 in France and in 1990 in Italy. Under the Czech Republic name, it appeared only at the 2006 World Cup and was eliminated in the group stage. South Korea is 1-2-2 all-time against the Czech Republic. Their most recent meeting was a friendly in June 2016, which South Korea won 2-1. 2026-04-01 08:51:00

BTS’ ‘SWIM’ Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 as ‘ARIRANG’ Tops Billboard 200 BTS swept Billboard’s charts again, led by its fifth full-length album, “ARIRANG,” and the title track “SWIM.” The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, while “SWIM” rose to the top of the Hot 100 and other tracks from the album posted strong global results. According to Billboard’s latest rankings released March 31, “SWIM” hit No. 1 on the April 4-dated Hot 100. It became BTS’ seventh career Hot 100 No. 1, following “Dynamite,” “Savage Love,” “Life Goes On,” “Butter,” “Permission to Dance” and “My Universe.” Billboard said BTS now has the fifth-most No. 1 songs among groups since the Hot 100 began. In its first week in the United States, “SWIM” logged 15.3 million streams, reached 25.8 million radio listeners and sold 154,000 digital and physical singles. The song debuted at No. 2 on Streaming Songs and No. 18 on Radio Songs, and ranked No. 1 on Digital Song Sales. The album’s tracks also surged globally. Of the album’s 14 tracks, 13 vocal songs — excluding an interlude — entered Billboard’s global charts at the same time. On the Global Excl. U.S. chart, “SWIM” ranked No. 1, with “Body to Body,” “Hooligan,” “FYA,” “Normal,” “Aliens” and “2.0” also landing high. All 13 songs placed within the top 13. Billboard said it was the first time one artist occupied every spot from No. 1 through No. 13 on that chart. On the Global 200, Luminate data showed “SWIM” at No. 1 with 108.8 million streams worldwide and 221,000 in sales. Nine songs, including “Body to Body” and “Hooligan,” entered the Global 200 top 10 in the same week — the most weekly top-10 entries since Taylor Swift in May 2024. BTS recorded its eighth career No. 1 on both the Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts. “ARIRANG” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 641,000 album units, the best weekly total for a group album since Billboard began tracking units in December 2014. It marked the second time BTS topped both the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 in the same week, after 2020’s “BE” and “Life Goes On.” BTS also led several other Billboard charts, including Artist 100, Digital Song Sales, World Digital Song Sales, Top Album Sales, Top Streaming Albums and Vinyl Albums. “ARIRANG” is BTS’ fifth full-length album, with HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk credited as executive producer. The album draws on multiple genres and focuses on broadly relatable emotions. The title track, “SWIM,” centers on pushing forward through life’s hardships. RM participated in writing lyrics across the album, reflecting what BTS wants to convey now.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-01 08:39:58

South Korea falls 1-0 to Austria as Son Heung-min held scoreless Hong Myung-bo’s South Korea squad lost to Austria in its final warmup before the last call-up ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America. South Korea fell 1-0 to Austria on April 1 (Korea time) at Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna. The defeat followed a 4-0 rout by Ivory Coast on March 28 in Milton Keynes, England, leaving South Korea winless in its two-match A match set with the World Cup call-up about three months away. It was South Korea’s first back-to-back A match losses since June 2023, when it lost 2-1 to Uruguay and 1-0 to Peru. The March friendlies were framed as dress rehearsals for potential World Cup opponents. The Ivory Coast match was treated as a stand-in for South Africa, while Austria was used to prepare for the Czech Republic, the winner of European playoff Group D. Hong’s team used a three-back system in both matches but conceded five goals and scored none, exposing problems at both ends of the field. Against Austria, South Korea started key attackers Son Heung-min (Los Angeles FC), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) and Lee Jae-sung (Mainz) but again struggled to finish chances. After creating little in the first half, South Korea conceded in the third minute of the second half. Xaver Schlager (RB Leipzig) drove down the right and cut the ball back for Marcel Sabitzer (Borussia Dortmund), who scored with a right-footed first-time shot. South Korea pushed for an equalizer and had a clear chance in the 17th minute of the second half. Seol Young-woo (Crvena Zvezda) sent a low cross from the right, and Son hit a right-footed first-time attempt that went wide to the right. In the 29th minute, Son broke in on goal after a through ball from Lee Kang-in but was denied in a one-on-one as his left-footed shot was saved by the goalkeeper.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-01 08:21:18

April squeeze forces K-pop acts to fight to spotlight  SEOUL, April 01 (AJP) - April may prove a cruel month for some K-pop acts, as a crowded comeback calendar squeezes much of the first half’s release schedule into a single month. At least 27 acts are set to return in April, ranging from major-label groups and established stars to rookies and soloists. What was supposed to be a strategy to avoid head-on clashes with mega events — including BTS’s return and major political and sporting fixtures — has instead produced an intense bottleneck. The lineup begins with Tomorrow X Together on April 13, marking the group’s first release since renewing their contracts. NCT WISH follows on April 20, while ILLIT is scheduled to return on April 30. LE SSERAFIM is set for a comeback just six months after its previous release, with TWS and others also joining the packed slate. Solo releases are piling up alongside group returns. Much of the congestion stems from delays earlier in the year. First-quarter releases were pushed back to avoid high-profile events, including the Winter Olympics in Italy from Feb. 6 to 22 and BTS’s March 20 release of its fifth studio album, followed by a large-scale performance in downtown Seoul the next day. The months ahead offer little relief. Local elections are scheduled for June 4, and the World Cup will follow, creating further pressure on agencies trying to secure attention before public focus shifts elsewhere. “When major national or global events take place, attention and spending are redirected there first,” pop culture critic Kim Sung-soo said. “Entertainment becomes secondary.” That has left only a narrow window between BTS’s return and the coming wave of headline-grabbing events. In trying to avoid competition, the industry has instead concentrated it. “When resources, time, money and attention are pulled toward larger events, other forms of consumption are pushed back,” Kim said. “That is when release schedules begin to cluster.” The April lineup now spans the full spectrum of the market, with top-tier groups, solo acts and newcomers all crowding into the same stretch in a fight for visibility. 2026-04-01 08:13:04