Rep. Kim Min-jeon Proposes Law Requiring Substitute Staff for Kindergarten Absences Kim Min-jeon, a lawmaker from the ruling People Power Party, introduced a bill on the 24th to require substitute staff at kindergartens when teachers or other employees are unexpectedly unable to work, aiming to prevent disruptions and keep schools running smoothly. The proposed revision to the Early Childhood Education Act would mandate assigning a substitute teacher when a staff member cannot perform duties due to illness, infectious disease or other unforeseen reasons, creating a gap in operating the curriculum. It also calls for the education minister and provincial education superintendents to establish and implement measures to secure, manage and support the placement of substitute personnel, with the stated goal of improving the quality of early childhood education and protecting teachers’ rights to teach and to health. The proposal follows a recent case in which a first-year teacher died after going to work despite illness because a substitute could not be found, even amid a flu situation. In a survey released on the 23rd by the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union of 6,689 teachers nationwide across kindergarten, elementary, middle, high and special schools, 64.5% of kindergarten teachers surveyed (3,547 respondents) said they had gone to work while sick with the flu. The findings fueled calls to better protect staff health and build a substitute staffing system. Current law does not explicitly provide for assigning or supporting replacement staff when employees cannot work due to illness or leave, the lawmaker’s office said, and kindergartens have faced serious disruptions. Private kindergartens, in particular, have struggled with costs and staffing shortages, leaving teachers to keep classrooms running while ill, it said. “The tragic loss of a private kindergarten teacher exposed the harsh reality of an education system without a way to replace sick teachers,” Kim said. “This revision should address structural gaps in early childhood education and create a safe personnel management system so teachers do not have to protect classrooms at the expense of their health.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 14:33:17

Korea watchdog issues online harm casebook, warns of data theft in used-goods job scams A growing number of cases last year involved personal information being stolen during hiring and job-seeking processes conducted through used-goods trading apps, leading to unauthorized sign-ups for specific apps, officials said. Authorities warned the stolen data could be used for follow-on crimes such as financial fraud. The Korea Communications and Media Commission and the Korea Information and Communications Promotion Association said Thursday they published the “2025 Online Harm Counseling Casebook,” summarizing 50 major cases drawn from consultations received by the Online Harm 365 Center. The casebook is based on counseling records from the center, which provides one-on-one consultations and follow-up support for online harm. The center handled 4,181 consultations last year, pushing its cumulative total past 10,000, the agencies said. The publication organizes 50 selected cases by type, chosen for frequency and significance. It covers eight areas — goods and services, telecommunications, content, rights violations, cyber financial crime, illegal and harmful content, digital sex crimes and cyber violence — and includes real-world examples along with prevention tips and response measures. Officials highlighted a noticeable rise in cases in which scammers obtained personal data through job-related exchanges on used-goods apps. They said the information can be exploited in “romance scam” schemes, in which a perpetrator approaches a victim by feigning romantic interest, then uses the data to create unauthorized accounts or to facilitate financial fraud. The commission said victims should quickly close any accounts opened without consent and take steps to block additional harm. Along with counseling narratives, the casebook includes response guidance, consultation outcomes, and related laws and court precedents. It also provides information on the center’s operations, how to request counseling, annual intake and processing figures, and user reviews. “As the online environment changes, the types of harm are becoming more diverse and more sophisticated,” commission Chairman Kim Jong-cheol said. He said he hopes the casebook will help the public prevent harm and respond quickly when incidents occur.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 14:30:16

Whiskers and wallets: cat show at KINTEX SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) -The air at KINTEX hums with a different kind of energy this week — softer, furrier, punctuated by the occasional impatient meow. At the “2026 Nyangnyang Punch Cat Show Ilsan,” aisles fill quickly as visitors weave through rows of pastel-toned booths, peering into carriers, testing treats, and pausing for photos with cats that seem, at times, more composed than their human companions. From the entrance, the scale is unmistakable. Around 140 companies and 200 booths stretch across Hall 7, turning the exhibition floor into a marketplace of feline lifestyles — not just products, but identities. Premium feed brands tout grain-free formulas and tailored nutrition. Designers showcase sculptural cat towers that double as living room centerpieces. Even litter has evolved, marketed with the language of sustainability and wellness. At one booth, a vendor demonstrates an automated litter system, its quiet rotation drawing a small crowd. Nearby, a seminar space hosts a talk on feline nutrition, where attendees jot notes as if preparing for an exam. Elsewhere, visitors crouch low, coaxing shy cats forward with feather toys — small, intimate moments unfolding amid the commercial buzz. The crowd itself tells a story. Young couples, families with children, solo visitors — many carrying cats in transparent backpacks or cradling them gently — move through the space with a mix of curiosity and care. Conversations drift between product specs and personal anecdotes: allergies, aging pets, adoption stories. This is not casual browsing. It is, in many ways, caregiving in public. 2026-04-24 14:28:34

Robots and R&D Draw Crowds at 2026 Korea Science and Technology Expo At KINTEX in Goyang, just outside Seoul, children stopped to gather around a dog-shaped robot, while a long line formed for photos in front of a boxing robot. Under the slogan, “Imagination becomes everyday life,” robots blended into a scene that no longer felt unusual. The Ministry of Science and ICT, the National Research Foundation of Korea and the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity are holding the 2026 Korea Science and Technology Expo from April 24 to 26. Organizers said the event is built around four themes linking the past, present and future, and is expanding into a nationwide traveling science festival after stops in Busan and Daejeon. About 60 institutions are taking part, including 20 government-funded research institutes. The main National R&D zone highlights ongoing research results from the institutes, with displays organized by national strategic technologies such as aviation, bio and quantum science. The Korea Institute of Materials Science, or KIMS, and Hanwha Aerospace set up a joint booth to present technology aimed at localizing production of key aircraft engine parts. “Aircraft engines still have a structure with a high dependence on imported parts,” a KIMS official said, adding that the institute is working with Hanwha Aerospace to localize core components. One technology drawing attention was material for turbine blades. KIMS said it has developed a third-generation single-crystal superalloy designed to withstand high-temperature, high-pressure conditions and has entered the commercialization stage. The material is a key factor affecting engine output and efficiency, and performance verification tests are underway. KIMS is also developing precision casting prototype production technology, aiming to complete development this year. The institute said the process improves dimensional accuracy and defect control compared with existing methods. Related work includes developing cast rotor disk materials and improving thermal barrier coating performance. Students visiting on field trips offered immediate reactions. Cho Yun-chan, 11, from Yujeong Global School in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, said, “AI was fascinating, and the robot boxing was especially fun.” Another student from the school, Lee Yu-jin, also 11, said trying the robot exhibits made science more interesting and easier to understand in person. Some exhibitors, however, said expectations were mixed with concern because the event combines a public festival with business-oriented programming, making it hard to gauge attendance. “Events for kids and business-focused events are mixed together,” one booth official said. “The key will be how many citizens come in.” Before the expo opened, students also took part in a discussion on science and engineering career paths. Gu Hyeok-chae, first vice minister of science and ICT, met with students and answered questions on semiconductor research careers, software skills and study plans. He was reported to have emphasized the importance of strong fundamentals as AI rapidly changes the job environment. Gu said the science festival has been expanded nationwide starting this year so more people can experience science and technology firsthand, and that after Busan and Daejeon, events will be held sequentially in places including South Jeolla Province. “Science and technology are a core foundation that will shape South Korea’s future,” he said, pledging continued investment and expanded hands-on opportunities to broaden public engagement.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 14:27:15

Hyundai Steel Q1 Operating Profit Falls 63.7% to 15.7 Billion Won Hyundai Steel said in a regulatory filing on Thursday that its first-quarter operating profit fell 63.7% from the previous quarter to 15.7 billion won ($11.3 million), while revenue rose 4.6% to 5.7397 trillion won on higher product sales volume. The company attributed the profit drop to a weaker won and higher raw material prices. It said operating profit is expected to gradually rebound from the second quarter as fewer low-priced imported products enter the domestic market, improving supply and demand, and as price increases for key products take effect. Hyundai Steel also said increases in borrowings and its debt ratio were temporary, citing investment spending for future growth, including capital contributions to its U.S. steel mill. Despite a challenging business environment, the company said it will prioritize profitability improvement this year and focus on securing new demand. It said it aims to win new orders and move early in the power infrastructure sector at home and abroad, respond to growing demand for energy storage systems, and build a response system for all transmission-tower products, including structural steel and heavy plate, in line with a government-led domestic power-grid infrastructure buildout. The company said it is expanding orders for steel used in transmission towers. Hyundai Steel said it is mass-producing low-carbon steel sheet that cuts carbon emissions by 20% and plans to lead the low-carbon market by pursuing additional steel-grade certifications to expand global sales. A Hyundai Steel official said the company will seek to capture new demand in the power infrastructure industry, actively respond to demand for low-carbon steel through an electric-arc furnace and blast-furnace hybrid process, and improve profitability.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 14:21:12

TV Personality Boom Welcomes Second Daughter, Agency Says Mother and Baby Healthy TV personality Boom has become the father of two daughters. His agency, TN Entertainment, said on the 24th that Boom and his wife welcomed a healthy baby girl weighing 2.74 kilograms at 9:38 a.m. "Both the mother and baby are in good health," the agency said, adding, "Please send your support to Boom and his wife as they welcome a new member of their family." Boom married his partner, who is seven years younger, in April 2022 and welcomed their first daughter in March 2024. After winning the Entertainer of the Year award at the "2025 KBS Entertainment Awards" in December, Boom shared news of the pregnancy, saying, "When I won last time, we had our first child, and now our second is growing well in the womb."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 14:20:43

HD Hyundai Marine Solution Q1 Operating Profit Rises 12.5% to 93.4 Billion Won HD Hyundai Marine Solution, HD Hyundai’s marine-industry solutions unit, said Thursday it posted first-quarter revenue of 574.6 billion won and operating profit of 93.4 billion won. Revenue rose 18.3% from a year earlier and operating profit increased 12.5%. The company said growth in its core aftermarket parts and services business, along with higher sales from its bunkering business, drove the gains. Aftermarket revenue climbed 21.4% from a year earlier, led by sales tied to large engines and its mid-sized HiMSEN engines, the company said. It also cited new orders, including a maintenance contract for power-generation facilities for Ecuador’s state power company. Its digital solutions business also extended steady growth, with revenue up 33.3% year over year on a broader product lineup, including an integrated control system (ECS) applied to Anduril’s unmanned surface vessel, it said. Revenue in the eco-friendly solutions business fell due to a base effect from large-scale retrofit work in the year-earlier period, the company said. An HD Hyundai Marine Solution official said the company plans to further strengthen competitiveness in high value-added aftermarket businesses such as engines, and to expand its eco-friendly and digital businesses to upgrade its portfolio. The official said the opening of a logistics hub in Singapore will help improve global supply-chain efficiency and strengthen customer responsiveness.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 14:20:02

NH Investment & Securities to Decide Governance Overhaul, Likely to Adopt Co-CEO Structure NH Investment & Securities was set to decide on a governance overhaul at a board meeting on Thursday, with the company widely expected to shift to a co-CEO structure in which two chief executives each hold independent authority. The decision is also expected to accelerate a stalled process to pick the next CEO. According to the financial investment industry, the firm planned to convene another special board meeting Thursday, following one held the previous day, to discuss whether to proceed with the overhaul. A move to the independent co-CEO model has been viewed as the most likely outcome. The company plans to resume the CEO selection process once the governance structure is decided. The search has been clouded by uncertainty. Ahead of its regular shareholders meeting in March, the company decided to reconsider its governance model first and excluded the agenda item to appoint a CEO. As it reviewed multiple scenarios — including a single CEO, joint CEOs and independent co-CEOs — the selection process effectively paused. The executive candidate recommendation committee later re-examined and expanded the candidate pool, but with no decision on the governance direction, it remained unclear even how to narrow the list. Roles would differ depending on whether the company adopts a single-CEO or multi-CEO structure. Under a single-CEO model, an executive capable of overseeing business lines such as investment banking had been seen as a leading type of candidate. As the independent co-CEO option gained traction, a plan to split management support and business operations under separate CEOs emerged, widening the pool to include current and former executives. The company has cited as its official rationale “the need to upgrade risk management systems amid rapid changes in capital markets and the expansion of business scale,” saying the goal is more stable operations in a fast-changing market environment. Market participants, however, have largely viewed the move as more than a management strategy. NH Investment & Securities’ largest shareholder is NH NongHyup Financial Group, which is controlled by the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation. In the 2024 CEO selection process, Yoo Chan-hyung, a former vice chairman from the federation, was placed on the shortlist. This year as well, ahead of the March regular shareholders meeting, a figure seen as close to the federation was mentioned as a possible next leader, with the federation’s preferences seen as a variable in the selection. Against that backdrop, some interpret the governance overhaul talks as aimed less at efficiency and more at balancing interests. Some have also said that if the firm adopts the independent co-CEO structure, it could raise the chances of CEO Yoon Byung-woon being reappointed, since it could allow a compromise that places a federation-backed figure alongside an internal company executive.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 14:11:09

South Korea’s Democratic Party Speeds Up By-Election Nominations Ahead of June 3 Vote The Democratic Party of Korea, after quickly wrapping up nominations for provincial and metropolitan chief executives for the June 3 local elections — ending with the announcement of its Jeju governor candidate on April 18 — is also moving fast to pick candidates for the by-elections being held the same day. With many of the contests taking place in districts previously held by the party, the DPK aims to complete nominations by the first week of May to maximize candidates’ time on the campaign trail. As of April 24, the party had made strategic nominations for attorney Jeon Tae-jin (Ulsan Nam-gu A), Song Young-gil (Incheon Yeonsu A) and Kim Nam-jun, a former Blue House spokesperson (Incheon Gyeyang B). Song and Kim, whose nominations were confirmed the previous day, attended an on-site Supreme Council meeting in Incheon’s Yeonsu district on April 24. Hwang Hee, chair of the party’s strategic nomination committee, told reporters at the National Assembly the previous day that “there isn’t much time until the election.” Secretary-General Cho Seung-rae said the party must finish nominations by the first week of May, adding that the committee would meet “almost every day” to narrow down and decide on candidates. The party said it is trying to move quickly while keeping screening careful, using three tracks: recruiting new talent, promoting from within and reassigning well-known figures. It described Jeon as a recruited talent, Kim as an internal pick and Song as a reassignment. Attention is also focused on possible nominations for Lee Kwang-jae, a former Gangwon governor; Ha Jeong-woo, senior secretary for AI future planning; Kim Yong, deputy head of the Democratic Research Institute; and party spokesperson Kim Nam-guk. Jeong has praised Lee’s “party first” spirit and said he should be given a chance, and has repeatedly urged Ha to run. Lee has been mentioned as a potential candidate in Gyeonggi’s Hanam A district, and Ha in Busan’s Buk-gu A district. Kim Yong has asked the party for a nomination, and Kim Nam-guk has said he intends to run in Ansan A. The by-elections are expected to be held in as many as 14 districts when vacancies tied to President Lee Jae-myung’s inauguration, the resignation of presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik, districts where an election was invalidated, and additional seats vacated by lawmakers resigning to run in local elections are combined. Of those, 13 were DPK-held districts. Under the Public Official Election Act, first-half by-elections cover vacancies confirmed by April 30. Because the deadline for incumbent lawmakers to resign in order to run in local elections is May 4, some have suggested resignations could be delayed. However, Jeong has repeatedly asked eight people selected as the DPK’s provincial and metropolitan chief executive candidates to resign together on April 29. In the People Power Party, one of Reps. Choo Kyung-ho and Yoo Young-ha is expected to be confirmed as the party’s Daegu mayoral candidate on April 26, after a runoff. With Daegu considered a conservative stronghold, there is speculation the winner will resign before April 30. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 14:10:12

Lee Jae-myung Visits Hanoi’s Thang Long Imperial Citadel During Vietnam State Trip President Lee Jae-myung on April 24 (local time) visited Vietnam’s Thang Long Imperial Citadel, a cultural heritage site, with Vietnamese Communist Party chief and state president To Lam and his spouse as part of a friendship program. Lee, on a state visit to Vietnam, wore a tie featuring red and blue Taegeuk colors, while first lady Kim Hye-kyung wore a white two-piece outfit. The presidential office said the couple chose coordinated attire symbolizing a single Korean flag, expressing national pride and a desire to deepen friendship between the two countries. After arriving, Lee entered an artifacts exhibition hall, viewed traditional items and listened to explanations from citadel officials. He then moved with Lam to the rear garden of Kinh Thien Palace to watch performances, including a Vietnamese traditional lion dance troupe. In a briefing on April 23 at a hotel in downtown Hanoi, presidential office spokesperson Lee Kyu-yeon said the citadel, blending architectural styles from China, Vietnam and France, long symbolized Vietnam’s political center and was listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2010.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 14:07:27