Samsung Electronics Union Plans Rally, Signals Possible May General Strike Samsung Electronics’ labor union is signaling a new confrontation, announcing plans for a large rally and warning of a general strike. The move has revived concerns of a repeat of the company’s first-ever strike two years ago, which disrupted its semiconductor operations, as global competition intensifies and critics warn the dispute could benefit rivals. According to the industry on April 22, the union’s joint struggle headquarters will press ahead with a rally on April 23 at the company’s Pyeongtaek campus as a prelude to a planned general strike in May. The hard-line stance has heightened tensions by recalling conditions from two years ago, when management uncertainty and worsening chip results were at their peak. In July 2024, the union launched a 25-day strike, demanding higher wages, expanded vacation and changes to the performance-bonus system. At the time, Samsung’s Device Solutions division — including memory, foundry and System LSI — was in an unusually deep downturn. Among shareholders and investors, worries circulated that Samsung Electronics could be in serious trouble. With the technology gap narrowing and profitability weakening, the strike further damaged confidence, the article said. The latest strike threat could be more damaging than the one two years ago, industry officials said. Even as the chip market enters a supercycle, competition is so intense that any disruption could push Samsung out of the front ranks. If a strike occurs, losses could reach the trillions of won and undermine trust among global customers, the article said. Kim Dae-jong, a professor in the business administration department at Sejong University, said timely supply is critical in high-bandwidth memory and the foundry business. He warned that partnerships Samsung has built over decades with global big-tech companies could be weakened by internal labor-management conflict. Rivals, by contrast, are focused on technology and expansion under what the article described as nonunion management. Taiwan’s TSMC, the world’s top foundry, along with U.S. chipmakers Intel and Micron, are expanding production lines and accelerating research and development with strong government support in a stable labor environment, it said. The companies are closely watching Samsung’s labor moves and appear to be positioning for potential gains. Intel and Tesla have been recruiting memory engineers in South Korea with what the article called unusually generous terms. Micron has also begun stepping up communications efforts in South Korea this month to expand its presence in the market. Major foreign media have warned that a strike at Samsung could hurt the global semiconductor supply chain. Bloomberg called it a serious setback at a time when competition for leadership in artificial intelligence is reaching a peak. China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency said it could have ripple effects across industries that use semiconductors, including autos, computers and smartphones. Lee Jong-hwan, a professor in the system semiconductor engineering department at Sangmyung University, said Samsung is the only chip company in the world with capabilities in both memory and non-memory businesses. He said allowing internal conflict to hold the company back could become a self-defeating choice that undermines what it has built in semiconductors.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 18:49:18

Hyundai Motor union seeks 30% of net profit as bonus, raises AI robot job concerns in wage talks Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia are expected to face a difficult round of annual wage and labor talks, with unions pressing demands that management is unlikely to accept, including bonuses equal to 30% of net profit, opposition to deploying the humanoid robot Atlas, a 100 million won childbirth incentive and an extension of the retirement age. According to the auto industry on the 22nd, Hyundai Motor management and the union will meet for the first time early next month at the company’s Ulsan plant to begin full-scale negotiations for this year’s wage and labor agreement. The Hyundai Motor union has finalized a proposal calling for a 149,600 won increase in monthly base pay (excluding step increases), a bonus equal to 30% of last year’s net profit, adoption of a fixed monthly salary system, an increase in bonuses to 800% from 750%, guarantees on working conditions as artificial intelligence is introduced, and an extension of the retirement age linked to the timing of National Pension eligibility. Expanded use of AI is also expected to become a key issue, as rapid automation and the shift to smart factories reduce the role of existing workers. The union has objected to placing the humanoid robot Atlas on production lines and to any reduction in domestic output tied to increased production at overseas plants. The union’s push for a “complete monthly salary system,” under which pay is fixed once certain working hours are met, is also aimed at protecting members if workloads fall as AI robots are introduced. The union says the change would raise the share of fixed pay workers receive each month. Kia’s union is also seeking a 149,600 won base-pay increase, a bonus equal to 30% of last year’s operating profit, a 100 million won childbirth incentive and a guarantee of total employment. The childbirth incentive was reportedly added with reference to a case involving Booyoung Group. Industry attention is focused on this year’s Hyundai Motor Group talks because they are seen as the first major venue for negotiating job security measures tied to new technologies. Critics say the union demands are unrealistic given heavy research and development spending and weaker profitability amid a tougher external environment. Hyundai Motor’s net profit last year was 10.36 trillion won; paying 30% as a bonus would amount to 42.59 million won per employee, according to the report. With sharp differences expected on the main issues, many in the industry say a final deal will be hard to reach. Last year, the Hyundai Motor union entered a partial strike after failing to narrow differences with management, ending a seven-year streak without work stoppages. A Hyundai Motor official said the company would “avoid unnecessary attrition” and “do its best” to reach a reasonable outcome that allows labor and management to coexist."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 18:48:20

Seoul appeals court rejects Joo Ho-young bid to halt PPP Daegu mayor primary cutoff Rep. Joo Ho-young, who was cut from the People Power Party’s primary for Daegu mayor ahead of the June 3 local elections, failed again to win a court order suspending the party’s decision. On the 22nd, the Seoul High Court’s Civil Division 25-1 rejected Joo’s appeal of a lower-court ruling that denied his request for an injunction to halt the effect of the party’s cutoff decision. The panel, led by Presiding Judges Lee Kyun-yong, Hwang Byung-ha and Han Chang-hoon, appeared to agree with the lower court that there was no serious defect in the nomination review process warranting judicial intervention. The party’s nomination management committee had previously decided to cut Joo, a six-term senior lawmaker, and Lee Jin-sook, a former chair of the Korea Communications Commission, and to hold a preliminary primary among the remaining six candidates. Joo filed for an injunction at the Seoul Southern District Court, calling the decision unfair and in violation of party rules, but the court rejected the request on the 3rd. In that ruling, the court said the submitted materials did not make it clear that the party’s screening had “markedly lost objective rationality” or involved a serious illegality such as a procedural violation. Joo filed his appeal with the Seoul High Court on the 8th. With the high court also siding with the party, the Daegu mayoral race is expected to shift. Joo has said he would “keep all options open and watch carefully,” signaling he could run as an independent if his injunction bid was rejected. If Joo runs as an independent, he would face Democratic Party candidate Kim Boo-kyum, the People Power Party nominee still to be chosen between Choo Kyung-ho and Yoo Young-ha, Lee—who is also weighing an independent run—and Lee Soo-chan, head of the Daegu chapter of the Reform Party. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 18:31:09

South Korea says Coupang probe follows domestic law, separate from security talks with U.S. Cheong Wa Dae said the government will continue consulting with the United States so issues involving Coupang do not negatively affect South Korea-U.S. security discussions. A Cheong Wa Dae official said on the 22nd that the two countries are communicating closely through various channels to implement security agreements outlined in a joint factsheet. The official said Seoul’s position in talks with Washington is that security discussions should move forward separately from the Coupang matter. The official also stressed that any investigation into Coupang will be handled under South Korean domestic law and due process. Park Yoon-joo, first vice foreign minister, told the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee that the government is explaining that fair law enforcement will be carried out in areas related to domestic legal procedures. He said the government will manage and communicate closely so the issue does not become an obstacle to matters agreed between the two governments. The Foreign Ministry also said in a media notice on the 22nd that the two countries are in close communication through various channels to implement the joint factsheet’s security agreements, and that Seoul has conveyed its view that security discussions should advance separately from the Coupang issue. Earlier, a media report said the U.S. administration had asked the South Korean government to ensure the legal safety of Kim Beom-seok, chairman of the board of Coupang Inc., and indicated that without such steps it would be difficult to hold high-level South Korea-U.S. diplomatic and security talks. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 18:30:18

Cash-strapped artists recount struggles with red tape at forum in Seoul SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - A forum to improve the rights of artists and entertainers alike was held at the National Assembly in Seoul on Wednesday. At the forum hosted by lawmaker Son Sol of the minor far-left Progressive Party, participants discussed various measures to improve their legal rights, address workplace mistreatment, and strengthen support measures. Many of them, hired on independent freelance-based contracts and struggling to make ends meet, are unable to access state-funded support as they are currently bound by regulations that require proof of employment, with red tape making it difficult for them to receive assistance. 2026-04-22 18:25:33

South Korea Forecast: Rain in Parts of the South; Dust to Ease on Easterly Winds Thursday the 23rd will be mostly cloudy nationwide, with continued cloud cover in the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon Province. Rain is expected to persist in parts of the south. Forecast rainfall over the two days starting on the 22nd is 30 to 80 millimeters on Jeju Island (excluding the north), 10 to 40 millimeters in northern Jeju, 5 to 20 millimeters in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province and along the southern coasts of Busan and South Gyeongsang Province, and less than 5 millimeters in Ulsan and inland areas of South Gyeongsang. Morning lows are forecast at 6 to 12 degrees Celsius, with daytime highs of 14 to 23 C. Inland areas of the central region will see a large day-to-night temperature swing of around 15 degrees. Air quality is expected to be poor through the morning due to lingering yellow dust and fine particles from overseas. PM-10 levels are forecast to be "bad" in the capital region, Gangwon, Chungcheong and North Jeolla, while PM-2.5 is expected to be "bad" through the morning in southern Gyeonggi and South Chungcheong. From the afternoon, easterly winds are expected to move in and lower fine-dust concentrations. Waves are forecast at 0.5 to 2.5 meters in the East and South seas and 0.5 to 1.5 meters in the West Sea. In offshore waters (about 200 kilometers from the coast), wave heights are expected at 0.5 to 3.0 meters in the East Sea, 0.5 to 2.5 meters in the West Sea and 1.0 to 3.5 meters in the South Sea.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 18:24:16

PM Kim Min-seok urges tight party-government coordination, fast rollout of extra budget Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said on the 22nd that the ruling party and the government must work in “perfect coordination” to improve people’s livelihoods. Speaking at the opening of the eighth senior party-government meeting at the prime minister’s official residence in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, Kim said that if the party examines issues one by one and raises concerns, the government and the presidential office will do their best to review them and resolve them. Kim thanked the National Assembly for what he called swift action, noting that floor leaders from both parties held an emergency review meeting on the 17th and that the National Assembly passed the first supplementary budget for 2026 on the 10th after an “unprecedentedly fast” review. “Now is the time — in a crisis like this — to show that the party and the government are taking responsibility together and looking after people’s livelihoods,” he said. On the supplementary budget, Kim said the government will quickly execute more than 85% of 10.5 trillion won in major project funding in the first half of the year to ease the burden of high oil prices, stabilize livelihoods and minimize industrial damage. Kim also said many key bills that must be handled in the first half have yet to clear the National Assembly, and he asked lawmakers for active cooperation to pass measures including the materials, parts and equipment law, the strategic export finance support law, the national protocol academy law, the Telecommunications Business Act and a bill to support victims of rental fraud. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 18:21:17

Dong-A Pharm, Hanmi and Others Mark Earth Day, Awards and Product Verification Efforts Dong-A Pharm’s Tempo runs eco-friendly giving campaign for Earth Day Dong-A Pharm’s feminine care brand Tempo said April 22 it teamed with global coworking operator JustCo to run an eco-friendly giving campaign for Earth Day. The campaign ran through April 22 for the tenant community at six JustCo locations in Seoul. Tempo said it designed the event to help people practice resource circulation in everyday life, focusing on working women and promoting consumption that considers the environment and ethics. Participants who donated unused items received Tempo’s vegan-certified “Natural Cotton Tampon Light.” Tempo said the product uses an applicator that is 2 millimeters slimmer than earlier versions and is made with 100% organic cotton for the absorbent core, cover and removal string. It has also received certification from The Vegan Society in the U.K. Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s Rolontis wins IR52 Jang Young-sil Award Hanmi Pharmaceutical said April 22 that its neutropenia treatment Rolontis, marketed in the United States as Rolvedon, has won the IR52 Jang Young-sil Award. The award ceremony was held April 14 at the Peace & Park Convention in Seoul’s Yongsan district. Choi In-young, head of Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s R&D Center, and executives Bae Seong-min and Kim Dae-jin, among researchers involved in developing Rolontis, attended and received a certificate and trophy. Rolontis is a long-acting biologic used to prevent and treat severe neutropenia in patients undergoing chemotherapy. Hanmi said it applied its “Lapscovery” platform technology to extend the drug’s effect and dosing interval. Based on those results, the drug was newly listed in the 2022 NCCN guidelines as an option for preventing and treating neutropenia, about 20 years after a new option was added, the company said. “Our focus was on helping patients continue chemotherapy through to the end,” Choi said. “Building on Hanmi’s philosophy, we will further advance our R&D capabilities and devote ourselves to developing innovative new drugs.” PharmaResearch releases video guide to verify authentic Rejuran products PharmaResearch said April 22 it released a “Rejuran Authenticity Verification Guide” video with Rejuran global ambassador Kim Se-jeong to help consumers check whether a product is genuine before a procedure. The company said that as the medical aesthetics market expands, consumer confusion has grown due to similar products, increasing the need for clear verification steps. The video outlines a three-step process: confirming the phrase “DOT® DNA Optimizing Technology” on the product box, checking information by scanning a QR code, and using an NFC tag for authentication. PharmaResearch said the guide is intended to help consumers directly confirm procedure steps and product information. Kwangdong Pharmaceutical holds in-house used-goods market for Earth Day Kwangdong Pharmaceutical said April 22 it held an in-house used-goods trading event, the “KD Goodcycling Treasure Market,” to mark Earth Day. KD Goodcycling is an ESG campaign aimed at reducing waste and spreading a culture of resource circulation, now in its fourth year. The company said the Treasure Market was the first program in this year’s campaign, with employees buying and selling secondhand household items. About 450 items were submitted, including household goods, small appliances and childcare products, the company said, about a 50% increase from a year earlier. Unsold items will be donated to social welfare organizations. “Through various eco-friendly campaigns that are easy to practice in daily life, we will fulfill our social responsibility for a sustainable future,” a company official said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 18:17:13

Defense Minister Ahn Denies Claim U.S. Forces Commander Protested Unification Minister’s Remarks Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said a lawmaker’s claim that the commander of U.S. Forces Korea protested remarks by Unification Minister Jeong Dong-young was not true. Ahn made the comment at a National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee meeting, responding to a question from People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun. Ahn said it would be inappropriate in terms of South Korea-U.S. military diplomacy for the U.S. commander to lodge a protest with the South Korean defense minister. Ahn said he communicated several times with USFK Commander Xavier Brunson after Jeong’s March 6 remarks, but added they did not discuss Jeong’s comments specifically. He said they spoke only about broader matters. Asked how he viewed Jeong’s remarks, Ahn said the unification and defense ministers should speak with a unified voice even when their positions differ. He added that, from an outside perspective, he did not see it as a major issue. Ahn also agreed with Democratic Party lawmaker Park Jie-won’s view that Jeong’s National Assembly remarks could not be considered a leak because information that North Korea has nuclear facilities in Kusong has already been reported and discussed in academic papers and other writings. On concerns that the United States protested Jeong’s remarks and restricted some intelligence on North Korea, Ahn said there had been no such limits so far. Asked whether restrictions could be imposed later, he said he was limited in what he could say about plans. Ahn said that since March 11, North Korea has launched ballistic missiles four times and cruise missiles once, and that South Korea and the United States shared combined intelligence assets in real time and issued announcements after discussions each time. He said there had not been many significant restrictions. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 18:16:03

Korea Technology Finance and Woori Bank Sign MOU to Boost SME M&A Financing Korea Technology Finance Corp., Woori Bank sign MOU to boost SME M&A financing Korea Technology Finance Corp. said Tuesday it signed a business agreement with Woori Bank on M&A financing support to promote business succession and technology innovation. Under the deal, KOTEC will provide 20 billion won in special contribution-backed guarantees funded by a 1 billion won special contribution from Woori Bank. Benefits include a higher guarantee coverage ratio (85% to 100% for three years) and a reduced guarantee fee (down 0.3 percentage points for three years). KOTEC will also supply 21.4 billion won in guarantee-fee support-backed guarantees based on 300 million won in Woori Bank funding. Woori Bank will cover guarantee fees by 0.7 percentage points for two years. Lee Sang-chang, a director at KOTEC, said the agreement is expected to help spur M&A activity among small and midsize companies and support sustained growth. He said KOTEC will expand cooperation with related institutions to strengthen support for companies pursuing M&A and to build an M&A ecosystem aimed at preventing the disappearance of technology firms and promoting business continuity. Baemin runs Earth Day promotion Woowa Brothers, operator of the Baedal Minjok food delivery app, said Tuesday it will run an Earth Day promotion for customers who opt out of disposable spoons and forks and for those who order using reusable containers. Through April 28, Baemin will select 3,000 customers by lottery from those who choose the “no disposable cutlery” option and place an order, awarding each a 5,000 won discount coupon for food delivery orders. Customers can enter by replying on the in-app event page to a message “sent by the Earth” with their views on skipping disposable cutlery, then completing an order while keeping the opt-out option selected. Kim Jeong-eun, head of Woowa Brothers’ ESG team, said the company designed the promotion to help customers practice environmental protection in daily life. She said the company will continue efforts to spread eco-friendly delivery culture, including expanding areas served by its reusable-container service. Torder launches AI class for small merchants Torder said Tuesday it has launched an education program, the “Torder Small Merchant AI Class,” to support sustainable growth and improve store operations efficiency, and that it successfully completed its first session. The first session, held April 6 at Torder’s headquarters in Yeongdeungpo-gu, was offered to franchisees of “Geunom Pocha.” The curriculum focused on practical topics that can be applied directly to store operations, including use of smart-solution equipment, draft beer quality control, local marketing strategies and AI-based store management. A core session covered training on automating store management using Torder’s small-merchant AI tool, “TorderGPT,” which was recently released in beta. Kwon Seong-taek, Torder’s CEO, said the company will continue supporting an environment in which store owners can reduce repetitive management tasks and run their stores more efficiently, centered on TorderGPT.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 18:15:02