Seoul eyes alternative routes, envoys to Gulf as Hormuz disruption persists SEOUL, April 06 (AJP) - South Korea is exploring alternative shipping routes — including the Houthi-risk Red Sea — and preparing diplomatic outreach to major oil producers, as officials brace for prolonged supply disruptions from the Middle East conflict likely to extend through April. The shift reflects growing concern that instability in the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint handling roughly one-fifth of global oil and LNG trade — will not ease quickly, forcing Seoul to secure supplies through risk-managed detours while broadening external partnerships. Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan on Monday briefed the government will support private-sector efforts to secure additional crude volumes, including permitting qualified tankers to transit the Red Sea. “We will back efforts to secure extra volumes, including allowing oil tankers that meet certain conditions to pass through the Red Sea in coordination with the Oceans Ministry,” Kim said at a Cabinet meeting chaired by President Lee Jae Myung. Oceans Minister Hwang Jong-woo said authorities have already cleared eligible vessels after confirming shipment contracts and will continue approvals as additional cargoes are secured. The Red Sea route bypasses Hormuz via Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port, supplied through a 1,200-kilometer east-west pipeline from the kingdom’s eastern oil fields. But the workaround comes with limits: Yanbu can process about 5 million barrels per day, far below volumes typically flowing through Hormuz. The corridor itself remains exposed. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait — a narrow passage linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden — carries about 15 percent of global seaborne oil trade and remains vulnerable to disruption by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi forces. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said a full blockade appears unlikely, but warned of persistent risks. “The Houthis appear to lack the capability to fully shut down the strait. However, sporadic attacks intended to intimidate are entirely possible,” he said. President Lee framed the situation as a necessary trade-off. “There are not many alternative import routes, and if we completely block them due to some level of risk, it could seriously affect the country’s overall oil supply,” Lee said. “We have no choice but to accept a certain degree of risk.” Beyond energy flows, the risks are spilling into global trade. The Red Sea and Suez Canal together account for roughly 15 percent of global maritime trade and nearly 30 percent of container traffic, making disruptions a direct threat to Asia–Europe shipping. Shipping has already been strained since late 2023, with vessels rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope, adding up to two weeks to transit times and sharply increasing costs. War-risk insurance premiums have surged from around 0.1 percent to as high as 1 percent. Analysts warn that renewed hostilities could delay normalization of shipping routes. Ruling Democratic Party of Korea and the government on Monday separately agreed begin diplomatic efforts to secure alternative crude oil supply routes in response to a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz. At a meeting of the party’s special committee on Gulf crisis attended by relevant ministries, the government shared its plan to dispatch special envoys to major oil-producing countries with alternative routes, including Saudi Arabia, Oman and Algeria. The move is aimed at ensuring stable crude oil supplies amid rising geopolitical risks. Officials also indicated that South Korean-flagged vessels may be deployed along alternative routes, with a plan under consideration to send five such vessels to the Red Sea region, including Saudi Arabia's port of Yanbu. In addition, authorities are closely monitoring supply chains in 50 key industries on a daily basis amid concerns over disruptions in naphtha and plastic supplies. Officials said efforts are underway to ensure sufficient availability of essential items, including medical products such as IV fluid bags. They added that petrochemical exports are being carefully managed in consideration of external market conditions and potential ripple effects. Regarding the supplementary budget, officials noted that 470 billion won ($312 million) has been allocated to support export companies affected by higher costs of alternative naphtha imports, covering 50 percent of the price difference. They added that a proposal from the industry to raise the support level to 80 percent is under active review. Separately, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service reported to the National Assembly that the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran could enter a lull by the end of this month, depending on the scale of U.S. airstrikes. During a closed-door session of the parliamentary intelligence committee, lawmakers were told that Washington is facing difficulties in translating tactical military gains into political outcomes, while Tehran is attempting to leverage energy supply disruptions as a bargaining tool. The intelligence agency also assessed that Iran remains in a strategic dilemma over how to respond to U.S. demands to abandon its nuclear program, with limited progress seen in negotiations involving Pakistan. 2026-04-06 14:39:11

YH Entertainment’s rookie boy band AND2BLE sets May 26 debut YH Entertainment’s rookie boy group AND2BLE has confirmed it will debut May 26. After opening an Instagram account on April 1, the group expanded its official social media presence at midnight on April 6 by launching accounts on YouTube, X, Facebook and TikTok, kicking off its debut countdown. The name AND2BLE combines “AND” and “DOUBLE,” reflecting the idea of layering different sides of oneself to broaden a sense of identity. The agency said the concept also signals the group’s direction: blending each member’s individuality into a distinct image and building it into a brand. A newly released logo motion drew attention by visually emphasizing that identity. The repeated “AND2BLE” typography is designed to represent the combination of multiple inner selves, the agency said. AND2BLE is YH Entertainment’s first new boy group in about four years since TEMPEST. The group has drawn strong interest even before its official debut, including appearing on real-time social media trending lists. The group also opened a debut promotion page featuring an interactive tag-making tool. Visitors can choose three design elements to create a personalized tag by mixing styles, colors and moods, then share the finished tag with other users. The agency described it as an experiential way to extend the group’s “branding of individuality” concept. AND2BLE is set to roll out additional content in stages ahead of its May 26 debut.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-06 14:18:00

Full bloom interrupted by a jealous spring rain SEOUL, April 06 (AJP) -It has been only a week since cherry blossoms reached full bloom across Seoul, and already a jealous rain has cut the season cruelly short, scattering pink petals like confetti across the campus of Kyung Hee University in Dongdaemun District. Rain is expected to fall across most of South Korea on Monday before skies gradually clear in the afternoon. The precipitation, driven by rain clouds moving in from the Yellow Sea, began in the Seoul metropolitan area, South Chungcheong, North Jeolla and Jeju, and is forecast to spread nationwide through the morning before tapering off in most regions by the afternoon. Seoul is expected to receive about 5 millimeters of rain, while parts of Chungcheong and the southern regions could see 5 to 30 millimeters. In some areas, the rain may be mixed with yellow dust. Fine dust concentrations are also expected to worsen through the day, reaching “bad” levels at different times by region — from late morning through daytime in the Seoul metropolitan area, from daytime into evening in Chungcheong, and at night in southern parts of the country. 2026-04-06 13:29:16

Samsung Q1 profit set to rival full-year earnings on AI chip boom SEOUL, April 06 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics is poised to deliver its strongest quarterly reports to date with January-March operating profit expected to approach or exceed full-year earnings for 2025, underscoring the sheer scale of the ongoing memory super-cycle driven by artificial intelligence demand. According to market consensus compiled by FnGuide, the South Korean tech giant is projected to post an average operating profit of 40.5 trillion won ($29.9 billion) for the January–March period. The estimate comes just shy of last year’s full-year operating profit of 43.6 trillion won, though some institutions have recently raised their forecasts as high as 53.9 trillion won. The figures would mark a more than sixfold jump from 6.6 trillion won recorded a year earlier, and roughly double the previous quarterly high of 20.1 trillion won logged in the fourth quarter. Samsung, the world’s largest memory chipmaker with businesses spanning semiconductors, smartphones and consumer electronics, is set to release its earnings guidance before the market opens on Tuesday. Shares have jumped nearly 4 percent as of midday, outperforming KOSPI gain of 1.7 percent. Analysts say the surge reflects an unprecedented “super-cycle” in memory chips, as explosive demand for AI infrastructure spills over into broader segments of the market amid tight supply. “We assume that the year-on-year growth rate of facility investment by big tech companies will be revised upward to 92 percent, in which case DRAM demand growth this year will reach 20.3 percent,” said Song Myung-sup, an analyst at iM Securities, who projected operating profit of 45.3 trillion won. Song added that Samsung’s return on equity for 2026 is expected to reach 39 percent, surpassing the previous 30-year peak of 34 percent set in 2004. At the core of the rally is high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a critical component for AI servers, where Samsung Electronics and SK hynix effectively hold a duopoly — placing them in what industry observers describe as a rare “super-supplier” position. Even if U.S. big tech firms slow capital spending, securing HBM — a core component in the AI arms race — remains non-negotiable. The current HBM4 and next-generation memory market is effectively dominated by the two Korean firms, ensuring structurally firm demand. The balance of power has also shifted decisively toward suppliers. Memory makers are increasingly signing two- to three-year supply contracts with major tech firms — a departure from the industry’s traditionally short-term cycles — creating a structural buffer that prevents short-term market volatility from immediately translating into earnings deterioration. The broader upcycle remains intact. Analysts expect average DRAM prices to rise more than 60 percent this year, driven by exponential increases in memory capacity per AI server and compounded by tight supply in conventional DRAM. Unlike past cycles marked by aggressive capacity expansion and subsequent price collapses, Korean chipmakers have maintained disciplined production strategies, prioritizing profitability and sustaining pricing power. Despite concerns over potential supply disruptions stemming from the Middle East conflict, industry observers say Korean memory makers are likely to maintain strong earnings momentum for several years, with demand structurally underpinned and sellers firmly in control of pricing. Growth, however, is expected to be uneven across Samsung’s businesses. While the semiconductor (DS) division continues to drive earnings, the mobile (MX) and display (SDC) units are likely to face margin pressure from rising component costs. Even so, Samsung is expected to press ahead with aggressive investment. Capital expenditure is projected to reach 114.3 trillion won in 2026, reflecting continued bets on AI-driven demand. Macroeconomic uncertainties remain a variable, but their direct impact on production is expected to be limited. “While geopolitical risks in the Middle East and North Africa persist, the stability of Samsung’s captive projects, such as the P4 and NRD-K facilities in Pyeongtaek, remains high,” said Ryu Tae-hwan, an analyst at Eugene Investment & Securities. 2026-04-06 12:09:53

SEVENTEEN Renews Contract With Pledis Entertainment for Second Time SEVENTEEN has announced a second contract renewal with its agency, Pledis Entertainment. The group delivered the news on the final night of its encore concerts April 4-5 at Incheon Asiad Main Stadium, which wrapped its world tour that began at the same venue in September. Including the encore shows, SEVENTEEN performed 31 times in 14 cities worldwide, drawing more than 900,000 fans. Leader S.Coups told the crowd the members plan to stay together with Pledis. “We will keep rowing forward together in the same boat,” he said, adding that the group is preparing for its second renewal with the company. The members cited their fandom, CARAT, as a key reason for renewing. They said they wanted to tell everyone they love them and asked fans to “wait a little longer,” saying they would “return as 13 soon.” They also said they would continue unit and solo work while staying close to fans. Jeonghan and Wonwoo, who are fulfilling mandatory military service, attended from the audience in support. SEVENTEEN will continue both unit and group activities. DK and Seungkwan will hold “DXS ‘Soya-gok’ On Stage” from April 17-19 at Inspire Arena in Incheon. S.Coups and Mingyu will stage “CXM ‘Double Up’ Live Party” from April 24-26 at Kaohsiung Arena. The group is also set to hold its “2026 SEVENTEEN 10TH Fan Meeting ‘SEVENTEEN in CARAT LAND’” on June 20-21 at Incheon Asiad Main Stadium.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-06 11:21:16

South Korea closes gap with China in global shipbuilding orders SEOUL, April 6 (AJP) - Despite an overall decline in global ship orders, South Korea increased its share last month, narrowing the gap with China, according to data released by London-based Clarkson Research Services on Monday. In March, South Korea won orders totaling 1.59 million compensated gross tons (CGT) for 38 ships, accounting for about 39 percent of the global market, while China secured 2.15 million CGT for 84 ships, taking a 53 percent share. In February, South Korea's share was just 11 percent, compared with China's 80 percent. Global ship orders reached 4.06 million CGT for 135 vessels, down 36 percent from February's 6.38 million CGT, but up 31 percent from a year earlier. Clarkson's index measuring the cost of building new ships stood at 182.07 in March, down 0.07 percentage points from the previous month, but it is considered very high. By type of vessels, prices were $248.5 million for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, $129.5 million for a very large crude carrier, and $260 million for an ultra-large container ship. 2026-04-06 11:18:52

Korean and Japanese stocks higher on tech optimism SEOUL, April 06 (AJP) - Asian equities rose modestly Monday as investors weighed conflicting signals from the Middle East, with U.S. President Donald Trump setting an April 7 deadline ahead of potential strikes on Iranian power grids while OPEC+ pledged a limited output increase, as tech-heavy Korea and Japan outperformed ahead of strong semiconductor earnings. Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 1.15 percent to 53,733.44, while Korea’s KOSPI advanced 1.4 percent to 5,452.80. Chinese markets were closed for the Qingming Festival holiday, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was shut for Easter. The secondary KOSDAQ initially rose 0.71 percent but later reversed course, slipping 0.29 percent to 1,060.71. Oil market concerns eased slightly after OPEC+ agreed to raise output by 206,000 barrels per day from May. The increase, however, represents less than 2 percent of the estimated disruption linked to the Strait of Hormuz, where more than 12 million barrels per day have been affected, according to the International Energy Agency. While the scale suggests limited immediate relief, the move signaled producers’ willingness to stabilize markets, lending modest support to risk sentiment. Semiconductor stocks led gains in Seoul. Samsung Electronics rose 3.49 percent to 192,700 won ahead of its preliminary first-quarter earnings release on Tuesday, with expectations that quarterly operating profit could approach or exceed last year’s full-year level of 43.6 trillion won amid the ongoing memory chip boom. Consensus estimates compiled by FnGuide put operating profit at around 38 trillion won. SK hynix also climbed 2.05 percent to 894,000 won, with Shinhan Securities forecasting first-quarter revenue at 50.4 trillion won, up 53.5 percent from the previous quarter, and operating profit at 35.5 trillion won, up 85.1 percent. Othe large-cap stocks were mixed. Hyundai Motor fell 0.32 percent, while Kia rose 1.00 percent and Hyundai Mobis edged down 0.26 percent. Defense and shipbuilding shares showed limited direction. Hanwha Aerospace slipped 0.55 percent, Hanwha Ocean fell 1.33 percent, and Hyundai Heavy Industries edged up 0.10 percent. Biopharmaceutical shares posted modest gains despite emerging trade risks. Samsung Biologics rose 0.39 percent and Celltrion gained 0.31 percent after the United States announced new tariff measures targeting patented pharmaceuticals under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. The measures include tariffs of up to 100 percent on certain patented drugs and ingredients, with implementation scheduled from late July through September. However, products from countries with trade agreements — including Korea — will face a reduced tariff of around 15 percent. Generic drugs and biosimilars, along with related materials, are exempt from tariffs for one year, limiting the near-term impact. Financial stocks also edged higher. KB Financial Group rose 0.21 percent, Shinhan Financial Group gained 0.87 percent, and Samsung Life Insurance advanced 1.36 percent. On the KOSDAQ, Samchundang Pharm surged 5.40 percent after its largest shareholder withdrew a planned block deal, easing concerns over a potential large share sale and addressing doubts over the scale of its U.S. supply contract. The won remained relatively stable, with the dollar trading at 1,508.80 won, compared with 1,505.2 won at Friday’s close. 2026-04-06 11:04:26

BTS becomes first K-pop act with multiweek No. 1 on Billboard 200 SEOUL, April 06 (AJP) -BTS’ fifth studio album "ARIRANG" remained at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for a second consecutive week, which is the first time a K-pop act defended No. 1 beyond one week. According to a chart preview released Saturday (local time), the album held off new releases including "BULLY" by Kanye West, which debuted at No. 2, and "HADES" by Melanie Martinez at No. 3. The Billboard 200 ranks albums based on a composite metric of album units. It combines physical and digital sales, streaming equivalent albums (SEA), and track equivalent albums (TEA). The chart performance followed the release of the group’s "2.0" music video. The video, released four days ago, has drawn 27.74 million views on YouTube as of April 6. A behind-the-scenes clip uploaded 14 hours ago has reached 1.74 million views. On the Spotify Daily Global Chart, BTS placed four tracks within the top 20. "SWIM" remained at No. 1 with 7,716,554 streams. "Body to Body" ranked No. 7 with 3,754,874 streams. "2.0" followed at No. 13 with 3,360,525 streams, while "Hooligan" placed No. 16 with 3,133,948 streams. 2026-04-06 11:02:54

GM Korea signals full turnaround as it pays out first regular dividend SEOUL, April 06 (AJP) - General Motors Korea said it will pay its first regular dividend to shareholders, marking the clearest sign yet that the once-ailing Korean unit of the U.S. automaker has completed a turnaround eight years after its Gunsan plant was shuttered and billions of dollars in public and private capital were mobilized to prevent its collapse. The automaker's board approved an interim dividend on April 3, though the company did not disclose the payout's size in its public filing on Sunday. Industry observers estimate the distribution could run into trillions of won, given that GM Korea's unappropriated retained earnings exceeded 4 trillion won ($2.64 billion) after the company converted capital surplus reserves into distributable earnings. The dividend caps a rescue that began in 2018 when General Motors' Korean unit was on the brink of bankruptcy, weighed down by complete capital erosion and mounting losses. The closure of its Gunsan factory in North Jeolla Province sent shockwaves through the domestic auto supply chain and raised fears that the Detroit parent would abandon the Korean market altogether. Under a bailout agreement finalized that year, GM converted about $2.8 billion in loans to equity and committed fresh capital, while the state-run Korea Development Bank injected $750 million in preferred shares. In return, GM pledged to maintain its stake and allocate two new vehicle models to its remaining plants in Bupyeong, west of Seoul, and Changwon in the southeast. Those models — the Trailblazer and the Trax Crossover — proved pivotal. By concentrating production on compact SUVs aimed at North American buyers, GM Korea swung to a profit in 2022 and posted operating income exceeding 1 trillion won in both 2023 and 2024, according to the company's press release. The Korean unit sold about 462,000 finished vehicles last year, with 96.8 percent shipped overseas. Ahead of the dividend, GM moved to preempt any revival of speculation that it might be laying the groundwork for an exit. The company announced in March that it would invest $600 million in its Korean plants to upgrade press machinery and modernize production lines, building on an earlier commitment made in late 2025. GM Korea President and CEO Hector Villarreal said the investment reflects the company's confidence in its local workforce and operations. "We have a strong foundation, and this investment is a sign of confidence in our operations," he said. The capital restructuring that paved the way for the dividend — shifting reserves from a capital surplus account to retained earnings — is a well-established practice under Korea's Commercial Act and has been employed by other major Korean firms to expand shareholder returns. The move is not legally contentious, as the law permits companies to reduce capital reserves through a shareholder resolution and redirect the funds toward dividends. The government and KDB are unlikely to publicly oppose the payout as restricting a foreign-invested company from distributing profits could invite accusations of discriminatory treatment a 2026-04-06 11:02:45

Two low-budget South Korean films invited to compete at Moscow Int'l Film Festival SEOUL, April 6 (AJP) - Two low-budget South Korean films have been invited to compete at this year's Moscow International Film Festival, which opens in Russia next week. According to festival organizers at a press conference last week, "Journey There" and "Winter Light" will vie for the top prize in the main competition along with about a dozen other films at the 48th Moscow International Film Festival, which is scheduled to take place in the Russian capital from April 16 to 23. "Journey There" directed by Kim Jin-yu, tells the story of a woman who, after her husband's sudden death, faces her own illness and tries to carry out the assisted suicide the two had planned together. Director Cho Hyun-suh's "Winter Light" revolves around a boy who cares for his deaf sister and hopes for one last trip with his girlfriend, but unexpected things get in the way. In addition, two other films – documentary "In the Sea of Strange Thoughts" and short film "Nowhere, Somewhere" have also been invited to compete in their respective competition sections. Meanwhile, the prestigious annual festival will feature about 200 films this year including 19 international premieres and 96 Russian premieres. 2026-04-06 10:45:36