LIG D&A Signs First Export Deal for Haegung Naval Missile With Malaysia South Korea’s shipborne guided weapon system Haegung will be exported for the first time. LIG D&A and Malaysia’s Defense Ministry signed a supply contract for Haegung on Tuesday at the DSA 2026 defense exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, the company said. The deal, Haegung’s first overseas export, is worth $94 million (about 140 billion won). The missile is to be installed on Malaysia Navy littoral patrol vessels built by Turkish defense company STM. Haegung is a domestically developed ship-to-air missile designed to intercept a range of aerial threats, including anti-ship guided missiles and aircraft. Led by the Agency for Defense Development, the system was developed in 2011 and later deployed by the South Korean Navy, where it established reliability during force modernization. It is assessed as a system that can replace or complement close-in weapon systems. LIG D&A says Haegung’s key strength is accuracy. Using a dual-mode seeker, it can track targets steadily even in electronic-warfare conditions or amid complex interference. “Accuracy directly maximizes a ship’s survivability, so it is seen as an effective weapon system in Malaysia,” said Hong Jun-gi, a senior manager at LIG D&A. Korean air defense systems that have already posted results in the Middle East also drew attention from Southeast Asian countries. Cheongung-II, which has been evaluated as having proven performance through exports to the Middle East and operational use, was among the exhibition’s key items. It is cited for layered defense that can respond to aircraft and ballistic missiles at the same time, operational efficiency and price competitiveness. Hong said demand from Southeast Asian countries is growing for Cheongung-II as “an effective weapon system that can intercept aircraft and ballistic missiles simultaneously, along with high accuracy.” Korean defense firms also highlighted naval platforms. The Malaysia Navy is pursuing a project this year to acquire two multi-role support ships, and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries used the exhibition to begin its bid. The company’s proposed ship is about 11,000 tons, about 154 meters long and 24 meters wide. It can operate two helicopters at the same time and carry troops, armored vehicles and supplies needed for amphibious operations. The platform is presented as suitable for Southeast Asia’s mixed security needs, including troop transport, amphibious operations, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance. “The advantage is strong combat power and amphibious capability, including the ability to carry at least 18 armored vehicles and move more than 140 troops at once for operations,” said Park Yong-yeol, vice president and head of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ naval ship business division. Beyond the multi-role support ship, the company proposed coastal mission ships, coastal combat ships, next-generation patrol vessels and submarines, and delegations from the Philippines and Thailand also visited the booth.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 16:27:18

BIGBANG Opens Official b.stage Fan Community Ahead of August World Tour 그룹 빅뱅(BIGBANG)이 데뷔 20주년을 맞아 글로벌 팬덤 플랫폼 비스테이지(b.stage)에 공식 팬 커뮤니티를 열고 팬들과의 소통 강화에 나섰다. 오는 8월 월드투어를 앞두고 그룹 활동의 구심점을 마련한 셈이다. 22일 YG엔터테인먼트에 따르면 빅뱅은 지난 21일 데뷔일인 8월 19일을 상징하는 오후 8시 19분에 맞춰 비스테이지에 공식 팬 커뮤니티와 사회관계망서비스(SNS) 채널을 동시에 오픈했다. YG 측은 “오는 8월부터 월드투어를 예정하고 있는 만큼 팬들과 소통하며 더욱 뜻깊은 20주년을 만들어 나가고 싶다는 멤버들의 의지가 컸다”며 “이 채널을 통해 빅뱅이라는 이름으로 팬들의 마음에 더욱 가까이 다가설 것”이라고 밝혔다. 이번 커뮤니티는 멤버들이 그룹 활동 소식과 콘텐츠를 팬들에게 직접 전하고, 팬들 역시 게시판을 통해 자유롭게 소통할 수 있는 공간으로 운영된다. 향후 글로벌 투어를 비롯한 20주년 프로젝트 관련 공식 소식과 다양한 혜택도 순차적으로 공개될 예정이다. 빅뱅 멤버 지드래곤, 태양, 대성은 이미 각자의 솔로 활동을 통해 비스테이지에서 공식 팬 커뮤니티를 운영해왔다. 이번 그룹 커뮤니티 역시 같은 플랫폼에 오픈하면서 솔로 활동과 그룹 활동을 하나의 공간에서 이어갈 수 있게 됐다. 소통을 위한 첫 콘텐츠로는 새로운 로고 모션 영상이 공개됐다. ‘BIGBANG’과 ‘20TH ANNIVERSARY’ 문구를 담은 영상에는 코첼라 현장에서 촬영한 세 멤버의 뒷모습도 포함됐다. 빅뱅은 지난 12일과 19일(현지시간) 미국 캘리포니아에서 열린 ‘2026 코첼라 밸리 뮤직 앤드 아츠 페스티벌’ 무대에 올라 약 67분간 17곡을 선보였다. ‘뱅뱅뱅’, ‘판타스틱 베이비’, ‘하루하루’ 등 대표곡과 함께 태양의 ‘링가 링가’, 지드래곤의 ‘파워’, 대성의 ‘한도초과’ 등 솔로 무대도 펼쳤다. 해외 매체도 호평했다. 빌보드는 “관객들을 K팝의 황금기로 완벽히 소환했다”고 했고, 포브스는 빅뱅을 “K팝의 황제”라고 치켜세우며 귀환을 반겼다. 특히 빅뱅은 지난 19일 공연에서 오는 8월부터 월드투어를 시작한다고 공식 발표했다. 2017년 ‘라스트 댄스(LAST DANCE)’ 이후 9년 만에 빅뱅이라는 이름으로 선보이는 공연이다. YG엔터테인먼트는 “완벽한 공연을 만들기 위해 스태프 모두 최선을 다하겠다”고 밝혔다. 한편 비스테이지 관계자는 “K팝의 역사를 써온 빅뱅과 솔로에 이어 그룹 활동까지 비스테이지를 팬 소통 거점으로 제공하게 돼 기쁘다”며 “20주년이라는 특별한 해에 전 세계 팬들이 하나의 공간에서 모이고 앞으로 펼쳐질 글로벌 투어와 다양한 프로젝트를 함께 경험할 수 있도록 최선을 다해 지원하겠다”고 전했다. 2026-04-22 16:22:30

Yulchon, OnYul conference examines nonprofit regulation, governance and social value metrics Yulchon LLC, the OnYul public-interest foundation and the Social Value Institute held the third Yulchon-OnYul Public Interest Legal System Conference at 2 p.m. April 21 at Yulchon’s lecture hall in Seoul’s Gangnam district. The three organizations have hosted an annual conference since 2024, selecting topics aimed at improving public-interest legal frameworks. This year’s agenda focused on legal and legislative issues surrounding the permit-based system for establishing nonprofit corporations, legislative tasks to improve nonprofit governance, and ways to expand and institutionalize the measurement and compensation of social value. The event opened with remarks from the heads of the co-hosting organizations. Lee In-yong, co-chair of OnYul, said it has become difficult to ignore criticism that laws and institutions are acting as barriers rather than safeguards for people seeking to engage in public-interest work. He said he hoped the discussions would help spur legal and legislative improvements. Kang Seok-hoon, managing partner at Yulchon, said the public-interest ecosystem has been unable to fully exercise autonomy and creativity under an outdated legal system and excessive regulation that has been in place for more than half a century. He said Yulchon and OnYul would work together as partners in reform. Na Seok-kwon, head of the Social Value Institute, cited a remark attributed to Michelangelo about freeing an angel from marble while creating the statue of David. He said he hoped the conference would help chip away at entrenched practices and rigid interpretations to enable major achievements in solving social problems. Discussions then continued in three sessions. In the first session, on legal issues and legislative tasks related to the permit system for establishing nonprofit corporations, Lee Dong-jin, a professor at Seoul National University School of Law, presented arguments that the permit requirement under Article 32 of the Civil Act is unconstitutional. Attorney Lee Hee-sook of the Dongcheon Foundation presented legislative alternatives centered on creating a public-interest commission. Lee Dong-jin cited the Constitution’s Article 21(2), which explicitly bans prior permission for associations, and noted that major countries including Germany, France and Japan have already shifted to a rules-based system. Lee Hee-sook said reform should go beyond simply abolishing the permit system, proposing a new legal framework that would establish a public-interest commission to integrate authorization, support and oversight of public-interest corporations. The session followed a December ruling in which the Seoul Administrative Court referred a constitutional review of Article 32 to the Constitutional Court (2025Hun-Ga20). A panel discussion, moderated by Yulchon attorney Yoon Yong-seop, included Kim Deok-san, chairman of the Korea Public Interest Corporation Association; attorney Jeong Soon-moon of The Ham Law Firm; OnYul attorney Jeon Gyu-hae; and Kim Da-hye, a senior official in the Justice Ministry’s Legal Review Office. Panelists raised concerns about the permit system and exchanged views from their respective positions. The second session addressed legislative tasks to improve nonprofit governance. Bae Won-gi, head of the Nonprofit Organization Evaluation Institute, introduced overseas governance systems, including the U.S. intermediate sanctions regime, the U.K. Charity Commission model, and Japan’s requirement for councils for foundation corporations, and discussed directions for improving Korea’s system. Kim Jeong-yeon, a professor at Ewha Womans University School of Law, outlined limits in current nonprofit regulation and public oversight tools. She presented tasks for rebuilding legal models, including codifying directors’ duty of loyalty, introducing shareholder-style derivative suits, and revising the Public Interest Corporation Act. A discussion moderated by Lim Seong-taek, a director of the Duru foundation, featured Baek Dong-ho of Korea GuideStar; Park Dong-soon of the Korea YWCA; Yoon Hwan-cheol of the Mirae Nanum Foundation; and Kim Hyun-joo of the social welfare corporation Together Walking Children, who discussed governance improvements from the field perspective. The third session took the form of a talk concert on expanding and institutionalizing social value measurement and compensation. It was moderated by Jeong Myeong-eun of the Social Value Institute, with panelists Yoo Mi-hyun of the institute; Kim Young-sik, secretary general of the National Council of Local Governments for Social Solidarity Economy; Kwak Je-hoon, CEO of Pan-Impact Korea; and attorney Lee Seon-min of Duksu Law Firm. The panel reviewed the legislative progress and significance of the Framework Act on Social Solidarity Economy, which was expected to pass the plenary session, and assessed the past decade of performance-based support models, including Social Impact Bonds (SIB) and Social Performance Compensation (SPC). Yoo said the Social Performance Compensation program has, since 2015, paid 76.9 billion won in incentives in proportion to 536.4 billion won in social performance created by 468 companies, and that it has led to policy shifts by local governments including Hwaseong. Kwak cited an SIB case supporting children with borderline intellectual functioning, arguing that innovations difficult under process-focused administration can be achieved through performance-based approaches. Kim Young-sik said some activities that address social problems are inherently difficult to measure, and argued against treating performance-based support and grant funding as a strict either-or choice, calling instead for diversification depending on circumstances. Lee Seon-min pointed to issues that must be resolved in legislation, including the objectivity of social value measurement, who bears measurement costs, and how to ensure fairness. Yulchon, OnYul and the Social Value Institute said they plan to continue related work so that the conference discussions can lead to a legislative roadmap in preparation for a possible unconstitutional ruling on the nonprofit permit system, institutional changes to improve public-interest corporation governance, and the institutionalization of social value measurement after enactment of the Framework Act on Social Solidarity Economy. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 16:21:19

US Military Seeks to Triple Drone and Air Defense Spending in FY2027 Budget After Iran War The U.S. military is pushing a fiscal 2027 defense budget that would sharply increase investment in drones, air defenses and missile capabilities, citing lessons from the Iran war. The Pentagon plans to raise spending on drones and related technologies to more than $74 billion — about triple previous levels — and to put more than $30 billion into securing key munitions such as missile-intercept systems, The Associated Press reported on April 21. The proposal would significantly expand funding for drones and counter-drone systems. It allocates about $54 billion for military drones and related technology and $21 billion for weapons designed to shoot down enemy drones. AP said the wars in Ukraine and Iran have underscored the growing role of drones and unmanned systems, and the U.S. military is arguing for a major budget increase in that area. In munitions, the Pentagon highlighted replenishing stocks of Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, interceptors. The systems can be used against ballistic missiles as well as low-cost drones, and stockpiles were reported to have fallen sharply during the war. The plan also includes procurement of the Army’s long-range precision strike missile and a midrange strike capability. The Navy plans to increase Tomahawk cruise missile procurement to 785 from 55 last year, though limited production capacity was cited as a constraint. The Air Force plans to invest about $600 million to develop low-cost munitions that can be mass-produced instead of relying on expensive precision weapons. “We want to shift from a small number of high-performance weapons to an approach that can overwhelm the enemy with volume,” said Frank Verdugo, the Air Force’s budget chief. The budget proposal also includes adding 44,500 troops and spending more than $2 billion on operations at the U.S.-Mexico border. The Navy plans to spend more than $65 billion to acquire 18 additional ships. A battleship construction program promoted by President Donald Trump was not included in this proposal and is expected to be addressed in next year’s budget. Repair costs for U.S. bases in the Middle East are expected to be requested through a separate budget later. Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said the budget is aimed at building a force that could prepare for a large-scale war with countries such as Russia and China. He said it “looks more similar to the defense strategy under President Biden than to the Trump administration’s strategy.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 16:19:36

South Korea Justice Ministry, Seoul National University Hold Forum on 2030 Immigration Strategy South Korea’s Justice Ministry said it is shifting immigration policy away from a focus on low-skilled, low-wage labor and toward a national strategy to attract talent, as the country confronts a low birthrate and an aging population. The ministry said it held a joint forum with Seoul National University on Tuesday at the university’s Graduate School of Public Administration to discuss a “2030 immigration policy future strategy.” The event was designed to map out practical steps to carry out the strategy announced in March, covering the full process from bringing in highly skilled foreign workers to helping them settle and supporting social integration. Participants discussed four main topics: scientifically designing the scale of foreign inflows and wage standards; visa policy directions to secure overseas talent; upgrading social integration policy; and establishing a dedicated organization and infrastructure for immigration and border policy. The ministry said discussions centered on moving beyond simply filling labor shortages by using data to plan admissions more precisely and building an organizational foundation to help newcomers become part of Korean society. Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho said the forum would serve as “a foundation for South Korea’s future” in immigration and border policy. He said advancing the strategy would contribute to the economy and produce changes the public can feel. The ministry said it will continue pursuing immigration policies that support economic activity and regional development while balancing social integration with protection of foreigners’ human rights.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 16:18:44

Vietnam Emerges as a ‘Second Home Market’ for South Korean Food Companies South Korean food companies are stepping up investment in Vietnam, a country of about 100 million people, treating it as a “second home market” by expanding local production and tailoring products for Vietnamese consumers. Backed by annual growth in the 6% range and a large young consumer base, the companies aim to strengthen their foothold while using Vietnam as an export base. Industry officials said April 22 that major South Korean food makers have expanded in Vietnam since the late 1990s, drawn by its growth potential. Vietnam’s 2025 economic growth rate was provisionally estimated at about 8.02%, and per capita GDP was about $5,026, placing it in the upper-middle-income category. With the middle class projected to reach 75% of the population by 2030, companies are shifting from simple exports to strategies centered on local manufacturing to gain market share. Daesang, which established a local unit in 1994, is accelerating a shift from bio and starch sweeteners into a broader food business. In 2016, it entered Vietnam’s meat-processing market by acquiring local company Duc Viet Food, the first such move by a South Korean food company. Daesang has since expanded its base, maintaining the top market share in Vietnam’s seaweed products and strengthening its K-food lineup, including tteokbokki and kimchi seasoning. Daesang’s Vietnam sales totaled 235.9 billion won last year, nearly double the 2018 level. It recently invested 30 billion won to expand its Hai Duong and Hung Yen plants, boosting capacity. Orion, which set up its Vietnam unit in 2005, has focused on localization for nearly 20 years. Using marketing tied to the local concept of “Tinh,” and products tailored to local tastes — including “Bong Bang,” inspired by traditional folktales, and the rice snack “An” — Orion posted 514.5 billion won in sales in 2024, topping 500 billion won for the first time. Orion has designated Vietnam as a key market in its “post-China” strategy and is investing a total of 130 billion won. It plans to expand its Yen Phong plant in Hanoi and build a third factory scheduled for 2026, lifting local production capacity to the equivalent of 900 billion won. Ramen makers are also intensifying their push. Vietnam leads the world in per capita instant noodle consumption, at 81 servings in 2024. Paldo completed a second factory in Tay Ninh province in southern Vietnam in 2024, building a system that can produce 700 million ramen units a year across its two plants. Paldo plans to keep expanding the second plant and use Vietnam as a production and export hub and a springboard into other Southeast Asian markets. Ottogi operates two manufacturing plants, in Binh Duong near Ho Chi Minh City and in Bac Ninh in the north. It has sustained average annual growth of more than 18% over the past five years and posted 89 billion won in sales last year. The company produces about 770 items, including “Mini Jin Ramen” and “Oppa Ramen,” reflecting local eating habits. It has also obtained halal certification and is moving to expand exports to Muslim markets. In alcoholic beverages, HiteJinro is making a major bet. Vietnam was HiteJinro’s first export market for soju, and about 60% of soju exported from South Korea to Vietnam is HiteJinro products. The company is building its first overseas production plant in Thai Binh province, targeting completion this year. Designed as a smart factory and covering an area about 11 soccer fields, the plant is expected to produce up to 5 million cases of soju a year. HiteJinro aims to improve logistics efficiency and cost competitiveness through local production and extend Jinro’s dominance — the top-selling distilled spirit brand in Vietnam — across Southeast Asia. “Vietnam has cultural similarities with Korea and a solid base of food consumption, so barriers to entry are relatively low,” an industry official said. “Securing cost competitiveness through local production and close-to-market marketing is raising Vietnam’s value as a forward base for global expansion.” 2026-04-22 16:16:01

Park Hong-geun says government's 'Vision 2045' plan will differ from past strategies Minister Park Hong-geun of the Ministry of Planning and Budget said April 22 that the government’s mid- to long-term national development strategy, “Vision 2045,” being prepared for release by year’s end, will “clearly differentiate itself from existing mid- and long-term plans.” Park made the remarks at a full meeting of the 7th Mid- to Long-Term Strategy Committee at the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. It was his first time attending the committee since taking office. He said South Korea is facing “complex and structural crises,” including a major shift driven by artificial intelligence, low growth, the climate crisis and regional population decline. Responding to structural problems, he said, requires setting clear directions and goals and pursuing them consistently. Park also cited “Vision 2030,” announced in 2006, saying it produced results that carried into actual policies such as child allowances and the earned income tax credit, but had limits, including in its timing and fiscal investment plans. “It is important to build a mid- to long-term national development strategy that looks 20 to 30 years ahead through a whole-of-government approach by bringing together the public’s capabilities,” Park said. He added that detailed steps for policy tasks now being discussed by the 7th committee will later be reflected in the national strategy. Kwon Oh-hyun, chair of the 7th committee, said the current system was effective through the industrialization era and in helping the country join the ranks of advanced nations, but has limits in enabling a leap to become a global leading country. He urged the government to step up regulatory reform.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 16:14:56

South Korea’s Kospi Closes Above 6,400, Sets Fresh Record a Day After New High South Korea’s Kospi broke above the 6,400 mark on expectations of improving semiconductor conditions and continued foreign inflows, setting a fresh record just one day after reaching an all-time high for the first time in about two months. The benchmark closed April 22 at 6,417.93, up 29.46 points, or 0.46%, from the previous session, according to the Korea Exchange. The index opened lower at 6,387.57, quickly turned higher and rose as far as 6,400.11 before finishing with gains after choppy trading. Retail investors bought a net 1.7821 trillion won, while foreigners and institutions sold a net 750.7 billion won and 923.8 billion won, respectively, as they took profits. Large-cap shares were mixed. SK hynix rose 0.25%, LG Energy Solution gained 1.26%, Doosan Enerbility added 0.09% and Hanwha Aerospace climbed 1.80%. Samsung Electronics fell 0.46%, Hyundai Motor slipped 0.92% and Samsung Biologics dropped 1.39%. By sector, moves were also mixed. Electronics rose 0.27%, transportation equipment and parts jumped 2.71%, chemicals gained 1.56%, machinery and equipment added 0.56%, IT services rose 0.66%, metals climbed 3.00% and distribution gained 0.27%. Financials fell 0.32%, pharmaceuticals dropped 0.95%, insurance slid 1.76% and brokerages fell 0.21%. The Kosdaq also ended higher. It opened down 2.20 points, or 0.19%, at 1,176.83, then rebounded to close up 2.09 points, or 0.18%, at 1,181.12. On the Kosdaq, individuals and foreigners were net buyers of 405.4 billion won and 97.6 billion won, while institutions sold a net 374.3 billion won. Most Kosdaq heavyweights fell, with the exceptions of EcoPro, up 0.06%, and Lino Industrial, up 1.43%. EcoPro BM fell 1.13%, Alteogen dropped 2.44%, Rainbow Robotics slipped 0.67%, Samchundang Pharm plunged 15.88%, Kolon TissueGene fell 2.16%, ABL Bio dropped 3.66%, HLB fell 2.72% and LigaChem Bio slid 2.89%. Analysts said the market’s downside has held up despite external uncertainties. Lee Kyung-min, a researcher at Daishin Securities, said the Kospi stayed in a narrow range despite uncertainty over Iran talks and fading expectations for rate cuts. “External factors are stirring risk-off sentiment, but earnings and order momentum are supporting the market’s lower bound,” Lee said, adding that early losses widened before the index rebounded and moved sideways near flat levels. Overnight, U.S. stocks fell as uncertainty grew over a second round of talks between the United States and Iran. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 0.59%, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell 0.63% and 0.59%, respectively. Microsoft rose 1.46% and Amazon gained 0.66%, while Nvidia fell 1.08% and Tesla dropped 1.55%, leaving major tech shares mixed. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose 0.50%, as skepticism spread over the resumption of U.S.-Iran negotiations, weakening expectations for an end to the conflict.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 16:14:03

OCI posts 28.9 billion won Q1 operating profit, up 171.4% on year OCI said in a regulatory filing on Tuesday that it posted first-quarter consolidated revenue of 506.6 billion won ($?) and operating profit of 28.9 billion won. Revenue fell 6% from a year earlier, while operating profit jumped 171.4%. OCI attributed the profit gain to higher selling prices for key carbon chemicals products and restructuring effects, including the merger with P&O Chemical and the liquidation of OJCB, its carbon black production unit in China. By segment, the basic chemicals division, which includes semiconductor materials, reported revenue of 184.7 billion won and operating profit of 1.4 billion won. Results fell from the previous quarter due to lower sales volume of polysilicon for semiconductors tied to customer delivery schedules, as well as scheduled maintenance for products including caustic soda (CA) and TDI. The carbon chemicals division posted revenue of 336.1 billion won and operating profit of 31.7 billion won. OCI said higher product prices amid stronger oil prices, along with increased pitch sales volume, drove sharp gains in both revenue and profit. It said it expects solid profitability to continue in the second quarter, supported by firm oil prices and stable supply and demand based on the use of steelmaking raw materials. OCI said it aims to make this year a turning point for improving profitability and strengthening its mid- to long-term growth base. In semiconductor materials, it plans to pursue earnings growth by expanding sales of key products including polysilicon, hydrogen peroxide and phosphoric acid, supported by capacity expansion. The company said a 5,000-ton expansion of phosphoric acid capacity is scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of 2026, and it is also reviewing additional expansion to prepare for longer-term demand growth. OCI also plans to ramp up mass production in the second half for specialty materials used in silicon anode materials for secondary batteries, based on a long-term supply contract with Nexeon. Vice Chairman Kim Yushin said external uncertainty remains high due to geopolitical risks such as the recent war in the Middle East, but the company will sustain its recovery by responding flexibly to markets and diversifying raw material sourcing. “Based on stable profits from basic materials and carbon chemicals, we will generate results in new businesses such as semiconductor materials,” Kim said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 16:13:11

Prosecutors Indict Park Wang-yeol, Alleged Philippines-Based Drug Kingpin, on Meth Smuggling Charges Prosecutors have indicted Park Wang-yeol, who is accused of smuggling and distributing drugs worth about 13 billion won ($13 billion won) into South Korea from a Philippine prison. The Suwon District Prosecutors Office’s government joint investigation unit on drug crimes said Tuesday it indicted Park in custody on charges including violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (psychotropic drugs). Investigators said Park imported 317 grams of methamphetamine in four shipments from the Philippines and Mexico in 2020. They said that in June 2024 he conspired with his nephew, identified only as A and nicknamed “white-bearded whale,” to smuggle about 1,482.7 grams of methamphetamine from the Philippines into South Korea. The unit also said it found evidence Park smuggled 3,079 grams of methamphetamine from South Africa. Prosecutors said Park used so-called “drop” deliveries in South Korea, hiding drugs at set locations and sending buyers coordinates to avoid detection. They said he maintained bases in major cities including Seoul, Busan and Daegu to manage the drugs. They also said they identified allegations that he received, through intermediaries, 1,575 ecstasy pills and quantities of cocaine and synthetic cannabis that had been hidden in areas including Incheon. The joint unit said an on-site investigation in the Philippines found indications Park’s group used mobile phones freely inside a detention facility and directed associates in South Korea. It said it secured five mobile phones used by the group and confirmed indications they generated tens of billions of won in criminal proceeds while operating from the facility. Prosecutors said they plan additional indictments, in consultation with the Philippine government, over remaining allegations including suspected stockpiles prepared for smuggling. They also said they will work with a special task force on transnational crime to bring A and three alleged distribution ringleaders back to South Korea, and will launch an asset recovery team led by a senior police officer to track down and seize hidden proceeds.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 16:12:18