An Se-young wins first Asian Championships title to complete career Grand Slam An Se-young of Samsung Life won the Asian Badminton Championships for the first time, completing a career "Grand Slam" by winning the Olympics, world championships, Asian Games and Asian Championships. The world No. 1 beat China’s Wang Zhiyi (No. 2) 2-1 (21-12, 17-21, 21-18) in the women’s singles final on 12 at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center in Ningbo, China. The Asian Championships had long eluded An. She lost to Wang in the semifinals in Manila in 2022, then finished runner-up in Dubai in 2023 after losing the final to Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan. In Ningbo in 2024, she fell in the quarterfinals to China’s He Bingjiao, and she missed last year’s tournament because of injury. This time, she finally won the title. With the victory, An completed the career Grand Slam. She previously won the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, the 2023 BWF World Championships and the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. An is the first South Korean women’s badminton player to achieve the feat. The win also served as payback. An had lost to Wang in the final of the All England Open, ending her 36-match winning streak. She again asserted her dominance in the rivalry, improving her career record against Wang to 19-5. An controlled the opening game, turning an 11-8 edge into a wider lead with four straight points and closing it out with steady defense and consistent scoring. The second game shifted. After trailing 2-8, An pulled within 11-13, but she suffered a setback when she scraped her knee while defending and needed treatment for bleeding. Wang pressed the advantage, and An fell behind 13-19 as the match went to a decider. In the third game, An surged to a 9-3 lead. Wang drew level at 15-15, but An responded with four straight points to regain control. Leading 19-18, An added a point, then sealed the championship when Wang’s next attack landed out.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-12 17:33:00

Korea’s Biopharma CDMO Exports Hit Record Q1 High Despite Mideast Risks South Korea’s biopharmaceutical exports posted a record first-quarter total despite prolonged Middle East risks, led by contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) firms, regulators said. At the same time, domestically focused drugmakers are moving to emergency measures as uncertainty grows over supplies of packaging-related materials. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said April 12 that biopharmaceutical exports in the first quarter totaled $2.0 billion (about 2.96 trillion won), up 11.1% from a year earlier. Biopharma accounted for 71% of Korea’s total pharmaceutical exports of $2.8 billion. The quarterly total extended a three-year rise from $1.5 billion in 2024 to $1.8 billion last year and $2.0 billion this year, underscoring the competitiveness of Korea’s CDMO industry. Monthly exports were steady: $660 million in January, up 11.9% year over year; $690 million in February, up 25.4%; and $650 million in March, up 2%. By destination, Switzerland took 17%, the United States 16.5%, Hungary 15%, Germany 10% and the Netherlands 9.5%. The top five markets accounted for 68.4% of the total. Industry officials attributed the expansion in Europe to a combination of co-development with global drugmakers, technology exports and favorable perceptions of biosimilars. “As CDMO competitiveness and production infrastructure reach global standards, companies are actively building direct production and supply systems for Europe,” an industry official said. Samsung Biologics and Celltrion, among large companies with in-house production and CDMO capabilities, have helped drive the boom. Lotte Biologics, a late entrant to the CDMO market, is expanding the business with more than 1 trillion won in group-level investment. The government is also stepping up support for global expansion. A special law enacted last year to provide regulatory support for biopharmaceutical CDMO companies is set to take effect in December. Key provisions include streamlining production licensing and cutting the number of documents required for GMP evaluation submissions to four from 11. The law is intended to provide a framework allowing export-oriented CDMO companies to enter overseas markets without obtaining a separate manufacturing license. The ministry is also running a pilot program to certify manufacturing sites for raw materials and providing global regulatory information, while supporting the industry’s push to build a “fast-track review system.” While exports remain strong, Middle East-related risks are weighing on the broader domestic medicine supply chain. As fighting between the United States and Iran drags on, the Strait of Hormuz has remained blocked, and international oil prices at one point topped $100 a barrel. With crude supply uncertainty spreading to refiners, naphtha prices have recently jumped by 20% to 30%. Naphtha is a key feedstock for medical plastics such as IV fluid bags and packaging containers. That has heightened concerns among suppliers of IV solutions, including JW Pharmaceutical and HK inno.N. The pharmaceutical industry is also working to prevent stockpiling by hospitals, clinics and pharmacies. Yuhan Corp. has tightened inventory management for its acetaminophen in IV-bag form. HK inno.N, an IV-solution supplier, has adjusted some excessive orders to block stockpiling in advance. The ministry recently held an emergency meeting with major drugmakers to discuss short-term steps including using alternative materials, adjusting shipments and freezing inventories. Major companies are expanding stockpiles and diversifying suppliers amid concerns over shortages of key inputs such as naphtha, while the government is strengthening supply-chain monitoring and seeking joint measures with the industry. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-12 17:30:00

Two firefighters killed in cold storage warehouse blaze in southern South Korea SEOUL, April 12 (AJP) - Two firefighters were killed after becoming trapped inside a burning cold storage warehouse in South Korea's southwestern county of Wando, authorities said, in a blaze that triggered a vapor explosion and prompted a national outpouring of grief. The fire broke out at about 8:25 a.m. Sunday at a seafood processing plant in Wando County, South Jeolla Province, according to fire authorities. A seven-member crew arrived within six minutes and entered the 3,693-square-meter facility to rescue a plant worker who had inhaled smoke. After pulling the worker to safety, the crew briefly withdrew. When fresh plumes of smoke appeared from another section of the warehouse, the team re-entered at about 8:45 a.m. to finish suppression, believing the fire was nearly contained. Minutes later, flammable vapors from epoxy and urethane materials that had accumulated near the sealed ceiling ignited, producing a flashover that sent flames erupting through the entrance. Commanders radioed evacuation orders three to four times, but two firefighters could not escape. A rapid intervention team located the body of a 44-year-old fire lieutenant from Wando Fire Station at about 10:02 a.m., roughly five meters from the entrance. A 31-year-old firefighter from Haenam Fire Station was found dead at 11:23 a.m. The blaze was fully extinguished three minutes later. Authorities believe the fire started when a worker used a blowtorch to strip paint from walls lined with urethane foam insulation and finished with sandwich panels. The sealed structure, designed to maintain freezing temperatures, trapped smoke and hindered rescue efforts. Police and fire investigators are probing the exact cause. President Lee Jae Myung paid tribute to the pair, saying they "rushed to the most dangerous scene to protect lives and fulfilled their duty to the very last moment," in a X post. He vowed the government would ensure all frontline personnel can operate in safer conditions. 2026-04-12 17:28:51

Singer Lee Hyo-ri’s Father Dies; She and Husband Lee Sang-soon Keep Vigil Singer Lee Hyo-ri is mourning the death of her father. Her agency, Antenna, said April 12 that her father, Lee Jung-kwang, died that day. A wake has been set up in Room 1 of the funeral hall at Chung-Ang University Hospital in Seoul. The funeral procession is scheduled for 7 a.m. April 14. Lee and her husband, Lee Sang-soon, are listed as chief mourners and have been keeping vigil at the wake. Lee has spoken publicly about her father on several occasions. She included family stories in the song “Barbershop Daughter” on her July 2008 album “It’s Hyorish.” On tvN’s “Canada Check-In,” which aired in January 2023, she said her father was ill.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-12 16:57:13

MBC’s ‘21st Century Grand Prince’s Wife’ hits 10% in Seoul area by Episode 2 MBC’s Friday-Saturday drama “21st Century Grand Prince’s Wife” crossed into double-digit ratings in the Seoul metropolitan area by its second episode. Nielsen Korea said Saturday that Episode 2, aired Friday, drew a nationwide rating of 9.5% and 10.1% among households in the Seoul area, ranking No. 1 in its time slot. Its 20-49 rating was 5.3%, the highest among all Saturday programming. The minute-by-minute peak reached 11.1%. The top moments were a scene in which Seong Hui-ju wins a top entrepreneur award and another in which Prince Ian meets Lee Yun, who arrives alone at an event marking Entrepreneurs’ Day. The episode followed Seong’s efforts to win Ian’s affection. After her proposal, pitched as a show of her strengths, was rejected, she pursued him across locations including a road, a movie theater, a riding arena and an event venue, pressing forward at every turn. As Seong kept approaching him, Ian’s attitude began to shift. He tidied his appearance as if expecting her to appear at any moment and showed a subtle reaction to news of her blind date. Set in a 21st century constitutional monarchy, the drama centers on a romance between a woman who has everything but is a commoner and a king’s son who can have nothing. Episode 3 airs April 17 at 9:50 p.m.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-12 16:45:15

Rookie Kim Min-sol wins wire-to-wire at KLPGA iM Financial Open for third career title Kim Min-sol, billed as a “super rookie,” captured her third career title on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour on April 12 with a wire-to-wire victory at the iM Financial Open. Kim shot a 1-under 71 in the final round at Golfzon County Sunsan (par 72) in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, with four birdies, one bogey and one double bogey. She finished at 11-under 277, winning by four strokes over the trio tied for second at 7-under 281: Kim Si-hyeon, Jeon Ye-seong and Ahn Ji-hyeon. Kim led outright after the first round and again in rounds three and four, and shared the lead after the second round to complete the wire-to-wire win. The tournament purse was 1 billion won, and she earned 180 million won for first place. Born in 2006, Kim won her first KLPGA title last August at the BC Card-Hankyung Ladies Cup as a sponsor invite. She added a second victory in October at the Dongbu Construction-Korea Land Trust Championship. Competing this season as a rookie, she secured her third win in six months. The most recent rookie-eligible winner on the KLPGA regular tour before this was Yoo Hyun-jo at the KB Financial Star Championship in September 2024. Kim entered the week third in rookie-of-the-year points but moved into first with the victory. “This tournament was a fight against myself,” Kim said in a postround broadcast interview. “I wavered because I made a lot of mistakes, but I think I finished well to the end.” Ko Ji-won, who won last week’s The Siena Open, tied for sixth at 4-under 284 with Bang Shin-sil, Lee Ye-won, Song Eun-a and Kim Min-seon. Defending champion Kim Min-ju finished tied for 19th at 1-under 287.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-12 16:15:00

Search for escaped wolf at South Korean zoo drags into fifth day SEOUL, April 12 (AJP) - A wolf that tunneled its way out of a government-run zoo in the central city of Daejeon remained at large as search teams armed with thermal-imaging drones combed nearby hillsides for a fifth straight day without success. The two-year-old male wolf, nicknamed Neukgu, was last detected by a thermal camera mounted on a drone at about 1:30 a.m. on April 9, the day after its escape. Trackers lost the animal's trail when the drone was pulled back for a battery swap, and it has not been spotted since. Authorities deployed 12 drones on Sunday to sweep a radius of about 6 km around O World, the municipal theme park from which Neukgu escaped on April 8 by digging beneath an electrified wire fence surrounding its safari enclosure. Ground crews have been kept to a minimum over fears that a large human presence could spook the animal deeper into the forested terrain. Neukgu's last meal before the breakout was two chickens, fed the evening of April 7. Baited traps have been placed along likely travel routes, and experts estimate the wolf could survive about 10 days in the wild provided it finds water. But because Neukgu was born and hand-reared in captivity, it lacks hunting skills, and specialists warn it could perish if the search drags on much longer. The escape has drawn nationwide attention and a wave of public sympathy. President Lee Jae Myung weighed in, expressing hope for the wolf's safe return and urging that no one be harmed in the process. Citizens and animal-rights groups have demanded that Neukgu be captured alive, recalling a 2018 incident at the same zoo in which a puma was shot dead just four and a half hours after escaping its enclosure. The search has also been hampered by a flood of AI-generated fake photographs purporting to show the wolf at various locations around the city, with authorities saying the fabricated images caused confusion in the early stages of the operation and disrupted some media coverage. Reports say the search would continue through Monday before officials decide whether to launch a full-scale joint operation involving multiple agencies if no progress is made. 2026-04-12 15:40:52

Kakao VX Partners With Ourhome to Expand Food and Beverage at Screen Golf Sites Kakao VX, a sports platform company, has partnered with food service company Ourhome to expand food and beverage operations at screen golf venues. Kakao VX said it signed a memorandum of understanding on April 9 at Ourhome’s headquarters to promote food and beverage business tailored to screen golf sites. Attendees included Choi Gwang-ok, a director in charge of Kakao VX’s golf business, along with Shin Su-jin, head of Ourhome’s product business division, and Jeon Jun-beom, head of Ourhome’s marketing division. Under the agreement, starting in May, Ourhome products will be supplied through the food-and-beverage section of Kakao VX’s franchisee online mall, VX Mall. Store owners will be able to offer a wider range of Ourhome menu items to golfers, the companies said, aiming to improve customer satisfaction. Kakao VX said owners running locations with small staffs are expected to benefit from Ourhome’s distribution capabilities by selling products with consistent quality. The companies said they will cooperate across business development and promotion, solution design and delivery, ordering and supply processes, and operational communication. Kakao VX will handle franchisee recruitment and marketing based on its screen golf experience. Ourhome will provide a screen golf-focused food-and-beverage solution, proposing standard and simplified menus depending on each site’s cooking conditions and supporting on-site rollout. The companies also plan joint promotions to help drive sales. A Kakao VX official said the company will use its experience connecting screen golf sites and owners nationwide to develop food-and-beverage operations that provide practical help to stores, adding it aims to build a partnership model that improves both operational convenience for owners and customer satisfaction. An Ourhome official called the agreement a first step toward expanding a food-and-beverage model optimized for stay-type leisure spaces such as screen golf venues, and said the company will continue strengthening customized solutions based on its menu development and supply capabilities.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-12 15:09:00

Xdinary Heroes Unveil Track Sneak Peeks for New EP 'Dead and' Ahead of Release JYP Entertainment boy band Xdinary Heroes has released all track sneak peeks for its upcoming album, building anticipation for its return. The band is set to release its eighth EP, "Dead and (DEAD AND)," on April 17. Ahead of the release, it has been rolling out short previews of songs on its official social media channels. On April 11, it shared snippets of "No Cool Kids Zone" and the title track, "Voyager." On April 12, it unveiled part of the opening track, "Helium Balloon." In the "No Cool Kids Zone" preview, Jun Han delivers witty lyrics over a hard-driving sound, highlighting the song’s garage-band energy and humor. In "Voyager," vocals from Gun-il, Jungsu, Gaon, O.de, Jun Han and Jooyeon ride a powerful rhythm and full band sound, with a fast-moving arrangement that heightens the emotional intensity. "Helium Balloon" leans on a lyrical melody and wistful mood, blending dreamy, vintage tones with delicate phrasing. "Dead and" will include seven tracks: "Voyager," the previously released "X room," "Helium Balloon," "No Cool Kids Zone," "Hurt So Good," "Rise High Rise" and "KTM." The group has continued its practice of taking part in songwriting since debut, with all members credited on the new release. After the comeback, Xdinary Heroes will expand its stage to Europe and the U.K. The band will hold its special live series, "Xdinary Heroes The New Xcene Special Live in Europe & UK," starting May 31 in Manchester, followed by June 2 in London, June 4 in Paris, June 7 in Frankfurt and June 9 in Milan. The dates follow the group’s first solo concerts in Japan, held in Osaka and Yokohama in January. The eighth EP "Dead and" and its title track "Voyager" will be released at 1 p.m. on April 17 through major music streaming sites. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-12 14:57:14

Golfzon Cultural Foundation Opens 13th 'Daejeon: Draw and Dream' Exhibition Golfzon Cultural Foundation is hosting the 13th 'Daejeon: Draw and Dream' exhibition through April 22 at Art Center Koo on the sixth floor of Golfzon Joymaru in Daejeon, showcasing works by emerging artists. Launched in 2012, the annual exhibition marks its 13th edition this year. The foundation said the program is a signature social contribution effort aimed at highlighting talented young artists, encouraging their creative work and helping energize the local arts scene. It provides broad support, including exhibition operations and production of promotional materials. This year's show features five artists — Kim Man-seop, Kim An-seon, Ryu Jae-seong, Won Daniel and Yoon Seung-won — presenting works that explore the theme of 'the search for identity' from their own perspectives. Admission is free. The exhibition is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during the run. About 100 guests, including foundation Chairman Kim Young-chan, attended the opening ceremony on April 9. The program included congratulatory performances by the Daejeon-based string ensemble 'Hwal' and tenor Jang Kyung-hwan, followed by remarks and introductions to the artists and their works. "Through support for cultural artists, the Golfzon Cultural Foundation is cheering on artists' dreams while giving local residents a chance to encounter new worlds of art," Kim said. "We will continue sustained support and efforts so more people can enjoy art in their daily lives." Participating artist Kim Man-seop said, "I'm grateful to the foundation for giving me the opportunity to share my valued work with the public," adding, "I hope the emotions and interpretations each person feels will connect in many different ways." Founded in 2010, the Golfzon Cultural Foundation said it has worked to strengthen artists' creative energy and expand cultural experiences for local residents. Beyond this exhibition, it runs a charity golf tournament to support artists and promotes traditional culture through activities to advance cheolhwa buncheong ceramics, among other initiatives.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-12 14:54:00