South Korea, Mexico to Hold High-Level Talks on Restarting FTA Negotiations The South Korean government will begin high-level consultations aimed at resuming free trade agreement talks with Mexico. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said trade minister Yeo Han-koo met Thursday with Carlos Penafiel Soto, Mexico’s ambassador to South Korea, to discuss ways to expand bilateral economic and trade cooperation. The meeting came as uncertainty in the global trade environment deepens amid the spread of protectionism, and was arranged to explore broader cooperation with Mexico, South Korea’s largest trading partner in Latin America. The two sides agreed a Korea-Mexico FTA could serve as a catalyst to boost trade and investment. They decided to continue high-level talks so negotiations, suspended since 2022, can restart as soon as possible. Yeo also raised concerns from South Korean industry over key trade issues, including Mexico’s tariff increases that took effect in January and the planned July review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. He asked for special attention so South Korean companies operating in Mexico can continue business under stable conditions. “Mexico is a key bridgehead for entering the Latin American market and integrating into USMCA supply chains,” Yeo said. “We will work closely to produce results that provide real help in expanding our companies’ exports and stabilizing their local operations.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 11:03:55

March National Tax Revenue Up 5.5 Trillion Won on Income, Stock Transaction and Corporate Taxes National tax revenue in March rose 5.5 trillion won from a year earlier, led by gains in income tax, stock transaction tax and corporate tax. The Ministry of Economy and Finance said Thursday that March national tax revenue totaled 37.8 trillion won, according to its report on March 2026 collections. By category, income tax posted the largest increase, up 2.2 trillion won. The ministry cited higher wage income tax as performance bonuses expanded, and higher capital gains tax as home transactions increased. Stock transaction tax rose 800 billion won on higher trading value and a tax rate increase. The rural special tax increased 1 trillion won, helped by larger KOSPI trading value, the ministry said. Corporate tax increased 900 billion won on improved corporate results. Value-added tax rose 300 billion won, reflecting increased payments tied to extended filing deadlines. Inheritance and gift tax and the transportation, energy and environment tax each increased 100 billion won, while individual consumption tax and tariffs were roughly unchanged from a year earlier. Cumulative national tax revenue through March totaled 108.8 trillion won, up 15.5 trillion won from the same period last year. The collection progress rate was 26.2%. On a cumulative basis, increases were led by income tax (up 4.7 trillion won), value-added tax (up 4.5 trillion won) and stock transaction tax (up 2 trillion won). Corporate tax was up 900 billion won. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 11:03:29

LG Energy Solution Sees Sodium Battery Demand in ESS, Lead-Acid Replacement Tests Planned ·* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 11:00:50

LG Energy Solution: North America to Mass-Produce Prismatic ESS Batteries by Late 2027 * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 11:00:17

Trump, Putin Hold 90-Minute Call on Ukraine Ceasefire Idea and Iran U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Reuters/Yonhap) U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone and discussed the war in Ukraine and the Iran issue. Putin said he was prepared to declare a ceasefire during the May 9 Victory Day period, and Trump said the call went well. Reuters reported that Trump said after the call that they discussed “a bit of a ceasefire” in Ukraine. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the conversation lasted more than 90 minutes. The Kremlin said Putin told Trump he was ready to announce a ceasefire during the Victory Day period, and Trump responded positively. The proposal appeared limited to a specific time frame rather than a full ceasefire or a broader agreement to end the war. Trump described the tone of the call as “good,” but said he told Putin that ending the war in Ukraine should come first. Iran was also discussed. Reuters said Putin offered ideas related to Iran’s enriched uranium issue. Trump said Putin wanted to be involved, but that he wanted to end the Ukraine war first.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 10:56:07

Samsung Electronics Says It Will Seek to Avoid Disruptions if Union Strikes Samsung Electronics said Thursday on its conference call for 2026 first-quarter earnings that its labor union, following a rally at its Pyeongtaek site on April 23, has warned of a general strike from May 21 to June 7. "It is difficult to comment on a strike at this point, but even if a strike occurs, we plan to respond to the fullest extent possible within legal limits through a dedicated organization and response system so that production disruptions do not occur," the company said. Samsung added that, separate from strike preparations, it is responding "in good faith" to labor-management issues in line with laws and procedures and will prioritize talks with the union to reach an amicable resolution. The company also said a provision for performance bonuses is expected to be reflected in the second quarter. Samsung said discussions with the union are ongoing and that specific payment conditions and the amount have not been finalized. As a result, it was not reflected in this quarter’s results, and the company will decide whether to book the provision in the second quarter, and at what level, depending on the outcome of negotiations.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 10:55:22

Hanwha Aerospace Q1 Operating Profit Rises 21% on Record Order Backlog Hanwha Aerospace said Wednesday that its first-quarter operating profit rose 21% from a year earlier to 638.9 billion won on a consolidated basis. Revenue increased 5% to 5.751 trillion won. In its ground defense business, revenue came to 1.2211 trillion won and operating profit totaled 208.7 billion won. Revenue rose 5% from a year earlier, while operating profit fell 31%. The company said its order backlog hit a record high. Reflecting contracts including a deal finalized in January to export the Chunmoo multiple rocket guided missile system to Norway worth about 1.3 trillion won, the backlog stood at about 39.7 trillion won. The aerospace business posted revenue of 661.2 billion won, up 25% from a year earlier. Operating profit jumped to 22.6 billion won from 3.6 billion won a year earlier, a 533% increase. The company cited higher defense volumes and a larger share of revenue from businesses with solid profitability. Hanwha Ocean reported revenue of 3.2099 trillion won and operating profit of 441.1 billion won. From a year earlier, revenue rose 2% and operating profit increased 71%. The company attributed the improvement to a higher share of high-value commercial ship projects such as LNG carriers, as well as the impact of a weaker won, lower material costs and productivity gains. A Hanwha Aerospace official said the company maintained steady growth in the first quarter, helped by strong results in the aerospace business and at Hanwha Ocean, and pledged to maximize shareholder value through continued order wins beyond the record backlog.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 10:53:04

Mother Arrested for Fatal Abuse of 8-Month-Old Son A mother in her 30s has been arrested for allegedly killing her 8-month-old son by repeatedly striking him on the head with a TV remote control. According to Yonhap News on April 30, the Southern Gyeonggi Police Agency has detained the woman, identified as A, on charges of violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes (child abuse resulting in death). A is accused of abusing her son, referred to as B, at their home in Siheung around May 10, leading to his death. After the incident, A and her husband took B to a hospital in Bucheon, where medical staff found he had suffered severe head injuries, including a skull fracture, and recommended hospitalization. However, A chose not to admit the child and returned home. Later, she discovered B unconscious at their residence. On May 13, A returned to the same hospital with B, who died hours later on May 14. Upon receiving the report, police began investigating the circumstances surrounding B's death, suspecting that A and her husband may have been involved. They analyzed footage from a home security camera, which revealed that the couple repeatedly left B alone for several hours. Based on evidence of chronic neglect, police intensified their questioning of the couple. Initially, A claimed she had accidentally injured B while bathing him, but under continued interrogation, she confessed to the abuse. Police arrested A based on her confession. The National Forensic Service also provided preliminary findings indicating that B's death was likely due to head injuries. During police questioning, A reportedly stated that she committed the act because B was crying and would not sleep. Authorities are also investigating B's father as a witness to determine whether he was complicit in the neglect and abuse. Given the severity of the case, police plan to request an arrest warrant for A later today. 2026-04-30 10:51:49

LG Energy Solution: North America Grid ESS Demand Growing 30% a Year; Too Early to Call Oversupply * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 10:49:57

LG Energy Solution Plans Step-by-Step ESS Output at Lansing, Honda and GM JVs; Targets 50 GW North America Capacity * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 10:49:31