LX International Q1 Operating Profit Falls 6.8% to 108.9 Billion Won LX International said in a regulatory filing Tuesday that its first-quarter operating profit on a consolidated basis totaled 108.9 billion won, down 6.8% from a year earlier. The company cited factors including a decline in the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI). First-quarter revenue rose 4% from a year earlier to 4.2113 trillion won, helped by higher output and sales at key assets including the AKP nickel mine in Indonesia and palm plantations. Operating profit, however, jumped 96.2% from the previous quarter, nearly doubling as profitability rebounded. The company pointed to stronger resource-market conditions, supported by supply-control policies in major resource-producing countries including Indonesia and by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. It said improved results in its resources and trading businesses led the companywide gain in profitability. With selling prices rising on stronger commodity markets, it expanded production and sales at major assets such as the AKP nickel mine and palm plantations. Sales volumes also increased for key trading items, including methanol, contributing to quarter-on-quarter improvement. In logistics, the company said it continued to generate steady profit, led by its contract logistics (CL) business that manages overall logistics operations for corporate clients. A company official said, "On the back of a recovery in global resource markets and improved profitability in the trading division, we saw a sharp improvement in profitability from the previous quarter," adding, "Even in an uncertain business environment marked by greater volatility in resource and logistics markets, we are focusing on improving operating efficiency at core assets and generating stable cash flow." The official said the company will accelerate diversification and a shift in its business portfolio by investing in future-oriented minerals such as nickel, bauxite and copper; developing new markets and expanding new businesses; and entering new growth areas including energy infrastructure and power solutions, with a focus on producing visible results. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 13:30:09

Seoul’s Han River Bus Tops 70,000 Riders in April as Policy Debate Intensifies The Han River bus has been drawing heavier crowds as the spring outing season gets underway. Data released by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Tuesday showed April ridership totaled 70,552 from April 1-27, a monthly record. The city projected the figure will exceed 75,000 by the end of the month. Weekend traffic also rose. Ridership over the final weekend of April (April 25-26) reached 10,247, up 15.2% from the first weekend (April 4-5). Seoul said the increase is not only seasonal. In line with the International Garden Expo opening May 1, the city will open a temporary dock at Seoul Forest and add a direct Yeouido-to-Seoul Forest route. The plan is to open to the public a dock previously used only by official vessels and capture more destination-based trips, combining transportation and tourism. The ridership surge has sharpened differences in how politicians assess the program. Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party’s Seoul mayoral candidate, has taken a negative stance on the Han River bus, saying that if elected he would consider halting operations or, at minimum, scaling it back and shifting it to a tourism-focused service. His comments have raised questions about profitability and efficiency. Mayor Oh Se-hoon, by contrast, has promoted the Han River bus as a platform aimed at both everyday commuting and tourism demand. After skepticism early on, ridership climbed from 62,491 in March to more than 70,000 in April, with cumulative riders surpassing 230,000, the city said. Seoul is also reviewing ways to improve revenue beyond fares, including expanding dockside facilities such as cafes, a chicken pub and convenience stores, along with advertising and events. The city has described the approach as a platform-style transit model intended to attract private demand and reduce the fiscal burden. Park Jin-young, head of Seoul’s Future Han River Headquarters, said the Han River bus “is setting a monthly ridership record and is taking root as a water transit option that meets both everyday transportation and tourism demand.” He added, “Starting in May, we will also open a temporary dock so residents can visit the International Garden Expo at Seoul Forest by taking the Han River bus, improving convenience for citizens.” 2026-04-29 13:06:23

Salady App Membership Tops 510,000 as Pickup and Delivery Features Expand Salady, a leading salad franchise brand in South Korea, said sign-ups for its official app have surpassed 510,000. That is about a 27% increase from the first quarter of last year, the company said, extending steady growth. The rise is being read as more than a jump in registrations, reflecting that app-based ordering, payment and benefits are becoming established. As contactless ordering and mobile-first dining habits expand, company-run apps are increasingly used to strengthen customer engagement and manage repeat visits and loyalty. Salady has continued updates since a September 2022 app overhaul that combined its membership and ordering functions. The app offers advance ordering for pickup at a chosen time, which the company said can reduce wait times and ease in-store congestion. With delivery added in August 2025, users can place both pickup and delivery orders on the same platform. The company has also focused on convenience features, including simplified payments and a “one-click order” function that allows quick reorders based on recent purchases. Users can save favorite stores and preferred menu items, providing a more personalized experience that can increase time spent in the app and repeat purchases. Its membership program has also expanded. Customers earn stamps for buying main menu items at stores nationwide and through the app, and a 3,000-won discount coupon is automatically issued after 12 stamps. New members receive a 2,000-won discount coupon, and additional benefits such as birthday coupons by membership tier and topping and beverage coupons are offered on an ongoing basis. Promotions are also designed to drive app use. On the 22nd of each month, “Salady Day” offers first-come, first-served pickup and delivery coupons, and the company issues discount coupons when new menu items are launched. Industry observers view the trend as part of the restaurant franchise sector’s digital shift, with brands using their own apps to build order data and offer more tailored benefits and services. Salady is positioning its app as a core platform, rather than only an ordering tool, to manage the customer experience in one place.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 13:03:21

Seoul Area to Offer 13,400 Public Housing Units in First Half, Up 43% The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Tuesday it will sell a total of 13,400 public housing units in the Seoul metropolitan area in the first half of this year, up about 43% from 9,400 units a year earlier. Of the total, 5,700 units will come from third-phase new town developments. According to the ministry, Korea Land and Housing Corp. (LH) and Gyeonggi Housing and Urban Corp. (GH) will issue tenant recruitment notices on Wednesday for 3,100 units in major districts including Incheon Gyeyang and Goyang Changneung. By district, the offering includes Namyangju Wangsuk2 (1,498 units), Goyang Changneung (494), the Anyang Gwanyanggo area (404), Siheung Hajung (400) and Incheon Gyeyang (317). The ministry said supply is accelerating following earlier offerings totaling 1,300 units, including Magok 17 and Incheon Gajeong 2. In May, 3,500 units are scheduled for sale in areas including Hwaseong Dongtan2 and Seongnam Naksaeng. In June, 5,500 units are set to be offered, centered on Goyang Changneung and Bucheon Yeokgok. The ministry said the newly announced sites are expected to draw strong interest from end users due to their locations. Incheon Gyeyang’s A-9 block, a newlywed-focused “Hope Town” project, is adjacent to green space about four times the size of Yeouido Park. Namyangju Wangsuk2’s A-1 and A-3 blocks are planned as a station-area complex within walking distance of Ilpae Station (tentative), on a future extension of Seoul Subway Line 9. Goyang Changneung’s S-1 block also includes plans for an elementary school site within the complex. Sale prices are expected to be set at around 90% of nearby market levels. Exact prices will be released in individual notices, and applications will be accepted starting May 11 on a district-by-district schedule. Kim Yeong-guk, head of the ministry’s Housing Supply Promotion Headquarters, said, “This year, the volume of units for sale in the Seoul metropolitan area is richer than usual, so the public will be able to directly feel the housing supply,” adding, “We will continue to push ahead with housing supply policy at speed.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 13:01:16

Seoul Mayor Candidate Oh Se-hoon Unveils First Pledge to Cut Health Gaps Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party’s candidate for Seoul mayor, on Tuesday unveiled his first campaign pledge: “Iron stamina, vibrant Seoul.” He said he would build an environment where residents can manage their health anytime and anywhere, aiming to narrow health gaps tied to income and where people live. Speaking at the Dobong District Public Health Center in Ssangmun-dong, Seoul, Oh said, “A warmer city and a healthier quality of life in Seoul will be the most important policy in the next term.” As part of the plan, he said the city will upgrade its health management platform, Sonmok Doctor 9988, into an artificial intelligence-based health app. The core idea is to use exercise data tracked through the platform and health screening results held by the National Health Insurance Service to predict risks of chronic and serious diseases. Oh also pledged a major expansion of community sports infrastructure. “I will create a ‘10-minute fitness zone city’ where people have a place to exercise within 10 minutes of home,” he said. He said the number of “Seoul Fitness Centers,” where residents can take fitness tests in their neighborhoods, would increase to 100 from 27. He also said the city would expand “Fun Stations” — running and fitness-focused facilities now operating at subway stations including Yeouinaru, Ttukseom and Gwanghwamun — to 25 from six. He also promised to expand exercise spaces for older adults. Oh said the city will create 120 new “Neighborhood Vitality Recharge Stations” by 2030, using public facilities such as welfare centers and libraries for senior-focused leisure and health programs. He also said each district would have at least one “Senior Playground,” which he said can help prevent dementia. Oh said he chose to announce the pledge in northern Seoul to underscore his message on inequality. “If health gaps arise because of income and assets, it can create a gap in overall happiness,” he said, adding, “The gap between rich and poor, or income gaps, must not lead to health gaps.” He said health is the top concern for residents and vowed to “take the Seoul healthy city project — built through policy investment over the past five years — to the next level and decisively complete the changes so far.” 2026-04-29 13:00:13

Democratic Party recruits Ha Jeong-woo, taps Jeon Eun-su for June 3 by-elections The Democratic Party has recruited Ha Jeong-woo, a former senior presidential secretary for AI future planning, and selected Jeon Eun-su, a former presidential spokesperson, ahead of the June 3 National Assembly by-elections. The party is widely seen as putting figures from the Lee Jae-myung administration at the forefront to rally its base. At a recruitment ceremony at the National Assembly on the 29th, party leader Jeong Cheong-rae said Ha, nicknamed “HaGPT,” was “a talent I wanted to bring in no matter what,” adding he would have made repeated appeals to do so. Jeong described Jeon as “a capable person” who grew up outside the capital region and has a strong commitment to balanced development, noting she had been recruited ahead of the 22nd general election. He urged both to “win,” signaling they would receive nominations. The party said it is using three tracks for strategic nominations in the by-elections: outside recruitment, internal selection and redeploying existing figures. Ha falls under outside recruitment, while Jeon was chosen internally, it said. Ha is being mentioned as a candidate in Busan’s Buk-gu Gap district, and Jeon in South Chungcheong Province’s Asan Eul. Byun Sung-wan, head of the party’s Busan chapter, and Lee Jung-moon, head of its South Chungcheong chapter, attended the event. After Jeong’s remarks, Ha said he would return to his “warm hometown of Busan” and deliver development, calling the moment a “golden time” for major change and a leap forward. “If we use physical AI, Busan can become the very center of global maritime AI,” he said. Jeon said she had stayed connected to people through her work as a teacher, lawyer and spokesperson. “Now I will face the public directly and solve difficulties on the ground,” she said. The party has already made strategic nominations for Kim Nam-jun, a former presidential spokesperson, in Incheon’s Gyeyang Eul, and Kim Nam-kuk, a Democratic Party spokesperson who previously served as a digital communications secretary, in Gyeonggi Province’s Ansan Gap. If Ha and Jeon are confirmed, the number of figures from the Lee administration fielded by the party would rise to four. The by-elections will be held in 14 districts and are being dubbed a “mini general election.” Vacancies include five previously confirmed seats and nine additional openings due to reasons including President Lee’s inauguration, the resignation of presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik, and rulings that voided election wins, as well as seats vacated by runs for metropolitan mayor and governor posts. Of the 14 districts, 13 were previously held by the Democratic Party. 2026-04-29 12:19:14

Seoul to Host Free Palace Walk on May 31; 5,000 Spots Available First Come, First Served A global cultural walking event tracing Seoul’s palaces and traditional streets will be held in the heart of the city. Aju Media Group (Aju Business Daily, ABC and AJP) said on the 29th it will hold the “2026 Seoul Foreign Residents Palace Walk” on May 31 at the Gwanghwamun Square play yard. Registration opened on the 28th. Participation is free, and all participants will receive a summer T-shirt, a hat and a brunch set. The event is open to foreign residents in Korea, international students and tourists, as well as local residents. Organizers said it is designed as a downtown festival where people of different nationalities and generations can walk together through major palaces and other traditional cultural sites. Registration is available through a dedicated application page on the Aju Business Daily website. Applicants are instructed to enter through the main-page banner rather than a direct address. The walk will accept 5,000 participants on a first-come, first-served basis, with no entry fee. In addition to the T-shirt and hat, organizers said participants will receive a brunch set and bottled water. “We prepared it so people can join without 부담, even in light clothing,” the organizer said. The route is about 7 kilometers, looping from Gwanghwamun Square past Gyeongbokgung, Bukchon-ro and Jeongdok Library, then Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Jogyesa, before returning to Gwanghwamun Square. Organizers said the course blends Joseon-era palaces, hanok neighborhoods, a Buddhist temple and modern city scenery, offering a single walk through Seoul’s past and present. In addition to the walk, the event will include cultural performances and K-culture photo zones, organizers said. “Early summer in Seoul is the best season for walking,” the organizer said, adding that participants can expect “a special experience that naturally carries you across time and history” as they follow the palace and downtown route. The organizer said it hopes the event will help share Seoul’s cultural depth with people from around the world. The “Seoul Foreign Residents Palace Walk” is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. Participants can register on site starting at 8 a.m. on the day of the event. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 12:18:19

Climate Ministry to Step Up Ozone Controls, Inspect 643 Emission Sites May-August The government will begin an intensive effort from May through August to cut ozone-forming pollutants and protect public health ahead of the season when high ozone levels are most likely. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said Tuesday it will push an “intensive management plan for the high-ozone period (May-August),” focusing on reducing nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds — key precursors of ozone — and strengthening public guidance on how to respond. Ozone formed near the ground in the troposphere is created when nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react under strong sunlight. High ozone concentrations can irritate the eyes, nose and respiratory system, and can have a greater impact on vulnerable groups such as children, older adults and people with respiratory illnesses. With climate change contributing to higher temperatures, stronger sunlight and more stagnant air, high-ozone episodes have continued. The number of days ozone advisories were issued rose from 59 in 2017 to 67 in 2021, and stood at 60 in 2025. The government will designate intensive management zones centered on areas with concentrated NOx and VOC emissions and on high-ozone areas, and will focus inspections on major sources based on emissions and their contribution to ozone formation. During the high-ozone period, it will strengthen inspections of 643 large-scale facilities that emit or handle large volumes of relevant substances. It will also provide technical support to 273 sites, including facilities with weak controls on fugitive emissions and gas stations equipped with vapor recovery systems. Starting this year, 63 environmental surveillance officers will be newly designated at regional environment offices. The ministry said it will use advanced measurement equipment and an intelligent monitoring system using artificial intelligence and big data to quickly crack down on facilities suspected of illegal emissions. Vehicle emissions controls will also be tightened. The government will expand on-site checks using vehicle emissions measurement equipment and enforcement cameras, and will conduct special inspections of 300 to 400 private vehicle inspection centers jointly with the ministry, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and local governments. For about 1,000 major NOx-emitting facilities in sectors such as power generation, steel and petrochemicals, the government will strengthen total emissions management. The total allowable emissions cap for this year is 176,000 tons, about 5.4% lower than last year. Support for early scrappage of older vehicles will also be revised. The government will end purchase support for gasoline and gas vehicles and shift support toward electric, hydrogen and hybrid vehicles, with a plan to supply 337,000 vehicles this year. To reduce VOCs from everyday sources, the government will require low-emission painting methods, such as using rollers, at facilities used by sensitive groups including children and older adults. It will also prepare guidelines for the public sector on purchasing and using environmentally friendly organic solvent products. The government said it will strengthen scientific management by introducing an integrated forecasting system that combines existing numerical models with AI, aiming to raise ozone forecast accuracy from 63% to 71%. To improve accuracy, it will apply integrated prediction information that combines numerical modeling and AI to ozone forecasts. For areas without air-quality monitoring stations, it will provide an ozone estimated concentration image service using satellite data starting next month. It also plans to invest 3.6 billion won through 2030 in projects to identify ozone causes and develop reduction technologies. The government will also expand guidance on how to respond to high ozone for schools, daycare centers, facilities for older adults and outdoor workers. It said it will provide ozone advisory and warning information quickly through the AirKorea mobile app. “From May to August, when sunlight is strong and temperatures are high, the risk of high ozone levels is elevated,” Kim Jin-sik, director general of the ministry’s Air Environment Bureau, said. “We will do our utmost to protect public health by intensively managing precursors such as nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds and by providing ozone forecast information quickly.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 12:10:59

Samsung’s SSAFY Program Highlights Career Shifts, Faster Workflows and a Tokyo Startup Samsung Electronics’ youth software training program, SSAFY (Samsung Youth SW·AI Academy), is being cited as more than a job-prep course, with graduates describing it as a turning point that led to career changes, overseas entrepreneurship and jobs at Samsung affiliates. Samsung said April 29 it published its first collection of essays from SSAFY graduates, titled ‘In the Era of the AI Great Transformation, the Start of Junior Talent: SSAFY.’ The company held an essay contest for about 6,000 people, including graduates from the program’s first through eighth cohorts and their families, and compiled selected entries into a book. The collection includes accounts of participants who became software and AI talent despite barriers such as nontechnical backgrounds, age and personal circumstances. Heo Ye-ji, a cohort 8 graduate who previously worked as a marketer at a large company, said she applied on her last eligible chance at age 29, switched to software development and is now preparing to expand overseas. “SSAFY is not just a place that teaches skills; it proved the potential inside me,” she said. Kim Jeong-hwan, a cohort 1 graduate, said he used algorithms learned at SSAFY to cut a customer information processing task at work from 20 minutes to about 20 seconds, and later founded an IT company in Tokyo. Kim Beom-seok, a cohort 8 graduate, joined Samsung SDS after completing SSAFY and earned 16 certifications, including an advanced cloud credential that is rare in South Korea. Samsung said SSAFY has helped young people find new direction beyond employment support. Since launching in 2018, the program has produced 10,125 graduates, and 8,566 have found jobs, for an employment rate of about 85%. A Samsung official said the challenges and growth described in the essays show the program’s “true value,” adding the company will continue support so more young people can develop into software and AI talent.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 12:10:19

Climate Ministry Begins Talks to Overhaul Power Oversight for 100GW Renewable Era The government is launching talks on overhauling its power oversight system to match the expansion of renewable energy. Working with civil society groups, it plans to discuss how to reshape power-market governance and speed up institutional changes for the energy transition. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said Tuesday it will hold a forum titled “Power Regulation Governance Forum for the 100GW Renewable Energy Era” on Wednesday morning at the HJ Business Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul, together with six civil society groups: the Energy Transition Forum, Climate Solution, Energy and Space, the Green Energy Strategy Institute, the Public Renewable Energy Forum and the Green Consumers Network. The forum follows up on the government’s “Energy Grand Transition Implementation Plan for the People’s Sovereignty Government,” released on April 6. The government is seeking to shift the energy system from fossil fuels to renewables to strengthen future national competitiveness, aiming for what it calls an “electro-state.” The ministry said the transition is not just a change in generation sources but a restructuring of how electricity is produced and used — from a centralized, one-way system to a distributed, two-way one. It said that makes an overhaul of power oversight increasingly necessary to improve transparency and fairness in the electricity market. A ministry official said the government will push to revise the Electric Utility Act based on views presented at the forum and, through consultations with relevant ministries and discussions in the National Assembly, build an institutional foundation for the energy transition.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 12:09:47