Korea Fair Trade Commission Launches Third Youth Advisory Group The Korea Fair Trade Commission said Tuesday it has formed its third “2030 Advisory Group” and held a launch ceremony for the panel, which will advise the agency on fair-trade policy from a youth perspective. The 20-member group will operate in three divisions: consumer issues, competition and business transactions, and public relations and communications. Over the next year, members will propose policies the commission plans to prioritize and suggest ways to communicate policies more effectively to the public. The commission said it expects practical, on-the-ground input across fair-trade policy because the members include startup founders, consumer-policy researchers and environmental activists. KFTC Chairman Joo Byung-ki said in welcoming remarks that the commission has worked across its policy agenda to protect the rights of young people and support their growth. He said the agency will incorporate the panel’s “fresh proposals and approaches” to pursue policies the public can feel in daily life.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 16:05:07

Dollar Deposits at South Korea’s Top Banks Jump as Won Strengthens Below 1,500 Geopolitical risks in the Middle East pushed the won-dollar exchange rate sharply higher, and dollar deposit balances that had fallen are now rising again, banking officials said. While the won has strengthened recently, demand has also picked up on fears the rate could jump back above 1,500 won per dollar, drawing bargain buyers. As of April 24, dollar deposits at South Korea’s five major banks — KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori and NH NongHyup — totaled about $64.118 billion, the financial sector said Monday. That was up $5.28532 billion, or 8.8%, from $59.272 billion at the end of March. Dollar deposits are foreign-currency accounts that convert won into dollars at the exchange rate at the time of deposit. Balances have moved with the exchange rate. Deposits at the five banks surged from $56.33355 billion in October last year to $65.68157 billion in December as the average won-dollar rate climbed from 1,423 won in October to 1,467 won in December, reflecting stronger demand to buy dollars on expectations of further won weakness. This year, deposits edged up from $65.667 billion at the end of January to $65.842 billion at the end of February as uncertainty persisted with the exchange rate fluctuating in the mid-1,400s. But after the U.S.-Iran war broke out at the end of February and the exchange rate spiked, the trend reversed. Dollar deposits fell to $59.272 billion at the end of March, down about 10% from the previous month, as individuals and companies sold dollars amid a sustained high exchange rate. The won-dollar rate ended weekly trading in the 1,500s on March 19 for the first time in 17 years. The Bank of Korea said the average won-dollar rate in March was 1,486 won, close to 1,500. Banks said the rebound this month reflects both a temporary pullback in the exchange rate and growing expectations that elevated levels could persist, prompting customers to buy dollars in advance. With swings widening, both households and companies have reacted quickly. “Since the war, the exchange rate has moved in and out of the 1,500s, and there’s a sense that 1,470 to 1,480 won is a bargain-buying opportunity,” a commercial bank official said. “A pattern is forming where people sell when the rate rises and waiting demand comes in when it falls.” Some analysts cautioned it is too early to view the rebound as a lasting shift, citing the risk of renewed volatility if the war drags on, including after a second ceasefire negotiation between the United States and Iran fell through. “Since the start of the year, dollar deposit balances have moved very quickly depending on exchange-rate changes,” another commercial bank official said. “With uncertainty still high, volatility is likely to continue in the near term.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 16:04:12

FractionAI Commercializes Agent-Based AI Index Platform for Asset Management FractionAI has commercialized an index solution designed to comprehensively support AI agent-based asset management. The company said the platform goes beyond conventional automated trading by integrating the full workflow—from natural-language strategy design to execution, validation and learning. Rather than applying only pre-defined algorithms, the core function is converting a user’s trading idea written in everyday language into a strategy that can operate in real markets. Using advanced natural-language processing, the system analyzes narrative instructions and turns them into quantified investment rules. Elements such as entry timing, capital allocation and loss tolerance are not set in isolation but combined into a single logical structure so the overall strategy remains consistent. FractionAI said the approach is intended to lower the barrier for users who previously needed to code or enter complex formulas, while maintaining precision in strategy design. Before commercialization, the company ran simulated tests to check the conversion algorithm and validation framework. Participants were able to watch in real time as natural-language ideas were implemented as trading rules, helping verify accuracy and consistency. The process also served to refine user experience and confidence in the algorithm, the company said. Strategies are not deployed immediately. They first undergo simulated trading, or backtesting, using historical time-series data accumulated on the platform. In this stage, the system analyzes not only profitability but also loss volatility and vulnerabilities under specific market conditions. Users can revise and refine a strategy based on the results, then complete a final approval step before activating an automated trading agent—linking design, verification, improvement and execution in a single flow. After deployment, the system continues to collect data. Trading outcomes are recorded in detail, including profits and losses and response patterns across market phases, and are used as learning data for future improvements. FractionAI said this feedback structure is intended to support an adaptive system that can strengthen strategies over time, rather than simply executing trades automatically. The solution is designed for the cryptocurrency futures market. With high volatility and 24-hour trading, rapid execution and risk management are critical, making automated decision systems particularly useful. FractionAI said it built the platform to combine immediate strategy updates with continuous data-driven learning suited to that environment.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 16:03:16

iM Financial posts 154.5 billion won Q1 net profit as nonbank units lift results iM Financial Group said in a regulatory filing on the 28th that it posted 154.5 billion won ($) in net profit for the first quarter, up 0.1% from a year earlier. Net interest income rose 4.6% from last year. Noninterest income increased 8.3% as fee income grew despite heightened market volatility tied to external uncertainty. Return on equity attributable to controlling shareholders was 9.94% in the quarter, and return on assets was 0.60%, both slightly lower than a year earlier. The group’s preliminary common equity Tier 1 ratio was 11.99%. An iM Financial official said the group actively expanded its loan portfolio from the start of the year in line with its transition to a nationwide bank and the government’s push for “productive finance.” The official said the group’s profit-generating capacity improved as fee income rose even amid greater volatility. By subsidiary, iM Bank posted 120.6 billion won in first-quarter net profit. Corporate loans and household loans grew 3.6% and 1.2%, respectively, lifting total won-denominated loans by 2.7%. The delinquency ratio was 0.86%, and the nonperforming loan ratio was 0.83%. Over the same period, iM Securities, iM Life and iM Capital posted net profit of 21.7 billion won, 16.5 billion won and 19.3 billion won, respectively, helping drive results. Nonbank affiliates’ share of group profit rose to 34.0% from 30.3% in the first quarter of 2025. Separately, iM Financial announced shareholder return measures including a capital-reduction dividend (tax-free dividend) and share buybacks and cancellations. In February, it announced a 40 billion won share buyback and cancellation plan, and in March it secured 290 billion won in funding for tax-free dividends through a shareholders meeting resolution. Cheon Byeong-gyu, the group’s chief financial officer and executive vice president, said that with funding secured at the March shareholders meeting, the company expects a tangible increase in dividend income in 2026. He said the group will continue to review and carry out measures to boost shareholder value, including expanding share buybacks and cancellations. 2026-04-28 16:00:07

Yoon Ina Jumps to No. 39 in Women’s World Golf Ranking After Chevron T4 Yoon Ina climbed to No. 39 in the women’s world golf ranking after posting her best finish in a major at the LPGA Tour’s Chevron Championship. In the rankings released April 28 (Korea time), Yoon moved up 14 spots from No. 53 last week. Yoon tied for fourth at the Chevron Championship, which ended April 27, finishing at 12-under 276. Yoon, who debuted on the LPGA Tour last year, has built momentum this season. She tied for sixth at last month’s Ford Championship, then set a personal best with a solo fourth at the JM Eagle LA Championship, which ended April 20. She followed with another tie for fourth at the Chevron to record top-five finishes in consecutive weeks. The result also marked Yoon’s best showing in a major. Her previous best was a tie for 14th at last year’s U.S. Women’s Open. Nelly Korda of the United States, who won the season’s first major title, returned to No. 1 in the world ranking. Korda had surrendered the top spot to Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand in August last year and regained it after eight months. Among South Koreans, Kim Hyo-joo held at No. 3. Kim Sei-young slipped to No. 11. Lee Ye-won, who won the KLPGA Tour’s Duksin EPC Championship, rose 17 places to No. 52.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 15:59:22

New Books Spotlight: 'The Market Was Never Cold' and 'To the Young Person Asking About Life' The Market Was Never Cold= Luigino Bruni, translated by Lee Garam and others, Bokdodum. Drawing on history, philosophy, biblical studies and anthropology, Bruni argues that mainstream economics — often symbolized by the “invisible hand” — has limits when it treats markets as purely cold and efficient. He challenges modern economic logic that prioritizes efficiency above all else and calls for restoring the market economy’s “human face.” Bruni, an economics professor at LUMSA University in Rome and a leading scholar of civil economy, traces roughly 1,000 years of history from the Middle Ages to the present. He revisits the Franciscan movement’s emphasis on fraternity and argues that ties such as trust, solidarity, friendship and mercy — often overlooked by mainstream economics — are core elements that sustain markets. He says modern economics elevated efficiency while pushing relationships and emotions out of market life. The result, he argues, was material abundance alongside broader unhappiness driven by the loss of relationships. Bruni describes market exchange as evolving over time from relationship-based giving and receiving to contract-based trade among strangers, and says trust, friendship and cooperation are decisive for economic sustainability. He calls for restoring humanity to the center of economics through “philia” — friendship among peers — and “agape,” love given without expecting anything in return, as a way to answer the basic question of how to live well together. “When the parties’ income or bargaining power objectively places them in a situation of economic inequality, can we create a market relationship with fraternity? Some may think not. To find an answer, let’s return to Smith’s example of the customer and the baker. For instance, if the baker works at a small bakery in the suburbs and the customer is a wealthy city banker, can their relationship be called ‘fraternal’? (omitted) If civil society wants to develop feelings of friendship and mutual aid, it should encourage its members to be well-disposed even toward people who are different from them in many ways, including economically. Even if we make a very critical judgment of the given social and economic system, no one can tell us not to experience certain economic encounters here and now as brothers.” (pp. 334–335) To the Young Person Asking About Life=Seo Jae-gyeong, Kimyoungsa From Hermann Hesse’s “Demian” to Yu Seong-ryong’s “Jingbirok,” the author recommends 100 books meant to serve as guides when readers lose their sense of direction. As the title suggests, the selections are aimed at young people facing questions at life’s crossroads, drawing on philosophy, history and literature. Seo says a “map of the mind” formed through reading can become both a way of seeing the world and a marker along life’s journey, offering encouragement to find direction rather than urging speed. The book is organized into seven “paths,” including: a heart that bends but does not break; light that reflects one another; the power to see beyond; reading the direction of the wind; how the world’s forces move; big waves made by small wingbeats; and skills for enduring life. Readers can choose sections based on taste or pick specific titles. Seo’s summaries are intended to help before reading and to help readers review and reflect afterward. “Kafka’s existential literature reaches its peak in ‘The Metamorphosis.’ The anxiety that, the moment a person loses a place in society, the meaning of existence can be erased as well reflects the existential condition of modern people. Gregor, turned into an insect, is not only a literary figure but can be another self-portrait of those easily labeled in the real world as incompetent, left behind, irregular workers or the unemployed. It is also a passage that overlaps with the image of an unemployed breadwinner within a modern Korean family. The work sends a gaze of compassion and understanding toward such people, while also making the reader reflect on their own gaze.” (pp. 55–56) 2026-04-28 15:55:34

Vietnam’s $67B North-South High-Speed Rail Spurs Financing Race as China Emerges Rival Vietnam is moving ahead with its North-South high-speed rail project, a national initiative estimated at $67 billion (about 98.9925 trillion won), as China emerges as a major rival in the global bidding race. With a public-private partnership, or PPP, seen as the likely approach, financing capacity is becoming a key factor in who wins contracts. Vietnam has completed a feasibility study and is drawing up plans to tender construction for some sections under a PPP model, the construction industry said April 28. The project would build a 350 kph rail line spanning 1,541 kilometers from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. It also includes related infrastructure: 23 passenger stations, five freight stations and nine depots. More than half of the route is expected to pass through urban areas, and bridges are estimated to account for about 60% of construction. Under PPPs, private firms build and operate public infrastructure while the government provides compensation and policy support. Vietnam, facing costs too large to cover with public funds alone, has sought to boost investment incentives by establishing a PPP law in 2020. It also introduced a loss-sharing mechanism under which the government covers part of the shortfall if revenue falls below 75% of projections. In South Korea, a dedicated task force has been formed centered on Korea Railroad Corp., or Korail, with Korea Overseas Infrastructure & Urban Development Corp., known as KIND, assigned a financing support role. Because a PPP structure is more likely than a standard contracting model, industry officials say competitiveness will hinge not only on technology but also on the ability to raise funds. China, in particular, has become a strong competitor, leveraging its capital strength and experience in Vietnam’s infrastructure market. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently highlighted rail cooperation in talks with Vietnam’s leadership, signaling Beijing’s intent to pursue the project. China has already won and advanced the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong railway project. Japan and France are also expected to compete, citing high-speed rail technologies such as the Shinkansen and TGV. A key concern is the scale of South Korea’s financing support. KIND can increase capital up to its statutory limit of 2 trillion won, but its paid-in capital stands at 658.6 billion won, limiting its ability to back a project of roughly 100 trillion won. Additional bond issuance is also capped at no more than five times the combined total of paid-in capital and reserves. Because KIND typically participates through equity investment, its capital ceiling effectively sets its investment limit, sharply reducing capacity as project size grows. Park Yongjeong, head of the industrial research office at Hyundai Research Institute, said large projects make it difficult for domestic companies to raise all investment funds on their own, increasing the need for government support. “Countries or companies that can bring in financing smoothly will inevitably have an advantage,” Park said. Given KIND’s overall limits, “investment capacity is not that large when viewed on a project-by-project basis,” he said, calling for stronger institutional measures to address capital constraints so equity participation and investment capacity can expand. 2026-04-28 15:54:21

H2G Green Signs MOU With Thailand’s SCN to Supply Bio LNG in ASEAN Singapore-based energy company H2G Green said it signed a nonbinding memorandum of understanding on April 24 with Thailand’s Scan Inter (SCN), which handles natural gas supply, to provide bio liquefied natural gas. The agreement aims to build a stable low-carbon fuel supply chain in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region outside Thailand. H2G Green signed the MOU through its LNG logistics unit, GasHub United Utility. The MOU is valid for one year. GasHub United will handle distribution and supply-chain development, while SCN will supply the bio LNG. GasHub United has experience in last-mile LNG deliveries to Singapore’s industrial sector, including aviation, food manufacturing and engineering, and plans to expand its business in bioenergy using its existing supply chain.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 15:50:15

Hyundai Engineering & Construction Q1 Operating Profit Falls 15.4% to 180.9 Billion Won Hyundai Engineering & Construction said in a regulatory filing on the 28th that its first-quarter operating profit on a consolidated basis fell 15.4% from a year earlier to 180.9 billion won, based on preliminary results. Revenue declined 15.8% to 6.2813 trillion won. Net profit rose 24.0% to 206.8 billion won. The company said it expects quarterly profit to improve gradually, citing better profitability in its housing business and the phased completion of high-cost plant projects. Its operating margin held at 2.9%, in line with its full-year target. Orders for the quarter totaled 3.9621 trillion won, with gains in the energy segment including the Pocheon pumped-storage power plant and preliminary work for the Wando Geumil offshore wind project. Hyundai Engineering & Construction said it expects major project awards to pick up from the second quarter, including a U.S. electric arc furnace steel mill, the Palisades small modular reactor (SMR) and the Bokjeong station-area development, making it likely to meet its annual order target of 33.4 trillion won. Its order backlog was tallied at 92.1237 trillion won, equivalent to about 3.4 years of work. Cash and cash equivalents, including short-term financial products, stood at 3.8515 trillion won. The current ratio was 149.8% and the debt ratio was 157.6%. The company said its credit rating is AA-, among the highest in the industry. Hyundai Engineering & Construction said it plans to pursue contracts within the year tied to nuclear power projects including the Palisades SMR and the “Matador Project,” a combined energy and artificial intelligence campus development by U.S. energy developer Fermi America. It also plans to expand its energy business in Europe, including Bulgaria, Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands. A company official said that with external uncertainty persisting, including global geopolitical risks and volatility in raw material prices, the firm is focusing on strict risk management and strengthening its business fundamentals. The official said the company plans to reinforce its energy portfolio, including nuclear power, under a proactive management system to build a resilient business structure that can withstand market shifts. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 15:49:30

Vietnam Restarts Ninh Thuan Nuclear Project, Intensifying Competition for Early Deals President Lee Jae-myung’s recent state visit to Vietnam has sharpened attention among South Korean builders on Vietnam’s large infrastructure pipeline, as expectations grow that the country and the broader Southeast Asian market could open more fully for nuclear power plants and data centers, both still at an early stage. Industry officials expect competition to intensify as companies seek an early foothold. According to foreign media reports cited on April 28, the Vietnamese government recently completed site surveys and approval procedures for Unit 2 of the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project. The Ninh Thuan project, ordered by Vietnam Electricity (EVN), calls for building Units 1 and 2 in Ninh Thuan province with a combined capacity of 4 to 6.4 gigawatts. Unit 1 is targeted to begin operating in 2030 and Unit 2 in 2035. Russia has secured preferred bidder status for Unit 1. The competitive landscape for Unit 2 has shifted after Japan withdrew, citing construction schedule burdens. Korea Electric Power Corp. has moved to enter the bidding, signing a memorandum of understanding with EVN on cooperation in power infrastructure and pushing a “one-team” approach. Unit 2 is planned at 2 to 3.2 gigawatts, with an estimated cost of about $22 billion, or roughly 32 trillion won. South Korean companies are seeking an edge by pointing to experience from the UAE’s Barakah nuclear plant and the Dukovany nuclear project in the Czech Republic. Construction firms are also repositioning. Daewoo Engineering & Construction created a new Global Infrastructure Division by integrating its overseas business and nuclear units to support expansion in nuclear projects. Hyundai Engineering & Construction and POSCO E&C are also preparing to enter the Southeast Asian nuclear market. Companies view the contest as more than a single contract, describing it as a bridgehead into Southeast Asia’s nuclear market. Vietnam’s power generation mix is about 10% gas, 47% coal and 0% nuclear, leaving room for a shift. Under its eighth national power development plan, known as PDP8, the Vietnamese government has set diversification of energy sources, including nuclear, and modernization of power infrastructure as key tasks. Malaysia and Thailand have also formally stated plans to introduce nuclear power, raising expectations that the regional market could expand. With energy security drawing more attention after geopolitical risks in the Middle East, demand for nuclear power is also rising, the article said. “Because Southeast Asia’s nuclear market is still in its early stages, this bidding round will be a turning point that determines who secures an early lead,” an official at the International Contractors Association of Korea said. South Korean builders also cite accumulated experience in Vietnam as a competitive advantage, built through housing and commercial projects as well as plants, bridges and roads. Daewoo E&C pointed to its Hanoi Starlake City mixed-use development, where it handled development, investment and construction, as a flagship success. GS Engineering & Construction has expanded its presence through the Ho Chi Minh City Nha Be new town development and the NSRP refining and petrochemical plant project. Data centers are emerging as another growth area. In line with Vietnam’s digital transformation strategy, builders are pursuing projects that combine data centers with urban infrastructure. Daewoo E&C and GS E&C, working with SaigonTel and FPT Corp., respectively, plan to start with data centers of several dozen megawatts and expand in phases, while also pursuing smart city development. A Daewoo E&C official said Starlake City is a large mixed-use project expected to host relocated central government ministries and major companies, adding that follow-on development is being pursued not only in Hanoi but also in key areas including Ho Chi Minh City. 2026-04-28 15:48:26