Comedian Choi Yang-rak Says He Moved to Australia After Being Told He Was Too Old Comedian Choi Yang-rak has explained why he once moved to Australia. Choi appeared as a guest on the tvN STORY program “Namgyeoseo Mwohage,” which aired on the 27th. On the show, Lee Young-ja said it felt abrupt when he announced he was moving to Australia and asked why he stopped appearing on TV at the height of his career. Choi said it happened in 1998, when he was hosting “Good Friends” with Nam Hee-seok. “I was told the bureau chief wanted to see me, so I went, and I was notified I was being fired,” Choi said. “I was 38, and they said I was too old. So I left for Australia in anger.” Choi said only one person in his family of four had a job at the time. “Only my daughter had the ‘job’ of being a student, and the rest of us were unemployed,” he said, adding that taking his daughter to and from school was his only daily routine. He said he went with the money he had saved but was in no position to earn a living there. “I didn’t speak English, and I had no skills,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my life.” Choi said he kept writing comedy after emigrating, and that his wife urged him to return to South Korea. He said she told him, “Let’s go back to Korea. You can do it,” and helped him prepare for a comeback, including getting him double-eyelid surgery and a short haircut. He said he returned with the new look and performed “alkkagi,” expressing gratitude to his wife, Paeng Hyun-sook, for helping him revive his career. 2026-04-28 08:39:24

Bitcoin Slips to $77,064 as U.S.-Iran Talks Stall U.S.-Iran negotiations have stalled, pushing bitcoin lower. Bitcoin was trading at $77,064 as of 8 a.m. on the 28th, down 1.66% from the previous day, according to CoinMarketCap. The price briefly topped $79,000 intraday on the 27th, nearing $80,000, before turning lower. The decline followed the breakdown of face-to-face talks between the United States and Iran, with the two sides unable to find common ground. Iran proposed discussing the nuclear issue after a pause in the war and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz under Pakistani mediation. The White House has maintained a cautious stance, saying it is reviewing the matter internally. President Trump has repeatedly said he would not allow Iran to possess nuclear weapons, prompting assessments that Washington is unlikely to accept Iran’s proposal. Major altcoins also fell. Ethereum slipped 0.04% to $1, Solana dropped 2.58% to $85, and XRP fell 2.22% to $1.39. In South Korea, bitcoin on the won-based exchange Bithumb was down 0.7% from the previous day at 114.93 million won (about $78,047) at the same time. The so-called “kimchi premium,” in which domestic prices trade above overseas levels, stood at 1.26%. 2026-04-28 08:30:18

NIA Exports Seoul Station 5G Open RAN Testbed Technology to U.S. Hospital in $21 Million Deal The National Information Society Agency, or NIA, said April 28 it has exported the “Seoul Station 5G specialized network Open RAN demonstration network,” built under a Ministry of Science and ICT competitive project, to a large hospital in Alabama. The project was carried out in 2025 by GNTEL. It combined LG Electronics’ software-based virtualized radio access network base station (vRAN) with Open RAN radio units (O-RU) from three manufacturers: Gigalane, Wave Electronics and Samji Electronics. NIA said the system, made entirely with Korean equipment, achieved performance comparable to or better than global vendors and proved its capabilities through global certification (OTIC). The exported equipment is scheduled to be deployed starting in August to build 5G specialized-network communications infrastructure at the Alabama hospital. NIA said the export volume is significantly larger than the Seoul Station test site, with vRAN about seven times higher and small and midsize companies’ Open RAN radio units about 30 times higher. The export value is about 2.1 billion won, exceeding the government funding invested in the Seoul Station Open RAN project. “This export is a major achievement that proves the technological strength of Korean wireless network equipment in the global market,” NIA President Kim Hyeong-cheol said. “We will continue to provide full support to help our companies expand their global reach.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 08:28:03

S&P 500, Nasdaq Close at Record Highs on Big Tech Earnings Optimism U.S. stocks ended higher and pushed the S&P 500 and Nasdaq to fresh record closes on expectations for strong Big Tech earnings, even as U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks remained stalled. On April 27 (local time), the S&P 500 rose 8.83 points, or 0.12%, to 7,173.91, and the Nasdaq composite gained 50.50 points, or 0.20%, to 24,887.10 on the New York Stock Exchange. Both indexes set record highs for a second straight session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 62.92 points, or 0.13%, to 49,167.79. With five of the so-called “Magnificent Seven” mega-cap tech companies due to report results this week, investors kept betting on upside surprises tied to the artificial intelligence boom. Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon and Meta are scheduled to report on April 29, and Apple is set to release results the next day, April 30. Reuters reported that of 139 S&P 500 companies that had posted first-quarter results through April 24, 81% beat market expectations. Based on LSEG data, Wall Street analysts raised their forecast for S&P 500 companies’ earnings per share growth this year to 16.1% from 14.4% earlier this month, supporting expectations the rally can continue. Oil prices, however, climbed after a second round of ceasefire talks between the United States and Iran failed to materialize and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz continued, limiting gains in equities. Brent crude settled up 2.8% at $108.23 a barrel. It neared $110 intraday, its highest level in about three weeks since April 7. Some analysts said war-related risks remain the key variable. “Until the situation in the Strait of Hormuz is more controlled, it will be difficult for the market to stabilize,” Gabriel Shahin of Falcon Wealth told CNBC. “That’s why I see the Iran issue as still the top variable.” Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve is set to hold a Federal Open Market Committee meeting April 28-29 to discuss the direction of monetary policy. Markets broadly expect the Fed to keep its benchmark rate unchanged at 3.50% to 3.75%. Investors are focused on what Fed Chair Jerome Powell signals about recent economic conditions and the policy outlook at his April 29 news conference.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 08:27:16

NH NongHyup Bank Named Korail Retail’s Main Bank Through March 2031 NH NongHyup Bank said April 28 it was selected as the main bank for Korail Retail, a public institution under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, after winning an open bidding process. The main-bank agreement ceremony was held the previous day at Korail Retail’s headquarters in Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo district. Attendees included Lee Young-woo, executive vice president and head of NH NongHyup Bank’s Agriculture · Public Finance Division, and Park Jeong-hyeon, Korail Retail’s CEO, along with other officials. Under the agreement, NH NongHyup Bank will handle key financial services for Korail Retail through the end of March 2031, including managing operating funds, supporting corporate card operations and providing financial services for employees. Lee said the bank will provide stable and efficient financial services through cooperation with Korail Retail and will continue strengthening its financial support capabilities for public institutions.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 08:24:15

Daishin Securities Keeps Hanwha Ocean Target at 164,000 Won on Merchant Ship Gains Daishin Securities on Monday said Hanwha Ocean’s merchant ship business is expected to drive overall profit growth, keeping its target price at 164,000 won and its “buy” rating. In a report, Daishin analyst Lee Jin-yi said the merchant ship division is “showing operating leverage” as it repeatedly builds high-margin, high-priced vessels and improves production efficiency. Lee said Hanwha Ocean posted first-quarter revenue of 3.2099 trillion won, up 2.1% from a year earlier, and operating profit of 441.1 billion won, up 70.6%. He said profit at the merchant ship division rose sharply “without one-off factors.” He cited earlier deliveries from repeat-build effects and cost reductions as key drivers, adding that performance bonuses were decided to be reflected as a one-time year-end item, the same as last year. Lee said revenue recognition is expanding in earnest for high-priced orders won since 2023, and the company is maintaining a structure in which the share of high-margin prices centered on liquefied natural gas carriers, or LNGCs, is increasing. He said LNGC revenue share in overall merchant ships may dip slightly as the first tranche of Qatar volume drops out, but profit is expected to rise. He also said the special ship division could provide a near-term earnings cushion, with remaining change orders tied to U.S. maintenance, repair and overhaul, or MRO, work expected to be reflected in the second quarter. Over the medium term, he said fixed-cost pressure could ease if orders for the next-generation destroyer program, known as KDDX, and a Thai frigate become visible within the second to third quarter. Lee said the key issue is whether Hanwha Ocean wins an order in the first half for Canada’s next submarine program, CPSP. Hanwha Ocean said a day earlier, in its consolidated first-quarter filing, that the merchant ship division led earnings growth on the back of high-priced projects and LNG carrier orders.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 08:22:06

South Korea Tightens Oversight of Local Tourism Projects With New Performance Rules The South Korean government is moving to curb chronic budget waste and delays in regional tourism development projects by tightening oversight of local governments and expanding performance-based management. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said it promulgated an amendment to the Tourism Promotion Act on April 28 that introduces a performance management system for subsidy-supported projects run by local governments. The revised law will take effect Oct. 29. The amendment calls for a comprehensive management framework covering the full project cycle, from planning through completion and post-completion. The ministry said the move reflects a push to address repeated concerns raised during the National Assembly’s annual settlement reviews about weak performance and insufficient management of regional tourism projects. ◆ Tighter reviews for projects of 10 billion won or more; tailored consulting for delays The ministry outlined three main changes. First, projects with total costs of 10 billion won or more will be designated as priority evaluation targets. Authorities will assess implementation results and analyze economic effects, then feed identified problems back into the projects with recommended fixes. Second, the government will build a “Tourism Development Integrated Information System” to track the status of local projects receiving national subsidies, including administrative histories and lists of underperforming projects. Third, projects running at least 30% behind schedule compared with their plans will be eligible for tailored consulting by experts. The ministry said the support will diagnose causes of delays and offer solutions by area, including legal issues, construction, content planning and facility operations, to help projects finish on time. ◆ Higher bar for subsidies; dedicated agency to be named within the year Requirements for receiving national subsidies will also be tightened. Local governments seeking national funding will be required to submit documents proving they have secured project sites and completed reviews for local fiscal investment and loans. To help the new system take hold, the ministry said it plans to designate a dedicated agency within this year and prepare detailed implementation measures. Kang Jeong-won, director general for tourism policy at the ministry, said the performance management system would reduce similar or overlapping investments and help projects be completed on schedule. “It will improve the efficiency of fiscal investment and strengthen regional tourism competitiveness,” Kang said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 08:21:18

Naver Launches Beta of AI Search ‘AI Tab’ for Naver Plus Members Naver has launched a beta version of its artificial intelligence search service, “AI Tab,” for Naver Plus membership users. The company said April 28 that AI Tab is available from Naver’s PC main search bar, below AI Briefing, and in integrated search results for Shopping and Place. Naver plans to expand access to all users in the first half of this year. AI Tab is a conversational AI search service designed to reflect a user’s intent and context and allow continued exploration through follow-up questions. Naver said the service is built to handle a wide range of queries, from everyday questions to searches with multiple conditions. It cited examples such as asking what to do with a girlfriend tomorrow, or requesting a recommendation in Gangnam for a cafe suitable for studying that has power outlets, spacious seating and many reviews mentioning those features. Users can refine results with additional questions. Naver also said it strengthened links across its services — including integrated search, Shopping, Place, Blog and Cafe — to reduce the need to switch between services and to show related information on a single screen. The company said it combined user-generated content and service data accumulated on its platform to improve search efficiency. For example, when a user asks for a “good date cafe near Hwadam Forest with a great view,” AI Tab provides results by combining Place information, visitor reviews and blog content, Naver said. Users can proceed from viewing details to making reservations on a PC screen. During the beta period, Naver said it will use user feedback to improve response speed and answer accuracy and to enhance performance for complex queries. It also plans to strengthen multimodal search this year by linking AI Tab with Smart Lens. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 08:15:17

Lotte World adds MapleStory unit to daily parade, launches Pink Bean photo sessions Lotte World Adventure said Monday it will run a new MapleStory-themed parade segment and character photo sessions, building on the popularity of its “Maple Island Zone,” created in partnership with Nexon’s online game “MapleStory.” The Maple Island Zone at Lotte World’s Magic Island has drawn long lines since it opened on April 3, the company said. In response, Lotte World Adventure has added MapleStory elements to its “Let’s Play! Lotty’s Adventure Parade,” held daily at 2 p.m. on the first-floor parade route since April 24. The newly added MapleStory unit vehicle is inspired by Ludibrium, the game’s toy kingdom. MapleStory characters Orange Mushroom and Slime lead the unit, followed by dancers themed as Brown Tenny, Pink Tenny, Blockpus and a drum-beating rabbit. The highlight is a Ludibrium-style vehicle designed like a colorful toy-block castle, with special effects including moving wind-up parts and spinning propellers. The boss monster Pink Bean rides on top and greets spectators. Lotte World is also introducing a character photo event, “Smile with MapleStory,” to extend the parade experience. The event will run twice daily through June 14, at 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. At 12:30 p.m., visitors can take photos with Pink Bean at the first-floor Meeting Plaza. At 5:30 p.m., the photo session will be held at the seasonal photo zone across from the plaza. Details on locations and schedules are available on the Lotte World Adventure website.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 07:48:27

Plane Crashes Near South Sudan Capital Juba, Killing 14 On Board An aircraft crashed near South Sudan’s capital, Juba, killing all 14 people on board, according to reports. Reuters and Yonhap reported on the 27th (local time) that the passengers included 13 travelers and one pilot. All but two Kenyan nationals were South Sudanese. The plane, operated by low-cost carrier (LLC) Citylink, was flying from Yei in central South Sudan to Juba International Airport when it lost communications. South Sudanese authorities are investigating the cause. They said poor weather may have reduced visibility and contributed to the crash.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 07:24:16