South Korean Won Strengthens to 1,440s on Easing Middle East Tensions The South Korean won strengthened into the 1,440s against the U.S. dollar for the first time in about 2 1/2 months as expectations of easing Middle East tensions revived risk appetite. In Seoul trading, the won was quoted at 1,447.9 per dollar as of 9:20 a.m. Thursday. The exchange rate opened at 1,448.6, down 6.5 won from the previous session, and fell into the 1,440s during intraday trading. It was the first time the rate returned to the 1,440s since Feb. 27, just before the outbreak of the Middle East war. Sentiment improved after renewed expectations for a final agreement between the United States and Iran, lifting risk-on moves across global markets. Overnight, U.S. President Donald Trump said in a media interview that he had “very good talks” with Iran over the past 24 hours and that “there is a very big chance” of reaching a deal. U.S. stocks rose broadly on optimism over negotiations to end the war. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.24%, the S&P 500 rose 1.46% and the Nasdaq composite climbed 2.02%. The dollar index, which measures the greenback against six major currencies, was up 0.021 at 98.029. Min Kyeong-won, an economist at Woori Bank, said markets are “betting on the possibility of a deal,” adding that continued foreign inflows into South Korean stocks could spur offshore selling and increase downward pressure on the exchange rate. She said demand for dollars from importers’ payments and residents’ currency conversions for overseas stock investment is supporting the downside. With Wall Street hitting fresh highs, she added, demand could return as residents seek to buy more U.S. stocks.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-07 09:30:18

Davichi’s Kang Min-kyung denies using staff for solo Shanghai vlog, says she used tripod Davichi singer Kang Min-kyung has addressed criticism over how she filmed a YouTube video, denying claims that staff accompanied her on a solo trip. In a post on her YouTube channel, “Gyeong Mingyeong,” Kang said on the 6th that she has been “struggling to film vlogs on my own,” adding that it has now been nine years. “I’ve kept at it for nearly 10 years, so I thought people might recognize it by now, but I guess I still have a long way to go,” she said. She explained that one scene that drew attention was shot after she briefly set up a small tripod outside a restaurant so viewers could feel what she was feeling. Kang said the angle was possible because Shanghai, unlike parts of Europe, does not carry as high a risk of pickpocketing. She said she was offering a detailed explanation because some viewers questioned whether she had traveled with staff despite describing it as a solitary trip. “If it hadn’t been a trip I took alone, there would have been no reason to say it that way,” she said. Kang uploaded the video, titled “A solitary trip to Shanghai for the first time in 36 years,” to her channel on April 26. After a mid-video shot appeared to show someone filming her, some internet users raised suspicions that staff were present. Kang debuted in 2008 as part of Davichi. After the group scored a hit with its first album’s title track, “I Love You Even If I Hate You,” it released songs including “8282,” “Don’t Say Goodbye” and “Time, Stop.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-07 09:27:54

KT Overhauls Security Systems to Rebuild Customer Trust KT said Thursday it will push a sweeping overhaul of its companywide information security system, centered on a newly formed Information Security Office, as it works to restore customer trust. The company said it will shift to an always-on prevention and proactive response posture through an integrated governance structure led by its chief information security officer and chief privacy officer. KT said it will also upgrade customer protection and complaint-handling systems through its previously launched “Customer Protection 365” task force. The Information Security Office will coordinate with the task force to quickly review and respond to concerns involving customer personal data and to raise protection standards across technology, organization and processes. To strengthen outside expertise and objectivity, KT said it will form an external advisory committee and build a security ecosystem linked to the security industry and academia. KT said it will run a companywide consultative body to manage security risks across IT, network and service operations, and will revamp its end-to-end incident response process to enable faster, more consistent action. The company said it will bolster security management to keep pace with advances in artificial intelligence, including using AI agents for penetration testing. It also plans to enhance integrated security monitoring to improve threat detection and blocking, and to tighten controls across tangible and intangible assets such as in-home devices, outdoor base stations and software. KT said it will also reorganize its privacy protection framework, refining internal controls under the CPO and strengthening reporting to the board to raise compliance standards. Lee Sang-woon, KT’s CISO and an executive director, said, “Centered on the Information Security Office, we will build a trust-based foundation that can safely protect customers’ daily lives and data, and establish a security system that supports our transition into an AX platform company.” The measures follow a hacking incident involving an illegal small base station, or femtocell, that occurred in September last year. The cyberattack using the illegal femtocell exposed subscriber identification information for more than 20,000 users and caused more than 200 million won in unauthorized small-amount payment losses, the company said. In December last year, KT said it would invest more than 1 trillion won in information security over the next five years to restore customer trust and overhaul its protection systems. It also said it would raise annual information security spending from about 125 billion won to about 200 billion won starting in 2026, focusing on AI-based security technology and infrastructure upgrades. 2026-05-07 09:27:05

South Korea’s Kospi briefly tops 7,500, sets another intraday record South Korea’s benchmark Kospi briefly climbed above 7,500 early Thursday, setting another intraday record. According to the Korea Exchange, the Kospi was up 52.22 points, or 0.71%, at 7,436.78 as of 9:07 a.m. It opened at 7,499.07, up 114.51 points (1.55%) from the previous session, then extended gains and touched 7,500 shortly after the bell. Brokerages said profit momentum led by semiconductors and foreign investor flows were supporting further upside. Han Ji-young, a researcher at Kiwoom Securities, said the Kospi still has room to rise, led by market bellwethers such as chipmakers, as “the sustainability of foreigners’ ‘buy Korea’ trend — with net buying in the 6 trillion won range since May — is unfolding alongside improving profit momentum.” In trading flows, retail investors stood out as net buyers. Individuals bought a net 4.0082 trillion won in the main market, helping lift the index. Foreigners and institutions, meanwhile, sold a net 2.8396 trillion won and 1.2019 trillion won, respectively, in what appeared to be profit-taking. Most large-cap shares were higher, including Samsung Electronics (up 1.88%), SK hynix (0.81%), SK Square (1.01%), Hyundai Motor (5.64%), Doosan Enerbility (7.17%) and Samsung Electro-Mechanics (0.33%). LG Energy Solution fell 1.24%, while Hanwha Aerospace slid 3.07% and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries dropped 4.01%. The Kosdaq turned lower. As of the same time, the tech-heavy index was down 2.90 points, or 0.24%, at 1,207.27. It opened up 0.66 point (0.05%) at 1,210.83 but gave up gains and moved into negative territory. In the Kosdaq market, foreigners and institutions were net buyers of 57.8 billion won and 24.8 billion won, respectively, while individuals were net sellers of 73.5 billion won. Moves among top Kosdaq stocks were mixed. EcoPro BM rose 1.75%, Alteogen gained 0.55%, Kolon TissueGene jumped 8.78%, ABL Bio added 1.18% and LigaChem Bio climbed 2.49%. EcoPro fell 1.97%, Rainbow Robotics slipped 1.14%, Samchundang Pharm dropped 1.35% and Lino Industrial declined 1.29%. Overnight, U.S. stocks ended higher on expectations for negotiations to end the war between the United States and Iran. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 1.46% and 2.02%, respectively, to record highs, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.24%.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-07 09:23:09

New imaging technique uses LED light to map material structures in 3D SEOUL, May 07 (AJP) - A joint research team has developed a new imaging technology that uses standard light-emitting diodes to look inside materials and map their complex internal structures in three dimensions. The method, called incoherent Dielectric Tensor Tomography, allows scientists to see how molecules are arranged without using high-powered lasers or destroying the sample, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology said Thursday. The project was a collaborative effort involving teams led by Professor Park Yong-keun at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Professor Hong Seung-mo at Asan Medical Center, and Professor Jeon Seok-woo at Korea University. By precisely controlling the polarization and angle of the light-emitting diode (LED) light, the researchers performed 48 independent measurements to reconstruct a 3x3 matrix known as a dielectric tensor. This mathematical model describes how a material reacts to light from all directions, revealing its unique optical fingerprint. While previous versions of this technology relied on laser systems, they were often hindered by visual noise and were sensitive to tiny vibrations in the room. By switching to LED light, the team eliminated this noise and made the system stable enough for use in standard laboratories or industrial settings. In comparative tests, the incoherent Dielectric Tensor Tomography (iDTT) system visualized microscopic molecular arrangements that were previously obscured by noise in laser-based systems. The research team demonstrated the practical utility of the technique across several fields. They successfully visualized the 3D alignment of molecules within liquid crystal particles and performed observations of fibrosis in colon tissue without using chemical dyes. The system also automatically distinguished between different crystalline substances, such as quartz and calcium chloride, based solely on how they reacted to light. The iDTT technology is expected to have applications in materials science, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and biomedicine. In the pharmaceutical sector, it could serve as a tool for identifying drug polymorphs, which are different crystalline forms of the same molecule that can alter how a drug works in the body. In medicine, it provides a non-destructive way to analyze the environment around tumors by measuring the 3D orientation of collagen fibers. "This research presents the possibility of replacing material anisotropy measurements, which previously relied on large-scale facilities or destructive analysis, with small optical microscopes," Professor Park said, adding: "As LED-based measurement has become stable, it will become a new standard for non-destructive precision analysis in various industrial fields." (Reference Information) Journal/Source: Nature Photonics Title: Incoherent dielectric tensor tomography for quantitative three-dimensional measurement of biaxial anisotropy Link/DOI: https://bit.ly/48MKvF3 2026-05-07 09:22:25

LS Eco Energy Moves to Commercialize 400kV Extra-High-Voltage Cables, Targets U.S. Market LS Eco Energy is moving to commercialize high-end 400-kilovolt (kV) extra-high-voltage power cables as it steps up its push into the global power market, including the United States. The company said Wednesday that its Vietnam manufacturing unit, LS-VINA, will begin international certification and PQ testing for 400kV-class extra-high-voltage cables. It plans to complete a year of performance verification and long-term operating reliability evaluation, then start mass production in the second half of next year. PQ is a key process that evaluates long-term stability of an entire system on the assumption it will be used on an actual transmission grid. It is widely seen as a requirement for winning major global transmission projects. LS-VINA currently produces cables up to 230kV. The 400kV class has been a flagship extra-high-voltage product line produced by LS Cable & System. Once the project is completed, LS Eco Energy will secure an extra-high-voltage portfolio comparable to the LS Cable & System headquarters level, the company said. The 400kV class is used for national backbone transmission networks, large industrial complexes, AI data centers, and grid connections for offshore wind and solar power. It enables long-distance, high-capacity transmission and is a high value-added product category that requires strict quality and stability standards. Global demand for extra-high-voltage cables has been rising quickly as data center power needs grow and as the United States and Europe replace aging grids and expand transmission investment, the company said. Industry forecasts estimate annual U.S. electricity demand will rise from about 4,100 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2024 to more than 5,000 TWh by 2030, driven by expanding AI data centers. LS Eco Energy recently secured U.S. certification for 230kV-class cables, laying the groundwork for market entry. If it also secures PQ for the 400kV class, it expects to be able to participate in bids for major global transmission projects, strengthening its competitiveness. A company official said, "Entering the 400kV class will be an opportunity to accelerate expansion into advanced markets and speed a shift to a profitability-focused business structure."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-07 09:22:16

Trump Halted 'Project Freedom' After Saudi, Gulf Allies Withheld Base and Airspace Access U.S. President Donald Trump halted “Project Freedom,” an operation aimed at helping ships transit the Strait of Hormuz, after pushback from key Gulf allies, NBC News reported. NBC News, citing two U.S. officials, reported May 6 that Trump abruptly reversed his plan to support ships passing through the strait after core Gulf partners withdrew permission for U.S. forces to use their bases and airspace for the mission. According to the report, Trump announced Project Freedom over the weekend on Truth Social as a way to break Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement was made without sufficient prior coordination with some Gulf allies and drew objections from Saudi Arabia’s leadership, the officials said. Saudi Arabia notified the United States that it would not allow U.S. aircraft to launch from Prince Sultan Air Base southeast of Riyadh or permit flights through Saudi airspace to support the operation, the officials said. The issue was not resolved despite a call between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Trump had to pause the operation to regain access to critical airspace, the officials said. Project Freedom was designed to use U.S. military power to help ensure safe passage for ships if Iran threatened or attacked vessels transiting the strait. U.S. forces planned to provide surveillance assets, firepower and boarding teams to protect ships leaving the Persian Gulf. U.S. Central Command previously said two U.S.-flagged ships transited the strait as part of the operation. About 36 hours after the operation began, Trump ordered it halted. He said the pause would be brief to determine whether an agreement could be finalized and signed. U.S. military operations depend on Middle East allies Saudi cooperation is considered essential for U.S. operations. Prince Sultan Air Base hosts U.S. fighter jets, aerial refueling aircraft and air defense assets. One U.S. official told NBC News that for geographic reasons, using airspace along borders requires cooperation from regional partners and, in some cases, there is no alternative. NBC said military aircraft were expected to provide a “defensive umbrella” to protect ships during Project Freedom. Saudi Arabia and Jordan are important for basing aircraft, Kuwait for overflight, and Oman for overflight and naval logistics support. Analysts said that without adequate prior coordination with Gulf allies, any military operation tied to the Strait of Hormuz would be constrained. A Middle Eastern diplomat said the United States coordinated with Oman only after Trump’s announcement. “The U.S. coordinated with us after it made the announcement,” the diplomat said, adding, “We were not angry or furious.” A Saudi source, asked whether the announcement surprised Saudi leaders, said, “The issue is that everything is moving fast in real time.” The White House said regional allies were notified in advance. A White House official, asked whether some Gulf states were not informed beforehand, said, “Regional allies were notified in advance.” The pause also comes as talks on ending the war between the United States and Iran regain momentum. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said it is reviewing a new U.S. peace proposal and will discuss it with mediator Pakistan after completing its assessment. Trump said, “They want a deal,” and claimed there had been “very good talks” over the past 24 hours. In a PBS interview, Trump said a deal with Iran could be reached before he travels to Beijing for a meeting next week with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “I think there’s a very good chance it will end. And if it doesn’t end, we have to go back and bomb them like hell,” he said. Iranian hard-liners have warned against the U.S. proposal. Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for Iran’s parliament National Security Committee, wrote on X that the latest proposal is a wish list until it becomes reality and said, “The U.S. will not obtain through a failed war what it did not obtain in direct negotiations.” Still, some in the region said diplomacy remains the likelier outcome. A Jordanian official told NBC News, “Iran does not have the economic means to keep this going,” adding, “The economy is collapsing and it cannot even pay wages.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-07 09:21:16

KB Kookmin Bank Expands Support for Youth Leaving Care Through KB Dream Home Program KB Kookmin Bank is expanding inclusive-finance efforts, including support for youth preparing to live independently after leaving care. The bank said May 7 it has selected sites for its KB Dream Home program, which supports these young people. KB Dream Home is a corporate social responsibility initiative that offers capacity-building programs such as job counseling and help obtaining professional certificates. The goal is to help participants build a foundation for independence while living in a more comfortable housing environment. The program is part of KB Financial Group’s “KB National Happiness Hope Project.” The bank said it completed renovation work last year at independent-living facilities in five regional areas, starting with South Chungcheong Province and including Gwangju, Mokpo, Daejeon and Jeonju. This year, the bank plans to continue support for facilities nationwide. One facility in Seoul and four in regional areas — including Wonju in Gangwon Province and Cheongju in North Chungcheong Province — were selected for upgrades. The bank said it will carry out tailored remodeling based on on-site inspections. The bank has also continued other youth-support programs. Last month, it said it would support 200 young people for one year with independence assistance funds, along with career exploration, certificate training and job consulting throughout the employment process. A bank official said the KB Dream Home program is intended to provide “a solid foundation” for young people beginning independent lives, adding that the bank will continue to expand inclusive-finance support so that “all people, including youth,” can be happier.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-07 09:13:05

South Korea to name medical facilities hoarding supplies; prioritize plastic feedstock for makers As concerns grow that the war in the Middle East could disrupt supplies of medical products, the South Korean government will investigate and publicly disclose medical institutions holding excessive inventories. It will also prioritize plastic feedstock for manufacturers to keep production running smoothly.  The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced the steps in a report titled “Medical product supply and price trends and measures in response to the Middle East war,” presented at a special interministerial task force on cost-of-living management. The government said it will make the supply chain more transparent. It has been conducting daily monitoring in cooperation with six medical associations, and will add a weekly nationwide survey of medical institutions’ inventories to track stock levels, including comparisons with the same period a year earlier. It also conducted on-site inspections from May 4 to May 7 at 24 medical institutions suspected of buying excessive quantities of syringes. For items at risk of short-term shortages — including packaging for IV solutions, syringes, medicine packaging and dosing bottles — the government will ensure manufacturers receive raw materials first. The measures will continue through May, and the government said it plans ongoing management after June as well. Jung Kyung-sil, director general for health care policy at the ministry, said the government will publish daily supply-and-demand updates, including syringe production, shipments and inventories, “to ease public anxiety and encourage voluntary self-correction in distribution.” To help ensure stable supplies for high-demand facilities such as dialysis clinics, the government has operated a “syringe supply chain hotline” since April 16. Since it began, 970,000 syringes have been supplied to online malls, and 210,000 have been delivered to medical institutions.  The ministry also said patients who need around-the-clock management, including those with rare diseases, will be able to buy medical products through telemedicine platforms. Through telemedicine intermediaries, buyers will be identified as having rare or intractable diseases and allowed to place orders by distinguishing between covered and noncovered items.  Jung said the ministry determined that shortages on online malls were fueling anxiety among patients, adding that syringes have been delivered using telemedicine platforms since May 4.  Separately, the disposal interval for general medical waste at clinics and public health centers will be temporarily doubled to 30 days from the current 15 days. The measure will remain in place until next month’s 30th. The ministry said hospitals generate large volumes of waste and fill containers and plastic liners within 15 days, while clinics often dispose of waste before containers are full because volumes are smaller.  Jung said the government is not moving to institutionalize the longer disposal interval for clinics. She said hospitals structurally use large amounts of plastic, adding that formalizing the change “could be considered as one option” to reduce reliance on plastic products, but that further talks with the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment are needed and it is difficult to say whether it could be adopted permanently.  The government also adjusted National Health Insurance reimbursement rates for treatment materials to reflect the strong-dollar environment. Based on exchange rates over the past three years, it changed the exchange-rate reference grade for treatment materials from the 1,100-won range to the 1,300-won range and raised it by 6%. As a result, the average reimbursement for 27,000 separately calculated treatment materials rose 2%, with an expected support effect of 6.7 billion won per month. In addition, the government will provide emergency management stabilization funds to small and midsize companies that manufacture plastic-based medical products.  2026-05-07 09:08:02

South Korea Weighs Fines for Fuel Hoarding, Says Diesel Could Have Hit 2,800 Won a Liter The government said it estimates diesel prices could have surged to about 2,800 won per liter without a cap on petroleum product prices, and it is considering introducing administrative fines to punish market disruptions such as hoarding. Officials said the risk of further inflation remains high as higher global oil prices, driven by uncertainty from the Middle East war, could feed into domestic prices with a lag. The government discussed its assessment and response plan at a meeting of the “Special Task Force of Related Ministers for Livelihood Price Management,” chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy Koo Yun-cheol, held on the 7th at the Government Complex Sejong. The government said April consumer inflation came in at 2.6%, with a sharp rise in petroleum-related prices leading the increase after the Middle East war. Petroleum product inflation jumped to 21.9% in April from 9.9% in March, while inflation excluding petroleum products stayed around 1.8%. Officials said policy measures such as the price cap and fuel tax cuts absorbed much of the upward pressure. They estimated that without the price cap, overall inflation would have been 2.8% in March and 3.8% in April — 0.6 percentage points and 1.2 points higher than the official figures. A finance ministry official said figures presented by the Energy and Oil Market Monitoring Team suggest gasoline could have risen into the 2,200-won-per-liter range and diesel to more than 2,800 won per liter without government controls. The government also said Korea’s inflation has been relatively stable compared with major countries, noting that many advanced economies have recorded inflation in the mid-2% to low-3% range and that domestic oil prices have risen more slowly than in key peers. Japan, Hungary and Poland are using tougher measures such as price ceilings or subsidies for refiners, while major European countries are combining fuel tax cuts with market inspections, the government said. Going forward, officials said they will focus on stabilizing petroleum prices by stepping up on-site inspections at gas stations and crackdowns on hoarding, while also managing supply and demand through steps such as securing alternative crude supplies and rotating vehicle use at public institutions. The government said it will also swiftly execute 6.1 trillion won in high-oil-price relief funds and fuel-cost support for agriculture, fisheries and transportation, and expand measures to ease household costs, including discounts of up to 50% on farm, livestock and fishery products and broader discounts on processed foods. To strengthen market order, officials said illegal acts such as hoarding can be punished by up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 100 million won, along with confiscation and forfeiture, and that the government will review introducing administrative fines to enable faster penalties. A finance ministry official said the law already provides a basis to confiscate or forfeit related goods in hoarding cases, and added that the government will quickly review the administrative-fine measure mentioned by the president at a Cabinet meeting. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-07 09:07:01