Korea’s Q1 Surprise Growth Lifts Forecasts, but Potential Growth Seen Sliding to 1% Range Q1 surprise growth lifts forecasts, but warning signs on potential growth Global investment banks are raising their outlooks for South Korea’s growth after a surprise first-quarter expansion. Economists, however, are warning that the rebound may be short-lived as the economy’s underlying capacity continues to weaken, with potential growth projected to slip into the mid-1% range next year. Analysts said the strong reading could reflect a temporary bounce. They pointed to base effects from last year’s unusually weak growth, combined with a semiconductor upturn and currency-related factors. The longer-term trend remains softer. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development projects South Korea’s potential growth rate will fall to 1.71% this year from 1.92% last year, a decline of 0.21 percentage points, and ease further to 1.57% next year. China pushes smart cars at Auto China 2026 to counter weak domestic demand “Auto China 2026,” running through May 3, highlighted Chinese brands rolling out AI-heavy smart cars as they seek to offset a sharp domestic slowdown. Held under the theme “Future of Intelligence,” the show drew global automakers including Hyundai Motor, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen Group, along with more than 100 local companies such as BYD, Geely, Chery, Xiaomi, Xpeng and Nio. A Li Auto official said the government’s new energy vehicle strategy is shifting from rapid expansion to higher-quality growth, intensifying competition among local firms. With AI integrated into vehicles, the official said, autonomous driving and infotainment features have advanced, and charging and operating systems have improved. “A 1,500-kilometer driving range has become the standard, and the 2,500-kilometer era will open soon,” the official said. Against China’s fast-rising automakers, Hyundai Motor is betting on its electric “Ioniq V.” The model is the production version of the previously unveiled “Venus” concept car and the first China-focused strategic model under Hyundai’s Ioniq brand. Hyundai Motor Group Vice Chairman Jang Jae-hoon said, “We will learn a lot and grow in China,” adding, “It is the toughest market, but we will rise again in China and create success.” Top five financial groups post record Q1 profit; nonbank units drive gaps South Korea’s five major financial holding companies — KB, Shinhan, Hana, Woori and NH NongHyup — posted a combined net profit of more than 6 trillion won in the first quarter, a record, as performance differences widened in noninterest income and nonbank businesses. A strong stock market lifted trading value, and results varied depending on each group’s securities unit. The financial industry said the five groups’ combined first-quarter net profit totaled 6.1976 trillion won, up 9.8% from 5.6430 trillion won a year earlier. It was the first time their combined first-quarter profit exceeded 6 trillion won. Nonbank units, especially brokerages, were the biggest swing factor as securities firms emerged as a key earnings pillar during the market rally. KB Securities posted 3,478 billion won in first-quarter net profit, up 93.3% from a year earlier, as stock trading fees and proprietary trading both grew. Shinhan Investment Corp. reported 2,884 billion won, up 167.4%. NH Investment & Securities posted 4,757 billion won, up 128.5%. KOSPI surge lifts minors’ stock assets near 3 trillion won despite fewer holdings A historic stock rally, including a 70% jump in the KOSPI last year, sharply increased the value of shares held by underage investors, even as the number of shareholders and shares owned declined. The total value of minors’ holdings approached 3 trillion won on rising prices. The Korea Securities Depository said that as of the end of last year, 728,344 minors (under age 20) held shares in 88 companies among the top 200 listed firms by market capitalization that disclose shareholder data by age. The value of their holdings was about 2.9761 trillion won. Average minors per company fell to 8,277 from 8,466, and average shares held declined to about 370,000 from about 400,000. But average holding value jumped more than 72% to 33.8 billion won from 19.6 billion won, reflecting higher stock prices. By company, Samsung Electronics drew the largest number of minor shareholders. Trump says shooting suspect likely acted alone; doubts Iran link U.S. President Donald Trump said on April 25 local time that a suspect in a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner likely acted alone and that he did not believe the incident was connected to Iran. According to AP and other outlets, Trump told a White House news conference that he initially thought the sound was “a tray falling.” “It was quite loud, and it was heard from quite far away,” he said. Referring to suspect Cole Thomas Allen, 31, Trump said, “They (investigators) seem to think it was a lone act. I think so, too.” He added, “He is someone with very serious mental problems,” and said authorities searched the suspect’s apartment. On a possible Iran link, Trump said, “I don’t think so,” while adding, “But you never know. We will learn a lot” through the investigation. Seoul jeonse demand index hits highest since June 2021 as moves stall Seoul’s apartment jeonse supply-demand index, which tracks the balance between demand and supply for the lump-sum deposit lease system, rose to its highest level since June 2021. A reading above 100 indicates demand exceeds supply, nearing levels seen during the 2021 surge in jeonse prices. The Korea Real Estate Board said the index for the third week of April (as of April 20) came in at 108.4, up 3.2 points from 105.2 the previous week. The increase was larger than the prior week’s 0.7-point rise. It was the highest since the fourth week of June 2021 (as of June 28), when the index stood at 110.6. The index scores demand and supply around a baseline of 100; readings closer to 200 indicate far more renters seeking jeonse than landlords offering it, while readings closer to 0 indicate the opposite. In September 2021, the index rose as high as 109.1 during what was widely described as a jeonse crunch. The Seoul index moved above 100 starting in the third week of May last year (100.2) and has continued rising since the spring moving season began in March. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 22:03:28

Buckingham Palace to Review Impact of U.S. Shooting on King Charles III Visit Buckingham Palace said it is reviewing whether a shooting in the United States could affect King Charles III’s upcoming visit. A palace spokesperson, referring to the shooting during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on April 26 (local time), said officials will discuss with U.S. counterparts “the extent to which this incident will affect the schedule for this visit,” Yonhap News Agency reported. The spokesperson said Charles expressed relief after hearing that President Donald Trump and his wife, along with other attendees, were safe. Charles is scheduled to make a four-day state visit to the United States starting April 27 at Trump’s invitation, tied to events marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 21:42:14

South Korea’s ruling, opposition parties condemn White House dinner shooting, offer sympathy to Trump A shooting at a dinner event for the White House press corps drew condemnation from South Korea’s ruling and opposition parties, which said violence and terrorism cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.  Kang Jun-hyeon, senior spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said in a written briefing on the 26th that it was fortunate the situation ended without escalating into a serious bloodshed. He offered sympathy to President Donald Trump and White House officials who may have felt anxious. Kang said peace cannot be assured when people try to resolve conflict through violence, and urged overcoming differences through rational dialogue and democratic compromise. He said he hoped the incident would help end attempts to express views through terror, adding that the Democratic Party would also use it as an opportunity to reflect on and practice the political principles of peace and democracy. Cho Yong-sul, spokesperson for the People Power Party, called the shooting a serious crime that should be strongly condemned regardless of political stance. He expressed deep sympathy to U.S. citizens and President Donald Trump, saying they would have been deeply shocked. Cho said the incident was not limited to a specific individual but a shared threat everyone must guard against. “Violence can never defeat democracy,” he added, again strongly condemning what he called a violent act of terror.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 21:18:14

Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe breaks 2-hour barrier with marathon world record in London The marathon’s long-standing two-hour barrier has been broken for the first time in history. Sebastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s race at the 2026 London Marathon on April 26 (local time), finishing the 42.195-kilometer course in 1 hour, 59 minutes, 30 seconds. His time surpassed the previous world record of 2:00:35 set by fellow Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum at the Chicago Marathon in October 2023. Sawe is now the first runner to complete an official full marathon in under two hours.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 20:48:15

South Korea’s Democratic Party Condemns Shooting at WHCA Dinner, Offers Sympathy to Trump South Korea’s Democratic Party condemned a shooting at a White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, saying indiscriminate violence and terrorism can never be tolerated. In a written briefing on April 26, party spokesperson Kang Jun-hyeon said it was fortunate the situation ended without escalating into “serious bloodshed,” and offered sympathy to President Donald Trump and White House officials who may have felt anxious. “Once conflicts are addressed through violence, peace cannot be guaranteed,” Kang said, calling for differences to be resolved through “reasonable dialogue and democratic compromise.” He said he hoped the incident would help end attempts to express views through terror, adding that the Democratic Party would take it as an opportunity to reaffirm and practice the principles of peace and democracy. Gunfire broke out during the WHCA-hosted dinner on April 25 (local time) at the Washington Hilton, prompting Trump and his wife, along with other attendees, to evacuate. No one was hurt, and the shooter was subdued at the scene. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 20:30:44

Lee Jae-myung to Host Lunch Meeting With Minor Parties, Independent Lawmakers on April 29 President Lee Jae-myung will host a lunch meeting this week with five minor parties that do not hold negotiating-group status in the National Assembly, as well as independent lawmakers, the presidential office said. Senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing on Saturday that the meeting is scheduled for April 29. The time and venue will be announced separately. Lee is expected to ask for cooperation on pending issues including the June 3 local elections, balanced regional development and prosecution reform. Lee previously met with leaders of parliamentary parties, including the Democratic Party, at the presidential office on Jan. 16 and urged cooperation on his policy agenda. The People Power Party leadership did not attend that meeting. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 20:30:15

South Korea Golf Club Data Breach Exposes About 100,000 Records; North Korea Suspected Police are investigating a data breach at a golf club in Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi province, that exposed personal information on an estimated 100,000 customers. According to the Kukmin Ilbo on Saturday, the National Police Agency’s Security Investigation Command and Control Division confirmed a large-scale leak from the Lee & Lee CC website and is investigating. The number of affected people is estimated at about 100,000. Lee & Lee CC said in a notice posted April 18 that it had confirmed customer data was leaked after a hacker inserted malicious code into its website on Oct. 21 last year. The exposed information includes names, dates of birth, gender, user IDs, passwords, mobile and landline phone numbers, email addresses and home addresses. Police reportedly learned of the breach while investigating major North Korean hacking groups and believe the club’s server was infected with malware distributed by the group. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 20:09:14

MBC’s “Straight” Obtains CCTV in Propofol Sedation Death, Raises Questions About Emergency Response MBC’s investigative program ‘Straight’ is examining both the rapid spread of news outlets and problems in medical settings involving the sedative propofol. In an episode airing on the 26th, ‘Straight’ presents “Proliferating Media, Broken Trust,” focusing on the reality behind the surge in registered news organizations. Since the establishment of the South Korean government, about 64,000 news outlets have been launched. About 28,000 are currently active. With registration requirements eased and one-person media expanding on platforms such as YouTube, virtually anyone can claim to be engaged in journalism. ‘Straight’ tracked whether the growing number of outlets are performing journalism’s core role. The producers reported on practices such as using critical articles as leverage to demand advertising or sponsorship from companies; a journalists’ association that allegedly collected millions of won in training fees after promoting lectures by using celebrities’ names without authorization; and a news outlet accused of selling press credentials for money. The program also looks at how a single owner or a specific corporation can operate multiple outlets by splitting them into separate entities. It also examines some media-registered YouTubers who run channels after registering as online news outlets and spread false information, including claims of election fraud conspiracies. The broadcast also includes a segment titled “Propofol’s Two Faces.” ‘Straight’ said it obtained CCTV footage from an operating room at a plastic surgery clinic in Seoul and traced a death that occurred during sedation anesthesia. A man in his 50s receiving a cosmetic procedure suffered severe brain damage during sedation and later died. The hospital said it took the best possible measures as physicians, but the CCTV reviewed by the producers shows medical staff not taking immediate emergency steps. The producers examine why deaths linked to sedation anesthesia keep recurring and what practical measures could better protect patients. The program also reports that propofol, a highly addictive controlled drug, is being sold at some plastic surgery and dermatology clinics as if it were an add-on product for cosmetic procedures. It also points to a system in which propofol oversight effectively depends heavily on the conscience and discretion of medical staff. ‘Straight’ airs at 8:30 p.m. on the 26th.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 20:03:16

Putin Thanks North Korean Troops Who Fought in Kursk, Honors War Dead Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed gratitude to North Korean troops who took part in fighting in the Kursk region.  TASS reported on April 26 (local time) that Putin issued a congratulatory message marking the opening in Pyongyang of a memorial complex for heroes of overseas military operations and a military heroes museum. Vladimir Putin said in the message, "I sincerely thank the brave Korean (North Korean) soldiers who participated in the battles in the Kursk region, and I would like to pay tribute to the heroes who died." North Korea pushed to build a memorial for those killed in the Kursk deployment, aiming to complete it for the first anniversary of the "liberation of Kursk." Russia sent a high-level delegation to the memorial’s completion ceremony. Russia said it had at one point lost Kursk during the war with Ukraine, but officially declared on April 26 last year that it had regained the territory after North Korea entered the fighting.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 19:30:14

World Leaders Condemn Suspected Shooting Targeting Trump, Say They’re Relieved He’s Safe World leaders condemned what they described as “political violence” after a shooting believed to have targeted U.S. President Donald Trump, saying they were relieved he and others were unharmed. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X on April 26 (local time) that she was “relieved” to hear that Trump, first lady Melania Trump and everyone at the dinner were safe, adding that “there must never be violence in politics.” Antonio Costa, president of the European Council, said political violence is unacceptable in public life and must be firmly rejected. He added it was fortunate that, thanks to a swift response by law enforcement, all attendees were able to evacuate safely. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on X that he was “shocked,” and that any attack on democratic institutions or press freedom must be condemned “in the strongest terms.” He said he was greatly relieved that Trump, the first lady and all attendees were safe. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney wrote on X that, after reports of a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, he was relieved to learn the president, the first lady and all attendees were safe. “Political violence must not occur in any democracy,” he said. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in a statement, praised the efforts of the agencies that responded quickly. Earlier, gunfire was heard at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., prompting Trump and others at the event to evacuate. The shooter was subdued at the scene.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 19:27:15