South Korea cites chip boom, policy support for Q1 GDP surge; warns Q2 slowdown likely The government said Thursday that South Korea’s stronger-than-expected first-quarter gross domestic product growth reflected a combination of a semiconductor-led upswing, policy support and a swift response to the Middle East war. It cautioned, however, that a second-quarter slowdown is likely as base effects fade and war-related risks intensify. The Bank of Korea said real GDP grew 1.7% in the first quarter from the previous quarter, a preliminary estimate. That was well above the central bank’s February forecast of 0.9%. A Finance and Economy Ministry official said the first-quarter figure was the highest since the third quarter of 2020 and that growth momentum that had been building since the second half of last year accelerated further in the first quarter. The government pointed to a recovery in exports led by semiconductors and the impact of policy measures as key drivers. The official said improved conditions in semiconductors and other IT sectors outperformed earlier expectations, boosting exports and equipment investment. He added that measures including a supplementary budget passed last July, stronger electric-vehicle subsidies and policies to invigorate capital markets helped support a rebound in domestic demand. The official also highlighted a private-sector-led pattern. Private consumption rose 0.5% from the previous quarter. Equipment investment climbed 4.8% on semiconductor equipment spending and increased purchases of corporate vehicles and aircraft. Construction investment rose 2.8% on more groundbreaking for semiconductor plants and higher housing supply. Exports increased 5.1%, supported by strong semiconductor shipments and more foreign tourists. The government assessed the Middle East war’s impact as limited in the first quarter. The official said the war began in late February, leaving little time for effects to be reflected, and that steps such as an oil price cap helped prevent a sharp pullback in consumption. He said early indicators, including March credit card approvals, also showed a solid trend. From the second quarter, he said, conditions could change. The official said quarter-on-quarter growth would likely be adjusted lower as base effects from the strong first quarter combine with tighter supplies of construction materials and higher oil prices as the war’s impact is more fully reflected. He said the semiconductor upturn and government policies could provide some cushion, but uncertainty remains high. On the full-year outlook, the official said the government has set a goal of 2% growth this year, but that the annual path needs closer monitoring given rising external uncertainty, including how the Middle East situation develops. The government said it will seek to limit downside risks by quickly executing the supplementary budget and preparing additional measures to support consumption. The official said more than 85% of supplementary budget projects will be executed in the first half, alongside Middle East-related response steps to ease negative effects. He added that the government also plans to speed up work on structural reforms and longer-term growth strategies. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 11:04:33

Korea Standards Agency Launches 7th Product Safety Creators Program The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's Korean Agency for Technology and Standards said Thursday that its seventh group of Product Safety Creators has officially launched. The agency held a kickoff ceremony for the 2026 Product Safety Creators at the ENA Suite Hotel in Seoul's Jung District. The participatory program, made up of high school and university students, is designed to deliver product safety information in an easy, approachable way. Participants plan and produce content and spread it through social media and other channels. The seventh cohort includes 30 students selected nationwide. They will produce promotional content on product safety, share information on hazardous products and take part in efforts to expand a safety culture in daily life. The agency said it expects the creators to help raise awareness and encourage safer consumer practices by using digital formats such as videos, card news and short-form content. The group will be active for about seven months. The government plans to honor top participants at a Product Safety Day ceremony, awarding a total of 16 prizes, including two Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy awards and four awards from the head of the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards. KATS Administrator Kim Dae-ja said he hopes trust built through the creators' content will lead to safer choices and action, adding that the agency will continue to strengthen public outreach on product safety policies. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 11:03:53

Korea Customs Seizes 657 kg of Drugs From Thailand and Cambodia, Blocking 1.81 Million Doses Customs authorities blocked an attempted smuggling of drugs into South Korea in the first quarter that they said amounted to enough for about 1.81 million people to take at once. The Korea Customs Service said April 23 that it seized a total of 657 kilograms (1,449 pounds) of narcotics from January through March through joint anti-smuggling operations with customs authorities in Thailand and Cambodia. The seizures covered 32 cases involving methamphetamine, marijuana, yaba and etomidate, among other drugs, it said. By country, the agency said its fifth joint operation with Thailand, dubbed TRIDENT, resulted in 28 cases and about 651 kilograms seized, the largest haul in the operation’s history. Since the first Thailand operation in 2022, cumulative seizures linked to Thailand have reached 184 cases totaling 1,036.9 kilograms, which the agency estimated at about 13.22 million doses. Average monthly case counts have been in double digits in every operation except the first in 2022, when the average was 8.8 cases, it said. The agency also reported results from cooperation with Cambodia, saying it had worked closely with Cambodian customs since last year to prevent traffickers from shifting routes. In the first joint operation between the two sides, called LIONSTONE, authorities blocked four cases totaling 5.7 kilograms, including methamphetamine and etomidate shipments from Cambodia. The Korea Customs Service said it will conduct coordinated investigations with partner countries to track supply chains tied to the seized cases. It also plans joint analysis of trafficking routes, concealment methods and overseas sender information obtained during the operations to strengthen border screening systems and keep year-round cooperation channels running. KCS Commissioner Lee Myeong-gu said cooperation frameworks are now in place with countries around the Golden Triangle, a major drug-producing region. “Through airtight controls, we will ensure not a single grain of drugs crosses South Korea’s border and completely eradicate drug smuggling,” he said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 11:03:00

Samsung Electro-Mechanics Steps Up Push for AI Data Centers, CEO Says Components Drive System Edge Samsung Electro-Mechanics said April 23 it is hosting its overseas customer event, the 2026 SEMCO Component College (SCC), in Busan. First held in 2004, SCC is the company’s annual global customer outreach program. This year’s event, themed “The Core of AI Future,” is aimed at highlighting the importance and competitiveness of key components for the AI era and strengthening cooperation with customers. The company said 160 overseas customers and about 300 participants are attending, its largest turnout to date, spanning areas including AI servers, networks, power, next-generation optical communications, IT, automotive electronics, humanoids and aerospace. Seminar sessions cover requirements for high-reliability, high-voltage MLCCs as autonomous driving and electric vehicles expand; component technology shifts tied to the growth of AI servers and data centers; and component adoption trends in AI-based IT devices. The program also includes hands-on training based on product analysis and explanations of how components operate within circuits. In the exhibition area, Samsung Electro-Mechanics showcased products including high-capacitance MLCCs used in automotive SoCs, high-reliability MLCCs for powertrains, MLCCs for AI servers and networks, and ultra-thin power inductors. CEO Jang Deok-hyeon, who attended the event, said, “In the AI era, component performance and reliability determine the competitiveness of the overall system.” He added, “As the world’s only company able to supply the core component solutions essential for AI data centers, we will support our customers’ success.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 11:00:50

WithLike Selected for LIPS II Program to Expand IP-Based K-Food Overseas A brand-commerce company that builds products around content intellectual property has been selected for a government-backed support program, expanding its platform for growth. WithLike said it was finally selected for the 2026 Innovative Small Business Investment-Linked Support Program (LIPS II) run by the Small Enterprise and Market Service. The program, operated by an agency under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, supports commercialization by selecting small businesses that have attracted private investment and show growth potential and market viability. LIPS II links funding needed for expansion, including product development, brand upgrades and overseas entry. The ministry has broadened a model that combines private investment with policy funding to help small businesses scale up, and has recently included more content- and brand-based companies among key targets. WithLike was selected based on a business model that uses content IP from influencers and chefs, the company said. It has worked with Heebab, Jeong Ji-seon and Myeong Hyeon-man to plan and distribute K-food products such as ready-to-eat meals, meal kits and ramen. The food industry has increasingly adopted “IP commerce” strategies that pair well-known figures’ recognition with their content reach. The company has also posted results overseas. WithLike placed products in H Mart, an Asian grocery distribution channel in the United States, and ran local promotions to secure sales performance. H Mart, which has grown on demand for Korean and other Asian foods in North America, is often used by South Korean food companies as a foothold for overseas expansion. Demand for K-food has been rising globally, led by ramen and ready-to-eat meals. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and other sources, South Korea’s food exports have steadily shifted toward a higher share of processed foods, with ready-to-eat meals and ramen established as major export items. As a result, more small and midsize food companies are attempting overseas expansion by combining content and branding. WithLike said it plans to use the selection to broaden its product lineup, strengthen brand competitiveness and expand overseas distribution. The company said it will continue to build differentiated product-planning capabilities through its IP-based collaboration model. A company official said the selection reflects recognition of the growth potential of its business structure combining content IP and food, adding that WithLike plans to accelerate product development and expansion in global markets.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 10:53:27

Unregulated Fight Videos Spread Online in South Korea, Reaching Teens In the 1999 U.S. film “Fight Club,” the first rule is not to talk about it. In today’s South Korean version, that taboo has collapsed. Violence is no longer confined to the shadows; it is filmed, distributed and monetized as content. Fight videos are spreading quickly on social media and streaming platforms such as YouTube and Telegram. Blurring the line between sport and violence, the genre draws millions of views and has become a form of mass entertainment — echoing the voyeuristic consumption of violence depicted in Netflix’s “Squid Game.” At the center is so-called “yacha rule,” an informal fighting format presented as consensual. Promoted as a “raw, real fight,” it has spread rapidly. One video titled “Real fight between construction workers in their 20s #yacharule” has surpassed 12 million views. The footage shows two shirtless men trading punches as a crowd watches, evoking a modern-day coliseum. The name is believed to come from “yacha,” a predatory being in Buddhist folklore. Unlike mixed martial arts or boxing, there is little protective gear and few rules; the main restriction is a ban on eye-gouging. Viewers cite that unfiltered “realism” as the appeal. The market is sizable. Related YouTube channels have logged more than 180 million cumulative views, and individual videos often reach the millions. Given the advertising model, violence itself functions as a revenue stream. The concern is how far it is spilling into everyday life. Some creators, claiming “teaching a lesson,” seek out specific people, fight them and livestream it. More alarming is the spread into teen spaces. One Telegram channel was reported to buy and distribute real assault videos involving minors, paying providers from 5,000 won to 50,000 won. Many clips show victims bleeding or losing consciousness. Viewers are not just observers. Through comments, donations and sharing, they participate, and some videos are paired with gambling ads. A violence-centered “ecosystem” is taking shape. Experts link the trend to human instincts. Rosie Dirt, a professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina, said people are naturally drawn to threat and conflict, and violent stimuli grab attention quickly and hold it. As that “safe danger” experience is reinforced online, she said, people’s sensitivity to violence can dull over time. Social learning also plays a role. Under psychologist Albert Bandura’s theory, if repeated behavior is shown being rewarded, it can come to be seen as normal. The more fights are packaged as happening under “agreed rules,” the more likely viewers are to justify violence, experts say. Dirt said sustained exposure to violent media can lead to desensitization, reduced emotional response and gradual shifts in what people see as socially acceptable aggression. When such content is rewarded with visibility and attention online, she said, imitation or performative violence can increase. The University of North Carolina’s Rosa Lee introduced “socialization effects” — the tendency to become more like one’s group, environment and consumed content — and “selection effects,” in which people with violent tendencies consume more violent content or choose like-minded friends. Lee said when those psychological tendencies combine with social media algorithms, a nontraditional form of socialization can occur, allowing violent content to shape thinking and behavior. She said the interview request reminded her of decadeslong debates over the effects of violent TV shows, films and video games. In 2021, 13-year-old Olly Stephens in the United Kingdom was stabbed to death by peers. He went to a park after being lured by a girl he knew and was ambushed by two boys. The attack was later found to have been planned amid conflict and message exchanges on social media. The British daily The Times said the case was not only a personal tragedy but also an example of rising teen knife crime and the influence of the online environment. It said teen knife-related deaths in the U.K. have risen sharply in recent years, driven in part by social media. The victim’s parents have since campaigned for stronger social media regulation and youth protections, and experts have said online conditions and access to weapons must be addressed together. The Washington Post also analyzed the impact of graphic video on young people after the killing of Charlie Kirk in Utah in September 2025, when footage of his death spread rapidly on social media and reached children and teens. The video circulated quickly on major platforms including TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, and some students shared or watched it at school. Parents said they were shocked their children saw the images without warning. Some teens responded that it was “shocking but important” or “just weird,” raising concerns about desensitization. The Post said the spread was tied to algorithmic systems that prioritize sensational, attention-grabbing content. Platforms tried to remove the video or apply age limits, but altered versions kept appearing, making control difficult. Parental controls also failed to work effectively. Experts called for stronger regulation and urged parents to talk with children and respond actively. Legal judgment is clear, experts say. Seong Jung-tak, a professor at Kyungpook National University Law School, said yacha rule is unlikely to receive a legal pass even if there was “consent.” Assault causing injury is not a crime that can be dropped solely at the victim’s request, he said, meaning investigations and punishment can proceed even if the victim signs an agreement saying they do not want the attacker punished. Seong cited a Supreme Court ruling that when a victim’s consent violates social norms, illegality is not removed. Legal responsibility may extend beyond the fighters. Watching or distributing yacha rule content can also be punished under the Criminal Act, the Information and Communications Network Act and the Juvenile Protection Act. As Rome’s Colosseum showed, violence has long been part of entertainment. But the current shift is different in kind: the boundary between reality and performance is fading, and audiences are moving from passive consumers to active participants. As violence-as-content spreads, calls are growing for debate over how to regulate it — and how to build stronger protections for minors. 2026-04-23 10:52:19

Study Warns Lawyer Oversupply Is Driving Fee Competition and Eroding Service Quality A study has found that a rapid increase in the number of lawyers in South Korea could intensify competition for clients, lowering the quality of legal services and weakening professional ethics. The Korean Bar Association on Thursday released its analysis of how expanding the supply of lawyers affects service quality, based on a report it recently received from the Korean Society for Quality Management titled “A Korean Model for Legal Workforce Supply and Demand in the AI Era.” The society said in the report that the quality of professional services depends on the absolute amount of time providers devote to a matter and on professional ethics, but that excessive competition damages both. It added that maintaining expertise and ethical standards requires a stable working environment. The number of registered lawyers in South Korea surged to 38,235 this year from 14,534 in 2012. Over the same period, the number of first-trial cases filed fell about 30%, to 740,000 from 1.05 million. The lawyer-retention rate is about 20%, and the rate for privately retained counsel in criminal trials is about 30%, the report said. With the median income at 30 million won under a situation in which lawyers handle an average of one case a month, the report said it is difficult to expect sustained improvements in service quality and predicted competition for clients will intensify. It said lawyers seeking to maintain income may cut the time spent on each case, leading to weaker legal services and a leveling down of courtroom advocacy. The report also cited disciplinary data from the past five years, saying most cases involved violations of advertising rules (303), conduct unbecoming (192) and breaches of the duty of diligence (89). It described the figures as warning signs that market oversaturation is threatening the profession’s ability to police itself and that improving service quality is urgent. In a comparison with major countries, the report said South Korea’s lawyer output was unusually high. From 2021 to 2024, Japan averaged 867 newly registered lawyers a year, while South Korea — with less than half Japan’s population — averaged 1,772, more than four times as many per capita, it said. Korean Bar Association President Kim Jeong-uk said the findings align with what the association is seeing on the ground, including concerns about young lawyers’ livelihoods and weakening ethical awareness. “When the number of lawyers goes beyond saturation, service quality levels down, and the costs of advertising competition are passed on to consumers,” Kim said. “In the end, it becomes a national loss as young lawyers whose minimum right to make a living is threatened are exposed to the temptation of illegal and unlawful conduct.” Kim added that fewer job postings each year and a sharp rise in disciplinary cases are negative signals of oversupply. He said South Korea produces more than twice as many lawyers each year as Japan, which has 2.5 times South Korea’s population, making the per-capita output about five times higher. Considering related legal occupations as well, he said, South Korea is in an unusually saturated state for legal personnel. The association said it will use the academic findings to press for a broad review of lawyer workforce policy, urging a shift away from simple supply expansion toward an approach based on empirical data.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 10:51:07

SK hynix sees strong AI-driven memory demand; targets HBM4E mass production in 2027 SK hynix said it expects the memory upcycle to remain strong as demand tied to artificial intelligence expands, and it outlined plans to strengthen its lead in high-bandwidth memory by applying its 1c-nanometer process to next-generation HBM4E. In a first-quarter 2026 earnings conference call on Wednesday, the company reported revenue of 12.4296 trillion won and operating profit of 5.2886 trillion won. SK hynix said some demand has softened in PCs and mobile devices due to rising prices, but server memory demand remains strong and is driving the broader market. It added that as AI spreads, demand for high-performance memory is rising quickly and customers are increasingly prioritizing securing supply over price. The company forecast higher shipments in the second quarter. It said DRAM shipments are expected to rise by a high single-digit percentage from the previous quarter, supported by high-capacity server modules and mobile demand. NAND shipments are expected to increase in the mid-teens, driven by 321-layer products and expanded enterprise SSD sales, it said. SK hynix again highlighted its HBM competitiveness, saying the business depends on overall strength that includes yield and supply stability as well as performance. It said it is preparing to supply HBM4 in line with customers’ mass-production schedules and that demand over the next three years will far exceed current capacity. Still, it said it will maintain a balanced supply strategy between HBM and conventional DRAM within limited production capacity. On HBM4E, the company said it plans to apply its 1c-nanometer process to the core die to meet customer performance requirements. It said it aims to provide samples in the second half of the year and pursue mass production in 2027, adding that the 1c-nanometer process has already reached a stable stage in manufacturability and yield. SK hynix also projected a prolonged supply shortage. It said spot-price swings are not representative of the overall market, and that demand is rising for HBM, server DRAM and enterprise SSDs while supply growth remains limited. If the imbalance persists, the memory price upcycle could last longer than in the past, it said. The company said changes in AI technology are also supporting demand. It said memory-efficiency technologies are evolving to maximize information processing per unit of memory, creating a virtuous cycle that expands the AI services market and increases memory demand. On investment and supply strategy, SK hynix said it sees limited risk of oversupply and will proceed as planned with mid- to long-term investments to secure production capacity, centered on its Yongin cluster. It said long-term supply agreements can improve demand visibility, but current supply constraints make it difficult to meet all customer requests. SK hynix also outlined financial and shareholder-return plans. It said securing financial soundness with net cash of more than 100 trillion won and expanding dividends are goals that can be pursued at the same time. It added that it plans to prepare additional shareholder-return measures, including share buybacks and cancellations, within the year. The company said it is also pursuing access to U.S. capital markets. It said it has submitted a registration statement for an ADR listing and is aiming to list within the year, with details to be decided based on market conditions and other factors.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 10:46:15

Prosecutors Dismiss Complaint Against Choi Sang-mok Over Constitutional Court Appointments Prosecutors have dismissed a complaint accusing Choi Sang-mok, who served as acting president during the Dec. 3 martial law crisis, of abuse of power for appointing Constitutional Court justices. According to legal officials on Wednesday, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office’s Criminal Division 1, led by Chief Prosecutor Shin Do-wook, dismissed the case on April 13. A dismissal means the complaint did not meet procedural requirements and was closed without reviewing the merits. Prosecutors said appointing Constitutional Court justices is not subject to Cabinet deliberation and that Choi, as acting president, exercised lawful authority in carrying out a constitutional duty. After then-President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against him on Dec. 14, suspending his duties. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo became acting president. When Han held off on appointing Constitutional Court nominees, the Assembly impeached him as well, and Choi assumed the acting presidency. Unlike Han, Choi appointed two nominees, Jeong Gye-seon and Cho Han-chang. The conservative group Jayu Daehan Hogukdan filed the complaint in January last year, arguing the appointment process was flawed. Prosecutors also dismissed two other complaints filed alongside Choi’s case: one accusing Woo Jong-soo, former head of the National Police Agency’s National Investigation Headquarters, of disclosing facts under investigation, and another accusing Kim Myeong-seok, a former senior prosecutor at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, of defamation through publications. Woo was reported for remarks during an emergency hearing of the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee in December 2024, when he said notes in a notebook linked to former intelligence commander Noh Sang-won “match the facts.” Kim was sued by Yeo Woon-kuk, former deputy chief of the anti-corruption office, on suspicion of defamation.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 10:41:00

Pirelli Unveils P Zero R Tire Developed for Porsche 911 Turbo S Italian tire maker Pirelli is expanding development of tires tailored for high-performance sports cars. Pirelli said on the 23rd that it has developed the ultra-high-performance P Zero R tire for the Porsche 911 Turbo S. The Porsche 911 is a flagship sports-car lineup that has continued since its launch in the 1960s and has steadily evolved around high-performance models. Pirelli said the P Zero R was designed for both sporty driving and everyday conditions. Drawing on technology developed in motorsports including Formula 1, the company said it created a new rubber compound to improve responsiveness and grip at the same time. Pirelli is Formula 1’s official tire supplier and has applied race-proven technology to mass-produced tires. The tire was engineered to match the 911 Turbo S’ high output. The model is known for up to 523 kW (about 711 horsepower) and 800 Nm of torque, and Pirelli said the key goal was delivering that power to the road with stability. In high-performance vehicles, tire grip and heat management directly affect performance and safety. Pirelli said the P Zero R was designed to provide balanced grip on both dry and wet roads. The tread pattern was developed to improve water drainage and reduce noise, while lowering rolling resistance to help driving efficiency. The tire industry has been pursuing technology that combines high performance with efficiency. Pirelli also said it is continuing its “Perfect Fit” strategy of supplying dedicated tires developed jointly with automakers. It has maintained a long partnership with Porsche and has supplied model-specific tires for various 911 variants, including the Porsche 911 GTS with a hybrid system. Dedicated tire development tailored to each model’s chassis and drivetrain characteristics has become increasingly common in the high-performance segment. The tire’s sidewall will carry Porsche’s “N” approval mark, indicating it has completed joint testing and certification with the automaker. Sizes are 255/35 ZR 20 for the front and 325/30 ZR 21 for the rear. Pirelli said the rear width was increased by 10 mm compared with the previous specification to expand the contact patch and improve traction. Industry observers expect competition to continue in customized tire development for high-performance sports cars as the spread of electric and hybrid vehicles raises performance requirements for tires.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 10:40:12