MMCA to Open Hands-On Children’s Exhibition ‘Still, the Days We Tried’ The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, said Wednesday it will open “Still, the Days We Tried” on April 17 at the MMCA Children’s Space on the second floor of the education wing at its Seoul museum. The MMCA Children’s Space is a family-focused area first introduced at the Seoul museum in 2025 to broaden children’s and family visitors’ museum experiences through participatory exhibitions and education grounded in contemporary art. The exhibition is presented with artist Yang Jung-uk, the 2024 winner of the museum’s flagship award, Artist of the Year. It features three new works and includes ongoing hands-on workshops designed to help visitors engage with the exhibition’s themes. The title reflects the idea that failure and repetition in the act of trying can lead to new attempts. The museum said the program is intended to help children experience experimentation in the creative process and view failure as a new possibility. Yang will show three new works: “Temporary Map” (2026), “A Small Person and an Even Smaller Person” (2026) and “Watching You” (2026). The museum said the works build on the artist’s view that it can be enough even without explicitly showing something, underscoring that the process itself has meaning. Children can look closely at the works to observe movement and structure and explore how they operate and what they mean. Three always-available workshops linked to the works will offer children a chance to make, try and learn through a range of materials and activities. The artist said he hopes children will focus on attitude and process rather than achievement and results. The museum said the programs can help children build self-efficacy and develop a more positive view of failure by experiencing the artist’s working methods and creative process. Related education programs will also run during the exhibition, including the regular “Museum Kids TokTok” for preschool and elementary school groups and the weekend “Museum Family TokTok” for families with children. Details are available on the MMCA website. Separately, the museum said it has traditionally closed only three days a year — Jan. 1 and the day of Lunar New Year and Chuseok — but will begin a pilot program in 2026 to add temporary closures for safety inspections as visitor numbers rise. It will close on the first Tuesday of June, September and December (6.2., 9.1., 12.1.). * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-16 09:12:31

Park Jeonghye Named Chair of Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation The Korea Heritage Service said it will appoint Park Jeonghye, a professor at the Academy of Korean Studies’ Graduate School of Korean Studies, as the fifth chair of the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, effective April 16. Her three-year term runs through April 15, 2029. Park has served as president of the Korean Society of Art History, a member of the National Institute of Korean History, dean of the Academy of Korean Studies’ Graduate School of Korean Studies, and chair of the Movable Cultural Heritage Subcommittee of the Cultural Heritage Administration’s Cultural Heritage Committee. The foundation, an affiliate of the Korea Heritage Service, was established in July 2012 to carry out comprehensive and systematic projects related to surveying and researching Korean cultural heritage held overseas, as well as its repatriation and use.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-16 09:04:54

Comedian Lee Su-ji Satirizes Fake News Targeting Middle-Aged and Older Viewers Comedian Lee Su-ji, who recently drew attention for a satire of kindergarten teachers, has released a new video lampooning the spread of fake news aimed at middle-aged and older audiences. On April 14, Lee posted a video titled “Poet Hwang Jeong-ja’s Lively Day! ” on her YouTube channel, “Hot Issueji.” In the video, Lee plays a character named “Hwang Jeong-ja,” a poet, and spends the day dining out, visiting a cafe and shopping at a department store with Na Bok-ja (Na Bo-ram), introduced as a “silver star” who appeared on the TV program “Achim Madang.” Near the end, Hwang points to her phone and says, “This morning it says this person died.” When the production team tells her it is fake news and should not be believed, she responds angrily, saying people who make such lies “should go to prison.” As she scrolls through other items, Hwang asks, “So is it also a lie that this person got divorced? Why would there be smoke if there’s no fire?” Viewers reacted online with comments such as, “It’s like my parents,” “Fake news needs strong punishment,” and “It’s funny, but bitter.” Lee previously drew widespread attention with an April 7 video titled “Kindergarten Teacher Lee Min-ji’s Never-Ending 24 Hours — Human Documentary: A Real Extreme Job,” parodying a teacher overwhelmed by excessive work and complaints from parents. 2026-04-16 08:51:46

Court Rejected Hwang Seok-hee’s Claim of Blackout Drunkenness in Sex-Crime Case Translator Hwang Seok-hee, 47, who has faced controversy over past sex-crime convictions, had a court reject his claim that he was mentally incapacitated due to extreme intoxication during his trial, according to a broadcast report. Attorney Park Eun-seok said on YTN’s “Case X-File” on April 13 that the charge of indecent assault causing injury carries a heavy statutory penalty under the Criminal Act, punishable by life imprisonment or at least five years in prison. Park said prison sentences are often imposed because the offense involves not only indecent assault but also injury to the victim. He added that the court’s decision to grant a suspended sentence likely reflected settlements with the victims, and that Hwang’s lack of prior criminal record at the time may also have been a factor. Park said, however, that the court did not accept Hwang’s argument that he was mentally incapacitated because he was heavily intoxicated. Hwang was thrust into controversy after Dispatch reported on March 30 that he had been indicted and convicted in cases from 2005 and 2014 on charges including indecent assault causing injury and quasi-rape. In 2014, he was also indicted on charges including quasi-rape involving a student. In both cases, he received suspended prison sentences. On March 30, Hwang wrote on social media that he was reviewing the matter with his lawyer and would consider seeking corrections and taking action if any parts were inaccurate or went beyond the scope of legal judgment. Hwang is known for translating major works including “Deadpool,” “Spider-Man,” “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Project Hail Mary,” and has also published essays and given lectures.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-16 08:15:16

Jennie Named to Time’s 2026 100 Most Influential People List, Only K-pop Artist Selected Singer Jennie has again underscored her global reach. On April 15 (local time), U.S. newsmagazine Time published its list of the “2026 100 Most Influential People in the World” on its website. Jennie was the only K-pop artist named to this year’s list. The Time 100 recognizes people worldwide for influence, innovation and achievement across fields. Jennie’s recent results have also drawn attention. Her first full-length solo album, “Ruby,” was included in Rolling Stone’s “The 100 Best Albums of 2025.” She also ranked No. 1 on Forbes Korea’s “KOREAN IDOLS OF THE YEAR 2025.” Her chart performance has been notable as well. “Dracula (JENNIE Remix),” a collaboration with Tame Impala, reached a career-high No. 17 on Billboard’s Hot 100. The track also topped Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, a first for a K-pop female solo artist. The song was also nominated for Song of the Summer at the 2026 American Music Awards. Time’s full 2026 Time 100 list is available on the magazine’s official website. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-16 08:04:03

Foreigners dump over $30 bn KOSPI shares and turn net bond sellers in March SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) -Foreign investors staged a record monthly sell-off in South Korean equities in March amid risk aversion and concerns over the energy-dependent economy from the outbreak of the conflicts in the Gulf and de-facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. According to the Financial Supervisory Service on Thursday, foreigners net sold 43.5 trillion won ($31.8 billion) worth of locally listed shares last month, more than doubling from February’s 19.6 trillion won outflow. The exodus was concentrated in the benchmark KOSPI which was making record-breaking rally until the war outbreak. Foreign nationals 43.9 trillion won on the main bourse, while posting a modest 384 billion won net buy in the KOSDAQ. By end-March, foreign holdings of Korean equities fell to 1,576.2 trillion won, down 449.4 trillion won from a month earlier, with their ownership share slipping to 30.7 percent of total market capitalization. The sell-off was broad-based across regions. Europe led the outflows with 26.4 trillion won, followed by the Americas at 9.8 trillion won and Asia at 5.6 trillion won, while the Middle East was the only region to post a net purchase. At the country level, the United Kingdom and the United States accounted for the bulk of selling, while Qatar and the Cayman Islands were among the few net buyers. In fixed income, foreign investors turned net sellers for the first time in five months, withdrawing 10.9 trillion won overall. They purchased 5.4 trillion won worth of bonds but redeemed 16.4 trillion won at maturity, resulting in a net outflow, fanning the bond yields to rise to levels of the rapid tightening cycle in the U.S. Foreign holdings of listed bonds stood at 323.8 trillion won, or 11.6 percent of outstanding balances, at end-March. 2026-04-16 07:50:25

Remembering Sewol classmates, the silence still speaks 12 years later SEOUL, April 15 (AJP) -Desks remain as they were—names etched in pencil, jackets draped over chairs, notebooks opened mid-sentence. Time, here, does not move forward. It pauses, deliberately, asking each visitor to look closer. There are shoes that never made it home, ID cards that still carry smiling faces, and letters that were never meant to be final. Each object resists abstraction. This is not a number, not a headline, but 250 students and 11 teachers whose ordinary morning never found its way back. Visitors walk slowly. Some bow their heads. Others reach out, not to touch, but to feel the distance between then and now. The yellow ribbons—faded but persistent—tie grief to responsibility. The Memorial Classroom is not only about remembrance. It is an insistence. That safety is not an afterthought. That systems must answer for failure. That survival is not left to chance, nor to courage alone. The lesson is quiet, but it does not soften. Nothing here asks to be forgotten. 2026-04-16 07:26:35

KOSPI recovers above 6,000 for first time since Trump's war in Iran SEOUL, April 15 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI closed at 6,091.39 on Wednesday, up 2.07 percent from a day earlier, regaining the 6,000 mark for the first time in about 30 trading sessions. The index had last closed above that threshold on Feb. 27, when it was at 6,244.13, just a day before the U.S. and Israel launched joint airstrikes on Iran, throwing the already volatile Middle East region into deeper conflict. The gain was driven by foreign investors, who bought about 550 billion won ($370 million), while the junior KOSDAQ also ended higher, rising 2.72 percent to 1,152.43. Large-cap stocks mostly closed higher. Among chip-related stocks, Samsung Electronics rose 2.18 percent to close at 211,000 won, and SK hynix gained 2.99 percent to 1,136,000 won. The two accounted for about 40.9 percent of the KOSPI's total market capitalization, up from 39.9 percent at the previous peak, with their combined market value surging by about 227 trillion won since April 7, just before the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire. Their dominance is expected to intensify further, supported by a semiconductor supercycle. Both Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are on track to post record-high operating profits this year, with some forecasts suggesting they could rank among the world's top three in operating profit next year. A similar trend is seen globally, with Taiwan's TSMC accounting for over 40 percent of the country's stock market. Other sectors also posted solid gains. In the auto sector, Hyundai Motor climbed 3.36 percent to 508,000 won, while Kia added 1.54 percent to 151,500 won. Battery and energy shares were largely higher, with LG Energy Solution up 2.00 percent at 408,000 won and SK Inc. rising 3.91 percent to 665,000 won, while Hanwha Aerospace slipped 0.92 percent to 1,509,000 won. Among biopharmaceutical stocks, Samsung Biologics gained 4.30 percent to 1,602,000 won and Doosan Enerbility rose 4.51 percent to 104,200 won. Financial sectors also closed higher, with KB Financial Group up 1.48 percent at 158,200 won, Samsung Life Insurance rising 4.88 percent to 258,000 won, and Shinhan Financial Group gaining 1.53 percent to 99,800 won. Major KOSDAQ stocks also ended broadly higher. Among biopharmaceutical and healthcare shares, Alteogen surged 5.67 percent to close at 373,000 won, and Samchundang Pharm jumped 6.73 percent to 555,000 won. ABL Bio rose 5.07 percent to 163,800 won, HLB climbed 8.77 percent to 68,200 won, and LigaChem Biosciences advanced 6.63 percent to 193,000 won. In other sectors, Ecopro gained 2.57 percent to 147,900 won, and Ecopro BM added 2.38 percent to 202,500 won. Rainbow Robotics edged up 1.33 percent to 611,000 won, while Koh Young Technology rose 9.74 percent to 104,800 won and Rino Industrial increased 1.08 percent to 112,800 won. The dollar initially retreated on foreign stock buying, trading at 1,471.80 won in the morning trading, before paring losses to 1,474.20 won in the afternoon, compared with the previous close of 1,481.20. Elsewhere, Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.44 percent to 58,134.24, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index advanced 0.37 percent to 25,967.30, China's Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.015 percent to 4,027.21. 2026-04-15 18:03:08

BOK nominee Shin faces intense scrutiny over foreign assets, family issues SEOUL, April 15 (AJP) — The nominee to head the Bank of Korea (BOK) came under intense scrutiny Wednesday as opposition lawmakers questioned his foreign-denominated wealth and family-related issues, raising concerns over potential conflicts of interest. Lawmakers on the National Assembly’s Finance and Economy Committee focused on nominee Shin Hyun-song’s asset structure, noting that the central bank chief is tasked with stabilizing the Korean won and the housing market. According to his disclosure, more than 90 percent of Shin’s 4.6 billion won ($3.1 million) in financial assets are held in foreign currencies, including U.S. dollars, British pounds and Swiss francs. Opposition lawmakers argued that such a portfolio could allow him to benefit from a weaker won, minimizing losses during depreciation while gaining when major currencies strengthen. “Approximately 93 percent of the nominee’s 4.6 billion won in financial assets are in foreign currencies,” said Rep. Park Dae-chul of the People Power Party, questioning whether it is appropriate to appoint a central bank governor whose assets could gain from currency weakness. “People are saying it is like letting a cat guard the fish,” added Rep. Park Sung-hoon. The scrutiny comes as the Korean won remains under pressure. The average exchange rate for April stood at 1,493.42 per dollar, among the highest on record, although it showed signs of stabilizing at 1,474.2 on Wednesday. The Bank of Korea has also spent more than $7 billion in foreign exchange reserves since late last year, with the country’s global ranking in reserves slipping from ninth to 12th as of February. Shin, previously described as a “pragmatic hawk” for advocating preemptive tightening following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, has recently assessed the current exchange rate and reserve levels as stable—adding to concerns over consistency and potential conflicts. Lawmakers also raised questions over his real estate holdings. Shin owns an apartment in Seoul’s Gangnam district and a studio in Jongno, with a combined value exceeding 3.3 billion won. He reportedly allowed his mother to continue living rent-free in the Gangnam apartment after purchasing it from her, prompting allegations of possible tax avoidance through family transactions. The issue has gained further traction amid President Lee Jae Myung’s remarks criticizing multi-homeownership among public officials. Additional controversy surrounds Shin’s academic transfer during military service and his daughter’s citizenship status. Lawmakers alleged that his daughter, who acquired British citizenship, continued to use a Korean passport for decades without proper reporting. “Using a Korean passport for convenience while bypassing residency and immigration laws is ‘cherry-picking’ and deceptive,” said Rep. Chun Ha-ram of the Reform Party. Shin has yet to submit related documents addressing these concerns. Civic groups and experts also weighed in, arguing that a portfolio benefiting from currency depreciation represents a textbook conflict of interest for a central bank chief. “It is natural for the public to distrust a nominee whose portfolio benefits as the real economy falters,” an opposition official said. 2026-04-15 18:01:17

Samsung Electronics faces April walkout as bonus dispute escalates SEOUL, April 15 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics is heading toward a partial walkout next week, with its largest labor union pushing ahead with industrial action over a profit-linked bonus system despite stalled negotiations. The union plans a rally and walkout on April 23, with a full-scale strike scheduled from May 21 if talks fail to produce a compromise. “We are open to negotiations if management puts the 15 percent operating profit payout and the removal of the bonus cap on the table,” a union official said. The official added that a cleanroom walkout will proceed if management continues to offer one-off compensation instead of institutionalizing a bonus framework. At the center of the dispute is the union’s demand that 15 percent of operating profit be allocated to employee bonuses and that the current cap be scrapped. Based on the company’s record first-quarter operating profit of 57.2 trillion won, the proposed formula would translate into a bonus pool of up to 45 trillion won ($32 billion). That would be roughly four times last year’s dividend payout of 11.1 trillion won and exceed the company’s planned annual research and development spending of 37.7 trillion won, raising concerns among management and investors. The union, however, said the demand is aimed at creating a transparent and sustainable compensation system rather than securing a one-time payout. “Our core demand is to establish a system that union members can accept in the long term, rather than just asking for more money because the company is making good money,” another union official said. Samsung has warned that linking a large portion of operating profit to bonuses could constrain future investment in a capital-intensive and cyclical semiconductor industry. A company official also flagged potential risks to client confidence if production is disrupted. “In the long run, it is a tremendous loss for our company if it causes anxiety to clients or if clients show movements to change contract conditions,” the official said. The controversy is further amplified by the contrasting situation at SK Hynix. Having abolished its bonus cap last year and agreeing to distribute 10 percent of its operating profit, SK Hynix employees are projected to receive significantly larger payouts. Driven by the artificial intelligence boom and robust High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM) sales, securities firms estimate that SK Hynix’s upcoming bonuses could average around 700 million won per employee. The union walkout is set to coincide with SK Hynix’s earnings release on April 23, which is widely expected to reflect similarly strong performance. 2026-04-15 17:57:14