Krafton posts record Q1 on surging PUBG franchise revenue SEOUL, April 30 (AJP) - Krafton, the South Korean gaming giant behind the PUBG franchise, posted record first-quarter results as its flagship battle royale series and a newly consolidated advertising subsidiary propelled revenue to all-time highs. The company reported through regulatory filings Thursday consolidated revenue of 1.37 trillion won ($924 million) and operating profit of 561.6 billion won for the three months ended March, up 56.9 percent and 22.8 percent from a year earl April 30, 2026

LG Chem swings to Q1 operating loss amid EV slowdown, chemical headwinds SEOUL, April 30 (AJP) - LG Chem, South Korea's largest chemical maker, reported a first-quarter operating loss of 49.7 billion won ($33.4 million), swinging from a profit a year earlier, as weakening demand across its core businesses and raw material cost volatility eroded margins. The company posted consolidated revenue of 12.25 trillion won for the January-March period, down 2.6 percent from a year ago, but up 6.2 percent from the preceding quarter, according to a regulatory f April 30, 2026

Korean Economy/Business Calendar SEOUL, April 30 (AJP) - May 6 (Wed) Apr. 2026 Consumer Price Index (Preliminary) - Ministry of Data and Statistics May 8 (Fri) Mar. 2026 Balance of Payments (Preliminary) - Bank of Korea May 13 (Wed) Apr. 2026 Employment Trends - Ministry of Data and Statistics Mar. 2026 Money and Liquidity - Bank of Korea May 15 (Fri) Apr. 2026 Export/Import Prices + Trade Indices (Preliminary) - Bank of Korea May 19 (Tue) Q1 2026 Household Credit (Preliminary) - Bank of Korea April 30, 2026

LG Energy Solution posts second straight loss, bets on ESS pivot SEOUL, April 30 (AJP) - LG Energy Solution reported its second consecutive quarterly operating loss in the first three months of 2026, hit by shrinking U.S. battery subsidies and weak electric vehicle demand. The nation's largest battery maker posted a consolidated operating loss of 207.8 billion won ($139.7 million) for the January to March period, reversing an operating profit of 374.7 billion won a year earlier, according to a regulatory filing on Thursday. Revenue slipped April 30, 2026

LG CNS Q1 operating profit surges 19 pct on AI, cloud growth SEOUL, April 30 (AJP) - South Korean IT services firm LG CNS posted first-quarter operating profit of 94.2 billion won ($63.4 million), up 19.4 percent from a year earlier, as surging demand for artificial intelligence and cloud services fueled growth across its business lines. According to regulatory filing released Thursday, revenue for the January to March period climbed 8.6 percent on-year to 1.315 trillion won, with the company's AI and cloud division accounting for about 5 April 30, 2026

GM Korea bets on small SUVs while dismissing withdrawal rumors SEOUL, April 30 (AJP) - GM Korea has pledged to reinforce its Changwon plant as a global export hub, dismissing persistent rumors of a possible withdrawal from the South Korean market. The automaker has invested heavily in the plant, which has an annual capacity of up to 280,000 vehicles, betting on small SUVs as a core business to cement its position within GM and sustain its Korean operations over the long term. Vice president Asif Khatri, who oversees manufacturing across April 30, 2026

UPDATE: Samsung Electronics retains memory leadership amid AI boom in bumper Q1 * Updated with additional information SEOUL, April 30 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics retained its memory leadership in a bumper first quarter, generating its strongest three-month performance to beat expectations and local rival SK hynix, as the AI-driven gold rush fueled demand for both premium DRAM and flash memory, its final earnings report showed Thursday. The Device Solutions (DS) division set quarterly records for both top and bottom lines, earning 53.7 trillion won ($39.2 b April 30, 2026

(UPDATE) March factory output sharply eases in Korea as Hormuz shock ripples *Updated with additional information and market response. SEOUL, April 30 (AJP) — South Korea’s manufacturing and investment activity slowed sharply in March as supply disruptions from the Middle East’s key energy waterway began to weigh on the import-dependent economy in the first month of the war, data showed Thursday. According to March industrial activity data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics, mining and manufacturing output eked out a 0.3 percent ga April 30, 2026

Naver posts 16% revenue jump as AI-driven growth accelerates in Q1 SEOUL, April 30 (AJP) - Naver reported a 16.3 percent rise in first-quarter revenue, buoyed by robust demand for AI-integrated services and a sharp uptick in its consumer-to-consumer commerce business. The company reported through regulatory filings Thursday that consolidated revenue for the January to March period climbed to 3.24 trillion won ($2.17 billion), while operating profit edged up 7.2 percent to 541.8 billion won, as heavier infrastructure spending to bolster AI capabilit April 30, 2026

Hyundai flags battery subscription to spark EV boom from high fuel cost SEOUL, April 29 (AJP) - Contrary to the expectation that the Gulf-triggered energy crisis could renew the appetite for "plugging in," EV demand remains subdued. South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group hopes to make the choice easier through a novel concept: lending battery chargers and subscriptions. Energy costs have climbed sharply amid the prolonged conflict between the United States and Iran. In Korea, gasoline prices rose from 1,819.2 won per liter in the fourth April 29, 2026