KOSPI sets fresh record, powered by chip stocks SEOUL, April 21 (AJP) - South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI touched new heights in early Tuesday session with its new bullish momentum undisturbed by the uncertainties in the Middle East ahead of the expiration of truce between the U.S. and Iran as it prices in record first-quarter reports from SK hynix scheduled for Thursday. As of 9:50 a.m., the main index stood at 6,341.94, up 1.94 percent, after topping 6,350 earlier in the session on heavy foreign buying from the open. The le April 21, 2026

S.Korea bio clinical trials surge in Q1, half near commercialization SEOUL, April 21 (AJP) - South Korea approved more than 50 biopharmaceutical clinical trials in the first quarter of 2026, with late-stage candidates accounting for the majority of the pipeline, according to the Korea Biomedicine Industry Association. The association revealed Tuesday that 53 trials received approval between January and March, averaging about 17.7 approvals per month. Multinational trials dominated the period, comprising about 87 percent of the total, or 46 cases. April 21, 2026

Korea Inc. doubles down on Global South push for energy and trade security SEOUL, April 21 (AJP) - South Korea has coupled state diplomacy with corporate investment in a Global South strategy anchored on India and Vietnam, aiming to secure new growth engines while hedging against rising protectionism in Western markets and energy shocks from the Gulf, underscored by the two-month conflict in the Middle East. The six-day trip by President Lee Jae Myung from April 19 to 24 was accompanied by a 200-strong business delegation including the owner-chairmen of April 21, 2026

Korea's Posco and India's JSW to build $7.3 billion steel plant in Odisha SEOUL, April 20 (AJP) -South Korean steel giant Posco Group is launching a joint venture with India’s JSW Steel to build an integrated steel plant in eastern India at a combined cost of 10.7 trillion won ($7.3 billion), putting a long-delayed project in one of the world’s fastest-growing steel markets firmly on track. The South Korean steelmaker said Monday the two companies signed a final agreement in India under a 50:50 partnership structure, with Posco committing ab April 20, 2026

K-pop band NCT WISH heat up Seoul dome stadium with encore concert SEOUL, April 20 (AJP) - The courtyard of the KSPO Dome in southern Seoul was a sea of colorful outfits and posters on Sunday, buzzing in a state of suppressed excitement. Thousands of fans stood in long lines under a torching, late spring sun, clutching lightsticks and merchandise with the sternness of warriors before battle. They were there for the final stop of the first solo tour by the boy band NCT WISH, an event that has become a focal point for the latest phase of the expansion April 20, 2026

Lee, Indian PM Modi agree to upgrade CEPA, target $50 bln trade SEOUL, April 20 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed Monday to continue negotiations to upgrade their bilateral trade pact with the aim to double two-way trade to $50 billion by 2030. At a summit held during Lee’s state visit to India, the two leaders announced they would resume talks on upgrading the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in May, seeking to modernize the framework in response to evolving supply chain and April 20, 2026

In Korean classrooms, caffeine is the new nicotine SEOUL, April 20 (AJP) - South Korea’s notoriously competitive school system is nothing new. What is more unsettling is this: for many teenagers, caffeine may now pose a greater risk than nicotine. High school senior Yoo Seung-ho drinks two cans of Monster Energy a day — which he considers moderate. “Some of my classmates drink up to five,” he said. Among Korean teenagers, energy drinks have become almost synonymous with studying. “My nephew drin April 20, 2026

Rally in Seoul raises awareness for people with disabilities SEOUL, April 20 (AJP) - A nationwide association of parents of children with disabilities held a rally in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on Monday. The rally was held to mark the day for the physically challenged, observed annually on April 20 since 1981, to raise awareness of people with disabilities and better protect their rights. At the rally, participants held a procession that included taking three steps and one bow, a Buddhist practice of prostration that April 20, 2026

Seoul pushes fleet of war robots but who's in charge over them unclear SEOUL, April 20 (AJP) - Unmanned systems are rapidly reshaping modern warfare, from the battlefields of Ukraine to the Gulf, and South Korea is accelerating its push toward autonomous combat capabilities under its “Army Tiger 4.0” modernization drive. The initiative reflects a broader shift across the military, as the Army, Navy and Air Force each move to build their own unmanned fleets. But a central question remains unresolved: who commands this expanding ecosystem of April 20, 2026

Asian stocks close higher amid cautious optimism over possible fresh US-Iran talks SEOUL, April 20 (AJP) - Asian stock markets closed higher on Monday as investors bet on optimism ahead of another round of ceasefire negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, lifting overall market sentiment despite lingering tensions in the Middle East. Despite conflicting reports of impending talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, with Iran denying any plans to negotiate, the benchmark KOSPI in Seoul gained 0.44 percent to close at 6,219.09, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ rose 0.41 percent to f April 20, 2026