Coupang was the most-used commerce application in South Korea in the first quarter of 2026, according to market research firm Wiseapp Retail Goods. The e-commerce giant recorded 33.25 million users during the January-March period, ranking first in monthly active users. Secondhand marketplace Karrot followed with 23.19 million users, while food delivery app Baemin came in third at 22.55 million. Other major platforms included Coupang Eats, fashion app Ably, beauty retailer Olive Young and Chinese

The recent assassination attempt against US President Donald Trump was a stark reminder of how fragile political stability can be, even in a major democracy. Political violence can never be justified under any circumstances. Regardless of political preference or policy disagreement, the use of violence against a political leader crosses a line that must remain absolute. One encouraging aspect of this episode was the unified response from leaders around the world. Governments across regions expre

The Asia Culture Center is recruiting a new cohort of multilingual interpreters to guide foreign visitors through its facilities and programs, the Gwangju-based institution said. Applications for the "ACC Multilingual Interpreter" program will be open from May 1 to 10, with around 10 positions available. The center, which operates under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is significantly broadening the range of languages covered this year following a successful pilot run in 2025. Last

Hyundai Motor Executive Chair Chung Euisun attended Auto China 2026 in Beijing, industry sources said Wednesday, as the automaker steps up efforts to regain its foothold in the world's largest vehicle market. It marks his first appearance at the Beijing auto show since the 2018 edition and his second consecutive visit to a Chinese auto show, following the Shanghai Auto Show in 2025. Chung's attendance at the world's largest auto event is seen as signaling a renewed focus on China after years of

Red ginseng may help slow muscle loss and limit fat gain in postmenopausal women, while also improving metabolic indicators through changes in the gut microbiome, according to studies presented at a recent academic conference. The findings were unveiled at the spring conference of the Korean Society of Ginseng held April 22 at Jeonbuk National University. Sarcopenia, obesity and diabetes are key metabolic conditions linked to aging. Sarcopenia — the progressive loss of muscle mass and function —

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to seven years in prison by the Seoul High Court on Wednesday, as the appeals court increased his punishment in a case tied to his failed 2024 martial law decree. The ruling, two years longer than the lower court’s five-year sentence, marked the first appellate decision from a special court division handling insurrection-related cases. The special counsel had sought a combined 10-year prison term for Yoon on charges including obstruction of the execut

Vancouver, one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, has firmly rejected demands from FIFA President Gianni Infantino for what it described as "excessive protocols." According to Reuters on Tuesday, ahead of the 36th AFC Annual Congress in Vancouver, FIFA requested that local authorities provide Infantino with a Level 4 motorcade escort, which was promptly denied. A Level 4 escort is a high-security convoy that can ignore traffic signals and completely restrict the mov

By Park Eun-sik Minister of the Korea Forest Service At the 44th meeting of the Green Climate Fund Board, recently held in Songdo, Incheon, the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization — an intergovernmental body established under the leadership of the South Korean government — was unanimously approved as a GCF Accredited Entity. Achieving accreditation within just eight years of its establishment is a notable milestone, underscoring AFoCO’s emergence as a trusted international platform for forest

Shinsegae said Wednesday it will launch its largest-ever promotional campaign to attract foreign national customers ahead of a “super holiday” period in early May, when public holidays in Korea, China and Japan overlap. The move follows strong first-quarter growth in foreign sales at its department stores, led by men’s fashion, up 121 percent on-year; women’s fashion, up 99.6 percent; and cosmetics, up 91.2 percent. To capitalize on the momentum, Shinsegae will focus on discounts in fashion and

South Korea is moving to toughen zoo regulations by mandating licensing for all of its 121 zoos nationwide following the escape and recapture of Neukgu the wolf from Daejeon O-World theme park. However, some experts say that measures safeguarding the welfare of animals held in zoos remain insufficient. Kim Kyeong-seok, director of the Nature Conservation Bureau's biological diversity division at the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, said in a parliamentary debate held at the National

The South Korean government has designated two foreign nationals as victims of human trafficking, making them eligible for support, including medical care and job assistance, after they suffered sexual and labor exploitation in the country. According to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on Tuesday, one Philippine woman and one Vietnamese woman were recognized as victims. The ministry designates individuals who have been subjected to coercion and exploitation as trafficking victims and p

Coupang founder Kim Bom-suk, or Bom Kim, was named the group's controlling figure by South Korea's antitrust regulator on Wednesday, drawing him and his family into tighter regulatory scrutiny as Seoul fields US pressure over alleged discrimination against the US-listed firm. The change replaces Coupang Inc. with Bom Kim as the group's “same person,” broadening disclosure and tightening related-party transaction rules. Under Korean antitrust law, the term denotes the group’s effective controller

South Korea’s broader industrial base may give it a structural edge over Taiwan, but that advantage is increasingly under strain as the economy becomes more reliant on semiconductors, according to an economist at Moody's Analytics. While Seoul is often compared with Taipei for their similar economic size and heavy dependence on chips, Korea’s more diversified mix — spanning autos, machinery and other traditional industries — has historically provided a buffer against sector-specific shocks. But

South Korea’s Education Ministry said it would crack down on about 200 unapproved or unregistered education facilities, including international schools operating in a legal gray zone, as concerns grow over students being kept outside the formal public education system. The ministry said Wednesday it had identified the facilities after running a reporting period and conducting on-site inspections from December to March. The targets included institutions that collected high tuition without approva

Delays in rolling out South Korea's first major US-bound investment project are feeding broader tensions with the US, and could begin to affect key security negotiations, South Korean government officials and experts warn. Seoul has yet to finalize a concrete blueprint for its initial project under a pledged $350 billion investment in the United States, despite agreement on the overall framework last year. Officials and analysts say moving quickly on the project is now critical to stabilizing ti

South Korea’s plan to curb plastic waste would still allow total plastic use to rise through 2030, environmental groups said, criticizing the government for leaning on recycling and voluntary reuse rather than binding cuts in consumption. The Environment Ministry on Tuesday released an updated strategy that aims to cap newly produced plastic waste at 70 percent of projected 2030 levels. But critics say that target is based on continued growth in plastic consumption, meaning the actual reduction

Posco is expanding financial support for its trading partners, aiming to stabilize supply chains and strengthen export competitiveness amid global tariffs and an oversupply of Chinese steel. The program, launched in January, is structured in partnership with Industrial Bank of Korea and Korea Trade Insurance (K-Sure). Posco and IBK jointly contribute 20 billion won to K-Sure, which then provides preferential guarantees worth about 400 billion won to participating trading companies. IBK offers ad

Becoming a "classic" is less a moment than a process — a long, uneven accumulation of revisions, failures and returns. Many of the works we now consider classics also required time to mature. "Swan Lake" was dismissed at its 1877 premiere and only entered the canon after years of reworking; "The Nutcracker," first staged in 1892, met a similarly chilly reception before becoming a seasonal staple. In ballet, as in all performing arts, endurance is earned over time. Now, in Korea, a homegrown work

South Korea’s top court has overturned the conviction of a drug suspect who submitted another person’s urine to dodge a narcotics test, ruling the police acted unlawfully and the suspect cannot be punished. The Supreme Court sent the case back to the Seoul Eastern District Court, overturning a lower court decision that had sentenced the defendant to 10 months in prison on charges of obstruction of official duties by deception, according to legal sources on Wednesday. The suspect was accused of i

With about a month left until South Korea’s June 3 local elections, candidates from rival parties are facing scrutiny over past criminal records, controversial remarks and old cases that have resurfaced during the nomination process. A total of 8,377 people have registered as preliminary candidates for local posts across the country, with official candidate registration scheduled for May 14 and 15. The controversies span both the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and the main opposition People Po

While eggs are widely seen as an affordable source of high-quality protein, Koreans have long been advised to limit consumption to one egg a day due to concerns over cholesterol intake. But as dietary guidelines increasingly address chronic protein deficiency among older people, experts are suggesting that a second egg may be beneficial for some people. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korean Nutrition Society, the latest dietary guidelines for Koreans raised the recommend

S&P Global Ratings on Wednesday maintained South Korea's long-term sovereign credit rating at "AA" with a stable outlook, citing the country's competitive electronics sector and supportive fiscal policy as buffers against mounting global energy market risks. The US-based credit appraiser has held Korea's rating at "AA" — the third-highest grade on its scale — since August 2016, when it upgraded the country by one notch from "AA-." "The dislocation of the global energy market is a risk to Korea's

The "Decision to Leave" star Tang Wei revealed Wednesday she is expecting her second child with her husband, South Korean director Kim Tae-yong. "There will be yet another baby horse at my house soon," she wrote on her Instagram. "It is a big surprise, and I am very happy," she added. "Everyone is really excited about it." The announcement came amid recent pregnancy rumors after she was spotted with a visible baby bump at a public event. The two married in 2014 and welcomed a daughter in 2016.

Senior officials of South Korea and the United States discussed the situation on the Korean Peninsula, and challenges facing the global disarmament and nonproliferation regime, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday. Jeong Yeon-doo, vice foreign minister for diplomatic strategy and intelligence, met with Christopher Yeaw, U.S. assistant secretary for the bureau of arms control and nonproliferation at the State Department, in New York on Tuesday (U.S. time) on the sidelines of the Nuclear Non-Pr

Doosan Corp. said Wednesday it will establish a new copper-clad laminate production plant in Thailand to meet rising demand driven by the expansion of artificial intelligence data centers. The company plans to set up a new subsidiary and build a manufacturing plant at the Araya Industrial Estate in Bang Bo, Samut Prakan province. The investment is estimated at 180 billion won ($121.7 million), while the facility will span approximately 73,000 square meters. Construction is scheduled to kick off

First lady Kim Hea Kyung joined children with glycogen storage disease on Wednesday to make “hope cookies,” a low-carbohydrate snack developed for young patients who must carefully manage their blood sugar. Kim visited a special cooking class at Seoul Children’s Museum, a children’s experience facility inside Seoul Children’s Grand Park in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. The event, held ahead of Children’s Day on May 5, was arranged as a follow-up to a Christmas Eve meeting last year between President Lee J

Amid speculations of a looming financial crisis, LIV Golf has officially confirmed that it will postpone this summer's LIV Golf Louisiana event to fall. In a statement sent to the Associated Press, LIV Golf said, "In cooperation with the state government of Louisiana, we have decided to move the tournament to a new schedule," adding that the change is intended "to avoid extreme summer heat and to prevent conflicts with the global sports calendar, including the FIFA World Cup in North America." T

Italian luxury house Gucci has tapped Ningning of K-pop group Aespa as its newest global brand ambassador, it announced Wednesday, releasing a pair of portraits to mark the appointment. Ningning has earned recognition for her commanding stage presence, vocal range and distinct artistic identity, establishing herself as one of the defining performers of her generation. As part of Aespa, she helped earn group of the year at the 2025 Billboard Women in Music Awards. Her creative output and internat

Amorepacific Group reported first-quarter sales of 1.22 trillion won ($826.8 million) and operating profit of 137.8 billion won on Wednesday, up 6.4 percent and 7.6 percent on-year, respectively. The company attributed the growth to strong performance from its skin care brands, expansion of its North American Amazon business and solid gains in Japan, driven by key brands including Laneige, Hera, Aestura and COSRX. Aestura posted triple-digit growth in North America, led by its A-Cica line, while

A recent proposal to abandon South Korea’s preemptive strike system known as the “kill chain” has reignited debate over whether scaling back deterrence could help ease tensions with North Korea — or risk undermining security. Speaking to Korean correspondents at a briefing in Washington on Tuesday, Victor Cha, Korea chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, argued that moving away from this system could reduce escalation risk. Cha said he would recommend that South Korea disco

The Chevron Championship bumped its purse an additional $1 million two days before the opening round to a record $9 million, and Nelly Korda went wire-to-wire to claim the $1.35 million top prize. Two days later, The R&A and title sponsor AIG announced Tuesday yet another increase for the Women's British Open to $10 million. That makes it the third LPGA major to have an eight-figure prize fund, trailing the US Women's Open and KPMG Women's PGA at $12 million each. It's only a $250,000 bump from

Artists under Big Hit Music are continuing to flourish on global music charts, led by BTS and Tomorrow X Together. According to the latest Billboard charts dated May 2, BTS’ fifth studio album “Arirang” maintained a strong presence across major rankings. Its main track “Swim” ranked No. 2 on the Global Excl. US chart and No. 3 on the Global 200, extending its run in the top three to five consecutive weeks. All 13 vocal tracks from the album — excluding the sixth track, “No. 29,” which features t

Lee Seung-woo's company started with a missed fundraising goal that turned into something else entirely. In 2016 as a student at Konkuk University in Seoul, Lee joined a one-year campus venture project to raise money for a firefighter dying of a rare cancer. The team collected discarded turnout coats — the heavy aramid-fiber jackets Korean firefighters wear into burning buildings — and stitched them into bags and key rings. After 12 months, they had a small donation ready for the family. The fam

Go master Lee Se-dol (right), a special professor at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology; Demis Hassabis (center), co-founder and CEO of Google DeepMind and the architect behind AlphaGo; and author Cho Seung-yeon take part in a discussion during the Google for Korea 2026 event in Seoul on Wednesday. Hassabis, who is also an artificial intelligence researcher and Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate in 2024, visited Korea for the first time in 10 years following the landmark human

President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday called for political unity on foreign and security affairs, saying the current domestic infighting over external matters amounts to “self-inflicted harm” at a time of mounting external challenges. During a luncheon with lawmakers from minor parties and independents at Cheong Wa Dae, Lee underscored that South Korea faced an “extremely challenging external situation” that demanded greater unity at home rather than partisan conflict. “To overcome these difficul

LX International said Wednesday its first-quarter operating profit nearly doubled from the previous quarter, as stronger commodity prices and a recovery in trading lifted earnings. The company reported revenue of 4.21 trillion won ($2.9 billion) and operating profit of 108.9 billion won for the January-March period, according to a regulatory filing. Revenue rose 4 percent from a year earlier, supported by higher output and sales at key assets including its AKP nickel mine and palm plantations in

Korea's film business is showing signs of life again, and it has one film — and the studio behind it — to thank for most of it. According to the quarterly report released Wednesday by the Korean Film Council, the government body in charge of film policy, the country's box office took in 318 billion won ($215 million) and drew 31.9 million admissions between January and March, making it the strongest first quarter since 2020. Revenue climbed 58.7 percent year on year; admissions rose 53.2 percent

“Perfect Crown” focuses on a hypothetical royal family of the Joseon era, which, in reality, ended in the early 20th century. Despite the hit series' fictional nature, historian Shim Yong-hwan says it still contains many historical inaccuracies, especially in its regency storyline and portrayal of a continued royal family after the fall of Joseon. The series follows chaebol heiress Hui-ju (IU), who orchestrates a contract marriage with royal prince I-an (Byeon Woo-seok) in a fictional 21st-centu

INSEL POEL, Germany (AFP) -- A special boat carrying a stranded humpback whale whose weeks-long struggle to survive has captured hearts in Germany set off for the open seas on Tuesday evening in a last-ditch rescue attempt. Rescuers had earlier succeeded in coaxing the animal into the barge, which has a water-filled hold and is usually used to carry other boats, in an attempt to return it to its natural habitat. The whale, dubbed "Timmy" by German media, and its ordeal have gripped the country s

A security guard at an apartment complex in Incheon died after being hit by a van while helping students cross the road on their way to school, with police later finding that the driver had taken more sleeping pills than usual before the crash. The driver, a woman in her 40s, was leaving the apartment complex in a van when she drove the vehicle onto a crosswalk and hit the security guard, who was in his 60s. The van stopped only after traveling about 10 meters farther. The guard went into cardia

China’s government wants to strengthen domestic consumption, encourage family formation, increase fertility and achieve more balanced growth. But a major barrier is impeding progress on all these fronts: Chinese non-agricultural workers currently work some 2,500 hours per year, and hundreds of millions of blue-collar workers, largely rural-to-urban migrants, work nearly 3,000. That is nearly 60 hours per week — a schedule that leaves little time for consumption, relationships or family-building.

A key executive of U.S. tech giant Nvidia Corp. held meetings with counterparts from Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc. on Wednesday to discuss cooperation in physical artificial intelligence, industry sources said. The back-to-back meetings came as Madison Huang, senior director of product and technical marketing for physical AI platforms at Nvidia, is visiting South Korea to expand partnerships in the sector. Her team oversees Nvidia Omniverse, a development platform for physical and in

Hybe logged its strongest first-quarter performance on record, with consolidated revenue approaching 700 billion won ($490 million) driven by BTS's full-group return and accelerating sales from newer acts including Katseye and Cortis, the K-pop powerhouse said Wednesday. Revenue for the January-March period reached 698.3 billion won, up 40 percent from 500.6 billion won a year earlier. Adjusted operating profit — which strips out a one-time, non-cash accounting charge — came in at 58.5 billion w

With its eighth EP “Redefine,” Cravity turns inward, using a six-track release to explore growth, uncertainty and the process of redefining itself. Fronted by the track “Awake,” the album reflects both a creative shift and a transitional moment for the group. The album comes at a meaningful point for Cravity. With the group now six years into their career and contract renewal decisions approaching, Wonjin said the members had discussed the future before preparing the comeback. “We talked about c

A Seoul court approved Ador’s request in February to freeze assets owned by former NewJeans member Danielle's mother, and former CEO Min Hee-jin, according to local reports on Wednesday citing legal sources. The total claim amounts to 7 billion won ($4.73 million), comprising 5 billion won against Min and 2 billion won against Danielle’s mother. The measure is intended to prevent the disposal or concealment of assets before a final ruling, ensuring the enforceability of potential compensation. T

Madison Huang, senior director of product marketing at Nvidia, visited Doosan Robotics on Wednesday, as the South Korean company and US tech giant step up their partnership to build a robot execution platform and commercialize industrial humanoid robots by 2028. Doosan Robotics said Huang — the eldest daughter of Nvidia cofounder and CEO Jensen Huang — toured the company's innovation center in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, where she met with CEO Kim Min-pyo. The discussions focused on integrating

A growing number of rookie K-pop boy groups are embracing youthfulness, signaling a shift away from the darker, powerful styles that defined many third-generation boy groups. Often described as refreshing, the concept emphasizes bright, emotionally sincere imagery and boyish innocence expressed through both music and visuals. Notable examples include TWS and NCT Wish, which have both built their identities around youth-driven storytelling and approachable aesthetics. TWS, in particular, has gain

Seoul stocks closed at a fresh peak on Wednesday, just an inch away from the 6,700 mark, as investors bet chip demand will remain solid amid woes over the artificial intelligence boom. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 49.88 points, or 0.75 percent, to a fresh record high of 6,690.90 after rising as high as to 6,716.20, extending its gains to a third consecutive day. Trade volume was heavy at 712.3 million shares worth 31 trillion won ($21 billion), with winners outnumbering

South Korea’s Presidential Security Service has trained presidential guards from the United Arab Emirates in Seoul, underscoring the two countries’ expanding security cooperation, the agency said Wednesday. The four-week program for 10 members of the UAE Presidential Guard Command was held from March 30 to April 24 at the PSS’ Security Safety Training Institute in Gangseo-gu, western Seoul. The UAE Presidential Guard is an elite special operations unit within the UAE Armed Forces. The program wa

Samsung Electronics has begun restructuring parts of its consumer electronics business, including dishwashers and microwave ovens, as it pivots toward profitability amid weakening demand and rising costs, industry sources said Wednesday. The move comes despite record first-quarter earnings driven by a semiconductor boom, underscoring a widening gap between its chip business and consumer divisions. Samsung’s device appliances division, which oversees home appliances, recently outlined a restructu

Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis reunited with Go grandmaster Lee Se-dol in Seoul on Wednesday, revisiting their landmark 2016 AlphaGo match that reshaped the trajectory of artificial intelligence. The two met during a session at the Google for Korea 2026 event held at The Westin Josun Seoul, where Lee joined author and YouTuber Cho Seung-yeon and Hassabis in a discussion reflecting on the historic five-game series. "It feels like a hundred years have passed in terms of the advances since then

North Korea’s state-run Rodong Sinmun on Wednesday reported that people from across society are paying their respects at the new memorial museum for overseas military operations, in an apparent continuation of the regime’s efforts to justify deploying troops to support Russia. The newspaper described the museum as a place that “eternally conveys the heroic feats and noble spirit” of Korean People’s Army soldiers who took part in overseas military operations. It said officials, workers, military

Samsung Display is on track to be the exclusive OLED supplier for Apple's 20th-anniversary iPhone in 2027, according to fresh supply-chain leaks out of Greater China. The arrangement, if it holds, would echo the sole-vendor deal that handed Samsung the entire iPhone X panel order in 2017. Three separate leaks within the past week have pointed to the same panel: a custom screen with all four edges gently curved, built without the polarizing film that sits on top of conventional OLEDs. Greater Chi

LG Electronics reported record first-quarter revenue on Wednesday, with its home appliance and vehicle components businesses emerging as key growth drivers. The company posted consolidated revenue of 23.73 trillion won ($17.5 billion), up 4.3 percent from a year earlier, and operating profit of 1.67 trillion won, up 32.9 percent. Revenue marked a record high for a first quarter, while operating profit was the third-highest on record, LG said. Combined quarterly revenue from its home appliance bu

Hana Financial Group, Posco International and Dunamu said Wednesday they are joining hands to build a blockchain-based cross-border remittance platform, aiming to improve transparency and efficiency in overseas fund transactions. The three companies signed a memorandum of understanding at Hana Financial Group’s headquarters in Seoul to collaborate across finance and digital assets. Attendees included Hana Financial Group Vice Chair Lee Eun-hyung, Posco International President Lee Kye-in and Duna

LX Hausys said Wednesday its acrylic solid surface Himacs Terrazzo has won the 2026 Red Dot Award for product design. The product was recognized for its distinctive design and use of recycled materials, reflecting both aesthetic innovation and environmental sustainability. Himacs Terrazzo reinterprets the traditional Italian terrazzo style — a surface made by embedding marble chips and pebbles into cement — with a more refined, contemporary finish. The product also stood out for its contribution

Park Ji-min, the South Korea-born French actor and visual artist, has been named to the short film and La Cinef jury at this year's Cannes Film Festival, organizers announced Tuesday. The Paris-based artist will serve under jury president Carla Simon, the Spanish filmmaker behind Berlin Golden Bear winner Alcarras. The five-member panel will hand out the Short Film Palme d'Or and the three La Cinef prizes, awarded to student films selected from schools around the world. Also on the jury are Iran

A public official stopped a man from setting fire to a subway train in Daegu during the morning rush hour last week, police said Wednesday. The Daegu Dalseo Police Station said the suspect, a man in his 40s, was referred to the prosecution on charges of violating the Railroad Safety Act. The suspect allegedly walked through a Line 1 train operated by Daegu Transportation Corp. at around 8:30 a.m. on April 23 while carrying a lighter and flammable bug spray, and attempted to start a fire inside t

PARIS (AP) -- Titleholder Paris Saint-Germain trailed early, led by three goals and ultimately held on for a pulsating 5-4 win over Bayern Munich in the highest-scoring semifinal match in Champions League history on Tuesday. And there's still next week's second leg to come. PSG built a 5-2 lead early in the second half thanks to two goals each from flying winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele at Parc des Princes. "We deserved to win, we deserved to lose, we deserved to draw," PSG coac

A key executive of US tech giant Nvidia will hold meetings with counterparts from Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc. on Wednesday to discuss cooperation in physical artificial intelligence, industry sources said. The back-to-back meetings come as Madison Huang, senior director of product and technical marketing for physical AI platforms at Nvidia, is visiting South Korea to expand partnerships in the sector. Her team oversees Nvidia Omniverse, a development platform for physical and indus