Stories from Seoul · South Korea

Goodjaeun Books (Joheunchaek Sinsago), known for 'Ssen' and 'Woogongbi' textbooks, has recommended voluntary retirement for 80% of its employees due to management difficulties.

The scale of US military troop reductions will be larger than the figures initially presented by the Department of Defense. This development comes as tensions between the United States and Iran intensify.

South Korea has launched the production version of the KF-21 Boramae fighter jet. Despite a close contest in the second singles, the Chinese doubles pair could not secure a victory. The South Korean team made strategic changes, including fielding a different second singles player, Jia Yifan, who had previously lost to Kim Hye-jin and Baek Ha-na in the Asian Games. The Chinese team's second doubles pair was unable to maintain the intensity and rally length against their opponents. Despite intense multi-shot rallies, the Chinese team struggled to maintain momentum after falling behind 1-2 in the overall score. Analysts noted that the South Korean tactical shifts may have increased psychological pressure on the Chinese athletes. This result was reported by multiple sources. This result was unexpected given China's strong performance in previous tournaments.

Samsung Chairman K.H. Lee's family has reported the death of one of his children. This development occurs while Lee awaits a verdict in the 'Samsung X-Files' bribery scandal involving nearly $5 billion. The news was discussed during a segment on the program Inheritance.

A former spy from Korea's National Intelligence Service has confessed to leading an illegal eavesdropping operation. The individual reportedly attempted suicide after coming forward about the hundreds of tapes produced.

A Samsung chairman infamously ordered employees to watch as more than 100,000 products were destroyed. The incident occurred several years ago, according to the report. Lee has issued a written statement regarding allegations that he used company funds for political donations.

An Si-young will continue to play singles, while Jeong Na-eun and Lee So-hee have been paired together. The South Korean badminton team has implemented changes to its player rankings and group arrangements. An Se-young will continue in the singles category, while the previous pairing of Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee has been split. New pairings include Baek Ha-na and Kim Hye-jin for doubles, with Kim Ga-eun, Shin Yu-jin, and others assigned to specific singles slots. The broadcast mentioned that the South Korean badminton lineup is being adjusted, with a discussion about potentially simplifying the scoring system to 15-point sets. The adjustments aim to support An Se-young's competitive standing. This strategic shift aims to optimize team performance.

Seoul Metro announced it will take strict measures against the misuse of discounted transit cards.

A second-instance verdict for former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is expected on May 7. This case relates to actions taken during a period of martial law. The source did not specify the country or the name of the former prime minister. Han faces charges including involvement in an insurrection. The first-instance verdict, delivered in January, resulted in a 23-year prison sentence. This upcoming sentencing hearing will be broadcast live to the public.

Samsung is increasing prices for its smartphones and tablets in the United States due to a global shortage of memory chips. Price hikes for the Galaxy Flip 7 and Galaxy S25 Edge with 512GB of memory will range from $80.