Stories from Seoul · South Korea

Kpop entities are joining forces to launch Fana Menan, an immersive festival celebrating Korean pop culture. The first event is scheduled for 2027 in Seoul. The initiative aims to establish South Korea as a major global pop culture hub.

South Korea and Ghana signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) to expand cooperation in climate change, artificial intelligence, and maritime security.

LG defeated the SSG Landers 5-1 during a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season home game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. Pitcher Anders Thorup provided a strong performance to secure the victory. Austin Dean and Song Chan-hee both hit home runs during the match.

Naver News Partnership Committee will begin applying negative evaluation scores to articles containing promotional products or services starting next month.

The Choi Myung-hoon club won the 13th Daeju Cup Men's Professional Handball Championship after defeating the Mok Jin-seok club. The match concluded in 276 moves with a score of 101.5 points. The second match is scheduled for May 3 at 2:00 PM at the Seoul Olympic Park Handball Stadium. The victory marks the club's first championship in 26 years. The SK Sugar Gliders won the third match of the Handball H League women's championship final, defeating their opponent 24-23 by one point. This victory brought the series back to a draw after a 22-28 loss in the first match. The South Korean women's handball team defeated China with a score of 3-1 to win the World Women's Handball Championship.

Hanwha Group's stock price reached a new historical high, reclaiming its position as a market leader.

A survey conducted by Korea Gallup between April 28 and April 30 found that 59% of respondents support raising the age for senior benefits from 65 to 70. The poll included 1,002 men and women aged 18 and older across South Korea. Conversely, 30% of respondents opposed the change, while others remained undecided. The report noted that widespread public awareness of the system and serious social discussion are required. Opponents of the measure accounted for 30% of respondents. Observers noted that serious social discussion regarding the change is required. In a 2013 survey on the same topic, 60% of respondents were in favor. When asked who should primarily care for their own livelihood, 60% of respondents answered they would care for themselves. The government and society accounted for 29%, while children accounted for 4%, according to the survey results.

Seoul Metro is stepping up enforcement following the recording of nearly 160,000 cases of fare dodging on the Seoul subway over the past three years.

South Korean media company CJ ENM has released an AI-hybrid film. The premiere marks a step for the Korean movie industry as it explores artificial intelligence integration.

National Assembly spokesperson Choi Su-jin stated that certain legislative efforts are intended to cancel the ongoing trial of President Lee Jae-myung. Semiconductor exports specifically rose 173.5 percent to $31.9 billion in April, representing the second-highest performance on record. The government noted these figures amid concerns regarding the prolonged conflict in the Middle East. South Korean exports reached $85.89 billion in April, marking a 48% increase compared to the same month last year. This follows March, which was the first month to surpass the $80 billion threshold. Semiconductor exports reached $30.39 billion, acting as a primary driver for the growth despite Middle East conflict volatility. The report indicates that exports are serving as a pillar for the national economy.