Stories from Seoul · South Korea

Apple reported iPhone 17 series sales of $112 billion for the period of January to March. This represents a 17% increase compared to the previous year. The revenue surpassed the market expectation of $109.6 billion. Earnings per share reached $2.01, exceeding the Wall Street forecast of $1.95.

Australia and South Korea have released a statement promising pre-emptive action to secure resilience in energy supplies. The agreement reached in Seoul focuses on ensuring safe and reliable supplies of diesel and liquefied natural gas. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong noted the move addresses existing vulnerabilities in energy security. Canberra is dispatching a high-level government delegation to Japan and China as part of this initiative. The agreement aims to address broader energy security concerns. The announcement followed a visit to Japan, the Republic of Korea, and China by Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong. The statement was released in response to the impact of the war in Iran. Both nations agreed to cooperate on supply stability and commit to mutual notification and consultation in the event of potential supply disruptions.

South Korea will implement new mandatory national standards for the real-name registration and activation of civilian unmanned aerial vehicles. The Ministry of Environment is implementing phased regulations to manage air quality during May, a month typically characterized by poor air quality. Stage 1 measures include restrictions on outdoor activities and mask mandates. Stages 2 and 3 involve vehicle restrictions where odd-numbered license plates are permitted on odd-numbered dates and even-numbered plates on even-numbered dates.

South Korean industrial production increased by 0.3% in March, marking the second consecutive month of growth following a 2.1% rise in February. Soil experiments confirmed the film is environmentally friendly, with 34.4% decomposing within approximately 15 days. The material is being positioned as an alternative to polyethylene film amid prolonged high oil prices caused by Middle East tensions. The study, published in the journal Green Chemistry, shows the film effectively blocks ultraviolet rays. It also limits soil moisture loss to approximately 5% over a two-week period. The research focuses on the chemical and environmental sectors. A special committee investigating allegations of parliamentary manipulation has adopted a final report led by the Democratic Party.

Krafton has announced a May 14 early access release date for Subnautica 2. The announcement follows a surge in the company's Q1 2026 financial results driven by PUBG performance.

People Power Party leaders Jang Dong-hyeok and Song Won-seok maintained separate schedules throughout Thursday, fueling rumors of internal party fractures.

A study by the Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Traffic Safety Culture Research Institute analyzed drunk driving accidents from 2020 to 2024. The number of accidents fell from approximately 17,000 to 11,000 cases over the five-year period, representing a 36 percent reduction.

Kim So-young is on trial for a series of murders involving the use of benzodiazepine-based psychotropic drugs in Seoul. Prosecutors allege Kim spiked alcohol or hangover relief drinks with the substances between October last year and January this year to incapacitate three men.

A special committee in South Korea adopted a report led by the Democratic Party following clashes between ruling and opposition parties. The committee identified 31 witnesses for potential perjury or oath-breaking charges. The Democratic Party reported that the special committee confirmed the reality of manipulated indictments and will pursue a special prosecutor. The party intends to move quickly to pursue a special counsel investigation. Conversely, the People Power Party criticized the move, claiming statements from former chairman Kim Seong-tae and former vice chairman Bang Young-cheol proved the allegations of manipulation were baseless. The People Power Party further described the push for a special counsel as a self-pardon attempt by President Lee Jae-myung.

US Forces Korea Commander J.B.O. Boranson stated there are no plans to reduce US troop levels in South Korea. The commander is instead pursuing modernization of US Forces Korea to address rapidly changing strategic challenges.