Stories from South Korea

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.

The fourth ship of the South Korean Navy's FFX-III Chungnam-class guided-missile frigates was launched at the Goseong Shipyard. The vessel was constructed by SK Oceanplant in Gyeongsangnam-do.

He stated he intends to stake his political destiny on success in this region. Political discussions are underway regarding the strategic nomination of former Jeonnam Vice Governor Lee Kwang-jae for the Gwangsan district in Hanam.

Former President Yoon Suk-yeol's secretary, Jeong Jin-suk, has declared her candidacy for a by-election in Busan. The announcement has reignited debates regarding the 'Yoon-era' political influence.

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.

Samsung Electronics reported earning 54 trillion won in operating profit from its semiconductor division alone. The company is currently preparing for a general strike scheduled for next month. Samsung stated it plans to respond to the strike to ensure no disruptions to production. Operating profit reached 57.2 trillion won, while revenue hit 133.9 trillion won. The semiconductor division accounted for 53.7 trillion won of the total operating profit, representing 94% of the company's earnings. Operating profit for the consumer electronics and mobile divisions was 3 trillion won. Samsung Electronics reported record first-quarter earnings despite the impact of the Iran war. The company is pursuing the world's first mass production of 6th generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4). Profits improved as prices for DRAM and other memory products more than doubled due to supply shortages.