Korean chipmaker SK hynix last week posted an unprecedented operating profit of 37.61 trillion won ($25.42 billion) for the first quarter. A few weeks ago, Samsung Electronics reported a record-setting 57.2 trillion won in operating profit for the same period. Together, they have earned 94 trillion won in the first three months of the year on the back of a semiconductor supercycle. More significant is that the nation’s top two IT companies are poised to expand their presence in the global tech domain due to increasing worldwide demand for chips. Notably, SK hynix’s operating margin stood at 72 percent, exceeding the 58 percent posted by Taiwan’s TSMC in the first quarter, as well as the 65 percent recorded by Nvidia in the last quarter of 2025. The performances of SK hynix and Samsung led to a surprise boom in Korea’s first-quarter gross domestic product (GDP), which rose 1.7 percent, surpassing the market forecast of 0.9 percent. This growth expansion was the highest since the third quarter of 2020, when Korea saw GDP growth of 2.2 percent. Significantly, the growth in this strategic s
Despite chip rally, challenges ahead
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Latest News from Korea
- Why China will see India’s latest defense deal with South Korea as ‘inevitably sensitive’
China would see India’s attempt to expand defense industry cooperation with South Korea in artillery and anti-aircraft guns as “inevitably sensitive” given Beijing’s border dispute with New Delhi in the Himalayas, according to analysts. After meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday as part of his three-day visit to India, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced that… Read more: Why China will see India’s latest defense deal with South Korea as ‘inevitably sensitive’ - Syncretism and sagacitySyncretism means the bringing together what may seem disparate but in reality are elements that forge a stronger alloy or combination. It also might be termed work to complement substitutes or opposites. In particular contexts, its magnetism is sagacity or prudence. These days, one can see the familiar signs of syncretism and sagacity in Korean international relations. I read with… Read more: Syncretism and sagacity
- Despite chip rally, challenges aheadKorean chipmaker SK hynix last week posted an unprecedented operating profit of 37.61 trillion won ($25.42 billion) for the first quarter. A few weeks ago, Samsung Electronics reported a record-setting 57.2 trillion won in operating profit for the same period. Together, they have earned 94 trillion won in the first three months of the year on the back of a… Read more: Despite chip rally, challenges ahead
- 6 Korean universities break into Asia top 30 in THE rankings, but int’l outlook dragsSix Korean universities placed in the top 30 of the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia Rankings 2026, buoyed by strong gains in the newly introduced industry index, but persistent weakness in international outlook left them struggling to close the gap with regional leaders from China, Singapore and Hong Kong. Seoul National University ranked 15th, the highest among Korean institutions, followed… Read more: 6 Korean universities break into Asia top 30 in THE rankings, but int’l outlook drags
- BTS returns to US stage after 4 yearsK-pop powerhouse BTS has commenced its highly anticipated North American tour in Tampa, Florida, marking the group’s first full-scale concert series in the region in four years. The group opened the North American leg of its “BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’” at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa with performances on Saturday, Sunday and a third show scheduled for April 28 (local… Read more: BTS returns to US stage after 4 years
Latest Entertainment from Korea
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- BTS’s V Radiates Timeless Charisma in GQ Korea x Cartier’s February 2026 Cover: A Monument to Modern Elegance and Emotional PrecisionPhoto Credits: GQ Korea – Cartier – BigHit Music. – BTS V x Cartier: The Sound of Stillness and Strength For GQ Korea’s February 2026 issue, the cover unfolds like a cinematic confession. BTS’s V (Kim Taehyung)—known for his magnetic duality of mystery and warmth—joins forces with Cartier, the house synonymous with precision, artistry, and legacy. Together, they create a visual symphony that celebrates… Read more: BTS’s V Radiates Timeless Charisma in GQ Korea x Cartier’s February 2026 Cover: A Monument to Modern Elegance and Emotional Precision
Learn People & History of Korea
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