▲ First lady Kim Hea Kyung speaks during a K-pop contest held at Yashobhoomi Convention Center in New Delhi, India, on April 20, 2026. (Yonhap)

first lady-India

First lady attends K-pop contest in India

By Kim Eun-jung

NEW DELHI, April 20 (Yonhap) -- First lady Kim Hea Kyung attended a K-pop contest in India on Monday, expressing hope for stronger people-to-people ties through cultural exchange, the presidential office said.

Kim joined the "K-Dream Stage: All India K-Pop Grand Championship," an annual contest hosted by the Korean Cultural Center, as a guest, while accompanying President Lee Jae Myung on his state visit to India.

She noted that the event highlighted the growing popularity of Korean culture in India and expressed hope that the contestants would serve as a bridge between the two nations.

"I firmly believe that all of you here will become leading figures in shaping a new global wave of popular culture, including in India and Korea," she said in an address.

The event featured K-pop dance and singing competitions as well as performances by invited artists. Park Jin-young, founder of K-pop powerhouse JYP Entertainment and co-chair of the Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange, joined the event.

"Culture has the power to connect people beyond borders," Kim said. "I hope today's event will serve as an opportunity to deepen mutual understanding and empathy between our cultures, and further expand exchanges between our two countries."

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▲ President Lee Jae Myung (3rd from R) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (3rd from L) hold summit talks in New Delhi, India, on April 20, 2026. (Yonhap)

▲ President Lee Jae Myung (L, front) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R, front) head to Rashtrapati Bhavan ahead of their summit talks in New Delhi, India, on April 20, 2026. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

▲ President Lee Jae Myung (2nd from L) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) plant a commemorative tree at Modi's official guest house in New Delhi, India, ahead of their summit talks on April 20, 2026. (Yonhap)

▲ Kim Yong-beom, presidential chief of staff for policy, explains the outcome of President Lee Jae Myung's summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a press briefing held at a hotel in New Delhi on April 20, 2026. (Yonhap)

(3rd LD) Lee-India-summit

(3rd LD) S. Korea, India agree to cooperate on energy supply chains amid Mideast war

(ATTN: ADDS presidential aide's briefing in last 2 paras, photo)

By Kim Eun-jung

NEW DELHI, April 20 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung said he and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed Monday to cooperate on stabilizing energy supply chains to better navigate uncertainties stemming from the war in the Middle East.

Outlining the outcomes of his summit with Modi in New Delhi, Lee said he and the Indian prime minister focused on expanding trade and investment, and exploring new opportunities in critical minerals, energy, artificial intelligence (AI), finance and shipbuilding, among other sectors.

"In light of recent developments in the Middle East, we will continue to strengthen bilateral cooperation to ensure a stable supply of energy resources and key raw materials, including naphtha," Lee said during a joint press announcement.

Naphtha is a key feedstock for the petrochemical industry, and South Korea imports most of it from the Middle East via the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed amid tensions between the United States and Iran.

Modi struck a similar note, saying India will strengthen cooperation in key technologies and supply chains with South Korea to promote the shared prosperity of both countries.

Lee said the two leaders agreed to maintain close coordination on regional peace and global issues amid the changing global dynamics.

"We exchanged views on the latest developments in the Middle East, and shared the view that restoring peace and stability in the region is critical to global security and the economy," he said.

Lee also said he explained Seoul's efforts to build peace on the Korean Peninsula and expressed appreciation for the Indian government's consistent support, while calling for its continued "constructive role."

Describing India as the world's most populous country and a leading voice of the Global South, Lee called the two nations "ideal partners for comprehensive cooperation" that fosters mutual growth and innovation.

To that end, the two countries agreed to expedite negotiations to upgrade their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), setting a goal of increasing bilateral trade from the current US$25 billion to $50 billion by 2030.

"The upgraded agreement will reflect new trade norms, enabling our two countries to respond more effectively to evolving conditions, including in areas such as supply chains and the green economy," Lee said.

Modi said the two nations will resume negotiations to upgrade the CEPA within this year and make efforts to promptly finalize the talks.

In light of the summit, the two sides signed 15 documents aimed at boosting trade, investment and cooperation in areas including shipbuilding and AI, and establishing a ministerial-level industrial cooperation committee dedicated to economic cooperation.

Among the agreements, a memorandum of understanding on shipbuilding aims to support Korean companies' participation in India's shipbuilding projects, including those on the construction of shipbuilding facilities and providing production support.

The two nations also agreed to establish a "Mumbai Korea Center," which will serve as a K-pop performance venue and a hub for Korean culture, envisioned as a space blending K-pop and Bollywood, India's Hindi-language film industry.

Ahead of the summit, Lee paid tribute at Raj Ghat, a memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, and planted a commemorative tree with Modi at Hyderabad House.

During the summit, Lee and Modi discussed practical ways to facilitate economic cooperation by establishing dedicated teams in their respective countries, Kim Yong-beom, presidential chief of staff for policy, told reporters.

Acknowledging the difficulties Korean companies face due to regulatory uncertainty, Modi said his office would set up a "Korea desk" to serve as a control tower for bilateral economic cooperation. The prime minister also suggested that Seoul establish a corresponding unit under the presidential office, to which Lee responded positively, Kim said.

(END)

(LEAD) parliament-BOK chief nominee

(LEAD) Lee appoints BOK governor after parliamentary confirmation

(ATTN: UPDATED with president's approval in paras 1-3; CHANGES headline)

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung on Monday approved the appointment of Shin Hyun-song as governor of the Bank of Korea (BOK) after his parliamentary confirmation report was adopted through bipartisan agreement, the presidential office said.

With the approval, Shin will take office starting Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, the National Assembly's strategy and finance committee adopted a confirmation hearing report for Shin following his hearing last Wednesday.

Opposition lawmakers had taken issue with allegations that Shin's daughter, a British national, was illegally re-issued a South Korean passport.

"Many committee members shared the view that there shouldn't be a vacuum in the Bank of Korea's governorship as the domestic and external economic conditions are severe," said Rep. Lim Lee-ja of the main opposition People Power Party, who heads the committee.

It marked the first time a confirmation hearing report for a BOK chief nominee was not adopted on the day of the hearing since 2014, when the position became subject to the appointment procedure.

Outgoing BOK Gov. Rhee Chang-yong completed his four-year term earlier in the day.

(END)

(2nd LD) unification minister-NK nuclear facility

(2nd LD) Unification minister regrets leak claim related to his reference to Kusong as N.K. nuclear facility site

(ATTN: ADDS Lee's comments in paras 11-13)

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said Monday his referring to North Korea's Kusong region as one of the sites hosting the country's nuclear facilities was intended to explain South Korea's North Korea policy, expressing regret over allegations that the remarks constituted an information leak.

The minister made the remarks amid allegations that he disclosed sensitive intelligence on North Korea, after describing Kusong as a site hosting uranium enrichment facilities during a parliamentary session last month.

So far, only two regions -- Yongbyon and Kangson -- have been officially recognized as uranium enrichment sites in North Korea, while researchers in South Korea and abroad have at times referred to Kusong as also hosting nuclear facilities.

"I only (referred to Kusong) as part of a policy explanation meant to illustrate the seriousness of North Korea's nuclear issue. Framing it as an information leak is very regrettable," Chung told reporters.

The United States has reportedly complained about Chung's disclosure of the information, which it believes was based on intelligence shared by Washington, and has ceased sharing satellite information on North Korea with Seoul.

The unification ministry has contended that Chung's remarks were based on "open information," including expert reports and local media articles, rather than intelligence from Washington.

"It's (already) open information. I also mentioned Kusong during my confirmation hearing last year," the minister stated, dismissing allegations of an information leak. "I suspect a hidden motive behind bringing this issue up after nine months have passed."

Chung said the national interest should be the top priority in addressing this issue along with others, accusing some of falsely "spreading a scenario of a crisis in South Korea-U.S. relations" and expressing hope that Seoul and Washington would resolve the matter "through smooth communications."

Chung reaffirmed such a stance in a post updated on his personal blog, dismissing the information leak claim as "absurd."

"Since taking office as unification minister, never have I received an intelligence briefing on nuclear facilities from relevant domestic and overseas intelligence institutions," he wrote.

Later in the day, President Lee Jae Myung said the existence of a nuclear facility in Kusong had already been widely known.

"It is a clear fact that the Kusong nuclear facility had been widely known worldwide through various academic papers and media reports even before Minister Chung's remarks," Lee wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

"Any claim and action based on the premise that Chung leaked classified information provided by the U.S. is unfounded," he said.

Meanwhile, the defense ministry said there are no issues in terms of military readiness posture against North Korea.

"There are no issues in South Korea-U.S. cooperation regarding the collection and sharing of North Korea-related information or in the readiness posture against North Korea," ministry spokesperson Chung Binna told Yonhap News Agency.

(END)

▲ President Lee Jae Myung (L) poses for a photo with an Indian participant at a business forum held in New Delhi, India, on April 20, 2026. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) Lee-biz forum

(LEAD) Lee eyes doubling S. Korea-India trade amid push for deeper economic ties

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with latest details; CHANGES headline, lead, photos)

By Kim Eun-jung

NEW DELHI, April 20 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung on Monday called for efforts to more than double bilateral trade between South Korea and India by tapping growth potential and exploring new business opportunities in advanced technologies and shipbuilding.

Lee underscored the importance of forging deeper economic ties to address challenges arising from a changing global trade environment during a business forum in New Delhi, held after his bilateral summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The bilateral relationship is entering a new phase, while shared challenges we must address together, such as the restructuring of global supply chains, digital transformation and the climate crisis, are increasing," he said. "It is time to move beyond past approaches and build a more advanced framework for cooperation."

Lee said the current level of bilateral trade is insufficient given the size of India's vast economy, the world's fourth largest, pointing to significant potential for deeper cooperation and investment.

"By harnessing India's dynamism as a new engine, we should work to more than double our current trade volume," he said.

During Monday's summit, the two countries agreed to resume negotiations to upgrade their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), setting a goal of increasing bilateral trade from the current US$25 billion to $50 billion by 2030.

"If India's world-class capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI) and software are combined with Korea's manufacturing competitiveness in semiconductors, batteries, automobiles and shipbuilding, the two countries will be able to generate enormous synergy," he said.

In particular, Lee expressed hope for expanded cooperation in the shipbuilding sector following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to lay the groundwork for joint shipyard construction.

The forum brought together top business leaders from both countries, including Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Hyundai Motor Executive Chair Euisun Chung and LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo. On the Indian side, Vijay Sankar of the Sanmar Group and Ravi Ruia attended.

On the sidelines of the event, around 20 MOUs were signed to pave the way for expanded cooperation between South Korean and Indian companies, according to Cheong Wa Dae.

Korean steelmaker POSCO Holdings signed a joint venture deal, worth nearly $7.3 billion, with India's JSW Group to build an upstream steel facility in India.

In the energy sector, GS Engineering & Construction and Indian energy firm ARI Energy signed an MOU for a 920 billion-won ($623.4 million) wind turbine repowering project in India.

HD Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering also signed an agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras to cooperate on AI-based manufacturing technologies for smart shipyards.

Other MOUs include a joint development agreement for three-wheeled electric vehicles between Hyundai Motor Company and TVS Motor Company, as well as a digital mapping services deal between Naver and Tata Consultancy Services.

(END)

S. Korea-India biz forum

Ryu Jin, chief of the Federation of Korean Industries, speaks during a business forum between South Korea and India at the Bharat Mandapam Convention Center in New Delhi on April 20, 2026. (Yonhap)

(END)

S. Korea-India biz forum

Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal speaks during a business forum between South Korea and India at the Bharat Mandapam Convention Center in New Delhi on April 20, 2026. (Yonhap)

(END)

S. Korea-India biz forum

Anant Goenka, president of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, speaks during a business forum between South Korea and India at the Bharat Mandapam Convention Center in New Delhi on April 20, 2026. (Yonhap)

(END)

S. Korea-India biz forum

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a business forum between South Korea and India at the Bharat Mandapam Convention Center in New Delhi on April 20, 2026. (Yonhap)

(END)

Jisoo-family

Jisoo not linked to family member under police investigation: attorney

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- BLACKPINK member Jisoo is not connected to a family member under police investigation, an attorney representing her agency, Blissoo, said Monday.

Police had earlier sought an arrest warrant for a man, identified as Jisoo's family member, on allegations of attempted indecent physical contact, but prosecutors rejected the request.

"The issue currently being raised has nothing to do with the artist or Blissoo," said attorney Eun Hyun-ho of Seoul-based law firm Kim & Chang, who represents the agency.

He added that Jisoo began her trainee period at a young age and has lived apart from her family for a long time, making it unlikely she was aware of or involved in the individual's private matters.

The lawyer also denied rumors that the agency was jointly established by Jisoo and the family member or that he was involved in its management.

(END)