SEOUL , South Korea (AFP) — Booming sales of home appliances and televisions helped South Korea’s LG Electronics report a surge in first-quarter profits Thursday, despite a continued slump in smartphone sales. Net income for January to March amounted to 198 billion won ($173.9 million), up 415 percent from a year ago, the Seoul-based company said in a statement. The tech giant produces a range of consumer electronics from air conditioners to TVs and mobile phones. […]