Krafton bridges PUBG universe with Korean traditional crafts SEOUL, February 02 (AJP) - Krafton unveiled Monday a collection merging its flagship battle royale IP "PUBG: Battlegrounds" with traditional Korean craftsmanship through a state-led cultural initiative. The project, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and managed by the Korea Craft & Design Foundation, aims to reimagine traditional assets within modern industries. Design studio Superposition reinterpreted the game's iconic "Blue Zone" February 2, 2026

Hyundai Motor Group drops buyback option for Russian plant SEOUL, February 02 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Group has decided not to exercise an option to repurchase its former manufacturing plant in Russia, effectively confirming its exit from the Russian market. It will only maintain support services for existing customers, according to industry sources on Monday. The group allowed the buyback option for the St. Petersburg facility to expire at the end of last month, choosing not to reacquire the plant. Hyundai Motor Group sold its enti February 2, 2026

Actor Kim Seon-ho denies alleged tax evasion SEOUL, February 2 (AJP) - Actor Kim Seon-ho has denied allegations of tax evasion after claims that he set up a corporation with family members as executives, paid fabricated wages, and used a corporate credit card for personal expenses. In a press statement through his management agency Fantagio on Sunday, the actor said he is fully complying with all required legal and tax procedures. The allegations come amid his regaining popularity recently with his Netflix hit series &quo February 2, 2026

ASML's ambitious revenue target raise capacity upgrade room for memory chipmakers in AI heyday SEOUL, February 02 (AJP) - ASML’s ambitious revenue target signals greater room for scaling and production ramp-ups among chipmakers including Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, which together supply roughly 80 percent of the memory used in AI accelerators and hyperscale data centers. The outlook follows stronger-than-expected 2025 earnings from ASML, which reported total net sales of €32.7 billion ($38.8 billion), while fourth-quarter net bookings surged to €13.16 February 2, 2026

Samsung SDI swings to operating loss in 2025 on weak EV demand SEOUL, February 02 (AJP) - Samsung SDI swung to an operating loss in 2025 as a prolonged slowdown in electric-vehicle demand and shifting policy conditions in the United States and Europe weighed on performance, the battery maker said on Monday. In a regulatory filing, the company reported an operating loss of 1.72 trillion won for the year, reversing an operating profit of 363.3 billion won in 2024. Revenue fell 20 percent to 13.27 trillion won from 16.6 trillion won a year ear February 2, 2026

Tighter loans fuel demand for smaller apartments SEOUL, February 2 (AJP) - Strong demand for homes along the Han River in Seoul has driven up prices of small or midsize apartments, as they are relatively affordable and eligible for larger loans. According to transaction data of real estate compiled by KB Kookmin Bank and released on Monday, the average price of apartments measuring 60 to 85 square meters in about a dozen districts south of the Han River stood at 1.83 billion won (about US$1.3 million) in January, up 0.96 percent February 2, 2026

Uzbekistan and Türkiye partner to modernize workforce and combat poverty SEOUL, February 02 (AJP) - Uzbekistan and Türkiye have established a new model of institutional cooperation to enhance human capital and improve public administration in the labor market. The partnership focuses on professional development for government officials to accelerate poverty reduction and ensure sustainable employment in both nations. The Embassy of Uzbekistan in the Republic of Korea said Monday that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by A.X. Rakhmonov February 2, 2026

K-pop acts walk away without trophies but leave mark on Grammy stage SEOUL, February 02 (AJP) — K-pop artists left the 68th Grammy Awards without major wins on Sunday, but delivered high-profile performances and historic nominations that underscored the genre’s expanding presence on the global music stage. The awards ceremony was held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, bringing together leading figures from the international music industry. BLACKPINK member ROSÉ became the first K-pop female solo artist to rece February 2, 2026

'Golden' takes home one grammy out of four nominations SEOUL, February 02 (AJP) - Expectations were high, but the climb proved steep for “Golden,” the original soundtrack from Netflix’s animated hit K-Pop Demon Hunters, at this year’s Grammy Awards. Despite entering the ceremony with four nominations, “Golden” secured just one trophy — Best Song Written for Visual Media — during the Grammys’ Premiere Ceremony. The track was also nominated for Song of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group P February 2, 2026

Hanwha Ocean hosts Canadian officials as submarine bid advances SEOUL, February 02 (AJP) - A Canadian business and government delegation led by Stephen Fuhr, Canada’s minister of state for defense procurement, visited Hanwha Ocean’s shipyard in Geoje on Monday as Ottawa advances plans for its Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP). Fuhr, who oversees procurement for the program estimated at about 60 trillion won, toured Hanwha Ocean’s assembly facilities with roughly 30 Canadian government and industry representatives, re February 2, 2026