Korean Pharma and Medtech Updates: New Chondroitin Supplement, China Dividend Win, AI Project, CGM Study, FDA Fast Track, KGMP Renewal Daewon Pharmaceutical launches “Chondroitin King 1200” with individually approved functional ingredient Daewon Pharmaceutical said March 18 that its health supplement brand Daewon Health has launched “Chondroitin King 1200,” a functional health food that may help support joint and cartilage health. The product’s main ingredient is chondroitin sulfate, which has been recognized by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for joint and cartilage health functionality. The company said it is the March 18, 2026

Han So-hee and Jeon Jong-seo team up for film 'Project Y' Every production is seen from countless angles. Even in the same place at the same time, directors and actors may experience the moment differently. <Choi Song-hui’s B-Cut> looks past the on-screen “A-cut” to the vivid record of what happened on set. By weaving together interviews with directors and actors, it reconstructs the “B-cut” moments that were often more intense than the finished frame. <Editor’s note> In the middle of a glittering city, two women at the edge of their March 18, 2026

Actor Go Jun to Marry Non-Celebrity Partner in Private Ceremony on April 5 South Korean actor Go Jun will marry his non-celebrity partner on April 5, according to reporting by this outlet. The wedding will be held at a location in Seoul and will be private, with only family and close acquaintances invited. The bride-to-be is not in the entertainment industry. The couple has been dating since last year. Go debuted in the 2001 film ‘Wanee & Junah’ and has since appeared in films including ‘Byeonsan,’ ‘Midnight Runners,’ & March 18, 2026

Yeosu petrochemical workers protest government-led plan to cut naphtha cracker output Yeosu industrial complex workers on Tuesday criticized a government- and creditor-led plan to voluntarily cut output at naphtha crackers, warning it could lead to mass layoffs and damage the local economy. They said it is unfair to push ahead with talks between the government (creditors) and companies without agreement from workers and the community. According to political circles, the labor-led Joint Countermeasures Committee for responding to petrochemical restructuring at the Yeosu Nat March 18, 2026

FL Auto Korea Launches Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid Midsize SUV in South Korea FL Auto Korea said March 18 it will officially launch Lincoln's midsize SUV, the Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid, in South Korea. The Nautilus Hybrid is a new trim of the second-generation model and is being introduced to the South Korean market for the first time. The company said the launch is aimed at strengthening its push into the premium midsize SUV segment while responding to growing demand for eco-friendly vehicles. The hybrid model is designed to further emphasize Lincoln's cor March 18, 2026

Shinhan Bank Joins Bank of Korea’s ‘Project Hangang’ Phase 2 Digital Currency Pilot Shinhan Bank said Tuesday it will participate in Phase 2 of the Bank of Korea’s digital currency pilot, known as “Project Hangang.” Project Hangang is a digital currency initiative led by the central bank with the Financial Services Commission, the Financial Supervisory Service and commercial banks. Under the model, the Bank of Korea issues a wholesale central bank digital currency, and commercial banks issue deposit tokens based on it. Consumers make payments using the deposit tokens iss March 18, 2026

FedEx Wins 2026 Asia-Pacific Biopharma Excellence Award for Last-Mile Logistics Federal Express Corp., known as FedEx, said Tuesday it won the “Best Logistics and Supply Chain Management” award in the “Last-Mile Implementation” category at the Asia-Pacific Biopharma Excellence Awards 2026. The awards are hosted by IMAPAC, an international organization in the pharmaceutical and biotech sector. They recognize companies that have contributed to industry development in Asia across areas including bioprocessing, logistics, supply chain management and clinical research. March 18, 2026

Crown Haitai chairman Yoon Young-dal elected third president of pro billiards association PBA Yoon Young-dal, chairman of Crown Haitai Confectionery, has been elected to lead the Professional Billiards Association (PBA). The PBA said March 18 that its board, at the association’s seventh-term fourth meeting, selected Yoon as the third PBA president. His term will run for three years, through March 2029. The PBA said Yoon is known for his strong interest in professional billiards and that he founded and operated the Crown Haitai Laon team in the early days of the pro circuit. Citi March 18, 2026

Venezuela beats U.S. 3-2 to win first World Baseball Classic title Venezuela beat the United States to win its first World Baseball Classic title. Venezuela defeated the U.S. 3-2 in the 2026 WBC final on March 18 (Korean time) at loanDepot park in Miami. Venezuela reached its first final by beating defending champion Japan 8-5 in the quarterfinals and Italy 4-2 in the semifinals. It then edged the U.S. to secure its first championship. The U.S., which lost the 2023 WBC final to Japan, finished runner-up again, falling by the same 3-2 score. The mat March 18, 2026

Book Claims AI and Cell Science Could Enable Healthy Living to Age 200 A new book argues that humanity’s long-held goal of living a long life in good health is moving closer to reality through the convergence of artificial intelligence and cellular science. BookLab recently published “AI 200se Mubyeongjangsu” (“AI: Healthy Longevity to Age 200”). The book challenges the idea that aging is an unavoidable law of nature, redefining it as a condition that can be managed and treated, and it lays out what it calls a scientific roadmap toward a 200-year lifespan. March 18, 2026