LG Chem, GC Biopharma, Cho-A Pharma and Severance Hospital report trial, webinar, product and surgery milestones LG Chem: IDMC recommends continuing Phase 3 trial of head and neck cancer drug LG Chem said Feb. 20 that an independent data monitoring committee (IDMC) recommended continuing the Phase 3 clinical trial of ficlatuzumab, a head and neck cancer drug being developed by its U.S. subsidiary, AVEO. Based on interim results, the IDMC recommended selecting the higher of two tested doses — 20 mg/kg — as the final dose and proceeding with the study. Ficlatuzumab is a monoclonal antibody targete February 20, 2026

National Museum of Korea Draws 86,464 Visitors Over Lunar New Year Holiday The National Museum of Korea is increasingly becoming a popular holiday destination. The museum said on the 20th that 86,464 people visited during the Lunar New Year holiday period from Feb. 16 to 18, with the museum closed on the 17th. Holiday attendance has climbed sharply: 32,193 in 2024, 50,512 in 2025 and more than 80,000 this year, up 71.2% from last year. The museum credited strong interest in its special exhibitions, “Our Yi Sun-sin” and “From Impressionism to Early Modernism,” February 20, 2026

Eastar Jet to Launch Daily Incheon-Hong Kong Flights Starting March 31 Eastar Jet said Thursday it will launch an Incheon-Hong Kong route on March 31, expanding its Greater China network. The route will operate daily. Flights will depart Incheon International Airport at 8:10 p.m. and arrive at Hong Kong International Airport at 10:45 p.m. local time. Return flights will leave at 12:05 a.m. the next day and arrive at Incheon at 5:10 a.m. Eastar Jet said the schedule allows passengers to reach Hong Kong before the subway stops running and to use public trans February 20, 2026

All 11 South Korean Airlines Ban In-Flight Use of Portable Battery Packs All South Korean airlines will ban the use of portable battery packs on board all flights starting this month. According to the aviation industry on the 20th, T’way Air notified passengers that beginning on the 23rd it will prohibit charging portable battery packs on board, as well as using them to charge other electronic devices such as mobile phones. Passengers may still bring portable battery packs into the cabin, but they must take steps to prevent short circuits — such as covering February 20, 2026

Woori Bank teams with Samsung Electronics and LG Uplus to market to teens and 20-somethings Woori Bank said on the 20th it signed a joint marketing agreement with Samsung Electronics and LG Uplus to attract customers in their teens and 20s. Attendees included Woori Bank CEO Jeong Jin-wan, Samsung Electronics Korea Vice President Lim Seong-taek and LG Uplus Vice President Lee Jae-won, along with other officials from the three companies. The partnership brings together leaders in finance, mobile devices and telecommunications to offer financial services tailored to the lifestyle February 20, 2026

Cheonwoo Motors Wins Lexus Korea’s 2025 Best Dealer Award for Fifth Time Lexus authorized dealer Cheonwoo Motors was named “Best Dealer” at the “2025 Lexus Dealer Convention” selected by Lexus Korea, held on Feb. 10. The honor marked Cheonwoo Motors’ fifth win, the most among Lexus’ eight dealer groups. Cheonwoo Motors first won in 2009 and has since received the award in 2019, 2020, 2023 and 2025. The company said the recognition followed strong results in Lexus Korea’s annual internal evaluation based on objective criteria. Cheonwoo Motors attributed February 20, 2026

BNK Kyongnam Bank Launches Productive Finance Council, CEO Kim Tae-han to Lead BNK Kyongnam Bank said Thursday it has launched a “Productive Finance Implementation Council.” The council is chaired by Kyongnam Bank CEO Kim Tae-han and is made up of four groups: the Innovation Growth Finance Center, the Innovation Finance Support Division, the Future Growth Investment Division and the Regional Value-Up Division. The council held its first meeting at the bank’s headquarters, attended by Kim, division heads and department leaders. Agenda items included sharing the sta February 20, 2026

Volkswagen Korea Launches ‘Feel & Drive’ Test-Drive Campaign for Atlas SUV Volkswagen Korea said Feb. 20 it selected the Atlas large SUV as its February featured vehicle for its customer-participation social test-drive campaign, “Feel & Drive.” Feel & Drive is a recurring program that lets customers take an in-depth drive of Volkswagen’s core models each month, including the Golf, Atlas and Touareg, tailored to individual lifestyles. The program offers a 3-night, 4-day test drive, including a weekend, aimed at highlighting the vehicles’ detailed streng February 20, 2026

Samsung Heavy Wins $268 Million Order for One LNG Carrier Samsung Heavy Industries said in a regulatory filing on Thursday that it won an order for one liquefied natural gas carrier from an Oceania-based shipowner for 368 billion won. The vessel is scheduled to be delivered by May 2028. The company’s year-to-date orders total eight ships worth $1.9 billion, reaching 14% of its annual target of $13.9 billion. By vessel type, the orders include three LNG carriers, two ethane carriers, two container ships and one crude oil carrier, for a total of e February 20, 2026

Korea flags alleged wasteful spending at music performers group, including contracts tied to executive’s relatives The Korea Music Performers Association, known as KOSCAP, is facing scrutiny after allegations that it spent its budget loosely, including signing private contracts centered on companies run by relatives of an executive. South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said on the 20th that a 2025 inspection of KOSCAP and the Korea Society of Copyrights for Literary Works and Art found numerous shortcomings in compensation distribution and organizational operations. The ministry s February 20, 2026