K-Pop Boosts Hanbok’s Global Profile, but Experts Say Daily Wear Is the Next Test As K-pop artists including BTS raise the hanbok’s profile on the global stage, calls are growing to find ways to root the traditional Korean outfit in everyday life. Industry officials said Feb. 20 that with BTS’ full-group return nearing, attention is on whether K-pop’s global reach can translate into new momentum for the hanbok industry. BTS has frequently used hanbok-inspired looks onstage, helping recast the garment as a modern, trend-forward style. The group drew worldwide attention February 20, 2026

New IBK CEO Jang Min-young Pledges 300 Trillion Won in ‘Productive Finance’ and AI Shift ‘A 37-year IBK veteran,’ new IBK Industrial Bank of Korea CEO Jang Min-young began his official duties on Feb. 20, calling for the bank to serve as a catalyst for “productive finance.” He said IBK will expand financing for small and midsize businesses amid low growth and industrial restructuring, while overhauling the bank through AI-driven digital transformation and stronger internal controls. “At a time when our economy faces structural crises of low growth and polarization, we are also February 20, 2026

KB Kookmin Bank Union Faces Impeachment Bid Against Chair After Labor Deal KB Kookmin Bank’s labor union has finalized its 2025 wage and collective bargaining agreement, but an unprecedented move to impeach the union chair is now being raised. The push comes after a majority of members voted against the tentative deal, yet the chair moved ahead with it under his authority. The union says it is prepared to take the dispute to court over issues including bonuses that have already been paid, signaling the conflict could drag on. According to the financial indust February 20, 2026

POSCO Holdings to Nominate Directors, Cancel 2% of Treasury Shares POSCO Holdings decided at a regular board meeting at the POSCO Center to put director nominations and the cancellation of treasury shares on the agenda for its annual shareholders meeting. According to the industry on Thursday, the board’s director nomination committee recommended Joo-yeon Kim, a former vice chair for P&G Japan and Korea, as a new outside director. It also re-nominated outside director Jun-gi Kim, whose term is ending, as a candidate for the audit committee. Joo-yeo February 20, 2026

Volvo Korea Cuts EX30, EX30 Cross Country Prices by Up to 7.61 Million Won Volvo Car Korea said Feb. 20 it will cut the list prices of its premium all-electric SUVs, the EX30 and the EX30 Cross Country (EX30CC), effective March 1. The company said the decision followed close talks with its headquarters and is aimed at broadening the EV market and giving more customers access to Volvo’s sustainable mobility. With the change, the entry-level EX30 Core will be priced in the 30 million won range, lowering the barrier to the premium imported EV segment, the company February 20, 2026

South Korea Women’s Curling Team Falls to Canada, Misses Semifinals at 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics World No. 3 South Korea’s women’s curling team, Gyeonggi Province, failed to reach the semifinals at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The team — skip Kim Eun-ji, third Kim Min-ji, second Kim Su-ji, lead Seol Ye-eun and fifth Seol Ye-ji — lost 10-7 to Canada on Feb. 19 (Korea time) in its ninth and final round-robin game at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. South Korea entered the match tied for third at 4-4 with Canada and the United States. A win wou February 20, 2026

Trot Singer Yoon Tae-hwa Reveals Divorce on TV Chosun’s “Miss Trot 4” Trot singer Yoon Tae-hwa has revealed that she divorced. Yoon appeared on the Feb. 19 afternoon broadcast of TV Chosun’s trot survival show “Miss Trot 4,” competing in the second round of the “Legend Mission” solo stage. She chose Choi Jin-hee’s “Repentance,” a song about deep regret after a breakup. Asked by Choi why she picked the song, Yoon said, “After finishing ‘Miss Trot 2,’ I got married, but after living together for a year, I came back.” She previously married a non-celebrity m February 20, 2026

Lee Hae-in Places Eighth in Olympic Debut, Finishes in Top 10 in Women’s Figure Skating Lee Hae-in of Korea University finished in the top 10 in women’s singles figure skating in her first Olympics. Competing at the Milan Ice Skating Arena, Lee scored 74.15 in technical elements and 66.34 in program components for 140.49 in the free skate. With her short program score of 70.07, she totaled 210.56 to place eighth. She became the sixth South Korean to place in the Olympic top 10 in women’s singles, following Kim Yuna (gold at the 2010 Vancouver Games and silver at the 2014 S February 20, 2026

South Korea’s Shin Jia sets personal-best free skate at Milan-Cortina Olympics; Lee Hae-in posts season best South Korea’s women’s singles figure skaters Shin Jia (Sehwa Girls’ High School) and Lee Hae-in (Korea University) delivered strong performances in their first Olympics. Shin scored 141.02 points in the free skate on Feb. 20 (Korea time) at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Italy, earning 75.05 in technical elements (TES) and 65.97 in program components (PCS). With her short program score of 65.66, she finished with 206.68 overall. Her free-skate score topped her previous official personal b February 20, 2026

U.S. wins Olympic women’s hockey gold, beats Canada 2-1 in overtime at Milan 2026 The United States beat rival Canada to win Olympic gold in women’s ice hockey. The Americans defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime in the final of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Feb. 20 (Korean time) at the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy. The victory gave the United States its first Olympic title since the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, and its third overall. Canada, which had reached eight straight Olympic finals since the 1998 Nagano Games and won five of them, took silve February 20, 2026