Parata Air to Double Gimpo-Jeju Flights to Twice Daily Starting March 29 Parata Air said Monday it will increase flights on its Gimpo-Jeju route to twice daily from once a day starting March 29. The route will be operated with a 174-seat Airbus A320. The airline said the added frequency will give travelers between the Seoul area and Jeju more scheduling options. From Gimpo, flights will depart at 6 a.m. and 7:10 p.m. Return flights from Jeju will leave at 5:15 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. Parata Air first flew the route on Oct. 2 last year with a nonregular service ahe February 9, 2026

Audi Korea Opens New Audi Namcheon Showroom in Busan Audi Korea said Sunday that its official dealer, Iron Auto, has opened a new Audi Namcheon showroom in Namcheon-dong, Busan. The showroom has a total floor area of 498.6 square meters and can display up to seven vehicles. It includes customer consultation areas and a layout designed to let visitors experience the brand identity in a more comfortable, immersive setting. The Audi Namcheon showroom is located at 449 Suyeong-ro, Suyeong-gu, Busan, and operates from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekday February 9, 2026

South Korea Names 4 Hubs for 2026 Cultural Diversity City Program South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Arts & Culture Education Service said Monday they have selected four areas — South Jeolla Province, Busan, North Chungcheong Province and Ansan — as the final "2026 Cultural Diversity Hub Cities." The program aims to build urban communities where diverse cultural expression can coexist by linking each area's cultural heritage, contemporary arts and residents' everyday lives. It focuse February 9, 2026

Hyundai Rotem to Exhibit at Saudi Defense Show WDS 2026 Hyundai Rotem said Sunday it will take part in the Saudi International Defense Exhibition, WDS 2026, as it steps up efforts to expand in the Middle East. The event, the region’s largest defense exhibition, is a key part of Saudi Arabia’s “Vision 2030” strategy to build a self-reliant defense industry, the company said. Hyundai Rotem said it will focus on promoting its ground weapons systems and technologies aimed at future battlefield needs. It plans to highlight mobile weapons systems, m February 9, 2026

Three Late Joseon-Era Woodblocks Returned to South Korea From U.S. The Korea Heritage Service and the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation said they received three woodblocks used to print collected works from the late Joseon period and the Japanese colonial era, donated by an American and a Korean American owner.  The donation ceremony was held on Feb. 8 (local time) at the Korean Empire legation in Washington.  The items are woodblocks for Cheokam Seonsaeng Munjip, Songja Daejeon and Beonamjip. The foundation said Americans who worked in South February 9, 2026

Hyundai Wia Debuts at Saudi Arabia’s WDS 2026 With Vehicle-Mounted Firepower Systems Hyundai Wia is showcasing vehicle-mounted firepower systems at one of the Middle East’s largest defense exhibitions. The company said Sunday it is taking part in the World Defense Show (WDS) 2026, being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from Feb. 8-12 local time. WDS is one of the region’s biggest defense industry exhibitions. This year’s event drew about 750 companies from 45 countries. Hyundai Wia is operating a standalone booth at the show for the first time. Hyundai Wia displayed full-sc February 9, 2026

South Korea to Offer Youth Culture Pass Worth Up to 200,000 Won for Shows, Exhibits and Movies South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Arts Council Korea said Monday they will issue a “Youth Culture and Arts Pass” to people born in 2006 and 2007 who turn 19 or 20 this year. The pass can be used immediately to book performances, exhibitions and movies through partner ticketing platforms and theaters, including NOL Ticket, YES24, Ticketlink, Melon Ticket, Megabox, Lotte Cinema and CGV. Applications open Feb. 25. Launched in 2024 to help young people become acti February 9, 2026

Hyundai Glovis Expands Into K-Beauty Logistics With New Fulfillment Service Hyundai Glovis is moving to capture the fast-growing K-beauty logistics market.  The company said Sunday it has signed a third-party logistics, or 3PL, contract with The Skin Factory, which operates the hair and body care brand KUNDAL, and has begun full-scale operations. Under the deal, Hyundai Glovis will handle the entire logistics process for The Skin Factory’s products, from receiving and storage to packing and shipping. The company said it is launching a fulfillment service that pro February 9, 2026

Hyundai Mobis Pledges 'One Team' Partnership With Suppliers at 2026 Partners Day Hyundai Mobis said it held its “2026 Partners Day” event on Feb. 6 at the Haevichi Hotel in Jeju, inviting about 230 executives from major partner companies. The company said the event was designed to strengthen communication and cooperation with key suppliers as it seeks to expand globally in the future mobility market. “Whether we have independent innovative technologies is the key standard that will determine the survival of all of us,” Hyundai Mobis President Lee Gyu Seok said. He add February 9, 2026

Audiobook Market Expands as Korean Retailers Add Full Casts and AI Narration The audiobook market — “reading” with your ears — is growing quickly. Major online bookstores are racing to secure an early lead, producing titles with dozens of voice actors for drama-like immersion while also using artificial intelligence to shorten production time. According to the online bookstore industry on Feb. 8, the number of audiobook users has continued to rise each year as listeners can play them regardless of time or place. At Yes24, the number of members who bou February 9, 2026