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  Injury-hit South Korea targets WBC quarterfinals, with Taiwan game looming large Ryu Ji-hyeon’s South Korea national baseball team is aiming for a spot in the quarterfinals at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, seeking to end a run of three straight first-round exits in 2013, 2017 and 2023. The path looks steep. Injuries have sidelined key players, and rivals in Pool C appear stronger than in past tournaments. South Korea will play four Pool C games at the Tokyo Dome, opening March 5 against the Czech Republic, then facing Japan on March 7, Taiwan on March 8 and Austr March 4, 2026
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  Middle East Tensions Lift Demand for South Korea’s Cheongung-II Air Defense System U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran have heightened security concerns across the Middle East, driving up demand for air defense weapons. South Korea’s Cheongung-II, which has expanded its export footprint in the region over the past two to three years, has now been deployed in combat, drawing attention as a lower-cost option with faster delivery.  The defense industry said Tuesday that the United Arab Emirates used the South Korean-made medium-range surface-to-air guided weapon system to inte March 3, 2026
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  Tanker Charter Rates Double After Iran Strikes, Raising South Korea Energy Security Fears U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran have sent global oil prices surging, and tanker freight rates have more than doubled, raising alarms over South Korea’s energy security. With heavy reliance on Middle Eastern energy, South Korea could face a shock comparable to the 1970s oil crisis if the conflict drags on, industry officials warned. According to the industry on Tuesday, the attacks pushed up international crude prices and natural gas prices in Asia and Europe. On ICE Futures, Brent March 3, 2026
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  VLCC Tanker Charter Rates Top $400,000 a Day After Iran War, Data Show U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran have pushed daily charter rates for very large crude carriers above $400,000, as fears grow that Iran could block shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Rates that had been in the low $200,000s surged to nearly double in a short period as Iran escalated its threats. Some analysts say rates could climb toward $800,000 a day if a blockade takes hold. According to a Middle East-to-East Asia (MEG-China) VLCC route indicator obtained by Ajunews, the Worldscale ( March 3, 2026
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  South Korea’s 5 Automakers’ February Sales Fall 4.6% From a Year Earlier South Korea’s five automakers posted lower sales in February, returning to a decline as the Lunar New Year holiday reduced the number of business days. Hyundai Motor, Kia, GM Korea, Renault Korea and KG Mobility (KGM) said on Tuesday they sold a combined 602,689 vehicles last month — 95,702 in South Korea and 506,987 overseas. That was down 4.6% from a year earlier. Hyundai’s global sales totaled 306,528 vehicles, down 5.1% year over year. Kia sold 247,401 vehicles, a 2.8% decline. The co March 3, 2026
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  Park Bom Deletes Post Alleging Sandara Park Drug Use After Backlash, Citing Health Issues Singer Park Bom raised allegations that Sandara Park, who promoted with her in the same group, used drugs, but later quietly deleted the post after criticism.  At about 5:40 p.m. on the 3rd, the post targeting Sandara Park was no longer visible on Park Bom’s social media account.  Earlier that day, Park Bom wrote, “Park Sandara got caught for drugs, and to cover that up they made Park Bom into a drug addict,” adding that she only has attention deficit disorder (ADD).  She also wrote, “ March 3, 2026
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  Shinhan Financial Nominates Park Jong-bok and Professor Lim Seung-yeon as Outside Directors Shinhan Financial Group has nominated Park Jong-bok, former CEO of SC First Bank, and Lim Seung-yeon, a professor at Kookmin University, as new outside directors. Shinhan’s board on Tuesday approved the nominations at a meeting of its Outside Director and Audit Committee Candidate Recommendation Committee. Park, a former deputy head of retail banking at SC First Bank, was recommended as a financial expert. Shinhan said he led growth and improved profitability during more than a decade March 3, 2026
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  Iran Women’s Volleyball Coach Lee Do-hee Returning to South Korea Amid War Fallout Lee Do-hee, who leads Iran’s women’s national volleyball team, is returning to South Korea amid fallout from the war between the United States and Iran. Volleyball officials said Tuesday that Lee is scheduled to arrive via Incheon International Airport on March 5. Lee has coached Iran’s under-23 women’s national team since the summer of 2024. Last month, she guided Iran’s Foolad MS (FMS) to the title at the Central Asian Volleyball Association (CAVA) Women’s Club Championship. This ye March 3, 2026
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  Travel YouTuber Pani Bottle Draws Profile Image for Kim Seon-tae’s New Channel Kim Seon-tae, known as “Chungju Man” during his time as a public official, has launched a new YouTube channel, and the person behind its profile illustration has been revealed as travel YouTuber Pani Bottle, who has about 2.54 million subscribers. Pani Bottle wrote on social media on the 3rd, “I tried making the profile drawing for ‘ex-Chungju Man’ Kim Seon-tae’s new channel.” He added, “I support Kim Seon-tae, now a private citizen, as he makes a fresh start.” Kim opened his March 3, 2026
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  Lee Sang-min Recalls Past Plagiarism Uproar Over R.ef’s Song Broadcaster Lee Sang-min, a member of the co-ed group R.ef, has recounted an incident tied to a past uproar over alleged song plagiarism. In a video posted March 2 on the YouTube channel “Jjanhanhyeong Shin Dong-yup,” titled “Can this even air? Tak Jae-hoon, Lee Sang-min, Kim Jun-ho,” Lee addressed reports that he caused a commotion after R.ef’s third-album title track “Cheonsang Yuae” was accused of plagiarism. “I got angry and hit glass, and I was slightly hurt,” Lee said, adding th March 3, 2026