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  South Korea’s Top 5 Banks Seen Cutting Household Loans by About 4 Billion Won in February Household loan balances at South Korea’s major banks are expected to fall for a third straight month, as tough government lending rules and rising interest rates squeeze liquidity. The shift is cooling real estate-related borrowing and reshaping money flows across asset markets. Still, concerns persist that funds blocked from property loans could move into stocks, reviving debt-funded investing. As of Feb. 26, household loan balances at the five largest banks — KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, March 2, 2026
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  Tom Kim Finishes 59th at PGA Tour Cognizant Classic; Nico Echavarria Wins Tom Kim finished 59th at the PGA Tour Cognizant Classic, a $9.6 million event. Playing the final round Sunday (Korean time) at PGA National’s Champion Course (par 71) in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Kim shot a 2-under 69 with four birdies and two bogeys. He closed at 1-under 283 and placed 59th among the 67 players who made the cut. Kim was the only South Korean in the field to advance to the weekend. Kim slipped down the leaderboard after a third-round 72, then moved up slightly with an March 2, 2026
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  Hyundai Motor Group, Veterans Ministry to Renovate Korean War Memorial Sites in the Philippines Hyundai Motor Group said it will work with South Korea’s Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs to repair and improve two Korean War remembrance sites in Manila: the Korean War memorial monument at the Philippines’ National Shrine of Heroes and the Philippine Korean War Memorial Hall. The Philippines was the first Asian country and the third in the world to send troops to the Korean War, and it marks the 77th anniversary this year of establishing diplomatic relations with South Ko March 2, 2026
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  Hyundai Launches EV Promotion After Ioniq 9 Wins 2026 Car of the Year Triple Crown Hyundai Motor Co. said Sunday it will run a series of special EV promotions starting in March to mark the Ioniq 9’s “2026 Car of the Year” triple crown. In South Korea, the three major “Car of the Year” awards are presented separately by the Korea Automobile Journalists Association, the Korea Automobile Expert Journalists Association and JoongAng Ilbo. Each group’s jury evaluates factors including price, performance and innovative technology to select what it considers the best vehicle ea March 2, 2026
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  SF9’s Yoo Tae-yang wraps solo fan meeting ahead of military enlistment SF9 member Yoo Tae-yang spent a day with fans at a solo fan meeting held ahead of his military enlistment. Yoo held two sessions of his fan meeting, titled “The Room: Together,” at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Feb. 28 at the Grand Auditorium of Sungshin Women’s University’s Woonjung Green Campus. The event was held on his birthday, days before his scheduled enlistment on March 3. He opened by singing “Reality,” from the soundtrack of the film “La Boum.” After the song, Yoo smiled at fans and s March 1, 2026
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  Korean Air to Open Renovated Flagship Lounge at LAX Korean Air said Saturday it will open a next-generation flagship lounge on March 6 (local time) at Los Angeles International Airport in California. The new lounge is in the Tom Bradley International Terminal. Ahead of the opening, the airline held a two-day preview event starting Feb. 26 (local time), drawing about 200 guests for an introduction and tour. Korean Air said it invested about 65 billion won and completed the lounge after 22 months of construction. The facility consists of t March 1, 2026
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  BTS’ Jung Kook builds solo success with ‘Seven’ and ‘GOLDEN’ ahead of group comeback With BTS preparing to return in March, anticipation is rising worldwide. The comeback news, carried by “Arirang,” and plans for a world tour are expected to trigger immediate reactions beyond the music industry, affecting tourism and broader local economies. BTS is seen as both a force with global economic impact and a symbolic name that has elevated South Korea’s image. Ahead of the comeback, this outlet is publishing a “BTS member profile” series examining the group’s seven members one by one. March 1, 2026
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  Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young Attends K League 1 Opener, Discusses Soccer’s Growth Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choi Hwi-young visited the opening match of the K League 1 season and met with officials to discuss ways to sustain the growth of professional soccer. The ministry said Choi attended the Hana Bank K League 1 2026 match between Incheon United and FC Seoul at Incheon Football Stadium on the 28th, encouraged players and heard on-site views from soccer officials on measures to support the sport’s continued development. Before kickoff, Choi held a meeting w February 28, 2026
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  BTS to Hold Free Gwanghwamun Comeback Show; Gyeongbokgung to Close March 21 BTS’ free comeback concert at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square is three weeks away, and the group is expected to perform a mix of new tracks and past hits during the roughly one-hour show. According to the music industry on Friday, HYBE is discussing a set list for the March 21 event, a free performance marking the release of BTS’ fifth full-length album, titled “BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE: ARIRANG,” to be held at Gwanghwamun Square. The concert is expected to run about an hour. HYBE said t February 28, 2026
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  How MyData Services Are Automating Rate-Cut Requests and Boosting Credit Scores MyData services have taken a step forward. What once mainly gathered scattered personal information in one place is increasingly being used to deliver practical financial benefits. The Financial Services Commission said on the 27th that a service launched on the 26th will automatically file requests for loan rate cuts without requiring customers to visit bank branches each time. Under the system, a MyData-based artificial intelligence agent asks lenders for a rate reduction on behalf of b February 28, 2026