Journalist
Lee Hugh
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Hong Young-wan Elected President of Korea Publishers Association The Korea Publishers Association said Monday it elected Hong Young-wan, CEO of Willbooks, as its 14th president. Hong, who ran unopposed, won election at the group’s regular general meeting with 98% support from those who voted. The president’s term is three years. Hong said he would work with members to build a sustainable publishing environment in the age of artificial intelligence, adding that the industry should prepare for the coming wave of AGI, or artificial general intelligence. He listed four key priorities: setting response strategies for the AI era; promoting support programs to globalize K-publishing; introducing a tax credit for publishing content production costs within the year; and developing and distributing a reading literacy index. Hong previously served as the association’s policy committee chair and as a vice president. He is currently an advisory member of the Culture and Arts Policy Advisory Committee under South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Founded in 1998, the Korea Publishers Association is a major publishing group with about 500 member companies. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 20:54:00 -
IOC Bars Ukrainian Skeleton Racer’s Memorial Helmet, Allows Armband The Ukrainian Olympic Committee said it asked the International Olympic Committee to approve a “memorial helmet” for skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, but the IOC said it will allow only a memorial armband. In a statement issued Tuesday (Korea time), the Ukrainian Olympic Committee said it requested IOC approval for Heraskevych’s helmet for the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics skeleton event. A day earlier, Heraskevych wore the helmet during a training run at the Cortina Sliding Center in Italy. The helmet features images of Ukrainian athletes killed in the war with Russia. In an interview with Reuters, Heraskevych said some of the people depicted were his friends. He said the helmet was part of keeping a promise to use the Olympics to sustain attention on the war. The helmet includes faces of teenage weightlifter Alina Perekhudova, boxer Pavlo Ishchenko and ice hockey player Oleksii Lohinov. Heraskevych has said he wants to keep drawing attention to Ukraine’s situation during the Olympics while following Olympic rules that ban political demonstrations inside venues. The IOC barred the helmet, saying it violates Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter, which states that no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in Olympic venues, facilities or other areas. The Ukrainian Olympic Committee disputed that assessment, saying the helmet fully met safety rules and contained no advertising, political slogans or discriminatory elements. It said the helmet was also confirmed to meet required standards during official training. The IOC said it chose a compromise: It will not allow the helmet Heraskevych planned to wear to honor athletes killed in the war with Russia, but it will allow him to wear a memorial armband in competition. The IOC called the decision a compromise, saying armbands have been banned in past cases but that it would make an exception for Heraskevych. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 20:51:00 -
Lim Jong Eon, Hwang Dae Heon and Shin Dong Min advance in men’s 1,000 at Milan Olympics Lim Jong Eon (Goyang City Hall), Hwang Dae Heon (Gangwon Provincial Government) and Shin Dong Min (Korea University) all advanced to the quarterfinals of the men’s 1,000 meters in short track at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Competing on Monday (Korea time) at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Italy, all three finished second in their preliminary heats to move on. Lim, the youngest of the trio, raced first in Heat 2. Italy’s Luca Speckenhauser won in 1:25.422, with Lim second in 1:25.558. Lim led early and held off challenges, but Speckenhauser surged past on the final lap. Shin skated in Heat 5 and finished second behind Canada’s William Dandjinou. Shin moved up from the back, driving down the inside with six laps left to pass Hungary’s Moon Won Jun, a South Korea-born naturalized skater, for the lead. With four laps remaining, Dandjinou took over, and Moon also got by. Shin reclaimed second by passing Moon on the inside on the final lap, finishing in 1:24.870. Hwang competed last among the three in Heat 6, advancing with a second-place time of 1:24.133. He ran third early, then passed Teunbuur of the Netherlands on the inside on the final lap and held the position to the finish behind Canada’s Felix Roussel. China’s Lin Shaojun, who won men’s 1,500 gold wearing South Korea’s uniform at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, placed third in Heat 7 but advanced after Russia-born Ivan Posashikov, competing as an Individual Neutral Athlete, was penalized. The men’s 1,000 quarterfinals, semifinals and final are scheduled for Feb. 13. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 20:06:00 -
Choi Min Jeong, Kim Gil Ri and Lee So Yeon reach women’s 500m quarterfinals in Milan South Korea’s three women’s short track skaters all cleared the opening round of the 500 meters. Choi Min Jeong and Kim Gil Ri of Seongnam City Hall, along with Lee So Yeon of Sports Toto, advanced to the quarterfinals on Monday (Korea time) in the women’s 500m heats at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Italy. Kim placed second in Heat 2 in 43.301 seconds, holding the No. 2 spot behind Canada’s Courtney Sarault from the early laps. Choi finished second in Heat 6 in 43.204. She moved to the lead early on the inside line but slipped slightly on the final curve and gave up first place to Belgium’s Hanne Desmet, still advancing comfortably. Lee advanced in Heat 7 after starting last in the four-skater field. She moved up when Alena Krylova, skating as a neutral athlete (AIN) and described as Russian-born, fell. Lee finished third and ranked fourth among the eight third-place finishers by time to claim a quarterfinal berth. In the 500m, the top two in each heat and the four fastest third-place skaters advance. The women’s 500m final is scheduled for Feb. 13.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 19:27:00 -
South Korea’s men and women eliminated in cross-country sprint classic qualifying at Milan-Cortina South Korea’s men’s and women’s national team skiers were all eliminated in qualifying for the cross-country sprint classic at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. In the women’s sprint classic qualifier held Tuesday (Korea time) at the Tesero Cross-Country Stadium in Italy, Lee Ui Jin (Busan Metropolitan City Hall) finished in 4:15.93 and Han Da Som (Gyeonggi Provincial Government) clocked 4:17.62. Among 89 starters, Lee placed 70th and Han was 74th. Sweden swept the top three spots in qualifying: Linn Svahn was first in 3:36.21, Jonna Sundling second in 3:37.24 and Johanna Hagstroem third in 3:38.85. In the men’s sprint classic qualifier that followed, Lee Jun Seo (Gyeonggi Provincial Government) placed 64th in 3:32.40. He went through the first 800 meters in 2:00.4 but faded after the midway point and dropped down the standings. All three missed the cutoff for the top 30, which advances to the main draw. The sprint classic is a 1.5-kilometer race skied in the traditional classic technique, with skis kept parallel while pushing forward. Earlier, Lee and Han also struggled in the 10-kilometer plus 10-kilometer skiathlon. They are scheduled to compete next in the women’s 10-kilometer free on Feb. 12 and the women’s team sprint free on Feb. 18. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 19:03:00 -
Hyundai Motor Group Plans New Brand Support Unit to Link Cars and Future Businesses Hyundai Motor Group is moving to create a new brand support organization aimed at linking its core auto business with new ventures. Industry officials said Tuesday the group has recently been planning a unit called “HMG Brand Experience,” intended to provide smoother support for brands that are currently spread across the group. The organization is expected to serve as a staff function supporting both the traditional auto business and new areas such as robotics. The group is making large investments this year in future businesses including robotics, autonomous driving and hydrogen energy. A Hyundai Motor Group official said the HMG Brand Experience unit was part of an organizational overhaul plan finalized late last year, adding that the group will focus on securing future leadership. 2026-02-10 18:48:27 -
Tesla and BYD Close In on BMW and Mercedes as South Korea’s Imported-Car Market Heats Up South Korea’s imported-car market is posting strong growth early this year despite headwinds such as a weak won and the usual seasonal slowdown. The long-dominant BMW-Mercedes-Benz “two-top” structure — which at one point neared a 70% market share — is weakening as newer challengers close in, intensifying the fight for positions No. 3 through No. 5. The Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association said Monday that new registrations of imported cars totaled 20,960 in January, up 37.6% from 15,229 a year earlier. January is typically considered an off-season because year-end promotions end, discounts shrink and new-model lineups can be thin. Even so, January sales were the highest for the month in five years, since January 2022 (17,361). Competition is tightening. BMW and Mercedes-Benz, which together accounted for about 70% of the market last year, saw their combined share shrink to the 50% range this year, while EV brands such as Tesla and BYD newly entered the top five. BMW ranked No. 1 in January with 6,270 new registrations, up 5.2% from 5,960 a year earlier. Gasoline-powered models led the results, including the 5 Series (1,951), X3 (689), X5 (602) and 3 Series (568). BMW’s market share, however, fell about 10 percentage points to 29.9% from 39.1% a year earlier. Mercedes-Benz was No. 2 with 5,121 vehicles sold, up 35.1% from 3,790 a year earlier, driven by core models including the E200 (1,207) and E300 4MATIC (782). Tesla placed third with 1,966 vehicles sold. The Model Y (1,134) and Model X (160) helped lift its market share to 9.4% from 0.03% a year earlier. Tesla has been pushing to expand share this year with aggressive pricing, cutting prices for models such as the Model Y and Model 3 by 3 million to more than 5 million won. The race from fourth to sixth is also close. Lexus ranked fourth with 1,464 vehicles, followed by BYD in fifth with 1,347 — just 117 behind Lexus — and Volvo in sixth with 1,037. BYD, citing strong price competitiveness and a rapid new-model rollout, reached fifth place with a 6.4% share just one year after entering the South Korean market. An official at an imported-car company said “three factors” are reshaping the market: value-focused competition from Chinese-made EVs, the mainstreaming of eco-friendly vehicles and widening consumer polarization. The official said competition to hold a top-five position will intensify further, with brand rankings shifting on differences of only about 100 to 200 vehicles.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 18:48:00 -
South Korea flags 178 false online ads for cosmetics, devices ahead of Lunar New Year 178 false or exaggerated cosmetics ads flagged ahead of Lunar New Year South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Tuesday it found 178 cases of false or exaggerated online advertising after inspecting ads for medical devices, cosmetics and quasi-drugs expected to see higher gift demand ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. For medical devices, the ministry flagged 100 ads tied to illegal overseas purchasing-agency sales involving medical magnetic field generators, personal low-frequency stimulators and electric cupping devices. In cosmetics, inspections of online ads for functional products marketed for whitening and wrinkle improvement, as well as products claiming to ease muscle pain, found the most common violation was advertising as if the products had drug-like efficacy (25 cases, 71%). In checks of ads for gift-set items such as mouth fresheners, tooth whiteners and toothpaste, the ministry found 43 cases of false or exaggerated claims about efficacy or performance approved for quasi-drugs. The ministry said it asked the Korea Communications Standards Commission and online platforms including Naver, Coupang and 11st to block access to violating posts under relevant laws. It also requested on-site inspections by authorities for repeat offenders. Dongkook Pharmaceutical applies for MFDS approval of DKB-138 as individually recognized functional ingredient Dongkook Pharmaceutical said Tuesday it completed an application to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for individually recognized functional-ingredient status for DKB-138, a “hyunggae extract powder” it says may help improve muscle strength. With muscle weakness among middle-aged and older adults drawing attention, the company said it is developing functional ingredients aimed at improving strength. After completing the recognition process, it aims to launch a product in 2027. DKB-138 uses the flower stalk of hyunggae, a plant in the mint family. The company said a human study of 120 adults ages 50 to 70 confirmed both efficacy and safety. After taking 1 gram daily for 12 weeks, participants showed increases in grip strength and isokinetic thigh strength compared with a control group. Dongkook Pharmaceutical also cited joint research with a team led by Kim Young Suk at the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, saying the work identified mechanisms including inhibiting muscle-cell death and protease activity and protecting skeletal muscle from oxidative stress. The findings were published in the SCIE-indexed journal ABCH (impact factor 2.7), and the company said another paper is scheduled for publication in May in the English-language journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Technology. Celltrion’s Remsima tops 1 trillion won in annual sales for second straight year Celltrion said Tuesday its autoimmune disease treatment Remsima (infliximab) posted global sales of about 1.0495 trillion won last year, topping 1 trillion won for a second consecutive year after 2024. The company attributed the results to steady prescribing worldwide and expansion of Europe’s infliximab market, which it said grew about 9% a year on average from 2019 to 2024. Celltrion said demand has risen since the COVID-19 pandemic for self-administered subcutaneous injections, boosting prescriptions of RemsimaSC. It said a “dual formulation” effect — switching from existing infliximab products to Remsima and then to RemsimaSC — also supported sales growth. As of the third quarter of last year, Remsima’s share in Europe’s five major markets was 62% in the U.K., 49% in Spain and 48% in Germany, the company said. It also reported high shares in other European countries including Ireland (75%) and Austria (64%). Celltrion said it plans to roll out a newly added liquid formulation of Remsima across Europe this year. The liquid version shortens preparation time and reduces storage and handling burdens compared with the existing lyophilized formulation. GCCL signs MOU with MICS on multinational clinical trial services GCCL said Tuesday it signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday with Europe-based clinical trial and diagnostic services company MICS to cooperate on global, multinational clinical trial services. The companies said the MOU sets up a cooperation framework spanning Europe, the United States and the Asia-Pacific region, aiming to improve operational stability by combining their regional trial-operations experience and customer communication capabilities. The agreement includes cooperation on cross-regional trial operations and sample analysis; support for project management and coordinated customer communication by region; joint marketing; joint customer development and market expansion; and linking test items and improving analysis efficiency to strengthen service competitiveness.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 18:06:00 -
Jeju Air Returns to Profit on Fleet Upgrade and Rebounding Japan, Southeast Asia Demand Jeju Air, which had been shaken by fallout from an accident, returned to the black for the first time in five quarters as rival low-cost carriers stayed in the red. The turnaround came as its fleet upgrade coincided with recovering demand on Japan and Southeast Asia routes. According to the airline industry on Monday, Jeju Air posted operating profit of 18.6 billion won in the fourth quarter of last year, swinging to a profit. The carrier said it has moved past the lingering risk tied to the Muan disaster and returned to profitability after five quarters, helped by fleet modernization and demand recovery. Jeju Air has focused on upgrading its fleet over the past three years by adding newer passenger jets. It began introducing the Boeing 737-8 in 2023 with two aircraft, added six last year and one more early this year, bringing the total to nine. About 21% of its 43 passenger aircraft are newer models less than three years old. A higher share of new aircraft has translated into lower fuel costs. Jeju Air said its cumulative fuel expenses for the first through third quarters of 2025 fell about 19% from the same period in 2024. The airline plans to increase the number of new aircraft to 40 by 2030. It is also seeking liquidity by selling 43.3 billion won worth of shares in its subsidiary AK I&S to AK Holdings. “When we bring in new aircraft, operators benefit from better fuel efficiency, and passengers find them more convenient because they have phone charging ports,” a Jeju Air official said, adding the company is “gradually moving away from the past downturn.” The profit swing is effectively the only performance improvement among the low-cost carrier “big three.” Jin Air, which has already reported results, posted an operating loss of 9.7 billion won in the fourth quarter of last year. T’way Air, which has yet to report, is also expected to post a loss; the securities-industry consensus estimates its fourth-quarter operating loss at 45 billion won. Expectations for first-quarter results are also rising as the industry enters its peak season. Passenger demand has strengthened amid eased restrictions on group tourism from China and continued preference for travel to Japan. Jeju Air carried 1.176 million passengers in January, up 33.5% from a year earlier. Jeju Air has expanded the share of its Japan routes to 42%. Securities firms forecast the airline will post a first-quarter profit of 80.7 billion won this year. Oh Jeong Ha, an analyst at Daol Investment & Securities, said, “Jeju Air is the only short-haul low-cost carrier without restrictions,” adding that the first-quarter peak-season effect, including the overlap of Lunar New Year and Independence Movement Day, could support an annual profit as well.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 18:03:00 -
Cheering event for South Korean athletes at Winter Olympics in Italy Gyeonggi, February 10 (AJP) - With this year's Winter Olympics underway in Cortina d’Ampezzo and Milan, an event cheering on South Korean athletes competing at the quadrennial sporting event was held at a ski resort in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday. Participants dressed in various winter sports uniforms waved the national flag and cheered for the South Korean national team, creating an energetic atmosphere on the slopes. The event, hosted by Konjiam Resort to encourage South Korean athletes competing at the Olympics and boost public interest, will continue until the Games conclude on Feb. 22. 2026-02-10 17:44:44