Journalist
Lee Hugh
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Explosion ignites fire at oil storage facility in Gyeongsan SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - An explosion at an oil storage facility in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, sparked a fire in the southeastern city on Tuesday. According to police authorities, the fire started around 8 a.m. when an explosion occurred at the outdoor facility of Daehan Oil Pipeline Corp. With only smoke currently visible, the flames have subsided. No casualties were immediately reported. 2026-02-10 09:20:13 -
KGM to Offer Lunar New Year Vehicle Inspection Service at 321 Centers KG Mobility, or KGM, said Monday it will offer a Lunar New Year vehicle inspection service ahead of the holiday. The service will run for three days, from Feb. 11-13, at 321 service centers nationwide, including the Gunpo Regional Service Center. It applies to all KGM models except large commercial vehicles. Checks will cover batteries, various oils, antifreeze, lights, air-conditioning, brakes and pads, tires, coolant, and heater and filters. The company said it will focus on services needed for safe long-distance driving and will also top off windshield washer fluid. For electric vehicles, KGM will add a special safety inspection, including checks of the battery, heater-cabin coolant and drive-motor coolant, to support proper maintenance and safe driving. KGM said it will also operate emergency roadside assistance throughout the holiday period and plans to ensure drivers can get quick support at nearby service centers if an emergency occurs. A KGM official said drivers should have their vehicles checked at a service center before heading out, including for issues that can arise from temperature swings or icy roads, and review safe-driving tips before traveling. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 09:00:19 -
Nam Hyun Hee Alleges Affair by Ex-Husband Gong Hyo Seok, Cites Mistress in Divorce Former South Korean national fencing team member Nam Hyun Hee has accused her ex-husband, former national cyclist Gong Hyo Seok, of having an affair. Nam posted KakaoTalk messages to social media on Sunday, describing them as conversations that had continued since 2021 between a married man and a woman involved with him. "I divorced because of this woman. I let it go once, but after he had another affair, I couldn’t tolerate it anymore," she wrote. "Even so, they are saying they divorced because of me and are insulting me." She added that the woman "is still living well, teaching children at a school," and said she showed no remorse despite being caught twice. "It’s so unfair. I will release all the materials and reveal the truth. I have nothing more to lose," Nam wrote, signaling more allegations to come. Nam and Gong married in 2011 and divorced in 2023. They have one daughter. 2026-02-10 08:54:00 -
Korean Air, Asiana Hang Lucky Brooms for Lunar New Year at Major Sites Korean Air and Asiana Airlines hung traditional “lucky brooms” at major sites in South Korea ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, wishing health and happiness for passengers. The airlines said Monday they placed the decorations at eight locations, including each carrier’s check-in counters at Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 2, Korean Air’s headquarters in Seoul’s Gangseo District and Asiana’s headquarters. The brooms will remain on display through Feb. 23. Hanging a new broom on the first day of the lunar year is a traditional custom meant to gather good fortune, like collecting rice in a sieve. Korean Air has held the annual event since 2008 to mark the holiday and help preserve traditional customs. This year, Asiana employees joined the event, adding significance as the companies prepare for full integration. “Ahead of the integration of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, we hope our customers enjoy health and happiness and that this year will be one of powerful leaps, like a red horse,” a Korean Air official said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 08:48:00 -
Hyundai Wia Launches 'Dodam Sand' Cookies Made With South Gyeongsang Produce Hyundai Wia said it launched “Dodam Sand,” a sandwich cookie made with agricultural products from South Gyeongsang Province, on Monday. The company said it developed the product with the South Gyeongsang provincial government, the Rural and Fishing Village Mutual Growth Cooperation Fund, the Changwon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and social enterprise Gonggonggonggan to support local farms and help build a sustainable community by growing it into a signature regional specialty. Hyundai Wia said the product was created using 300 million won it contributed to the mutual growth fund. Over about a year, the provincial government, local farms and residents worked together on planning, ingredient selection, final production and marketing. The packaging uses Hyundai Wia’s mascot “Dodami,” modeled after the endangered sable, to convey a friendly design and the message of ecosystem restoration. Dodam Sand comes in four flavors meant to reflect the province’s seasons: raspberries grown in Gimhae, mulberries from Sancheong, persimmons grown in Changwon and yuzu from Namhae. The cookies use gourmet butter and jam made from local fruit to highlight the fruit’s flavor and a soft texture. Hyundai Wia said all sales proceeds will be donated to a “green forest creation” project it is developing with the provincial government. The funds will be used to restore mountains heavily damaged by last year’s wildfires and to help create habitat for endangered animals in the region, including sables. The company said it plans to start funding through Naver Happybean on Monday. It also plans to expand sales through pop-up stores at Changwon Jungang Station and the Jinhae Gunhangje festival, and by entering online open markets. “A result of putting our heads together to grow with the region is Dodam Sand,” a Hyundai Wia official said. “We hope Dodam Sand becomes a snack that represents the region and a seed that helps local farms and forests grow.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 08:45:00 -
Chevrolet Opens New Haeundae Showroom in Busan Chevrolet said Tuesday it has opened a new showroom in Haeundae-gu, Busan. The Chevrolet Haeundae showroom covers 334.8 square meters and can display up to seven vehicles at once. Featured models include the Trax Crossover and Trailblazer. At an opening ceremony on Monday, Hector Villarreal, president of GM Korea, attended with employees, local Chevrolet dealership representatives and partner companies. About 25 people took part, the company said. Chevrolet said it provides service through a network of more than 380 partner service centers nationwide, using GM headquarters-certified technology and standardized procedures. The company said it is running a special promotion this month with enhanced financing and discount benefits across its lineup. It is also offering various prizes to mark the launch of the Trailblazer Midnight Black Edition. "The opening of the Haeundae-gu showroom is a meaningful step to strengthen customer touchpoints at a key hub in the Busan and South Gyeongsang region and to boost brand competitiveness in a strategic area with a high-income and global customer base," Villarreal said. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 08:39:00 -
18-year-old wins S. Korea's first female snowboard Olympic bronze SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - High school student Yu Seung-eun has made history on Monday (local time) as the first South Korean woman to stand on an Olympic snowboarding podium, capturing a bronze medal in the big air event during her debut at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The 18-year-old recorded a combined score of 171.00 points at Livigno Snow Park, finishing behind gold medalist Japan's Murase Kokomo and silver medalist Zoi Sadowski-Synnott from New Zealand. Her performance secured South Korea's second snowboarding medal of these Games, following a silver by Kim Sang-kyum in the men's parallel giant slalom on Sunday. South Korea is a relative newcomer to the international snowboarding scene compared to traditional winter sports powers in North America and Europe. While snowboarding made its Olympic debut in 1998, South Korea did not win its first medal in the sport until Lee Sang-ho took silver in the parallel giant slalom at the 2018 PyeongChang Games. Yu's bronze represents the nation's first-ever Olympic medal in a freestyle snowboarding discipline. During the February 10 final, which aggregates the two highest scores from three attempts, Yu executed a backside triple cork 1440 mute grab on her opening run for 87.75 points. She moved into a temporary lead during the second round by landing a frontside triple cork 1440 Indy grab, which earned 83.25 points. Despite a fall on her final attempt that resulted in a score of 20.75 points, the strength of her first two runs kept her in third place. "My coach told me not to worry about the other athletes and just focus on my own performance, so I didn't even know I was in medal contention," Yu said. "It's an honor just to compete under the South Korean flag." Seongbok High School student Yu Seung-eun arrived in Italy as a medal prospect after becoming the first South Korean to earn a silver medal at a Big Air World Cup in Colorado last December. The women's big air final featured 12 athletes, with Yu's technical consistency marking a milestone for South Korea's winter sports program. 2026-02-10 08:28:14 -
Singer Bae Ki Sung Says He Met His Wife During Day Drinking, Married After 3 Years Singer Bae Ki Sung introduced his wife on television. Bae and his wife, Lee Eun Bi, appeared on TV Chosun’s “Joseon’s Lovebirds” in an episode that aired Monday. Bae recalled their first meeting, saying he had been day drinking with friends for the first time in a while. “We’d gone to about six or seven places, and she came into the restaurant after work to eat,” he said. “Even though I was drunk and we were supposed to be hanging out among ourselves, I kept noticing her.” Lee said she had liked Bae’s songs as a teenager. “He was sitting behind me, and I kept going back and forth to the bathroom to see his face,” she said. They later ended up sitting together and said they married after dating for three years. Bae said his wife’s life has been very different from his. “She reads a paper newspaper,” he said, adding that he now reads about 60 books a year because of her. “I’d never met anyone like her,” he said. “I thought if I married her, my life would get a little smarter, so I decided to get married.” * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 08:09:00 -
Stray Kids Concert Film ‘The Dominate Experience’ Tops Global Box Office Stray Kids’ concert film “Stray Kids: The Dominate Experience,” which captures the group’s largest-ever world tour, has topped the global box office. According to U.S. outlet Deadline, the film, which opened on Feb. 6 (local time), grossed a total of US$19.1 million across 61 markets during the first weekend of February, ranking No. 1 worldwide. In North America, it earned about $5.6 million from 1,724 theaters in its opening weekend. In Mexico, it took in about $2.1 million to rank No. 1. In Germany, it grossed about $1.6 million, marking the biggest opening for a K-pop film in that market. In the U.K. and Ireland, it earned about $1.4 million, becoming the top-grossing K-pop film there. The film also posted solid results in Italy, Spain, Brazil, France, Peru, Chile and Australia. “Stray Kids: The Dominate Experience” documents Stray Kids’ “Stray Kids World Tour ‘Dominate,’” held from August 2024 through October the following year, spanning 56 shows in 35 regions. The film also includes the group’s concert at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium — billed as a first for a fourth-generation K-pop group — along with behind-the-scenes footage. Stray Kids are set to continue activities in 2026 and are scheduled to appear as headliners at the Governors Ball Music Festival in New York on June 6 and Rock in Rio in Brazil on Sept. 11. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 08:06:00 -
South Korea’s Lim Hae Na-Kwon Ye miss free dance at Milan-Cortina Olympics after rhythm dance South Korea’s only ice dance entry at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, Lim Hae Na and Kwon Ye, failed to advance past the rhythm dance, ending their first Olympic schedule. Lim and Kwon scored 64.69 points in the rhythm dance — 34.28 in technical elements and 30.41 in program components — in competition held Feb. 10 South Korea time. Well below their personal best of 76.02, they placed 22nd among 23 teams. Only the top 20 advanced to the free dance. It was their lowest score since debuting on the senior circuit in the 2022-23 season. They missed the cutoff by 0.29 points behind Sofia Val and Asaf Kazimov of Spain, who finished 20th. A mistake in the sequential twizzles proved costly when Kwon’s steps tangled and the rotation was not completed, leading to deductions. In the kiss-and-cry, Kwon bowed his head in visible disappointment after the score posted. Afterward in the mixed zone, Lim said, “It’s disappointing because there was a mistake, but overall I was happy,” adding, “Today the energy came through well, and our timing in the choreography was good, so I’m satisfied.” Describing the moments after the error, Lim said they made eye contact and told each other, “We can do it — let’s do the next elements better,” adding that he wanted to tell Kwon it was OK. “Our goal was to qualify for the Olympics, and I’m grateful just to have been on this stage,” Lim said. “Just the fact that we performed at the Olympics is overwhelming.” Kwon, who had cold symptoms ahead of the Games, said nerves also may have played a role. “The movements got out of sync. Honestly, I’m really disappointed,” he said, adding, “After the mistake, I did my best in the remaining sections.” Though they did not reach the free dance, both skaters said the experience mattered. “It was meaningful to perform in front of so many spectators,” Lim said. “I hope our emotions reached the fans.” Kwon said, “I was nervous, but the atmosphere was very impressive, and I tried to enjoy the moments I had left.” 2026-02-10 07:48:00