Journalist
Lee Hugh
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SK Chemicals, J2H Biotech sign MOU on drug development; Dongkook launches skincare brand SK Chemicals, J2H Biotech sign MOU to expand joint new-drug development SK Chemicals said March 26 it signed a memorandum of understanding with J2H Biotech to strengthen cooperation on joint development of new drugs. The agreement is aimed at exploring collaboration on J2H pipelines for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, or IPF. J2H will share results from ongoing research with SK Chemicals, and the two companies plan to discuss development strategy and specific cooperation options. Founded in 2014, J2H is a biotech company developing drug candidates focused on metabolic diseases and cancer. Its MASH candidate, J2H-1702, has completed a Phase 2a trial and confirmed treatment effects, and the company is preparing to enter a global Phase 2b trial to further verify efficacy in a broader patient group. Its IPF candidate is in preclinical research. SK Chemicals said it will review the candidates’ development potential and commercial viability based on available data and then define whether to proceed with joint development and the scope of cooperation. Dongkook Pharmaceutical launches “LUONCELL” derma-science cosmetics brand Dongkook Pharmaceutical said March 26 it launched LUONCELL, a functional cosmetics brand whose name combines “LUX,” “ON” and “CELL.” The company said the products apply two proprietary complexes: “Happy Cell Complex” and “TECA Bioheal Complex.” Happy Cell Complex combines alpine skullcap, GABA and Spanish licorice root extract, which the company said helps protect irritated skin and support recovery of skin condition. TECA Bioheal Complex combines six bio ingredients, including TECA extracted from centella asiatica and PDRN, the company said. Among five LUONCELL products, the “High Lift Gel Mask,” a silicone gel mask, is billed as the first in South Korea to feature 1,300 vacuum suction plates. The company said the patented plates create vacuum tunnels to help active ingredients absorb more effectively and can also help reduce swelling. Osstem Implant says Ukrainian health delegation visited Seoul headquarters Osstem Implant said March 26 that Ukrainian government health officials, representatives of local medical equipment companies and international development and relief organizations visited its Twin Tower headquarters in Seoul’s Gangseo district on March 20. The delegation, led by Yevhen Honchar, deputy minister of health of Ukraine, toured key facilities including Osstem Implant’s central research institute and product showroom, the company said. Ukraine is pursuing its “Health Strategy 2030,” aimed at building a system that guarantees all citizens access to needed medical services, according to the company. The delegation also held cooperation talks earlier that day at a Korea-Ukraine business roundtable hosted by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute. Osstem Implant said it sees potential cooperation in areas including dental prosthetics and facial trauma reconstruction to help restore quality of life for war veterans, as well as in establishing dental implant policy. GC Biopharma’s varicella vaccine wins marketing approval in Guatemala GC Biopharma said March 26 that its varicella vaccine, Varicella Joo, received marketing approval from Guatemala’s Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance. The company said it is the first time the vaccine has been approved in a Latin American country. It plans to accelerate expansion into individual countries in the region while continuing supply through the Pan American Health Organization, or PAHO. Varicella Joo is a live vaccine using GC Biopharma’s in-house MAV/06 strain. The company said it is the world’s first varicella vaccine made without any antibiotics in the manufacturing process, eliminating the risk of adverse reactions from residual antibiotics such as kanamycin, neomycin and erythromycin and maximizing product safety. In long-term follow-up clinical results, the neutralizing antibody rate after vaccination was 99% to 100%, and antibody persistence was shown to be comparable to leading global products, the company said. The company also said that after being listed in a World Health Organization position paper, the vaccine has received international evaluation comparable to global vaccines based on the Oka strain, and cross-prescribing has become possible. It said it plans to broaden the vaccine’s use in global markets. Kwangdong Pharmaceutical holds annual shareholders meeting Kwangdong Pharmaceutical said March 26 it held its 53rd annual shareholders meeting at Kwangdong Gwacheon Tower in Gwacheon, south of Seoul. Results disclosed at the meeting showed the company posted consolidated revenue of 1.6595 trillion won last year, maintaining a growth trend. On a separate basis, revenue totaled 1.0110 trillion won, marking the first time the company entered the “1 trillion won club” on a standalone basis. Separate operating profit was about 30.6 billion won, a slight improvement in profitability. Shareholders approved all agenda items as proposed, including approval of the 53rd financial statements and consolidated financial statements, partial amendments to the articles of incorporation, appointment of inside director Park Sang-young, appointment of outside director Lee Jae-won as an audit committee member, and approval of the cap on directors’ compensation. The company said the articles amendments codified an independent director system and advanced plans to establish new committees as part of ESG management to strengthen transparent governance.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-26 18:06:00 -
Nearly 800 cadets commissioned in Iksan Iksan, March 26 (AJP) - About 788 cadets were commissioned as non-commissioned officers (NCOs) at a ceremony at a military academy in Iksan, North Jeolla Province on Thursday, after completing about 12 weeks of training. According to the army, it was the largest class in the past five years. Of the 788 newly commissioned NCOs, 579 were selected through a civilian recruitment program including 232 women, while 209 were former enlisted soldiers. The Army attributed the increase to improved service conditions along with stronger efforts to recruit more cadets. They will undergo training tailored to their duties and responsibilities before being assigned to military units across the country including front-line positions. 2026-03-26 17:59:16 -
Hot Stock: KAI defies market rout as KF-21 rollout fuels defense rally SEOUL, March 26 (AJP) -Shares of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) bucked a broad market selloff Thursday, riding a surge of investor optimism tied to the rollout of South Korea’s first mass-produced KF-21 fighter jet and rising expectations for arms demand amid expanding Middle East conflicts. While the wider market reeled, KAI climbed. The stock extended its recent rally, gaining for a second straight session and closing at 188,000 won, up 1.6 percent on the day — a stark contrast to the KOSPI’s 3 percent slide. The divergence underscores how defense names are increasingly trading as geopolitical proxies rather than cyclical industrial plays. At the center of the momentum is the KF-21 Boramae — South Korea’s first indigenous fighter jet and a flagship outcome of the KF-X (Korea Fighter eXperimental) program led by KAI in collaboration with the Air Force and the Agency for Defense Development. The program, backed by 7.48 trillion won ($5 billion) in investment and involving some 64,500 researchers and engineers, is now transitioning from development to mass production, with 120 aircraft scheduled for deployment by 2032 — a shift that marks the beginning of a long-cycle revenue stream. But the real upside lies beyond Korea. The KF-21 is gaining traction across a widening arc of potential buyers. Indonesia has already joined as a development partner, while the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines and Poland have all expressed interest, according to government and industry sources. The UAE, in particular, has emerged as a pivotal node. A $15 billion comprehensive defense cooperation framework agreed last November includes discussions on procurement, joint production and technology transfer — pointing to a deeper strategic alignment rather than a one-off sale. Saudi Arabia is also weighing the KF-21 as part of its broader air force modernization push. South Korea’s entry into the club of advanced fighter jet producers — now the eighth globally to field a 4.5-generation or higher supersonic fighter, alongside the United States, China, Russia, Japan, France, Sweden and a European consortium — is beginning to translate into market value. Analysts see the inflection point approaching. “The KF-21 will become a core pillar of KAI’s earnings as mass production ramps up,” said Chae Un-saem of Hana Securities. “From here, the duration of the upcycle will increasingly depend on export execution.” Brokerages are also turning more constructive on the broader defense sector, viewing the current geopolitical environment as a structural tailwind rather than a temporary spike. Yuanta Securities maintained its “overweight” call, noting that “the KF-21 is not just a development milestone — it anchors a long-duration growth story spanning production, exports and next-generation capabilities such as manned-unmanned teaming.” 2026-03-26 17:58:47 -
North Korea, Belarus seal closer axis in Pyongyang summit SEOUL, March 26 (AJP) -North Korea has drawn Belarus further into its orbit, formalizing ties along a likeminded axis of sanctioned states aligned with Russia. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko received an enthusiastic welcome from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his first two-day visit to Pyongyang, according to state media from both countries, as the two leaders moved to upgrade relations into what they called a “new stage.” The two strongmen — both long isolated from the West — are bound by their support for Russia’s war in Ukraine and shared pariah status under international sanctions and human rights scrutiny. “The friendly relations between our states, born during the era of the Soviet Union, have never been interrupted,” Lukashenko said, according to Belarusian state news agency Belta. “Today, thanks to comprehensive and steady development, we are entering a fundamentally new phase.” He added that “independent countries must cooperate more closely” to safeguard sovereignty — language widely seen as a rebuke to Western pressure. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Lukashenko arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday aboard a special aircraft and paid tribute at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, laying bouquets for North Korea’s former leaders, including one on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin — underscoring the triangular alignment among Pyongyang, Minsk and Moscow. The visit follows growing engagement between the two countries, with Lukashenko turning more openly toward North Korea after Pyongyang dispatched troops to support Russia Kim and Lukashenko first met in September in Beijing on the sidelines of a military parade, where the North Korean leader extended an invitation for the visit. In a letter earlier this month, Kim said he was “willing to expand and develop” bilateral ties “to a new, higher stage in line with the demands of the new era,” KCNA said. Lukashenko was accompanied by a senior delegation including Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Shuleiko and ministers overseeing foreign affairs, health, education and industry, signaling broad-based cooperation. North Korean Premier Kim Tok-hun and Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jong-gyu were among officials who greeted him at the airport. The two sides signed a friendship and cooperation treaty, marking what they described as a “fundamental” shift in relations — a move that cements an emerging axis among U.S.-sanctioned states as geopolitical divisions deepen. 2026-03-26 17:46:16 -
NH NongHyup Financial to Launch $1 Billion Shared Growth Fund for Strategic Industries NH NongHyup Financial Group said on the 26th it will create the "NH Korea Shared Growth Fund" (tentative name) totaling 1 trillion won. The fund is intended to support the successful rollout of the government’s flagship growth policy, the "National Growth Fund," and to foster advanced strategic industries. It will be formed in two rounds within the year, with all 1 trillion won to be contributed by NongHyup affiliates. Investments will focus on national advanced strategic industries such as artificial intelligence and digital technology. In infrastructure investment and lending, the group plans equity investments in projects building out strategic-industry infrastructure and to provide funding through the project financing (PF) stage. The aim is to help national strategic infrastructure projects grow on a stable footing. PF is a financing method that raises funds based on expected future cash flow and project viability. Direct investments will concentrate on government initiatives to develop advanced strategic industries, including efforts described as fostering a "K-Nvidia." NongHyup Financial also said it will support the selection of sub-fund managers chosen under financial regulators’ plans for policy funds, and it expects to participate as a major investor in individual funds to be created. The group plans to form a first fund of 500 billion won as early as next month and deploy it in infrastructure investment and lending. NH-Amundi Asset Management will serve as the general partner. Chairman Lee Chan-woo said the fund will serve as a "reliable pillar" for nurturing advanced strategic industries and revitalizing regional economies. He said all NongHyup Financial affiliates will unite to take the social responsibility of finance and proactively cooperate with national growth policies through what he called productive finance. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-26 17:21:00 -
South Korea Supreme Court overturns 2021 ruling dismissing forced labor claims SEOUL, March 26 (AJP) - South Korea’s Supreme Court belatedly confirmed Thursday that it has dismissed and ordered a retrial of a lower court decision that rejected a collective damages suit against Japanese companies filed by victims of wartime forced labor during World War Two. The Supreme Court said that on Feb. 12 that it upheld an appellate court decision overturning the Seoul Central District Court’s dismissal of the case. The proceedings date back to 2015 when 85 alleged victims and their bereaved families took the action against 16 Japanese companies, including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nippon Steel, Nissan Chemical and Hokkaido Colliery & Steamship Co., seeking unpaid wages and compensation for damages. While exact figures are unavailable, it is estimated that about 1.5 million Koreans, then subjects of Japan, were mobilized to Japan, Manchuria, and other areas, and about 2 million were forcibly mobilized within the Korean Peninsula. The Seoul Central District Court’s initial dismissal of the case in June 2021 cited the 1965 Korea-Japan Claims Agreement when the two countries normalized their relations, saying it effectively ended individual claims. This decision ran counter to a Supreme Court October 2018 ruling which upheld an earlier decision ordering Nippon Steel to compensate Korean victims of forced labor. The Seoul High Court overturned the lower court ruling on appeal in February 2024, saying the Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling recognized Japanese companies’ liability. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Hokkaido Colliery & Steamship Co. appealed, but the Supreme Court dismissed both, finding no error in the lower court’s judgment, including on legal principles concerning international jurisdiction, treaties, or the scope and effect of the Claims Agreement. With the latest ruling by the Supreme Court, the case is to be retried at the Seoul Central District Court. Hokkaido Colliery & Steamship Co. argued it had been discharged from liability under Japan’s former Corporate Reorganization Law and that any lawsuit based on discharged claims was inadmissible, but the Supreme Court rejected the argument, noting that under South Korea’s former Corporate Reorganization Act — which follows the principle of territoriality — such discharge does not extend to the plaintiffs’ claims. Many of those conscripted endured brutal working conditions, with numerous deaths resulting from accidents or suicide. In 1942, for instance, 136 Koreans were killed in a mass drowning incident at the Chosei coal mine in Yamaguchi Prefecture. After liberation, the South Korean government showed limited interest in compensating individual victims, but rather focused on national-level compensation. The 1965 Korea-Japan Basic Treaty and its supplementary Agreement on Claims and Economic Cooperation stipulated that Japan would provide $500 million — $300 million in grants and $200 million in loans — and that “the problems concerning property, rights and interests of the two countries and their nationals have been settled completely and finally.” 2026-03-26 17:18:00 -
Annual sports-themed show awes visitors with cutting-edge technologies SEOUL, March 26 (AJP) - The annual sports-themed trade show is taking place at COEX in southern Seoul this week. The Seoul International Sports & Leisure Industry Show (SPOEX), South Korea's largest and one of Asia's biggest exhibitions where sports, technology, and industry converge, kicked off on Thursday and runs until this weekend. This year's event brought together around 300 domestic and international companies, offering a comprehensive platform that goes beyond a simple exhibition. Visitors can explore cutting-edge technologies and industry trends while building networks for new business opportunities. A wide range of products including health and fitness equipment, sports goods, healthcare technologies, and water sports gear, are on display. Advanced services integrating cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI)-based exercise programs and digital fitness measurement solutions are also showcased. At the main stage of the exhibition hall, visitors can enjoy a variety of fun programs including bodybuilding competitions, fitness demonstrations, yoga and Pilates classes, as well as K-pop and hip-hop dance performances. 2026-03-26 17:12:59 -
BTS may be offstage, but Seoul still hums SWIM SEOUL, March 26 (AJP) -The concert is over, but Seoul has yet to come down from the high of BTS. At the courtyard of MMCA Seoul, the “Love Quarter” still pulses with the afterglow of the group’s comeback, its energy spreading in gentle waves. Inside the blue “BTS Sound Cube,” BTS’ new song “SWIM” plays as ribbons flutter in the wind like water in motion. Stepping into the installation, visitors are invited to feel the music not just through sound, but through space and movement. The installation is part of the “BTS THE CITY ARIRANG SEOUL” stamp rally, an interactive program that connects BTS-linked sites across the city and encourages fans to complete missions along the way. While the comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square ended on March 21, the “BTS Sound Cube” will stay open through April 19, allowing the city to hold on a little longer. 2026-03-26 17:00:46 -
OTT Platforms Move Into Live Sports, Challenging Traditional TV Broadcasters Live broadcasting has long been considered the crown jewel of TV networks. Traditional live coverage typically requires expensive equipment and highly trained crews, including outside broadcast trucks that send signals by satellite back to a station for transmission. For decades, broadcasters with deep capital and specialized staff — and, in some cases, public funding — have carried major events as part of their role as large news organizations. But broadcasters have already been losing ground to over-the-top, or OTT, platforms in dramas and entertainment. Now, OTT services are moving aggressively into live programming as well. Netflix, which recently live-streamed BTS' comeback performance at Gwanghwamun, has built a track record in live events. After testing live-streaming technology with a U.S. comedy show in 2023, it aired an unconventional golf event featuring Formula One figures and professional golfers, marking a push into sports coverage. Netflix later signed an exclusive deal for WWE Raw and has offered live streams since 2025. In January, it also live-streamed “Skyscraper Live,” featuring a climb up a 101-story building in Taiwan without ropes, drawing global attention. Netflix Live has now moved into Major League Baseball. Netflix said on the 25th it will broadcast the 2026 season opener between San Francisco and the New York Yankees. Netflix said it will work with the Emmy-winning MLB Network production team to live-stream key MLB games. It said the broadcasts will be available in five languages: English, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese and Japanese. Netflix is not alone. Coupang Play said it will live-stream two international soccer friendlies: a match against Cote d'Ivoire on the 28th and a match against Austria on April 1, described as the national team's final A matches before its final roster is set as it targets a World Cup quarterfinal run. TVING recently exclusively live-streamed every game from the start of the World Baseball Classic main tournament. It also holds exclusive rights for Korean professional baseball live streams on mobile and PC, meaning those broadcasts can be watched only through TVING. With OTT platforms expanding into real-time programming, major terrestrial broadcasters appear to be feeling a sharper sense of threat. If OTT services come to dominate live content, the article asks, what role will remain for free-to-air networks? In Netflix's case, an estimated 19,000 servers deployed worldwide have lowered barriers that once made live broadcasting difficult. Backed by vast capital, Netflix has built infrastructure that can deliver live content directly to viewers around the world. That scale is fueled by subscription fees paid each month by hundreds of millions of people. Traditional media organizations — sometimes labeled “old-fashioned” — face shrinking influence and declining advertising revenue. The article says concerns are growing that legacy media could weaken further as capital tightens and talent leaves. Still, terrestrial broadcasting continues to function as public infrastructure closely tied to daily life, providing news, local information, and programming such as variety shows and daily dramas that reach multiple generations. Its reach, however, is largely limited to local audiences. Korean content is widely favored globally under the banner of K-content, but the article argues that trend can also work against traditional TV broadcasters. It says a local market that once looked solid for decades is shrinking as capital becomes less available. The article concludes by questioning whether legacy media has the tools to compete with global OTT platforms, saying those tools are hard to see even as the pressure intensifies.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-26 16:57:18 -
Son Heung-min Seeks First Open-Play Goal of 2026 With South Korea vs. Ivory Coast 최근 소속팀에서 골 가뭄에 시달리고 있는 홍명보호 '캡틴' 손흥민(로스앤젤레스FC)이 태극마크를 달고 분위기 반전에 나선다. Hong Myung-bo's South Korea national team will play Ivory Coast in its first March A-match friendly at 11 p.m. on March 28 (Korea time) at Stadium MK in Milton Keynes, England. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals in North America about three months away, the match is intended as a stand-in test for South Africa, South Korea's opponent in the third group-stage game. Hong has called in his core overseas-based players for what he described as the final A match before the World Cup, including Son, Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) and Lee Jae-sung (Mainz). Attention is on whether Son can end his scoring drought with his first goal from open play this year. Son's 2026 scoring has been muted. In his first match of the year, he had one goal and three assists in a 6-1 win over Espania (Honduras) in the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Feb. 18. Since then, he has gone eight straight official matches without a goal, adding four assists. His goal against Espania came from the penalty spot, leaving him without an open-play goal this year. Some have raised concerns about decline for Son, born in 1992, but Hong said his confidence has not changed. Before the team's first training session of its Europe trip on March 24 in Milton Keynes, Hong told South Korean reporters, "I am not worried because of the time and role Son has played." He added, "He knows well what role he needs to play. It is very important for us to judge the right timing for his strengths to come out." Hong also pointed to tactical options aimed at maximizing Son. If Son starts as a wide attacker, Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besiktas) or Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland) is expected to play up front. With their size and ability to battle defenders and link play, South Korea hopes Son will have more room for his trademark shooting. Hong said, "Because we have strikers in good condition like Oh Hyeon-gyu and Cho Gue-sung, there is a possibility Son will be used as a winger this time." Son has 54 goals in 140 A matches. If he scores four goals in the March A matches, he would move into a tie for the national record of 58 goals, matching Cha Bum-kun. One more would set a new mark. Ivory Coast, however, is not expected to be an easy opponent. It is ranked 37th by FIFA, below South Korea at 22nd, but is known in Africa for strong defense. It went unbeaten in 10 World Cup African qualifying matches (eight wins, two draws) without conceding a goal. Its squad includes Europe-based players such as Amad Diallo (Manchester United), Odilon Kossounou (Atalanta) and Ibrahim Sangare (Nottingham Forest). South Korea is 1-0 all-time against Ivory Coast. In a friendly in London in March 2010, South Korea won 2-0 on goals by Lee Dong-gook and Kwak Tae-hwi.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-26 16:54:00