Journalist

Lee Hugh
  • Parata Air Expands Air Cargo to Diversify Revenue
    Parata Air Expands Air Cargo to Diversify Revenue Parata Air is accelerating efforts to diversify its business portfolio by operating an air cargo business alongside its international passenger service. According to international air cargo data released Tuesday by the Korea Airports Corp., Parata Air carried 228 tons of cargo in the first week of this month. Volumes have climbed steadily, from 113 tons in the third week of last month to 168 tons in the fourth week and 202 tons in the fifth week. The airline has pursued the strategy since last year, expanding passenger routes while increasing use of belly cargo space on passenger aircraft. Focusing on Japan and Southeast Asia routes, it has sought e-commerce shipments and demand for transporting fresh foods, gradually building its cargo revenue base. A Parata Air official said the carrier has maintained stable load factors in the passenger segment during the January peak season while also raising cargo load rates by optimizing flight schedules. Passenger and cargo operations complement each other, the official said, strengthening revenue stability.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-25 09:51:15
  • K-Food Gains Global Attention Alongside K-Content Boom, Report Finds
    K-Food Gains Global Attention Alongside K-Content Boom, Report Finds The Korean Wave has moved beyond a pop-culture fad, emerging as a strategic asset that boosts South Korea’s national brand and industrial competitiveness. According to the “2025 Global Hallyu Trend Analysis Report Based on Foreign Media and Social Data,” released on the 25th by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Culture Information Service Agency, K-food gained worldwide traction last year, riding the popularity of K-content such as the Netflix animated film “K-pop Demon Hunters,” known in Korean as “K-pop Demon Hunters (KDH).” The report reflects 5,608 stories from about 460 major overseas outlets, along with about 1.49 million Hallyu-related items collected from platforms including YouTube and X. The data covered October 2024 through September 2025. By sector, the global rise of “K-food” stood out. Along with core terms tied to popular and traditional dishes — including kimchi, soju, ramen and bibimbap — “chef” and “Squid Game” newly emerged as closely linked keywords. The report attributed that shift to Korean food being naturally featured on OTT platforms, including the cooking variety show “Culinary Class Wars” and the drama “Squid Game,” prompting renewed global attention. The report said “K-pop Demon Hunters,” which became a global hit, blended traditional cultural motifs such as grim reapers and dokkaebi with Korean elements including gimbap and ramen, helping the content’s ripple effects spread across industries, including traditional culture and K-food. It cited positive impacts extending into tourism and consumption, including an increase in foreign visitors to the National Museum of Korea and a surge in reservations for K-culture experience products. The drama “When Life Gives You Tangerines,” set on Jeju Island, also boosted demand for Jeju tourism after its Netflix release, the report said. It added that voluntary social media sharing — including the “My Own Gwansik Challenge” — was recognized as a case of local content going global. “Squid Game,” meanwhile, continued to generate industrial spillovers through global brand collaborations, wins at major U.S. awards shows and expanded OTT investment. After author Han Kang won the Nobel Prize in Literature, the share of “K-literature” coverage rose by more than 30 percentage points from the previous quarter, the report said. “The Vegetarian” and “Human Acts” drew particular attention. Foreign media highlighted the symbolism of her being the first Asian woman to win the prize and said Korean literature had opened a new horizon in world literary history. In 2025, foreign media coverage related to Hallyu was highest in Asia (44%), followed by Europe (20.8%) and North America (16.9%), the report said. In most regions — including Asia, Europe, North America and Central and South America — K-pop accounted for the largest share. In Africa, “K-literature” ranked highest, while in Oceania, “K-film” led. By country, the United States, India, Argentina and Vietnam produced the most coverage. Japan showed a relatively higher share of “K-literature,” Vietnam of “K-drama,” and Brazil of “K-film.” The culture ministry said the report is significant because it integrates foreign news articles and social media data to provide a comprehensive big-data analysis — including coverage volume by continent, country and content type, shifts in keywords, sentiment analysis and network maps — and “quantitatively demonstrates the structure of Hallyu’s spread.” The report is available on the Culture Big Data Platform. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-25 09:45:24
  • Hyundai Motor Group Donates Unmanned Firefighting Robots to Help Protect Firefighters
    Hyundai Motor Group Donates Unmanned Firefighting Robots to Help Protect Firefighters Hyundai Motor Group said it is continuing efforts to improve safety for the public and firefighters by donating unmanned firefighting robots. The group said Wednesday that it held a donation ceremony Tuesday at the Capital 119 Special Rescue Unit in Namyangju, south of Seoul. Attendees included Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun; President Sung Kim; Hyundai Rotem President Lee Yong-bae; National Fire Agency acting chief Kim Seung-ryong; and planning and coordination director Lee Jin-ho, the company said. Hyundai Motor Group officially donated four remote firefighting units, known as unmanned firefighting robots, that it jointly developed with the National Fire Agency. The robots were built by mounting firefighting equipment on Hyundai Rotem’s electrified multipurpose unmanned ground vehicle, the HR-Sherpa, which can be driven remotely. According to the National Fire Agency’s statistical yearbook, 1,802 firefighters were injured or killed in fires over the past 10 years. Hyundai Motor Group said the robots are designed to reduce injuries in disaster environments by equipping the HR-Sherpa with a water cannon, an onboard spray system, a camera to improve visibility and a remote controller. The company said the system can lower equipment temperatures to 50 to 60 degrees Celsius even in environments approaching 500 to 800 degrees Celsius, allowing operations closer to the fire scene. “Firefighters who rush without hesitation into life-and-death scenes to save lives remind us what values our society must protect,” Chung said. He said the group developed the robots with the National Fire Agency to help realize the safety firefighters work to uphold. Chung called the donated robots “new mobility” that brings together the group’s core technologies to pursue the shared goal of “technology that saves lives.” He said he hopes the robots will be “a reliable team member” deployed first into dangerous sites to help protect firefighters. Chung also said the group will support firefighters’ recovery by providing vehicles and rehabilitation equipment to the National Fire Hospital, which is scheduled to open in June. “Hyundai Motor Group will continue to provide the technology and support needed so firefighters can carry out their duties in a safer environment,” he said. Kim, the National Fire Agency’s acting chief, called the event “the first step” in a major shift in disaster response. He said the agency will continue to introduce advanced science and technology to the field through innovative partnerships with the private sector. Of the four robots, two have already been deployed at the request of the National Fire Agency, with one each assigned to the Capital and Yeongnam 119 special rescue units and put into field operations. The remaining two are to be placed in early next month, with one each going to the Gyeonggi South and South Chungcheong fire headquarters. Hyundai Motor Group said it supports firefighters in multiple ways. It said it will donate vehicles and rehabilitation equipment for treatment and recovery at the National Fire Hospital in Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province, which it described as the country’s first medical institution specializing in firefighters. 2026-02-25 09:39:23
  • Chaebi’s ultrafast EV charger wins 2026 iF Design Award
    Chaebi’s ultrafast EV charger wins 2026 iF Design Award Chaebi, a South Korean operator of fast-charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, said Tuesday that its ultrafast charging platform, Chaebi MCS, won a main prize in the product design category at Germany’s iF Design Award 2026. It marks the company’s second major global design award after its Chaebi Megastation won a main prize at the Red Dot Design Award in 2024. Chaebi MCS is an ultrafast charger offered in two models, 1 megawatt and 2 megawatts. It features a slim form factor up to 2,000 millimeters tall and a modular stack structure that allows the cabinet to be expanded as needed. The company said the design emphasizes simplicity while improving functional completeness. The exterior uses stainless steel to boost durability and a premium look. Chaebi said the platform was developed with the goal of enabling a full charge in under five minutes and is aimed at growing demand for electrification in large commercial vehicles and logistics. Chief Executive Choi Young-hoon said the award was meaningful recognition of Chaebi’s integrated approach to charging technology and design.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-25 09:33:16
  • Korean Air to Showcase AI-Powered Next-Generation Drones at DSK 2026
    Korean Air to Showcase AI-Powered Next-Generation Drones at DSK 2026 Korean Air said Tuesday it is taking part in Drone Show Korea (DSK) 2026, running through Feb. 27 at BEXCO in Busan, to present its vision for AI-based next-generation unmanned aircraft and its capabilities in advanced air mobility (AAM) technology. DSK is Asia’s largest drone-focused exhibition, hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy; the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport; the Ministry of National Defense; the Korea Aerospace Administration; and the city of Busan. This year’s event centers on unmanned aircraft technology and includes companies in aerospace, defense, carbon neutrality and geospatial information, as well as firms with AI-based convergence technologies. Participating countries increased to 23 from 15. Korean Air said it set up a large, two-story booth to improve visitor flow. The first floor includes an exhibition area and meeting rooms for viewing and discussions, while the second floor is a lounge intended to support networking. In the drone zone, the company will show for the first time in South Korea a physical-AI subsonic unmanned aircraft it is developing with U.S. AI defense company Anduril Industries. Also on display are an AI small multipurpose unmanned aircraft, a small strike unmanned aircraft, a communications relay drone, swarm-flight drone technology, and aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) based on swarm-flight drone technology. In the AAM zone, Korean Air will present its in-house AAM traffic management and operations control system, ACROSS, along with a mock-up aircraft from Archer Aviation, a U.S. urban air mobility company that signed an AAM development cooperation memorandum of understanding with Korean Air last year. Korean Air said it will also hold cooperation events alongside the exhibition, starting with an unmanned aircraft technology seminar Tuesday to introduce its capabilities and business roadmap. It plans an AAM technology seminar co-hosted with Archer on Wednesday and is planning MOUs with global AAM companies. “This DSK participation is a good opportunity to inform the broader industry about Korean Air’s AI software-based unmanned aircraft capabilities, which are currently a key production focus, and the latest technologies related to next-generation air mobility,” a company official said. “Korean Air will continue taking on challenges across various fields to grow into a world-class integrated aerospace company.” 2026-02-25 09:15:45
  • USFK chief expresses regret over drill not shared with Seoul
    USFK chief expresses regret over drill 'not shared' with Seoul SEOUL, February 25 (AJP) - Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), has expressed "regret" that South Korean defense officials were not briefed on last week's U.S. air drill over the West Sea. In a statement issued late Tuesday, Brunson said he regretted that South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff were "not briefed in time," clarifying that he had discussed the drill with Ahn by phone. USFK conducted a large-scale air drill last Wednesday with about a dozen F-16 fighter jets flying over South Korea's air defense identification zone (KADIZ), prompting China to scramble its own jets, which led to a brief aerial standoff. Raising concerns about the incident, Ahn reportedly complained to Brunson the following day that details of the drill had not been properly shared in advance, saying that it had heightened military tensions on the Korean Peninsula. But U.S. Forces Korea said it regularly conducts drills to "maintain the highest level of readiness," adding "We do not apologize for maintaining readiness." 2026-02-25 09:15:06
  • Kia Georgia Plant Tops 5 Million Vehicles, Starts Production of 2027 Telluride Hybrid
    Kia Georgia Plant Tops 5 Million Vehicles, Starts Production of 2027 Telluride Hybrid Kia’s Georgia manufacturing unit has surpassed 5 million vehicles in cumulative production 17 years after it was established, the company said. It is also ramping up production of a hybrid version of the all-new Telluride, a key model in North America. Kia said the Georgia plant reached the 5 million mark as of Feb. 24 local time. The milestone vehicle was the 2027 model-year all-new Telluride hybrid, Kia’s first hybrid vehicle produced in Georgia. A ceremony was held with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, local government officials, community leaders and employees attending. The Georgia operation began production in 2009 and has grown into a major local employer and a core manufacturing base for the auto industry in the U.S. Southeast. The Telluride built at the West Point plant is a strategic model developed around North American consumer demand and U.S. driving conditions, Kia said, calling it a symbol of the brand’s growth in the U.S. market. The first-generation Telluride won major awards in 2020, including North American Car of the Year, World Car of the Year and MotorTrend SUV of the Year, helping raise the brand’s profile in North America. “Kia Georgia is the only plant in the world that produces the Telluride, and this production start carries meaning beyond the rollout of a new vehicle,” said Yoon Seung-kyu, head of Kia’s North America regional headquarters and CEO of its U.S. sales unit. Kemp said the Telluride has been produced only in Georgia since its 2019 launch and has become one of Kia’s most successful models. “This achievement is the result of a close partnership with the community and the state government,” he said. Stuart Countess, head of Kia’s Georgia manufacturing unit, said the 5 million milestone reflects employees’ dedication and teamwork. He said the plant’s flexibility and technical capabilities were proven again as it adds hybrid production alongside internal combustion and electric vehicles.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-25 08:54:20
  • Toss Says WebView Feature Lifted Lender Conversion Rates 48% on Average, Up to 347%
    Toss Says WebView Feature Lifted Lender Conversion Rates 48% on Average, Up to 347% Viva Republica, the operator of South Korean fintech app Toss, said Tuesday that conversion rates for partner financial firms rose by nearly 50% on average using its “WebView in Toss” feature. WebView in Toss lets users check credit limits and complete applications inside the Toss app, without installing a separate financial firm’s app or switching to an external browser. The company said the setup improves convenience for users and helps financial firms raise application completion rates. Based on an analysis of loan products from 2023 through early February this year, Toss said customers using WebView in Toss posted an average conversion rate 48% higher than those using the previous method. By sector, Toss said the improvement was clear. Among 30 financial firms running WebView in Toss for loan services, conversion rates at both first- and second-tier financial institutions rose by at least double digits. Some savings banks saw gains of up to 347%, it said. Toss said it supports the full process — from UI and UX design to development, testing, operational stabilization and further improvements — at no additional cost. It said it plans to keep providing free support to strengthen partners’ digital capabilities and expand benefits for financial consumers. “WebView in Toss reduces drop-offs during applications, improving access to financial services while delivering measurable performance gains for financial firms,” a Toss official said. “We will keep working to build a convenient financial environment that satisfies both financial firms and customers.” 2026-02-25 08:45:00
  • Actor Yoo Ho-jung Recalls Suspecting Yoon Yoo-sun Was Pregnant Before Wedding
    Actor Yoo Ho-jung Recalls Suspecting Yoon Yoo-sun Was Pregnant Before Wedding Actor Yoo Ho-jung recalled her memories of close friend Yoon Yoo-sun’s wedding. In Episode 427 of SBS’ “Same Bed, Different Dreams 2 — You Are My Destiny,” which aired on the 24th, Yoo appeared and shared stories about Yoon. Yoo said she had not done variety shows because she had not been acting in dramas, adding that she decided to appear after learning Yoon had become a regular on “Same Bed, Different Dreams 2.” Yoo said she had known Yoon for a long time and had hoped she would marry soon, but was stunned when Yoon announced her marriage just three months after meeting her future husband. “It was so sudden I even wondered, ‘Did she get pregnant before the wedding?’” Yoo said, adding she had expected Yoon to date for at least a year. Yoo said she married first, but Yoon had a child first. She added that Yoon was cautious about revealing her pregnancy.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-25 08:30:16
  • Hyundai Mobis Spots Endangered Yellow-Throated Marten in Mir Forest in South Korea
    Hyundai Mobis Spots Endangered Yellow-Throated Marten in Mir Forest in South Korea Hyundai Mobis said endangered wildlife has been repeatedly recorded near the Miho River inside Mir Forest in Jincheon County, North Chungcheong Province, where the company is running biodiversity conservation programs. The company said Feb. 25 that a research team led by Prof. Park Byeong-gwon of the Korea Institute of Urban Ecology recently confirmed the presence of a marten, a Class II endangered wild species in South Korea, in Mir Forest. The animal captured was a yellow-throated marten, a carnivorous mammal regarded as a top predator. Its presence indicates the lower food chain is also being maintained in a stable way, the company said. Hyundai Mobis said the finding also reflects progress in its biodiversity work around the Miho River in Jincheon, suggesting the local ecosystem is recovering. Last year, the company said it confirmed habitats for an otter, a natural monument and endangered species, and a leopard cat, a legally protected species. Mir Forest is a 108-hectare (about 267-acre) woodland created near Hyundai Mobis’ Jincheon plant, a production base dedicated to automotive electronic components. The company said it invested about 10 billion won over 10 years starting in 2012 to build the forest. After donating the forest to Jincheon County, Hyundai Mobis said it has been running a social contribution project since 2023 with the local government and the social cooperative Hangang to help create a biodiversity ecosystem in and around the forest and the Miho River. The company said it is also encouraging participation by employees and local residents, beyond providing funding for restoration efforts. Han Seong-hui, executive director and head of Hyundai Mobis’ sustainability management office, said the company will work to create social value by not only cutting carbon emissions across its production process and making eco-friendly products, but also by considering the environmental characteristics of communities where its major sites are located.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-25 08:27:20