Journalist
Lee Hugh
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Toyota Korea to Sponsor O-NE Superrace Championship for 2026 Season Toyota Korea said Monday it has signed an official sponsorship agreement for the 2026 season of the O-NE Superrace Championship, the country’s largest motorsports series. The company has served as an official Superrace sponsor for seven straight years since 2020, it said, as part of efforts to expand motorsports culture in South Korea. Manabu Koyama, CEO of Toyota Korea, and Seokho Ma, the newly appointed CEO of Superrace, attended the signing ceremony along with officials from both sides. Superrace renamed its top-tier category in the 2025 season, changing the official title from the “Super 6000 Class” to the “TOYOTA GAZOO Racing 6000 Class.” Toyota Korea has participated since 2020 as a “cowl sponsor,” applying the exterior design of the GR Supra to Super 6000 race cars. Beginning in the 2025 season, it expanded its role to become the category’s naming sponsor, the company said. Toyota Korea said it is pursuing a range of motorsports initiatives based on its global philosophy of building better cars through racing. Along with backing the top professional series, it said it created the “Prius PHEV Class,” described as South Korea’s only plug-in hybrid one-make race, to broaden participation across professional and amateur racing. The company also sponsors the Boryeong-AMC International Motor Festival run by Ajou Motor College, and operates programs including the “GR Racing Class” and the “GR Kids Superrace School.” Starting in the 2026 season, the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing 6000 Class will shorten its final-race distance from 170 kilometers to about 100 kilometers, Superrace said, aiming for its fastest races yet. The series will also abolish the “success weight” handicap system to emphasize head-to-head competition. The rule had added up to 50 kilograms based on results; its removal is expected to allow drivers to draw out maximum vehicle performance. “As a brand with genuine commitment to motorsports, we are pleased to participate as a sponsor of the O-NE Superrace Championship for the seventh consecutive year,” Koyama said. He added that he hopes this season will vividly convey Toyota Gazoo Racing’s pursuit of “extreme challenge” and “driving fun” to customers in South Korea. The 2026 Superrace Championship season is set to open April 18-19 with a double round at Yongin Everland Speedway. Organizers said they will try new combinations of culture and events to broaden motorsports’ appeal. The third round will be held alongside the “Asia Motorsports Carnival” and the Park Music Festival, a major domestic music event. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-24 09:04:11 -
Jung Hae-in to Hold March Fan Meeting in Seoul; Fan Club Presales Open Today Actor Jung Hae-in will meet fans at a March fan event in Seoul, his agency said. FNC Entertainment said on its official social media channels on Feb. 23 that it released an additional poster for the 2026 Jung Hae-in fan meeting, titled ‘Jung Hae-in Chwihyangin Gathering.’ The poster shows Jung smiling beside a teddy bear wearing a hat that reads “HAPPY BIRTHDAY,” marking the fan meeting ahead of his April 1 birthday. The 2026 fan meeting will be held March 28-29 at Ewha Womans University’s Grand Auditorium in Seoul. It will be his first in-person meeting with domestic fans in about a year. Fan club presales open at 8 p.m. today (24) through Melon Ticket. General sales begin at 8 p.m. on the 27th.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-24 08:49:21 -
Hyundai Motor Extends LACMA Partnership Through 2037 Hyundai Motor said on Feb. 24 it has extended its partnership with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, or LACMA, through 2037. Through the partnership, Hyundai has sponsored eight exhibitions since 2015, starting with “Rain Room” and continuing through “Tavares Strachan: The Day Tomorrow Began,” which opened in October. The company said the support has included shows exploring the intersection of art and technology, as well as exhibitions rooted in research on Korean art history, including Korean calligraphy and modern art. Hyundai has also supported one of LACMA’s flagship initiatives, the Art + Technology Lab, backing a wide range of efforts over the past decade, including 45 artist projects, the company said. Along with the extension, Hyundai and LACMA unveiled a new exhibition series, the “Hyundai Project.” The revamped Hyundai Project will be an exhibition program that takes an in-depth look at the work of internationally recognized artists with ties to Los Angeles and the Pacific Rim region, while presenting new works at LACMA. It is scheduled to run every other year starting in 2028. Ahead of each opening, the partners plan to install a large banner work by the featured artist on the exterior of LACMA’s BCAM building, aiming to extend the experience beyond the galleries. LACMA’s Art + Technology Lab will begin selecting and supporting artist projects through a biennial open call starting this spring. The museum also plans to make public programs such as symposiums and demo days a regular feature, offering audiences a look at artists’ research and experimentation. Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung said, “Through our long-standing collaboration with LACMA, Hyundai has supported the convergence of art and technology and broadened the horizons of Korean art.” He added, “We will continue diverse collaborations that inspire the present era, including supporting artists’ creative experiments and expanding opportunities for audiences to engage with art.” LACMA CEO Michael Govan said, “Through our partnership with Hyundai, we have added depth to exhibitions and the collection, and provided emerging creators with new opportunities through research and experimentation.” He added, “Through our partnership with Hyundai, which aims for artistic innovation and the expansion of global discourse, we will strengthen support for future generations of creators.” Hyundai said it also works with art institutions worldwide, including Tate in the U.K., the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, presenting a range of art projects.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-24 08:48:24 -
1 dead, 3 injured due to fire at aging apartment complex in southern Seoul SEOUL, February 24 (AJP) - A fire broke out in an apartment unit in southern Seoul on Tuesday, leaving one person dead and three others injured. About 70 residents were evacuated after the fire began at around 6:20 a.m. at the Eunma apartment complex in Daechi-dong, an affluent neighborhood in Seoul's Gangnam district, according to district officials. Fire authorities said they contained the fire in about an hour and were working to extinguish the remaining flames. The aging complex, built in 1979 and long slated for redevelopment into high-rise skyscrapers that could house nearly 6,000 households, has seen property prices surge in recent years. 2026-02-24 08:37:31 -
Korea's producer prices on mild increase in Jan on brisk chip demand SEOUL, February 24 (AJP) -South Korea’s producer prices posted mild gains in January despite a softer U.S. dollar against the won and falling fuel prices, supported by brisk chipmaking activity. According to data released by the Bank of Korea on Tuesday, the producer price index (PPI) for January stood at 122.50 (2020=100), up 0.6 percent from the previous month and 1.9 percent from a year earlier. The PPI has recorded monthly increases since September. By category, prices for agricultural, livestock and fishery products rose 0.7 percent, with agricultural products up 1.4 percent and livestock products up 0.9 percent. Manufactured goods increased 0.6 percent, driven by primary metal products, which rose 3.0 percent, and computer, electronic and optical equipment — including semiconductors — up 1.8 percent. Service prices climbed 0.7 percent, led by finance and insurance, up 4.7 percent, and transportation services, up 0.7 percent. Among individual items, prices jumped for DRAM chips (49.5 percent), pumpkins (41.4 percent), silver bullion (43.6 percent), butadiene (26.7 percent), sulfuric acid (15.9 percent), consignment brokerage fees (15.2 percent), primary refined copper products (11.0 percent), beef (6.8 percent) and flash memory (9.9 percent). Prices fell for frozen squid (19.8 percent), mixed sauces (10.4 percent), hotels (7.5 percent), gasoline (6.0 percent) and diesel (5.1 percent). The domestic supply price index, which tracks price changes including imports, rose 0.3 percent from the previous month. Raw material prices fell 0.8 percent, while intermediate goods rose 0.6 percent. The total output price index, which includes export goods along with domestic shipments, rose 1.3 percent, led by manufactured goods, up 1.8 percent, and services, up 0.7 percent. Lee Moon-hee, head of the Bank of Korea’s price statistics team, said key price factors should be closely monitored, noting that Dubai crude prices rose in February from the previous month while the won-dollar exchange rate edged down. Still, Lee said spillover effects were likely to remain limited given the nature of the items driving the increase and a decline in domestic supply prices for consumer goods. He said the rise in producer prices was largely attributable to intermediate goods such as primary metal products and semiconductors, suggesting that any pass-through to consumer prices would likely appear with a time lag. He added that consumer goods prices in the domestic supply index fell for the first time in eight months in January, since May 2025, as the Lunar New Year fell in January last year versus February this year. On U.S. tariffs, Lee said they are not directly reflected in the producer price index, as it measures price changes for goods supplied by domestic producers to the domestic market. 2026-02-24 08:36:31 -
Korea Automotive Technology Institute Expands Training for Future Vehicle Talent The Korea Automotive Technology Institute said Monday it will expand job-transition training and consulting support for auto parts companies as the industry shifts to future vehicles. KATECH said it will broaden its programs under the Korea Industrial Human Resources Corp.’s Industrial Transition Joint Training Center project, offering more training for incumbent workers and more company-support consulting. This year, it plans to upgrade courses to reflect demand in the field and expand consulting, with full-scale operations set to begin next month. KATECH said it will significantly expand hands-on courses including vehicle software development based on the future vehicle standard software platform AUTOSAR; battery management system software development using model-based design; and techniques for applying international certification rules for future vehicle cybersecurity. It also plans to set up an integrated “training-consulting performance management system” that links consulting support to companies with large numbers of employees participating in the training, aiming to improve the effectiveness of industrial transition. KATECH is carrying out the joint training center project for five years, from last year through 2029. In its first year, it signed agreements with 161 companies and ran courses focused on key future vehicle areas such as fuel cells, electrification and autonomous driving. It also provided tailored diagnostics and consulting to support technical capabilities for 15 companies, producing results including new business item development, commercialization strategy planning, process improvements and quality gains. “Transitioning to the future vehicle industry is a core task that determines parts companies’ competitiveness and survival, beyond simply learning new technologies,” KATECH President Jin Jong-wook said. He said the institute will actively support the domestic parts industry in securing new growth engines through a virtuous cycle of practical training that can be applied immediately in the field and customized consulting support.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-24 08:24:30 -
Kim Junsu Says ‘Beetlejuice’ Role Fueled by Desire to Take on Something New “Junsu is really good at finding roles that fit him.” Musical actor Kim Junsu said that kind of reputation helped shape his decision to take on “Beetlejuice” — in part because he wanted to answer it with a different kind of role. He said he wanted to show he could do well even in work that people might not immediately associate with him. In an interview with reporters on Feb. 23 in Seoul’s Gangnam district, Kim said he chose “Beetlejuice” because it felt different from what he had done before. “My desire to challenge myself played a part,” he said. “People always say, ‘He’s good at finding roles that suit him.’ But every production has been a challenge for me,” he said. “Whether it was ‘Dracula’ or ‘Todd,’ I started those projects hearing, ‘That doesn’t suit you.’” He said shifting reactions left him both pleased and uneasy. “I took it positively, thinking, ‘I must have done well,’ but at the same time I wondered, ‘How long do I have to keep hearing this?’” he said. That pushed him to look for something new. Kim said many people were puzzled when the casting was announced, and he also had doubts. “Right up until the announcement, I was so torn my mind changed every day,” he said. “In the end, I think it was the right decision.” To create his own take on the character, Kim said he tried to let go of his usual approach, while adjusting elements that felt too far from him through discussions with the production team. Rather than changing for the sake of it, he said he focused on bringing his own color to the role. “I thought I could make it my strength if I played him like a spoiled kid throwing a tantrum because he doesn’t know any better,” Kim said. “No matter how funny or bizarre a face I make, I didn’t think I could beat Seonghwa (Jung Seong-hwa). So I approached it thinking I should create my own charm for the character.” He said the pressure before opening was intense, to the point he had nightmares about going onstage without knowing his lines. “There were so many words I don’t normally use,” he said. “There are sexual lines and profanity, too. Tempo matters. It has to come out like rapid-fire.” Kim said he prepared until the lines would come out instantly on cue, without thinking, so he could also weave in ad-libs. “I paid even more attention to it,” he said. He also said he prepared two or three different reactions depending on how the audience responded. For example, when describing Beetlejuice — a character no one notices — as “like your boyfriend passing by next to Kim Junsu,” he said he had multiple follow-ups ready depending on the crowd’s response, such as “You like that?” or “They say they like it.” Still, he said he could not predict how fans would react until opening night. Only after the audience burst out laughing at his first ad-lib did he feel relieved. “I worried about what if people hesitate over whether to laugh,” he said. “More than anything, I only felt at ease after the first show.” Kim said Beetlejuice has become a character he feels attached to. “I can’t say I’m attached to every character I’ve played. There aren’t many I want to do again — not even half,” he said. “But Beetlejuice is one of them. I’ve done about 10 productions so far, and it’s in my top five.” The musical “Beetlejuice” is based on the film of the same name directed by Tim Burton. The show runs at LG Arts Center Seoul in Gangseo-gu through March 22. 2026-02-24 08:04:16 -
Seoul Police Step Up Ticket Fraud Crackdown, Crowd Plans for BTS Gwanghwamun Show Police are tightening measures to prevent ticket scams and manage crowds ahead of BTS’ concert set for March 21 at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. With as many as 260,000 people — including foreign tourists — expected to gather, authorities said they will focus on safety. Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Park Jeong-bo said at a regular news briefing on Feb. 23 that police are “continuously monitoring” crimes that could arise around ticket sales. He said police have asked platforms to delete or block 34 posts so far, including listings for proxy purchases and resales. Police said offers online for ticket proxy buying or high-priced resales are likely to be scams. Park warned of possible secondary harm, saying scammers may steal and misuse personal information under the guise of proxy purchasing, and urged consumers to be cautious. Police also plan to prepare for illegal bookings using macros and scalping, as well as potential crimes on the day of the event, including sex crimes and theft. For crowd control, police will use a “stadium-style” approach. The event area will be divided into four zones by risk level — core, hot, warm and cold — and density will be managed through 29 entry routes. Crowd-control lines will also be installed by zone based on expected movement. Traffic restrictions are also being finalized. The agency has asked Seoul Metro to consider having trains pass through three nearby stations — Gwanghwamun, Gyeongbokgung and City Hall — without stopping. On the day of the concert, phased traffic controls will be imposed on major roads including Sejong-daero, Saemunan-ro, Jongno, Sajik-ro and Yulgok-ro. Park said a midterm safety review meeting on Feb. 20 rechecked overall preparations. “We will concentrate available personnel with public safety as the top priority,” he said. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-24 08:03:09 -
Jang Hang-jun’s ‘The Man Who Lives With the King’ Tops 6 Million Moviegoers in 20 Days '왕과 사는 남자' has drawn more than 6 million moviegoers. Showbox said on the 24th that the film passed 6 million in cumulative admissions on its 20th day in theaters, on the 23rd. It reached the mark faster than '왕의 남자' (29 days) and '사도' (26 days), and matched the pace of the hit '광해, 왕이 된 남자.' Set in 1457 at Cheongnyeongpo, the historical drama follows a village chief who chooses exile to revive his community and a young deposed king sent into exile. The film is directed by Jang Hang-jun and stars Yoo Hae-jin, Park Ji-hoon, Yoo Ji-tae and Jeon Mi-do. '왕과 사는 남자' is now playing in theaters.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-24 07:57:15 -
South Korea wins UK court bid to void Elliott ISDS award SEOUL, February 24 (AJP) -South Korea has won a decisive legal battle in a UK court to overturn an international arbitration ruling that had ordered the government to pay roughly 160 billion won ($110 million) to U.S. hedge fund Elliott Management, the Justice Ministry said in a release issued late Monday. The British High Court set aside the 2023 investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) award, meaning the arbitration decision can no longer stand. The case will now return to arbitration proceedings. The dispute stems from the controversial 2015 merger of Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries. Elliott, then a shareholder of Samsung C&T, filed the ISDS claim in 2018 under the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA), arguing that it suffered losses after the National Pension Service (NPS) backed the merger. In June 2023, the Netherlands-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ordered Seoul to pay $107.8 million in damages and interest. With accrued interest, the compensation had risen to about 160 billion won as of this month — roughly 7 percent of Elliott’s original claim of more than 1 trillion won. Seoul immediately sought to annul the award in the UK, the seat of arbitration, arguing that the tribunal had exceeded its jurisdiction. A first-instance court dismissed the challenge in August 2024, ruling that the relevant FTA provisions were outside the scope of review under the UK Arbitration Act. But the UK Court of Appeal reversed that decision in July last year and sent the case back to the High Court. In the remanded proceedings, the High Court sided with the Korean government and formally set aside the award. NPS not a “state organ” At the heart of the case was whether the National Pension Service qualifies as a state organ under international law — a key “gateway” requirement for ISDS claims under Article 11.1 of the Korea-U.S. FTA. The UK court accepted Seoul’s argument that the NPS has a separate legal personality from the government, that pension fund management is not a core sovereign function such as defense or public security, and that its day-to-day investment decisions are not fully subordinate to the state. The ruling marks the first time an overseas court has recognized that the NPS’ exercise of shareholder voting rights cannot automatically be treated as state action for ISDS purposes, a precedent the Justice Ministry said would help shield Korea from future treaty-based claims by activist funds. However, the court noted that actions by the Blue House and the Ministry of Health and Welfare related to the merger could still qualify as “relevant measures” under the FTA, meaning those issues may be revisited in renewed arbitration. Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho called the decision a significant victory, noting that UK courts overturn arbitration awards in only about 3 percent of cases. “We pierced the narrow needle’s eye,” Jeong said at a briefing, adding that the government spent only about one-sixth of Elliott’s legal costs in pursuing the challenge. The win follows another high-profile ISDS outcome last year in which Seoul avoided roughly 400 billion won in damages in a dispute with Lone Star over the sale of Korea Exchange Bank. Elliott is expected to appeal the UK ruling. If it does not, the arbitration tribunal will reconsider the matter, this time excluding the NPS from the scope of state liability. 2026-02-24 07:53:11