Journalist

Yang Boyeon
  • Milano 2026: Kim Gil-li Wins Bronze in Women’s 1,000 Meters; JTBC Apologizes for Flag Graphic
    Milano 2026: Kim Gil-li Wins Bronze in Women’s 1,000 Meters; JTBC Apologizes for Flag Graphic ​​​​​​​JTBC issues official apology for airing Japanese flag graphic JTBC, which is exclusively broadcasting the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, issued an official apology after a Japanese flag graphic appeared during a South Korea-Japan women’s curling match. In a statement posted on its website on the 16th, JTBC said that at about 11:23 p.m. on the 15th, a Japanese national flag graphic was briefly shown on an advertising screen during the process of airing a mid-broadcast commercial break in the live curling telecast. The network said it was sorry for the inconvenience caused by a production error and pledged stricter checks and management to prevent a repeat. The incident occurred during live coverage of the women’s curling round-robin fifth match between South Korea and Japan at the Cortina curling stadium in Italy. After the fifth end ended, an unrelated Japanese flag graphic aired for about 10 seconds during the commercial break. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon visits air defense unit ahead of Lunar New Year Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited an air defense position of the 1st Air Defense Brigade on the 16th, a day before Lunar New Year, to encourage service members defending the capital’s airspace. He received a briefing on the unit and had lunch with troops. “With you here, Seoul residents can go about their daily lives with peace of mind,” Oh said. “Because Seoul has many key national infrastructure facilities, maintain a constant state of readiness and serve with pride in the mission of protecting the capital.” Oh later boarded and inspected the surface-to-air guided weapon system known as the “Chunma,” then took commemorative photos with service members. Kyiv mayor warns Ukraine’s survival as an independent state is not guaranteed Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko warned in an interview with the Financial Times that he cannot guarantee Ukraine will remain an independent state as Russia continues attacks on infrastructure. He said the capital is facing a near-collapse crisis and residents are under severe pressure to survive during a harsh winter. According to AFP, heating has been cut to about 1,600 buildings in the capital, and disruptions to electricity and heat are spreading amid cold below minus 20 degrees Celsius. Even when damaged energy facilities are repaired, additional airstrikes soon knock them out again, he said, adding that Europe’s support alone is not enough to respond. Klitschko said he has had disagreements with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over crisis response, but stressed unity is needed against attacks aimed at fueling internal instability. Meanwhile, the U.S. administration led by Donald Trump is pressing for talks to end the war, including territorial compromise and early elections, as the conflict moves into a phase combining military operations and negotiations. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-16 21:48:00
  • Kim Jin-su duo sits 12th after two runs in Olympic two-man bobsled; Seok Young-jin 19th
    Kim Jin-su duo sits 12th after two runs in Olympic two-man bobsled; Seok Young-jin 19th South Korea’s men’s two-man bobsled teams led by Kim Jin-su and Seok Young-jin were outside the top 10 after the first two heats at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Kim, with brakeman Kim Hyeong-geun (both from Gangwon Provincial Office), was 12th among 26 teams with a combined time of 1 minute, 51.69 seconds in heats 1 and 2 on Feb. 16 at the Cortina Sliding Center in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. The Kim team had raised expectations by finishing fourth in the season’s first World Cup in November on the same Cortina track that is hosting the Olympic races. They were fifth in the first heat in 55.53 seconds, but slipped to 15th in the second heat with 56.16, dropping in the overall standings. Seok, with brakeman Chae Byeong-do (Catholic Kwandong University), was 19th in 1:52.50. Germany swept the top three spots after the first two heats. Johannes Lochner and Georg Fleischhauer led in 1:49.90, followed by Francesco Friedrich and Alexander Schueller in 1:50.70, and Adam Ammour and Alexander Schaller in 1:51.14. Heats 3 and 4, which will decide the final standings, are scheduled for 3 a.m. on Feb. 18 (Korea time).* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-16 21:30:00
  • Kim Gil-li Wins Bronze in Women’s 1,000 Meters Short Track at Milan 2026
    Kim Gil-li Wins Bronze in Women’s 1,000 Meters Short Track at Milan 2026 South Korea short track skater Kim Gil-li of Seongnam City Hall won bronze in the women’s 1,000 meters at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics. Kim finished third in 1:28.614 in the final on Feb. 16 (Korea time) at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, behind Sandra Felzebur of the Netherlands and Courtney Saro of Canada. The result gave South Korea its sixth medal of the Games. South Korea’s medal haul through that day included Kim Sang-gyeom’s silver in the men’s parallel giant slalom snowboarding on Feb. 8, Yoo Seung-eun’s bronze in women’s big air snowboarding on Feb. 10, Choi Ga-on’s gold in women’s halfpipe snowboarding on Feb. 13, Lim Jong-eon’s bronze in the men’s 1,000 meters short track on Feb. 13, and Hwang Dae-heon’s silver in the men’s 1,500 meters short track on Feb. 15. Kim’s path to the podium was turbulent. In the quarterfinals, she placed second in her heat in 1:29.102, behind Felzebur, to reach the semifinals. In the semifinal, Kim moved up from the back, passing Kristen Santos-Griswold of the United States on the inside with three laps remaining and crossing the line second. She advanced to the final after officials reviewed the race and granted her an advance: With five laps left, Hanne Desmet of Belgium pushed her by hand, sending Kim down. Kim got up and finished, and Desmet was penalized. The final was also tight. Starting from the fifth lane, Kim ran last among the five skaters until four laps remained. She then surged on the outside as Arianna Fontana of Italy dropped back, jumping to second, and took the lead on the inside with three laps to go. With two laps left, Felzebur and Saro passed her in succession, dropping Kim to third. She tried to respond on the final lap but could not catch them and finished with bronze. South Korea’s star Choi Min-jeong of Seongnam City Hall did not reach the final, finishing fourth in her semifinal. She placed third in the B final and ended eighth overall.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-16 21:27:00
  • Kim Gil-li advances to women’s 1,000 final at Milan-Cortina Olympics; Choi Min-jeong to placement race
    Kim Gil-li advances to women’s 1,000 final at Milan-Cortina Olympics; Choi Min-jeong to placement race Kim Gil-li of South Korea advanced to the women’s 1,000-meter final in short track at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics after receiving an advance ruling. Choi Min-jeong did not reach the final and will skate in the placement race, while Noh Do-hee was eliminated in the quarterfinals. Competing in Milan on Feb. 16 (Korea time), Kim secured her spot in the final after officials reviewed an incident in the semifinal. Earlier, she placed second in her quarterfinal heat in 1 minute, 29.068 seconds to move on. In semifinal Heat 1, Kim raced against Hanne Desmet of Belgium, Florence Brunelle of Canada, Gong Li of China and Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands. With eight laps remaining, Kim moved up on the outside and took the lead. As Velzeboer continued to challenge, Desmet collided during an overtaking attempt and Kim went down. After the ruling, Kim was advanced to the final and Desmet was disqualified. Choi advanced from her quarterfinal heat by finishing second in 1:28.613, behind Arianna Fontana’s 1:28.452. She managed the race in a strong field but fell short of a final berth in the semifinal and will compete in the placement race. Noh finished last in her quarterfinal in 1:32.174. She lost speed late after contact with another skater and did not advance to the semifinals.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-16 20:27:00
  • South Korea’s Lim Jong-eon, Hwang Dae-heon eliminated in Olympic men’s 500 short track heats
    South Korea’s Lim Jong-eon, Hwang Dae-heon eliminated in Olympic men’s 500 short track heats South Korea’s Lim Jong-eon and Hwang Dae-heon were both eliminated in the men’s 500 meters short track heats at the 2026 Milano-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics. Lim, who previously won bronze in the men’s 1,000, finished third in Heat 8 on Feb. 16 (Korea time) at the Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, clocking 41.289 seconds and missing the quarterfinals. The race was physical from the start. Lim tangled with Niall Treacy of Britain in the first corner and went down, and the battle for position continued after a restart. With two laps left, Lim tried to pass but Lin Xiaojun of China held his line. Lim made another move on the outside in the final corner, lost balance and speed, and finished third. Lin placed second in 41.242 to advance. Hwang, the men’s 1,500 silver medalist, also failed to advance from Heat 4. He settled into third after the start and looked for openings through the corners but could not get through. He lunged at the line, but photo review showed he finished second in 41.191, just 0.012 behind winner Felix Pizon of Poland, who posted 41.179. With their individual events complete, Lim and Hwang will next chase a medal in the men’s relay.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-16 20:09:00
  • Olympic Snowboard Gold Medalist Choi Ga-on Returns to South Korea After Halfpipe Win
    Olympic Snowboard Gold Medalist Choi Ga-on Returns to South Korea After Halfpipe Win Choi Ga-on, wearing her gold medal from the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, returned home on the 16th. Choi, who delivered the first gold medal for the South Korean team, met reporters at the arrivals hall of Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 2 and said it still felt unreal. “I was in Milan until yesterday, so it didn’t really sink in,” she said. “But coming into Korea and being welcomed makes it feel more real, and I’m happy.” She added, “I didn’t expect so many people to come, so I’m flustered and embarrassed,” saying she was grateful. Choi won the women’s snowboard halfpipe final held in Livigno, Italy, on Feb. 13 (Korean time). She was 11th out of 12 before her third and final run, then posted a 90.25 to surge to a dramatic victory. Her win also stopped Chloe Kim, considered the event’s biggest star, from winning a third straight Olympic title, drawing global attention. Choi has been on an upswing, including three wins on the International Ski Federation World Cup circuit in the 2025-2026 season. She raised concern after taking a hard fall on her first run and appearing to limp. “My knee is much better,” she said, adding she plans to undergo a hospital checkup. Asked what she wanted to eat most after returning, Choi said yukjeon made by her grandmother, adding she also wanted “Dujjonku and malatang,” prompting laughter. Choi also thanked Shin Dong-bin, chairman of Lotte Group, who helped cover surgery costs after she badly injured her back at a World Cup event in Switzerland in January 2024. “His support and encouragement at the hardest time made it possible for me to be here,” she said. At the athletes’ village, she said she met short track star Choi Min-jeong. “I watched her race and she was so impressive that I said I wanted to meet her, and I got the chance,” Choi said. “We kept telling each other we were amazing.” For her schedule back home, Choi said she planned a celebration party with her family and a pajama party with friends. Choi said she would work to show a wider range of skills. “In halfpipe, the most important thing is to enjoy riding,” she said. “I hope younger athletes can have fun and not get hurt.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-16 17:06:00
  • NPS posts early leasing success in first overseas office development
    NPS posts early leasing success in first overseas office development SEOUL, February 12 (AJP) - South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) said on Thursday it has secured full occupancy ahead of completion in its first overseas office development investment. The NPS said two office towers at Toronto’s CIBC Square complex reached 100 percent leasing about four months before completion, with major tenants including Canadian lender CIBC and technology giant Microsoft. The pension fund invested in the project in two rounds in 2016 and 2018. Total project costs amount to about 2.5 trillion won ($1.7 billion), with a combined gross floor area of roughly 285,000 square meters. CIBC Square Tower 1 was completed in 2021, and the NPS has since recovered most of its principal investment through refinancing. Tower 2 is scheduled for completion in June 2026 but has already achieved full occupancy. Following the Toronto investment, the NPS went on to complete several high-profile overseas office developments, including One Vanderbilt and One Madison Avenue in Manhattan. Domestically, it also completed Magok One Grove, described as South Korea’s largest office development project, last year. Seo Won-ju, head of investment management at the NPS, said the outcome reflected years of market analysis and early investment decisions in Canada, then a relatively new market for the fund. NPS Chairman Kim Seong-ju described the early leasing success as “a meaningful investment case” for securing stable long-term returns. “We will continue to pursue timely investments in high-quality overseas assets to enhance fund performance,” Kim said in a press release. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-02-12 14:21:22
  • KOSPI Tops 5,200 for First Time
    KOSPI Tops 5,200 for First Time South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI index topped 5,200 points for the first time, extending a rally into a third straight session after closing above 5,000 on Jan. 27. According to the Korea Exchange, the index rose 2.61 points, or 1.40%, from the previous session to trade at 5,243.42 shortly after the open, pushing past the 5,200 mark.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-29 09:06:00
  • South Korea’s Kospi Opens Up 1.40% to 5,243.42; Kosdaq Rises 1.76%
    South Korea’s Kospi Opens Up 1.40% to 5,243.42; Kosdaq Rises 1.76% South Korea’s Kospi opened up 72.61 points, or 1.40%, at 5,243.42. The Kosdaq opened up 19.91 points, or 1.76%, at 1,153.43.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-29 09:03:00
  • SK Securities Raises Samsung C&T Target Price on Earnings, Shareholder Returns Outlook
    SK Securities Raises Samsung C&T Target Price on Earnings, Shareholder Returns Outlook SK Securities said Wednesday it raised its target price for Samsung C&T to 370,000 won from 350,000 won, citing improving results and the likelihood of stronger shareholder returns. It maintained its “buy” rating. Choi Kwan Soon, an analyst at SK Securities, said Samsung C&T’s revenue fell 3.2% last year, but the firm forecasts revenue of 44.5 trillion won this year, up 9.3%. He said the goal is achievable given rising orders in the construction unit’s high-tech segment and higher utilization in the biotech business. Choi said improved internal cash flow is likely to support expanded shareholder returns. He added that with the company set to cancel all treasury shares it holds, additional buybacks this year are possible, and expectations remain for a new dividend policy scheduled to be announced next month. Choi said Samsung C&T trades at a 54.6% discount to its net asset value, meaning gains in subsidiary share prices have not been fully reflected. He said the new shareholder-return policy expected next month could be a trigger to narrow that discount. Samsung C&T’s fourth-quarter revenue and operating profit rose 8.4% and 29.6% from a year earlier to 10.8 trillion won and 822.3 billion won, respectively. The company confirmed a dividend of 2,800 won per share, up 200 won from the previous year, and decided to cancel 4.6% of its treasury shares.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-29 09:00:17