Journalist

Yang Boyeon
  • 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
  • South Korean Investor Deposits Top 100 Trillion Won for First Time as Stocks Rally
    South Korean Investor Deposits Top 100 Trillion Won for First Time as Stocks Rally South Korea’s stock market surge has pushed investor deposits above 100 trillion won for the first time. The Korea Financial Investment Association said investor deposits totaled 100.2826 trillion won as of Jan. 27. That is up 12.4535 trillion won from 87.8291 trillion won at the end of last year. Investor deposits are funds clients keep at brokerage firms to trade stocks, funds and other investment products. Because the money can move into the market at any time, it is treated as standby cash and is widely used as a gauge of investor sentiment. Historically, rising deposits have been read as a sign that expectations for stronger indexes are growing and that more money could still flow into the market. The latest increase comes as the rally continues, with money appearing to shift from other assets such as savings products and real estate. As the Kospi and Kosdaq have repeatedly hit record highs this year, profits taken by investors are also seen accumulating as deposits. As sentiment has strengthened, margin investing has also increased. As of Jan. 27, outstanding margin loans stood at 29.2450 trillion won, including 18.7847 trillion won in the Kospi market and 10.4603 trillion won in the Kosdaq market. The Kospi is up 22.7% this year, breaking above 5,000 for the first time and reaching as high as 5,130. Its market capitalization totals 4,276 trillion won. The Kosdaq has gained 22.48% since the start of the year, topping 1,000 points for the first time since the 2000 “IT bubble” and settling around 1,130.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-29 08:54:00
  • South Korea to Allow High-Risk Single-Stock Leveraged ETFs; KOSPI Rally Continues
    South Korea to Allow High-Risk Single-Stock Leveraged ETFs; KOSPI Rally Continues ◆Aju Economy top stories ▷If high-risk leveraged ETFs are introduced, “Korea’s market will heat up even more” -Last year in Hong Kong and the U.S., leveraged and inverse ETFs tracking individual stocks at 2x or -2x became widely used. In South Korea, regulations have blocked such launches, and they have been cited as a factor behind outflows by retail investors buying overseas assets. -The government plans to allow high-risk, high-multiple ETFs in South Korea to boost the domestic market and encourage overseas investment funds to return. It is set to issue a legislative notice on Jan. 30 for a revised enforcement decree of the Capital Markets Act. -Under the deregulation guidelines, eligible underlying stocks will be limited to blue chips by market capitalization. Only products targeting 2x and -2x daily returns will be allowed; 3x products will be excluded. -Financial authorities expect the move to ease the concentration of ETF investing overseas and to increase trading value and liquidity in the domestic market. -Concerns remain that speculative trading could increase volatility. Even so, the KOSPI has extended a record rally, breaking above 5,100 for the first time. ◆Key report ▷Don’t let the successor be swayed (say what needs to be said) -Meritz Securities said it expects the U.S. policy rate cut in 2026 could be possible around June, after Chair Jerome Powell steps down, and it maintained its forecast for two cuts this year to 3.25%. -At the January FOMC meeting, the Federal Reserve held rates steady despite dissenting views favoring a cut from Governors Christopher Waller and Adriana D. Kugler. The Fed cited lower downside risks to employment and upgraded its assessment of the economy from “moderate improvement” to “solid improvement.” -Powell said tariff-driven inflation pressure would be temporary and drew a line by saying no one is currently considering a rate hike. Meritz said he is likely to strengthen messaging on monetary policy for the remainder of his term. -Powell avoided direct comment on controversy over pressure from President Donald Trump and Fed personnel issues, but said in principle that the next Fed chair “should not be swayed by elected power.” -With markets focused less on the decision itself than on the next Fed chair, Rick Rieder was seen as the leading candidate at about 40% on Kalshi, according to the report. ◆Key disclosures after the close (28th) ▷LG Chem to pay cash dividends of 2,000 won per common share and 2,050 won per preferred share ▷SK hynix to additionally acquire shares of its U.S. subsidiary for 14.428 trillion won ▷Taeyoung Engineering & Construction terminates a 74.3 billion won contract for a Busan small-scale housing redevelopment project ▷Daol Investment & Securities posts 42.3 billion won in net profit last year, marking a fourth straight profitable quarter ▷SK Telecom to dispose of treasury shares worth 3.6 billion won ◆Fund flows (as of the 27th, excluding ETFs) ▷Domestic equity funds: +14.4 billion won ▷Overseas equity funds: +97.7 billion won ◆Key events today (29th) ▷Germany: January GfK consumer sentiment index ▷United States: November trade balance; December PCE price index; December personal income and spending; third-quarter nonfarm labor productivity and unit labor costs* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-29 08:15:50