Journalist

Oh Joo-Seok
  • Jeju Air to Add Four Daily Round Trips on Gimpo-Jeju Route, Raising Total to 26
    Jeju Air to Add Four Daily Round Trips on Gimpo-Jeju Route, Raising Total to 26 Jeju Air said Tuesday it will add four daily round-trip flights on the Gimpo-Jeju route starting March 29, when its summer schedule begins. With the increase, the carrier will operate up to 26 round trips a day on the route, up from a maximum of 22 scheduled round trips. Jeju Air said that is the highest number of flights among airlines serving the Gimpo-Jeju corridor. The added service will bring Jeju Air’s frequency to about two flights an hour on the route and increase capacity by about 1,500 seats a day, round-trip basis. According to the Transport Ministry’s aviation information portal, about 2,514,500 passengers flew Jeju Air on the Gimpo-Jeju route last year. That accounted for 16.9% of the route’s total 14,835,900 passengers and was the largest share among low-cost carriers. In January, Jeju Air carried about 227,400 passengers on the route, the most among low-cost carriers, up 38.6% from about 164,100 a year earlier. “We are continuing to expand air service so Jeju residents and travelers visiting Jeju can move more conveniently between Jeju and Gimpo at the times they want,” a Jeju Air official said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-25 10:45:17
  • LIG Nex1 to Unveil AI-Powered Swarming Kamikaze Drone at DSK 2026
    LIG Nex1 to Unveil AI-Powered Swarming Kamikaze Drone at DSK 2026 LIG Nex1 said it will showcase an integrated unmanned aircraft solution spanning kamikaze, reconnaissance and transport drones at Drone Show Korea DSK 2026, being held for three days through the 27th at BEXCO in Busan. At the exhibition, the company is unveiling for the first time an artificial intelligence-based small kamikaze drone. Developed with the Agency for Defense Development, the model can be operated in swarms and uses a canister-launch, multiple-launch method. LIG Nex1 is also displaying its Medium-sized Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Common Platform (MCUP), a hybrid transport drone with a 40-kilogram payload, a small reconnaissance-and-strike combined drone (MPD), and an “integrated avionics system” tailored to advanced air vehicles (AAV) expected to be used in future urban air mobility. A company official said, “Based on our advanced capabilities ranging from surveillance and reconnaissance to strike and transport solutions, we will help accelerate the completion of an advanced science and technology force built on manned-unmanned teaming.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-25 10:28:55
  • KAMA Names Jeong Dae-jin as New Chairman
    KAMA Names Jeong Dae-jin as New Chairman Korea Automobile & Mobility Association (KAMA) said Jeong Dae-jin, a former deputy minister for trade at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, was elected its 19th chairman at a regular general meeting held on the 25th. Jeong entered public service after passing the 37th national civil service exam and held key posts across the former Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy, the former Ministry of Knowledge Economy and the current trade and industry ministry, working in industrial policy, investment promotion and the creative industries, the association said. He also served as director general for trade policy and as deputy minister for trade, overseeing major external trade issues affecting South Korea’s leading industries, it said. KAMA said Jeong is well suited to lead the association as protectionist policies in the United States and the European Union and shifting trade regulations reshape the global environment. The association added it expects his leadership to pursue both continuity and innovation in its operations, strengthening the competitiveness of South Korea’s auto industry and supporting its transition to future mobility. Jeong is scheduled to hold an inauguration ceremony on March 3 and begin his official duties as the 19th chairman.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-25 10:06:08
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • USMCA Review Puts Tighter Auto Rules of Origin Back in Focus
    USMCA Review Puts Tighter Auto Rules of Origin Back in Focus The United States, Mexico and Canada are set to hold a joint review on July 1 to decide whether to extend the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, with the possibility of tighter rules of origin for autos and parts emerging as a key issue. An industry analysis report published Tuesday by the Korea Automotive Technology Institute, known as KATECH, said the review could raise the prospect of strengthening or revising rules of origin in ways that reflect the U.S. position. USMCA is a trade pact among the United States, Canada and Mexico that took effect in July 2020. It has a 16-year term and includes a sunset clause requiring a joint review every six years to determine whether to extend it. If the three countries submit recommendations to the Free Trade Commission by one month before the review, the meeting proceeds based on those proposals. The report said the talks are expected to focus on the 75% regional value-content requirement, labor value-content rules, and possible new requirements for the share of steel and aluminum sourced within the region. The report identified the main auto-sector issue as “strengthening or revising rules of origin reflecting the U.S. position,” warning that additional tightening would likely force significant changes in regional production and parts-sourcing structures. While the finished-vehicle and auto-parts industries support extending USMCA, they are calling for transition periods if standards are tightened and for improved consistency in documentation and requirements. The report stressed the need to assess scenarios tied to possible rule changes and to build and manage a supply-chain database. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-25 06:03:36
  • KAI Board to Review Kim Jong-chul as New CEO After 8-Month Vacancy
    KAI Board to Review Kim Jong-chul as New CEO After 8-Month Vacancy Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) will hold a board meeting on Feb. 25 to select a new CEO, a post that has been vacant for eight months. Kim Jong-chul, who previously led the Drone Program Division at South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration, is considered the leading candidate. Industry officials said Feb. 24 that KAI’s board will review an agenda item at its Feb. 25 morning meeting to appoint Kim as CEO. If approved, the company would fill the vacancy about eight months after former CEO Kang Goo-young resigned on July 1 last year. Kim could begin carrying out CEO duties as early as March. Kim is a graduate of the 31st class of the Korea Air Force Academy and joined the acquisition agency in 2006 through a special recruitment program at the Grade 4 level. This year, KAI has identified the rollout of its Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) and deliveries of the Korean supersonic fighter KF-21 to the Air Force as top priorities. 2026-02-24 18:13:30