Journalist

Han Ji-hyun
  • MINI Global EV Sales Top 100,000, Up 88% From a Year Earlier
    MINI Global EV Sales Top 100,000, Up 88% From a Year Earlier MINI said Tuesday it sold 105,535 battery-electric vehicles worldwide last year. The total was more than one-third of MINI’s overall sales of 288,290 vehicles for the year and marked an increase of about 88% from the previous year. In South Korea, MINI is also accelerating its shift to electrification. MINI Korea sold 1,889 BEVs last year, about 24% of its total sales of 7,990 vehicles. That means about one in four MINIs sold domestically was an electric vehicle. MINI Korea officially launched three models in the all-electric MINI family in March last year and introduced BEV versions across the brand’s lineup, including the MINI Cooper, Aceman and Countryman. MINI Korea said EV purchase subsidies increased sharply this year, helped by BMW Group Korea’s expansion of charging infrastructure. For national subsidies, the all-electric MINI Aceman was set at 4 million won for all trims, up 940,000 won from last year. With local government subsidies added, buyers can receive up to 9.5 million won (based on Haenam County, South Jeolla Province). The all-electric MINI Cooper SE was also finalized at 3.96 million won, up 930,000 won from last year. With local subsidies included, it can total up to 9.15 million won (based on Haenam County, South Jeolla Province). Separately, the all-electric MINI Cooper was named the “2025 safest city small car” based on results from tests conducted last year by Euro NCAP, Europe’s new-car safety assessment program, recognizing top-tier safety in its class. Euro NCAP said the all-electric MINI Cooper earned strong ratings across its four categories: adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, protection of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists, and safety assist systems. MINI said the results showed top-level safety across all trims, from the SE to the JCW.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 09:39:28
  • Jin Air to Launch New Routes From Busan to Taichung and Miyakojima, Jeju to Hong Kong
    Jin Air to Launch New Routes From Busan to Taichung and Miyakojima, Jeju to Hong Kong Jin Air said Tuesday it will launch three new international routes from Gimhae and Jeju airports, linking South Korea with Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong. Starting March 30, the airline will operate the Busan-Taichung route five times a week on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Flights will depart Gimhae Airport at 1:35 p.m. and arrive at 3 p.m. local time, with a flight time of about 2 hours, 25 minutes. Taichung, whose name means “center of Taiwan,” is known for modern art and traditional food, including bubble tea and brown sugar milk tea. It is about an hour by train from Taipei, allowing multi-city trips when paired with the existing Busan-Taipei route. Starting April 2, Jin Air will open the Yeongnam region’s first direct service to Miyakojima, operating twice a week on Thursday and Sunday. Departing Busan at 2:45 p.m., the flight will take about 2 hours, 15 minutes, reducing the need for connections via Okinawa and other stops. Miyakojima lies about 300 kilometers southwest of Okinawa’s main island and is known among Japanese travelers as a sought-after resort destination. The island is also home to the Irabu Bridge, Japan’s longest toll-free bridge, at 3,540 meters. Also on April 2, Jin Air will begin daily service on the Jeju-Hong Kong route, operating seven times a week. Flights will depart Jeju at 9:30 p.m., and depart Hong Kong at 2 a.m. local time the next day. Flight time is about three hours. Tickets for the Busan-Taichung, Busan-Miyakojima and Jeju-Hong Kong routes are available on the Jin Air website. The airline said it will continue to provide its standard 15-kilogram free checked-baggage allowance. Jin Air said travelers will be able to choose among “Taiwan’s diverse arts, Japan’s exotic seas and Hong Kong’s glittering city,” adding that it hopes customers plan spring trips with “a relaxed schedule and reasonable fares.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 09:24:14
  • Tesla and BYD Close In on BMW and Mercedes as South Korea’s Imported-Car Market Heats Up
    Tesla and BYD Close In on BMW and Mercedes as South Korea’s Imported-Car Market Heats Up South Korea’s imported-car market is posting strong growth early this year despite headwinds such as a weak won and the usual seasonal slowdown. The long-dominant BMW-Mercedes-Benz “two-top” structure — which at one point neared a 70% market share — is weakening as newer challengers close in, intensifying the fight for positions No. 3 through No. 5. The Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association said Monday that new registrations of imported cars totaled 20,960 in January, up 37.6% from 15,229 a year earlier. January is typically considered an off-season because year-end promotions end, discounts shrink and new-model lineups can be thin. Even so, January sales were the highest for the month in five years, since January 2022 (17,361). Competition is tightening. BMW and Mercedes-Benz, which together accounted for about 70% of the market last year, saw their combined share shrink to the 50% range this year, while EV brands such as Tesla and BYD newly entered the top five. BMW ranked No. 1 in January with 6,270 new registrations, up 5.2% from 5,960 a year earlier. Gasoline-powered models led the results, including the 5 Series (1,951), X3 (689), X5 (602) and 3 Series (568). BMW’s market share, however, fell about 10 percentage points to 29.9% from 39.1% a year earlier. Mercedes-Benz was No. 2 with 5,121 vehicles sold, up 35.1% from 3,790 a year earlier, driven by core models including the E200 (1,207) and E300 4MATIC (782). Tesla placed third with 1,966 vehicles sold. The Model Y (1,134) and Model X (160) helped lift its market share to 9.4% from 0.03% a year earlier. Tesla has been pushing to expand share this year with aggressive pricing, cutting prices for models such as the Model Y and Model 3 by 3 million to more than 5 million won. The race from fourth to sixth is also close. Lexus ranked fourth with 1,464 vehicles, followed by BYD in fifth with 1,347 — just 117 behind Lexus — and Volvo in sixth with 1,037. BYD, citing strong price competitiveness and a rapid new-model rollout, reached fifth place with a 6.4% share just one year after entering the South Korean market. An official at an imported-car company said “three factors” are reshaping the market: value-focused competition from Chinese-made EVs, the mainstreaming of eco-friendly vehicles and widening consumer polarization. The official said competition to hold a top-five position will intensify further, with brand rankings shifting on differences of only about 100 to 200 vehicles.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 18:48:00
  • BYD Korea to Offer Free Vehicle Inspections at 17 Service Centers for Lunar New Year
    BYD Korea to Offer Free Vehicle Inspections at 17 Service Centers for Lunar New Year BYD Korea said Monday it will run a Lunar New Year free inspection campaign to help drivers prepare for holiday travel. The campaign will be held over eight days at 17 BYD Auto service centers nationwide: three days before the holiday (Feb. 11-13) and five days after (Feb. 19-20 and Feb. 23-25). During the campaign, BYD Korea will provide detailed free checks of items important for long-distance driving, including power-battery condition, underbody inspection, the brake system and whether consumable parts need replacement. The inspection takes about 30 minutes, and the company will also offer an in-cabin deodorizing service using a fogging device. All customers who visit a service center during the period will receive a small gift, the company said. “Because the Lunar New Year holiday is a time when long-distance travel is frequent, managing vehicle condition is especially important,” BYD Korea said in a statement. It said the campaign was designed to help customers travel more safely before and after the holiday, adding that it will continue expanding service programs tailored to real-world driving conditions and customer needs. BYD Korea said it plans to build a network of 26 service centers by year’s end to improve service quality. BYD Auto service centers nationwide operate Monday through Friday, and addresses and business hours by center are available on BYD Korea’s official website. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 16:24:39
  • FKI Calls for Clearer Breach-of-Trust Standards to Boost Corporate Risk-Taking
    FKI Calls for Clearer Breach-of-Trust Standards to Boost Corporate Risk-Taking South Korea should refine the legal elements of its breach-of-trust crime to encourage entrepreneurship and investment in advanced industries such as artificial intelligence, batteries and biotechnology, a business group said. The Korea Federation of Korean Industries, known as FKI, said it held a seminar in Seoul on Monday at the FKI Tower conference center in Yeouido titled “Problems and Improvement Measures for the Breach-of-Trust Crime.” In opening remarks, FKI Executive Vice Chairman Kim Chang Bum said large-scale investment is needed to secure “future growth engines” in areas including AI, batteries, bio and mobility, but executives are struggling to make bold decisions because of breach-of-trust risks. “Reasonable improvements to the breach-of-trust system are needed to reduce management uncertainty and raise entrepreneurship, the source of innovation,” Kim said. Ahn Tae Jun, a professor at Hanyang University Law School, said the current provision is vague, undermining the criminal law principle of clarity and predictability. He warned that a civil-law breach of duty based on good faith could be treated as a crime, making the scope of liability hard to foresee. Ahn said managers often cannot know in advance whether their actions are criminally prohibited, and they can be punished based only on the “risk of loss” even without actual damage. That could turn failed business judgments into criminal cases and lead to the “criminalization of civil disputes,” weakening executives’ willingness to act, he said. Ahn said South Korea’s approach differs from major countries. Germany does not punish attempted breach of trust and has no aggravated provisions for occupational or special breach of trust, he said. Japan requires a strict subjective element beyond intent, including a purpose of seeking benefit for oneself or a third party or causing loss to the principal. The United States and the United Kingdom have no breach-of-trust statute, and even similar provisions are narrowly applied, he said. To reduce side effects, Ahn proposed creating a business judgment rule that treats reasonable decisions as not violating duty, or otherwise tightening the elements of the offense. Full repeal could also be an option, he said. In a discussion session, speakers also called for limiting criminal intervention in business judgment. Hong Young Ki, deputy dean of Korea University Law School, said breach of trust is the only crime that deprives or infringes another person’s property interests, and called for detailed practical guidelines and strict case-by-case application. Kang Won, a professor of business administration at Sejong University, said when executives are indicted for occupational breach of trust, they inevitably divert resources to self-defense until a final acquittal, which can weaken corporate competitiveness. He called for reforms that minimize criminal intervention in business judgment and clarify the presumption of innocence. Ryu Hyuk Sun, a professor in KAIST’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering who holds doctorates in business administration and law, said the vagueness of the provision is expanding criminal liability after the fact. He urged South Korea to reset the boundary between criminal and civil liability, similar to Germany and Japan, where criminal punishment functions as a last resort to supplement civil controls. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 16:21:08
  • Innocean Highlights Purpose-Driven Travel Spots Featured in Global Ad Shoots
    Innocean Highlights Purpose-Driven Travel Spots Featured in Global Ad Shoots Innocean said Tuesday it is recommending “purpose-driven travel” as a key trend ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday and is sharing global destinations it encountered while filming advertising campaigns. According to Innocean’s Data Insight Team, travel is shifting away from simply checking off famous attractions toward experience-based trips that reflect personal tastes and values. The team said travelers are increasingly looking for “great moments” that inspire them, rather than trips focused only on rest or escape. Innocean organized major destinations used in its global campaigns by travel purpose and introduced several locations chosen by advertising professionals. For travelers who want to experience local atmosphere and everyday life beyond major tourist sites, Innocean pointed to Bari and Matera in southern Italy, as well as Cheongnamdae in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea. Bari, a port city, and Matera, known for its cave dwellings, were filming locations for Trip.com’s “Trip Wherever, Worry-Free” campaign. Innocean said the settings preserve local daily life rather than showcasing flashy attractions, and the campaign emphasized that “the essence of travel is ultimately the experience between people.” Cheongnamdae, a key location for the Genesis GV70 “Luxe in Every Touch” campaign, was once a major national facility but has since been reborn as a space shaped by nature and time, Innocean said. Instead of man-made landmarks, forests and scenery formed over the years create its distinctive mood, and Genesis used the site to present a new meaning of luxury as “depth created by time.” For travelers seeking to sharpen their senses in nature, Innocean named Tromso, Norway. Located in the Arctic Circle, Tromso offers views of the aurora amid long darkness and severe cold, creating striking contrasts of light, it said. Innocean said its Genesis GV60 “Take Your Wonder Further” campaign filmed there conveyed that extreme conditions can produce powerful emotion. For those looking for a new experience created by contrasting elements, Innocean recommended Hyundai Motor Group’s Singapore Global Innovation Center, known as HMGICS, and Na Oh, a restaurant inside the center created in collaboration with Michelin three-star chef Corey Lee. Innocean described HMGICS as a space where an auto production facility, a large farm and a restaurant coexist, blending robotics and nature, industry and dining. It said the process of ingredients grown by robots becoming dishes shows a new lifestyle shaped by evolving technology. An Innocean official said the company often found greater inspiration at filming locations while searching for sites for ad production. The official encouraged people to visit the destinations introduced and “make 2026 even more diverse.” * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 09:54:00
  • Hyundai Wia Launches Dodam Sand Cookies Made With South Gyeongsang Produce
    Hyundai Wia Launches 'Dodam Sand' Cookies Made With South Gyeongsang Produce Hyundai Wia said it launched “Dodam Sand,” a sandwich cookie made with agricultural products from South Gyeongsang Province, on Monday. The company said it developed the product with the South Gyeongsang provincial government, the Rural and Fishing Village Mutual Growth Cooperation Fund, the Changwon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and social enterprise Gonggonggonggan to support local farms and help build a sustainable community by growing it into a signature regional specialty. Hyundai Wia said the product was created using 300 million won it contributed to the mutual growth fund. Over about a year, the provincial government, local farms and residents worked together on planning, ingredient selection, final production and marketing. The packaging uses Hyundai Wia’s mascot “Dodami,” modeled after the endangered sable, to convey a friendly design and the message of ecosystem restoration. Dodam Sand comes in four flavors meant to reflect the province’s seasons: raspberries grown in Gimhae, mulberries from Sancheong, persimmons grown in Changwon and yuzu from Namhae. The cookies use gourmet butter and jam made from local fruit to highlight the fruit’s flavor and a soft texture. Hyundai Wia said all sales proceeds will be donated to a “green forest creation” project it is developing with the provincial government. The funds will be used to restore mountains heavily damaged by last year’s wildfires and to help create habitat for endangered animals in the region, including sables. The company said it plans to start funding through Naver Happybean on Monday. It also plans to expand sales through pop-up stores at Changwon Jungang Station and the Jinhae Gunhangje festival, and by entering online open markets. “A result of putting our heads together to grow with the region is Dodam Sand,” a Hyundai Wia official said. “We hope Dodam Sand becomes a snack that represents the region and a seed that helps local farms and forests grow.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 08:45:00
  • HL Mando Posts Record Sales on Robotics Demand, Nears 10 Trillion Won Revenue Mark
    HL Mando Posts Record Sales on Robotics Demand, Nears 10 Trillion Won Revenue Mark HL Mando said it set a record for annual sales, helped by growing interest in humanoid robots, despite headwinds including the impact of U.S. tariffs and a global slowdown in electric vehicle sales. The company expects demand to surge this year for actuators, a key humanoid-robot component, lifting expectations for improved results. On Feb. 5, HL Mando disclosed preliminary consolidated results of 9.4548 trillion won ($9,454.8 billion) in revenue and 357.1 billion won ($357.1 billion) in operating profit for last year. Revenue rose 6.9% from a year earlier, while operating profit fell 0.5%. Fourth-quarter revenue increased 1.6% to 2.4616 trillion won ($2,461.6 billion), and operating profit dropped 28.2% to 79.7 billion won ($79.7 billion). Operating profit slipped from a year earlier after one-time costs, but revenue hit an all-time high. HL Mando cited expanding sales in emerging markets by major customers including Hyundai Motor Group and stronger sales of higher-margin models such as hybrids. As demand for HEV and EV parts increased, its operating margin improved to the 4% range last year from the 3% range in 2023. The company said momentum could continue this year on expectations for a larger North American robotaxi market, growth in emerging markets such as India, and rising actuator demand. HL Mando supplies actuators for quadruped robots to multiple global robotics companies. It also supplies parts including steering systems (R-EPS), integrated drive modules (IDM) and suspension components to the top three robotaxi companies in the United States and the No. 1 robotaxi company in China. Actuators are expected to be a key growth driver. They control robot movement and account for about 50% to 70% of total cost, the company said. Tesla’s humanoid robot Optimus targets commercialization in 2027, and Hyundai Motor’s Atlas targets 2028. HL Mando plans to begin mass production of actuators in 2028-2029. A securities industry official said HL Mando aims to raise actuator revenue to 26% of total sales, or 2.3 trillion won ($2,300 billion), around 2035. The official said expanding global robotics customers, along with robotaxi operators’ plans to broaden service cities and increase fleet sizes this year, should support continued earnings growth. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-05 18:15:00
  • KAI posts 2025 operating profit of 269.2 billion won, up 12%
    KAI posts 2025 operating profit of 269.2 billion won, up 12% Korea Aerospace Industries, or KAI, said Wednesday it posted preliminary 2025 revenue of 3.6964 trillion won and operating profit of 269.2 billion won. Revenue rose 1.7% from a year earlier and operating profit increased 11.8%. Net profit climbed 9.6% to 187.3 billion won, the company said. Fourth-quarter revenue was 1.4667 trillion won and operating profit was 77.0 billion won, up 34% and 82.7%, respectively, from a year earlier. KAI said orders rose 30.4% to 6.3946 trillion won, driven by the first mass-production contract for the KF-21, a second mass-production batch for a medical evacuation helicopter, expanded helicopter procurement by the Korea Forest Service, and exports of the FA-50PH to the Philippines. The company said additional exports of the FA-50PH and follow-on work such as an airframe life-extension program for Indonesia’s KT-1 helped secure a long-term revenue base of more than 40 years. Its order backlog at the end of 2025 stood at 27.3437 trillion won, up more than 10% from a year earlier. For 2026, KAI forecast revenue of 5.7306 trillion won and orders of 10.4383 trillion won, up 58.1% and 63%, respectively, from the prior year on a separate basis. The company said it expects revenue to top 5 trillion won for the first time since its founding, with the KF-21 moving into mass production after 10 years and six months of system development, alongside Light Armed Helicopter, or LAH, production. KAI also said it expects production stabilization for the FA-50PL for Poland and the FA-50M for Malaysia, and higher aircraft-structure exports as the commercial aviation market recovers. On orders, KAI said it will pursue the KF-21’s first export, expand additional exports and follow-on support for the FA-50 and Surion, and push domestic programs including a third LAH mass-production batch and a broader government helicopter market. Chief Executive Cha Jae Byung said, “Last year was a year in which we steadily advanced major development programs and diversified our global business, once again proving KAI’s technological capabilities and reliability.” He added, “This year, we will complete development of the KF-21, which the entire nation has long hoped for, and successfully carry out mass production and the first export, focusing all companywide capabilities on creating sustainable future value for South Korea’s aerospace industry.” KAI also said its board approved issuing 500 billion won in convertible bonds. It said 400 billion won will be used to prepare for full-scale KF-21 and LAH mass production, and 100 billion won will go to materials costs and advance component purchases to support on-time deliveries of the FA-50 and Surion (KUH) and strengthen competitiveness in winning orders. 2026-02-05 17:00:19
  • BYD Korea Unveils Dolphin Electric Hatchback, Starting at 24.5 Million Won
    BYD Korea Unveils Dolphin Electric Hatchback, Starting at 24.5 Million Won BYD Korea on Wednesday unveiled the BYD Dolphin, a small electric hatchback aimed at the urban EV market. The company said the Dolphin is optimized for city driving, with efficient packaging and a price positioned to appeal to first-time EV buyers, commuters and consumers looking to downsize. Its exterior follows BYD’s EV design concept, “Ocean Aesthetics,” reinterpreting the dolphin’s flowing curves and movement in a modern style. Despite its compact size, the Dolphin has a 2,700-millimeter wheelbase and seats five. With the rear seats folded, cargo space expands to as much as 1,310 liters, BYD Korea said. The model will be offered in two trims: the Dolphin and the long-range, higher-performance Dolphin Active. The Dolphin Active produces 150 kW (about 204 horsepower) and accelerates from 0 to 100 kph in 7.0 seconds. Both trims are built on the EV-only e-Platform 3.0 and include a heat-pump system to improve energy efficiency across driving conditions. The car uses BYD’s Blade Battery. The Ministry of Environment-certified driving range is up to 354 kilometers per charge (Dolphin Active). With fast charging, the battery can be charged to 80% in about 30 minutes, the company said. A rotating 10.1-inch touch display supports T Map navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and over-the-air updates. Features include vehicle-to-load capability, a panoramic glass roof with an electronic sunshade, and a 3D surround-view monitor. The Dolphin Active adds a two-tone exterior color option, ventilated front seats and wireless smartphone charging. The Dolphin earned a five-star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests, BYD Korea said. All trims come standard with seven airbags and advanced driver-assistance systems. Prices, after eco-friendly vehicle tax benefits and before subsidies, are set at 24.5 million won for the Dolphin and 29.2 million won for the Dolphin Active. BYD Korea said the Dolphin will go on sale nationwide starting Feb. 11, with test drives available at BYD showrooms. Deliveries of the Dolphin Active are scheduled to begin in March on a rolling basis. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-05 10:51:00