Journalist
Han Ji-yeon
hanji@ajunews.com
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Jin Air Extends Add-On Service Purchase and Refund Deadlines to 4 Hours Before Departure Jin Air said Tuesday it is expanding the deadlines for buying and refunding ancillary services to improve customer convenience. Under the changes, effective Tuesday, customers can buy or request refunds for key services — including advance seat selection, excess baggage and fast baggage retrieval — up to four hours before departure, extended from the previous 24-hour cutoff. The airline also adjusted the deadline for preordered in-flight meals and meal-pack products to 48 hours before departure, from 72 hours, to give customers more flexibility. Jin Air said it also improved website usability by adding estimated flight-time information by route and updating the user interface so customers can more easily compare bundle-discount rates with individual purchases. To mark the expanded service, Jin Air will offer two discount coupons through its website and mobile app through March 10. Customers can download a 5,000-won coupon for excess baggage and a 2,000-won coupon for preordered meals and use them for travel between Feb. 25 and March 28. A Jin Air official said the changes follow the start of a codeshare with Air Busan and are intended to further improve customer convenience ahead of integration. The official said the airline will continue to review customer experience and pursue customer-focused service improvements. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-25 18:09:16 -
T’way Air to Rebrand as Trinity Air, Expanding Beyond Low-Cost Model T’way Air, a low-cost carrier founded in 2010, will be reborn as “Trinity Air” after 16 years, aiming to raise brand value by combining air travel with lodging and travel services in a “three-in-one” offering. According to industry officials on Tuesday, the airline plans a full rebrand starting around September, applying the new name to aircraft liveries, airport check-in counters, and its booking and ticketing systems. The carrier traces its roots to Hansung Airlines, launched in 2004, and changed its name to T’way Air in 2010. It has held the No. 2 spot among South Korea’s low-cost carriers, behind Jeju Air, for about 16 years. Industry data show T’way Air’s total passenger count topped 11 million last year, up about 10% from roughly 9.9 million in 2023 and 5% from about 10.5 million in 2024. As routes expanded to Southeast Asia, Europe, North America, Central Asia and Oceania, the number of scheduled routes rose 26%, from 50 in 2023 to 63 as of February this year. The new name, “TRINITY,” comes from the Latin “Trinitas,” meaning a trinity. The airline said it reflects a plan to go beyond flights by combining lodging and travel to upgrade the customer experience. T’way Air was acquired by Daemyung Sono Group in February last year, and the company plans to use the new name as a starting point to generate synergies. Trinity Air plans to strengthen those ties by linking routes spanning Asia, Europe and the Americas with hotel and resort infrastructure to offer differentiated package products. The airline is also moving to build systems to improve service as it expands long-haul routes to North America and Europe. It said long-haul passengers tend to spend more time at airports and have higher expectations for rest areas, refreshments and baggage-related services. While a single-seat structure centered on low-cost operations has limited value-added revenue, long-haul routes allow lounge operations and more varied seating, supporting both diversified profitability and a better customer experience. A lounge service is expected to be an early step. The airline is reviewing a plan to lease an existing Asiana Airlines lounge in Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 1 and use it as a dedicated lounge, and it has submitted a letter of intent to Korea Airports Corp. It also opened a new “Premium Check-in” Counter A in Terminal 1 for business-class passengers and T’way Plus Platinum members. The company said it plans additional measures to provide a more integrated travel experience, consistent with the new brand concept. “Trinity Air is the starting point signaling a new leap forward for the company,” a T’way Air official said. “Based on customer safety and sustainability, we will open new possibilities in the aviation industry.” * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-25 18:03:29 -
Volvo Car Korea Expands Toy Hospital Drive, Donates 707 Repaired Toys Volvo Car Korea said Tuesday it expanded its “Volvo Toy Hospital” event to major showrooms nationwide, collecting and donating a total of 707 toys in partnership with the Swedish Embassy in Seoul and Kinis Toy Hospital. The event ran from Nov. 15 to Dec. 14 at Volvo showrooms across the country. During the campaign, visitors donated unused or broken toys as part of year-end giving, the company said. Showrooms also offered hands-on programs for families, including a color-book DIY kit designed to evoke Sweden’s year-end holiday atmosphere. The 707 broken toys collected nationwide were sent to Kinis Toy Hospital’s “toy doctors,” a group that includes retired engineering Ph.D.s, teachers and manufacturing experts, and were repaired, the company said. The restored toys will be delivered in stages through Kinis to organizations that need them, including local care centers and an environmental coalition. Lee Yoon-mo, CEO of Volvo Car Korea, said he hoped families found meaning in donating toys children once cherished and taking part in a resource-circulation effort that gives broken items a new use. He added that the company will continue working toward a sustainable world for future generations. Volvo Car Korea said it continues to carry out social-contribution programs aimed at promoting sustainability based on a people-centered philosophy. It said it has maintained cooperation with the Purme Foundation to support customized assistive devices and rehabilitation for children and teenagers with disabilities. The company also said it previously donated about 15,000 “children’s safety key rings” to childcare support centers and the National Police Agency to help strengthen child safety on the road. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-25 17:54:16 -
KAI Board Fails to Take Up Vote on New CEO Amid Union Objections Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) on the 25th failed to move forward with selecting a new CEO after internal opposition prevented the board from taking up the agenda item. The company plans to complete the selection before next month’s regular shareholders meeting, but further friction is expected as the union and employees challenge the candidate’s suitability and the fairness of the process. KAI had planned to discuss appointing Kim Jong-chul, former head of the Unmanned Systems Division at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, at a board meeting held that morning at its Seoul office in Gangnam. But the union’s opposition kept the item from being placed on the agenda, leaving the CEO post vacant for about seven months. A KAI official said the board meeting proceeded as scheduled, but the CEO appointment item was not brought forward. “The future schedule is uncertain,” the official said. Kim, born in 1962, is a graduate of the 31st class of the Korea Air Force Academy. He served about 23 years as an Air Force officer, retiring in 2006 as a lieutenant colonel. That year, when DAPA was launched, he was hired through a special recruitment process at Grade 4. He is credited with helping draw up the agency’s initial organization and staffing, innovation plans and basic plans to promote defense exports, according to the report. He is also known to have close ties with DAPA Commissioner Lee Yong-cheol as a member of the agency’s founding group. During his time at DAPA, Kim held key posts including head of the Defense Export Support Team, head of the Project Operations Management Team, director of the Offset Trade Division and planning and coordination officer. From June 2011 for about two years, he served as director of the Offset Trade Division under the Acquisition Planning Bureau, handling planning work related to offset trade for major export items. While his background as a military defense-industry specialist is seen as a strength, the report said his experience in unmanned aircraft programs — cited as a key asset — has limited overlap with KAI’s work. Kim also has political ties dating to the 20th presidential election, when he worked with Lee Jae-myung’s campaign. In 2022, he served as vice chairman of the campaign’s Smart Strong Military Committee, a group of former generals that developed policies for advanced science and technology, with goals including AI-based manned-unmanned teaming systems involving drones and robots, and training drone warriors. The report said he is believed to enjoy Lee’s trust after serving as a bridge to bolster confidence in the campaign’s security views within a military culture known for strong conservative leanings. Inside KAI, opposition has been strong. The union is protesting that another figure with ties to a presidential campaign and a military background has been named as CEO candidate. It argues that with tasks piling up — including improving management efficiency, developing new weapons and fostering export products — it is inappropriate for a military figure to lead the company. Many employees are also said to be questioning the procedural legitimacy of the selection process. In a statement issued the previous day, the union said it is widely being discussed that the candidate, after working on a presidential campaign, was mentioned as a possible DAPA commissioner but fell through and is now “coming down” to KAI as CEO. If the appointment goes ahead, the union said, it would be hard to avoid criticism that it is a reward-based parachute appointment by the Lee Jae-myung government. KAI has been without a CEO for about seven months since July 2025, when Kang Goo-young — described in the report as having ties to former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s presidential campaign — resigned early. Vice President Cha Jae-byung is serving as acting CEO, but the prolonged absence of a control tower has created difficulties in major projects at home and abroad, the report said. 2026-02-25 15:06:24 -
KAMA Names Jung Dae-jin as New Chairman The Korea Automobile & Mobility Association (KAMA) said it appointed Jung Dae-jin, who previously served as trade vice minister at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, as its 19th chairman at a regular general meeting held on the 25th. Jung is set to take office March 3. His term will run for three years. Jung graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in economics and earned a master’s degree from its Graduate School of Public Administration. He entered public service in 1993 after passing the 37th national civil service exam. He has held a range of posts spanning industrial policy, investment promotion and innovation, including director of the Industrial Technology Information Cooperation Division and the Industrial Economy Policy Division at the former Ministry of Knowledge Economy, and later served at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy as director general for Creative Industry Policy, investment policy chief and head of the Trade Policy Bureau. From 2021 to September 2023, he served as trade vice minister. KAMA said Jung is well suited to lead the association amid protectionist trends in major markets such as the United States and the European Union, citing his broad understanding of the auto industry and trade policy. It said it expects his leadership to pursue both continuity and innovation, strengthening the competitiveness of South Korea’s auto industry and supporting the shift to future mobility. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-25 13:54:06 -
Hyundai Motor Group Donates Unmanned Firefighting Robots to Help Protect Firefighters Hyundai Motor Group said it is continuing efforts to improve safety for the public and firefighters by donating unmanned firefighting robots. The group said Wednesday that it held a donation ceremony Tuesday at the Capital 119 Special Rescue Unit in Namyangju, south of Seoul. Attendees included Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun; President Sung Kim; Hyundai Rotem President Lee Yong-bae; National Fire Agency acting chief Kim Seung-ryong; and planning and coordination director Lee Jin-ho, the company said. Hyundai Motor Group officially donated four remote firefighting units, known as unmanned firefighting robots, that it jointly developed with the National Fire Agency. The robots were built by mounting firefighting equipment on Hyundai Rotem’s electrified multipurpose unmanned ground vehicle, the HR-Sherpa, which can be driven remotely. According to the National Fire Agency’s statistical yearbook, 1,802 firefighters were injured or killed in fires over the past 10 years. Hyundai Motor Group said the robots are designed to reduce injuries in disaster environments by equipping the HR-Sherpa with a water cannon, an onboard spray system, a camera to improve visibility and a remote controller. The company said the system can lower equipment temperatures to 50 to 60 degrees Celsius even in environments approaching 500 to 800 degrees Celsius, allowing operations closer to the fire scene. “Firefighters who rush without hesitation into life-and-death scenes to save lives remind us what values our society must protect,” Chung said. He said the group developed the robots with the National Fire Agency to help realize the safety firefighters work to uphold. Chung called the donated robots “new mobility” that brings together the group’s core technologies to pursue the shared goal of “technology that saves lives.” He said he hopes the robots will be “a reliable team member” deployed first into dangerous sites to help protect firefighters. Chung also said the group will support firefighters’ recovery by providing vehicles and rehabilitation equipment to the National Fire Hospital, which is scheduled to open in June. “Hyundai Motor Group will continue to provide the technology and support needed so firefighters can carry out their duties in a safer environment,” he said. Kim, the National Fire Agency’s acting chief, called the event “the first step” in a major shift in disaster response. He said the agency will continue to introduce advanced science and technology to the field through innovative partnerships with the private sector. Of the four robots, two have already been deployed at the request of the National Fire Agency, with one each assigned to the Capital and Yeongnam 119 special rescue units and put into field operations. The remaining two are to be placed in early next month, with one each going to the Gyeonggi South and South Chungcheong fire headquarters. Hyundai Motor Group said it supports firefighters in multiple ways. It said it will donate vehicles and rehabilitation equipment for treatment and recovery at the National Fire Hospital in Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province, which it described as the country’s first medical institution specializing in firefighters. 2026-02-25 09:39:23 -
Hyundai Motor executive urges fast passage of Korea bill backing $350B U.S. investment plan Sung Kim, president of Hyundai Motor Group, urged swift passage of legislation needed to carry out a $350 billion (about 506 trillion won) U.S. investment package. According to Reuters on Monday, Kim made the remarks at a breakfast meeting at the National Assembly on a proposed ruling People Power Party bill related to U.S. investment. He said that even if reciprocal tariffs are nullified, pressure could intensify to raise tariffs on automobiles. “As reciprocal tariffs are rendered invalid, pressure could instead grow to raise sector-specific tariffs on certain industries such as autos,” Kim said. “If a 25% tariff becomes reality at a time of sweeping change across the industry — with the shift to electric vehicles and accelerating competition in autonomous driving — the competitiveness of Korean companies will be weakened.” He added that “the auto industry is already facing a serious crisis due to U.S. tariff measures that began last year,” and said sector-specific tariffs on steel and automobiles are likely to remain in place for a considerable period. Kim said Hyundai Motor and Kia suffered about 7.2 trillion won ($4.98 billion) in financial damage last year due to U.S. tariffs. For South Korea, reciprocal tariffs initially set at 25% under an agreement with the United States were lowered to 15% starting in November last year. However, President Donald Trump on Jan. 26 threatened to raise reciprocal tariffs back to 25% — along with item-specific tariffs on products such as automobiles — citing delays in the National Assembly’s handling of the special U.S. investment bill. If auto tariffs are raised again to 25% as Trump has threatened, the damage to Hyundai and Kia could grow further. Policy uncertainty over tariffs has also increased again after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled reciprocal tariffs illegal and Trump, in response, raised the possibility of additional tariffs on major industries such as automobiles and semiconductors. South Korea’s auto industry has repeatedly asked the government and the National Assembly to resolve the tariff issue to secure equal conditions in the U.S. market with Japanese and European competitors. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-24 17:51:17 -
Hanwha Aerospace Launches Consortium to Localize Aircraft Engine Materials and Parts Hanwha Aerospace said it is moving to build a cooperative ecosystem to localize key aircraft engine materials and components. The company said it held an “Aircraft Engine Materials and Parts Localization and Shared-Growth Cooperation Agreement Ceremony” on the 24th at its Changwon Plant 1 in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. A total of 39 partner companies, including Korea Carbon, KPCM, Korea Lost Wax (KLW) and Tesco, jointly signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Testing Laboratory, the Korea Testing & Research Institute and Korea University of Technology and Education. Officials from the Korea Institute of Materials Science, the Air Force Aircraft Resource Management Group, the Agency for Defense Development and Gyeongsang National University also attended. Hanwha Aerospace said the signatories will form a consortium to pursue localization in a more systematic way and conduct joint R&D for development, testing, evaluation and certification. The company said it also plans to establish and carry out a global supply-chain strategy to help partners enter overseas markets, and later expand cooperation to other areas of aircraft engine development, including design and machining. Hanwha Aerospace said it has worked with partners to develop core technologies in aircraft engines. Working with domestic precision casting firms including Korea Lost Wax, Seongil Turbine and Cheonji Industry, it said it has developed and mass-produced turbine blades and high-temperature parts using second- and third-generation single-crystal materials over the past 20 years and obtained international certifications including NADCAP and KOLAS. It said it supplies coating materials to original equipment manufacturers with its joint venture, ThermTech Korea. It also said SeAH Changwon Special Steel, a specialty steel maker, has worked with Hanwha Aerospace to develop Waspaloy material for Pratt & Whitney’s GTF engine, meeting quality requirements and nearing entry into the global supply chain. In October last year, Hanwha Aerospace said it established and is operating the Hanwha Materials Joint Research Center at the Korea Institute of Materials Science to develop key aircraft engine materials. Cho Moon-soo, chairman of Korea Carbon, said, “At a time when securing export competitiveness is more important than ever, I expect this newly launched consortium will lead to tangible growth in partners’ capabilities and export results.” Son Jae-il, CEO of Hanwha Aerospace, said, “Without shared growth with our partners, we cannot achieve localization of aircraft engines,” adding, “We will secure technological sovereignty through mutual growth.” * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-24 15:30:19 -
EFK Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik Wins Unanimous Fifth Term, Pledges Stronger Business Unity Sohn Kyung-shik has won a fifth term as chairman of the Korea Employers Federation, known as EFK. EFK said it held its 57th annual general meeting on Monday at the Westin Josun Hotel in Seoul and unanimously reappointed Sohn with the backing of its leadership and member companies. Sohn first took the helm in March 2018. With Monday’s vote, he will lead the group for two more years through 2028. EFK has no term-limit rule. EFK’s leadership said Sohn has played a central role over the past eight years on major labor and economic issues, contributing to improvements in the business environment and raising the group’s policy standing. EFK said policy uncertainty around labor issues has grown, including debate over the so-called Yellow Envelope Act — amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act — making Sohn’s experience and leadership more necessary. In his opening remarks, Sohn said the government’s push on key policy tasks is expected to accelerate and that discussions of policies that could burden companies may also expand. “I will further strengthen cooperation across the broader business community,” he said. He said EFK would fulfill its responsibility as a representative business group so that corporate views are reflected in policy in a balanced way. He added that, regarding the revised union law set to take effect March 10, EFK will focus on conveying business concerns to the government and National Assembly and on supporting member companies in reasonable collective bargaining. On debate over extending the retirement age, a major labor issue this year, Sohn said he would seek a “win-win” approach that aligns with youth employment through flexible options such as rehiring after retirement. He also pledged continued efforts to push deregulation and tax improvements, expand flexible working hours, spread job- and performance-based pay systems, and establish a prevention-focused industrial safety environment. At the meeting, EFK also reappointed Executive Vice Chairman Lee Dong-geun, 22 non-executive vice chairmen and two auditors, following the chairman’s recommendations. Keum Seok-ho, president of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, was named a new non-executive vice chairman, and Jin Yong-min, CEO of Seoul City Gas, was appointed a new auditor.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-24 13:28:13 -
Jin Air launches Incheon-Takamatsu promotion with round trips from 163,000 won Jin Air said Tuesday it is running an online promotion for its Incheon-to-Takamatsu route, a destination known for architecture by Tadao Ando. The promotion runs through March 16 and applies to travel departing between March 1 and May 31. Customers can receive up to 7% off airfare by entering the promo code HELLO2026TAK. Round-trip total fares start at about 163,000 won. Jin Air is also offering an app-only benefit: the first 100 customers will receive a 2,000-won coupon for advance seat selection. Takamatsu is a port city in Japan’s Shikoku region, known for local udon dishes such as shippo-ku udon and kama-tama udon, which is mixed with a raw egg and served without broth. Visitors can also see the Shikokumura Gallery designed by Ando and view works by Yayoi Kusama on the art island of Naoshima. At Shodoshima Olive Park, a film location, travelers can rent a broom for photos. The Incheon-Takamatsu route departs Incheon at 2:10 p.m. and departs locally at 4:50 p.m. Passengers can check up to 15 kilograms of baggage for free.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-24 10:24:16