Journalist

Kim Pil-soo
  • KAI, Chosun University sign deal for AI-aerospace education partnership
    KAI, Chosun University sign deal for AI-aerospace education partnership Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) said Thursday it signed a memorandum of understanding with Chosun University to develop artificial intelligence-integrated education in the aerospace sector. The agreement is aimed at meeting rising demand for future aerospace talent by systematically training AI-based aerospace specialists, while promoting exchanges of new technologies and joint research and development, KAI said. The two organizations plan to deepen education and research cooperation in stages, focusing on the fast-growing field of AI-based integrated product support (IPS) for aerospace. They also said they will pursue a sustainable partnership that links education, research and projects by joining industry- and government-connected initiatives. Under the agreement, KAI and Chosun University will jointly use education and research programs and facilities and seek and carry out support projects to train aerospace professionals. They also plan to cooperate on research tasks, consortium formation and other steps needed to take part in R&D and related support programs. Park Kyung Eun, an executive vice president at KAI, said the deal is a starting point for connecting AI-based IPS education and research with industrial needs to produce practical results. He said KAI will combine its IPS operations experience and technical capabilities with the university’s education and research to build a sustainable cooperation model. Chosun University President Kim Choon Sung said the partnership is meaningful because it will train specialists in aerospace IPS based on AI convergence capabilities and produce research results with both public value and industrial relevance through university-industry cooperation. He said the university plans to keep expanding government- and industry-linked research and education cooperation based on the agreement.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-12 10:21:26
  • Geely Auto Group Reports January Sales of 270,167 Vehicles; Targets 3.45 Million in 2026
    Geely Auto Group Reports January Sales of 270,167 Vehicles; Targets 3.45 Million in 2026 Geely Auto Group said Wednesday it sold 270,167 passenger vehicles worldwide in January, up 1% from a year earlier. New energy vehicles accounted for 124,252 of those sales, a 3% increase from the same period a year earlier. Sales outside China totaled 60,506 vehicles, up 121% year over year. Overseas NEV sales rose 76% from the previous month to 32,117. By brand, premium EV maker Zeekr sold 23,852 vehicles in January, up 99.7% from a year earlier. The company has officially launched its premium electric shooting brake, the 7GT, in 12 major European countries including Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Geely, the group’s largest brand, sold 82,990 vehicles. Lynk & Co delivered 28,877 vehicles, up 12% from a year earlier, pushing its cumulative global sales past 1.71 million. Geely Auto Group attributed the results to Geely Holding Group’s “One Geely” strategy, which links brands including Zeekr, Geely and Lynk & Co, as well as Volvo, Polestar and Lotus. The plan is a five-year blueprint aimed at 2030 that focuses on tighter coordination among brands, stronger global cooperation and building strategic capabilities. Under the strategy, Geely Holding Group aims by 2030 to achieve: combined global sales of more than 6.5 million passenger and commercial vehicles; revenue of more than 1 trillion yuan (about 209 trillion won); a top-five global ranking by sales; a 75% share for NEVs; and raising the share of sales outside China to more than one-third. A Geely Auto Group official said the company has set a 2026 sales target of 3.45 million vehicles and plans to sell 640,000 vehicles in overseas markets, led by Zeekr and Lynk & Co. The official said the group will accelerate new-model launches, expand its global network and improve customer experience to support sustainable growth and long-term value worldwide.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-12 09:10:03
  • Hyundai Motor offers up to 1 million won coupon bonus for certified used-car sellers
    Hyundai Motor offers up to 1 million won coupon bonus for certified used-car sellers Hyundai Motor Co. said Wednesday it will continue a customer promotion starting this month that offers “The Dream” coupons to users of Hyundai Certified Used Cars. The coupon can be used when customers use the platform’s “sell my car” service. Eligible models will change each month and can be checked on the Hyundai Certified Used Cars website. Depending on the vehicle, the coupon can raise the final appraisal price by up to 1 million won when selling to Hyundai Certified Used Cars. Eligible vehicles are accident-free Hyundai and Genesis models that meet both requirements: one to four years in service and 5,000 to 100,000 kilometers (about 3,100 to 62,100 miles) of mileage. For February, Hyundai will provide 500,000 won for the Avante, Sonata, Grandeur, Casper, Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6. Genesis will provide 1 million won for the GV60, the electrified GV70 and the electrified G80. Hyundai also launched an “All-in-One Care” service that links the full process from used-car purchase to resale and provides integrated guidance on customer benefits. The company said it will notify customers of available benefits at each stage — purchase, use and resale — through text messages and other methods. Hyundai said customers will be able to more easily track benefits including converting 0.1% of the purchase amount into membership points, a one-year/20,000-kilometer warranty, and a “trade-in” discount when buying a new Hyundai vehicle after selling a used car. A Hyundai official said Hyundai Certified Used Cars is working to provide a used-car experience customers can trust, based on a philosophy that “the maker cares for it to the end,” and said the company will continue to run customer support programs to improve the customer experience.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-12 08:48:00
  • Korean Air Says It Successfully Tested 5-Meter Satellite Antenna Deployment System
    Korean Air Says It Successfully Tested 5-Meter Satellite Antenna Deployment System Korean Air said Wednesday it has successfully completed a development test of a large, satellite-mounted antenna deployment system in partnership with the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology in Defense. The company said it plans to expand the work into a core technology for next-generation satellites tied to national security, aiming to strengthen competitiveness in the space industry. Korean Air said it carried out a successful test last month at the CAMTIC Institute of Technology in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, involving a 5-meter-class antenna deployment system. The test was conducted as part of a defense core-technology project led by the defense technology institute, titled “Deployable large satellite-mounted antenna deployment system,” with participants from the institute, CAMTIC, Steplab and Korea Aerospace University, among others. The key to the technology is minimizing volume at launch by storing the large antenna folded inside the launch vehicle, then deploying it to full size after reaching the target orbit. Because the antenna must deploy precisely without error in the space environment, the system is considered a major factor in determining satellite performance. Korean Air said the test confirmed that a 5-meter satellite antenna deployment device operated as designed. The company said the results showed stable deployment while maintaining the antenna’s shape in extreme space conditions, resolved mechanical interference in the complex deployment structure, and maintained high precision through repeated deployment cycles. Korean Air said the outcome also validated the effectiveness of its independently designed and manufactured “antenna deployment mechanism.” The company said it will use the test data to accelerate development of its final goal: a large antenna deployment system. Korean Air said it will continue pursuing technologies for the future space era, including ultra-high-resolution Earth observation satellites capable of distinguishing objects as small as 10 centimeters on the ground and 6G satellite communications technology, and that it aims to play a key role in next-generation satellite development linked to national security. “As a leading company in South Korea’s aerospace industry, we will continue to do our best to advance national space assets and help the country move toward becoming a major space power, based on the technological capabilities we have built,” a Korean Air official said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-12 08:42:49
  • Hyundai Glovis to Use AI to Plan Car-Carrier Loading, Cutting Time in Half
    Hyundai Glovis to Use AI to Plan Car-Carrier Loading, Cutting Time in Half Hyundai Glovis said Wednesday it will introduce its in-house “AI-based ship loading plan” technology on its car carriers. A loading plan is a pre-departure design for where cargo should be placed to improve transport efficiency and safety. Hyundai Glovis said its AI algorithm automatically generates optimized loading positions after users enter information such as the types and number of vehicles to be loaded and the ports for loading and unloading. The system considers port-call order as well as cargo weight and height. A single car carrier typically transports thousands of vehicles bound for multiple destinations. If the plan is wrong, vehicles that must be unloaded at an intermediate port can be blocked by vehicles headed to later destinations. That can force crews to unload large numbers of vehicles and reload them, causing delays and additional costs. The company said the AI-based planning can prevent such inefficiencies in advance, reducing wasted time and expense. For heavy, oversized cargo such as construction equipment, planners must also account for each deck’s height and load limits and place cargo lower in the ship to distribute weight evenly. Seaworthiness — the ability to maintain safe balance while sailing — is a key factor in loading plans. Hyundai Glovis said the algorithm runs on its proprietary data-design technology, for which it has completed a patent application. The company said it created a data model that breaks a car carrier’s interior into detailed decks and zones to represent structural characteristics and possible movement routes, allowing the AI to judge vehicle paths and feasible placement locations. Because car carriers differ in internal structure and cargo mixes change each voyage, the company said it has been difficult to apply a single standard. It also said more than 6,000 vehicles can be loaded for one trip, requiring many specialists and significant time to produce a plan. A Hyundai Glovis official said loading and unloading based on the AI-generated plan showed safety and efficiency similar to plans designed by specialists, while planning time fell by about half from the previous level of about 27 hours. The official said the company expects the reduction to exceed 90% as the technology advances. Hyundai Glovis said it will apply the technology sequentially across all of its car carriers in operation.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-12 08:36:00
  • Air Busan Delivers Lunar New Year Care Kits to Residents Near Gimhae Airport
    Air Busan Delivers Lunar New Year Care Kits to Residents Near Gimhae Airport Air Busan said Wednesday it held a Lunar New Year sharing event Tuesday for residents living in noise-mitigation areas near Gimhae Airport. Air Busan employees visited senior centers and homes in the area, delivering essential-goods kits to about 100 older residents and spending time talking with them. The kits included daily necessities such as shampoo, detergent, toothpaste and toothbrushes. The airline said the effort focused on neighborhoods near Gimhae Airport designated for noise countermeasures, giving employees a better understanding of residents’ inconvenience and living conditions. Air Busan has carried out other community programs centered on areas near the airport, including providing a food truck on Jan. 30 for older adults at a welfare center in Gangseo District, Busan. “As an airline operating with Gimhae Airport as our hub, we will continue efforts to coexist with the local community and fulfill our social responsibility, based on deep understanding and empathy for residents affected by airport noise,” an Air Busan official said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-12 08:27:00
  • Renault Korea’s Busan Plant Tops 4 Million Vehicles, Expands Role as Global Hub
    Renault Korea’s Busan Plant Tops 4 Million Vehicles, Expands Role as Global Hub 르노코리아는 지난 2000년 국내 시장 출범 이래 26년 만에 부산공장에서 누적 생산 400만대를 돌파했다고 12일 밝혔다. 르노코리아는 부산공장이 르노그룹 내 D·E 세그먼트 생산을 맡는 글로벌 허브로, 품질 경쟁력을 인정받고 있다고 밝혔다. 부산공장은 국내 약 220만대, 해외 약 180만대 등 총 400만대 이상을 출고했다. 부산공장에서 가장 많이 생산된 차량은 중형 세단 SM5로, 총 95만4000대가 생산됐다. SM3는 80만5000대, 닛산 로그는 58만5000대가 생산됐다. 니콜라 파리 르노코리아 사장은 기념 행사에서 "부산공장에서 400만대 이상을 생산할 수 있었던 가장 큰 원동력은 최고 수준의 품질 경쟁력과 임직원들의 뛰어난 역량"이라며 "이번 400만대 누적 생산을 새로운 도약의 출발점으로 삼아 500만대 생산을 향해 더욱 힘차게 나아가겠다"고 말했다. 르노코리아는 부산공장이 르노그룹의 '인터내셔널 게임 플랜 2027'에서 핵심 생산 거점 역할을 하고 있으며, 그룹의 주요 품질 관리 지표에서도 최상위권을 기록하고 있다고 밝혔다. 또 부산공장은 하나의 생산 라인에서 최대 4개 플랫폼, 8개 차종을 생산할 수 있는 혼류 생산 체계를 구축했다고 밝혔다. 지난해 1월에는 설비 업데이트를 통해 국내 자동차 기업 최초로 내연기관 생산 라인을 전기차 조립까지 가능한 라인으로 전환했다고 덧붙였다. 이를 기반으로 중형 SUV '그랑 콜레오스', 글로벌 플래그십 크로스오버 '필랑트', '폴스타 4' 등 내연기관과 하이브리드, 순수 전기차를 동시에 생산하는 체계를 갖췄다고 밝혔다.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-12 08:18:00
  • Chinese-Made EVs Expand in South Korea as Polestar Targets Luxury Segment
    Chinese-Made EVs Expand in South Korea as Polestar Targets Luxury Segment South Korea’s shift to electric vehicles is accelerating, and imported brands are stepping up their push. After gains by value-focused EVs led by Tesla and BYD, premium brands are also expanding lineups to lock in market share. Ham Jong Seong, CEO of Polestar Korea, unveiled the Polestar 3 and Polestar 5 on Tuesday at the “2026 Polestar Media Day” at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, saying, “This year, we will make it the first year of a leap from premium to a luxury brand.” The Polestar 3 is scheduled to launch in the second quarter and the Polestar 5 in the third quarter. On pricing, Ham said the vehicles will be introduced “at the most attractive prices among all global markets where Polestar operates.” In Europe, the Polestar 3 and Polestar 5 sell for about 120 million won and 200 million won, respectively. Polestar Korea also said it has no plans to resume sales of the Polestar 2 until a next-generation model is released. Polestar entered South Korea with the Polestar 2, then shifted its main model to the Polestar 4 in 2024 as it moved upmarket. According to the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association, the Polestar 4 recorded the highest sales last year among premium imported EVs priced at 60 million won or more, with 2,611 units. With Polestar Korea signaling new premium EV launches every year, the influence of Chinese-made EVs in South Korea is expected to keep growing. Tesla has driven the market since 2023 by importing China-built versions of the Model Y and Model 3 and sharply lowering prices, posting sales of about 60,000 vehicles last year. BYD also sold more than 6,000 units in its first year in South Korea. BYD aims to top 10,000 this year by expanding its lineup, including the compact hatchback Dolphin. Polestar was founded in Sweden, but it has been viewed as a Chinese brand since it was absorbed in 2017 by Geely Holding Group along with Volvo. Polestar vehicles sold in South Korea are also produced in China. The Korea Automobile & Mobility Association classifies Polestar as a “Chinese-made EV,” along with Tesla and BYD. Zeekr, another premium EV brand under Geely, has also signaled plans to enter South Korea. Zeekr said it formalized its entry late last year by holding a dealer contract signing ceremony with four partners: H Mobility ZK, IronEV, KCC Mobility and ZK Mobility. As imported EVs gain ground, the market share of domestic brands such as Hyundai Motor and Kia is shrinking. According to KAMA, domestic EV share fell to 57.2% last year from 75% in 2022. KAMA said the spread of Chinese-made EVs can broaden consumer choice and push prices down, but it also poses a threat by increasing competitive pressure on South Korea’s manufacturing base and supply chains, requiring a mid- to long-term response.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 18:03:31
  • Volkswagen Group says it has built 5 million electric drive systems
    Volkswagen Group says it has built 5 million electric drive systems Volkswagen Group said Tuesday it has produced a total of 5 million electric drive systems. The milestone was achieved across plants in Gyor, Hungary; Kassel and Zuffenhausen, Germany; and Tianjin, China. The company said the result reflects its engineering capabilities and production network, as well as an electrification strategy being expanded systematically across brands and regions. Volkswagen Group Components’ capability network played a central role, the company said. At the Kassel plant in Germany, output of electric drive systems rose about 24% from a year earlier to more than 850,000 units this year. Thomas Schmall, a member of Volkswagen Group’s board of management for the technical division, called the 5 million mark “a milestone” that shows the group’s leadership in both internal-combustion and battery-electric vehicle segments. He said the group, through its global development and production network, has “full control” of all elements of electric drive systems, helping speed innovation and ensure quality. Schmall added that the group has gained additional expertise by developing its first pulse inverter in-house and is directly handling the control unit that serves as the “brain” of the electric drive system. He said that will help ensure top performance for customers and further strengthen the group’s technological independence. The most widely used electric drive system within the group is the APP550, which is installed in Volkswagen’s ID family as well as the Skoda Enyaq and Cupra Tavascan. To date, a total of 1 million APP550 units have been produced at the group’s components plant in Kassel alone.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 13:51:00
  • Polestar to Launch Two New EV Models in South Korea, Targets 4,000 Sales in 2026
    Polestar to Launch Two New EV Models in South Korea, Targets 4,000 Sales in 2026 Swedish premium electric-vehicle brand Polestar is expanding its lineup in South Korea this year with two additional models as it seeks to grow its presence. Polestar Korea on Tuesday held its “2026 Polestar Media Day” at the Grand Hyatt in Seoul’s Yongsan district, outlining launch plans and its broader strategy. The two models are the performance SUV Polestar 3 and the flagship SUV Polestar 5. Polestar 3 is scheduled to launch in the second quarter, and Polestar 5 in the third quarter. The company said it is positioning 2026 as the first year of a “premium to luxury” push, focusing on expanding its product lineup, boosting brand value and awareness, and upgrading the ownership experience. It set a sales target of 4,000 vehicles, up more than 30% from last year, and expects Polestar 3 and Polestar 5 to account for about 15% to 20% of that total. “If 2025 was the year we built a foundation for growth through Polestar 4, 2026 will be the year we make a full leap as a luxury EV brand centered on Polestar 3 and Polestar 5,” CEO Ham Jong Seong said. “We will make the experience of owning a Polestar a premium one that goes beyond transportation and extends across a customer’s lifestyle.” Polestar Korea said it plans to introduce a new premium EV every year going forward. To raise awareness and reinforce an upscale image, the company named actor Kim Woo Bin as its brand ambassador. It said it will expand customer engagement through TV commercials and other content and interactive programs. The company also plans to expand its retail footprint. It will relocate and expand its Hannam showroom to Dosan-daero in Seoul’s Gangnam district within the first quarter and open a new showroom in Daegu. It plans additional openings in Ilsan and Incheon by year’s end, increasing showrooms to 10 from seven. It also said it will strengthen partnerships with Shinsegae and Samsung Card to broaden access to VIP customers. To improve the ownership experience, Polestar Korea said it will invest in charging infrastructure, aiming to add more than 400 chargers at 40 locations nationwide by 2030. It also plans to launch a Polestar owner app in February to provide an integrated system for service reservations and maintenance-history checks. The company said its recently introduced Polestar Care program offers benefits ranging from new-vehicle exchanges to tire replacements and support for the deductible on a customer’s own auto insurance in the event of an accident. It said it will gradually expand the scope and eligible models and plans to introduce an extended-warranty product within the year. Polestar Korea also said it will offer customer-only membership services, including premium home delivery, airport pickup and charging, and hotel valet service, as well as a Polestar Stay program for customers visiting Jeju. Ham said South Korea ranks within Polestar’s top six markets globally and is its best-selling market in Asia. He said the company is also interested in South Korea for its advanced “K-battery” sector and ongoing partnerships with parts and equipment suppliers. The Polestar 5 unveiled by Polestar Korea uses an SK On battery. He also highlighted the importance of South Korea to the parent company, citing the ramp-up of Polestar 4 production at Renault Korea’s Busan plant to accelerate entry into North America.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 13:39:00