Journalist

Jang Sun-a
  • First Gold at Milan-Cortina Olympics to Be Decided in Men’s Downhill or Women’s Skiathlon
    First Gold at Milan-Cortina Olympics to Be Decided in Men’s Downhill or Women’s Skiathlon 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics will move quickly from opening ceremonies to the first race for gold. The first gold medal is expected to come from a snow event on Feb. 7 (Korea time). It will be awarded to the winner of whichever finishes first between the men’s alpine downhill, scheduled for 7:30 p.m., and the women’s cross-country 10-kilometer plus 10-kilometer skiathlon, which starts at 9 p.m. At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Norway’s Therese Johaug won the first gold in the women’s skiathlon. The men’s downhill will be held at the Stelvio Ski Center in Bormio, Italy, in the Valtellina cluster. The women’s skiathlon will take place at the Tesero Cross-Country Ski Stadium in the Val di Fiemme cluster. Both venues are more than 200 kilometers from Milan. No South Korean athletes will compete in the men’s downhill. South Korea will be represented in the women’s skiathlon by Lee Eui Jin of the Busan Metropolitan City Sports Council and Han Da Som of Gyeonggi Provincial Government. Han is making her second Olympic appearance after Beijing, while Lee is competing at her first Olympics. The skiathlon combines classic and freestyle techniques, with athletes racing half the distance in each style. European teams such as Norway and Sweden have traditionally been strong in the event. In Beijing, Lee Chae Won finished 61st, and Han did not finish.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-07 08:00:00
  • Vance Booed at Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony; Ukraine Team Cheered
    Vance Booed at Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony; Ukraine Team Cheered U.S. Vice President JD Vance was loudly booed by some spectators during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics. On Thursday (local time) at San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Vance stood and applauded as the U.S. delegation entered. When he appeared on the stadium’s big screen, boos rose from parts of the crowd. The reaction appeared tied to political tensions between the United States and Europe, as well as recent controversy over plans to deploy some U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in connection with the Olympics. Protests had also been held in Milan after reports that the United States planned to send some ICE agents during the Winter Games. Before the ceremony, International Olympic Committee member Kirsty Coventry appealed for respect, saying she hoped the opening ceremony would be a place where people “respect each other.” Some spectators’ response during the event differed. Foreign media quickly reported the incident. Reuters said that when Vance appeared on the big screen waving a U.S. flag, spectators booed. By contrast, the Ukrainian delegation was met with loud cheers as it entered the stadium. 2026-02-07 07:42:00
  • South Korea Marches in Milan-Cortina Opening Ceremony, Aiming for Top-10 Finish
    South Korea Marches in Milan-Cortina Opening Ceremony, Aiming for Top-10 Finish South Korea’s team, aiming for a top-10 finish in the overall standings at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, marched in the opening ceremony parade. In the athlete parade held across multiple sites centered on Milan’s San Siro Olympic Stadium, South Korea appeared 22nd among 92 National Olympic Committees, according to the organizing committee. Figure skater Cha Jun Hwan (Seoul City Hall) and long-distance speed skater Park Ji Woo (Gangwon Provincial Office), serving as co-flag bearers, led the delegation with the South Korean flag. Smiling, they waved to the stands as athletes raised flags and phones to capture the moment. “It’s a great honor and I’m grateful, because it’s a moment representing our country,” Cha said in comments released through the organizing committee. “I wanted to share positive energy with the team. I hope everyone can fully enjoy the Olympics, a dream stage.” Park said she hoped younger athletes would “enjoy the Olympics, have fun and make great memories.” With venues split into four zones, the parade was also held simultaneously in several locations. South Korea had 50 participants in the opening ceremony, divided among the four sites. In Livigno, about 200 kilometers from Milan, snowboard and freestyle ski athletes entered with a dynamic performance. In Predazzo, the cross-country team appeared against a snowy backdrop, waving the South Korean flag. In Cortina d’Ampezzo, sliding sports and biathlon athletes marched together. Women’s skeleton athlete Hong Su Jeong rode on a teammate’s shoulders as she lifted the country placard to signal Team Korea’s entrance. The entry order was set by the host nation’s Italian alphabet system. South Korea was listed under “Corea,” from its Italian name “Repubblica di Corea,” placing it between Colombia and Croatia. About 3,500 athletes are competing for 116 gold medals at the Games. South Korea’s delegation totals 130, including 71 athletes in six sports and 59 officials, with a goal of at least three gold medals and a top-10 overall finish. 2026-02-07 05:48:00
  • Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics Open With Dual-City Flame Lighting
    Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics Open With Dual-City Flame Lighting The 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics opened under the theme of “harmony and unity,” marking the first Winter Games staged under a multi-host system. The 25th Winter Olympics began its official schedule with an opening ceremony held early Friday (Korea time) at San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan. The ceremony was staged simultaneously in multiple locations, including San Siro and Piazza Dibona in Cortina d'Ampezzo. The format reflected an operating plan aimed at minimizing new construction and emphasizing sustainability, with events spread across six zones including Milan and Cortina. With Milan hosting ice events and Cortina hosting skiing and curling, the two hubs are more than 400 kilometers (about 250 miles) apart, making it difficult for delegations to gather in one place. Organizers designed the opening as a multi-stage production. Olympic cauldrons were installed at Milan’s Arco della Pace and at Piazza Dibona in Cortina. It was the first time two cities shared the official Olympic name and the first time two cauldrons were lit at the same time. The organizing committee titled the ceremony “Armonia,” the Italian word for “harmony.” The show opened with a performance inspired by the work of 16th-century sculptor Antonio Canova, using a dance reinterpretation of the myth of Cupid and Psyche to convey the theme. Performers then portrayed Italian opera composers Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini and Gioachino Rossini, joined by dancers in music-note-themed costumes. A giant paint-tube prop descended to underscore art and harmony. A character parade evoking ancient Rome and the Renaissance followed, and pop star Mariah Carey performed her hits. After Italian President Sergio Mattarella and International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry entered, the ceremony included a tribute to fashion designer Giorgio Armani, who died in September. Models wearing Armani designs filled the stadium in the colors of the Italian flag. Model Vittoria Ceretti carried the flag in Milan for the raising, while former national team cross-country skiers took part in the flag-raising at the Cortina venue. After the performances, athletes from 92 countries marched in. The parade of nations took place at the same time at San Siro in Milan and at sites including Cortina’s central square, the Livigno Snow Park and the Predazzo ski jump stadium. South Korea entered 22nd, led by co-flag bearers Cha Jun Hwan (figure skating, Seoul City Hall) and Park Ji Woo (speedskating, Gangwon Provincial Government). Host Italy entered last, using four flag bearers — two in each city. Following Mattarella’s declaration opening the Games, a torch relay segment was staged with a performance by tenor Andrea Bocelli. Ten people served as Olympic flag bearers, including Pita Taufatofua, known as the “Tongan strongman.” In Milan, Eliud Kipchoge, Cindy Ngamba, Filippo Grandi, Nicolo Govoni, Mariam Bukha Hassan, Rebeca Andrade and Akiba Tadatohi carried the Olympic flag. In Cortina, Franco Nones and Martina Valcepina took part. After the athletes’ oath, the two cauldrons were lit simultaneously by the final torchbearers. The cauldrons were spherical structures inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s “Knots.” The Games run through the 22nd, with 116 gold medals to be awarded across eight sports and 16 disciplines. 2026-02-07 04:36:00
  • South Korea to Run Meal Support Centers for 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympians
    South Korea to Run Meal Support Centers for 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympians The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee will run on-site meal support centers in Italy to help manage the condition of South Korea’s athletes competing at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics. The committee said it will operate centers from Feb. 6-22 in three areas — Milan, Cortina and Livigno — providing customized menus for the team. The goal is to reliably supply Korean meals and recovery-focused food amid repeated training and competition schedules to support performance. Reflecting that venues are spread across multiple locations, the committee is setting up and running meal support centers in all three areas. It said this is the first time a Winter Olympics meal support program has been split by venue clusters, strengthening on-site support compared with the previous Games. The committee said it is spending 2.2 billion won to dispatch 36 staff members — 15 to Milan, 12 to Cortina and nine to Livigno — and to provide Korean lunch boxes to 130 athletes. It is also introducing heat-retaining “self-heating lunch boxes” for the first time, citing cold weather and many mountain venues. Lunch box deliveries began Feb. 6 through the three centers. Committee President Yoo Seung-min visited the Milan center at 10:30 a.m. local time on Feb. 6, took part in preparing the first lunch boxes and checked operations. “As our team is entering the full race, I joined the preparation of the first Korean lunch boxes with the mindset of supporting them directly,” Yoo said. “I hope our athletes eat these carefully prepared meals, gain strength and deliver strong performances.” The lunch boxes provided to the team that day totaled 182 meals: 91 lunches and 91 dinners. For both lunch and dinner, 45 meals went to Milan, 23 to Livigno and 23 to Cortina. The committee said all athletes in the three areas applied in advance, and daily quantities may be adjusted depending on operating conditions such as the team’s arrival and departure schedules. 2026-02-07 00:51:00
  • Strong dollar pressures Koreas FX reserves, down for 2nd month
    Strong dollar pressures Korea's FX reserves, down for 2nd month SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - South Korea’s foreign exchange reserves fell by more than $2 billion in January, extending a decline for a second consecutive month as the won remained weak against the U.S. dollar. The Bank of Korea said Wednesday that reserves stood at $425.91 billion at the end of January, down $2.15 billion from $428.05 billion a month earlier. Holdings of securities, including government and corporate bonds, rose $6.39 billion to $377.52 billion. However, deposits dropped $8.55 billion to $23.32 billion. Special drawing rights allocated by the International Monetary Fund remained unchanged at $15.89 billion, while gold holdings were also steady at $4.79 billion, as they are recorded at purchase price rather than market value. A Bank of Korea official said deposits typically increase at quarter-end or year-end as financial institutions adjust balance sheets to meet regulatory ratios. This time, however, overall deposits declined despite an increase in foreign-currency deposits at financial institutions. The official added that market-stabilization operations, including foreign exchange swaps and reserve requirement management, appeared to have influenced the overall reserve level. South Korea ranked ninth globally in foreign exchange reserves as of the end of December, with holdings of $428.1 billion. China held the largest reserves at $3.36 trillion, followed by Japan with $1.37 trillion and Switzerland with $1.08 trillion. Other countries ahead of South Korea included Russia, India, Taiwan, Germany and Saudi Arabia, according to central bank data. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-02-04 08:18:31
  • Resident FX deposits in Korea jumped nearly $16 bln in December
    Resident FX deposits in Korea jumped nearly $16 bln in December SEOUL, January 26 (AJP) -Foreign-currency deposits at South Korea-based banks surged by nearly $16 billion in December on prolonged weakness in the Korean won, central bank data showed. The Bank of Korea said Monday that resident foreign-currency deposits at local foreign-exchange banks totaled $119.43 billion at the end of December, up $15.88 billion from the previous month. It marked the second consecutive monthly increase. Resident foreign-currency deposits include holdings by South Korean individuals and companies, foreigners who have lived in South Korea for at least six months, and foreign companies operating in the country. By currency, U.S. dollar deposits climbed $8.34 billion to $95.93 billion, while euro deposits rose $6.35 billion to $11.75 billion. Japanese yen deposits increased by $870 million to $9.0 billion. A Bank of Korea official said dollar deposits expanded as funds flowed into banks for multiple purposes, including about $2.0 billion related to foreigners’ purchases of equity stakes in South Korean companies, current-account settlements by exporters and importers, and investor funds held by securities firms. Euro deposits rose as foreign-affiliated companies placed funds tied to current-account payments due early in the year, including proceeds from discounting foreign-currency sales receivables, the official said. Yen deposits increased mainly due to investor deposits at securities firms. By depositor type, corporate foreign-currency deposits jumped $14.07 billion to $102.5 billion, while individual deposits rose $1.82 billion to $16.93 billion. By bank type, deposits at domestic banks increased $12.76 billion to $101.6 billion, while those at local branches of foreign banks rose $3.13 billion to $17.83 billion. 2026-01-26 13:07:57
  • Roaring stock market lifts Korean consumer confidence despite weak real economy
    Roaring stock market lifts Korean consumer confidence despite weak real economy SEOUL, January 23 (AJP)-South Koreans grew more optimistic about the economy and their spending plans in January, buoyed by a surging stock market despite continued weakness in real economic conditions from a weak won and strong prices. According to the Bank of Korea on Friday, the Consumer Sentiment Index rose 1.0 point from the previous month to 110.8 in January, supported by the strongest spending bias in five months. A reading above 100 indicates sentiment more optimistic than the long-term average for the 2003–2024 period, while a reading below 100 signals pessimism. Among the six sub-indicators, the outlook for the overall economy rose 2 points to 98. Current living conditions edged up 1 point to 96, the outlook for consumer spending increased 1 point to 111 - highest in five months, and the assessment of current economic conditions also rose 1 point to 90. The outlook for living conditions remained unchanged at 100, while expectations for household income held steady at 103. Lee Hye-young, head of the BOK’s economic sentiment survey team, attributed the improvement in sentiment largely to the record-setting stock market. The benchmark KOSPI has been flirting with the 5,000 mark after an almost uninterrupted rally over the past month. “Rising stock prices influenced multiple indicators, including living conditions, household savings and the outlook for consumer spending,” Lee said. She added that higher investment income from stocks and funds appeared to improve perceptions of household finances, while some respondents interpreted the market rally itself as a signal of broader economic improvement. Lee noted that the weak won had little impact on sentiment this month, adding that authorities’ efforts to stabilize the dollar toward year-end helped limit concerns. The housing price outlook index, which measures expectations for home prices a year ahead, rose 3 points to 124 — the highest level since October 2021 — as apartment sale prices continued to climb nationwide and across the Seoul metropolitan area. The increase suggests expectations for further gains in home prices have strengthened, Lee said. Expected inflation for the year ahead remained unchanged at 2.6 percent, while perceived inflation over the past year was steady at 2.9 percent 2026-01-23 07:44:02
  • S. Korea leans on semiconductors as non-IT exports lose ground: BOK
    S. Korea leans on semiconductors as non-IT exports lose ground: BOK SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - South Korea’s exports remain resilient, but the country is steadily losing ground in global competitiveness in some sectors, according to a report released Friday by the Bank of Korea. While headline export figures have held up, shipments of major non-IT goods — excluding semiconductors — have been largely stagnant for years, deepening performance gaps across industries. South Korea’s share of the global export market has been on a downward trajectory since 2018, as competition intensifies, particularly from China. Export growth since the COVID-19 pandemic has been concentrated in a handful of sectors, most notably semiconductors, while non-IT exports have effectively stalled since the mid-2010s, according to the report. Overall exports are expected to rise this year, supported by strong semiconductor demand. But persistent weakness in non-IT sectors could further widen disparities among products, highlighting structural vulnerabilities in the export base. By sector, the bank said steel and machinery have suffered a broad decline in competitiveness as global demand slows and both product quality and market positioning weaken. Expanded Chinese supply has intensified competition, weighing on South Korea’s presence in key markets such as Southeast Asia. Automakers strengthened competitiveness through brand premiumization and the development of dedicated electric-vehicle platforms, while semiconductor makers maintained a technological edge in high value-added memory chips and benefited from rising demand linked to artificial intelligence. Still, risks are mounting. The bank warned that global automakers are expanding local production in major export markets, potentially eroding South Korea’s market access. In semiconductors, China’s rapid progress could weaken competitiveness in general-purpose, lower-spec memory chips, the BOK said. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-16 08:45:30
  • Overseas investing reshaping Koreas FX market: BOK
    Overseas investing reshaping Korea's FX market: BOK SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - A sharp rise in overseas securities investment by South Koreans led to nearly $20 billion in net foreign-exchange outflows last year, the Bank of Korea said in a report Wednesday, underscoring why the won weakened despite large current-account surpluses. Net foreign-currency outflows linked to residents’ overseas securities purchases and overseas investment by pension funds totaled $19.6 billion from January through October last year. The findings were presented by Kwon Yong-oh, head of the Bank of Korea’s international finance research team, at a policy symposium in Seoul. Kwon said exchange-rate movements since the global financial crisis have been closely tied to shifts in foreign-exchange supply and demand. Prior to the 2020s, current-account surpluses typically exceeded demand created by residents’ overseas investment, resulting in an excess supply of foreign currency and a stronger won. That dynamic has since changed, he said. Despite sustained current-account surpluses since 2024, the won has weakened rapidly. Kwon suggested that export-related dollar inflows may not be fully entering the market as some exporters delay currency conversion, while growing overseas investment by residents has tightened dollar supply and demand. From January through October last year, South Korea’s current-account surplus generated $89.6 billion in net inflows, while foreign investors’ purchases of domestic securities added $31.9 billion, according to the central bank. Those inflows were more than offset by a surge in residents’ overseas securities investment and overseas investment by the National Pension Service, resulting in a net foreign-exchange outflow of $19.6 billion, or roughly 29 trillion won at current exchange rates. The outflow marked a sharp increase from the same period a year earlier, when net outflows totaled about $500 million. Residents’ overseas securities investment jumped to $117.1 billion from $71.0 billion a year earlier. “Residents’ behavior is driving the shift in foreign-exchange supply and demand,” Kwon said. Kwon also pointed to a widening growth gap between South Korea and the U.S., as well as differences in expected stock-market returns, as contributing factors to the won’s recent weakness. Addressing claims that excessive liquidity expansion has weakened the won, Kwon said a long-term channel linking money-supply growth to higher inflation and currency depreciation is theoretically possible, but noted that empirical evidence remains inconclusive. 2026-01-14 16:19:56