Peugeot All-New 3008 Smart Hybrid wins two Korea Car of the Year design awards Peugeot said on the 27th that its All-New 3008 Smart Hybrid won the “Design of the Year” award in two separate “2026 Korea Car of the Year” evaluations run by the Korea Automobile Writers Association (AWAK) and the Korea Automobile Journalists Association (KAJA). Both groups annually assess newly launched vehicles in South Korea and select winners by category. Peugeot said the results formally recognized the model’s design strengths as well as the brand’s credibility and product competitiveness in the local market. AWAK conducted on-road testing of 41 vehicles in January at Everland Speedway in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, then finalized winners after scoring 22 detailed items including design, performance, convenience and safety, efficiency and innovation. The 3008 was named “Design of the Year” after receiving 50% of the vote in the design category. Peugeot’s 308 Smart Hybrid, which the company said signaled the start of smart hybrids in South Korea, also won “Internal Combustion Crossover of the Year,” highlighting the competitiveness of Peugeot’s smart-hybrid lineup. KAJA held its final judging on Feb. 5 at the Korea Transportation Safety Authority’s Korea Automobile Testing & Research Institute (KATRI) in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. It said it weighed overall product value and consumer purchase intent using 10 indicators, including exterior design, interior and perceived quality, instrument layout and ease of operation, handling and driving feel, acceleration, noise and vibration performance, high-speed stability and braking, safety and convenience features, fuel economy and maintenance, and price and purchase intent. In KAJA’s “Design of the Year” category, where seven models competed, the All-New 3008 Smart Hybrid received the highest evaluation. The association cited a fastback profile that modernizes Peugeot’s signature “feline look,” a forward-looking “Panoramic i-Cockpit,” and what it called reasonable price competitiveness, describing the vehicle as a key model for the brand’s next step forward. “Peugeot’s 3008 sweeping the design category at both major journalist associations means the strength of Peugeot design has been clearly recognized by Korean customers and the market,” Bangsil, CEO of Stellantis Korea, said. “Building on our strong design DNA, Peugeot will establish itself as a brand that delivers an experience beyond expectations by adding product appeal — including smart-hybrid technology — and price competitiveness,” Bangsil said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-27 10:13:46

POSCO Picks Eight Core Steel Products to Target Future Markets POSCO said Thursday it has selected eight core strategic products aimed at securing a lead in future steel markets and has set up a “One Team” structure to strengthen its fundamental competitiveness. In early February, the company created new project teams for stainless steel for next-generation growth markets, PosMAC for renewable energy, high-manganese steel, and an electric-arc-furnace premium steel initiative. Those join four teams launched in December — energy plate, electrical steel sheet for power applications, Giga Steel and HyperNO — completing its “eight core strategic product technology development project teams,” which are now fully operating. POSCO said it has been building the project-team system since late last year to rebuild steel competitiveness and secure future growth engines, integrating management from technology development through production and sales. The eight teams are placed directly under the Pohang and Gwangyang steelworks so research results can be applied immediately on the production floor, the company said, as it seeks to expand high value-added steel products and capture future market leadership. POSCO said it will differentiate product groups between the two plants based on their R&D and production strengths. Pohang will focus on improving performance and developing energy steel used in oil and gas, power generation and renewable energy, in line with rising global electricity demand, aiming to become a leading producer of energy steel. Gwangyang, where automotive steel sheet is a mainstay, will strengthen competitiveness as a mobility-focused plant centered on new growth steel to secure leadership in autonomous driving and future mobility and to meet rising demand for low-carbon products. POSCO Group Chairman Jang In-hwa said in his New Year’s address that the company must “complete the portfolio of eight core strategic products, which are key to future industries, and strengthen market leadership.” POSCO also said it plans to take the lead in improving the domestic steel ecosystem in step with the government’s “steel industry advancement plan.” A company official said that amid an increasingly difficult business environment — including a flood of low-priced imports and global tariff barriers — POSCO will break down departmental boundaries to expand its portfolio around the eight products and solidify leadership in future industrial markets.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-27 10:12:21

Asiana Airlines to Operate Mileage-Only Flights on Hong Kong, Phuket Routes Asiana Airlines said Thursday it will operate mileage-only international flights on its Incheon-Hong Kong and Incheon-Phuket routes. The carrier plans a total of 68 flights: 44 on the Incheon-Hong Kong route from April 13 to June 28, and 24 on the Incheon-Phuket route from April 7 to June 28. Depending on sales, seats may also be sold for cash, allowing customers to choose between award tickets and paid fares. Reservations open at 9 a.m. Thursday, and all remaining seats can be purchased using miles. Asiana said this is its first mileage-only operation on the Hong Kong route. For Hong Kong, one-way award tickets require 15,000 miles in economy class and 22,500 miles in business class. For Phuket, the one-way rates are 20,000 miles in economy and 30,000 miles in business. During peak travel periods, mileage required increases by 50% compared with off-peak periods. An Asiana official said the airline launched the mileage-only flights, including new routes, to make it easier for customers to use miles and to broaden their options, adding it will continue to review additional ways to expand mileage use.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-27 10:06:16

Volvo Korea Says EX30 Orders Top 1,000 a Week After Price Cut Volvo Car Korea said Thursday that new orders for its premium all-electric SUV, the EX30, topped 1,000 within a week of the company announcing price cuts. The company said the result shows the model’s product competitiveness and its aggressive pricing strategy are gaining traction even as competition intensifies in the electric-vehicle market. As part of a strategy to lower barriers to entry for imported premium EVs and strengthen its leadership in the EV market, Volvo Car Korea previously cut prices for the EX30 and the EX30 Cross Country (EX30CC) by as much as 7.61 million won, depending on trim. After the reductions, the EX30 Core is priced at 39.91 million won (down 7.61 million won), the EX30 Ultra at 44.79 million won (down 7 million won), and the EX30CC Ultra at 48.12 million won (down 7 million won). Volvo Car Korea said the move was intended not only as a pricing decision but also to deepen long-term relationships with existing customers who have chosen and trusted the brand. The company said it will continue to strengthen its value as a premium brand by standing behind the vehicle’s product quality and safety, as well as the ownership experience after purchase. “This achievement reflects a match between customer demand and our global strategy to lead the EV market, built on the EX30’s strong product competitiveness,” Volvo Car Korea CEO Lee Yoon-mo said. He added the company will keep working to deliver what it calls the value of “Swedish luxury” to more customers and help them experience it.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-27 09:54:16

Trump 'open to talk' with North Korean leader, White House says SEOUL, February 27 (AJP) - The U.S. "remains open to dialogue" with North Korea, the White House said on Thursday. Reaffirming that U.S. policy on North Korea remains unchanged, the White House said U.S. President Donald Trump is willing to speak with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "without any preconditions," when asked by reporters about the possibility of talks. The comments came a day after Kim said Pyongyang has "no reason not to get along with the U.S." if Washington withdraws what he called its "hostile policy," during a key party congress that wrapped up its week-long gathering. Kim said, "The prospects for –U.S. relations depend entirely on the attitude of the U.S. side," while making no mention of the South, even as Seoul has repeatedly made conciliatory gestures as part of efforts to improve inter-Korean relations. In this atmosphere, the possibility of talks between Trump and Kim now appears on the horizon, coinciding with Trump's planned trip to China later next month. Trump met Kim three times during his first term - the first in Singapore in June 2018, the second in Hanoi, Viet Nam in February 2019, and the last at the inter-Korean border truce village of Panmunjom in June 2019. 2026-02-27 09:30:03

Hanwha Aerospace Enters Global LNG Trading With 20-Year Venture Global Deal Hanwha Aerospace is entering the global liquefied natural gas distribution business for the first time. The company said Thursday it signed an LNG purchase agreement with Venture Global, a major U.S. LNG producer. Under the deal, Hanwha Aerospace will secure 1.5 million tons of LNG a year for 20 years starting in 2030 and plans to supply it to end users in Europe, Asia and other markets. The annual volume equals about 4.4% of South Korea’s LNG consumption in 2024, which totaled about 34.12 million tons. The agreement is part of the group’s push to build a “global LNG value chain” by combining affiliate capabilities. Hanwha Ocean provides capacity to build LNG carriers and offshore infrastructure such as floating LNG production facilities, or FLNG. Hanwha Energy has LNG power generation and operating capabilities. Hanwha Shipping will handle ocean transport. Hanwha Aerospace said the LNG move is intended to secure a future growth engine and, by strengthening “energy security” capabilities, bolster the global competitiveness of its core defense and shipbuilding businesses. As more countries view energy supply chains as tied to national security, major nations including those in Europe are adopting stable LNG supply as a key security strategy, the company said. Against that backdrop, Hanwha Aerospace said it plans to use LNG as leverage to expand defense exports and, over the long term, strengthen security partnerships with customer countries. It also expects increased LNG carrier orders for Hanwha Ocean. “Defense, shipbuilding and the energy industry are closely linked because they are core elements of national security,” a Hanwha Aerospace official said. “We will contribute to global security through eco-friendly energy solutions that cover production, distribution and use.” Hanwha Aerospace said it has been building an LNG business base in stages. In 2024, it invested about 180 billion won in U.S. LNG company NextDecade. In 2025, it signed a memorandum of understanding with Hanwha Energy and Korea Southern Power to expand the global LNG supply chain.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-27 09:24:18

Park Ji-hoon sheds ‘cute’ image with darker turn in ‘The Man Who Lives With the King’ This series looks back at the works that shaped today’s top stars. “Lee Kun-hee’s Fame” highlights signature projects, scenes and lines that marked their careers. <Editor’s note> Singer-actor Park Ji-hoon, known early on for a boyish charm as a member of Wanna One, is drawing attention for a darker, more intense screen presence. He reached a new turning point with the film “The Man Who Lives With the King,” released on Feb. 4, which he used to showcase his acting range. As of the previous day, the film had drawn a cumulative 6,733,443 admissions, according to the Korean Film Council’s integrated ticketing network, raising expectations it could reach 10 million moviegoers. Though his idol image remains strong, Park is a 21-year acting veteran. He debuted as a child actor in the 2006 MBC drama “Jumong” and has since built a steady résumé across television and film. “Saved in my heart” Park became widely known for the line “Saved in my heart.” On Mnet’s national audition show “Produce 101 Season 2” in 2017, he finished second at age 17 and went on to promote with Wanna One, a group that rose to nationwide popularity. His “Saved in my heart” line, delivered with a cute gesture during the competition, became one of the program’s defining moments and helped make him instantly recognizable to the public. “Don’t cross the line.” Park’s breakthrough as an actor came with the webtoon-based Wavve original “Weak Hero Class 1.” He played Yeon Si-eun, a student consumed by studying but capable of striking back when provoked, and drew notice for a performance that shifted from vulnerability to a cold, controlled intensity. In the Netflix release “Weak Hero Class 2,” Yeon continues as a character who misses his friend Ahn Su-ho (played by Choi Hyun-wook) and becomes entangled in new conflicts after a forced transfer, coming to understand what real friendship means. A scene in Season 2 in which Yeon shouts, “Don’t cross the line,” echoing a Season 1 line — “You shouldn’t cross the line,” said by Ahn as he tried to stop Yeon — stood out to viewers for capturing both Yeon’s charisma and his longing for Ahn, who is in a coma. The “Weak Hero” series not only helped establish Park as an actor but also influenced his casting in “The Man Who Lives With the King.” Director Jang Hang-jun said he wanted to cast Park after watching the series. “His eyes were different from those of an ordinary man in his 20s,” Jang said. “I liked that look — the anger and emotions sunk deep down, as if they could burst at any moment.” “Is it not you?” In “The Man Who Lives With the King,” Park plays the ill-fated King Danjong, who is forced to yield the throne to his uncle, King Sejo, after the Gyeyu Coup, then exiled and ultimately meets a tragic end. For the role, Park lost 15 kilograms, a transformation that drew attention because he was reported to have relied on diet control rather than exercise. The reasoning, according to the report, was that Danjong’s portrayal — refusing food and drink and lacking the will to live — could not convincingly show a muscular physique. Early in the film, Park’s gaze conveys a Danjong who has lost everything, making the character’s occasional flashes of royal authority stand out more sharply. Danjong is not written as a character with many memorable lines, but one scene leaves a clear impression: after making a decision, he asks Eom Heung-do (played by Yoo Hae-jin), “Is it not you?” underscoring how deeply he cares for him. In another moment, when Eom’s son Taesan (played by Kim Min) is threatened, Danjong erupts at the villain Han Myeong-hoe (played by Yoo Ji-tae), saying, “You wretch — how dare you insult the royal family?” Park, once best known for a cute image, has increasingly been recognized for intensity and charisma driven largely through his eyes. He is set to return in the first half of this year as Kang Seong-jae, the lead in the TVING original “Becoming a Legend as a Cook Soldier,” based on a webtoon of the same name. Kang is a private newly assigned to the Gangrim outpost who becomes a cook and accepts a “job-change quest” after following an unfamiliar voice. The role is expected to highlight a softer appeal rather than the forceful charisma seen in his recent work. ◇Park Ji-hoon filmography △Debut: 2006 MBC drama “Jumong” △Selected works 2017 Mnet audition program “Produce 101 Season 2” 2019 JTBC drama “Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency” 2020 KakaoTV drama “Love Revolution” 2022 Wavve original “Weak Hero Class 1” 2025 Netflix original “Weak Hero Class 2” 2026 film “The Man Who Lives With the King” 2026-02-27 09:09:27

T’way Air Expands Customer Outreach With YouTube and Instagram Content T’way Air said Thursday it is strengthening communication with customers through its official YouTube and Instagram channels. The airline is using long-form YouTube videos centered on employee stories to build trust, while focusing Instagram on follower benefits and interactive posts to grow its fan base. On YouTube, T’way Air features documentary-style long-form content in which employees appear on camera to share their work and daily routines. The airline said storytelling based on real workplaces has helped increase viewer engagement and channel growth. As of the end of this month, the channel had about 74,000 subscribers, up 153% from the same period a year earlier. Notable videos include “Vancouver Branch Manager” (400,000 views), “A Day in the Life of the Youngest Employee at Incheon Airport” (380,000), and “Newly Hired Aircraft Mechanic,” about a 30-year veteran taking on a new challenge (160,000). On Instagram, T’way Air said it is reinforcing its follower-focused approach. As of the end of this month, the account had about 210,000 followers, a 17% increase from a year earlier. The airline posts short-form videos offering behind-the-scenes looks and practical information designed to be quickly understood. It recently drew attention by switching the account to private and running an event that offered discount coupons only to followers. During the event, about 17,000 new followers joined, the airline said. Popular Instagram posts include a video on how pilots and cabin crew communicate in flight (1.13 million views), a preflight cabin crew briefing meeting (480,000), and tips on what to do if you lose earphones on board (170,000). “We are building trust with customers by showing the moments they are curious about as they are,” a T’way Air official said. “We will continue to expand empathy and communication with customers through stories that reflect employees’ concerns and pride, along with practical information.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-27 08:54:16

'I Am Solo' Season 16’s Oksun says she is preparing for marriage 'I Am Solo' Season 16 cast member Oksun has shared an update on her life. On the 26th, Oksun wrote on social media, “A lot of people have been asking how I’m doing, so I wanted to share an update,” adding, “It’s not that I’m sick or going through something difficult — I’m preparing for marriage.” She added, “I’ll greet you soon with good news.” In July, Oksun announced she was pregnant and received congratulations, but a month later disclosed that she had miscarried. At the time, she said, “Unfortunately, the precious little life that came to me suddenly returned to the sky,” adding, “I thought I would be OK once I entered a stable period, but because of my carelessness, I’m now going through a very painful and sad time after an unexpected goodbye.” She also asked for understanding, saying, “I would be grateful if you could be generous and watch over me with a warm heart,” and added, “I will try to overcome this hardship and return to you soon with a brighter 모습.” Oksun drew attention after appearing in 2023 on ENA and SBS Plus’ 'I Am Solo' Season 16 divorcee special. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-27 08:48:17

Korean Air Cut Aircraft Carbon Emissions by 420,000 Tons Last Year, Despite More Flights Korean Air said it cut carbon emissions from aircraft operations last year by more than 420,000 metric tons from the previous year, even as it flew more routes. The airline said Feb. 27 that it recently held its “2026 first-quarter Fuel Management Committee” meeting and tallied 12,184,169 metric tons of carbon emissions from its flight operations in 2025. That was down 420,055 tons, or 3.3%, from 12,604,224 tons a year earlier. Korean Air said its total number of domestic and international flights rose about 2.6% in 2025 from the previous year, making the overall emissions decline notable. The company said emissions during flight are calculated by multiplying fuel consumption by a carbon-emissions factor commonly used across the global aviation industry. Korean Air attributed the reduction to tighter fuel management across operations, including deploying newer aircraft, flying more efficient routes, selecting optimal alternate airports for short-haul flights, improving forecasts of passenger baggage and cargo weight, and optimizing aircraft center of gravity. It said it pursued these measures while adhering to its “absolute safety” principle and by strengthening coordination among relevant departments. The airline said it expanded the share of aircraft introduced since 2017 to 41.6% of total flights and reduced emissions by operating more fuel-efficient models such as the Boeing 787-9 and 787-10 and the Airbus A350 and A321neo. It also applied an economically optimal cruising speed in flight planning based on factors including flight time and fuel burn, and optimized fuel loads by more accurately predicting actual payload weight, it said. Korean Air said it has continued working with air traffic control authorities to secure the shortest possible flight paths, reducing actual distance flown, fuel consumption and flight time. It said it prioritized the nearest airport among those meeting safety standards and reduced aircraft weight by optimizing fuel loads. The airline said it minimized use of auxiliary power units on the ground before takeoff and after landing to cut fuel use and emissions, and restored engine performance to improve fuel efficiency. Korean Air said it has also reorganized its companywide operating system to minimize emissions. It runs a fuel-management framework in which all organizations involved in flight operations communicate and cooperate, and it holds quarterly fuel-management committee meetings to review progress and set plans. It said it is also promoting measures to reflect frontline input and encourage voluntary participation, including awards for employees who contribute to emissions reductions and idea contests. To improve efficiency and apply more precise data, the airline said it digitized data previously recorded by hand and introduced artificial intelligence-based data processing. It said the system helps adjust onboard supplies such as drinking water and more precisely analyze and predict variables affecting passenger baggage weight, reducing deviations in baggage-weight estimates. Korean Air said its AI-based baggage-weight prediction was selected as an outstanding AI use case at the SkyTeam-led “2025 Sustainable Flight Challenge,” winning in the “Data Insight & Pioneer” category. “With a cooperative system based on voluntary participation and close communication among employees, we were able to reduce carbon emissions from flight operations,” a Korean Air official said. “This year as well, we plan to continue efforts for sustainable flight, including doing our best to meet our emissions-reduction targets.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-27 08:45:26