SK Innovation selected to develop $2.3 bln LNG power project in Vietnam SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) - SK Innovation has been selected as the developer of a $2.3 billion liquefied natural gas power project in northern Vietnam, marking a significant step in the South Korean energy company's push to expand its global LNG footprint. The project, located in the Quynh Lap area of Nghe An province, about 220 kilometers south of Hanoi, calls for the construction of a 1,500-megawatt combined-cycle gas power plant, a 250,000-cubic-meter LNG terminal, and a dedicated seaport. SK Innovation is developing the project through a consortium with Vietnamese state-owned power producer PV Power and local firm NASU. Construction is slated to begin in 2027, with the terminal and power plant targeted for completion by 2030. The Quynh Lap project drew competitive interest from the outset — companies from South Korea, Japan, and Qatar cleared preliminary screening when the project was first tendered in 2024, with the formal developer selection process launched in January this year. "This selection proves that SK's unrivaled LNG value chain competitiveness resonates in the global market," an SK Innovation official said, adding that the company aims to address Vietnam's chronic power shortages while spurring regional economic growth in Nghe An province. Vietnam has long grappled with electricity deficits driven by rapid industrialization and population growth, with its grid heavily reliant on coal and hydropower. SK Innovation said it plans to use LNG as a bridging fuel before transitioning to carbon-free power sources over the long term. The company aims to leverage the Quynh Lap project as a springboard to replicate its model across Vietnam, building what it calls an "energy-industry cluster" network. SK Innovation is targeting a global LNG portfolio of 10 million tons per year by 2030, up from its current annual volume of about 6 million tons. The deal comes amid sluggish last year results. SK Innovation disclosed last month that its consolidated revenue rose 8.2 percent year-on-year to 80.29 trillion won ($55.32 billion) in 2025, while operating profit climbed 25.8 percent to 448.1 billion won. However, the company swung to a net loss of 5.41 trillion won, a 127.9 percent deterioration from the prior year, prompting the company to forgo dividend payments. The company attributed the bottom-line weakness to sluggish off-season performance at its E&S unit and softening profitability in its battery business, which offset the benefits of firm refining margins and solid results from its lubricants segment. Stocks of SK Innovation traded at 116,900 won ($80.55) on 11:30 a.m., 2.72 percent higher from the previous session. 2026-02-19 11:38:15

South Korean citizens proposed for Nobel Peace Prize for defending democracy SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) - South Korean citizens have been proposed for the Nobel Peace Prize for defending democracy by stopping former disgraced President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law debacle in 2024. A group of professors led by Kim Eui-young at Seoul National University submitted a recommendation to the Norwegian Nobel Committee last month, proposing the citizens collectively as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. The group includes Pablo Oñate, a professor at the University of Valencia and former president of the International Political Science Association (IPSA); David Farrell, a professor at the University College Dublin and former president of the European Political Science Association (EPSA); and Azul Aguiar, a professor at the University of Guadalajara and president of the Latin American Political Science Association. Sharing the news on X, formerly Twitter, earlier this week, Lee said, "get it done." He added, "It was possible because this is , a great nation of great people that will stand as a model in human history." The committee, which oversees the annual prize, accepted nominations by the end of last month, with its shortlisted candidates to be announced in early March. The final winner will be decided in October. On Dec. 3 last year, marking the first anniversary of Yoon's botched declaration of martial law, Lee said in an address to the nation that South Koreans deserved the prize. He added that such a recognition would be a "major turning point" for countries shaken by conflict and division, while demonstrating the strength of democracy and promoting peace. 2026-02-19 11:20:59

Seollal hangover lingers as business returns to normal SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) -Business resumed across the country following the long-weekend Lunar New Year holiday, as scenes from a traditional festival in central Seoul offered a final glimpse of the season’s festive mood. The 2026 Namsangol Seollal Festival, themed “Welcoming the Year with Blessings of the Horse,” was held from Feb. 16 to 18 at Namsangol Hanok Village in Jung District, Seoul. On Feb. 17, the day of the Lunar New Year, organizers hosted a rice cake soup sharing event, marking one of the holiday’s most symbolic moments. A total of 600 servings of tteokguk were offered free of charge to visitors. Tteokguk, the representative New Year’s dish made by simmering thinly sliced rice cakes in rich beef broth, symbolizes the gaining of a year in age and wishes for prosperity. Participants shared warm bowls of soup while reflecting on the meaning of the holiday. Throughout the festival, traditional cultural programs were operated, including Seollal-themed quizzes and explanations of ancestral rite tables. Performances blending yeonhui (traditional folk performance), b-boy dance, pansori and taekwondo demonstrations drew crowds, offering a modern reinterpretation of Korean heritage. Hands-on activities — such as making horse-shaped soap, mother-of-pearl crafts, rice cakes and practicing traditional New Year bows — attracted families to the venue. Visitors also enjoyed folk games set up across the hanok village, embracing the festive atmosphere as the new year began. As offices reopened and daily routines resumed after the holiday break, the festival served as a quiet bridge between tradition and the return to normal life — a final reminder of Seollal’s spirit before the pace of the city fully picked up again. 2026-02-19 11:06:34

Seoul indices turbocharged after three-day break, hit another milestone SEOUL, Feb. 19 (AJP) – Seoul bourses returned from a three-day Lunar New Year break on Thursday with strong gains, fueled by robust demand for technology and chip shares amid signs of easing U.S. inflation. U.S. January consumer prices rose 2.4 percent year on year, the slowest pace in eight months. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, increased 2.5 percent, marking its lowest rise since March 2021. Nvidia climbed 1.63 percent overnight after reports that Meta Platforms agreed to purchase millions of its latest-generation graphics processing units. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose 0.96 percent. Softer inflation data and sustained artificial intelligence-related demand lifted risk appetite across Asian markets at the open. The benchmark KOSPI jumped more than 2 percent in early trading, breaking the 5,600 mark just a week after surpassing its previous three-digit milestone. As of 10:27 a.m., the index stood at 5,643.80, up 2.49 percent, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ advanced 3.24 percent to 1,141.73. The Korean won strengthened slightly, trading at 1,451.60 per dollar, up 1.80 won from the previous session. Investor flows were mixed. Individual and foreign investors sold a net 92.7 billion won ($64 million) and 321.7 billion won, respectively, while institutions bought a net 362.2 billion won. Heavyweight semiconductor stocks led the rally. As of 9:58 a.m., Samsung Electronics surged 5.08 percent to 190,400 won, while SK hynix gained 1.93 percent to 897,000 won. Battery maker LG Energy Solution rose 0.51 percent to 397,000 won. Financial and biotech shares also advanced. Samsung Life Insurance climbed 3.16 percent to 212,000 won, and Samsung Biologics added 0.99 percent to 1,727,000 won. Automakers extended gains, with Hyundai Motor up 0.50 percent and affiliate Kia rising 2.50 percent to 168,200 won. Defense-related stocks strengthened, led by Hanwha Aerospace, which rose 3.17 percent to 1,140,000 won. Shipbuilders outperformed the broader market. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries jumped 7.37 percent to 583,000 won, while Hanwha Ocean surged 9.55 percent to 142,200 won. Elsewhere in the region, Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 0.78 percent to 57,587.67. Hong Kong markets are set to reopen on Friday, while Shanghai will resume trading on Feb. 24. 2026-02-19 11:02:23

SK Innovation Picked to Develop $2.3 Billion Vietnam LNG Power Project SK Innovation has been selected to develop a large liquefied natural gas power project in Vietnam with a total cost of about $2.3 billion (about 3.3 trillion won), marking a push to expand its global LNG business. According to industry officials on Thursday, a consortium formed by SK Innovation and SK Innovation E&S with PV Power, a power-generation unit under Vietnam’s state-owned oil and gas group PVN, and Vietnamese company NASU was chosen by the government of Nghe An province as the developer of the Quynh Lap LNG power project. The project will build, in the Quynh Lap area of Nghe An province about 220 kilometers south of Hanoi, a 1,500-megawatt combined-cycle gas power plant, a 250,000-cubic-meter LNG terminal and a dedicated port. SK Innovation said it will carry out the project with PV Power and NASU, aiming to start construction in 2027 and complete the terminal and power plant in 2030. The initial tender in 2024 drew major global companies from South Korea, Japan and Qatar that passed a preliminary review. The developer selection process then proceeded in January for those that cleared the screening. SK said it is also considering expanding the LNG terminal into a hub that supplies gas to nearby power plants. The company said using the terminal as a hub would improve efficiency, shorten the project timeline and help ensure timely energy supply, aligning with Vietnam’s power development plan focused on integrated energy infrastructure and regional industrial growth. Vietnam, facing chronic power shortages amid rapid industrialization and population growth, relies heavily on coal and hydropower. SK Innovation proposed meeting near-term electricity demand with LNG and pursuing a longer-term shift to carbon-free power sources, a plan it said matches the Vietnamese government’s direction for stable, low-carbon energy supply. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won visited Vietnam in February last year and met with General Secretary Lam. At the time, a plan was also discussed to support high value-added industries near the LNG plant by leveraging SK Group capabilities in areas such as AI and semiconductors, described as an “energy-industry cluster” model aimed at contributing to Vietnam’s economic growth and stable energy supply. SK Innovation said the selection is its first case of applying overseas the LNG value-chain model it completed as the first private company in South Korea. The company said it plans to use the Quynh Lap project as a foothold to expand the proven model across Vietnam. “This selection is a major achievement that proves SK’s unmatched LNG value-chain competitiveness works in the global market,” an SK Innovation official said. “Working with the Nghe An provincial government, we will help address Vietnam’s power shortages while also supporting regional economic development.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-19 10:57:23

'The Man Who Lives With the King' Tops Lunar New Year Box Office, Passes 4 Million Admissions The period drama “The Man Who Lives With the King” led South Korea’s Lunar New Year holiday box office, setting the year’s top attendance mark so far. According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated ticketing network, the film, directed by Jang Hang-jun, drew 2,675,454 moviegoers from Feb. 13 (Fri) to Feb. 18 (Wed). Its cumulative total reached 4,174,928, holding the No. 1 spot for seven straight days. On Feb. 17, the day after Lunar New Year’s Day, it attracted 661,449 admissions in a single day, the highest daily holiday figure since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020. The film crossed 4 million admissions on Feb. 18, its 15th day in theaters. That pace was two days faster than “The King and the Clown,” the first period drama to reach 10 million admissions, and “Zombie Daughter,” the top-grossing film of 2025, both of which hit the milestone on their 17th day. Set in Cheongnyeongpo in 1457, the story follows a village chief (played by Yoo Hae-jin) who volunteers to live at an exile site to revive his community, and a young deposed king (played by Park Ji-hoon). Spy action film “Humint,” set in Vladivostok, also gained momentum, surpassing 1 million cumulative admissions on the afternoon of Feb. 17. Total theater attendance from Feb. 13 (Fri) to Feb. 18 (Wed) reached about 4.52 million. Observers said “The Man Who Lives With the King” drew family audiences with an emotional narrative, while “Humint” delivered genre thrills, together boosting holiday moviegoing. A theater official said this year’s holiday season marked a full return of momentum for Korean films, led by “The Man Who Lives With the King” and “Humint,” after last year’s holiday box office was dominated by foreign releases. The official added that the traditional period drama’s fast run showed “the strength of Korean cinema and a new signal of hope,” and said the results reminded audiences why they return to theaters and “the essential value” of the big-screen experience. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-19 10:57:00

Toss to End Fractional Investment Service After Three Years, Citing Profit Limits Toss is shutting down its fractional investment-linked service after operating it for about three years, despite the sector’s move into the regulated financial system. The decision reflects a broader assessment of market size and profitability, industry officials said. According to the financial industry on the 19th, Viva Republica, the operator of Toss, will end the fractional investing service in its app starting on the 21st. Toss launched the service in the first half of 2023 and has since brokered related products. It did not issue or manage the products itself, instead introducing or linking offerings from partner firms on its platform. Fractional investing refers to products that split underlying assets into multiple shares so many investors can invest together. The assets can include physical items such as gold, real estate and art, as well as revenue rights tied to copyrights or energy projects. Toss has featured products tied to gold, exchange-traded funds and real estate, along with less common assets such as copyrights, renewable energy, calves and art. But the market cooled quickly, with delays in formal regulation cited as a key factor. Financial authorities announced plans in early 2023 to build rules for new securities businesses such as fractional investing, but related bills only recently passed the National Assembly. On Jan. 15, lawmakers approved amendments to the Act on Electronic Registration of Stocks and Bonds and the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act, a process that took about three years. During that period, momentum weakened. Some operators scaled back or exited, and new product launches fell sharply. Toss’ service was also run in a limited way through specific partners, and there have been no recent new public offerings. Even after regulation, industry participants say conditions remain challenging. On Feb. 13, the Financial Services Commission granted preliminary approval to two exchanges — the NXT consortium and KDX — to handle over-the-counter trading of fractional investment securities. The NXT consortium is led by alternative trading platform Nextrade (NXT) as its largest shareholder, while KDX is a consortium led by the Korea Exchange. With distribution channels likely limited to those exchanges for now, market expansion could be constrained. For a platform operator like Toss, it may be difficult to generate meaningful revenue with a simple referral model under that structure, given the relatively small issuance size of individual products and a narrower investor base than in stock or crypto markets. Analysts said that even as rules are being finalized, the business is entering a transition period that is forcing strategic changes. A Toss official said the company decided to end the service in its current form after reviewing regulatory changes and the business structure. The official added that the fractional investing market is being reshaped as legal and institutional frameworks are completed and distribution and issuance structures are reorganized, and that Toss will closely monitor conditions before deciding whether to pursue a new approach. 2026-02-19 10:45:00

MAN Truck & Bus Korea Holds 2026 Sales and CSM Conference in Cheongju MAN Truck & Bus Korea said it held its “2026 Sales & CSM Conference” on Feb. 11 in Cheongju. The company said the event was designed to mark the start of its 25th year since establishing its Korean unit, review last year’s results and share key tasks for this year. About 160 people attended, including President Peter Andersson, employees, representatives from sales branches and service centers nationwide, and officials from MAN Financial Services. Under the motto “Stronger Together,” the conference reviewed last year’s performance and shared 2026 strategic directions and major tasks across core areas including products, services and finance. The company also held internal networking sessions aimed at strengthening coordination and collaboration. MAN Truck said it surpassed cumulative sales of 15,000 units last year despite a challenging market, which it said demonstrated strong brand competitiveness. It said it strengthened its lineup with new products tailored to the Korean market and announced its “MAN CORE 360” strategy. The company also focused on service capabilities by opening a company-run service center in Busan, launching the “MyMAN Korea” mobile app, and running “MAN Service Day,” a free on-site inspection program. This year, the company said it will continue to develop customer-focused business activities by expanding customer participation programs such as total cost of ownership reduction initiatives and test-drive events. It also plans to pursue the opening of a service center in Icheon and to improve service quality through skills development and structured training under its Ausbildung program. The engine division plans to strengthen its position in marine and energy engines with new engines that apply gas-engine technology and solutions based on MAN Smart Hybrid, the company said. An awards ceremony was also held to recognize top-performing sales staff and service centers from last year. Awards were presented in 21 categories, including top overall sales, top sales by product, highest year-over-year growth in sales, best CXI (customer experience index) service center, and best SSD (service site development) service center. MAN Truck also held a special event to support 18 trainees starting the eighth class of its German-style vocational training program, Ausbildung. The program combines on-the-job training with classroom instruction to develop skilled technical workers. MAN Truck said it has selected a total of 124 trainees since 2018, after signing a business agreement with the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “Over the past 25 years, MAN Truck’s development in the Korean market has been possible thanks to the dedication of our employees across sales, service and headquarters, and our customers’ continued trust,” Andersson said. “This year, we will expand our activities in Korea by introducing new products and services and strengthen customer-centered business solutions.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-19 10:39:00

Jeju Air Says Holiday Pet Passengers Rose Up to 26% Jeju Air said the number of passengers flying with pets during major holiday breaks rose by as much as 26% compared with typical periods. The airline said Thursday that about 18,200 passengers flew with pets last year, averaging about 1,500 a month. During holiday periods such as Lunar New Year and Chuseok, and during the August summer vacation season, the figure climbed as much as 26.6% to about 1,900. Jeju Air said pet-travel bookings this month have topped about 2,000. On Feb. 14, the day the holiday travel period began in earnest, 120 passengers flew with pets. The airline attributed the increase to the growing number of “pet parents” who consider animals part of the family and travel with them during holidays and vacations. Jeju Air limits in-cabin pets to six per flight, with a maximum weight of 9 kilograms, including the carrier. Its pet transport service, which assigns a dedicated seat, costs 25,000 won on domestic routes and 70,000 to 100,000 won on international routes depending on the itinerary. The airline said travelers taking pets overseas should carefully check country-specific rules, required documents and vaccination timelines. A Jeju Air official said the company’s pet membership offers unlimited annual pet travel and perks such as an extra 5 kilograms of checked baggage, providing “essential services” at a lower cost. 2026-02-19 10:24:00

Cheonwoo Motors Wins Lexus Korea’s 2025 Best Dealer Award for Fifth Time Lexus authorized dealer Cheonwoo Motors was named “Best Dealer” at the “2025 Lexus Dealer Convention” selected by Lexus Korea, held on Feb. 10. The honor marked Cheonwoo Motors’ fifth win, the most among Lexus’ eight dealer groups. Cheonwoo Motors first won in 2009 and has since received the award in 2019, 2020, 2023 and 2025. The company said the recognition followed strong results in Lexus Korea’s annual internal evaluation based on objective criteria. Cheonwoo Motors attributed the performance to customer care built around the idea that “the sale is not the end, but the beginning.” The company said it has worked to stay connected with customers after delivery by running invitation programs such as golf, horseback riding, baseball and billiards lessons, as well as a camping festival, to boost retention. CEO Jung Se-rim said the fifth award reflects efforts beyond sales. “This fifth win is the result of Cheonwoo’s work to move beyond simply selling more cars and to delight each customer by meeting their car-life needs,” Jung said. “We will continue to pursue change, improvement and new challenges.” 2026-02-19 10:19:11