2026 F/W Seoul Fashion Week underway at DDP SEOUL, February 06 (AJP) - The 2026 F/W Seoul Fashion Week opened at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Jung-gu, Seoul, on Feb. 3. Running through Feb. 8, the fashion week features fashion shows by 15 brands, a trade show with 92 brands, the Seoul Fashion Forum, and citizen participation programs centered at DDP. Models and the general public freely showcase their fashion around DDP during the fashion week period. Many photographers from across the country also visit DDP to capture fashion during this time. 2026-02-06 17:44:09

Is dialogue in the offing as UN exempts North Korean aid from sanctions? SEOUL, February 6 (AJP) - The U.N. Security Council (UNSC) has decided to exempt a slew of humanitarian aid projects to North Korea from sanctions, multiple diplomatic sources said on Friday. Some 17 such projects, which had been on hold at the UNSC's sanctions committee on North Korea for about a year, were granted exemptions in a unanimous decision on Thursday, which some analysts interpret as Washington extending an olive branch to Pyongyang. The projects, which sought extensions for their previously granted exemptions, include five led by South Korea, four by foreign institutions including U.S.-based private organizations and eight by international bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. With the looming possibility of talks between Washington and Pyongyang, pundits are speculating that U.S. President Donald Trump may seek dialogue with North Korea, coinciding with his upcoming trip to China in April. The exemption comes after a senior South Korean government official reportedly told reporters in Washington the same day, "There will be some new progress in the offing within a few days." But it remains to be seen whether it will bring North Korea to the dialogue table, as the isolated country has been refusing any assistance not only from South Korea but also from international organizations. 2026-02-06 17:36:45

Seoul sells $3 bn in USD bonds, largest sovereign offering since global financial crisis SEOUL, February 06 (AJP) - South Korea on Thursday sold $3 billion in U.S. dollar-denominated bonds in its largest single sovereign offering since the aftermath of global financial crisis, building up the ammunition to defend the local currency while the debt environment remains favorable. According to the Ministry of Economy and Finance on Friday, the government issued $3 billion in foreign exchange stabilization bonds in two tranches: $1 billion in three-year notes and $2 billion in five-year bonds. The three-year papers were priced at 3.683 percent, or nine basis points above comparable U.S. Treasuries, while the five-year notes carried a yield of 3.915 percent, or 12 basis points over benchmark Treasuries. The deal marks the largest sovereign dollar bond issuance since April 2009, when Seoul raised $3 billion in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. Foreign exchange stabilization bond issuance has historically increased during periods of won weakness. The latest offering reflects the government’s increasingly firm stance on defending the currency. As of Friday, the won closed at 1,469.5 per dollar, surpassing its monthly average, under pressure from a strong greenback and persistent foreign capital outflows. The issuance is also aimed at replenishing foreign currency reserves. South Korea spent a total of $4.75 billion between December 2025 and January 2026 to stabilize the won, an unusually aggressive intervention by global standards. Most major economies typically build reserves toward year-end to meet capital adequacy requirements under the Bank for International Settlements framework. Korea, however, was the only major economy to substantially draw down dollar reserves in December. Reserves Decline Despite Record Surplus The reserve trend has raised concerns among policymakers. The Bank of Korea said Friday that despite recording its largest-ever current account surplus in 2025, foreign exchange reserves fell by $4.44 billion over the year. The central bank also confirmed this week that it had renewed its foreign exchange swap arrangement with the National Pension Service, highlighting ongoing efforts to secure dollar liquidity. Officials said the bond sale was driven in part by growing risks from external shocks, particularly amid prolonged trade tensions with the United States. On Jan. 27, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 25 percent tariff hike on South Korean automobiles, citing delays in related legislation. The measure took effect this week. The finance ministry said it had “preemptively expanded foreign exchange reserves, which serve as an external safety valve, amid heightened uncertainties such as tariffs,” signaling that trade risks were a key factor behind the issuance. Geopolitical uncertainties were also considered, including instability in Venezuela and Iran and the prolonged war in Ukraine, all of which continue to weigh on global markets. The narrow spreads achieved in the latest sale point to Korea’s improved credit standing. During the 2009 financial crisis, spreads on 10-year Korean sovereign bonds surged to more than 430 basis points. After the 1998 IMF bailout, they exceeded 350 basis points. By contrast, the current spread of around 10 basis points over U.S. Treasuries is comparable to that of top-rated advanced economies and major international institutions. “This demonstrates that the so-called ‘Korea discount’ is steadily disappearing in the global sovereign bond market,” the ministry said. Foreign investor demand for Korean debt has strengthened further ahead of Korea’s scheduled inclusion in the World Government Bond Index between April and November. 2026-02-06 17:27:46

Woori, BNK and iM post profit gains and boost shareholder returns Woori Financial Group said it posted near-record results as noninterest income rose, offsetting one-time costs. BNK Financial Group and iM Financial Group also reported improved earnings on more diversified revenue, and all three financial holding companies moved to strengthen shareholder-return policies. Woori said on Thursday it earned 3.1413 trillion won in net profit last year, up 1.8% from a year earlier, marking a second straight year above 3 trillion won. The company avoided a profit decline even after booking a 51.5 billion won provision tied to a fine related to alleged loan-to-value ratio collusion; excluding that, the result was effectively a record, it said. Noninterest income rose 25% from a year earlier, reflecting the launch of Woori Investment & Securities and the impact of acquiring Tongyang Life Insurance. BNK said it earned 815 billion won in net profit last year, up 11.9% from a year earlier and the highest since 2021. With interest-income growth slowing, net profit at nonbank units such as BNK Capital and BNK Investment & Securities rose about 30% from a year earlier, supporting the overall result. iM said its 2025 net profit attributable to controlling shareholders totaled 443.9 billion won, up 106.6% from a year earlier. Profit expanded as credit-loss costs at nonbank affiliates eased and profitability recovered at key subsidiaries including iM Securities. The stronger earnings were followed by bigger shareholder payouts. Woori set its cash dividend payout ratio at 31.8%, topping 30% for the first time, and said its effective shareholder return ratio reached 39.8% using tax-exempt dividend resources. Its common equity Tier 1 ratio improved 80 basis points from a year earlier to 12.9%. Woori also plans to expand share buybacks and cancellations this year to 200 billion won, up 33% from a year earlier. BNK decided on a cash dividend of 735 won per share and said it will also carry out share buybacks and cancellations. iM’s board approved a cash dividend of 700 won per common share, up 40% from a year earlier, putting its total shareholder return ratio at a record 38.8%. It also plans to buy back and cancel 40 billion won worth of shares in the first half of 2026. “The key point in this earnings season is that they proved their commitment to shareholder returns with numbers,” a financial industry official said. As value-up plans become more concrete, the official said, financial stocks that had long been undervalued may have a chance to be priced more fairly by the market.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-06 17:27:43

Soaring Gold and Silver Prices Push Milan-Cortina Olympic Medals to Record Metal Value The athletes who step onto the podium at the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics will take home honor — and what is being described as the most expensive medals ever, driven by a global surge in gold and silver prices. CNN reported on Feb. 5 local time that more than 700 gold, silver and bronze medals are expected to be awarded across events including skiing, ice hockey, figure skating and curling. While the symbolic value of a medal cannot be priced, CNN said the metal value alone is at a record high. The jump reflects a sharp rise in precious-metals prices. According to financial data provider FactSet, since the Paris Olympics in July 2024, spot gold has risen about 107% and spot silver about 200%. As a result, a Winter Olympics gold medal is valued at about US$2,300 (about 3.38 million won), and a silver medal at about US$1,400 (about 2.06 million won). That is more than double the Paris 2024 level for gold medals and more than triple for silver medals. Italy’s state mint made the gold medals using recycled metals. Although they appear gold, they are filled with pure silver. Under International Olympic Committee rules, gold medals must be based on at least 92.5% pure silver and plated with at least 6 grams of gold. For this Games, the gold medal is made with 500 grams of 99.9% silver and plated with 6 grams of gold, for a total weight of 506 grams. By contrast, the raw-material value of a bronze medal — made with about 420 grams of copper — is about US$5.60 (about 7,500 won) each. Analysts expect precious-metals prices to remain strong, which could push medal values higher in future Olympics. Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Denmark-based investment bank Saxo Bank, said demand is likely to hold up given geopolitical uncertainty and rising government debt. He predicted medals for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will be much more expensive than those for Milan. Still, medals are not valued only by their metal content. CNN noted that Olympic medals can sell for far more as collectibles, citing a 1912 Stockholm Olympics gold medal that sold for US$26,000 (38.22 million won) in 2015. CNN added, however, that most Olympic medals are never sold. 2026-02-06 17:21:00

KAI Signs 101.4 Billion Won FA-50PH Performance-Based Logistics Deal With Philippines 한국항공우주산업(KAI)는 6일 필리핀 국방부와 전투기 FA-50PH에 대한 성과기반군수지원(PBL) 계약을 체결했다고 밝혔다. 계약 규모는 약 1,014억원이며 계약 기간은 2028년까지다. KAI는 이번 PBL이 항공기 가동률과 정비 신뢰도 등 운용 성과를 기준으로 군수 지원을 제공하는 방식이라고 설명했다. KAI는 이를 항공기 수명주기인 30~40년 동안 안정적인 지원 체계를 구축하는 선진 군수지원 방식으로 소개했다. KAI는 2024년 12월 필리핀과 약 270억원 규모의 1년 단기 PBL 시범 계약을 체결한 바 있다. KAI는 이후 기술력을 인정받아 이번 3년 장기 계약으로 이어졌다고 밝혔다. KAI는 항공기 후속지원이 항공기 획득비의 2~5배에 달하는 핵심 사업이라고 덧붙였다. 필리핀은 KAI의 대표적인 FA-50 운용국으로 분류된다. 필리핀은 2014년 FA-50PH 12대를 처음 도입한 이후 약 10년간 후속지원과 군수지원을 받아 왔다고 KAI는 밝혔다. KAI는 이러한 신뢰를 바탕으로 필리핀이 지난해 FA-50PH 12대를 추가 도입했고, 2014년에 수출된 기존 FA-50PH에 대한 성능 개량 사업도 연이어 계약했다고 전했다. 박경은 KAI CS본부장(전무)은 "국산 항공기를 운용 중이거나 운용을 예정하고 있는 모든 국가들 대상으로 국가별 운용 환경과 요구에 최적화된 맞춤형 후속지원 체계를 구축해 나갈 것"이라고 말했다. 2026-02-06 17:18:00

BTS Comeback D-43: How songs come to reshape Korea's global image SEOUL, February 06 (AJP) - When a government survey on South Korea’s global image is released each year, the top name rarely changes. Once again, BTS ranked first in the “2025 National Image Survey of Korea” released late last month by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The ranking itself is familiar. What is changing is what it represents. Jungkook placed sixth overall — the highest among solo artists — while online reactions framed the results less as news than as confirmation. On X, fans repeated the phrase “national treasure.” Facebook fan pages described the outcome as long-overdue recognition. The responses suggest that BTS’s influence has moved beyond novelty. It now operates as part of South Korea’s cultural infrastructure — stable, predictable and deeply embedded. The broader survey found that Korean cultural content — including K-pop, dramas and films — remains the strongest factor shaping foreigners’ views of South Korea. For many overseas audiences, entertainment has become the country’s primary point of entry. External studies reinforce the pattern. The Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange reported in its 2024 Overseas Hallyu Survey that regular exposure to Korean content increases favorability toward Korea and strengthens interest in visiting. The Korea Culture and Tourism Institute found similar links between cultural consumption, trust in Korean brands and purchasing behavior. In practical terms, liking Korean music increasingly leads to choosing Korean destinations, products and platforms. One of the clearest signs of that shift appears in language learning. In 2024, The New York Times reported that Duolingo recorded a 22 percent year-on-year rise in Korean learners in the United States. Many learners cite BTS as their starting point. Fans often say they began studying Korean to follow livestreams or understand lyrics without subtitles. Over time, that curiosity expanded to dramas, interviews and historical content. Interest, in many cases, moves from consumption to participation. In 2021, BTS’s Korean-language address at the United Nations General Assembly symbolized that shift — presenting Korean not as a niche cultural language, but as a global medium. For long-time fans, the transformation has unfolded gradually. Some describe pride in “growing up” alongside the group, watching both BTS and Korean culture gain confidence on the global stage. Others say the group’s discipline and longevity became a personal source of motivation. As the 2026 comeback approaches, those reflections are resurfacing online, with fans revisiting past milestones and tracing how their own engagement has evolved. At the 2025 APEC CEO Summit, RM noted that a decade earlier, few would have expected Korean-language songs to command worldwide attention — a reminder of how quickly the landscape has shifted. The cultural ecosystem surrounding BTS now extends well beyond pop. Hwang Eun-soon, director of the Cheongju National Museum, has said the institution plans to develop exhibitions that connect traditional metal culture with contemporary perspectives — reflecting a wider effort to reinterpret heritage for new audiences. BTS’s decision to incorporate “Arirang” into their comeback fits this trajectory. Tradition is not presented as a museum piece, but as material that can circulate through modern platforms. National image rarely changes overnight. It is shaped through repetition, familiarity and trust. The annual survey, where BTS continues to rank first, captures that accumulation. What began as global curiosity has matured into routine engagement — visible in language classrooms, tourism data and consumer habits. As March 21 approaches, BTS’s return highlights not just another comeback, but a cultural system that has learned how to sustain influence over time — quietly, consistently and at scale. 2026-02-06 17:15:14

Weverse hits record growth as BTS and BLACKPINK return to global stage SEOUL, February 06 (AJP) - The return of K-pop’s most influential acts, BTS and BLACKPINK, has fueled a significant surge in user engagement for Weverse, the global fan community platform. According to the 2025 Weverse Fandom Trend report released on February 6, the platform reached several new milestones in user growth and activity over the past year. The resurgence was most visible following the military discharge of BTS members in June last year. New followers for the group’s community spiked by over 300 percent compared to the previous month, with the total follower count surpassing 30 million in July. Similarly, BLACKPINK became the first girl group on the platform to exceed 10 million followers in January. The group also recorded the highest digital product sales on the platform following the announcement of their latest world tour. Driven by these major names, Weverse reported a monthly active user count of over 12 million. The platform now hosts 178 different artists and recorded 200 million viewers for its live streaming service, Weverse Live, with cumulative views reaching 1 billion. User retention also improved, with the average monthly time spent on the app rising to 263 minutes, up from 237 minutes the previous year. The platform’s growth extends well beyond South Korean acts. KATSEYE, a girl group formed through a joint venture between HYBE and Geffen Records, saw its average Weverse Live viewership grow by 490 percent, with its community surpassing 2 million members. The Japan-based boy group &TEAM also maintained high engagement, conducting 199 live broadcasts over the year. Weverse further noted a significant expansion in Latin America, where sales of digital products surged by more than 700 percent. Weverse, launched in 2019, is the flagship service of Weverse Company, a subsidiary of HYBE. HYBE is the South Korean entertainment giant behind BTS and houses multiple labels including Pledis Entertainment, ADOR, and Source Music. While initially focused on HYBE’s own roster, the platform has evolved into a global ecosystem by integrating artists from rival agencies and international labels. This includes major Western artists such as Ariana Grande and Conan Gray, as well as Japanese acts like YOASOBI and AKB48. The report highlighted that fans are increasingly evolving into "super fans" through active communication tools such as Weverse DM and digital memberships. Large-scale communities with over 3 million members increased from five in 2024 to nine last year, while total merchandise sales through Weverse Shop rose from 20.6 million to 25.2 million items. Weverse stated that the platform has proven to be a space where fans can discover and expand the joy of fandom activities tailored to their own preferences. The company plans to continue focusing on the fandom experience to allow fans to interact more deeply with artists. 2026-02-06 17:13:35

LG Energy Solution to Buy Stellantis Stake, Take Full Control of NextStar Energy LG Energy Solution said Thursday it will convert its Canadian joint venture with Stellantis, NextStar Energy, into a wholly owned subsidiary by acquiring Stellantis’ 49% stake. NextStar Energy began producing batteries for energy storage systems, or ESS, in late November. LG Energy Solution said it plans to run the Canadian plant this year as a production hub to target the North American ESS market. The company is expected to benefit from improved profitability because it will receive investment subsidies from the Canadian government on its own, as well as subsidies equivalent to the U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit, or AMPC. LG Energy Solution said the two companies will keep their partnership intact after the deal. Stellantis will continue to receive electric vehicle batteries from the Canadian plant as previously planned even after selling its stake. With the acquisition, LG Energy Solution will operate three ESS production bases in North America, following its plants in Holland and Lansing, Michigan. It plans to nearly double ESS production capacity by the end of this year to 60 gigawatt-hours globally, including more than 50 GWh in North America. NextStar Energy is in stable mass production and plans to more than double ESS battery output this year. Chief Executive Officer Kim Dong Myung said the Canadian site strengthens the company’s growth foundation in North America. “We will not only respond quickly to surging ESS demand, but also secure additional North America-based customers and build our position to play a key role in the EV industry,” he said. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-06 16:54:00

BTS, ENHYPEN, and SEVENTEEN lead Parrot Analytics global demand rankings for 2025 SEOUL, February 06 (AJP) - BTS has been named the most popular act in the global entertainment market for 2025, according to a year-end report from Parrot Analytics. The group spearheaded a dominant year for the South Korean entertainment giant HYBE, with labelmates ENHYPEN and SEVENTEEN also securing spots within the top 10. The 2025 annual report, "What Audiences Loved in 2025," ranked BTS at the top of the "Talents of the Year Under 30" category. ENHYPEN took second place, while SEVENTEEN followed at number eight. These rankings are based on "Average Demand," a standardized metric developed by Parrot Analytics to quantify audience attention. Unlike traditional charts that focus solely on sales or streams, this data captures a wide range of engagement signals—including social media activity, search engine queries, and fan research—to measure the total global demand for a specific artist or brand. Parrot Analytics noted that BTS remained a focal point of global interest throughout 2025. Despite a period of limited group activities, the group saw repeated spikes in demand driven by the annual "BTS FESTA" and various solo projects from individual members. The report suggested that the group has reached a level of fame where its brand functions as a permanent piece of cultural infrastructure. ENHYPEN's high ranking was attributed to its successful transition to larger global venues. Following a performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the group launched its "WALK THE LINE" world tour, which consisted of 29 shows across 18 cities. According to data from the tour, the group drew approximately 676,000 attendees, including its encore performances in South Korea. SEVENTEEN also saw significant commercial success, with its fifth studio album, "HAPPY BURSTDAY," peaking at number two on the Billboard 200. The group's tour activities attracted more than 1.26 million fans across 38 performances worldwide. Its 10th-anniversary event, "B-DAY PARTY," saw over 352,000 visitors attend a special exhibition and solo stage at Seoul's Jamsu Bridge and Banpo Hangang Park. The report concluded that K-pop artists are leading a shift in the global market toward consumption models driven by digital culture and highly active fandoms. Following this period of sustained global demand, BTS is scheduled to return to the stage as a full group on March 21. The comeback performance, titled "BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG," will take place at 8 p.m. at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul. The event marks the release of the group's new 14-track album, "ARIRANG," which arrives on March 20. According to BigHit Music and reports from Netflix, the concert will be broadcast live to more than 190 countries, marking the first time a live solo concert from South Korea has been streamed globally on the platform. 2026-02-06 16:49:20