Ryu Hyun-jin retires from national team after WBC as Korea loses to Dominican Republic SEOUL, March 14 (AJP) - South Korean ace Ryu Hyun-jin will retire from international baseball after the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), bringing an end to a national team career that spanned two decades. Ryu started for South Korea in the WBC quarterfinal against the Dominican Republic at loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, on Friday, pitching 1⅔ innings. He threw 40 pitches and allowed three hits and two walks while striking out one batter and giving up three runs. South Korea was overpowered by the Dominican lineup and fell 10–0 in a seven-inning mercy-rule defeat. “It’s disappointing, very disappointing,” Ryu said after the game. “I should have given our fielders more time to settle in, but I couldn’t do that.” He added that the experience would still benefit younger players on the team. “It will be a valuable lesson for the younger players who had the chance to compete on a big stage,” he said. Born in 1987, Ryu treated the tournament as his final appearance for the national team. He was first selected for the national squad shortly after making his professional debut in 2006 and went on to become one of the central figures of South Korean baseball in international competitions. He represented South Korea in major tournaments including the 2006 Doha Asian Games, the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2009 WBC. At the Beijing Olympics, Ryu delivered a memorable performance by throwing a 126-pitch shutout against Canada, helping South Korea secure the gold medal. In the 2009 WBC, he contributed as both a starter and reliever as South Korea finished runner-up. After moving to Major League Baseball in 2013, injuries including elbow and shoulder surgeries limited his participation in international events. However, at the request of the national team, he returned to wear the Taegeuk mark again for the first time in 16 years and made his WBC comeback after 17 years. Ryu had prepared the game against the Dominican Republic as his final appearance for the national team. “I hope today becomes a starting point for younger players to step up and lead the team going forward,” he said. 2026-03-14 15:06:44

PM Kim says Trump asked if Kim Jong-un wants talks with U.S. SEOUL, March 14 (AJP) - South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said Saturday that U.S. President Donald Trump asked him whether North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is interested in resuming dialogue with the United States. Kim said he spoke with Trump for about 20 minutes on Friday about North Korea and other issues during a meeting at the White House. He added that much of the conversation involved Trump asking for his views on the North Korean issue. According to Kim, he told Trump that South Korean President Lee Jae Myung often describes Trump as “the only leader capable of resolving the Korean Peninsula issue.” Kim said Trump showed strong interest in North Korea during the conversation and even asked an aide to bring a photo taken with Kim Jong-un at Panmunjom while discussing the matter. “President Trump said he maintains a good relationship with Chairman Kim and asked whether Kim wants to engage in talks with the United States or with him personally,” Kim told reporters. Kim said he responded by noting that Trump is the only Western leader who has held direct talks with the North Korean leader and that he believes Trump has unique capabilities as a peacemaker on the Korean Peninsula. “He appeared to find the remarks meaningful and reacted with satisfaction,” Kim said, without disclosing further details about the advice he gave the U.S. president. Kim also said he asked Trump whether he could submit a more detailed written memo in English outlining his views before leaving the United States, adding that the U.S. president agreed. Kim said Trump indicated that a potential meeting with the North Korean leader could take place during or after his upcoming visit to China, though the timing was not the most important factor as long as dialogue and contact with Pyongyang resume. Trump is scheduled to visit China from March 31 to April 2 for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, raising speculation that the trip could open a path toward renewed U.S.-North Korea diplomacy. Earlier in the visit, Kim met U.S. Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to discuss bilateral issues, including the recently passed Special Act on Investment in the United States, which aims to support expanded South Korean investment in the U.S. and strengthen industrial cooperation between the two allies. 2026-03-14 14:30:16

North Korea fires over 10 ballistic missiles despite Trump's outreach SEOUL, March 14 (AJP) - North Korea launched more than 10 ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Saturday, South Korea’s military said. “Our military detected more than 10 unidentified ballistic missiles launched toward the East Sea from the Sunan area near Pyongyang today at around 1:20 p.m.,” the JCS said in a statement. The military added that it has strengthened surveillance and vigilance in preparation for additional launches while closely sharing related information with the United States and Japan. Pyongyang previously fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Jan. 27. If the latest launch is confirmed to be a ballistic missile, it would mark the country’s first such launch in 47 days and its third this year. Launching more than 10 missiles at once is unusual and is widely seen as a show of force. The launch came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump signaled openness to dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. During a meeting with South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok at the White House on Friday, Trump reportedly said he maintains “a good relationship” with Kim and asked whether the North Korean leader still wants to engage in talks with the United States and with him personally. Since returning to the White House in January last year, Trump has repeatedly expressed willingness to resume dialogue with Pyongyang. However, North Korea appeared to respond to Trump’s overture with a show of force just a day later. The launch is also seen as a protest against the ongoing South Korea-U.S. joint military exercise Freedom Shield (FS), which began on March 9 and runs through March 19. The allies have reduced the number of field training exercises (FTX) to less than half compared with last year during this year’s FS drills, a theater-level combined exercise designed to prepare for potential contingencies on the Korean Peninsula. Despite the reduction, North Korea has continued to denounce the drills as a “rehearsal for invasion.” Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, issued a statement a day after the drills began, warning that the hostile forces’ military demonstrations near what she called the country’s sovereign security zone could lead to “horrific consequences.” 2026-03-14 14:16:47

Fuel prices decline a day after government price cap begins SEOUL, March 14 (AJP) - Average fuel prices at gas stations across South Korea continued to fall on Saturday, a day after the government’s oil price cap took effect. According to the Korea National Oil Corp.’s price information system Opinet, the nationwide average price of gasoline stood at 1,851.9 won ($1.24) per liter as of 9 a.m., down 12.2 won from the previous day. Diesel prices fell more sharply to 1,856.1 won per liter, down 16.6 won. Diesel remained slightly more expensive than gasoline, though the price gap narrowed significantly. Domestic fuel prices have been declining since peaking on March 10 following the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran war, according to industry data. Dubai crude, the benchmark for imported oil in South Korea, rose by $34.6 from the previous week to $123.5 per barrel. International gasoline prices climbed $25.3 to $126.3, while international automotive diesel rose $37.5 to $176.5. An official from the refining industry said that changes in global oil prices typically take about two to three weeks to be reflected at domestic gas stations, but the recent introduction of the price cap has made it difficult to predict short-term price movements. Industry sources added that uncertainty among gas station operators is growing as most refiners have yet to announce whether settlement prices will be applied retroactively to Friday, the day the price cap took effect. 2026-03-14 14:10:08

Hyundai Halts Sales of Some Palisade Models, Plans Recall After U.S. Seat Incident Hyundai Motor Co. said it has identified a safety issue in its large SUV, the All New Palisade, and has temporarily stopped selling certain configurations. The automaker said it plans a voluntary recall for vehicles already sold and will file reports next week with South Korea’s Transport Ministry and the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Hyundai said Saturday that when the second- and third-row power-folding seats operate under certain conditions, the system may fail to detect contact with an occupant or an object. It said sales of vehicles with the affected specification will be suspended for now. Reuters reported that a 2-year-old girl died March 7 in Ohio in an incident involving a Palisade power seat. Hyundai said it will resume sales after improving the seat’s anti-pinch function. The company said it will increase the sensitivity for detecting occupants and objects and restrict the power-folding function to situations when the rear door is open, among other steps to strengthen overall system safety. The recall scope is still being tallied, Hyundai said, and will cover vehicles produced through March 11 this year. It estimated about 57,474 vehicles in South Korea and 74,965 in North America could be affected. The All New Palisade exported about 100,000 vehicles worldwide last year, and 59,506 were sold in South Korea, the company said. Hyundai apologized for the inconvenience and said it will continue to put customer safety first and thoroughly review all issues to improve trust and satisfaction.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-14 11:33:16

South Korea Routed 10-0 by Dominican Republic in WBC Quarterfinal, Cold-Rule Loss Ends Semifinal Bid South Korea’s run on the World Baseball Classic’s knockout stage ended in the quarterfinals, dashing its hopes of reaching the semifinals for the first time in 17 years. South Korea, managed by Ryu Ji-hyun, lost 10-0 to the Dominican Republic by the mercy rule in seven innings on Saturday (Korea time) at loanDepot park in Miami in the 2026 WBC quarterfinals. Starter Ryu Hyun-jin of the Hanwha Eagles gave up three runs in the second inning. In the third, four South Korean pitchers combined to allow four hits and three walks, leading to four more runs. Trailing 7-0, South Korea surrendered a three-run homer to Austin Wells of the New York Yankees with two outs in the seventh, putting the game out of reach. The tournament uses a mercy-rule format through the quarterfinals: a 15-run lead after five innings or a 10-run lead after seven. At the plate, South Korea was held scoreless on two hits and struck out eight times through five innings against left-hander Cristopher Sanchez of the Philadelphia Phillies, who finished second in last year’s National League Cy Young voting. ▲ World Baseball Classic (WBC) quarterfinal result (14th · loanDepot park, Miami) Korea 000 000 0XX - 0 Dominican Republic 034 000 3XX - 10 <7-inning mercy rule> △ Winning pitcher = Cristopher Sanchez (1-0) △ Losing pitcher = Ryu Hyun-jin (0-1) △ Home runs = Austin Wells, 2 (three-run, 7th · Dominican Republic) 2026-03-14 10:15:00

PM Kim holds surprise meeting with Trump at White House SEOUL, March 14 (AJP) - South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok held a brief, surprise meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday, the Prime Minister’s Office said. Kim, who is visiting Washington, met Trump briefly and exchanged remarks after holding talks the previous day with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, according to the office. Details of the conversation were not disclosed. Observers believe the two may have discussed pending Korea-U.S. issues, including South Korea’s Special Act on Investment in the United States, which was passed by the National Assembly a day earlier. Trump is scheduled to visit China from March 31 to April 2 for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, raising the possibility that Kim and Trump also exchanged views on North Korea-related matters, officials said. 2026-03-14 09:59:39

Automakers, Defense Firms Enter ‘Super AGM Week’ With Focus on Shareholder Value and New Businesses Automakers and defense contractors are heading into the heart of annual shareholders meeting season, with companies expected to spotlight new business expansion as they navigate global uncertainty. Firms are also expected to advance measures tied to revisions to South Korea’s Commercial Act, including steps to strengthen shareholder value such as electronic voting and bigger dividends, while also shoring up defenses of management control. Industry officials said meetings will run nationwide from March 17 to 31, starting with Hyundai Mobis on March 17. Other scheduled annual general meetings include Kia (March 20), Poongsan (March 20), Hanwha Systems (March 23), Hanwha Aerospace (March 24), Hyundai Motor (March 26), Korea Aerospace Industries (March 26), Hyundai Rotem (March 27) and LIG Nex1 (March 31). At Hyundai Motor Group companies, key agenda items are expected to include reappointing inside directors, expanding into new businesses and strengthening board independence. Hyundai Mobis will vote on reappointing Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun as an inside director and appointing Sung Nak-seop, head of FTCI at Hyundai Mobis, as a new inside director. For outside directors, the company will consider reappointing James Kim, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea, and appointing Park Hyun-joo, a former Korea representative at BNY Mellon Bank, as a new outside director. Hyundai Mobis will also put forward items including expanding directors’ duty of loyalty, renaming outside directors as independent directors, deleting a clause that excludes cumulative voting, and introducing electronic shareholders meetings. The company is also set to seek approval to pay year-end dividends of 5,000 won per common share and 5,050 won per preferred share. Hyundai Motor will propose adding a car rental business as a new line of business, aiming to expand vehicle rental operations that already include short-term rentals. Since 2019, Hyundai Motor has operated “Hyundai Genesis Selection,” a monthly subscription service for Hyundai and Genesis vehicles. If expanded, the company expects to broaden the models used for rentals and the service areas. With its certified used-car business already in place, the company expects to strengthen a vehicle life-cycle ecosystem spanning new-car sales, rentals and used-car distribution, improving customer service conditions. Hanwha Aerospace will also propose adding new business purposes. The additions include: energy resource development, production, export-import, distribution and trading for natural gas, hydrogen, ammonia and biofuels; investment, development and operation of energy distribution infrastructure and related equipment; power, district energy and zone electricity businesses, power brokerage, and related investment, construction and operations; aircraft and spacecraft launch services; mechanical facilities and gas construction; and industrial environmental facilities construction. Most of the proposed new businesses align with Hanwha Aerospace’s stated future direction, including energy development, distribution infrastructure and space-related areas. The fields have largely been led by other group affiliates such as Hanwha Energy and Hanwha Solutions, and the industry views the move as an effort to expand its future business base by leveraging group synergies. In growth areas such as defense, aviation and space, topics include shifting to cleaner energy and power infrastructure and developing reusable launch vehicles. “Across groups, this year’s shareholders meetings are seeing a push for greater governance transparency and stronger shareholder value in line with the intent of the Commercial Act revisions,” an industry official said. “At the same time, expanding into new businesses to find future growth engines is also a major trend.” * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-14 05:03:28

InterBattery 2026 Draws Record 77,250 Visitors as Battery Uses Expand Beyond EVs InterBattery 2026, South Korea’s largest battery exhibition, ended after setting records for both participation and attendance. The Korea Battery Industry Association said Friday that the 14th edition of the event, held at COEX in Seoul’s Gangnam district, featured 667 companies from 14 countries across 2,382 booths, the largest lineup in the show’s history. Total attendance over the three-day event reached 77,250, also a record. The exhibition highlighted battery applications beyond electric vehicles, including energy storage systems, AI data centers, robotics, drones and urban air mobility. Companies showcased next-generation technologies such as all-solid-state batteries, higher-performance and safer battery designs, strategic upgrades to lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, and manufacturing innovations including dry electrode processes. Organizers said interest from abroad was strong, with visits by overseas government agencies and global companies. Joint national pavilions were organized by the U.S. Embassy in Seoul and the embassies of the Netherlands, Australia and Canada, among others. A total of 182 foreign companies set up large booths to present key mineral resources and advanced battery technologies. The show also featured discussions on cross-border cooperation in technology and supply chains, along with presentations of future technology road maps by South Korea’s three major battery makers: LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI and SK On. At the third InterBattery Awards 2026, 12 innovations were selected, including LG Energy Solution’s “JF2 DC LINK 5.0 power-grid ESS,” Samsung SDI’s “700Wh/L high-energy prismatic battery,” and SK On’s “prismatic on-vent cell.” “InterBattery 2026 showed that battery technology is a core foundational technology for the AI era, beyond electric vehicles,” said Park Tae-seong, executive vice chairman of the Korea Battery Industry Association. He said the association will work to help InterBattery grow into a platform for next-generation battery technology, supply chain security and global business. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-13 21:06:23

Citi Korea, Yanolja Expand Global B2B Payments Partnership With Virtual Cards Korea Citibank said Friday it is strengthening cooperation with global travel tech company Yanolja on business-to-business payments and will expand the use of Citi’s virtual card solution to Yanolja’s enterprise solution member companies. The companies formalized the partnership at the “Citi Asia Digital Leaders Summit 2026” in Shenzhen, China, with senior executives attending, including Mark Luet, Citi’s head of cluster and banking for Japan, North Asia and Australia, and Lee Soo-jin, Yanolja’s group co-CEO. Yanolja will integrate Citi’s global B2B payment framework across its enterprise solution members, allowing them to maintain consistent operating processes and control standards in multi-country transactions, the bank said. Citi said its virtual card solution helps companies expand into new markets without major system overhauls, while keeping existing operations in place. It also enables clients to manage transactions by country, legal entity and business unit, while centrally overseeing global payment flows. “This partnership is a key example of how Citi supports the global growth strategies of mid-sized companies worldwide,” said Gunjan Kalia, Citi’s head of commercial banking for Japan, North Asia, Australia, South Asia and the region. He said it underscores the importance of an integrated global payments infrastructure that supports both stability and speed in international expansion. The two companies said they plan broader cooperation to support overseas expansion, including stronger risk management using artificial intelligence for suspicious-transaction detection, automated settlement and cost optimization, as well as expanded global finance and payments infrastructure.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-13 17:51:45