Rubio Warns U.S. Could Use Force in Venezuela if Other Options Fail U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to warn that the Trump administration could take additional military action if Venezuela’s transitional government fails to meet U.S. expectations. According to The Associated Press, Rubio said in prepared remarks released by the State Department ahead of a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Venezuela scheduled for Tuesday that the United States is “prepared to use force to secure maximum cooperation if other methods fail.” “I hope it won’t be necessary, but we will never turn away from our responsibility to the American people and our mission in this hemisphere,” he said. Rubio is expected to strongly defend President Donald Trump’s Venezuela-related actions, including an operation to capture Nicolas Maduro and military strikes on drug-smuggling vessels. “There was no war with Venezuela, and we did not occupy any country,” Rubio said in the prepared text. “U.S. forces were not stationed on the ground. This operation was to support law enforcement.” Rubio also suggested Venezuela’s transitional government, led by interim President Delcy Rodriguez, will ultimately comply with Trump’s demands. “Rodriguez knows Maduro’s fate well,” he said. “We believe Rodriguez’s personal interests align with our core objectives.” The AP reported Rubio is expected to cite U.S. core goals as opening Venezuela’s energy sector, giving U.S. companies preferential access to Venezuelan oil production facilities, and using oil revenue to buy U.S.-made products. Rodriguez said earlier that Venezuela and the United States have “established a channel of communication based on mutual respect” and are working with Trump and Rubio to set a practical agenda. After capturing Maduro earlier this month and transferring him to the United States, the United States has been directly leading the sale and management of Venezuelan crude, citing the normalization of Venezuela’s oil industry. It has also sent State Department personnel focused on Venezuela to the country and begun steps toward normalizing relations, including preparations to reopen the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela. Meanwhile, Reuters reported, citing sources, that U.S. officials are working to soon issue a “general license” that would lift some sanctions on Venezuela’s energy sector. The report said partners and customers of Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA — including Chevron, Repsol, Italy’s Eni and India’s Reliance Industries — have in recent weeks applied for individual licenses to expand Venezuela’s crude production and exports.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 16:57:16

SK hynix posts record annual and fourth-quarter revenue and operating profit According to a filing on the Financial Supervisory Service’s electronic disclosure system on Tuesday, SK hynix posted annual revenue of 97.1467 trillion won and operating profit of 47.2063 trillion won last year. That was up 46.8% and 101.2%, respectively, from a year earlier, setting record highs for both revenue and operating profit on an annual basis. Fourth-quarter revenue totaled 32.8267 trillion won, and operating profit was 19.1696 trillion won. The figures rose 66.1% and 137.2% from the same period a year earlier, also marking quarterly records for both revenue and operating profit. The company attributed the gains to surging demand for high-performance semiconductors such as high-bandwidth memory, as the AI era accelerates. By business line, DRAM revenue from HBM more than doubled from a year earlier, while the company maintained competitiveness in mainstream DRAM by moving into full-scale mass production of 10-nanometer-class sixth-generation (1c-nanometer) DDR5. In NAND, it completed development of 321-layer QLC products in the first half and focused on demand for enterprise SSDs in the second half, achieving record annual revenue for the segment. Market expectations compiled earlier by financial data firm FnGuide had projected revenue of 95.2590 trillion won and operating profit of 44.5024 trillion won, meaning SK hynix beat forecasts on both measures. 2026-01-28 16:54:31

South Korean lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong sentenced to 2 years for illegal political funds People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong, who was arrested and indicted on charges of receiving illegal political funds from the Unification Church, was sentenced in a first trial to two years in prison. The Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 27, led by Presiding Judge Woo In-sung, held a sentencing hearing at 4 p.m. on Tuesday for Kwon on charges of violating the Political Funds Act. The court also ordered forfeiture of 100 million won. Kwon was accused of taking 100 million won on Jan. 5, 2022, ahead of the 20th presidential election, from Yoon Young-ho, former head of the Unification Church’s World Headquarters, allegedly to facilitate lobbying. He was arrested and indicted in the case. At a closing argument hearing on Dec. 17 last year, the special prosecutor team led by Min Joong-ki (the Kim Keon Hee special counsel team) asked the court to sentence Kwon to four years in prison and order forfeiture of 100 million won. The court said it recognized that Kwon received the 100 million won, citing that he visited Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, met church leader Han Hak-ja, arranged a private meeting with then-President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol, and attended Unification Church events. The court rejected Kwon’s arguments, including claims that the indictment violated the principle barring prejudicial statements and that the case fell outside the special counsel’s investigative scope. On the indictment, the court said it was “somewhat lengthy and includes inappropriate parts,” but did not prejudice the judge or hinder understanding of the alleged crime, and therefore did not violate the rule. On the scope of the special counsel law, the court said a matter may be investigated if it has a reasonable connection to cases defined under Article 2, adding that the special counsel learned of the alleged Political Funds Act violation while investigating allegations that first lady Kim Keon Hee received valuables. The court also did not accept Kwon’s claim that evidence was illegally obtained. In explaining the sentence, the court said lawmakers have a constitutional duty of integrity and must act accordingly. It said Kwon took 100 million won in political funds from the Unification Church, betraying public expectations and responsibilities and damaging democracy. As aggravating factors, the court said Kwon served 15 years as a prosecutor and 16 years as a lawmaker and previously chaired the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, making him a legal expert who would have understood the legal meaning of his actions. It also said he denied the charges from the investigation stage and showed no signs of remorse. As mitigating factors, the court said Kwon did not actively demand money from Yoon and noted his roughly 30 years in public service contributing to the country and society, as well as the absence of any notable criminal record. It then imposed a two-year prison term and forfeiture of 100 million won. After the ruling, Kwon sat with his head lowered. Some people in the gallery cried, and a disturbance broke out outside the courtroom. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 16:54:00

SK hynix to Return 2.1 Trillion Won to Shareholders Through Dividends SK hynix said in a regulatory filing on Tuesday that it will carry out a large-scale shareholder return program totaling 2.1 trillion won, citing financial capacity secured through record results. The company decided on an additional dividend of 1 trillion won, or 1,500 won per share. Including its existing quarterly dividend, it set the year-end dividend at 1,875 won per share. Total dividends for 2025 will be 3,000 won per share, bringing the overall payout to about 2.1 trillion won. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 16:51:00

Lotte Wellfood Launches Premium Ghana Winter Berry Chocolates With Kim Yuna Campaign Lotte Wellfood has unveiled an ad campaign featuring Kim Yuna for its “Premium Ghana” line as it targets the winter dessert market. Lotte Wellfood said Tuesday it released the campaign alongside the launch of three limited-edition winter products. The campaign follows a teaser video released in December after Kim was named the brand ambassador. The main campaign consists of three videos highlighting the limited-edition “Triple Berry,” “Cookie Berry” and “Langue de Chat Cheese Berry.” The ads show Kim opening a large jewelry box in a snow-covered plaza and discovering the products, while emphasizing the colors of berries such as strawberries, raspberries and bokbunja (Korean black raspberry). “Premium Ghana Triple Berry” is a shell chocolate coated in rich Ghana chocolate, with a filling made from strawberries, raspberries and bokbunja, plus strawberry syrup. “Premium Ghana Cookie Berry” layers milk chocolate, triple-berry chocolate and berry powder over a chocolate butter cookie for varied flavors and textures. “Premium Ghana Langue de Chat Cheese Berry” coats a cream-cheese langue de chat cookie with strawberry chocolate. The campaign will run through Feb. 14 on TV and major platforms including YouTube, Instagram and Netflix, the company said. The three winter limited-edition products are being sold through major channels including big-box retailers, convenience stores and e-commerce sites. Lotte Wellfood launched Premium Ghana in 2023 as a higher-end line of Ghana chocolate and has expanded it beyond chocolate into desserts. Based on recipes from professional chocolatiers, the company blends cacao with other ingredients to create a deeper, balanced flavor, and has broadened the lineup to include chocolate bars, bite-size chocolates, shell chocolates, biscuits and ice cream. A Lotte Wellfood official said the campaign was designed to create synergy between Kim, “who fits the winter image,” and the three new berry-themed products, adding that the company plans to keep strengthening Premium Ghana’s image as a premium chocolate dessert brand. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 16:48:00

Kim Keon Hee Gets 1 Year, 8 Months in Trial; Key Issues for Appeal A special prosecutor who sought a 15-year prison term for Kim Keon Hee ended up with a first-trial sentence of 1 year, 8 months. The Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 27 found Kim not guilty of violating the Capital Markets Act (alleged conspiracy in the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation case) and the Political Funds Act, and convicted her only in part on charges of receiving money or valuables in return for influence under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. The court dismissed some alleged 2010-2011 conduct under the capital-markets charge as time-barred. The special prosecutor’s three-step theory — “stock-manipulation conspiracy, presidential-election polling, and power-linked receipt of valuables” — did not hold in the ruling. The court narrowed the case away from stock manipulation and political funds and focused on the alleged receipt of valuables. The key questions now are where the prosecution’s conspiracy theory fell short and what variables could matter on appeal. Stock-manipulation ruling stopped short of finding a conspiracy In the Deutsch Motors case, the special prosecutor argued Kim conspired with a price-manipulation group, saying her accounts were not merely used but were part of executing the scheme. The court said there was room to believe Kim may have recognized the possibility her money could be used for price manipulation. But it drew a line between awareness and conspiracy. To treat her as a co-principal, the court said, her role throughout the crime and coordination with accomplices must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt — a standard it found unmet. The court also declined to treat the alleged manipulation as one continuous offense, instead dividing it by period and finding the statute of limitations had run on some parts. The court added that whether Kim aided and abetted was not before it because the indictment alleged only co-principal liability. Once conspiracy was rejected, the court said it had no basis to consider a lesser form of responsibility. Court cites lack of “exclusivity” in acquitting on polling allegations On the Political Funds Act charge, the special prosecutor argued that free services amounted to political funds, claiming multiple opinion polls were provided at no cost and should be treated as political contributions. The court applied a test it described as “exclusivity” — whether the benefit belonged only to a specific person. It said the prosecution needed to prove the poll results were provided exclusively to Kim and her husband and used for their political activity. But the court found the results were distributed to multiple people and said evidence was insufficient to recognize a written or implied contract. It also found the costs were covered through other channels. The court viewed the polls as part of business activity voluntarily carried out by a person identified as “Myung” to promote the Mirae Korea Research Institute and his own political analysis, and said the costs had already been covered, including about 240 million won received from local-election preliminary candidates. The court concluded that the mere fact no payment was made was not enough to label the polls political funds. Only influence-peddling conviction remains; sentence draws mixed views The remaining conviction involves allegations that Kim received an expensive bag and necklace from the Unification Church side in exchange for influence. The offense applies when someone accepts money or valuables on the pretext of conveying a matter tied to a public official’s duties or using influence; it does not require that a request be carried out. The court found an overall quid pro quo between requests for government-level support and the receipt of valuables. However, it said there was no sign Kim demanded the items first and found no evidence she tried to pass a request to the president to have it reflected in policy. The court also cited her lack of prior convictions and partial remorse. Assessments of the 1-year, 8-month sentence have differed, with some calling it light given the symbolic status of a first lady, and others saying it is not excessive given the acquittals on the stock-manipulation and political-funds charges. The ruling effectively framed the case not as a “comprehensive power-type crime” but as receiving valuables tied to status. Appeal may hinge on bolstering conspiracy claims and changing the indictment On appeal, the central issue is how tightly the special prosecutor can reinforce the conspiracy structure rejected at trial. A key variable is whether prosecutors will seek to amend the indictment to pursue aiding-and-abetting liability — an issue the trial court said was not in dispute and left undecided. But aiding and abetting can carry a narrower scope of responsibility than co-principal liability, potentially shifting the prosecution’s approach. If an appeals court reverses the trial court’s view that the alleged manipulation was not a single continuing offense, the starting point for the statute of limitations could also change, potentially affecting the time-barred dismissals. For the polling allegations, the question is how prosecutors would reconstruct “exclusivity,” including who effectively benefited and whether an implied contract can be further proven. In its ruling, the trial court quoted a phrase meaning “frugal but not shabby, splendid but not extravagant,” using it to criticize the first lady’s conduct. The appeal is expected to test whether that moral rebuke expands into a stricter legal finding of guilt or remains where the first ruling left it.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 16:45:24

SK hynix posts record quarterly operating profit of 19.2 trillion won in Q4 SK hynix posts 19.2 trillion won in Q4 operating profit, a quarterly record* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 16:45:00

Vietnam Streamlines Rail Approval Process to Speed Infrastructure Projects Vietnam’s Ministry of Construction has abolished and adjusted some administrative procedures in the rail sector to speed up rail infrastructure development. Vietnam’s government website reported on Jan. 22 that the ministry eliminated several rail-related procedures effective Jan. 1. The changes follow Decision No. 2,267 (2,267/QD-BXD), announced by the ministry on Dec. 10. Under the decision, the ministry’s approval process for commercialization policy for rail line-connection projects was scrapped, along with the Vietnam Railway Authority’s procedure for issuing safety assessment certificates for urban rail systems. The decision also reorganized responsibilities among agencies. The Vietnam Register will issue safety and environmental compliance certificates for rail vehicles, while the Vietnam Railway Authority will oversee rail vehicle registration and issue operating permits. Permits related to rail connections and approvals to install or remove level crossings will be handled by the Vietnam Railway Authority or provincial and municipal people’s committees. Certification for specialized personnel, including rail inspectors, was newly assigned to the Vietnam Register. The Ministry of Construction will retain authority to approve plans for maintaining and managing rail facilities.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 16:42:33

SK hynix to cancel 12.24 trillion won in treasury shares to boost shareholder value SK hynix said in a regulatory filing on Tuesday that it has decided to cancel 12.24 trillion won ($12.24 trillion) worth of its own shares. The company will cancel 15.3 million common shares on Feb. 9. The par value is 5,000 won per share. SK hynix said the cancellation will be carried out under the proviso to Article 343(1) of the Commercial Act, using treasury shares previously acquired within the limit of distributable profits and canceled by a board resolution. It said the total number of shares outstanding will fall, but paid-in capital will not. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 16:42:26

SK hynix posts record annual revenue of 97.1 trillion won and operating profit of 47.2 trillion won Breaking: SK hynix posts record annual revenue of 97.1 trillion won and operating profit of 47.2 trillion won* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 16:42:24