South Korea to Face Dominican Republic in WBC Quarterfinal in Miami South Korea has reached the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals for the first time since 2009 and will face the Dominican Republic in a winner-take-all matchup. The South Korean national team, managed by Ryu Ji-hyun, will play the Dominican Republic at 7:30 a.m. (Korea time) on March 14 at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida. South Korea advanced by finishing second in Pool C in Tokyo. It is the first time the team has made it out of the group stage since its runner-up finish in 2009. South Korea opened pool play with a rout of the Czech Republic but then lost to Japan and Taiwan, putting its tournament hopes in jeopardy. In its final pool game against Australia on March 9, it needed a win by at least five runs while allowing no more than two. The players kept fighting and secured a quarterfinal berth. The Dominican Republic went 4-0 in Pool D, beating Nicaragua 12-3, the Netherlands 12-1, Israel 10-1 and Venezuela 7-5. The Dominican Republic is widely viewed as the stronger team on paper, with a lineup packed with Major League Baseball All-Star-caliber talent. Its offense has been especially productive, scoring 41 runs in four games, more than 10 per game. The roster includes Juan Soto (New York Mets), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Toronto Blue Jays), Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado (both San Diego Padres). The pitching staff is also deep, led by Cristopher Sanchez (Philadelphia Phillies), who has won at least 10 games in each of the past two MLB seasons; Brayan Bello (Boston Red Sox), who has posted double-digit wins in each of the past three seasons; and Camilo Doval (New York Yankees), who led the National League in saves in 2023. All quarterfinal matchups have been set. If South Korea beats the Dominican Republic, it will meet the winner of Italy (Pool B winner) vs. Puerto Rico (Pool A runner-up) for a spot in the final. Japan (Pool C winner) will face Venezuela (Pool D runner-up) in the quarterfinals. The winner will play the winner of Canada (Pool A winner) vs. the United States (Pool B runner-up) in the semifinals.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-12 15:24:00

Korean Internet Banks’ Boards Rarely Dissent Despite 70% Outside Directors South Korea’s internet-only banks have boards where outside directors make up nearly 70%, yet most agenda items are still approved unanimously, according to a review of recent filings. Over the past three years, Toss Bank recorded the most dissenting votes, but only six in total. Industry observers say the boards’ oversight role is unlikely to strengthen unless the process for recommending outside directors changes. An analysis of the past three years of “annual reports on governance and compensation systems” for the three internet-only banks — Toss Bank, K Bank and KakaoBank — posted on the Korea Federation of Banks website showed Toss Bank had five dissenting opinions last year and one in 2024, for six overall. At Toss Bank, five dissenting opinions were recorded among 119 board resolutions last year. Four were raised at a January board meeting by Lee Kun-ho, an outside director and a former KB Kookmin Bank president. Lee opposed approval of a 2025 stock option grant plan; convening a first extraordinary shareholders meeting in 2025 and setting the record date; approval of canceling stock option grants; and an agenda item to revise internal rules. Since launching in 2021, Toss Bank has granted stock options to employees in 19 rounds through September last year. In April last year, it introduced a program allowing employees to swap part of their year-end bonus (1 million won) for stock options. The stock options included a condition barring resignation for two years, and 372 of about 700 regular employees reportedly chose the program. The industry has speculated that disagreements may have surfaced on the board during the process of adopting the program. K Bank, despite having the highest outside-director ratio at 73%, had no dissenting votes on board resolutions over the past three years, the analysis found. KakaoBank recorded two dissenting opinions over the same period. In 2023, outside director Lee Eun-kyung opposed agenda items on support measures for victims of rental fraud and approval of revisions to a shared-growth agreement. There was also one case in which an item was put on hold: In June last year, directors agreed to defer a proposal on an affiliate contract for employee corporate and welfare card use, citing the need for additional review and discussion. The resolution was later taken up at the eighth board meeting. Kim Dae-jong, a professor in the business administration department at Sejong University, said outside directors are selected by bank employees, creating a structure in which “they have no choice but to agree close to 100%,” making dissent effectively difficult. 2026-03-12 15:18:00

BTS Comeback D-9 — Spotify sets Han River cruise for immersive "SWIMSIDE" fan event SEOUL, March 12 (AJP) - As BTS counts down to the release of its comeback album ARIRANG, Spotify is taking the anticipation off the screen and onto the Han River. The streaming platform is launching “SWIMSIDE,” an immersive fan campaign built around BTS’s upcoming title track “SWIM,” which is set for release with the album on March 20 at 1 p.m. KST. At the heart of the campaign is the “Spotify × BTS SWIMSIDE Cruise,” a themed evening program that will run on the Han River from March 27 to 29, departing from Yeouido Hangang Park. The cruise will operate three times each evening between 5:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., offering selected fans interactive experiences and exclusive content tied to the comeback. Fans can apply for the event from March 12 to 19, with winners to be announced on March 23, according to Spotify. The campaign also includes an in-app feature titled “Decoding ARIRANG,” designed as a countdown experience leading up to the album release. The project underscores Spotify’s wider effort to turn fandom into something more participatory than streaming alone. Beyond playlists and plays, the platform has increasingly leaned into artist-centered experiences through features such as Wrapped, Canvas and exclusive fan content. Few artists suit that strategy better than BTS, whose global fandom remains one of the most powerful in pop music. The group currently has 25.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify and more than 82.9 million followers on the platform. Its 2020 megahit “Dynamite” remains BTS’s most-streamed song there, with more than 2.22 billion plays. Other tracks that have crossed the billion-stream mark include “My Universe,” “Butter,” “Boy With Luv (feat. Halsey)” and “Fake Love.” The members’ solo reach is formidable as well. Jung Kook leads with 15.3 million monthly listeners, powered by “Seven (feat. Latto),” which has surpassed 2.82 billion streams. J-Hope follows with 11.9 million, while Jimin has 5.5 million, Jin 4.2 million, V 3.9 million, Agust D 3.1 million, RM 2.6 million and Suga 1.6 million. Beyond its streaming pull, ARIRANG is drawing attention for its unusually expansive production roster. The 14-track album brings together longtime BTS collaborator PDogg with a wide range of international names, including Ryan Tedder, Diplo, Mike WiLL Made-It, Flume, JPEGMafia, Kevin Parker of Tame Impala and Teezo Touchdown. Tedder, the OneRepublic frontman and hitmaker behind songs for artists including Beyoncé and Adele, is credited on several tracks, among them the lead single “SWIM.” Diplo appears on five tracks — “Body to Body,” “FYA,” “Like Animals,” “One More Night” and “Into the Sun.” Mike WiLL Made-It contributed to “Aliens” and “2.0,” while Flume and JPEGMafia teamed up on “FYA.” Kevin Parker is credited on “Merry Go Round.” The album title itself adds another layer of intrigue. “Arirang,” one of Korea’s best-known traditional folk songs, has endured across generations in regional forms such as Jeongseon, Miryang and Jindo Arirang. As a musical emblem of Korean identity and collective memory, the title hints that the album may blend heritage with BTS’s global pop language. ARIRANG will mark BTS’s first major group project since the 2022 anthology album Proof. 2026-03-12 15:13:01

South Korea’s Top 5 Banks Boost SME Lending by 4 Trillion Won as Tech Finance Rebounds Small-business lending at South Korea’s five biggest banks is rising quickly, in line with the government’s push for so-called productive finance that steers funding toward promising companies.  As of last month, the outstanding balance of small and medium-sized enterprise loans at KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori and NH NongHyup totaled 678.7439 trillion won, the financial sector said Thursday. That was up 2.8385 trillion won from the previous month’s 675.9054 trillion won. Compared with the end of last year, the balance rose 4.3177 trillion won from 674.4262 trillion won. The increase is attributed to expanded lending to advanced strategic industries and innovative companies, in step with government policy. In September, the Financial Services Commission held a “productive finance transformation meeting” and announced plans to expand productive finance. The core goal is to reduce policy guarantees tied to real estate and strengthen support for technology and innovation-driven firms. As banks broaden corporate lending under that policy direction, technology credit loans — often called technology finance — have also turned upward for the first time in three years. An analysis of Korea Federation of Banks data showed the technology finance balance stood at 319.1068 trillion won at the end of last year, up more than 16 trillion won from 302.7538 trillion won at the end of 2024. Technology finance had fallen for two straight years after reaching 325.9611 trillion won in 2022, slipping to 304.5353 trillion won in 2023 and 302.7538 trillion won in 2024. It shifted back to growth after topping 307 trillion won in the first half of last year. The five major banks’ technology finance balance was 161.6287 trillion won at the end of last year, up more than 2.4 trillion won from 159.2071 trillion won at the end of 2024 — the first increase since 2022. Technology credit loans provide funding based on technology assessments for small and venture firms that have strong technical potential but lack collateral or financial capacity. Banks and technology credit bureaus evaluate applicants’ technology and may offer benefits such as higher loan limits or lower interest rates. The industry expects the trend to continue this year as banks keep expanding lending to companies with technology and growth potential. KB Kookmin Bank, through an organizational overhaul this year, created a Growth Finance Promotion Division to expand corporate lending centered on productive finance and is operating a dedicated review team for advanced strategic industries. Shinhan Bank said it will supply 72 trillion to 75 trillion won in group-funded loans to general small and mid-sized companies excluding real estate, through the “Ultra-Innovative Economy Growth Support Task Force” it set up last year. Hana Bank also reorganized its investment banking group, reshaping its investment finance unit into a “productive investment” unit. Woori Bank said it created dedicated investment and financing teams in its IB and corporate groups late last year and will strengthen support for regional growth companies and innovative venture firms. Shin Yong-sang, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute of Finance, said the lending expansion is likely to continue as the government keeps emphasizing productive finance. “To keep it as a sustainable policy, banks need supporting efforts such as improving systems for venture capital and business feasibility assessments, and expanding staffing,” he said. 2026-03-12 15:12:00

Seoul Opens Seo-Seoul Museum of Art, City’s First Public New Media Museum Seoul’s first public museum specializing in new media — and the first public art museum in the city’s southwest — opens Thursday. The Seoul Museum of Art said it is opening its eighth branch, the Seoul Museum of Art Seo-Seoul Museum of Art (Seo-Seoul Museum of Art), on March 12. The museum, in Doksan-dong, Geumcheon-gu, has a total floor area of 7,186 square meters (2,173 pyeong) and spans two basement levels and one above-ground floor. Planning began in 2015. The building was designed by architect Kim Chan-joong, whose work has received multiple domestic and international awards, including the Seoul Architecture Award grand prize, the Korea Institute of Registered Architects Award and the iF Design Red Dot Award. To improve access, the museum was built as a low-rise structure and designed to minimize boundaries with nearby Geumnarae Central Park. With entry routes from multiple directions, the museum aims to make visits part of everyday life for residents. The Seo-Seoul Museum of Art plans creative, experimental exhibitions and programs centered on new media, and it will continue education programs aimed at developing future arts talent. To help ensure visitors from the southwest’s diverse communities can enjoy culture without barriers, it has introduced multilingual guidance, plain-language explanations of collection works, and sign-language and text interpretation. To mark the opening, the museum will present three exhibitions in sequence from March through July: the SeMA performance “Breath,” the construction archive show “Our Time Starts Here,” and the new media collection exhibition “Transparent Seo-Seoul | Youth | Machine.” Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said he is pleased that residents in the southwest can experience “world-class new media art” close to home, adding that he hopes the Seo-Seoul Museum of Art becomes a space loved for a long time in the daily lives of Seoul residents. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-12 14:33:47

Naver Pay Launches NFT-Based Community Features in Npay Wallet Naver Pay said on March 12 it has launched a new community service based on non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, within its non-custodial digital asset wallet, Npay Wallet. Npay Wallet is a digital asset wallet designed to securely store digital art, tickets and certificates. The new Npay Wallet Community is built around NFTs and is intended to let users connect through shared interests. In the community's "channels," users can freely discuss specific topics, including Jeju Island's digital tourism pass, "Nauda," and game streams on Naver's streaming service, "Chzzk." By contrast, "ticket verification rooms" are operated as closed groups open only to holders of tickets and related NFTs for specific performances or events, including the KLPGA (Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association). The company said the goal is to help attendees form communities and increase engagement and a sense of being on site. Naver Pay said it plans to expand the community to additional content areas, including sports, games and performances, using NFTs. Starting March 31, it plans community events tied to Chzzk game broadcasts to offer a participatory experience that combines watching matches with fan interaction. To mark the launch, Naver Pay is also running an open promotion. Users who complete three missions in the community — liking posts, leaving comments and writing posts — can receive 1,000 won in Npay points. Those who post NFT verification content will be entered in a drawing for up to 50,000 won in additional points. An official at Naver Pay said, "Npay Wallet will expand beyond a digital wallet that stores NFTs into a platform that also provides community experiences where various events and fandom activities take place." * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-12 14:33:00

PM heads to US, Switzerland to bid for UN AI hub SEOUL, March 12 (AJP) - Prime Minister Kim Min-seok left for the U.S. on Thursday to promote South Korea's bid to host an artificial intelligence (AI)-related hub for the U.N. and its agencies. During his weeklong visit, Kim is scheduled to meet with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and other officials in New York, where he will promote South Korea's initiative for global cooperation on AI-related projects. He is also expected to hold a meeting with senior U.S. officials in Washington, D.C possibly including Vice President JD Vance, whom he met during his last visit in January. They are expected to discuss a range of pending issues including tariff-related negotiations. Kim is also likely to explain a bill outlining South Korea's massive investment pledges to the U.S. as a follow-up to a broader trade deal reached between the two countries last fall, which is expected to pass in the National Assembly here later in the day. After wrapping up his trip to the U.S., Kim will head to Geneva, Switzerland, for further discussions. He returns home next Thursday. 2026-03-12 14:31:54

Stray Kids Win Four Japan Gold Disc Awards, Most Ever for Overseas Artist Stray Kids won four prizes at the 40th Japan Gold Disc Awards, setting a record for the most wins by an overseas artist. The Japan Gold Disc Awards said on its official website on the 11th that the group received Best Asian Artist. It also won Album of the Year (Asia) and Best 3 Albums in the Asia category for its third Japanese mini album, “Hollow.” In addition, the live Blu-ray of its 2024 in-person fan event in Japan, “Stray Kids Fan Connecting ‘SKZ TOY WORLD,’” was named Music Video of the Year (Asia). The Japan Gold Disc Awards are hosted by the Recording Industry Association of Japan and marked their 40th edition this year. Winners were selected based on sales of recordings, videos and other products from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2025. Stray Kids have also posted strong results on global charts. In 2025, the group achieved eight consecutive No. 1 debuts on Billboard’s main albums chart, the Billboard 200. On the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s 2025 year-end global charts, its fourth full-length album, “KARMA,” ranked No. 2 on the Global Album Sales Chart, the highest placement by a K-pop artist. The group was also the only K-pop act to place in the top 10 of the Global Artist Chart and the Global Album Chart. Stray Kids are scheduled to hold their sixth official fan meeting, “Stray Kids 6TH FANMEETING ‘STAY in Our Little House,’” on March 28-29 and April 4-5 at Inspire Arena in Incheon. In June and September, they are set to appear as headliners at The Governors Ball Music Festival in New York and Rock in Rio in Brazil.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-12 14:30:16

Samsung Biologics Showcases CDMO Platform at BMA 2026, Wins CMO Award Samsung Biologics said it used a global biopharmaceutical technology event to promote its contract development (CDO) capabilities and earned recognition for its contract manufacturing (CMO) competitiveness. The company said it took part in the Asia Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Conference (BMA 2026), held March 11-12 in Singapore. Now in its 13th year, BMA is billed as Asia’s largest biopharmaceutical technology event and is sponsored by global pharma and biotech consulting firm IMAPAC. Organizers said 500 companies and more than 1,200 participants attended. At the conference, Samsung Biologics presented on its high-concentration formulation development platform, S-HiCon, highlighting its CDO technology. Lim Heon-chang, head of the CDO Development Center’s Formulation Development Group, shared key development cases using S-HiCon, along with challenges and how they were addressed, and introduced the company’s main CDO services. Launched in 2024, S-HiCon is designed to help clients develop high-concentration formulations by drawing on Samsung Biologics’ formulation development experience. The company said it has secured nine CDO-related technology platforms to meet a range of needs. These include Developick, a platform to assess development feasibility; S-Choice, an in-house cell line platform; and S-Transient, a transient expression platform for candidate materials. The company said it provides tailored CDO services from early development through investigational new drug (IND) applications. Samsung Biologics also received an award at the ABEA 2026 ceremony held alongside the conference, which it said underscored its CMO competitiveness. ABEA honors companies in the Asia-Pacific region for performance in areas including bioprocessing, logistics and supply chain management, clinical trial expertise, organizational capability and technology over the past year. The company said it won the Bioprocessing Excellence in Korea Award in recognition of its process development capabilities and global-level quality and production systems, which support clients across the full biopharmaceutical development process through end-to-end services. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-12 13:57:00

AMAZE Picks TWS as First 2026 Headliner for VR Concert Series AMAZE, which helped popularize VR concerts featuring third- and fourth-generation K-pop artists last year, has selected fifth-generation idol group TWS to open its 2026 lineup. Choosing a rookie group in its second year since debut signals that VR concerts are taking hold as a mainstream performance format that now extends to newer-generation acts. Because VR concerts are screened in theaters for a set period, they require steady audience demand backed by a strong fan base. TWS has grown quickly since debut and has emerged as one of the most prominent fifth-generation groups. The group established a clear identity early with a bright, youthful concept, while its fandom expanded rapidly. TWS has also shown ticket strength in the live market. Within a year of debut, the group sold out its first fan meetings in South Korea and Japan. Its first Japan fan meeting sold out all seats across three shows, and subsequent Japan and Greater China solo tours also sold out. A recently announced second fan meeting, “2026 TWS Fan Meeting Psy Club,” likewise sold out quickly on the day of presales, underscoring demand. Chart and album results followed. TWS ranked No. 2 on Japan’s Oricon annual rookie ranking and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100. The group also swept rookie awards at major South Korean ceremonies soon after debut. Industry observers say that combination of fandom scale and marketability aligns with the VR concert model. The group’s dense core fan base, centered on teens and people in their early 20s, is seen as having strong purchasing power for performances and related content. As K-pop performance content expands into theater screenings and XR productions, VR concerts are also drawing attention as an alternative format. In that context, TWS’ participation is being read as a sign that VR concerts are widening to include the next generation of K-pop artists. “TWS VR Concert: Rush Road” sold out quickly after ticket sales opened. Most screenings in the opening week sold out, followed by sellouts in key time slots and weekend screenings in the second week. The production also posted a 9.9 audience rating on Megabox and ranked No. 2 on the chain’s overall movie chart, indicating strong viewer satisfaction. Analysts say TWS’ selection reflects more than a bet on a newcomer, pointing instead to a fast-growing fandom and proven demand that highlight VR concerts’ commercial potential. Attention is now on how the format will evolve as it expands to newer generations of K-pop acts. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-12 13:54:32