Korea's science ministry drops titles to loosen bureaucratic culture SEOUL, February 13 (AJP) - What’s in a title? In South Korea, quite a lot — enough to make headlines. Last month, the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) replaced nameplates for more than 900 employees, removing official titles and leaving only first names followed by the universal honorific suffix “-nim.” The change cost about 10 million won ($6,900). The move was ordered by Minister Bae Kyung-hoon, an AI engineer-turned policymaker who also serves as a deputy prime minister. Upon taking office in October, Bae asked ministry officials to abandon formal forms of address such as “deputy prime minister, sir.” The unfamiliar shift became widely known during a televised briefing to the president, when a spokesperson referred to his boss simply as “Kyung-hoon-nim.” Before entering government, Bae worked as a consultant for Naver and LG AI Research. He has sought to apply private-sector management practices to a ministry overseeing science and ICT — sectors where innovation and speed are critical. A Gentler Atmosphere At first, the change felt awkward. But officials say it has gradually softened the atmosphere inside the traditionally rigid bureaucracy. “The organization feels gentler now,” said a director-level official. “We’ve started using colleagues’ first names — even those we worked with for years without ever calling them directly. It feels more personal.” Still, discomfort remains. “I still feel awkward calling my superiors by their first names,” the official admitted. As a compromise, some senior officials have encouraged juniors to use nicknames. First Vice Minister Koo Hyuk-chae, for example, is sometimes called “Ja-ryong-nim,” a reference to the legendary warrior Zhao Yun in Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Efficiency Behind the Experiment Officials say the initiative goes beyond symbolism. “We’re trying to build respect and trust across ranks and improve efficiency,” said a deputy director-level official. The title change has been accompanied by adjustments in daily work practices. After-hours and weekend messaging has been restricted. Monday meetings were moved from mornings to afternoons to ease post-weekend workloads. Briefing materials are now limited to one page. For foreign executives working in Korea, the country’s complex title hierarchy can be bewildering. Honorifics remain central to social life, reflecting Confucian traditions rooted in the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910), where age, rank and status shaped language and behavior. In government offices, organizational charts typically run from “sajang-nim” (CEO) down to junior staff, and using first names for superiors has long been taboo – practice reinforced under Japanese colonial and military governments in modern history. The removal of titles and the use of the universal honorific “-nim” to show respect for all employees, regardless of status, has long been common in the private sector. Younger employees have largely welcomed the change, while older officials and academics have expressed reservations. Jo Kyung-ho, a professor at Kukmin University, said the move could help modernize public administration. “Korea’s civil service has developed closed, class-like structures,” he said. “Changing titles can be a starting point for cultural reform and more field-oriented governance.” Yoo Sang-yeop of Yonsei University emphasized the distinction between authority and authoritarianism. “Cultures change slowly,” he said. “Small adjustments like this can gradually erode rigid hierarchies, like water wearing down rock. But de-bureaucratization carries risks, since conservatism also protects public value where failure is costly.” Ki Jung-hoon of Myongji University noted that bureaucratic caution stems from accountability and institutional rules, not just habit. “Korea’s context differs from individualistic Western societies,” he said. “Hierarchy is embedded in governance structures.” What matters are results, not rhetoric, observers all agree. “Dropping titles is only meaningful if it leads to improvements in appointments, evaluations and decision-making,” said Rho Seung-yong, a professor at Seoul Women’s University’s Department of Public Administration. “De-bureaucratization cannot be achieved through symbolic gestures alone.” 2026-02-13 09:56:17

South Korea’s Choi Ga-on wins Olympic women’s halfpipe gold, first for Korean snowboarding High school snowboarder Choi Ga-on won South Korea’s first Olympic gold medal in snowboarding, drawing surprised reactions online. She did it after apparent injury in the women’s halfpipe final.  Choi scored 90.25 points on her third run in the women’s halfpipe final at Livigno Snow Park in Italy on Feb. 13 (Korea time) to take gold. She finished ahead of Chloe Kim, who scored 88.00 and was seeking a third straight Olympic title.  Choi crashed hard after her second jump on the first run when she caught an edge on the lip, then made a mistake on the first jump of her second run. She returned for the third run and delivered a clean performance to secure the title. Afterward, she was seen limping.  “My first Olympic medal being a gold medal makes me very happy,” Choi said. “I can’t believe it. It’s also an honor to be the first gold medal for the Korean team.”  Online commenters called it “a movie-worthy story,” with some saying it was too dramatic to be believable and others quoting a popular phrase: “What matters is an unbreakable heart.”  South Korea’s snowboard team has won three medals at the Games so far: Kim Sang-gyeom’s silver in the men’s parallel giant slalom, Yoo Seung-eun’s bronze in women’s big air and Choi’s gold in women’s halfpipe.  2026-02-13 09:54:40

U.S. Navy Team Visits HJ Shipbuilding Yard in Busan, Praises MRO Work HJ Shipbuilding & Construction said U.S. Navy officials visited its Yeongdo shipyard in Busan on Feb. 12 to inspect maintenance, repair and overhaul work on a U.S. vessel and praised the company’s technical capabilities. The delegation included Jim Goodheart, deputy director of the U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command’s ship management office, and five Navy supervisors, the company said on Thursday. HJ Shipbuilding signed a contract in December for intermediate maintenance on the 40,000-ton logistics support ship Amelia Earhart. The company said it began work immediately and plans to complete required MRO and improvement work and deliver the ship to the U.S. Navy by March. During the visit, the officials reviewed progress, shipyard operations and equipment that has already been serviced, and they praised the quality of the work, the company said. It added that the delegation also asked HJ Shipbuilding’s management for additional maintenance work beyond the scope of the existing contract, which the company expects would increase revenue and profit from its first MRO project. Chief Executive Yoo Sang-cheol said the company is focusing on schedule and quality control to meet the U.S. Navy’s requirements. “We will concentrate all of the company’s capabilities on meeting the delivery schedule and delivering a high-quality ship so this project can serve as a foundation for building trust with the U.S. Navy,” Yoo said. 2026-02-13 09:48:00

North Korea urges South Korea to prevent recurrence of drone incursions SEOUL, February 13 (AJP) - North Korea on Friday urged South Korea to take measures to prevent a "recurrence" of what Pyongyang says was a drone incursion into its airspace. "I give advance warning that reoccurrence of such provocation as violating the inalienable sovereignty of the will surely provoke a terrible response," said Kim Yo-jong, the sister of the reclusive country's leader Kim Jong-un, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Her remarks came just a day after South Korea's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young expressed regret over drones allegedly sent by civilians to the North, without specifying which incidents he was referring to. KCNA quoted her as saying it was "fortunate" that the South had expressed regret, calling it "sensible behavior." She added, "We don't care who the very manipulator of the drone infiltration into the airspace of the DPRK is and whether it is an individual or a civilian organization." Earlier in January, the North said it shot down a South Korean surveillance drone near the industrial town of Kaesong, dealing a blow to Seoul's efforts to mend relations with Pyongyang. 2026-02-13 09:11:45

South Korea’s first snowboard Olympian Kim Ho Jun congratulates Choi Ga On on historic gold South Korea’s first Olympic snowboarder, JTBC commentator Kim Ho Jun, congratulated Choi Ga On after she won the country’s first Olympic gold medal in snowboarding.  Kim posted a video on social media on Thursday, writing, “Ga On, congratulations from the bottom of my heart, and thank you.” He added, “Snowboarding is the trend. When I first competed in the Olympics, most people didn’t even know what a halfpipe was,” and said some people even mistook snowboarding for skiing. Kim, a former national team halfpipe rider, competed at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics as the only South Korean athlete in the event.  He wrote that hearing “snowboarding is the trend” feels especially exciting because he rode “in that era” and poured everything into the sport. “Today, the history of South Korean snowboarding has been rewritten,” he said, adding that he had watched for a long time how hard Choi worked to win halfpipe gold.  Kim ended his post by thanking Choi and JTBC, writing, “South Korean snowboarding! May it last forever. The trend is? Snowboarding.” Choi won gold in the women’s halfpipe final at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics at Livigno Snow Park in Italy, scoring 90.25 on her third run to beat Chloe Kim, who scored 88.00 and was seeking a third straight Olympic gold. It was South Korea’s first gold medal in a snow event.  South Korean snowboarders have won three medals at these Olympics: Kim Sang Gyeom’s silver in men’s parallel giant slalom, Yoo Seung Eun’s bronze in women’s big air and Choi’s gold.  2026-02-13 09:03:00

Chaevi Wins Contract to Inspect and Maintain Environment Ministry Fast-Charging Sites Chaevi, a South Korean electric vehicle charger company, said Thursday it was selected as the top bidder in a Korea Automobile Environmental Association tender to provide on-site inspections and outsourced maintenance for the Ministry of Environment’s fast-charging facilities. Chaevi has carried out the ministry’s outsourced maintenance work for the past two years, and the latest award extends its role for a fourth straight year. The contract covers 4,603 fast-charging bays installed in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon, Gangwon, Chungcheong, Daejeon and Sejong. The term runs for two years through Dec. 31 of next year. The company said it will handle regular, unscheduled, emergency and special inspections, along with fault diagnosis, rapid restoration, repairs to related facilities, and relocation or removal work across the charging infrastructure. CEO Choi Young Hun said, “Through this selection, we will do our best in maintenance and management so that public fast-charging facilities can be operated with the industry’s highest level of quality and reliability.” * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-13 08:57:00

Korean Confucian Institute Urges Simpler Lunar New Year Rites, Less Focus on Fried Foods The true meaning of the holiday is family harmony and happiness. The Korea Confucian Culture Promotion Institute’s Korean Etiquette Center on Thursday proposed “modern, tailored” guidelines for Seollal ancestral rites. Charye, which literally means a rite of offering tea, originally involved placing only three or four items such as tteokguk (rice cake soup), songpyeon (rice cakes) and fruit. But after Seollal and Chuseok became official holidays, the rites evolved into larger family gatherings and the table grew more elaborate. The center said excessive preparation and costs are widely cited as a main cause of holiday conflict. It said state rites such as the Jongmyo memorial service and ceremonies at long-established head families should strictly preserve their original forms, but ordinary households need alternative options that prioritize family harmony and happiness. It added that rules such as “hongdongbaekseo” — placing red fruit on the east and white fruit on the west — and “joyulisi,” a prescribed lineup of jujubes, chestnuts, pears and persimmons, lack clear documentary support. No traditional etiquette text strictly sets the types or placement of fruit, it said. The center advised that four to six items, centered on tteokguk, are enough. It said oily jeon (pan-fried dishes) were not recommended for charye in traditional etiquette studies. It also said offering foods an ancestor enjoyed in life or modern fruits can be a contemporary way to show respect, and suggested that placing an ancestor’s photo instead of a paper memorial tablet written in Chinese characters can be a worthwhile option that strengthens family bonds. Institute President Jeong Jae Geun said, “Tradition is not a fossilized relic; only when it flows with the times like running water does it remain with us.” He added, “This Seollal, I hope it will be a warm time of harmony, holding the hands of the family beside you as much as the sincerity you show in honoring your ancestors.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-13 08:39:00

Renault Korea Says New Filante Tops 5,000 Orders Ahead of March Deliveries Renault Korea said Thursday that cumulative orders for its Filante, launched last month, have topped 5,000 units. The Filante is designed to blend sedan and SUV features. It includes an illuminated signature lozenge logo, a “tech lounge” interior based on first-class lounge seats, a 250-horsepower Hybrid E-Tech powertrain and AI-based connectivity services. The Filante is priced at 43,319,000 won under reduced individual consumption tax and eco-friendly vehicle tax benefits, and deliveries are set to begin next month. Renault Korea will also hold Lunar New Year holiday promotions. From Thursday through Feb. 19, it will give a lozenge mini padded bag or mini umbrella to 2,026 people who visit showrooms nationwide for Grand Koleos purchase consultations or complete a test drive. Among customers who sign contracts during the period and take delivery by the end of February, 100 will be selected by drawing to receive maintenance coupons worth 100,000 won. Separately, Renault Korea is running a monthlong “Bonjour 2026” Grand Koleos event in February. Some customers who buy the Grand Koleos, or take a test drive or consultation, will receive prizes including a travel gift certificate worth 2 million won (one winner), Samsung steam robot vacuum cleaners (three winners) and CGV Gold Class vouchers for two (20 teams). The maximum Grand Koleos purchase benefit under February terms is 4.8 million won.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-13 08:36:00

Test drive: Genesis GV60 Magma balances high performance with daily comfort Genesis’ first high-performance electric vehicle, the GV60 Magma, stood out immediately with its vivid orange paint when it was shown Feb. 10 at Genesis Suji in Yongin, south of Seoul. The front blends Genesis’ signature twin-line headlamps with a wide grille-style panel, while the coupe-like roofline gives the SUV a more athletic profile. The rear finish and detailing are designed to look balanced and stable. The GV60 Magma’s strengths were clearer on the road. The test route covered about 100 kilometers round trip from the Genesis Suji showroom to the Korea Automobile Testing and Research Institute (KATRI) in Hwaseong, via the Suwon Northern Ring Road, the Gwacheon-Bongdam Urban Expressway and the Bibong-Maesong Urban Expressway. The mix of national roads, limited-access roads and highways highlighted both long-distance cruising and everyday drivability. One of the first things drivers notice is the seat. The Magma-specific bucket seats provide strong lateral support without becoming uncomfortable over longer stints, aiming to suit both spirited driving and daily use. A seat slab helps stabilize the lower body under acceleration and braking, while remaining comfortable on regular roads. Despite ultra-high-performance tires — 275 mm wide up front with a 35% aspect ratio — the cabin stays notably quiet for a performance EV. Genesis credits added sound-absorbing and insulating materials, motor control that reduces harmonic noise, and a design that suppresses gear noise. A key feature is Active Road Noise Control (ANC-R). Accelerometers mounted on the suspension detect low-frequency road noise, and the audio system plays an opposite-phase signal to cancel it. Cabin microphones continuously adjust the control logic to maintain quiet even at higher speeds. In city traffic and on major roads, Comfort or Range mode was sufficient, supported by a 175-kW front motor and a 303-kW rear motor. Switching to GT mode changes the electronically controlled suspension’s character: road feedback becomes clearer through the steering wheel, and steering weight increases. The ride does not become harsh, filtering unpleasant impacts while keeping the car usable on public roads. The variable electronic dampers control body motion without losing compliance. In gentle high-speed corners, the chassis allows natural roll without float, working with a thicker stabilizer bar to underline GT mode’s focus on high-speed cruising. GT mode also emphasizes power distribution. Even at higher speeds, it maintains rear-motor-biased driving, aiming to deliver the stable acceleration feel of rear-wheel drive while also improving efficiency — a key draw for long highway runs. Sprint mode opens up the full performance setup. The motors, suspension, steering and e-LSD switch to Sport Plus settings, delivering maximum output within the electronic stability control’s intervention range. Pressing the accelerator beyond 95% triggers a 15-second boost mode automatically. The suspension firms up without feeling rough, and the tires maintain confident contact on uneven pavement. On curving highway sections, restrained roll and smoothly building lateral acceleration support a steady driving rhythm. Genesis said the GV60 Magma reaches 100 kph from a standstill in 3.4 seconds and 200 kph in 10.9 seconds. In drag runs at the Automobile Safety Research Institute, the combination of launch control and boost mode delivered strong acceleration, and braking performance stood out. The vehicle remained stable under hard stops despite a curb weight of 2,250 kilograms. A Genesis official said the GV60 Magma was developed to prioritize balance rather than the traditional approach to luxury high performance. The official said the company aims to use new technology to position Magma not as a sub-brand, but as a way to showcase Genesis’ engineering globally.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-13 08:33:00

BTS to Livestream Goyang and Tokyo World Tour Concerts in Movie Theaters BTS’ new world tour will also be shown on the big screen. BIGHIT MUSIC, a HYBE Music Group label, said fans can watch live-viewing screenings of the “BTS World Tour Arirang” concerts set for April 11 in Goyang and April 18 in Tokyo. Live viewing refers to a broadcast service that lets large audiences gather in one venue to watch concerts or sporting events together. BTS are set to launch the tour April 9 at the main stadium of Goyang Sports Complex, beginning a large-scale run of 82 shows in 34 cities. The opening Goyang dates and the Tokyo concert, described as the starting point of the group’s global schedule, have drawn strong interest. The live-viewing plan will allow fans worldwide to share in the tour’s kickoff. The screenings will be held in more than 3,500 theaters across 75 countries and regions, the label said. Some locations will air the show on a delay because of time differences, and the number of participating countries, regions and theaters is expected to increase. In South Korea, screenings will be offered by the country’s three major multiplex chains: CGV, Lotte Cinema and Megabox. Ticket sales begin at 10 a.m. on the 25th. BTS have quickly sold out 41 North American and European tour dates, including Goyang. They will become the first Korean act to hold solo concerts at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa; Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso; Stanford Stadium; Gillette Stadium in Foxborough; M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore; AT&T Stadium in Arlington; King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium; and Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany. At Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, they set a record for the highest seat occupancy for a single event. Separately, BTS will release their fifth full-length album, “Arirang,” at 1 p.m. on March 20. The label said the music reflects “BTS as they are now” and is expected to resonate with fans worldwide. From the album’s release date through April 12, the group will also run “BTS The City Arirang Seoul,” featuring experiential content combining music and media, with installations across Seoul designed to blend with the cityscape.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-13 08:15:00