Jeonbuk Bank CEO Says It Will Monitor Big Banks’ Expansion Into Jeonbuk Park Chun-won, CEO of Jeonbuk Bank, said the lender will pursue “mutual-growth” management and strengthen its role as a regional bank alongside the local community. He said the bank will decide how to respond to moves by major financial groups such as KB Financial Group and Shinhan Financial Group into Jeonbuk after monitoring how their plans develop. Park said at a news briefing on Wednesday that “as a bank founded on a regional base, Jeonbuk Bank clearly recognizes its responsibility to the local community.” He added that without “a stable profit structure as a company,” the bank’s contributions to the region “cannot be sustained.” Jeonbuk Bank also plans to step up institutional business by operating dedicated branches for local government treasury accounts. Park said he does not expect recent entries by nationwide banks into Jeonbuk Innovation City to shrink Jeonbuk Bank’s business. “In some cases, it appears tied to the management of specific funds such as the National Pension Service,” he said, adding that he does not believe those banks are likely to move and run their core operations in Jeonju. “We need to watch a bit longer to see whether it leads to locally focused financial activity,” he said. Park also addressed criticism that Jeonbuk Bank relies on high-interest lending. He said interest rates on general loans handled within Jeonbuk Province are not significantly different from those of nationwide banks or other regional banks. He said the bank has a relatively higher share of areas where major banks are less active, including mid-rate loans for mid- and low-credit borrowers and financial services for foreigners, which he said has helped cement an outward image of high-interest business. “Jeonbuk Bank has grown with roots in the region, and we will focus on sustainable management,” Park said. “I believe making the company stronger is ultimately the biggest contribution to the local community, and we will continue responsible management to build a Jeonbuk Bank that grows with the region.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-05 18:15:22

HL Mando Posts Record Sales on Robotics Demand, Nears 10 Trillion Won Revenue Mark HL Mando said it set a record for annual sales, helped by growing interest in humanoid robots, despite headwinds including the impact of U.S. tariffs and a global slowdown in electric vehicle sales. The company expects demand to surge this year for actuators, a key humanoid-robot component, lifting expectations for improved results. On Feb. 5, HL Mando disclosed preliminary consolidated results of 9.4548 trillion won ($9,454.8 billion) in revenue and 357.1 billion won ($357.1 billion) in operating profit for last year. Revenue rose 6.9% from a year earlier, while operating profit fell 0.5%. Fourth-quarter revenue increased 1.6% to 2.4616 trillion won ($2,461.6 billion), and operating profit dropped 28.2% to 79.7 billion won ($79.7 billion). Operating profit slipped from a year earlier after one-time costs, but revenue hit an all-time high. HL Mando cited expanding sales in emerging markets by major customers including Hyundai Motor Group and stronger sales of higher-margin models such as hybrids. As demand for HEV and EV parts increased, its operating margin improved to the 4% range last year from the 3% range in 2023. The company said momentum could continue this year on expectations for a larger North American robotaxi market, growth in emerging markets such as India, and rising actuator demand. HL Mando supplies actuators for quadruped robots to multiple global robotics companies. It also supplies parts including steering systems (R-EPS), integrated drive modules (IDM) and suspension components to the top three robotaxi companies in the United States and the No. 1 robotaxi company in China. Actuators are expected to be a key growth driver. They control robot movement and account for about 50% to 70% of total cost, the company said. Tesla’s humanoid robot Optimus targets commercialization in 2027, and Hyundai Motor’s Atlas targets 2028. HL Mando plans to begin mass production of actuators in 2028-2029. A securities industry official said HL Mando aims to raise actuator revenue to 26% of total sales, or 2.3 trillion won ($2,300 billion), around 2035. The official said expanding global robotics customers, along with robotaxi operators’ plans to broaden service cities and increase fleet sizes this year, should support continued earnings growth. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-05 18:15:00

Hyundai to Add 10 More Dealerships in Brazil This Year to Boost Sales Hyundai Motor is accelerating an expansion of its sales network in Brazil, aiming to shore up results as its market position has weakened. Industry officials said Hyundai Motor Brazil (HMB) recently opened a new dealership in Campo Mourao, Parana state. The site covers 1,500 square meters, including a 250-square-meter showroom. Hyundai currently operates about 240 official dealerships across five regions in Brazil. It plans to expand to at least 250 by the end of the year, increasing customer touchpoints as it seeks a rebound in the market. Brazil is Hyundai Motor Group’s only production base in Central and South America and is home to Hyundai’s Brazil unit and its regional headquarters. Brazil’s passenger-car sales have risen each year since 2021, when 1,557,957 vehicles were sold, and totaled nearly 2 million last year. Hyundai’s influence, however, has been fading. Hyundai’s annual sales in Brazil have held around 200,000 vehicles, but its market share has declined each year since peaking at 11.87% in 2022. Last year, sales fell from a year earlier and its share slipped to 10.05%. The gap with rivals remains narrow. Hyundai has ranked fourth in Brazil’s passenger-car market for eight straight years, while the top three — Volkswagen (18.32%), Fiat (15.22%) and General Motors (11.18%) — are also competing in a tight race with shares in the teens. Chung Euisun, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, met in 2024 with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and said the group wanted to “grow together with Brazil, not simply sell cars,” announcing plans to invest a total of US$1.1 billion (about 1.46 trillion won) through 2032. Hyundai is developing a dedicated powertrain for hybrid flex-fuel vehicles and plans to introduce electric models such as the Ioniq 5 and Kona Electric in Brazil. The country is pursuing the Green Mobility Innovation (MOVER) program, which offers tax benefits to automakers investing in decarbonization, a move expected to favor Hyundai’s electrification push. Hyundai Motor Group also plans to pursue new business opportunities by extending its global hydrogen network into Central and South America, with Brazil as a hub. It set up a dedicated hydrogen business team for the region in Brazil in late 2023 and is working to develop the market.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-05 18:03:00

Hana Bank Wins Partial Ruling in Lime Case; Lime, Shinhan Investment to Pay 36.4 Billion Won Hana Bank won a partial victory in a lawsuit tied to the Lime Asset Management fund redemption freeze and will receive damages. The Seoul Southern District Court on Wednesday ruled partly for Hana Bank in its damages suit against Lime Asset Management, Shinhan Investment Corp. and others. The court found Hana Bank held about 38.9 billion won in bankruptcy claims and ordered the defendants to pay 36.4 billion won. Hana Bank filed the suit in January 2022, saying it suffered losses from the sale of Lime funds. It sought about 36.4 billion won in damages. The Lime scandal erupted in 2019 after allegations that Lime Asset Management improperly managed returns through irregular trading of convertible bonds and other assets tied to KOSDAQ-listed companies. As prices of stocks held by Lime funds plunged, redemptions worth 1.6 trillion won were suspended.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-05 17:57:00

Defense officials from Seoul and Beijing meet for first working-level talks in four years SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - Defense officials from South Korea and China held working-level talks in Beijing on Thursday, their first such meeting in about four years. According to the Ministry of Defense, the South Korean delegation led by Lee Gwang-seok, in charge of the ministry's international policy met with his Chinese counterpart Guo Hongtao. First launched in 1995, the meeting was held for the first time since the last one, which was via Zoom in June 2022. The two sides agreed to hold close consultations to revive strategic dialogue channels and expand bilateral cooperation. They also discussed ways to resume joint search-and-rescue drills in the West Sea. The ministry said it expects the meeting to "lay the groundwork for building trust" between the two countries. 2026-02-05 17:55:41

Dongkook Drug Marks 87 Million Madeca Cream Sales; Hanmi Wins FDA Breakthrough Tag; Yuyu Invests in U.K. Pet Food Firm Dongkook Drug to hold customer sale after Madeca Cream tops 87 million in cumulative sales Dongkook Drug said Wednesday it will run a “Madeca Cream Customer Appreciation Sale” through Feb. 28 to mark cumulative sales of 87 million units of its Centellian24 derma-cosmetic flagship product, Madeca Cream. The promotion will be offered on the company’s official online store, DK SHOP, under two themes: a Lunar New Year gift event and a “Find the right Madeca Cream for my skin” campaign. Through Feb. 18, the Lunar New Year gift event will offer discounts of up to 87% on best-selling products including Madeca Cream Tight Lifting, Expert Madeca Mela Capture Ampoule Max and Madeca Cream, and provide a 100,000-won coupon pack. DK SHOP will also give gifts based on purchase totals of 30,000 won, 50,000 won and 70,000 won or more, and run events including a first-purchase welcome deal and a lucky-bag New Year’s cash drawing. Through Feb. 28, the “Find the right Madeca Cream for my skin” promotion will sell a 9,900-won kit that lets customers try multiple versions at once, including Madeca Cream Time Reverse Zero, Madeca Cream Power Boosting Formula, Madeca Cream Hydra Calming and Madeca Cream Tight Lifting. New members will receive coupons worth up to 30,000 won, and DK SHOP will also hold a review event for the “NEW Aging Focus Cream.” Hanmi Pharmaceutical says FDA grants breakthrough therapy designation for congenital hyperinsulinism drug Hanmi Pharmaceutical said Wednesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted breakthrough therapy designation to efpeglucagon, its treatment candidate for congenital hyperinsulinism. The designation is intended to speed development and review for drugs targeting serious or life-threatening conditions when early clinical evidence suggests a meaningful improvement over existing therapies. Breakthrough therapy drugs receive intensive guidance and support, and may qualify for rolling review, allowing portions of an application to be submitted and reviewed as they are completed. Congenital hyperinsulinism is a rare disease in which excessive insulin secretion causes hypoglycemia. Hanmi said no FDA-approved treatment has been approved specifically for the condition. Hanmi is developing efpeglucagon as a once-weekly formulation. The company said an interim analysis from a global Phase 2 trial last year showed favorable safety and tolerability and a marked reduction in both hypoglycemia and severe hypoglycemia. The global Phase 2 trial is ongoing, with results expected in the second half of this year. Yuyu Pharma makes strategic investment in U.K. freeze-dried pet food company James & Ella Yuyu Pharma said Wednesday it has made a strategic investment in James & Ella, a U.K. premium freeze-dried pet food company. The company described James & Ella as a leading player in the U.K. freeze-dried pet food category. It sells through major retail channels including Waitrose, Ocado and Amazon, and also operates a direct-to-consumer subscription channel. Yuyu said demand for freeze-dried nutrition products is rising in the pet market, driven by interest in premium ingredients suitable for human consumption, high digestibility and veterinary-based products. The investment is part of Yuyu’s global expansion strategy in the pet wellness market. Yuyu said it plans to build an animal-industry portfolio spanning veterinary biologics, sustainable food-system technologies, and pet nutrition and community models.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-05 17:45:00

Hyundai Motor Robotics Lab chief says people matter more than tech as robots advance Hyun Dong-jin, an executive director who leads Hyundai Motor and Kia’s Robotics Lab, said that as industry evolves, people matter more than the technology itself because they operate it, understand it and build the systems around it. Speaking Thursday at the fourth Korea Top CEO Forum at the Westin Josun Seoul, Hyun said, “Rather than imagining a dystopia, if we think about how technology can solve social problems, our society can become a warm, technology-based society.” His remarks come as Hyundai Motor Group’s plan to introduce the humanoid robot Atlas is seen as signaling structural changes in the labor market, underscoring the need for productive public discussion and consensus. “Engineers’ efforts and social consensus are needed for robots to fully replace people,” Hyun said. “I think we still have time.” After outlining the development path of artificial intelligence from large language models, or LLMs, to vision-language models, or VLMs, and then vision-language-action, or VLA, Hyun said automation of physical work will arrive last because VLA is the most technically behind. Introducing a dual-arm robot under research at the lab, Hyun said the goal is not to replace people but to take on tasks that could cause illness if done by humans. On Chinese robotics companies, Hyun said China benefits from government support and a large market that allows firms to optimize products through trial and error, adding that they are showing signs of being leaders in physical AI. “We must always stay alert that we could fall behind,” he said, adding, “I will fight fiercely like Adm. Yi Sun-sin, who fought with 12 ships.” Hyun cited functionality and price as key factors in whether robots succeed commercially. “From quality to maintenance and after-sales service, we must manage everything well and offer prices consumers are willing to pay,” he said, stressing the need for engineering efforts toward common use, standardization and modularization. Hyundai Motor and Kia’s Robotics Lab last year unveiled a mass-production model of its autonomous-driving mobility robot platform MobED, and in 2024 launched the industrial wearable robot X-ble Shoulder.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-05 17:30:00

Hanmi Pharmaceutical Posts Record Operating Profit of 257.8 Billion Won Hanmi Pharmaceutical said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday that its consolidated operating profit last year rose 19.2% from a year earlier to 257.8 billion won, based on preliminary results. Revenue increased 3.5% to 1.5475 trillion won, and net profit climbed 33.9% to 188.1 billion won. The company said the results were driven by steady growth in key products including Rosuzet, higher income from supplying clinical trial samples and technology fees from partner MSD, and progress in normalizing operations at Beijing Hanmi. In the fourth quarter of 2025, revenue rose 23.1% from a year earlier to 433.0 billion won, while operating profit jumped 173.4% to 83.3 billion won. Hanmi Pharmaceutical said it generated 1.0836 trillion won in sales from outpatient prescriptions alone, marking its eighth straight year as the top seller in South Korea’s outpatient prescription market. Rosuzet, a combination drug for dyslipidemia, posted prescription sales of 227.9 billion won, up 8.4% from a year earlier. The Amodartan Family line of combination hypertension drugs recorded 145.4 billion won in sales last year. Its China unit, Beijing Hanmi Pharmaceutical, supported the performance as annual revenue topped 400.0 billion won last year, the first time since its founding that it has exceeded that level. Hanmi Fine Chemical, an affiliate specializing in active pharmaceutical ingredients, posted 91.3 billion won in revenue last year. Fourth-quarter revenue rose 36.8% from a year earlier to 28.3 billion won. The company said fourth-quarter operating profit returned to the black on new contract development and manufacturing orders and expanded volumes for existing projects. Hanmi Pharmaceutical said it plans to launch at least one “flagship product” a year worth more than 10.0 billion won in annual sales, starting with Amoprel, billed as the world’s first one-third low-dose antihypertensive drug introduced in the second half of last year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-05 17:27:22

Freefall may be looming in Seoul as short selling mounts SEOUL, Feb. 05 (AJP) - “What goes up must come down,” the saying goes — and after a prolonged roller-coaster ride, Korean stocks plunged Thursday as heavy institutional selling triggered a sharp reversal. The immediate cue came from a retreat in U.S. technology shares. But the pullback was hardly unexpected, given the rapid buildup in short-selling positions and growing signs of speculative excess. Both the KOSPI and the secondary KOSDAQ tumbled nearly 4 percent Thursday from their previous day’s peaks, underscoring how quickly sentiment had shifted. The reversal had been foreshadowed by institutional investors’ readiness to lock in profits at the first sign of weakness. As of Tuesday, the balance of stock lending — widely seen as a precursor to short selling — climbed to a record 140.8 trillion won ($96 billion), up 24.5 percent from six months earlier, according to market data. In stock lending transactions, institutional players such as pension funds and insurers lend shares to traders, who sell them in anticipation of repurchasing them later at lower prices. The expanding lending balance suggests a growing number of investors have been positioning for a correction or seeking protection against heightened downside risks. Market volatility in early February has been unusually intense. On Monday, concerns over a potential hawkish shift in U.S. monetary policy triggered a 5.3 percent plunge in the KOSPI, briefly pushing it below the psychologically important 5,000 mark. The index rebounded sharply the following day, surging 6.84 percent to a record close, before extending gains on Wednesday — only to reverse course again. By comparison, Japan’s Nikkei 225 posted far more moderate fluctuations over the same period, highlighting the exceptional turbulence in Korean equities. Reflecting elevated investor anxiety, the VKOSPI volatility index climbed above 50 on Feb. 5, more than 50 percent higher than a month earlier. “As volatility widens and the market appears increasingly disconnected from economic fundamentals, investors are actively seeking hedging tools,” a market official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Yet products designed to profit from falling markets have struggled as the rally continues. Samsung Asset Management’s KODEX 200 Futures Inverse 2X ETF — the most actively traded inverse product — closed at 345 won on Feb. 4, down 38 percent over the past month and more than 90 percent below its 2016 listing price, leaving it trading at levels comparable to penny stocks. Other inverse products have also weakened. Mirae Asset’s TIGER Inverse ETF has fallen about 22 percent since the start of the year. Inverse ETFs move opposite to the underlying index, meaning their performance deteriorates when markets rise. When the KOSPI fell 3.86 percent in the following session, the KODEX leveraged inverse fund briefly jumped nearly 9 percent, underscoring the products’ sensitivity to market swings. Analysts say structural factors also weigh on returns, including frequent trading and retail investors’ tendency to react quickly to market headlines. Average daily ETF trading value this year has nearly doubled from last year to more than 11 trillion won, according to the Korea Exchange, reflecting heavier speculative activity. The Bank of Korea has also noted rising trading volumes in leveraged and inverse ETFs. “Participants in leveraged and inverse ETF markets, especially double-inverse products, tend to focus on short-term trades and are highly sensitive to external news,” said an official at a capital markets research institute. 2026-02-05 17:25:32

Asian stocks mostly down on US losses, Korean markets take a header SEOUL, February 05 (AJP) -Korean stocks rode a volatile roller coaster downward Thursday on heavy foreign selling on global tech shares. The benchmark KOSPI tumbled 3.9 percent to close at 5,163.6, marking a steep pullback from recent record highs. The KOSPI 200 slid 4.2 percent to 757, reflecting broad-based losses among large-cap stocks, particularly in semiconductors and export-oriented names. Selling pressure was led by overseas and institutional investors. On the main board, foreigners dumped 5.01 trillion won ($3.43 billion), while institutions sold 2.07 trillion won. Retail investors stepped in aggressively to pick up a net 6.78 trillion won, although their dip-buying fell short of stemming the decline. The bullish sentiment was soured by overnight losses in global technology stocks. Shares of Advanced Micro Devices plunged more than 17 percent after issuing first-quarter revenue guidance pointing to a quarter-on-quarter decline. The weakness spread across the sector, with ASML down about 4 percent, while Nvidia and Broadcom each fell roughly 3 percent, dragging down global tech sentiment. Korean semiconductor and platform stocks followed suit. Heavyweights led losses on the KOSPI, with Samsung Electronics falling 5.8 percent to 159,300 won and SK hynix sliding 6.4 percent to 842,000 won, reflecting heightened sensitivity to global chip-sector weakness. Automakers and internet stocks also retreated. Hyundai Motor fell 3.1 percent, while NAVER lost 2.8 percent. Defense and shipbuilding names also came under pressure. Hanwha Ocean dropped 5.8 percent, while Hanwha Systems plunged 9.5 percent. Pharma Research tumbled 23.4 percent, marking one of the session’s steepest single-stock declines. Amid the broad selloff, solar-related stocks emerged as a rare pocket of strength. HD Hyundai Energy Solutions surged 16.2 percent to close at 81,900 won after soaring more than 25 percent intraday before paring gains. Hanwha Solutions also edged higher, rising 0.14 percent to 36,500 won. Market participants attributed the buying interest to improving prospects for the global solar market, supported by management comments pointing to stronger demand and pricing momentum in the U.S. solar sector. Sector-wise, losses were widespread, with only a handful of pockets showing resilience. Office equipment-related stocks posted gains, with the sector rising 4.37 percent, topping industry performance. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ mirrored the downturn, falling 3.6 percent to 1,108.4. Foreign investors sold 286.1 billion won, while institutions offloaded 539.9 billion won. Retail investors bought 903.4 billion won, signaling selective dip-buying in smaller-cap shares despite elevated volatility. On heavy foreign selling, the won weakened to 1,463.6 per U.S. dollar, down 3.1 won, or 0.21 percent. The damage was softer across Asia. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.9 percent to 53,818.04, China’s Shanghai Composite slipped 0.6 percent to 4,075.9, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index held up, rising 0.1 percent to 26,880.3. 2026-02-05 17:18:31