Lexus Korea Extends Team Lexus Ambassador Deals With KPGA Golfers Park Sang-hyun and Ham Jung-woo Lexus Korea said Thursday it has extended its 2026 “Team Lexus” ambassador agreements with Korea Professional Golfers’ Association players Park Sang-hyun of Dong-A Pharmaceutical and Ham Jung-woo of Hana Financial Group. Under the renewed deals, the golfers will represent the Lexus brand in marketing activities through December. Park will mark his sixth consecutive year with Team Lexus, and Ham his seventh, the company said. To support their tournament schedules and training, Lexus Korea will provide its flagship “L Series” vehicles, it said. The company said the two will also take part in customer-facing programs, including “Amazing Swing” private golf lessons and one-on-one golf mentoring content. Park is a veteran on the domestic circuit with 16 career wins since joining the KPGA, including two on overseas tours, and ranks first on the KPGA career money list, Lexus Korea said. Ham has four KPGA wins and won the 2023 KPGA Genesis Award, the company said, citing his steady play and focus. At the signing ceremony, Lexus Korea President Manabu Koyama thanked Park and Ham for their long-running role with the brand, saying the partnership goes beyond a simple collaboration and is a relationship that inspires both the brand and the players. Separately, Lexus Korea said it signed a business agreement with the KPGA in February to stage the 2026 Lexus Masters, underscoring its commitment to promoting golf culture in South Korea. The tournament, held for a third straight year since its launch in 2024, will offer total prize money of 1 billion won and run from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-06 09:39:19

FedEx Links Delivery Alerts With KakaoTalk to Boost E-Commerce Customer Experience in South Korea Federal Express Corp., known as FedEx, said Thursday it will integrate its service with KakaoTalk to build a real-time delivery notification system in South Korea. The move is part of upgrades to FedEx Delivery Manager International, or FDMi, aimed at improving convenience, transparency and flexibility in domestic delivery processes, the company said. FedEx said the update will help e-commerce companies offer more customer-focused service and strengthen competitiveness in the online retail market. FDMi is an interactive e-commerce shipping solution that provides near real-time, customized delivery options and alerts. It allows customers to choose delivery times and locations to fit their schedules. Recipients can also change the delivery address while a shipment is in transit, providing flexibility without additional costs, FedEx said. With the KakaoTalk integration, recipients of shipments bound for South Korea will receive notifications via KakaoTalk starting at the pickup stage. FedEx said it will send messages through its officially verified KakaoTalk business account and expects the channel to help reduce risks from online scams, including delivery impersonation schemes that have been increasing. Recipients will also be able to check shipment status and take actions such as changing delivery details or adjusting pickup locations through KakaoTalk, the company said. Park Won-bin, head of FedEx Korea, said the integration is "an important step" in strengthening customer touchpoints. "As customers can manage deliveries directly through a trusted platform they use every day, we expect convenience to improve and unnecessary redeliveries to be minimized," Park said. He added that FedEx will continue to upgrade digital delivery services to match changing consumer conditions in South Korea. FedEx said it has introduced a range of digital solutions in South Korea to provide a smoother, more customer-centered delivery experience. Its self-service platform for import customs clearance, the "FedEx Import Tool," supports more efficient management of the import process, including shipment tracking and delivery scheduling, the company said. FedEx also launched its "FedEx Surround Monitoring and Intervention" solution to proactively track sensitive shipments, improving visibility and strengthening risk management capabilities.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-06 09:30:19

South Korea asks UAE to help bring home travelers stranded in Middle East SEOUL, March 6 (AJP) - South Korea asked the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to help support the return of South Korean nationals stranded in Middle Eastern countries, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday. In a phone conversation with UAE's Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan the previous day, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun requested special attention and support from the UAE government including assistance for those unable to return due to the closure of airports in Dubai shortly after last week's U.S.-led airstrikes on Iran under "Operation Epic Fury." Cho also asked him to ensure smooth takeoffs and landings for charter flights so that South Koreans can return home quickly and safely. According to the ministry, more than 3,000 South Koreans, mostly short-term travelers, are currently looking ways to return home amid flight disruptions in the UAE. Abdullah said the Iranian attacks have caused major damage to airports and other civilian facilities in the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Cho offered his deep condolences and expressed grave concern over the escalating conflict in the Middle East, hoping that the situation will be resolved as soon as possible. 2026-03-06 09:28:47

Maserati Korea Names Gaurab Thapa as New General Manager Maserati said Thursday it has appointed Gaurab Thapa, its sales director in South Korea, as general manager of Maserati Korea. The appointment follows the end of the term of Takayuki Kimura, who led Maserati Korea and Japan. Thapa, who has overseen sales in the Korean market, will take the post April 1. Maserati said Thapa has built his career around sales strategy and network development in the auto industry. Since joining Maserati in 2018, he has worked on business planning and operations in the Asia-Pacific region and led dealer network development. After Maserati Korea launched in July 2024, Thapa served as sales director, leading nationwide sales and network operations. Maserati also said it has reorganized its Asia-Pacific operating structure. The newly established Maserati APAC organization covers South Korea, Greater China, Japan, and Southeast Asia and the Pacific region. The company said Taieb-Dutrio, who has more than 25 years of international experience in the luxury auto industry, will oversee the organization and pursue marketing and sales strategies tailored to each national market.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-06 09:24:16

T’way Air Says Summer Europe Bookings Up 14% as Long-Haul Demand Grows T’way Air said Thursday that average bookings for its Europe routes for the summer season, running from March to October, rose 14% from a year earlier. A company official attributed the increase to stronger demand ahead of the spring and summer travel season, along with growth in long-haul independent travel and honeymoon trips. The official said competitive fares and a stable flight schedule also appeared to influence customers’ choices. T’way Air currently operates long-haul routes including Europe service to Paris, Rome, Barcelona and Frankfurt, as well as Sydney in Oceania and Vancouver in North America. Starting this year, the airline will introduce Airbus’ next-generation A330-900neo aircraft in phases to strengthen route competitiveness. The A330-900neo can cut fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by about 25% compared with existing aircraft, the company said, supporting fleet modernization and lower emissions. The new aircraft are set to be deployed on long-haul routes, including Europe, to improve operating efficiency and aircraft utilization, the company said. T’way Air also opened a dedicated “premium check-in” counter at Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 1 and recently overhauled its website and mobile app to improve digital services, including reservations, add-on purchases, online check-in and boarding pass access. Through the app, passengers can preselect seats, buy additional baggage allowance and preorder in-flight meals, helping streamline airport procedures on the day of travel, the company said. The company official said the rise in bookings is continuing as demand for long-haul travel, centered on Europe routes, steadily increases. The official said the airline will continue to prioritize safe operations while strengthening competitive fares and customer service. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-06 09:15:17

Korean Air Named a 2025 Disclosure Excellence Company by Korea Exchange Korean Air said Thursday it received an award after being selected as a disclosure excellence company at the “2025 KOSPI Disclosure Excellence Awards” ceremony held March 5 at the Korea Exchange building in Seoul. The designation is given each year to listed companies on the benchmark KOSPI market that have established systematic disclosure management and actively communicated with investors. Korean Air said it was recognized for efforts over the past year to provide timely and accurate disclosures. The company said it met statutory filing deadlines and made quarterly checks and guidance on ad-hoc disclosures a regular practice to prevent omissions. It also said it provided prompt and accurate information on unannounced matters, including market rumors, to reduce information gaps and build trust with shareholders and investors. The airline said it also provided English-language investor relations materials for overseas investors. “This award reflects the results of all employees working together for transparent and responsible management,” a Korean Air official said. The Korea Exchange selects disclosure excellence companies each year for contributing to greater transparency and trust through timely and accurate disclosures. Korean Air said the selection brings benefits including a one-time, five-year grace period from being designated an unfaithful disclosure company, a one-year exemption from annual charges and listing fees after selection, and an exemption from required annual training.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-06 08:57:44

Celltrion Expands Treasury Share Cancellation to 9.11 Million Shares Worth 1.93 Trillion Won Celltrion said it will expand its planned cancellation of treasury shares to about 9.11 million shares and filed a disclosure on the 6th revising the agenda for its regular shareholders meeting. Based on the previous day’s closing price, the amount totals about 1.9268 trillion won. In the agenda previously disclosed for its 35th regular shareholders meeting, Celltrion had proposed canceling about 6.11 million shares under an item titled approval of a plan to hold and dispose of treasury shares and to cancel them, excluding shares held to compensate stock options. The excluded treasury shares totaled about 3 million shares and were to be kept to deliver stock options already granted to some employees. In the latest filing, Celltrion said it will also cancel those stock option-related shares, bringing the total to about 9.11 million shares, and will submit the revised item for approval. The company said, “Employee stock option compensation will be managed through future issuance of new shares, but because the cancellation will occur first and the new issuance afterward, there is no impact on the total number of issued shares.” The planned cancellation equals about 74% of all treasury shares held by Celltrion. The remaining 26%, or about 3.23 million shares, will be used to secure future growth drivers, the company said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-06 08:57:00

South Korea bans travel to all parts of Iran SEOUL, March 6 (AJP) - A travel ban has been issued on all parts of Iran amid rising tensions in the Middle East, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday. According to the ministry, the government raised its travel alert for Iran to the highest level, which prohibits travel to the country, from the previous level that had advised South Korean nationals to leave. The measure, which took effect from Thursday evening, came after last week's U.S.-led airstrikes against Iran amid growing concerns over the safety of South Koreans in the already volatile region. The ministry warned that South Koreans visiting or staying in Tehran without prior authorization may face punishment, according to relevant laws. "We advise South Koreans planning to travel to Iran to cancel their trips and those already there to leave immediately," the ministry said. 2026-03-06 08:56:45

Hyundai launches rental car partnership promotion with discounts up to 1 million won per vehicle Hyundai Motor said Thursday it will launch a “rental car partnership special promotion” offering purchase incentives to help strengthen the competitiveness of new and small rental car companies. The program includes eased discount requirements, a wider range of eligible models and larger discount amounts, as well as a rental-car-focused residual-value-guarantee financing product. Hyundai said it expanded eligibility for discounts. Previously, incentives were available only to companies that bought at least 12 Hyundai vehicles in the year before purchase. Under the promotion, discounts apply regardless of the prior year’s purchase volume. Hyundai also expanded eligible models from eight to 12 by adding the Staria and Genesis models — the G80, GV70 and GV80 — to the Tucson, Santa Fe, Kona, Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, Sonata, Grandeur and Solati. The company raised the maximum discount to 1 million won per vehicle to reduce the burden of buying new cars and improve fleet supply stability. For the Tucson, Santa Fe, Kona, Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, Sonata, Grandeur and Staria, Hyundai said it will offer 100,000 won off for one vehicle; 300,000 won for buying two to three at once; 400,000 won for four to five; and 500,000 won for six or more. For the Solati, the discount is 200,000 won for one vehicle and 1 million won for buying two or more at once. For Genesis models (G80, GV70, GV80), Hyundai said it will offer 200,000 won off for one vehicle; 400,000 won for two to three; 600,000 won for four to five; and 1 million won for six or more. Separately, Hyundai said it will begin offering a “rental-car-focused residual-value-guarantee financing product” jointly developed with Hyundai Capital starting Monday. Hyundai said installment rates for 24-, 36- and 48-month terms will be lowered by 0.3 to 0.8 percentage points from existing levels. At contract end, customers can return the vehicle, repay by making a lump-sum payment of deferred amounts, or extend the loan, it said. Linked to Hyundai’s certified used-car business, the product is designed to sharply reduce residual-value risk and upfront operating costs for rental car companies, Hyundai said. It guarantees a used-car price of up to 61% of the new-car price when the vehicle is returned. “In a changing rental car market, we strengthened a partnership support program so small operators and new companies can grow sustainably,” a Hyundai official said. “We will continue close cooperation with the broader rental car industry to support stronger competitiveness and improved customer service.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-06 08:54:22

Equity issues ground to a halt, bond offerings surge in Seoul in Jan SEOUL, March 06 (AJP) - Stock issues virtually came to a halt in January amid overheat concerns while bond issues — particularly in one- to five-year maturities — surged in Seoul, reflecting fears of borrowing rates going higher. According to the Financial Supervisory Service on Friday, total offerings in Korean equities and bonds in January came to 17.7440 trillion won ($12 billion), down 226.4 billion won, or 1.3 percent, from the previous month. Stock issuance totaled 108.2 billion won, off 2.4 trillion won, or 95.7 percent, from 2.4880 trillion won a month earlier and 85.4 percent from a year earlier against the base effect of large-size rights offerings in December, including Hanon Systems (980 billion won) and KDB Life Insurance (500 billion won). Rights offerings raised 28.7 billion won, down 98.5 percent from the previous month. Initial public offerings totaled two deals worth 79.5 billion won, a decline of 86.6 percent. Corporate bond issuance, in contrast, surged to 17.6358 trillion won, up 2.1534 trillion won, or 13.9 percent, from the previous month. Issuance of general corporate bonds jumped to 7.1765 trillion won from 230 billion won, an increase of 3,020.2 percent, as companies mostly in AA or higher investment grade rushed to issue debt on signs of higher yields in U.S. Treasuries and Korean government bonds. For general corporate bonds, refinancing accounted for 5.5010 trillion won, or 76.7 percent of the total, while operating funds and facility investment made up 18.9 percent and 4.5 percent, respectively. By credit rating, AA or higher issues represented 93.6 percent, and by maturity, midterm bonds accounted for 98.5 percent. Financial bond issuance fell 29.4 percent from the previous month to 9.7141 trillion won. As of the end of January, outstanding corporate bonds totaled 752.8585 trillion won, down 0.5 percent from a month earlier. Issuance of commercial paper and short-term bonds in January totaled 154.7302 trillion won, down 24.0329 trillion won, or 13.4 percent, from the previous month. Commercial paper rose 8.2 percent to 46.8926 trillion won, but short-term bonds fell 20.4 percent to 107.8376 trillion won, pulling down the overall total. 2026-03-06 08:52:20