Six Korean Business Groups Urge Parliament to Pass U.S. Investment Special Act Six major South Korean business groups on Tuesday urged the National Assembly to swiftly pass a special law aimed at supporting investment in the United States. In an emergency appeal issued Tuesday, the Korea Enterprises Federation, the Korea Employers Federation, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Korea International Trade Association, the Korea Federation of SMEs and the Korea Association of Medium-Sized Enterprises said uncertainty in the trade environment has intensified after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that found the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, unlawful. They said the ruling could prompt the United States to rely on alternative laws to keep its current tariff policy direction while imposing additional, selective tariffs on specific countries or products, making passage of the bill urgent. The groups said exports to the United States in key South Korean industries — including semiconductors, automobiles and pharmaceuticals — are being directly affected, raising concerns about weakening industrial competitiveness. They warned that delays in handling the bill would weaken South Korea’s negotiating leverage with the United States and make it harder to realize tangible benefits from bilateral economic cooperation. They again called on lawmakers to pass the bill within the special committee’s mandate so companies can reduce trade risks and pursue exports to the United States more actively. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-03 06:03:24

Director Ryoo Seung-wan Says ‘Humint’ Marks a Turning Point in His Filmmaking 'Veteran' and 'Smugglers' helped director Ryoo Seung-wan prove he could deliver both mass appeal and genre thrills. With his new film, 'Humint,' he returns with a quieter approach, trading punchy energy for a closer look at emotions and fractured relationships set against Vladivostok. Working within action-movie conventions, he pares back technique to move closer to his characters’ inner lives. The film opened Feb. 11 and has drawn a cumulative 1.82 million viewers, according to the Korean Film Council’s integrated box office system as of March 1. Ryoo first expressed gratitude for the renewed energy in theaters over the Lunar New Year holiday period and for fellow directors’ strong showings. "What I’m feeling is that theaters have come alive again after a long time. Compared with last year’s Lunar New Year holiday, it feels completely different. I’m grateful for that," he said. "I’m really happy director Jang Hang-jun is doing well. The cinematographer for 'The Man Who Lives With the King' is someone I’ve worked with my whole life, and I’m close with Yoo Hae-jin, too. Anyway, it feels good that two films with different sensibilities are out and audiences are coming to theaters. We’re also continuing stage greetings and meeting audiences." Ryoo said the project began with anger he felt after encountering a real-life tragedy while reporting in the past. "The basic incidents I gathered while preparing 'The Berlin File' — things that happened on the Chinese border and what I learned while covering a North Korean mission — became the foundation," he said. "The human trafficking case set in Vladivostok in the film is something that actually happened. What I heard was a crime so severe it’s hard to describe. When you ask why I chose this material, if I look back purely, I was furious after hearing it. You hear a lot about smuggling cigarettes, but buying and selling people … that’s something that must not exist. That anger was the starting point." Because the subject is tragic, he said he repeatedly weighed how to keep the camera from exploiting its victims. "The moment I chose this material, there was no longer any question of comfort or discomfort. It’s something that makes you angry, so it’s inevitably uncomfortable," he said. "The filmmaker’s task is that our gaze must not exploit the subject. Setting the distance between the camera and the subject required real care. The priority was not to emphasize it or treat it as something to gawk at. Even in postproduction, if the women stood out in the later images of the factory basement, I blocked all of that. I didn’t want the audience’s gaze to drift there and create an exploitative look inside the screen. We struggled with how to handle the material. On set, it was difficult and delicate." To capture the mood of the setting, he said he stripped away noise and focused on the landscape his characters move through. "Rather than emphasizing action spectacle, I wanted to preserve the characters’ emotional lines," he said. "So we removed the loud background extras walking around in the streets. I wanted the focus only on the characters. For every scene of someone walking, we searched the city thoroughly — the buildings, the streets — and checked everything in detail. We built a set for the North Korean restaurant, but everything else was shot in Vladivostok. There was only one method: the staff’s legwork." Ryoo pointed to what he called the film’s central image: a person who is ultimately alone even within relationships. "The title is 'Humint,'" he said. "The people placed inside this world. In the opening and ending, you see someone waking up and falling asleep somewhere that isn’t their home — that’s the image. They form tight relationships, and yet they’re ultimately alone within them. The keyword is 'parting,' a 'person who leaves.' That was important to me. This is an action film, but when it reaches action, the emotion isn’t the pleasure of beating a bad guy like I’ve handled before. It’s action that explodes after being compressed within a calm emotional line. So the approach was less about action itself and more about refining the characters." He said he aimed for traditional suspense that makes a theater go quiet, balancing familiarity and novelty. "When more than 100 people watch a film in a theater, I wanted suspense that makes them hold their breath," he said. "You can feel that silence when people are focused. I’ve used humor a lot, but I thought: Let’s go for real, traditional suspense in a theater. I wanted the appeal of seeing actors on a big screen again. Action matters, but I wanted something that lingers. Because this isn’t made from scientific data, if it feels too familiar people get bored, and if it’s too new they reject it. How do you create harmony between the familiar and the new? I thought it might feel new to build emotional density step by step, then pull the climax forward and drive hard in the final stretch." Ryoo also cited the film’s mirrored opening and ending, saying it was possible because of actor Zo In-sung. He said it was his most explicit use of that structure and that he wanted the afterimage left with viewers to be the character himself. "This is the first time I’ve placed such an obvious mirrored structure in a film, and it was possible because of Jo, because of Zo In-sung," he said. "In a way, I think this story may be in the form of Jo’s recollection. After watching, people may remember many things, but I hoped the afterimage would be purely a 'person.'" In shaping what he called realistic, self-directed female characters, he said feedback from his family and his own approach as a director played a major role. "When I handle female characters, I have very strong censors: my wife and daughter," he said, laughing. "In real life, we don’t find someone appealing if they only lean on others. We’re attracted to independence. Chae Seon-hwa is already the person who causes the incident in 'Humint' and drives it to its outcome. If you treat her as a character consumed by an action film, you lose the engine itself. There were different ways to portray rescuing female colleagues, but I thought it had to be Seon-hwa who does it. Even the character who gets shot and collapses should be saved and protected by their own group. I’m attracted to that kind of person. I think that’s cool." Ryoo said he accepted audience criticism with humility and treated it as a chance to learn. "One of the most shocking things I heard was that in reality, people were placed together in glass cases like merchandise," he said. "Their condition, too. We couldn’t portray it close to reality, so after a lot of 고민, we created our own setting to condemn the act. When you shoot action, you also think about what makes an interesting setup. But with the audience’s points of dislike, I realized, 'I didn’t think that far.' I considered it something worth taking to heart. I’m grateful to receive it and I think I need to keep checking those things as I make films. Even for me, the starting point wasn’t, 'Let’s squeeze it all out.' I should have looked more carefully and in more detail, but I fell short. I’m learning a lot from the feedback." Looking back on two decades in film, Ryoo said 'Humint' left him feeling unburdened — and could mark a turning point toward something different next. "After finishing the film, releasing it, and reaching this moment, I feel lighter and I have no regrets. It feels like, 'I’ve done everything I wanted to do,'" he said, laughing. "I even think, 'If I died tomorrow, it would be a good death.' Of course, I still have homework. With reactions I didn’t anticipate, I think, 'Ah, I need to think more about this.' What I’m grateful for with this film is that it may become a turning point for me. Over 20 years, I tried everything I liked and wanted to do, and I’m thinking the next film could be very different."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-03 00:03:22

HMM Ship Waits at Dubai Port as Hormuz Strait Closure Risk Rises HMM is reviewing measures to protect the safety of its local staff and crew as the risk grows that the Strait of Hormuz could be blocked following U.S. strikes on Iran. According to the shipping industry on Monday, HMM’s Daon is anchored and waiting at Jebel Ali Port, the main gateway port for Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Jebel Ali is the UAE’s key logistics hub and the Middle East’s largest port, serving as a major stop for container ships linking the Middle East with Africa and Europe. HMM said the Daon “is not in a danger zone and is working after arriving at its destination.” The HMM Daon is a 16,000-TEU container ship and is known to typically carry about 30 crew members. It mainly transports cargo between the Middle East — including the UAE and Iraq — and Singapore, and must pass through the Strait of Hormuz, making it sensitive to geopolitical risk. After U.S. and Israeli military action against Iran, Iran moved to control the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed through local media on March 1 that it “is implementing a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz,” and said it radioed nearby vessels to prohibit passage. According to foreign media reports, Iran retaliated with drones and missiles after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, sparking a fire at Dubai’s landmark Burj Al Arab hotel and threatening the airport and port facilities. The attacks were reported to have continued on Monday. HMM said it is monitoring the Daon while it remains anchored in Dubai and will decide whether to move it to a safer area depending on how the situation develops. Separately, one of more than 20 HMM container ships and tankers operating in the region had been inside the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday but exited safely. Industry officials said prolonged instability in the Middle East could make route diversions or schedule adjustments unavoidable. 2026-03-02 19:18:08

New nominees tapped to lead Budget and Oceans ministries SEOUL, March 2 - Nominees to fill two vacant ministerial posts were tapped as part of a minor cabinet reshuffle, Cheong Wa Dae said on Monday. In a press briefing in Seoul, Lee Kyu-yeon, the presidential senior secretary for public relations and communications, said that President Lee Jae Myung, currently on a trip to Singapore and the Philippines, has named veteran lawmaker Park Hong-keun and senior official Hwang Jong-woo to head the Ministry of Planning and Budget and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, respectively. The secretary said Park, a four-term lawmaker who previously served as the ruling Democratic Party (DP)'s floor leader and held other key positions helping to draw up the blueprint for the administration and other state affairs, is "the right person" to lead the inaugural ministerial post. If Park is appointed after a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly, he will become the first budget minister to fill the post that has remained vacant since the previous nominee Lee Hye-hoon, a former lawmaker of the conservative People Power Party (PPP). She was tapped by the president in a surprise move late last year but was forced to resign about a month later amid allegations including tantrums toward subordinates, anger management issues, and suspicious real estate dealings. As for Hwang, the secretary said the senior official, who previously held major posts at the Oceans Ministry and hails from Busan, would be well-suited to push ahead with the country's ambitious project to expand its Arctic shipping routes. Once appointed, he will replace former Oceans Minister Jeon Jae-soo, who stepped down in December last year amid allegations of accepting bribes from the powerful religious sect Unification Church, also known as the Moonies. 2026-03-02 17:27:09

Kang Chan-hee Joins Comedy Film 'Method Acting,' Set for March Release Actor Kang Chan-hee has joined the film ‘Method Acting,’ which is set to open in March. The comedy centers on Lee Dong-hwi, a performer known for being funny who no longer wants to do comedy. Seeking recognition for sincere acting, he becomes overly immersed in a role, setting off a chain of events. Kang plays Jung Tae-min, a top star who sweeps three awards at a year-end ceremony. Jung publicly asks Lee — a senior actor he worked with as a rookie — to co-star in his next project. But Jung is also portrayed as harboring resentment over past treatment by Lee. Kang is expected to depict the character’s dual nature, smiling professionally for the camera while engaging in a tense standoff offscreen. Kang has appeared across film and television, including the dramas ‘Under the Queen’s Umbrella,’ ‘Imitation’ and ‘SKY Castle,’ and the films ‘White Day: A Labyrinth Named School’ and ‘SSUL.’ Last year, he appeared in the TVING original series ‘The Scandal of Chunhwa’ and the film ‘Ghosts,’ which the report said showed a broader acting range. ‘Method Acting’ is scheduled to hit theaters March 18.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-02 17:15:17

Korean Industry, Banks Brace for Prolonged Middle East Turmoil After Strait of Hormuz Closure The U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran are raising the risk of prolonged turmoil in the Middle East, putting South Korean industry on alert. With the Strait of Hormuz now blocked, disruptions to supplies of crude oil and liquefied natural gas, as well as air and sea logistics, have become more likely. A prolonged conflict could also weigh on exporters that have been posting a string of trade surpluses. Major companies including Samsung, LG and Hanwha have activated emergency response systems and are tightening safety management for employees in the region. According to the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations and foreign media reports, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Monday blocked the Strait of Hormuz, which handles about 20% of global seaborne oil shipments. Near the strait, at least four vessels, including the Palau-flagged tanker Skylight, were attacked, and one crew member was killed. The government said it has not identified any damage so far to South Korean oil tankers or LNG carriers. South Korea imports 70.7% of its crude oil and 20.4% of its LNG from the Middle East, and more than 95% of those shipments pass through the strait. The Korea International Trade Association estimates that using alternative routes could raise ocean freight rates by as much as 50% to 80% and extend transit times by three to five days. It also said insurance premiums for exporters could rise by up to sevenfold, adding to inflationary pressure. If instability persists, exports of defense products, automobiles and semiconductors could weaken, and multiple Middle East projects pursued by Samsung, Hyundai Motor and Hanwha could be suspended. Hanwha’s construction unit said it is closely monitoring the situation, along with the South Korean Embassy in Iraq and Iraqi military and police, in connection with its Bismayah new city project in Iraq. A surge in global oil prices could also raise costs for petrochemicals, airlines and shipping, potentially hurting first-quarter results. An industry official said the Middle East is a key market for defense and construction orders, and warned that if the region becomes a powder keg, ongoing production and consumption, investment and research and development could face setbacks. The official said companies are watching closely for an export slowdown and the possibility of weaker global consumption if the war drags on. The financial sector, which supports companies, has also moved into emergency mode. All seven branches operated by the four major banks — KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana and Woori — in the Middle East are within the impact zone of the Israel-Iran war. Financial holding groups said there has been no direct damage so far, but warned that additional losses could be unavoidable if the conflict becomes prolonged, as in the Russia-Ukraine war. KB Financial Group, led by Chairman Yang Jong-hee, is checking exchange rates, interest rates and oil prices in real time. Shinhan Financial Group convened its group crisis management council to review its response system amid rising volatility in financial indicators. Hana Bank set up a rapid response team for the Iran situation. Woori Financial Group ordered an urgent review across affiliates, including stronger monitoring of financial markets and steps to ensure the safety of employees working overseas. If a prolonged war weakens the broader Middle East economy, cash flow at South Korean companies operating there could also deteriorate. Banks are also concerned that if exporters face disruptions, delinquency rates could rise. The average delinquency rate on small and midsize business loans at the four major banks in the fourth quarter of last year was 0.45%, already the highest level in nine years. The four banks said they will provide 42 trillion won in management-stabilization funding, interest-rate reductions and deferred installment repayments for companies struggling due to Middle East risks. 2026-03-02 16:21:22

South Korea, Singapore agree to upgrade free trade deal SEOUL, March 2 (AJP) - The leaders of South Korea and Singapore agreed on Monday to begin negotiations to upgrade their free trade agreement, as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation between the two countries. The agreement was reached as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who arrived in Singapore the previous day, sat down for talks with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong for the first time in several months since they last met in Seoul in November. In a joint press statement after the summit, the two leaders said both sides discussed upgrading their decades‑long bilateral FTA, which has been in effect since 2006, to "fully reflect evolving trade and economic security environments." The statement highlighted that the two countries had demonstrated resilience by turning limited resources and geopolitical challenges into a foundation for growth, becoming "model middle powers." The two leaders also affirmed that the two countries can serve as "reliable partners" as they navigate "another challenge" in what they described as an era of uncertainty in the early 21st century. They also signed a series of memorandums of understanding to enhance cooperation in the science and technology sectors, including artificial intelligence (AI)-related technologies, intellectual property measures, joint use of environmental satellites, and other areas. Lee said South Korea could also learn from Singapore's housing policies and the integrity of its civil service and also expressed interest in expanding cooperation in future-oriented advanced fields. He also said he would work closely with Singapore to implement the vision of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), established in October 2024 as a regional development initiative, as Singapore prepares to assume the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) next year. Lee also recalled that Singapore played a key part eight years ago by hosting the historic summit between the U.S. and North Korea in 2018, calling on Singapore to continue supporting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula through a constructive role. Later in the day, Lee is scheduled to attend a joint business forum with entrepreneurs and business leaders from both countries in AI-related sectors, before heading to his next itinerary in the Philippines on Wednesday. 2026-03-02 16:13:54

South Korean Refiners, Shippers and Petrochemical Firms Brace for Hormuz Risk After U.S. Strikes on Iran The possibility that the Strait of Hormuz could be blocked after U.S. airstrikes on Iran has put South Korea’s refining, shipping and petrochemical industries on alert as they monitor developments.  Industry officials said Monday that rising geopolitical risks around the Strait of Hormuz — a key global energy corridor — and the Red Sea, a major logistics route, are adding uncertainty across the economy. The Strait of Hormuz carries about 20% of globally traded oil, 70% of South Korea’s imported crude and 20% of its imported liquefied natural gas. The route is used mainly by oil tankers rather than container ships, but heightened tensions could also destabilize nearby Red Sea lanes, likely pushing up overall ocean freight rates. Extra costs incurred as tankers transit the strait despite risks or wait offshore are expected to add upward pressure on oil prices. Refiners have not set up a separate task force, but have begun internal risk checks and are preparing responses. A sharp rise in crude prices can bring short-term inventory valuation gains, but if import costs climb quickly, refining margins are likely to narrow. A refining industry official said the strait has not reached a stage where a blockade is taking shape, and companies are closely watching Middle East developments, longer-term oil price trends and potential effects on crude imports. The government and refiners say they have about seven months of strategic stockpiles, limiting near-term supply concerns. If the situation drags on, however, disruptions to crude procurement could combine with higher insurance premiums and freight costs to raise the burden. Global analysis firms have also issued pessimistic forecasts that oil could reach $100 a barrel if Iran actually blocks the strait. Shipping companies are watching whether the downturn in the sector could pause if detours become necessary. They expect the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index, which has been falling, could rebound, with ocean freight rates rising as much as 50% to 80% and offsetting weak conditions. In the tanker market, some forecasts say daily rates for very large crude carriers on Middle East-Asia routes could top $200,000 as the situation overlaps with rising global LNG demand. Still, the Iran strikes are seen as effectively ending hopes that HMM would return to the Suez route in the second half of this year. Over the longer term, higher fuel and insurance costs could also limit profit gains.  Petrochemical companies, already trying to survive by consolidating naphtha cracking capacity, face added strain. Higher crude prices lift naphtha prices and then feed into prices for basic petrochemicals such as ethylene. But ethylene prices have been stuck since last year due to oversupply. If feedstock costs surge while product prices remain flat, margins will shrink further, worsening profitability for petrochemical makers. 2026-03-02 16:04:11

Park Jeong-min on playing a North Korean security officer in 'Humint': 'I’m glad it didn’t feel awkward' Actor Park Jeong-min has transformed again. After swinging between cowardice and cruelty as “Jang Dori” in “Smugglers,” he returns in the new film “Humint” as Park Geon, a cold North Korean Ministry of State Security unit leader. “After reading the script, I thought the story could be overturned depending on Park Geon’s emotional state,” Park said. “I suddenly wondered, ‘Why did director Ryoo Seung-wan give me such a great role?’” “Humint” is set in Vladivostok, where secrets and truth sink into an icy sea, and people with different aims collide. It is Park’s second project with Ryoo after “Smugglers.” “Actually, it was during the ‘Smugglers’ stage greetings,” Park said. “He asked what I thought about action films, and I said I liked them. He said he was going to make a film called ‘Humint’ and asked if I was interested, and of course I said yes. That was basically it beforehand.” To build Park Geon’s rough-edged presence, Park started with physical changes, including training at a gym. But as he immersed himself, he said he grew anxious about the distance between himself and the character. “He told me it was a masculine role with a lot of action, so I needed to prepare, and I was building my body,” Park said. “The director said he wanted Park Geon to look cool, and I did, too. Usually once filming gets going, you get a little intoxicated — you start to fuse yourself with the character. “But with ‘Humint,’ I was scared. Until I saw the finished film, I worried the gap between Park Geon and Park Jeong-min was so big it would make me cringe. Thankfully, after watching it, it didn’t feel that familiar in a bad way. I was grateful it didn’t look awkward.” Park said his trust in Ryoo and the production company Oeyunaegang brought him back to another demanding set. “If director Ryoo calls, I’m ready to run anytime,” he said. “When I was in my 20s and was nobody, he gave me important roles and trusted me. It’s hard not to feel more drawn to someone like that. And I’ve never been disappointed by the results of projects I’ve done with Oeyunaegang.” Park Geon, he said, communicates less through words than through silence and controlled emotion. Park focused on the loneliness of a man who begins to waver between belief and personal feeling. “Park Geon feels like someone who has never had inner conflict and is starting to have it for the first time,” he said. “I thought about what it feels like when someone who has never once questioned his convictions begins to struggle between belief and personal emotion. In the end, he’s a character who makes choices and meets tragedy.” Park said he watched many reference films Ryoo shared on USB drives or DVDs, including “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” and Hong Kong movies. “Watching them actually made me more confused,” he said. “Because I’m not Chow Yun-fat. Ha.” The intense action work sometimes pushed him to his limits, he said, especially during a fight scene in a cramped, harsh location. “It was an action scene where I fought a Russian boss two-on-one,” Park said. “The action itself wasn’t the hard part, but the environment that boxed us in was terrible. It wasn’t even my first time in that space. It was where I filmed a bar scene with senior actor Jo Woo-jin for the film ‘Harbin,’ but I still don’t know why I fell apart. “For about two hours, I couldn’t understand what people were saying and I was doing strange things. It was the moment I was most disappointed in myself recently. I just couldn’t pull myself together. A lot of people, including the director, were watching, and I struggled with an easy scene. I remember going back to the lodging alone without even greeting anyone.” He said colleagues noticed and helped him recover, and that Ryoo’s attention mattered. “If someone just recognizes, ‘He’s collapsed,’ it can become the trigger to stand back up,” Park said. “If it turns into a lonely fight by yourself, you keep falling. This time, director Ryoo sensed, ‘He’s not like himself,’ and quickly grabbed me and pulled me up. “You don’t always have someone like that beside you. Filming isn’t always smooth. There are always rough patches. Sometimes you get through them alone, sometimes colleagues or the director help, but it feels like it only works if someone notices what state you’re in.” Park said Park Geon’s relationship with Chae Seon-hwa was built less on explicit dialogue than on shared backstory the actors kept off-camera. “There were actions in the film that we gave a backstory to, just between us,” he said. “For example, resting her head on his lap or stroking her hair — those are things they did when they were in love in the past, and also things shown at the last moment. The audience doesn’t have to catch it, but sharing that backstory helps the acting. “It’s the same when Park Geon listens to Chae Seon-hwa’s recorded voice on a phone. The way Park Geon speaks in that recording is different from his voice in Vladivostok. In the pure time when he loved her, he probably wasn’t as violent as he is now. As he changed, the person he loved left. After a breakup, you miss them, but the time you shared can also hurt. “I thought those memories would have rushed back to him along with Chae Seon-hwa. They didn’t break up because they hated each other, so he would have wanted to hold on to something again, but he fails, and those choices pile up into the events of the story.” Park said he avoided physical affection without a clear reason, choosing instead to convey feeling through gaze and restraint. “Skinship without a reason would have made Park Geon’s situation harder,” he said. “It wouldn’t have felt like him. I did think about it — when they met in the back alley behind ‘Arirang,’ I wondered if he should at least hold her hand once. But actions without purpose feel awkward. “There’s a completely different mood between thinking, ‘I really want to hold her hand,’ and thinking, ‘Would it look more heartbreaking if I hold her hand?’ In rehearsal, I tried to move closer, it got awkward, and I gave up. I decided Park Geon should just stand there to feel more like Park Geon.” For Park, “Humint” combined the appeal of a classic spy film with emotionally driven action. He said it was his first time playing a character propelled by longing for someone. “Director Ryoo said he wanted to make a more classic-style spy action film, and I think it was realized well,” Park said. “The cinematography and lighting directors worked very hard, too. From early monitoring, I told him I’d never seen this kind of film among his movies. “I think it was an interesting attempt because emotional action is woven into it. Personally, I think it’s the first time I’ve played a character whose goal is the woman he loves. I don’t know about being satisfied, but I hope people will watch it kindly. It doesn’t look extremely strange to me, so I’m telling myself, ‘That’s enough.’ Ha.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-02 15:57:24

Kim Do-young’s tying homer lifts South Korea to 3-3 WBC tune-up draw vs Hanshin South Korea’s national baseball team, preparing for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, played Japan’s Hanshin Tigers to a 3-3 tie in an exhibition game. The team managed by Ryu Ji-hyun drew with Hanshin on March 2 at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Osaka, Japan, in an official WBC tune-up. Ryu’s squad entered its first official exhibition after going 4-1 in five games in Okinawa against KBO clubs including the Samsung Lions, Hanwha Eagles and KIA Tigers. Starter Kwak Bin (Doosan Bears) struggled, allowing three runs on three hits and a walk with one strikeout over two innings. He ran into trouble in the second inning. Six relievers followed and combined for scoreless work. Noh Kyung-eun (SSG Landers), Son Ju-young (LG Twins) and Ko Young-pyo (KT Wiz) each threw a scoreless inning from the second through the fifth. Ryu Hyun-jin (Hanwha Eagles) worked two innings in the sixth and seventh, giving up one hit and no runs. Park Young-hyun (KT) and Kim Taek-yeon (Doosan) each pitched a scoreless inning in the eighth and ninth. At the plate, leadoff hitter Kim Do-young (KIA Tigers) provided the key blow, hitting a game-tying solo homer in the fifth. He went 2 for 3 with one RBI and one run scored. South Korea will play the Orix Buffaloes at noon March 3 at the same venue in its final warmup, then travel to Tokyo. The team opens WBC group play on March 5 against the Czech Republic at the Tokyo Dome.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-02 15:48:00