South Korea flags 178 false online ads for cosmetics, devices ahead of Lunar New Year 178 false or exaggerated cosmetics ads flagged ahead of Lunar New Year South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Tuesday it found 178 cases of false or exaggerated online advertising after inspecting ads for medical devices, cosmetics and quasi-drugs expected to see higher gift demand ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. For medical devices, the ministry flagged 100 ads tied to illegal overseas purchasing-agency sales involving medical magnetic field generators, personal low-frequency stimulators and electric cupping devices. In cosmetics, inspections of online ads for functional products marketed for whitening and wrinkle improvement, as well as products claiming to ease muscle pain, found the most common violation was advertising as if the products had drug-like efficacy (25 cases, 71%). In checks of ads for gift-set items such as mouth fresheners, tooth whiteners and toothpaste, the ministry found 43 cases of false or exaggerated claims about efficacy or performance approved for quasi-drugs. The ministry said it asked the Korea Communications Standards Commission and online platforms including Naver, Coupang and 11st to block access to violating posts under relevant laws. It also requested on-site inspections by authorities for repeat offenders. Dongkook Pharmaceutical applies for MFDS approval of DKB-138 as individually recognized functional ingredient Dongkook Pharmaceutical said Tuesday it completed an application to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for individually recognized functional-ingredient status for DKB-138, a “hyunggae extract powder” it says may help improve muscle strength. With muscle weakness among middle-aged and older adults drawing attention, the company said it is developing functional ingredients aimed at improving strength. After completing the recognition process, it aims to launch a product in 2027. DKB-138 uses the flower stalk of hyunggae, a plant in the mint family. The company said a human study of 120 adults ages 50 to 70 confirmed both efficacy and safety. After taking 1 gram daily for 12 weeks, participants showed increases in grip strength and isokinetic thigh strength compared with a control group. Dongkook Pharmaceutical also cited joint research with a team led by Kim Young Suk at the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, saying the work identified mechanisms including inhibiting muscle-cell death and protease activity and protecting skeletal muscle from oxidative stress. The findings were published in the SCIE-indexed journal ABCH (impact factor 2.7), and the company said another paper is scheduled for publication in May in the English-language journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Technology. Celltrion’s Remsima tops 1 trillion won in annual sales for second straight year Celltrion said Tuesday its autoimmune disease treatment Remsima (infliximab) posted global sales of about 1.0495 trillion won last year, topping 1 trillion won for a second consecutive year after 2024. The company attributed the results to steady prescribing worldwide and expansion of Europe’s infliximab market, which it said grew about 9% a year on average from 2019 to 2024. Celltrion said demand has risen since the COVID-19 pandemic for self-administered subcutaneous injections, boosting prescriptions of RemsimaSC. It said a “dual formulation” effect — switching from existing infliximab products to Remsima and then to RemsimaSC — also supported sales growth. As of the third quarter of last year, Remsima’s share in Europe’s five major markets was 62% in the U.K., 49% in Spain and 48% in Germany, the company said. It also reported high shares in other European countries including Ireland (75%) and Austria (64%). Celltrion said it plans to roll out a newly added liquid formulation of Remsima across Europe this year. The liquid version shortens preparation time and reduces storage and handling burdens compared with the existing lyophilized formulation. GCCL signs MOU with MICS on multinational clinical trial services GCCL said Tuesday it signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday with Europe-based clinical trial and diagnostic services company MICS to cooperate on global, multinational clinical trial services. The companies said the MOU sets up a cooperation framework spanning Europe, the United States and the Asia-Pacific region, aiming to improve operational stability by combining their regional trial-operations experience and customer communication capabilities. The agreement includes cooperation on cross-regional trial operations and sample analysis; support for project management and coordinated customer communication by region; joint marketing; joint customer development and market expansion; and linking test items and improving analysis efficiency to strengthen service competitiveness.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 18:06:00

Jeju Air Returns to Profit on Fleet Upgrade and Rebounding Japan, Southeast Asia Demand Jeju Air, which had been shaken by fallout from an accident, returned to the black for the first time in five quarters as rival low-cost carriers stayed in the red. The turnaround came as its fleet upgrade coincided with recovering demand on Japan and Southeast Asia routes. According to the airline industry on Monday, Jeju Air posted operating profit of 18.6 billion won in the fourth quarter of last year, swinging to a profit. The carrier said it has moved past the lingering risk tied to the Muan disaster and returned to profitability after five quarters, helped by fleet modernization and demand recovery. Jeju Air has focused on upgrading its fleet over the past three years by adding newer passenger jets. It began introducing the Boeing 737-8 in 2023 with two aircraft, added six last year and one more early this year, bringing the total to nine. About 21% of its 43 passenger aircraft are newer models less than three years old. A higher share of new aircraft has translated into lower fuel costs. Jeju Air said its cumulative fuel expenses for the first through third quarters of 2025 fell about 19% from the same period in 2024. The airline plans to increase the number of new aircraft to 40 by 2030. It is also seeking liquidity by selling 43.3 billion won worth of shares in its subsidiary AK I&S to AK Holdings. “When we bring in new aircraft, operators benefit from better fuel efficiency, and passengers find them more convenient because they have phone charging ports,” a Jeju Air official said, adding the company is “gradually moving away from the past downturn.” The profit swing is effectively the only performance improvement among the low-cost carrier “big three.” Jin Air, which has already reported results, posted an operating loss of 9.7 billion won in the fourth quarter of last year. T’way Air, which has yet to report, is also expected to post a loss; the securities-industry consensus estimates its fourth-quarter operating loss at 45 billion won. Expectations for first-quarter results are also rising as the industry enters its peak season. Passenger demand has strengthened amid eased restrictions on group tourism from China and continued preference for travel to Japan. Jeju Air carried 1.176 million passengers in January, up 33.5% from a year earlier. Jeju Air has expanded the share of its Japan routes to 42%. Securities firms forecast the airline will post a first-quarter profit of 80.7 billion won this year. Oh Jeong Ha, an analyst at Daol Investment & Securities, said, “Jeju Air is the only short-haul low-cost carrier without restrictions,” adding that the first-quarter peak-season effect, including the overlap of Lunar New Year and Independence Movement Day, could support an annual profit as well.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 18:03:00

Cheering event for South Korean athletes at Winter Olympics in Italy Gyeonggi, February 10 (AJP) - With this year's Winter Olympics underway in Cortina d’Ampezzo and Milan, an event cheering on South Korean athletes competing at the quadrennial sporting event was held at a ski resort in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday. Participants dressed in various winter sports uniforms waved the national flag and cheered for the South Korean national team, creating an energetic atmosphere on the slopes. The event, hosted by Konjiam Resort to encourage South Korean athletes competing at the Olympics and boost public interest, will continue until the Games conclude on Feb. 22. 2026-02-10 17:44:44

Stocks are hot, but apartments are hotter in South Korea SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - Stocks are hot in South Korea, but Seoul apartments remain hotter, as data shows profits from record market surge are increasingly being redirected into property purchases. Between July and December last year—after the government unveiled a package of housing market curbs in June—2.09 trillion won ($14.4 billion) was withdrawn from stocks and bonds to finance home purchases, according to data obtained from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport by the office of People Power Party lawmaker Kim Jong-yang. The five-month figure exceeded the roughly 2 trillion won recorded for the whole of 2021, underscoring how quickly capital has pivoted back toward real estate. In July, one month into office, Lee Jae Myung publicly warned against housing speculation and ordered tougher measures at a cabinet meeting. The government followed up with high-intensity regulations, including a cap last October limiting mortgage loans to 600 million won for homes priced above 1.5 billion won. Less than a year later, however, the effectiveness of those policies appears limited. Drivers for price hikes remain unchecked The structural bias toward housing—especially in and around Seoul—remains firmly in place. According to the Korea Real Estate Board, apartment prices across all districts in Seoul rose 9 percent over the past year, the sharpest increase since the 23.5 percent surge in 2006 during the Roh Moo-hyun administration. Supply constraints continue to aggravate demand. Seoul’s housing supply ratio has consistently remained below 100 percent, while major development initiatives have faced repeated delays or cancellations. A previous government plan to deliver 2.7 million units by 2027 through private-led projects collapsed amid weak profitability and regulatory hurdles. The current administration announced in January a plan to supply 1.35 million units in the metropolitan area over five years, but formal negotiations have yet to begin. “Although the government has announced supply measures, fear persists that the shortage will not be resolved,” said Seo Jin-hyung, a professor at Kwangwoon University’s Department of Real Estate Law. Liquidity fuels the market Economists point to excess liquidity as a decisive trigger behind the renewed price surge. According to the Bank of Korea, broad money supply (M2), including securities such as stocks and ETFs, rose 8.4 percent year-on-year in November. Even excluding securities, money supply growth stood at 4.8 percent—well above levels seen in Japan and the United States. “When liquidity rises rapidly, inflation and real estate prices inevitably follow,” said Kwon Dae-jung, a chair professor at Hansung University’s Department of Economics and Real Estate. “Excess liquidity cannot be ignored in discussions about housing.” Stocks cannot replace homes As capital continues to flow into property, skepticism is growing over the notion that equities can serve as a viable alternative to real estate. Many analysts argue that securities often function as stepping stones—rather than substitutes—for buying tangible assets. “There are many ways to make money besides stocks, but one cannot live without a house,” said Woo Seok-jin, an economics professor at Myongji University. “Because housing and stocks are fundamentally different, the substitution effect will be limited.” Another real estate expert, speaking on condition of anonymity, was more blunt. “Stocks and property cannot exist in a purely substitutable relationship,” the expert said. “Unless the government tackles the issue through orthodox means—expanding supply and adjusting taxes—housing prices will not stabilize.” For broader Koreans, stocks remain a tool for accumulation and home in Seoul the ultimate destination, he added. 2026-02-10 17:37:17

KAEMS Converts 19 Contract Workers to Full-Time Employees in Largest Move Yet KAEMS, a subsidiary of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), said Monday it has converted 19 contract workers to full-time employees as of Feb. 1 after a comprehensive evaluation. The company said it is the largest such conversion since its founding. KAEMS said the decision was based not on length of service but on an objective review that considered work performance, job competency, contribution to the organization and growth potential. The company said the process will help it secure key personnel and strengthen a sustainable workforce model. Because KAEMS carries out projects on a project-by-project basis, it brings in specialized staff in stages. The company said it offers full-time opportunities to workers whose performance and capabilities have been proven, aiming to improve job stability, boost organizational commitment and build long-term technical competitiveness. Chief Executive Bae Gi Hong said, "Fair talent selection based on performance and capability is directly tied to the company’s sustainable growth." He added, "We will actively improve the dual structure in the interest of employment stability and expand these efforts to ensure sustainable management."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 17:33:00

Korea's Gentle Monster marks 15 years, grows into global eyewear brand SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - South Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster marked its 15th anniversary this month, underscoring its rise from a local label into a global fashion name as Korean brands gain traction overseas. The company currently operates 84 stores worldwide, including in New York, London, Paris and Milan, and has staged 33 collaborations with fashion houses and artists ranging from Fendi and Moncler to Maison Margiela and Tilda Swinton, according to the company. Gentle Monster, run by IICOMBINED, said overseas units now account for about 40 percent of its sales, highlighting growing demand for Korean-designed eyewear beyond its home market. Founded in 2011, the brand helped reshape Korea’s eyewear market by positioning glasses as a fashion item rather than a purely functional product, and has since expanded into major retail hubs across Asia, North America and Europe. “Over the past 15 years, we have grown into a global brand by focusing on product quality and a distinctive brand identity,” said a Gentle Monster spokesperson. “We will continue to expand into new areas beyond fashion through innovative design and differentiated customer experiences.” 2026-02-10 17:22:00

Coupang's data breach far worse than initially reported, probe finds SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - About 33.67 million users were affected by e-commerce giant Coupang's massive data leak late last year, a joint probe revealed on Tuesday. The probe, led by the Ministry of Science and ICT along with private agencies, found that about 33.67 million users' names, phone numbers, e-mail addresses and other details were exposed. Since users could save other people's information such as family members' details on their accounts for orders, the ministry said the number of people affected could exceed the number of accounts. The probe also found that customers' personal information and their delivery addresses were accessed about 148 million times, while their ordering details were viewed more than 100,000 times. The ministry described the incident as a large-scale breach involving long-term access to sensitive personal information. It said its former employee, suspected of being behind the breach, used 2,313 IP addresses over roughly seven months to access Coupang's servers. The suspect appeared to bypass normal login procedures by abusing Coupang's vulnerable user authentication system to repeatedly access accounts and collect personal data using automated web tools. The breach occurred from April to November last year, with evidence of initial testing in January. The ministry blamed Coupang's poor management of employee log-in procedures for the massive leak, saying the suspect was able to continue accessing its servers even after quitting the company. It also criticized Coupang's delayed response, saying the company failed to report the incident within 24 hours of detecting it, which constitutes a legal violation. The ministry said it will require Coupang to submit a plan for preventive measures by the end of this month and will monitor compliance from March to May, with follow-up inspections planned for June and July. Tuesday's revelations come after Coupang initially said in November last year that the incident affected about 3,000 users, before admitting last week it had discovered an additional data leak affecting over 165,000 customers, far fewer than the findings of the latest probe. 2026-02-10 17:20:18

South Korea to send submarine to Canadian waters ahead of $41bn bid decision SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - South Korea will deploy a submarine to Canadian waters in June for its first-ever joint naval exercise with Canada, a high-profile move that coincides with Ottawa’s selection process for a $41 billion next-generation submarine program. According to military sources on Tuesday, the deployment will mark the first time a South Korean submarine operates in Canadian waters. The vessel is scheduled to depart in March and cross the Pacific ahead of the drill. The exercise comes as Canada advances its Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, a major procurement aimed at replacing its aging fleet. Ottawa is expected to choose between South Korea and Germany as early as the first half of the year. Defense officials say the timing gives Seoul an opportunity to showcase the operational range and reliability of its domestically built submarines. “Simply reaching Canadian waters requires long-distance deployment and sustained operations,” a South Korean naval official said. “This is what we call blue-water operational capability. The voyage itself demonstrates the vessel’s reliability.” “The Canadian side will be able to verify firsthand that our submarines can operate globally,” the official added. Linked to submarine competition Canada is seeking to replace its current fleet and is expected to receive final bids by March, with a preferred bidder likely to be selected in the following months. Germany is widely regarded as South Korea’s main competitor. Military officials view Canada’s agreement to conduct its first joint naval exercise with South Korea as a sign of growing interest in Korean platforms. Discussions began during an October visit to Seoul by Angus Topshee, commander of the Royal Canadian Navy. “The exercise was discussed as part of broader efforts to strengthen naval cooperation,” a South Korean official said. “It is also true that the submarine being deployed, or its follow-on model, is one Canada has shown interest in.” While officials stopped short of explicitly linking the drill to the procurement contest, they acknowledged that the timing was strategically favorable. “Canada judged that this was a mutually beneficial moment, given South Korea’s operation of a proven 3,000-ton-class submarine fleet,” the official said. Military-backed support for industry bid Officials said there have been no direct bid-related negotiations involving shipbuilders, including HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean. However, the South Korean Navy is providing indirect support by highlighting its training, operations and maintenance systems to Canadian officials. When senior Canadian decision-makers visit South Korea, the Navy demonstrates its training infrastructure and maintenance facilities built around its submarine fleet. Through briefings and site tours, officials aim to reassure Ottawa that Seoul can offer not only hardware, but also a comprehensive package of training, logistics and lifecycle support. As Seoul and Ottawa prepare for their first joint submarine exercise in Canadian waters, attention is now focused on whether this high-profile operational “road test” will give South Korea the edge it needs to outmaneuver its German rival and secure one of the largest defense contracts in its history. 2026-02-10 17:19:59

South Korea's GS Group posts strong 4Q profit, but full-year earnings slip SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - South Korea’s GS Group reported stronger fourth-quarter earnings on improved refining margins, although full-year profit declined as weakness in petrochemicals and power generation weighed on results. In a regulatory filing on Monday, GS said fourth-quarter revenue rose 1.4 percent from a year earlier to 6.49 trillion won, while operating profit jumped 23.3 percent to 767.2 billion won. For full-year 2025, however, revenue slipped 0.3 percent to 25.18 trillion won and operating profit fell 4.9 percent to 2.93 trillion won. Energy affiliate GS Caltex led quarterly gains, posting a 136.5 percent surge in fourth-quarter operating profit to 653.4 billion won, while revenue rose 2.5 percent to 11.75 trillion won. For the full year, operating profit increased 61.3 percent to 884 billion won despite a 6.3 percent decline in revenue to 44.63 trillion won. GS Caltex said refining performance improved in the fourth quarter as product margins strengthened despite falling crude prices. Oil prices declined amid expectations of increased supply following higher OPEC output, but disruptions at overseas refineries and seasonal demand helped widen product spreads, supporting profits. GS Energy, another key subsidiary, reported fourth-quarter revenue of 1.66 trillion won and operating profit of 701.9 billion won, up 18 percent and 65 percent respectively from a year earlier. Within GS Energy, however, performance diverged by business segment. Power and district heating operations saw revenue fall 15 percent to 402.4 billion won, with operating profit declining 22 percent to 55.4 billion won due to lower electricity prices. A GS official said overall performance in 2025 was weighed down by persistently weak petrochemical margins amid global oversupply and softer demand, while profitability at power-generation affiliates declined. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-02-10 17:16:56

BTS Comeback D-39: The secret behind sellout in BTS tours  SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - The lightning sellout at the latest ticket opening for BTS’ two shows at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has become a familiar pattern across the global ticket window for the group’s first full seven-member world tour in nearly four years. Both nights vanished within 30 minutes, filling a venue that holds roughly 62,000 people per concert almost instantly. Over two evenings, close to 120,000 fans are expected to pass through the gates. At this point, BTS’ touring operation has reached a scale where success is no longer event-driven, but structural. Euphoria over a long-awaited comeback and the devotion of the fandom only partially explain the response—especially in a city that likes to remind visitors it is where pop music “began.” Fans agree the wait is worth it, and the reason, they say, lies not just in spectacle but in setlists. Across more than a decade on the road, BTS have quietly turned the concert setlist into a repeatable system—one that evolved from improvisation to standardization, and then toward controlled flexibility. Tracing that arc shows how a group that once tested songs in small rooms came to command stadiums with industrial consistency. The story begins far from London. BTS’ first full-scale tour, 2015 BTS LIVE TRILOGY: EPISODE II. THE RED BULLET, comprised just 12 shows. Even then, it was unusually ambitious, crossing four continents through Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, Melbourne, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mexico City, São Paulo, Santiago, Bangkok and Hong Kong. The itinerary hinted early at a global ceiling far above typical rookie acts. Those early setlists reflected the moment. Rather than leaning on chart dominance, the group built performances around identity. Songs such as “N.O,” “We Are Bulletproof Pt.2” and “No More Dream” opened shows, followed by “BTS Cypher Pt.2” and “Pt.3,” “If I Ruled the World” and “Paldo Gangsan.” The concerts were heavy on talk segments, light on spectacle and flexible night to night. The goal was not polish, but proof—testing which songs could survive outside the studio. Two tracks that would later become staples, “Dope” and “I Need U,” first distinguished themselves in this environment. Long before they became statistical anchors of later tours, they proved durable in rooms where audience reaction could not be engineered. Over time, those reactions accumulated into data. Aggregating setlists across BTS’ world tours shows that “Dope” has been performed 162 times, making it the most-played song in the group’s touring history. “Fire” follows with 137 performances, and “I Need U” with 130. These figures do not simply reflect popularity; they represent endurance—songs that deliver kinetic payoff across arenas and stadiums, languages and markets, regardless of context. The first attempt to formalize that reliability came with the Love Yourself tour. Instead of rewriting shows city by city, BTS adopted a hybrid model. Most of the 24 to 27-song setlist remained fixed, while a five-song block was deliberately left open. In that rotating section, tracks such as “Boy In Luv,” “Fire,” “Dope” and “Blood Sweat & Tears” were swapped depending on region and response. The effect was subtle but consequential. Japanese shows leaned toward emotionally resonant mid-era tracks like “I Need U,” while U.S. and European dates favored high-impact performance pieces such as “Fire” and “MIC Drop.” Localization became strategy rather than instinct. That experiment ended with Speak Yourself, BTS’ first full stadium tour. Here, flexibility gave way to uniformity. Every stop—Seoul, Paris or Los Angeles—featured essentially the same setlist, running about 24 songs from start to finish. Production cues, camera paths, pyrotechnics and pacing were locked. The concert was no longer modular but standardized, designed to deliver identical value at scale. Only once did that standard break. At the final Seoul show, “IDOL” was inserted into the encore while “Run” was removed—the sole deviation across dozens of performances, a symbolic nod to the tour’s point of origin rather than a logistical shift. The pandemic-era Permission to Dance On Stage series marked the next evolution. The framework held, but select sections regained elasticity. Five to seven songs per night rotated within predefined roles—consolation, celebration, collective catharsis. Tracks such as “Young Forever,” “Answer: Love Myself” and “We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal” were exchanged without altering the emotional arc of the show. Crucially, collaboration entered the touring equation. In November 2021 at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium, Megan Thee Stallion appeared onstage for a live rendition of the “Butter” remix. At other dates, Coldplay’s Chris Martin joined for “My Universe.” These moments were not spontaneous detours; they were accommodated by design. The setlist had evolved from a fixed sequence into a system defined by function. Seen in that light, the London sellout feels less like a milestone than an outcome. In Japan, BTS concerts continue to emphasize localized arrangements and emotional continuity. In North America and Europe, energy-forward tracks like “Dope” and “Fire” anchor the early stages of the show. Across Asia, choreography-driven numbers are paired with fan anthems to intensify collective response. The template adapts; the structure holds. The contrast is stark. In 2015, BTS crossed four continents in 12 mid-sized shows, testing material in rooms that could not absorb error. A decade later, the same group fills a 62,000-seat stadium in London—twice—without altering the core mechanics of its performance model. The journey from small venues to stadiums was not propelled by viral moments alone, but by an increasingly precise understanding of how live music scales. That understanding is embedded in the numbers. “Dope” at 162 performances, “Fire” at 137, “I Need U” at 130—figures that chart the quiet evolution of a touring system refined over years of iteration. BTS’ world tour is no longer a sequence of dates. It is an operational framework, tested in small rooms, validated on global stages and now capable of filling stadiums on demand. 2026-02-10 17:04:58