Journalist

Jang Sun-a
  • South Korea, Switzerland extend currency swap deal by another five years
    South Korea, Switzerland extend currency swap deal by another five years SEOUL, March 9 (AJP) - South Korea has agreed with Switzerland to extend their currency swap deal by five years, financial authorities here said on Monday. According to the Bank of Korea (BOK), the bilateral currency swap deal will now run until March 1, 2031, allowing the two countries to swap up to 10 billion Swiss francs or about 18.5 trillion won (US$12.4 billion). A currency swap allows one country to deposit its own currency in another country's reserves in return for the other country's currency in case of a liquidity shortage. South Korea and Switzerland first signed the deal in 2018 and extended it in 2021, with the latest renewal expected to further strengthen financial cooperation and support market stability. South Korea has similar deals with about 10 countries including Australia, Canada, China, Indonesia, Japan and Malaysia. "The renewal will bolster South Korea's foreign exchange reserves, given Switzerland's status as a key reserve-currency country, providing an additional safety net against potential financial crises," a BOK official said. 2026-03-09 14:36:54
  • Middle East Crisis: BOK to maintain 24/7 monitoring
    Middle East Crisis: BOK to maintain 24/7 monitoring SEOUL, March 3 (AJP) - The Bank of Korea said on Tuesday it will maintain around‑the‑clock monitoring with its overseas offices and discuss potential fallout from the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran dubbed "Operation Epic Fury." In a meeting chaired by its chief Rhee Chang‑yong, officials discussed global developments since last Saturday's airstrikes, as well as potential volatility in financial markets. With the country's financial and foreign exchange markets resuming trading after a makeup holiday for March 1 Independence Movement Day, the central bank said it will closely monitor the situation and prepare for any possible scenarios including the potential spillover of the conflict into South Korean stock and foreign exchange markets, even though the country is not directly involved in the crisis. It plans to keep a task force in place for the time being to respond promptly as needed. 2026-03-03 10:45:13
  • Norway Clinches Top Spot in Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics; South Korea 13th
    Norway Clinches Top Spot in Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics; South Korea 13th Norway locked up first place in the overall standings at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics with one day remaining. South Korea stayed 13th with 10 medals (three gold, four silver, three bronze). As of Feb. 21 local time, Norway led with 18 gold, 11 silver and 11 bronze medals. With only five gold medals left on the final day, the United States in second (11 gold, 12 silver, nine bronze) cannot catch Norway even if it wins all remaining events. The result gives Norway a fourth straight Winter Games overall title, after Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022. Norway’s dominance was most evident in cross-country skiing. Johannes Klaebo swept all six men’s gold medals — the 10km+10km skiathlon, sprint classic, 10km interval start free, 4x7.5km relay, team sprint and 50km mass start — to set a new record for most golds by one athlete at a single Winter Olympics. He also raised his career Olympic gold total to 11, breaking the previous record held by American Eric Heiden, who won five golds at Lake Placid 1980. South Korea, which collected one gold and two silvers in short track the previous day, added no medals on Feb. 21 and remained 13th overall. Jeong Jae-won finished fifth in the men’s speedskating mass start, and Park Ji-woo (both Gangwon Provincial Government) placed 14th in the women’s mass start. South Korean speedskating ended the Olympics without a medal for the first time in 24 years.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-22 07:36:00
  • Kim Yu-ran, Jeon Eun-ji Place 16th in Women’s Two-Woman Bobsled at Milan-Cortina Olympics
    Kim Yu-ran, Jeon Eun-ji Place 16th in Women’s Two-Woman Bobsled at Milan-Cortina Olympics Kim Yu-ran of Gangwon Provincial Office and Jeon Eun-ji of the Gyeonggi federation finished 16th in the women’s two-woman bobsled at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Racing at the Cortina Sliding Center in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, the pair posted a four-heat total of 3 minutes, 52.04 seconds after completing heats three and four on Feb. 22 (Korea time). They were 15th among 25 teams after the first two heats in 1:55.79. In the third heat, they clocked 58.15 seconds to stay 15th at 2:53.94 overall and secure a spot in the fourth heat, reserved for the top 20 teams. They trimmed their time slightly to 58.10 in the final run but slipped one place to 16th in the final standings. South Korea last competed in the event at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, when Kim teamed with Kim Min-seong and placed 15th. The country did not qualify for the 2022 Beijing Olympics, making this its first women’s two-woman entry in eight years. Germany’s Laura Nolte and Deborah Levi won gold in 3:48.46 to repeat as Olympic champions. Teammates Lisa Buckwitz and Nelle Schuten took silver in 3:48.99. The United States’ Kaillie Humphries and Jasmine Jones earned bronze in 3:49.21. Humphries added her second bronze medal of these Games after also taking bronze in monobob.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-22 06:15:00
  • Choi Min-jeong, Hwang Dae-heon to carry South Korea flag at Milan Olympics closing ceremony
    Choi Min-jeong, Hwang Dae-heon to carry South Korea flag at Milan Olympics closing ceremony Short track skaters Choi Min-jeong (Seongnam City Hall) and Hwang Dae-heon (Gangwon Provincial Office) will carry South Korea’s flag at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics. The International Olympic Committee said the Games will end with the closing ceremony at 4 a.m. on the 23rd (Korea time) at the Verona Arena in Italy. The Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympics featured competition for 116 gold medals across 16 events in eight sports. Choi was selected after a standout Olympics in which she won gold in the women’s 3,000-meter relay and added silver in the 1,500 meters. Those results gave her seven career Olympic medals, the most by any South Korean athlete across the Summer and Winter Games, surpassing Jin Jong-oh (shooting), Kim Soo-nyung (archery) and Lee Seung-hoon (speed skating), who each won six. Choi also moved into a tie with Jeon I-kyeong (four golds) for the most Winter Olympic gold medals by a South Korean athlete. Hwang also left his mark, winning silver in the men’s 1,500 meters after a persistent chase and helping South Korea reach the podium in the 5,000-meter relay as the anchor leg. He won medals in both individual and team events. At the opening ceremony, figure skater Cha Jun-hwan (Seoul City Hall) and speed skater Park Ji-woo (Gangwon Provincial Office) served as co-flag bearers.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-22 05:15:00
  • Speedskater Park Ji-woo vows to keep chasing Olympic mass start medal after 14th-place finish
    Speedskater Park Ji-woo vows to keep chasing Olympic mass start medal after 14th-place finish South Korea’s long-distance speedskating standout Park Ji-woo of Gangwon Provincial Office missed a medal in the women’s mass start and said she plans to try again in four years. Park placed 14th in the final at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics at the Milan speedskating stadium on Feb. 22 (Korea time). It was her first time reaching the Olympic final, but she did not make the podium. After the race, Park told reporters in the mixed zone, “I’m sorry to deliver a disappointing result to speedskating fans in Korea who supported me,” bowing her head. Park failed to advance past the semifinals at both the 2018 PyeongChang Games and the 2022 Beijing Games. In Beijing, she collided with another skater with two laps remaining, ending her bid to reach the final. This time, she advanced comfortably through the semifinals to make her first final, but fell short of medal contention. “I was worried about fighting for position and where I’d be with one or two laps left,” Park said. “It’s disappointing I couldn’t fix that, but I showed what I could. I have fewer regrets than at PyeongChang and Beijing.” She said Kim Bo-reum contacted her from Korea earlier in the day and offered advice on positioning. “I really wanted to follow in Bo-reum’s footsteps, but it’s a shame I couldn’t show a great performance,” Park said. Kim, who announced her retirement from competition late last year, won silver in the mass start at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, becoming the first South Korean woman to medal in the event at the Games. Park said she intends to keep pursuing an Olympic medal. “The athletes who made the podium today are in their mid-30s, at least eight years older than me,” she said. “I have a real chance to keep challenging in four years and even eight years. I’ll work to reach a higher place at the next Olympics.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-22 03:12:00
  • Park Ji-woo places 14th in mass start as South Korea ends Olympics without speedskating medal
    Park Ji-woo places 14th in mass start as South Korea ends Olympics without speedskating medal South Korea’s speedskating team finished the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics without a medal, its first medal-less Games since 2002 in Salt Lake City. On Saturday (Korea time), South Korea wrapped up its schedule after failing to reach the podium in both the men’s and women’s mass start finals at the Milan speedskating stadium in Italy. In the women’s mass start, Park Ji-woo of Gangwon Provincial Office placed 14th in the final. She crossed the line seventh but dropped in the standings after losing points in the intermediate sprint segments. Park advanced to the final by finishing third in the second semifinal heat. She stayed near the back early, then moved up on the outside with two laps remaining, but her time of 8 minutes, 36.31 seconds was not enough for a medal. Lim Ri-won, who is set to enter Korea National Sport University, did not reach the final after placing 10th in the first semifinal heat. Earlier, in the men’s mass start final, Jung Jae-won of Gangwon Provincial Office crossed fifth in 8:04.60 and missed the medals. In mass start, skaters complete 16 laps, with rankings determined by points from intermediate sprints and the finish. The skater who finishes first overall wins gold.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-22 02:00:00
  • Speedskater Park Ji-woo Reaches Women’s Mass Start Final at Milan Olympics
    Speedskater Park Ji-woo Reaches Women’s Mass Start Final at Milan Olympics South Korean speedskater Park Ji-woo of Gangwon Provincial Office reached the Olympic women’s mass start final for the first time in her third Games appearance. Park advanced Saturday (Korean time) at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, finishing third in the second semifinal heat at the Milan speedskating stadium. She earned 20 sprint points and secured one of the eight final berths awarded in each heat. The mass start is a 16-lap race scored by points at intermediate sprints and at the finish. At laps 4, 8 and 12, the top three skaters receive 3, 2 and 1 sprint points, respectively, and up to 60 points are awarded based on the final placing. Park stayed near the back early before moving into the lead pack with two laps remaining. She closed the race in third place. Park also competed in the mass start at the 2018 Pyeongchang and 2022 Beijing Olympics but did not reach the final. This is her first final appearance in the event. The final is scheduled for 1:15 a.m. Sunday at the same venue. In the first semifinal heat, Lim Ri-won finished 10th and was eliminated.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-22 00:36:00
  • Alysa Liu Wins Olympic Women’s Figure Skating Gold, First for U.S. Since 2002
    Alysa Liu Wins Olympic Women’s Figure Skating Gold, First for U.S. Since 2002 Alysa Liu of the United States, who stepped away from skating because of burnout, climbed to the top of the Olympic podium with a comeback gold in women’s figure skating singles at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Liu won the free skate on Feb. 20 (Korean time) at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Italy, scoring 150.20 points for a total of 226.79. After placing third in the short program, she delivered a clean free skate to move into first. It was the first Olympic gold for an American in women’s singles since Sarah Hughes at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, ending a 24-year drought. Liu emerged early as a U.S. figure skating standout. In 2019, at age 13 years, 5 months, she won the U.S. championships to become the youngest champion in event history. In 2018, she drew attention by landing a triple axel in international competition. She placed sixth at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and third at the world championships later that year, but announced a sudden retirement at age 16, citing burnout. She then focused on school and took time away before announcing her return in 2024. After coming back, Liu skated with a looser style, winning the 2025 world championships and the 2025-2026 International Skating Union Grand Prix Final in succession. In Milan, she again looked unburdened as she won over the crowd. After clinching gold, Liu said, “I did the things people told me not to do,” adding, “I hope my story can inspire many people.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-20 23:30:00
  • Olympic Big Air Bronze Medalist Yoo Seung-eun Vows to Improve Slopestyle After Missed Runs
    Olympic Big Air Bronze Medalist Yoo Seung-eun Vows to Improve Slopestyle After Missed Runs Yoo Seung-eun, the first South Korean female skier or snowboarder to reach an Olympic podium, said she wants to strengthen her slopestyle performance after winning bronze in her main event, big air. Speaking at a news conference at Korea House in Milan on Feb. 20 (local time), Yoo said, “I feel relieved now that the competition is over,” but added, “I’m disappointed and regretful because I couldn’t land all my runs in slopestyle.” Yoo, a high school student born in 2008, won bronze in women’s snowboard big air on Feb. 10, delivering South Korea’s second medal of the Games. It was the country’s third Olympic medal in skiing and snowboarding and the first by a woman. In slopestyle, Yoo qualified for the final in third place, but made mistakes on all three runs and finished last among the 12 finalists. “The moment I remember most is my first run in the big air final,” she said. “In slopestyle, I realized I still have a lot to work on.” She added that she is weaker on rails and thought she “might have finished mid-pack” in slopestyle. Yoo said she reached the Olympics despite suffering ankle and wrist fractures since 2024. “A lot of people around me helped and supported me. I never could have made it here on my own,” she said. On her condition, she said her ankle has recovered, though it can hurt briefly when she takes a hard impact on the board. She said her wrist still makes it difficult to brace directly with her hand, but it does not affect daily life. South Korean snowboarding set a single-Games record for medals, with Kim Sang-gyeom’s silver in men’s parallel giant slalom, Yoo’s bronze in big air and Choi Ga-on’s gold in halfpipe. “I’m not a rider who’s naturally great — I’m someone who works hard,” Yoo said. “Including Ga-on, everyone rides so well and seems really talented.” She said she was impressed watching Choi fall hard on her first run but still execute her third run. “She’s my friend, but I respect her,” Yoo said. Yoo said her preparation focused on big air, with airbag training in Japan. She said she prepared for slopestyle mainly by riding rails for about a month in Italy. “I’ll work to become a rider who can do both well,” she said. Yoo said she had been focused only on this Olympics and had not thought much about what comes next, but added, “At the next Olympics, I’ll practice more so I can show an even better performance.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-20 22:00:00