Asiana Airlines to boost China flights 20 percent amid growing two-way tourism SEOUL, February 11 (AJP) - Asiana Airlines will increase capacity on its China routes by about 20 percent from late March as travel demand between South Korea and China continues to recover. The carrier said Tuesday it will add 28 weekly flights from the winter schedule starting March 29, bringing total operations to 161 flights a week across 18 China routes. Asiana will resume daily services on the Incheon–Chengdu and Incheon–Chongqing routes, both suspended during the winter season, beginning March 29. The airline will also expand frequencies on several major routes. Flights between Incheon and Beijing will increase to 20 per week from 17, while Incheon–Dalian services will operate daily morning flights and add three afternoon services, bringing the total to 10 per week. Incheon–Tianjin flights will rise to seven weekly from three, and Incheon–Nanjing will increase to seven from six. Further increases are scheduled for May, with Incheon–Changchun services rising to nine weekly flights from seven starting May 6, and Incheon–Yanji increasing to eight weekly from seven from May 8. Asiana said the expansion reflects China’s decision to extend visa-free entry for South Korean travelers through the end of this year and continued growth in travel demand. Following the introduction of mutual visa-free policies, about 3.16 million South Koreans visited China in 2025, up roughly 37 percent from a year earlier, while 5.79 million Chinese travelers visited South Korea, an 18.5 percent increase, according to the airline. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-02-11 09:30:35

KAI signs deals with Hanwha Aerospace, LIG Nex1 to develop and integrate aircraft weapons 한국항공우주산업(KAI)은 LIG넥스원, 한화에어로스페이스와 함께 K-방산의 기술 경쟁력을 높이고 수출시장 확대를 위한 전략적 협력을 강화한다. Korea Aerospace Industries, or KAI, said Tuesday it signed separate memorandums of understanding with LIG Nex1 and Hanwha Aerospace to develop and integrate domestically made aircraft weapons and to jointly market exports aimed at boosting the export competitiveness of the KF-21 and FA-50. The agreements were signed at the third World Defense Show underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, KAI said. Under the MOUs, the companies will expand cooperation on joint technical reviews and systems integration for air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons for the KF-21 and FA-50, diversify their weapons portfolios and strengthen joint marketing. KAI said the cooperation is expected to help ensure stable execution of systems development projects led by the Agency for Defense Development, including long-range air-to-air and air-to-ground guided missiles, and to build a weapons data link between the KF-21’s AESA radar and guided missiles to secure technology at a global top-tier level. KAI said close coordination between the country’s only aircraft systems integrator and leading domestic equipment and weapons makers will support package exports that combine South Korean aircraft platforms such as the KF-21 and FA-50 with South Korean-made weapons, while joint marketing is intended to further strengthen competitiveness and expand export markets. KAI noted that Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries prefer package proposals that integrate aircraft platforms with equipment and weapons, calling the partnership a step toward entering the regional market. “KF-21 and FA-50 are symbols of ‘Team Korea’ in K-defense, built through the efforts of many domestic partners in their respective specialties,” KAI CEO Cha Jae Byung said. “As trust in K-defense technology rises, overseas customers have recently been asking for Korean packages covering not only aircraft platforms but overall operating systems, so joint marketing with domestic defense companies will be effective in expanding K-defense exports.” Hanwha Aerospace CEO Son Jae Il said he is confident the companies will meet their goals for aircraft weapons development through “synergy” between Hanwha’s experience in missile development tasks and KAI’s fighter systems integration capabilities. He said the effort will help win global customers’ trust and contribute to sustainable growth for K-defense exports. LIG Nex1 CEO Shin Ik Hyun said the company will work with KAI so the partnership leads to discovering new export projects and developing next-generation solutions, benefiting both companies and the broader South Korean defense industry.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 09:30:16

Abu Dhabi Launches Duty-Free Program for Imported Art to Attract Global Collectors The Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism announced on Tuesday the launch of a program exempting import duties on artworks. The program applies to artworks brought into Abu Dhabi for at least three years and includes a six-month grace period for re-export, giving collectors added flexibility. Additional operational services will be expanded in phases over the coming months. Participating works may also be considered for academic research and selected public engagement programs. Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, undersecretary at the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, said the program reflects Abu Dhabi’s commitment to creating an environment “based on strong governance, scientific expertise and responsible oversight.” He said it will help ensure important artworks are preserved with their authenticity intact and made accessible for research and cultural discussion. A specialist committee made up of global experts will review applications to determine whether they meet program standards and align with the department’s responsibility to protect outstanding cultural assets. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 09:27:00

Jin Air to Launch New Routes From Busan to Taichung and Miyakojima, Jeju to Hong Kong Jin Air said Tuesday it will launch three new international routes from Gimhae and Jeju airports, linking South Korea with Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong. Starting March 30, the airline will operate the Busan-Taichung route five times a week on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Flights will depart Gimhae Airport at 1:35 p.m. and arrive at 3 p.m. local time, with a flight time of about 2 hours, 25 minutes. Taichung, whose name means “center of Taiwan,” is known for modern art and traditional food, including bubble tea and brown sugar milk tea. It is about an hour by train from Taipei, allowing multi-city trips when paired with the existing Busan-Taipei route. Starting April 2, Jin Air will open the Yeongnam region’s first direct service to Miyakojima, operating twice a week on Thursday and Sunday. Departing Busan at 2:45 p.m., the flight will take about 2 hours, 15 minutes, reducing the need for connections via Okinawa and other stops. Miyakojima lies about 300 kilometers southwest of Okinawa’s main island and is known among Japanese travelers as a sought-after resort destination. The island is also home to the Irabu Bridge, Japan’s longest toll-free bridge, at 3,540 meters. Also on April 2, Jin Air will begin daily service on the Jeju-Hong Kong route, operating seven times a week. Flights will depart Jeju at 9:30 p.m., and depart Hong Kong at 2 a.m. local time the next day. Flight time is about three hours. Tickets for the Busan-Taichung, Busan-Miyakojima and Jeju-Hong Kong routes are available on the Jin Air website. The airline said it will continue to provide its standard 15-kilogram free checked-baggage allowance. Jin Air said travelers will be able to choose among “Taiwan’s diverse arts, Japan’s exotic seas and Hong Kong’s glittering city,” adding that it hopes customers plan spring trips with “a relaxed schedule and reasonable fares.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 09:24:14

Autonomous A2Z Releases Free Brand Typeface ‘A2Z Font’ Autonomous A2Z said Tuesday it has developed a proprietary typeface, “A2Z Font,” reflecting its brand philosophy and will distribute it for free. The company said it created the font as part of a project under its slogan, “From start to finish, writing every moment,” aimed at extending its brand experience beyond technology into everyday life. Autonomous A2Z said it views the typeface not as a simple design element but as a “visual language spoken by the brand,” and refined it for natural use across different content environments. A2Z Font is a gothic-style typeface marked by an asymmetrical balance created by curves and diagonals. The soft curves are meant to convey the flexibility of an autonomous driving experience moving smoothly through city streets, while the restrained diagonals are intended to express the company’s pride in steadily advancing, precise technology and a clear direction toward the future. The company said it also treated letter spacing and margins as part of the design to improve readability. By avoiding excessive density and leaving space, it said, the structure reflects values of possibility that can accommodate change and expansion, while conveying visual stability and trust and a brand stance of technology blending naturally into daily life. A2Z Font was produced in nine weights for use in both headlines and body text: seven for body copy and two for titles. It supports 2,780 basic Korean characters and 94 English letters and numerals. The font is released under the Open Font License, allowing both individuals and companies to use it commercially. Autonomous A2Z said the approach aligns with its view that autonomous driving technology should be easy for more people to experience in everyday life. The font is available for download on the company’s website and the font platform Noonnu, and the company said it plans to expand distribution channels. CEO Han Ji Hyeong said, “A2Z Font refines into a visual language Autonomous A2Z’s thinking and attitude of seeking balance between people and the environment, rather than putting technology at the center.” He added, “We will continue to expand the brand experience in various ways.” * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 09:21:00

South Korea Denied Advance After Crash in Olympic Mixed Relay; ISU Protest Fee Draws Criticism South Korea’s bid for a medal in the short track mixed 5,000-meter relay ended in disappointment, and online criticism has focused on the International Skating Union’s protest rules.  South Korea finished third in its semifinal on Monday (Korea time) at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Italy, sending the team to the B final and a sixth-place overall finish.  The team said it was undone by bad luck. Midrace, American Corinne Stoddard, who was leading, slipped, and Kim Gil Ri, who was chasing, collided with her and fell. In some cases, skaters can be advanced when they are unable to compete normally due to unavoidable contact.  But South Korea did not receive an advance because it was running third at the moment of the collision. A team official said ISU rules require a team to be in first or second place at the time of the incident to qualify for an advance. “We were third at the time, so the rule was clear, and we had no choice but to accept the ISU decision,” the official said.  Coach Kim Min Jung drew attention by running to officials with $100 to lodge a protest. Under ISU rules, a written protest generally must be submitted with 100 Swiss francs or an equivalent amount in foreign currency to deter frivolous complaints. The fee is returned if the protest is upheld; if not, the ISU keeps it. In this case, South Korea did not even get to submit the $100 because officials did not accept the advance request.  Kim said she believed Kim Gil Ri was “level with” the second-place team when she fell and appealed because she thought there were grounds for an advance. “The officials judged we were in third, and if we protested further we could have been disciplined, so we had to accept it,” she added.  Some online commenters also questioned South Korea’s late-surging race strategy, saying it can leave teams without recourse when incidents occur before they move into the top two. Others criticized the pay-to-protest system, posting reactions such as, “Isn’t the ISU openly taking money?” and “Do you have to pay even when it feels unfair?”  2026-02-11 09:15:00

Asiana Airlines to Boost China Flights 20% as Travel Demand Rises Asiana Airlines will expand service on its China routes by 20% to match rising travel between South Korea and China. The carrier said Tuesday it will add 28 weekly flights from March 29 compared with the winter schedule, operating a total of 18 routes with 161 flights a week. Asiana will resume daily service on the Incheon-Chengdu and Incheon-Chongqing routes, which were suspended during the winter period, starting March 29. Chengdu and Chongqing are popular with South Korean travelers, including visits to a panda base and the birthplace of mala cuisine. The Incheon-Chengdu flight will depart Incheon International Airport at 8:00 p.m. and arrive at Chengdu Tianfu Airport at 11:00 p.m. local time. The return flight will leave Chengdu at 12:10 a.m. local time and arrive at Incheon at 5:10 a.m. The Incheon-Chongqing flight will depart Incheon at 9:55 p.m. and arrive in Chongqing at 1:00 a.m. local time the next day; the return will depart Chongqing at 2:00 a.m. local time and arrive at Incheon at 6:25 a.m. Both routes will use 188-seat A321neo aircraft. Asiana will also increase frequencies on major China routes: Incheon-Beijing will rise to 20 flights a week from 17. Incheon-Dalian will operate 10 flights a week by running the morning flight daily and adding three afternoon flights. Incheon-Tianjin will increase to seven flights a week from three, and Incheon-Nanjing will increase to seven from six. Further increases are planned in May: Incheon-Changchun will rise to nine flights a week from seven starting May 6, and Incheon-Yanji will increase to eight from seven starting May 8. Asiana said it decided on the expansion to respond to market changes, citing the extension of China’s visa-free policy for South Koreans through the end of this year and continued growth in South Korean demand to visit China. The airline said it has also expanded sales and marketing in China as demand has risen for trips to South Korea for K-culture experiences and shopping after South Korea introduced visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists. Asiana said it launched an official, dedicated direct-sales channel on Ctrip, China’s largest online travel agency, on Feb. 2. It also said that in November it ran a live-commerce event for Singles’ Day with Fliggy, Alibaba Group’s online travel platform, drawing 500,000 visitors that day. After the two governments introduced visa-free policies, 3.16 million South Korean travelers visited China in 2025, up about 37% from a year earlier, the airline said. The number of Chinese visitors to South Korea rose 18.5% to 5.79 million. An Asiana official said the airline expects broader demand, including for expanded economic and cultural cooperation, following the visa-free policies. The official said Asiana will continue increasing capacity to help strengthen ties between the two countries. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 09:09:00

Hyundai-owned Boston Dynamics robot dog Spot aids U.K. nuclear decommissioning Hyundai Motor Group affiliate Boston Dynamics’ four-legged robot Spot is being used in the U.K. as a helper for nuclear facility decommissioning work. Industry officials said Sellafield, a state-owned company under the U.K. nuclear decommissioning authority, recently disclosed that it is using Spot at nuclear cleanup sites. Sellafield is responsible for decommissioning nuclear facilities in the U.K. and managing radioactive waste. Many of its worksites are high-risk areas where access is limited because of radiation and complex internal structures. Precise inspections require accurate data collection, but keeping workers safe has remained a challenge. Sellafield said it introduced a robot-based inspection system and is using Spot to collect data and conduct remote checks in areas that are difficult for people to enter. “Spot deployed on site is equipped with various sensing sensors and functions tailored to the nuclear facility environment, and its mobility allows it to move reliably even within complex structures, including rough terrain and stairs,” Sellafield said. It added that Spot captures 360-degree video and performs 3D LiDAR scanning to map site structures, while managers can monitor conditions remotely through real-time video streaming. Sellafield said Spot is carrying out “radiation characterization” by measuring gamma and alpha radiation to confirm the presence of radioactive material. It also recently completed a trial of sample collection, or swabbing, to check for radiation contamination inside facilities. Sellafield said these tasks previously required workers to enter the area, and using Spot has significantly reduced exposure to risk. The company said Spot can remain on site longer than people and that overall decommissioning work has accelerated since the robot was introduced. Sellafield also said reduced use of personal protective equipment has lowered waste, and that access to high-quality real-time data has improved decision-making speed. It added that consistent, repeatable inspections have boosted operational efficiency. Sellafield said the project was carried out through close cooperation among Boston Dynamics, companies developing site-specific robot solutions, systems integration specialists and the U.K. Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Collaboration, known as RAICo. It said the partnership enabled stable operations from trials through phased expansion. Sellafield said it began trial operations with Spot in 2021 and verified its use in complex environments in 2022 and 2023. In 2024, it used Spot for inspections in high-risk radiation zones, collecting high-quality images and radiation data. In 2025, it said it successfully conducted a remote demonstration of Spot outside a power plant licensed area for the first time in the U.K. nuclear sector, confirming the potential for fully remote work that separates workers from the site. Sellafield said it plans to work with partners to add new sensor packs to Spot and deploy it for broader tasks, including radiation mapping and environmental characterization.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 09:03:00

Kwon Sang Woo and Moon Chae Won comedy 'Heartman' launches on IPTV and VOD The film "Heartman" begins IPTV and VOD service on Tuesday, bringing the comedy to home viewers. Starting Tuesday, "Heartman" is available on IPTV platforms including Home Choice and Skylife, as well as streaming and mobile services such as Wavve, Google, Apple TV and Watcha. A discount-coupon event for VOD purchasers is also being offered. Director Choi Won Seop and actor Kwon Sang Woo, who previously teamed up on the "Hitman" series, reunite for "Heartman." The film mixes comedy with fast-paced banter among its characters and a focus on family ties. Moon Chae Won, Park Ji Hwan, Pyo Ji Hoon and Kim Seo Heon also star. "Heartman" follows Seungmin (Kwon), a man who returns and struggles to keep from losing his first love again, only to find himself caught up in a secret he cannot tell her.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 08:42:00

Chinese steel prices hit 8-week low, weighing on South Korean mills SEOUL, February 11 (AJP) - China’s steel prices have fallen to an eight-week low, heightening concerns that South Korea’s steel industry could face mounting pressure amid new European carbon rules and rising domestic electricity costs. Rebar futures slipped below 3,060 yuan ($425) per ton on Monday, their lowest level in two months, according to Trading Economics. The decline comes as Chinese steelmakers scale back production ahead of the extended holiday shutdown, while blast furnace and electric-arc furnace operators conduct scheduled maintenance. Parts of Hebei province may also impose temporary output curbs due to air pollution alerts. Weaker domestic demand and falling futures prices typically lead Chinese producers to lower export offers, weighing on prices across Asian markets, including South Korea. Domestic steel prices in South Korea often adjust more slowly, leaving producers squeezed between stable production costs and delayed price declines. Meanwhile, iron ore inventories at major Chinese ports climbed to about 162 million tons last week, the highest level since 2022, suggesting stockpiles remain elevated even after mills completed pre-holiday restocking. Analysts warn surplus material could be cleared through exports into regional markets, potentially rerouted via Southeast Asia and ultimately adding pressure to South Korea’s steel distribution sector. South Korean producers are simultaneously preparing for the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which requires exporters to report embedded carbon emissions and, from 2026, purchase certificates covering those emissions. The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry estimates the scheme could cost South Korea’s steel sector more than 3 trillion won ($2.3 billion) over the next decade. Domestic cost pressures are also rising. The government plans to lower industrial electricity rates during daytime hours while raising nighttime tariffs and introducing regional rate differences. Such changes are expected to particularly affect electric-arc furnace operators, for whom electricity represents a major share of production costs. Although industrial power consumption has fallen to a five-year low, Korea Electric Power Corp. has posted record revenue, prompting industry complaints about elevated power costs. “Despite rising concerns over industrial electricity rates, companies are continuing efforts to strengthen technological competitiveness in preparation for the EU’s CBAM,” a steel industry official said. “We also need to closely monitor how China’s price decline could affect the domestic market over the medium to long term.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-02-11 08:32:15