Korea Auto Journalists Association Names Renault Korea Filante February Car of the Month The Korea Automobile Journalists Association said Thursday it has selected Renault Korea’s Filante as its car of the month for February 2026. The association’s Car of the Year selection committee reviews newly launched and facelifted models each month and announces a car of the month. Finalists included Kia’s The All-New Seltos, Renault Korea’s Filante, Genesis’ GV60 Magma, GMC’s Acadia, KG Mobility’s Musso and Peugeot’s All-New 5008 Smart Hybrid. The Filante won with 36 points out of a possible 50. The Filante scored 7.7 out of 10 for interior and exterior design, perceived quality, safety and convenience features. It received 7.3 points for energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions, and 6.7 for power performance, overall product competitiveness and purchase intent. Jung Chi Yeon, chair of the committee, said the Filante offers “a new interpretation that goes beyond existing vehicle-class boundaries,” citing an exterior developed through collaboration between Renault design centers in South Korea and France and an interior based on a “premium tech lounge” concept.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-06 10:00:00

South Korea Announces 30-Man WBC Roster Featuring Lee Jung Hoo, Kim Hye Seong and Four Korean-American MLB Players The 30-player roster for South Korea’s national team for the World Baseball Classic, which opens in March, was announced Friday. The list includes several Korean-American major leaguers.  The Korea Baseball Organization unveiled the 2026 WBC roster at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul, with national team manager Ryu Ji Hyun and KBO Strengthening Committee chairman Cho Kye Hyun in attendance.  The roster features Lee Jung Hoo of the San Francisco Giants and Kim Hye Seong of the Los Angeles Dodgers, along with other top South Korean players. Four Korean-American big leaguers were also selected: position players Jermaine Jones of the Detroit Tigers and Shay Whitcomb of the Houston Astros, and pitchers Dane Dunning of the Atlanta Braves and Riley O’Brien of the St. Louis Cardinals.  South Korea will begin Group C play in Tokyo on March 5. The team must finish in the top two against Japan, Taiwan, Australia and the Czech Republic to advance to the quarterfinals.  The following is South Korea’s 2026 WBC roster. ▲ Pitchers: Dane Dunning (Atlanta), Kwak Bin (Doosan Bears), Cho Byung Hyun, Noh Kyung Eun (both SSG Landers), Park Young Hyun, Ko Young Pyo, So Hyeong Jun (all kt wiz), Won Tae In (Samsung Lions), Ryu Hyun Jin, Jung Woo Joo (both Hanwha Eagles), Song Seung Gi, Son Joo Young (both LG Twins), Ko Woo Suk (Detroit minor leagues), Riley O’Brien (St. Louis), Kim Young Gyu (NC Dinos) ▲ Position players: Kim Hye Seong (Dodgers), Kim Do Young (KIA Tigers), Kim Joo Won (NC), Moon Bo Kyung, Shin Min Jae, Park Hae Min, Park Dong Won (all LG), Noh Si Hwan, Moon Hyun Bin (both Hanwha), Shay Whitcomb (Houston), Ahn Hyun Min (kt), Jermaine Jones (Detroit), Koo Ja Wook (Samsung), Lee Jung Hoo (San Francisco), Choi Jae Hoon (SSG) 2026-02-06 09:54:20

Global Ship Orders Rise 27% in January; China Widens Lead Over South Korea Global ship orders in January rose 27% from a year earlier, driven by demand to replace vessels to meet environmental rules and by a worldwide increase in orders for liquefied natural gas carriers. Clarksons Research, a British shipbuilding and shipping market tracker, said Jan. global orders totaled 5.61 million CGT, or 158 ships, up from 4.43 million CGT a year earlier. By country, South Korea won 1.25 million CGT for 26 ships, or 22% of the total, while China secured 3.74 million CGT for 106 ships, or 67%. Global order backlogs at the end of last month rose 5.07 million CGT from the previous month to 180.35 million CGT. South Korea accounted for 36.31 million CGT, or 20%, and China held 111.91 million CGT, or 62%. Compared with the same period a month earlier, South Korea’s backlog was up 1.0 million CGT and China’s was up 3.8 million CGT. From a year earlier, South Korea was down 390,000 CGT, while China was up 12.83 million CGT. Clarksons’ newbuilding price index at the end of last month was 184.29, down 0.36 points from December 2025 (184.65), holding broadly steady. By ship type, prices were US$248 million for an LNG carrier, $128.5 million for a very large crude carrier, and $261 million for a 22,000- to 24,000-TEU container ship. 2026-02-06 09:54:00

Jeju Air Adds Ninth Boeing 737-8 as It Pushes Fleet Modernization Jeju Air said Thursday it has added its ninth Boeing 737-8, a next-generation aircraft, through a purchase. With the latest delivery, next-generation aircraft now account for 21% of its passenger fleet, and owned aircraft make up 35%, the airline said. Jeju Air began purchasing 737-8s in 2023 and brought in a total of eight next-generation aircraft through last year. It plans to add seven more purchased 737-8s this year, including the ninth aircraft, focusing on fleet modernization, operational improvements and flight stability. The airline is also replacing older aircraft. After returning one aging aircraft when its lease expired in November, it plans to return another this month, it said. Jeju Air said it is strengthening maintenance capabilities and pilot training to support safe operations. It has also signed a business agreement with Boeing on competency-based training and assessment, or CBTA, to improve emergency response capabilities. "Introducing next-generation aircraft and increasing the share of owned planes is a mid- to long-term strategy to boost both operational stability and cost competitiveness," a Jeju Air official said. "Through fleet modernization, we will further solidify the foundation for sustainable growth." 2026-02-06 09:48:00

KOSPI takes 4% hit for third session in a row, second sidecar activated in a week SEOUL, February 06 (AJP) – The downward spiral continued on the Seoul bourse Friday, with the main and secondary indices sliding more than 4 percent in early trading, triggering a sell-side sidecar for the second time this week. The Korea Exchange said a sell-side sidecar was activated on the main KOSPI board at 9:06 a.m. local time. The measure temporarily suspends program selling for five minutes to help contain excessive price swings. A sell-side sidecar is triggered when KOSPI 200 futures fall more than 5 percent from the previous session and remain at that level for at least one minute. The time-off was also triggered on Monday due to the KOSPI's fall of more than 5 percent. The week snapped an extraordinary rally for the Korean market this year in a roller-coaster ride toward new heights. The KOSPI had gained 25 percent so far this year as of its fresh peak on Tuesday at 5,371.1. It lost around 12 percent over the following three sessions. The deep correction was triggered by a panicky selloff in software and technology stocks on Wall Street. As of 9:40 a.m., the KOSPI was 3.62 percent lower at 4,976.64 and the KOSDAQ down 3.3 percent at 1,071.67. The heavy foreign-led equity selling spree uplifted the U.S. dollar by 3.90 won to 1,472.90. 2026-02-06 09:43:59

Hanwha Aerospace, KAI sign MOU to cooperate on defense and space aviation R&D Hanwha Aerospace has joined hands with Korea Aerospace Industries, or KAI, to cooperate on future core projects in defense and the space and aviation sectors. Building on aviation technology developed over the past 40 years, the companies plan to pursue development of homegrown engines and unmanned aircraft. Hanwha Aerospace and KAI said Thursday they signed a memorandum of understanding on Feb. 5 at Hanwha Building in central Seoul to strengthen the global competitiveness of South Korea’s defense industry. Attendees included Hanwha Aerospace CEO Son Jae Il and KAI CEO Cha Jae Byung, along with other officials from both companies. Under the agreement, the companies said they will cooperate on joint development and export efforts for unmanned aircraft; development and joint marketing of aircraft equipped with domestically produced engines; and collaboration aimed at entering the global commercial space market. Hanwha Aerospace and KAI said they each have more than 40 years of experience in aircraft airframe development and production. They also cited prior work with the Agency for Defense Development on state-led programs, including development of unmanned aircraft airframes and onboard engines, and said they expect synergies from the partnership. The companies said they will run joint research and development and technical support programs. They said they expect to pursue joint development of an advanced aircraft engine to be installed on a follow-on model to the domestically developed KF-21 fighter. They also plan to regularly operate a “Future Aerospace Strategy Committee” involving top executives to build a mid- to long-term cooperation framework. Cha said, “Through this strategic cooperation, we will support the government’s balanced regional development policy and further expand the export footprint of K-defense.” Son said the MOU is intended to “present a new model for exports and shared growth based on ecosystem innovation across the defense and space aviation sectors,” adding that the company will “step by step expand a win-win growth and cooperation model” with KAI. 2026-02-06 09:33:00

Coupang to face another questioning amid US House's probe into 'unfair' practices SEOUL, February 6 (AJP) - Harold Rogers, e-commerce giant Coupang's interim chief in South Korea, is set to appear for another round of questioning in Seoul on Friday over allegations related to a massive data breach detected late last year. Rogers is accused of obstructing official duties by allegedly destroying evidence during an internal investigation into a data leak that affected more than 3,000 users and exposed their sensitive personal information last November. He is also facing allegations of perjury during a hearing at the National Assembly in December, as well as accusations of covering up industrial accidents involving the deaths of former employees. Friday's questioning comes about a week after the previous one and just a day after the company admitted discovering an additional data leak affecting more than 165,000 customers. During his previous questioning on Jan. 30, Rogers reportedly testified that the company's internal probe into a former employee suspected of involvement in the breach was conducted at the request of the National Intelligence Service, but the spy agency denied the claim. Meanwhile, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee ordered Rogers to testify about whether South Korea is "targeting" the Seattle-based company with discriminatory actions, as part of its broader investigation into alleged unfair treatment of American businesses here. In a letter sent to him the previous day, the committee's chairman Jim Jordan requested he appear at the committee's hearing scheduled for Feb. 23, saying that the committee is "conducting oversight of how and to what extent foreign laws, regulations, and judicial orders are being used to discriminate against innovative American companies and infringe on the rights of U.S. citizens." Arguing South Korea has "a long history of using antitrust laws and digital regulations to target American-owned businesses," Jordan said the committee "has previously expressed concerns about the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) and its efforts to target innovative American companies and subject them to punitive obligations, excessive fines, and discriminatory enforcement practices in order to protect their Korean rivals from competition." He also claimed, "The Korean government has continued to engage in targeted attacks on American-owned businesses. Korean regulators and enforcement agencies, including the KFTC, have repeatedly subjected an innovative American e-commerce company, Coupang..... to discriminatory treatment, unfair enforcement practices, and even the threat of criminal penalties." Coupang immediately responded to the letter. In a press release, the company said, "Coupang will fully cooperate with the U.S. House Judiciary Committee investigation, including the production of documents and witness testimony as required by the subpoena." 2026-02-06 09:21:18

Hyundai Motor Group Wins Back-to-Back Honors From Top U.S. Auto Outlets Hyundai Motor Group said Thursday it has posted a string of wins in major U.S. auto awards, highlighting its competitiveness in the market. The group said Car and Driver named 17 of its models as best in their segments in the magazine’s 2026 Editors’ Choice Awards: eight Hyundai vehicles, five Kia vehicles and four Genesis vehicles. Car and Driver selects its Editors’ Choice winners each year after its editors test-drive vehicles sold in the U.S. market and rate them across categories and segments. The outlet cited Hyundai Motor Group’s design, value and driving performance as key strengths, the company said. Hyundai’s Palisade was named best in its class for a seventh straight year, recognized for its exterior styling, upscale interior and broad list of standard convenience features. The Ioniq 5 was cited for fast charging and nimble, stable driving. The Elantra N was praised for handling, and the Santa Cruz for its upscale cabin and ride comfort. Kia’s EV6 was recognized for rapid charging and stable driving performance. The Carnival was cited for its styling and responsive driving, while the K5 was praised for its bold design and class-leading standard features, the group said. Genesis’ GV70 was recognized for its interior and exterior design and convenience features. The GV80 and G80 were cited for elegant interiors and strong value for their classes. The G90 was praised for a quiet, composed ride, a premium cabin and a wide range of convenience features, the company said. Hyundai Motor Group also reported wins from other major U.S. auto outlets. In MotorWeek’s 2026 Drivers’ Choice Awards, the Palisade was named best large utility, and the Kia K4 won best family car. The group said MotorWeek praised the Palisade for a next-generation hybrid system that improves both performance and fuel economy, along with a range of advanced convenience features. The K4 was recognized for its roomy, comfortable interior and smooth driving performance. The company said the Palisade, which it described as a North American Car of the Year winner, also took top honors from both Car and Driver and MotorWeek. In Cars.com’s 2026 Best of Awards, Hyundai’s Santa Fe and Santa Fe Hybrid were named best family car, and the Kia EV9 was selected as best electric vehicle, the group said. “Earning strong results in consecutive evaluations by leading U.S. automotive media outlets reflects recognition of our continued efforts to strengthen product competitiveness from the customer’s perspective,” a Hyundai Motor Group official said. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-06 09:12:00

Yunchan Lim’s Carnegie Hall Live ‘Goldberg Variations’ Album Goes Gold on Release Pianist Yunchan Lim’s new album, “Bach: Goldberg Variations,” a live recording from his April performance last year at Carnegie Hall in New York, was released on the 6th. The release immediately earned “gold” status, signaling a strong start. Lim said he feels the “Goldberg Variations” is “a life journey written in music,” calling it both “deeply human” and full of play and humor, while also drawing out emotions “from deep within.” He added, “Releasing the ‘Goldberg Variations’ as an album — and as a live Carnegie Hall recording — may be the greatest honor for me as a pianist.” Major international outlets have also praised the album. The Times said Lim’s “young and confident” approach delivers Bach in a different way and “further expands the sense of wonder” a great “Goldberg” performance should convey. Lim has sold out major venues including Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall and the BBC Proms at Royal Albert Hall, placing him at the center of the global classical music scene. “Simply searching for music every day is the truest thing,” he said, adding that it is important to trust and follow what is in his heart.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-06 09:06:00

Naver posts double-digit revenue, profit growth, boosted by AI-driven advertising SEOUL, February 06 (AJP) - South Korea’s Naver Corp. reported double-digit growth in revenue and operating profit last year, supported by gains in advertising, e-commerce and fintech businesses, the company said in a regulatory filing on Friday. Consolidated revenue for 2025 rose 12.1 percent from a year earlier to 12 trillion won, while operating profit increased 11.6 percent to 2.21 trillion won. Fourth-quarter revenue climbed 10.7 percent on year to 3.2 trillion won, driven by expansion in platform advertising, commerce and fintech. Operating profit rose 12.7 percent to 610.6 billion won, resulting in an operating margin of 19.1 percent. By segment, fourth-quarter revenue totaled 1.06 trillion won for the search platform, 1.05 trillion won for commerce, 453.1 billion won for fintech, 456.7 billion won for content, and 171.8 billion won for enterprise, which includes cloud services. Platform advertising revenue increased 6.7 percent from a year earlier, helped by personalized services such as feeds and short-form clips. Commerce revenue jumped 36 percent to 1.05 trillion won, supported by continued growth of Naver’s Smart Store merchants and expansion of its global consumer-to-consumer marketplace. Fintech revenue rose 13 percent to 453.1 billion won, aided by stronger Smart Store transactions and broader adoption across external platforms. Total payment volume increased 19 percent in the quarter to 23 trillion won. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-02-06 08:47:17