Business and Investing Books Lead Yes24 Bestsellers as KOSPI Rally Continues As the KOSPI surged past the 5,600 mark, business and economics titles continued to dominate bestseller lists. According to Yes24’s overall bestseller rankings for the third week of February, professor Lee Gwang-su’s “Stock Investing for Progressives” ranked No. 1. The comic “The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity 18 (Double Special Edition),” which began preorders last week, placed No. 2. Cho Hyun-sun’s new novel “My Perfect Funeral,” published in January, was No. 3. The 2025 Akutagawa Prize winner “Goethe Said Everything” ranked No. 4, and “Sakamoto Days 25 (Double Special Edition)” was No. 5. Interest in investing stayed strong through the Lunar New Year holiday. Five business and economics books made the overall top 10, extending a trend seen since the start of the year. Sales of “Stock Investing for Progressives” rose 46.4% from the previous week during Feb. 12-18, the holiday period. “KOSPI 10,000: Next Level,” which reached No. 7 after preorders began, drew a majority of purchases from readers in their 50s, at 51.1%. The No. 8 title, “Create 3 Million Won in Monthly Dividends Within Three Years With 10 Million Won,” had a 40.1% purchase share among readers in their 40s. “Park Gomhui’s Pension Wealth Class” (No. 9) and “The Equation of Money” (No. 10) also made the top 10. Comics also saw a surge among younger readers. “The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity 18 (Double Special Edition)” climbed to No. 2 in seven days after preorders opened on Feb. 12, with purchases led by men in their teens (31.1%) and 20s (25.3%). “Sakamoto Days 25 (Double Special Edition)” entered the overall top five in six days after preorders began Feb. 13; women in their 20s accounted for 28.7% of purchases. Long-form fiction maintained steady popularity. Along with “My Perfect Funeral” (No. 3) and “Goethe Said Everything” (No. 4), “Grapefruit Apricot Club” (No. 15), “Contradiction” (No. 17) and “I Said Goodbye” (No. 20) all ranked in the overall top 20. Sales of “My Perfect Funeral” rose 24.4% from the previous week during the holiday period. Women accounted for 73.3% of buyers, including women in their 30s (17.1%) and 40s (28.6%). * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-19 15:12:00

Lee Jae-myung Signals HMM HQ Move to Busan; Charter Change May Reach March Meeting Lee Jae-myung said on social media that South Korea’s largest shipping company, HMM, will move its headquarters to Busan soon, drawing attention to whether the company will put a charter amendment on the agenda for its March shareholders meeting. HMM’s union said it will respond with a hard-line fight if the company tries to amend the charter and push the move without labor-management talks. According to political circles on the 19th, Lee reposted a message on X (formerly Twitter) by Jeon Jae-su and wrote, “Following the relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the establishment of a maritime court, we will also set up an investment corporation for the Southeast region, and we will soon relocate HMM as well.” Moving HMM’s headquarters from Seoul’s Yeouido district to Busan was one of Lee’s key presidential campaign pledges. HMM’s charter stipulates that its headquarters is in Seoul. To relocate to Busan, the company must first amend its charter through a shareholders meeting. A charter amendment requires a special resolution backed by at least two-thirds of the shareholders present. But government-affiliated institutions including the Korea Ocean Business Corp., Korea Development Bank and the National Pension Service hold about 70% of HMM shares, meaning the government could change the charter and move the headquarters if the item is put to a vote. Attention has now shifted to HMM’s board. The company’s inside and outside directors, including CEO Choi Won-hyuk, were all appointed before the Lee administration took office. Still, because they entered the board with recommendations from major shareholders, they are seen as not fully independent from the influence of the Korea Ocean Business Corp. and Korea Development Bank. Investment banking sources said there are no clear signs yet that HMM’s board plans to place a charter amendment on the agenda for the March meeting. However, the board could still convene in late February or early March and submit the item to align with the Lee administration’s pace. HMM’s onshore union, meanwhile, has signaled strong opposition to a move without its consent. It argues that rushing to relocate the headquarters of the country’s largest shipping company ahead of June local elections, without a thorough review of operational efficiency, makes little sense. About 800 people currently work at HMM’s Yeouido headquarters. With revisions to the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act, known as the “Yellow Envelope Act,” set to take effect in March, the possibility of a general strike by HMM’s onshore union also remains open. An industry official said, “If the Lee administration wants to push ahead with relocating HMM’s headquarters to Busan without disruption, it first needs to persuade HMM employees,” adding, “If it tries to move a corporate headquarters without employees’ consent, as in the past attempt to relocate Korea Development Bank to Busan, it will face significant backlash.” 2026-02-19 15:06:00

South Korea mulls restoring no-fly zone along border SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) - South Korea is considering redesignating a no-fly zone along border areas while ensuring it does not affect military readiness, the Defense Ministry said on Thursday. In a regular media briefing, ministry spokesperson Jeong Bit-na said the ministry is consulting with relevant government agencies and the U.S. side to partially restore the inter-Korean military pact, which was signed in September 2018 to ease military tensions between the two Koreas but was scrapped in 2024 under the previous administration's hardline stance toward the North. The development comes after Unification Minister Chung Dong-young recently expressed regret over drones allegedly sent by civilians from South Korea to the North, while pledging to prevent a recurrence. Restoring such a zone would bar drones from flying within 15 kilometers of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in the eastern area and within 10 kilometers in the western area. When asked what types of aircraft or drones would be restricted, Jeong said military drones used for training would be exempt, but other unmanned aerial vehicles would be subject to the ban. But Some already raise concerns that restoring it solely on the South's side could weaken surveillance against the North. 2026-02-19 14:58:23

EU open to mediate if North Korean POWs in Ukraine seek defection SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) -The European Union expressed readiness to help facilitate the return of North Korean prisoners of war captured in Ukraine and called for closer cooperation with South Korea on security and sanctions, according to a senior EU diplomat Thursday. Olof Skoog, Deputy Secretary General for Political Affairs at the European External Action Service, said the EU was willing to assist if requested on the issue of North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting alongside Russia. “Of course, they should not have been there in the first place, because this is an illegal war,” he said, referring to North Korean troops deployed to support Russia. “But I understand the humanitarian concern.” "We'll see how we can be helpful," he said, during a press briefing at the EU delegation office in central Seoul, as he expects the issue to be raised during his meetings in Seoul. Two North Korean soldiers captured in the Kursk region have previously expressed their intention to defect to South Korea through handwritten letters delivered to civic groups. Skoog also criticized Russia’s continued attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, particularly energy facilities, saying Moscow was attempting to undermine public morale. “Unfortunately, Russia does not seem willing to seriously engage in peace efforts,” he said, adding that the EU, the United States and Ukraine had presented proposals aimed at ending the war. He stressed that the EU would continue pressing Russia through sanctions and diplomatic pressure while increasing support for Ukraine. “This is a peace effort, not a war effort,” he said. “We are asking partners to keep up the pressure on Russia and maintain support for Ukraine.” Skoog said Europe was being forced to take greater responsibility for its own security, partly due to what he described as reduced U.S. commitment to defending the continent. “We are stepping up the defense of our own countries and Europe,” he said, adding that this shift was reshaping EU foreign and security policy. He described the world as entering a period of “geopolitical disorder,” four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and said that strengthening partnerships with like-minded countries was now central to Europe’s strategy. Korea, he said, is among the EU’s closest strategic partners in this effort. “We consider Korea one of our most important partners in defending the multilateral system and the rules-based order,” Skoog said. He said discussions in Seoul would cover cooperation in cybersecurity, hybrid threats, maritime security, supply chain resilience and energy security. Europe, he added, is seeking to reduce dependence on external powers for critical resources and infrastructure. “We have seen how energy and raw materials can be weaponized,” he said, citing China and Russia. “We are trying to make ourselves less dependent on such practices.” Skoog also pointed to growing European interest in South Korean defense products as EU member states sharply expand military spending. “Many European countries believe Korea has very impressive capabilities,” he said. “There is strong interest in purchasing arms and defense systems from Korea.” He said the defense market in Europe was “huge” as governments raise budgets and seek advanced technologies not readily available within the continent. While emphasizing that the EU is not a military alliance like NATO, Skoog said Brussels is encouraging member states to “spend more and better” on security. He also rejected concerns that Europe is turning inward economically. “Europe is not protectionist,” he said. “We are negotiating free trade agreements like never before, and most products enter our market with no tariffs.” Skoog said Western sanctions were having a growing impact on Russia’s economy, noting that Moscow was depleting financial reserves. However, he acknowledged that the measures had not yet altered the Kremlin’s strategic calculations. “Sanctions are working, but they are still not enough,” he said. “We need to do more.” He called on partner countries, including South Korea, to help monitor and enforce sanctions more effectively, particularly against Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” used to evade restrictions on oil and trade. He also urged closer cooperation on implementing United Nations sanctions against North Korea. “We have learned a lot about monitoring and stopping Russia’s shadow fleet,” he said. “There is more we can do together to ensure that North Korea is not helping to feed the Russian war machine.” During his visit, Skoog is scheduled to hold a Korea-EU high-level political dialogue with Vice Foreign Minister Chung Eui-hye and meet with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Unification Minister Chung Dong-young to discuss regional security and bilateral cooperation. 2026-02-19 14:44:47

CLOSE YOUR EYES’ Jang Yeo-jun Diagnosed With Rhabdomyolysis, to Pause Activities Jang Yeo-jun, a member of the group CLOSE YOUR EYES, will temporarily halt activities due to health issues. Agency Encore said in a statement on the 19th that Jang recently visited a hospital after feeling unwell and was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis following detailed tests. Doctors said he needs inpatient treatment and monitoring. Jang is expected to be hospitalized for about a week and will be unable to attend scheduled activities this week. Encore said further details will be provided through each ticket seller, adding, “We will do our best so the artist can recover quickly with sufficient rest and treatment.” Rhabdomyolysis is a condition in which damaged muscle tissue releases substances into the bloodstream. It can be caused by overexertion, dehydration or excessive exercise, and early treatment and rest are important, according to the agency. 2026-02-19 14:39:30

South Korea Surveys Public on Raising Palace and Royal Tomb Admission Fees The government is moving to review raising admission fees for royal palaces and tombs, which have been frozen for 20 years. Before deciding whether to raise prices and by how much, it is seeking public input to reduce potential controversy. The Korea Heritage Service said Thursday it is conducting a public survey titled “Public Perception Survey on Realizing Palace and Royal Tomb Admission Fees.” The survey is being run through the Sotong24 website and closes Friday. The survey has six questions, including what respondents consider an appropriate fee level, whether they would still visit if prices rise, and views on the current system that applies the same admission fee to Koreans and foreigners. It also asks whether to keep a differentiated pricing system or adopt a single-fee structure. The questionnaire lays out specific price ranges. For Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung, which currently charge 3,000 won, it asks respondents to choose among: 3,000 won (no change); more than 3,000 won to less than 5,000 won; 5,000 won to less than 8,000 won; 8,000 won to less than 10,000 won; or 10,000 won or more. For Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung, Jongmyo Shrine and the Joseon royal tombs, which currently charge 1,000 won, the ranges are: 1,000 won (no change); more than 1,000 won to less than 3,000 won; 3,000 won to less than 5,000 won; 5,000 won to less than 8,000 won; or 8,000 won or more. The survey follows a view that current fees do not reflect inflation and rising maintenance costs. Admission is 3,000 won for Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung; 1,000 won each for Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung, Jongmyo and the Joseon royal tombs; and 500 won for Sejong relic sites. By comparison, Buckingham Palace charges 65.7 pounds (about 120,000 won) and the Palace of Versailles charges 25 to 35 euros (about 43,000 to 60,000 won). Calls to raise fees have circulated inside and outside the government. President Lee Jae-myung, in a December briefing on the Korea Heritage Service’s 2026 work plan, noted that taxpayer money is used to manage the sites and said, “It is not substantively fair for a small number of visitors to enjoy the benefits.” While repeatedly stressing the need to adjust fees, he added, “If you just (raise them), people feel upset and disappointed, so it needs to be adjusted after good explanations and a process of persuasion.” Based on the survey results, the government is expected to gauge social consensus on the need for changes and an appropriate level, then draft specific improvements. A recent study suggests some support for fees near 10,000 won. According to public hearing materials for a policy study titled “Policy Research on Measures to Realize Service Admission Fees for Palaces and Tombs,” published by the Korea Heritage Service’s Royal Palaces and Tombs Center and the CST-affiliated Cultural Administration Research Institute, a survey of 2,341 visitors found respondents said they could pay an average of 9,730 won for palaces and Jongmyo Shrine and 8,458 won for the Joseon royal tombs. Separately, as the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art has raised admission for some special exhibitions by 60%, the National Museum of Korea — facing a surge in visitors — is also reviewing charging for its permanent exhibition. The museum is developing online reservation and ticketing, on-site ticketing, contactless electronic ticket checks, and mobile tickets using QR codes.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-19 14:21:27

North Korea hails deployment of multiple rocket launchers ahead of party congress SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) - North Korea deployed some 50 multiple rocket launchers, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Thursday. According to KCNA, a ceremony for the deployment of a 600-mm large-caliber multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) "took place with splendor" in Pyongyang the previous day, with Kim Jong-un in attendance, accompanied by Workers' Party officials, munitions industry workers and other military personnel. In a speech, Kim said, "It can be said to be a weapon that has virtually no difference from a high-precision ballistic missile in terms of precision and power," hailing it as "the one and only weapon in the world, has completely changed the role and conception of artillery accepted by modern warfare." He described it as incorporating artificial intelligence-based technology and a compound guidance system, making it "appropriate for a special attack" to carry out a "strategic mission." He added, "I am sure that no other countries in the world would be able to attain the technology that can match this class of weapon system within several years to come." "Self-reliant defense capability is our lifeline and a source of our strength, and uninterrupted upgrading and rapid reinforcement of the means is our invariable target," he stressed. He also hinted that plans to further strengthen the country's defense capabilities including the development of new weapons, will be announced at the upcoming party congress, which is expected to be held later this month. 2026-02-19 14:13:16

Naver Pay Reports Payment Failures, Says Emergency Fix Underway Naver Pay said a service outage disrupted payments and the use of points. In a notice posted on the 19th, the company said errors were affecting some services and it was conducting an emergency check, adding it was working to restore service as quickly as possible. The problems began around noon and included failures to view and apply points on order forms, errors when checking payment and event histories, the inability to use points and money for in-store payments, and failed Pay Money Card transactions. Naver Pay said it would issue another notice once service is fully restored. A company official said services related to Naver Pay points and money were experiencing errors and that the company was making an all-out effort to normalize operations.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-19 14:09:00

Stray Kids’ ‘S-Class’ music video tops 300 million YouTube views Stray Kids’ music video for “S-Class” has surpassed 300 million views on YouTube. The video for “S-Class,” the title track from the group’s third full-length album “5-STAR,” released June 2, 2023, reached 300 million views on the morning of Feb. 19. The milestone gives Stray Kids six music videos with more than 300 million views, following “God’s Menu,” “Back Door,” “Thunderous,” “MANIAC” and “Rock.” “S-Class,” the title track from “5-STAR” — Stray Kids’ third No. 1 album on Billboard’s main albums chart, the Billboard 200 — was written and composed by Bang Chan, Changbin and Han of the group’s producing unit 3RACHA. The song carries a message about standing out and shining among the unusual and the special. Set in Seoul, the music video highlights the eight members’ performance and polished visuals, drawing favorable responses from fans in South Korea and abroad. Stray Kids have added more milestones since the start of this year. They recently ranked No. 2 on the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s Global Artist Chart, the only K-pop act in the top 10. On Spotify, the group’s first full-length repackage album “IN生” surpassed 1.5 billion cumulative streams, and “God’s Menu,” the title track from its first full-length album “GO生,” topped 500 million plays — a first for a fourth-generation K-pop boy group. Their world tour concert film “Stray Kids: The DominATE Experience,” released on Feb. 6 local time, also led the global box office for the first weekend of February. Stray Kids will hold their sixth official fan meeting, “Stay in Our Little House,” four times at Inspire Arena in Incheon on March 28-29 and April 4-5. In June and September, they are set to headline major music festivals, including New York’s The Governors Ball Music Festival and Rock in Rio in Brazil.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-19 14:03:00

Hiring plans reflect chip boom vs weak consumption in Korea SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) -Electronics and semiconductor manufacturers enjoying an exceptional, record-setting second year from the artificial intelligence boom are set to lead hiring among South Korean employers in 2026, according to a new survey by HR technology company Incruit released Thursday. Incruit’s survey of 873 companies — including 102 large corporations, 122 mid-sized firms and 649 small and medium-sized enterprises — found that 84.4 percent of electronics and semiconductor companies plan to hire new university graduates this year, the highest among all industries. The survey was conducted between Jan. 5 and 27 through email questionnaires and telephone interviews with HR managers. The figure marks a 23.8 percentage-point increase from a year earlier, reflecting strong business conditions driven by surging demand for high-value chips used in artificial intelligence servers and data centers and competition over chipmaking engineers. Not just memory makers like Micron, U.S. big-tech names including Nvidia, Google and Tesla are aggressively chasing Korean engineers due to Korea's edge in chipmaking. Nvidia, the world’s leading supplier of AI accelerators and the largest buyer of HBM chips, is currently advertising senior memory system engineer positions at its Santa Clara headquarters, with base salaries of up to $356,500. The roles require more than a decade of experience in DRAM design and deep knowledge of HBM, a profile that closely matches engineers at Korea’s two dominant memory producers. HBM-dominant SK hynix’s revenue and operating income rose 47 percent and 101 percent to $68 billion and $33 billion, respectively. Its annual operating profit reached a record 47.2 trillion won, surpassing Samsung Electronics’ 43.6 trillion won. Google and Broadcom, which jointly develop tensor processing units for Google’s AI infrastructure, are also hiring HBM engineers in Silicon Valley. Google has posted openings for silicon validation engineers focused on characterizing HBM performance, while Broadcom is seeking specialists in design-for-test verification across HBM, DDR and high-speed interface technologies. Tesla has taken a more direct approach in Korea. Tesla Korea posted a job listing on Feb. 15 for AI chip design engineers as part of a project to develop proprietary AI processors for mass production. The recruitment drive was amplified by Chief Executive Elon Musk, who reposted the opening on his X account earlier this week. Industry analysts say the global competition for Korean chip engineers reflects the strategic importance of memory technology in the AI race. Reviving construction sector Following semiconductors, the construction, civil engineering, real estate and leasing sector ranked second in Incruit’s survey, with 83.3 percent of firms planning to hire, up sharply from 57.9 percent a year earlier. The IT, telecommunications and gaming sector followed at 80.5 percent. Media, advertising, education and publishing, and healthcare and pharmaceuticals also recorded relatively high hiring intentions, each approaching or exceeding 75 percent. Underscoring the prolonged slump in consumption, travel, accommodation and aviation sector posted the lowest hiring rate at 56.7 percent. Apparel, footwear and other manufacturing firms followed at 63.3 percent, while distribution and logistics companies stood at 64.0 percent. “These sectors are closely tied to household consumption and the broader real economy, which remains under pressure,” Incruit said. In terms of year-on-year changes, construction-related industries and electronics and semiconductors showed the largest gains in hiring plans, rising by 25.4 and 23.8 percentage points, respectively.Transportation recorded the steepest decline, with hiring intentions falling 4.5 percentage points to 64.3 percent. Automobile and auto parts manufacturers also saw a drop of 4.1 points to 66.7 percent. 2026-02-19 13:49:51