Samsung Electronics eyes quarterly operating profit of 30 trillion won SEOUL, February 16 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics is expected to reach 30 trillion won in quarterly operating profit for the first time in the January-March period, driven by surging demand for AI-related memory chips. The South Korean tech giant posted a record 20 trillion won in operating profit in the October-December quarter, becoming the first domestic company to reach that milestone. Analysts now project it will add another 10 trillion won in just one quarter. According to brokerage estimates, Samsung's first-quarter operating profit is forecast at 32.5 trillion won, up 386.6 percent from 6.7 trillion won a year earlier. Revenue is expected to reach 111.4 trillion won, a 40.8 percent increase from 79.1 trillion won in the same period last year. Rival SK Hynix is also projected to approach the 30 trillion won mark, with analysts estimating first-quarter operating profit of 28.3 trillion won, up 280.2 percent year-on-year. The company's sales are forecast at 42.9 trillion won, a 143.1 percent jump from the previous year. SK Hynix posted an operating profit of 19.2 trillion won in the fourth quarter, just short of the 20 trillion won threshold. However, analysts say the company could reach 30 trillion won in the current quarter, with its operating margin expected to hit 66 percent, exceeding the record 58 percent achieved in the previous quarter. The exceptional performance stems from explosive demand for high-bandwidth memory and DRAM chips used in AI servers, as well as NAND flash memory for data centers. Memory chip prices have surged as hyperscalers rush to secure supply for AI infrastructure buildouts. Market research firm Counterpoint Research projects memory prices will rise 80-90 percent in the first quarter compared to the previous quarter. Prices for 8GB DDR4, a standard PC memory chip, are expected to jump 91 percent after a 35 percent increase in the fourth quarter. Server-grade 64GB DDR5 prices are forecast to surge 99 percent following a 76 percent gain in the previous quarter. Global investment bank Morgan Stanley estimates Samsung's operating profit will reach 245.7 trillion won this year and 317.4 trillion won next year. For SK Hynix, the bank projects 179.4 trillion won this year and 225.4 trillion won in 2027. Nomura Securities raised its target price for Samsung to 290,000 won from 220,000 won, and for SK Hynix to 1.56 million won from 1.25 million won. The brokerage projected Samsung's operating profit at 243 trillion won this year and 322 trillion won next year. KB Securities analyst Kim Dong-won noted that memory supply shortages have intensified in February compared to the fourth quarter, with major customers' demand fulfillment rates at around 60 percent. "AI data center companies are absorbing 70 percent of Samsung's memory shipments, establishing a solid structural demand base," Kim said in a recent report on Thursday. "Considering the limited expansion of memory supply through 2027, maximum production capacity will emerge as a core competitive advantage." Industry sources say both companies have already sold out their memory production for this year, with global big tech firms lining up with advance payments to secure supply, providing unprecedented earnings visibility and stability compared to previous boom cycles. 2026-02-16 14:29:16

HuonsN Launches Lunar New Year Supplement Discounts on HuonsN Mall HuonsN said Monday it is running a “Lunar New Year health gift” promotion around the holiday period, offering discounts on its HuonsN Mall through Feb. 28. The company said it has prepared a limited quantity of specially packaged gift sets, including “InjiCore Stick” for cognitive function, “6-Year Real Red Ginseng Stick 57.5” made with 100% domestically produced 6-year-old red ginseng concentrate, and “Black Bellflower Pear Juice Stick” containing domestically produced black bellflower and domestic pear concentrate. Discounts also apply to products such as “Menolacto Premium” for women’s menopausal health and high-dose vitamin items including “MeritC Acid 3000mg,” “MeritC Liposome Vitamin C Triple Shot” and “MeritC Multi Vitamin Gummies,” the company said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-16 13:09:00

Korean Botulinum Toxin Makers Pivot Overseas as Domestic Prices Collapse South Korea’s botulinum toxin market has effectively hit saturation as prices have collapsed, squeezing profitability and pushing companies to focus on exports. As firms pivoted overseas, exports of Korean-made toxin reached a record high, signaling the industry’s center of gravity has shifted from domestic sales to global markets. Industry data showed that in the third quarter of 2025, exports of Korean botulinum toxin totaled $114.59 million (about 1.655 trillion won), the highest on record. With limited room for domestic growth, the sector has structurally moved toward an export-driven model. The main driver is a price structure that has become difficult to sustain. The number of sellers, including global companies, has risen to about 18, intensifying competition. Average selling prices for a 100-unit product have fallen from about 40,000 to 50,000 won to the low 10,000-won range. With more choices, repeated price cuts have entrenched a dynamic in which margins shrink as sales rise. Demand growth at home is also constrained. South Korea has one of the world’s highest procedure rates per capita, but its small population limits market expansion. With the United States, Europe and China accounting for about 80% of the global toxin market, companies see overseas share as essential for sustainable growth. The United States is viewed as the biggest battleground. The U.S. botulinum toxin market is estimated at 6 trillion to 7 trillion won, and higher prices translate directly into stronger profitability. Allergan products currently hold the largest share, benefiting from an early lead. Daewoong Pharmaceutical said it became the first company in Asia to win U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for a botulinum toxin in 2019. It launched its product, Nabota, in the U.S. under the brand name Jeuveau and ranked No. 2 in U.S. aesthetic toxin market share in the first half of last year. Nabota has partnerships in more than 80 countries. China is also expanding quickly as middle-class purchasing power rises and demand grows for higher-quality products. China’s botulinum toxin market was about 1.9 trillion won as of 2024, about 10 times the size of South Korea’s. In the third quarter of last year, China was the top destination for Korean toxin exports. Because regulatory review is stringent, relatively few companies have approvals. In 2020, Hugel’s Letybo became the first Korean product to enter China, and in January this year, Huons’ Hutox received approval. Chong Kun Dang Bio has also completed a Phase 3 trial aimed at winning approval from Chinese health authorities. Companies are also widening pipelines in emerging markets such as the Middle East, Latin America and Southeast Asia, which are seen as having long-term growth potential as incomes rise and access to lower-priced products improves. Daewoong Pharmaceutical recently signed an export deal for Nabota with Mexican distribution partner M8. Medytox affiliate NewMeco obtained approval for “Newlux” in El Salvador. Korean companies are seen as strong at offering products that balance quality and price. “Overseas, competition is not just about price but about value based on quality,” a pharmaceutical industry official said, adding that competitiveness has been confirmed even at higher price points than in South Korea. As exports rise, manufacturers are expanding capacity. Hugel said it has built a system capable of producing more than 13 million vials a year by operating a third plant. Daewoong Pharmaceutical is also building a third plant to expand Nabota output, investing more than 100 billion won; once completed, it will be able to produce up to 18 million vials. Fortune Business Insights forecasts the global botulinum toxin market will grow to $24 billion (about 34 trillion won) by 2034. Growth is expected to continue as aesthetic procedures become more common and uses expand to areas such as migraine and pain treatment. An industry official said potential demand is still rising, citing more male patients and a broader recommended age range, and added that growth could accelerate as the global consumer base expands. 2026-02-16 13:03:00

Dong-A Pharmaceutical’s SelfRX Supplements Launch on Baemin B-Mart Dong-A Pharmaceutical said on the 16th that four products from its health supplement brand SelfRX will be newly available on Baemin B-Mart, the quick-commerce service run by Delivery Hero Korea’s Baedal Minjok. The lineup includes a multivitamin, probiotics, lutein and zeaxanthin, and supercritical rTG omega-3. Each is packaged as a one-month supply and will be sold at a flat price of 5,000 won. The company said the partnership is aimed at making health supplements easier to buy quickly when needed. The SelfRX products are designed around key functions such as basic nutrition, gut health, eye health and blood circulation, and were developed by Dong-A Pharmaceutical, which cited its pharmaceutical-grade quality control as a strength. Dong-A Pharmaceutical said it plans to keep working with everyday platforms to make health care more familiar to consumers.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-16 12:57:00

Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s Enerthistle Focus Shot Tops 5 Million Sold Daewoong Pharmaceutical said Sunday that cumulative sales of its health-food division’s exam-season snack, “Enerthistle Focus Shot,” have surpassed 5 million sticks. Enerthistle Focus Shot is a stick-type jelly classified as a general food product (candy). It contains milk thistle, three B vitamins and guarana extract, a plant-based natural caffeine ingredient. The product blends theanine and guarana extract at a 2-to-1 ratio. Each stick includes 100 mg of plant-based caffeine, 2,000 mg of arginine, 1,000 mg of taurine and three B vitamins. In addition to the original orange flavor, a Shine Muscat flavor has been added. Daewoong Pharmaceutical said it collaborated in January with admissions-focused creator Mimiminu on YouTube content for “N-suiui Sin.” The video drew attention after Choi Jang-woo, a Gwangju Seoseok High School student who ranked first in total standardized score among perfect scorers on the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test, mentioned the product. An official in Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s health functional foods division said, “We developed Enerthistle Focus Shot as an energy-boosting snack that’s easy to carry and eat.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-16 12:39:00

Boryung Opens 2026 First-Half Hiring for New Graduates and Experienced Staff Boryung said Sunday it is accepting applications for its 2026 first-half open recruitment. The company is hiring entry-level employees for sales and experienced hires for clinical development, product development, sales, marketing and IT. Applications will be accepted through Feb. 22 on Boryung’s recruitment website. Boryung said it runs preferential hiring policies for women returning to the workforce after career breaks, people with disabilities and veterans. It plans to expand opportunities so candidates from diverse backgrounds can compete through fair, job-competency-based evaluations. The company also said it is focusing on recruiting candidates with strong English communication skills to respond to a global business environment. The experienced-hire track is aimed at securing key talent to support continued growth and more advanced business operations, the company said. Boryung said it will evaluate practical experience and expertise required for each role, including project experience, cross-department collaboration and the ability to work in global settings, to select candidates who can perform reliably and contribute to organizational results. For entry-level hiring, Boryung will use a “traveling recruitment” format for first-round interviews to reduce applicants’ burden and identify strong regional talent. Interviews will be held in four regions: Seoul; Chungcheong (Daejeon); Jeolla (Gwangju); and Gyeongsang (Busan). Applicants must have at least a bachelor’s degree; those expected to graduate in August are eligible, regardless of major.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-16 12:24:00

JTBC Apologizes After Japanese Flag Graphic Airs During Korea-Japan Curling Match JTBC, which holds exclusive broadcast rights to the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, issued an official apology after a Japanese flag graphic aired during the women’s Korea-Japan curling match. In a statement posted on its website on Feb. 16, JTBC said that at about 11:23 p.m. on Feb. 15, a Japanese national flag graphic briefly appeared on an advertising screen during a live broadcast of the match. JTBC said the error was the production team’s fault and apologized for causing discomfort to viewers. It said it would strengthen checks and oversight to prevent a repeat. The incident occurred during the live broadcast of the women’s curling round-robin fifth match between South Korea and Japan at the Cortina Curling Stadium in Italy. After the fifth end ended, an unrelated Japanese flag graphic aired for about 10 seconds during a commercial break.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-16 12:18:00

South Korea adds speed skating top-10 finish, falls short in skeleton mixed team debut SEOUL, February 16 (AJP) - South Korea's Lee Na-hyun placed 10th in the women's 500-meter speed skating on Sunday, marking her second top-10 finish at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, while the country's skeleton mixed team finished 11th in the inaugural Olympic event. Lee clocked 37.86 seconds at Milano Speed Skating Stadium, finishing 0.59 seconds behind bronze medalist Miho Takagi of Japan. The 20-year-old had earlier placed ninth in the women's 1,000 meters, making her the first South Korean to crack the top 10 in that event. Starting from the inside lane in the 13th pairing, Lee passed the first 100 meters in 10.47 seconds, the eighth-fastest opening split. She navigated the first curve smoothly and powered through the straightaway but lost some speed on the final curve, unable to overcome centrifugal force. Kim Min-sun, competing in her third Olympics, finished 14th with a time of 38.01 seconds. The 30-year-old struggled from the start, passing the 100-meter mark in 10.61 seconds, and was unable to close the gap despite her trademark finishing speed. Netherlands' Femke Kok claimed gold with an Olympic record of 36.49 seconds, 0.66 seconds ahead of compatriot Jutta Leerdam, who took silver. Takagi earned bronze with 37.27 seconds. In skeleton, Jeong Seung-gi and Hong Su-jung combined for 2 minutes, 1.45 seconds to finish 11th out of 15 teams in the mixed team event at Cortina Sliding Centre. The format, making its Olympic debut at Milan-Cortina, features one woman and one man from each team completing runs with their times combined. Hong, competing in her first Olympics, recorded 1:01.84 despite posting the fastest reaction time of 0.13 seconds. She struggled with control early in her run, reaching a top speed of 120.48 kilometers per hour before finishing 13th among women. Jeong, who also placed 10th in the men's individual event earlier in the Games, posted 59.61 seconds for 11th place in the men's portion. The 27-year-old showed strong technical skills with a reaction time of 0.19 seconds, sixth-best overall. Britain's Matt Weston and Tabitha Stoecker won the inaugural mixed team gold with a track record of 1:59.36. German teams swept silver and bronze, with Axel Jungk and Susanne Kreher taking silver in 1:59.53, and Christopher Grotheer and Jacqueline Pfeifer claiming bronze in 1:59.54. In women's curling, South Korea defeated Japan 7-5 in their fifth round-robin match at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium. Skip Kim Eun-ji's team improved to 3-2 after earlier losses to the United States and Denmark. Trailing 3-3 entering the eighth end, South Korea scored three points for a big end. The team then held a one-point lead heading into the 10th end with the hammer, adding one more to secure victory. South Korea currently sits tied for fourth place with Denmark in the 10-team round robin. The top four teams advance to the semifinals, with the medal rounds scheduled for Feb. 20-22. 2026-02-16 11:35:10

South Korea’s Jeong Seung-gi, Hong Su-jeong finish 11th in Olympic mixed team skeleton South Korea’s Jeong Seung-gi (27, Gangwon Provincial Office) and Hong Su-jeong (25, Gyeonggi Sports Association) placed 11th in the Olympic mixed team skeleton event, which was introduced at these Games. Jeong and Hong posted a combined time of 2 minutes, 1.45 seconds on Feb. 16 (Korea time) at the Cortina Sliding Center in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, finishing 11th among 15 teams in the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics. In the mixed team event, the women’s run is followed by the men’s run, with the two times added for the final standings. Hong led off with a 0.13-second start reaction time, the fastest among the women. She lost speed after hitting the wall on the second curve but otherwise completed a clean run in 1:01.84. Jeong followed with a 0.19-second start reaction and stayed steady through the third curve, but his sled slowed in the later section. He finished in 59.61 seconds. South Korea’s total was 2.09 seconds behind gold medalists Britain — Tabitha Stoecker and Matt Weston — who won in 1:59.36. Hong wore a tiger-themed helmet and Jeong wore one inspired by a turtle ship. After the race, they bowed deeply toward the broadcast camera to mark the Lunar New Year holiday. The result wrapped up South Korea’s skeleton schedule at the Games. In the earlier individual events, Hong placed 22nd in the women’s race, while Jeong and Kim Ji-su (32, Gangwon Provincial Office) finished 10th and 16th in the men’s race, respectively.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-16 04:33:00

Kim Min-seon, Lee Na-hyeon miss medals in women’s 500m speedskating at Milan Olympics South Korea’s top women’s sprint speedskater, Kim Min-seon (Uijeongbu City Hall), and rising prospect Lee Na-hyeon (Korea National Sport University) came up short in their signature 500 meters at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Kim finished 14th with 38.01 on Feb. 16 (Korea time) at the Milan speedskating stadium in Italy. Lee placed 10th in 37.86. It was Kim’s third Olympic appearance after placing 16th at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games and seventh at the 2022 Beijing Games. She had shown world-class form, including finishing No. 1 in the 2022-23 World Cup rankings and winning two titles at the 2025 Harbin Asian Winter Games, but did not reach the Olympic podium. Starting on the inside in the 10th pair, Kim passed 100 meters in 10.61 but could not generate her usual speed on the backstretch in the outside lane and crossed in the 38-second range. In her Olympic debut, Lee broke into the top 10. Skating from the inside in the 13th pair, she covered the first 100 meters in 10.47 and held her pace through the finish for 37.86. Femke Kok of the Netherlands won gold in an Olympic-record 36.49. Dutch teammate Jutta Leerdam took silver in 37.15, and Miho Takagi of Japan won bronze in 37.27.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-16 02:06:00