South Korea beats Japan 7-5 in women’s curling to improve to 3-2 at Milan-Cortina Games South Korea’s women’s curling team, known as “5G” (Gyeonggi Province), beat Japan to move to 3-2 in round-robin play. The team — skip Kim Eun-ji, third Kim Min-ji, second Kim Su-ji, lead Seol Ye-eun and fifth Seol Ye-ji — won 7-5 in its fifth round-robin game on Feb. 15 local time at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. With five of nine round-robin games completed, South Korea stayed in the hunt for a spot in the semifinals. South Korea struck first, stealing points in the second and third ends to take a 2-0 lead. The teams traded points and were tied 3-3 through six ends. The game turned in the seventh and eighth. Holding the hammer in the seventh, South Korea chose a blank end to keep last-stone advantage for the eighth. In the eighth, Kim Min-ji set up the scoring with a double takeout and a runback takeout, and Kim Eun-ji finished by drawing into the house for three points and a 6-3 lead. Japan scored two in the ninth, but South Korea added one in the 10th to seal the win. South Korea next plays China at 3:05 a.m. Feb. 17 Korea time. It is also scheduled to face top-ranked Switzerland, No. 4 Sweden and No. 2 Canada. 2026-02-16 01:30:00

Snowboarder Yoo Seung-eun qualifies third for Olympic women’s slopestyle final South Korean snowboarder Yoo Seung-eun, 18, advanced to the women’s slopestyle final, keeping alive her bid for a second medal at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics. Yoo scored 76.80 points on Saturday (Korean time) at Livigno Snow Park in Italy, placing third among 30 riders. The top 12 qualified for the final. She earned her score on her first run, landing a backside 540 melon grab and a backside 720 mute grab cleanly. In her second run, Yoo lost balance early and made an error. Judging it would be difficult to improve on her first score, she opted for basic jumps rather than risk bigger tricks, conserving energy for the final. Defending champion Zoi Sadowski-Synnott of New Zealand led qualifying with 88.08 points from her second run, 11.28 points ahead of Yoo. Big air gold medalist Kokomo Murase of Japan was second with 84.93. Yoo, who won bronze in big air earlier, will try for another medal in the final on the 17th.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-16 01:12:00

Naturalized South Korean biathlete Ekaterina Avvakumova finishes 55th in Olympic 10K pursuit Naturalized South Korean biathlete Ekaterina Avvakumova finished 55th in the women’s 10-kilometer pursuit at the 2026 Milano-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics. Avvakumova, 35, clocked 35 minutes 33.0 seconds in the race held Saturday (Korea time) at the Antholz Biathlon Arena in Italy, placing 55th among 58 finishers. After placing 58th in Friday’s sprint, she earned one of the pursuit berths awarded through 60th place and started near the back under the rules. She missed two shots — one in prone and one in standing — but could not move up significantly because of her skiing time. Avvakumova, a former Russian junior national team member who obtained South Korean citizenship in 2016, is a veteran who posted South Korea’s best Olympic biathlon result by finishing 16th in an individual event at the 2018 PyeongChang Games. At the Milano Olympics, she previously placed 63rd in the 15-kilometer individual race. Italy’s Lisa Vittozzi won gold, crossing first in 30:11.80. Norway’s Maren Kirkeeide took silver, followed by Finland’s Suvi Minkkinen with bronze.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-16 00:30:00

Kumho Petrochemical Earns A- in CDP Climate Rating Kumho Petrochemical said Sunday it received an A- rating from CDP, a global sustainability and environmental, social and governance assessment platform, up from a B rating last year. CDP is a nonprofit that discloses, analyzes and evaluates environmental information from more than 24,000 major companies worldwide at the request of global financial institutions representing a combined $130 trillion in assets. It assesses companies’ climate strategies and execution, including efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions, expand the use of self-consumed solar power and develop Scope 3 reduction road maps. CDP’s system can lower a company’s score if it shows no improvement from the previous year. The results are widely used as a key reference by global ESG rating agencies, institutional investors and international business partners, the company said. Kumho Petrochemical had maintained a B rating for the past three years but was upgraded to A- this year, it said. The company said the higher score reflected its management of carbon emissions in raw and subsidiary materials, known as Scope 3 Category 1, using verified data, and its establishment of a supply-chain climate assessment system that led to practical emissions reductions. Chief Executive Officer Baek Jong-hoon said earning the A- rating showed the company’s climate response had been applied across management and worksites, not limited to declarations or plans. “We will continue responsible climate action so that meaningful change continues across the entire process, including the supply chain,” he said. Separately, the Kumho Petrochemical Group said its affiliates Kumho Mitsui Chemicals and Kumho Polychem received Platinum ratings last year from EcoVadis, a global supply-chain sustainability assessor.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-15 18:03:00

Hyundai, Kia poised to surpass 1 million EVs in cumulative sales in Europe SEOUL, February 15 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia are on the verge of reaching 1 million cumulative electric vehicle sales in Europe by the first half of this year, the automotive giant said on Sunday. Their combined EV sales stood at 915,996 units as of the end of last year, since the launch of Kia's compact sport-utility vehicle Soul in 2014. With monthly sales surpassing 15,000 units, they are on track to surpass 1 million units in cumulative sales soon. The milestone comes after the two automakers achieved annual sales of 100,000 units for the first time, with some 135,408 units sold there in 2021. Sales continued to rise, reaching 143,460 vehicles in 2022 and 147,457 in 2023, before slightly slipping to 121,705 amid reduced EV subsidies in major European countries including Germany. But sales rebounded to 183,912 last year, buoyed by a wave of new releases such as Hyundai's Ioniq 9 and Kia's EV4 and EV5, setting a record. Meanwhile, Europe's EV market has regained momentum since last year. According to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), annual EV sales reached 2.59 million units last year, accounting for 19.5 percent of the market. In December, EV sales also surpassed those of gasoline vehicles for the first time. 2026-02-15 16:24:03

ACC to Stream Children’s Theater and Contemporary Dance on YouTube During Lunar New Year Holiday During the Lunar New Year holiday, viewers can watch children’s theater and contemporary dance at home on the ACC YouTube channel. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s National Asian Culture Center said Sunday it will run an online program, “Lunar New Year with ACC,” on the ACC YouTube channel from Feb. 14 to 18. The streamed performances are the children’s play “Eoduksini” and the dance work “1℃,” which raises questions about the climate crisis. “Eoduksini,” created for the “2023 ACC Children and Youth Original Production,” reinterprets Korean folktales in a modern way. The production has continued to tour after winning an acting award at the 2024 Seoul Children’s Theater Awards, earning praise for balancing artistic quality and popular appeal. It follows a traditional Korean goblin, Eoduksini — a creature said to exist only when it receives human attention — and a human child who has retreated into the darkness. As they comfort each other’s wounds, they search for the value of existence in a journey that is dark yet warm. ACC said the play offers children imagination and gives adults a chance to reflect on overlooked beings. A “2025 ACC International Cooperation Performance,” “1℃” is a contemporary dance work by choreographer Heo Seong-im and was selected for the 2025 Seoul International Performing Arts Festival. The piece asks, “Can art spur action in the face of the climate crisis?” and draws audiences into the reality of climate change. It portrays the serious threat that a temperature shift of just 1 degree Celsius can pose to Earth’s ecosystems through dynamic movement, lighting and music, and delivers the message that “every small gesture matters in shaping the future.” The work premiered last October at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts and later completed invited performances at three theaters in the U.K., including London’s Southbank Centre. ACC said the program was planned to expand public access to culture during the holiday and to improve access to ACC original productions. No reservation or fee is required, and anyone can watch through the official ACC YouTube channel. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-15 16:03:00

South Korea secures fifth medal, eyes more in short-track speed skating SEOUL, February 15 (AJP) - With this year's Winter Olympics now halfway through in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, South Korea added one more silver medal as short-track speed skater Hwang Dae-heon finished second in the men's 1,500 meters on Saturday. South Korea is currently ranked 14th in the overall tally, with one gold, two silver, and two bronze medals. Norway continued to lead the standings with ten gold medals, followed by Italy with six, the U.S. with five, and both Australia and France with four each. Hwang's medal was the country's fifth, following snowboarders Kim Sang-gyeom, who won silver in the men's parallel giant slalom; Yoo Seung-eun, who took bronze in the women's big air; Choi Ga-on, who claimed gold in the women's halfpipe; and skater Rim Jong-un, who earned bronze in the men's 1,000 meters in short-track speed skating. With 71 athletes competing at this year's quadrennial sporting event on snow and ice, South Korea is aiming for a top-10 finish with at least three gold medals. The country is now expecting more medals in short-track speed skating. Earlier in the day, the women's 3,000-meter relay team consisting of Choi Min-jeong, Kim Gil-li, Lee So-yeon, and Shim Suk-hee advanced to the final, which is slated for Wednesday. After missing out on medals in both the women's 500 meters and the mixed relay earlier last week, they are determined to win this time. Choi and Kim, who also advanced through the preliminary round of the women's 1,000 meters along with Noh Do-hee, are set to compete in the semifinals and final scheduled for Monday. In speed skating, Kim Jun-ho wrapped up his fourth Olympic appearance by finishing 12th in the men's 500 meters with a time of 34.68 seconds, while his compatriot Koo Kyung-min placed 15th with a time of 34.80 seconds. Speed skaters Kim Min-sun and Lee Na-hyun are set to compete in the women's 500 meters later in the day. Russian-born Ekaterina Avvakumova, who became a naturalized South Korean in 2016, finished 58th out of 91 competitors in the women's 7.5-kilometer biathlon sprint with a time of 23:18.03. She previously made history by winning South Korea's first-ever biathlon gold medal at the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin. Biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting, became an official Olympic discipline for women at the 1992 Winter Games in Albertville, France. Meanwhile, Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen became South America's first Winter Olympic medalist by winning gold in the men's giant slalom. It was the first time an athlete from a South American nation had ever won a medal at the Winter Olympics, which began in 1924. Braathen, born to a Brazilian mother and Norwegian father, competed for Norway at the 2022 Beijing Olympics before switching to represent Brazil in 2024. 2026-02-15 14:36:00

Hyundai, Kia Near 1 Million EV Sales in Europe as Market Rebounds Hyundai Motor and Kia are expected to reach 1 million cumulative electric-vehicle sales in Europe in the first half of this year. Hyundai Motor Group said on Feb. 15 that the two automakers sold a combined 915,996 EVs in Europe from the start of Soul EV sales in 2014 through last year. In 2021, they sold 135,408 EVs in Europe, topping 100,000 annual sales there for the first time. Sales continued to rise in 2022 and 2023, reaching 143,460 and 147,457 vehicles, respectively. In 2024, sales fell to 121,705 amid reduced EV subsidies in major European countries including Germany and concerns about an economic slowdown. Last year, sales rebounded to 183,912 on the strength of new models such as the Ioniq 9, EV4 and EV5. That was more than a 50% increase from a year earlier and the highest annual total on record. Given that Hyundai and Kia averaged more than 15,000 EV sales a month in Europe last year, the group said it is likely the companies will surpass 1 million cumulative sales in the European EV market in the first half of this year. Europe’s EV market has also regained momentum since last year. The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, or ACEA, said annual EV sales totaled 2,585,187 last year, accounting for 19.5% of the market, and in December EV sales surpassed gasoline vehicles for the first time.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-15 14:06:32

President Lee Jae-myung congratulates Hwang Dae-heon on Olympic 1500m silver President Lee Jae-myung on Saturday congratulated short-track speed skater Hwang Dae-heon after he won a silver medal in the men’s 1,500 meters at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. In a Facebook post titled, “A calm race by a true ice competitor — congratulations on Korea’s short-track silver,” Lee said, “I sincerely congratulate him,” adding that he applauded Hwang for a “hard-earned silver medal.” Hwang finished second in the men’s 1,500-meter final held Saturday (local time), crossing in 2:12.304 behind Jens van’t Wout of the Netherlands. Hwang, who won silver in the 500 meters at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and gold in the 1,500 meters plus silver in the 5,000-meter relay at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, has now medaled at three consecutive Games. Lee said Hwang “proved once again he is among the world’s best” by adding silver to his 2022 Olympic gold, and noted he also set a record as the first in South Korean men’s short track to win medals at three straight Olympics. “Even in a fierce race, he stayed calm to the end and kept his pace,” Lee wrote, calling Hwang a true “ice competitor” and adding, “It’s incredible, and I’m proud.” Lee also voiced support for Hwang’s pledge to become “an athlete remembered for a long time, not a star who shines briefly,” saying he hoped Hwang’s hard work and passion would lead to more strong results. Lee again congratulated Hwang on the silver and offered encouragement to fellow South Korean competitors Shin Dong-min and Lim Jong-eon. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-15 13:24:00

National Gugak Center to Stage Lunar New Year Show 'Seol Majung Gase' on Feb. 17 The National Gugak Center said Sunday it will present a Lunar New Year family program, “Seol Ma(馬)jung Gase,” at 3 p.m. on Feb. 17 at its Yeakdang Theater. The show was planned for 2026, the Byeongo Year (丙午年), described as the “Year of the Red Horse.” It will pair traditional and newly created Korean music and dance to welcome New Year’s blessings and deliver a message of hope about moving forward. The program opens with the center’s Court Music Orchestra performing “Sujecheon.” It continues with the Folk Music Orchestra’s “Binari” and a medley of folk songs, offering wishes for peace and good fortune. The center’s Dance Company and Folk Music Orchestra then join for a fan dance, followed by “Pangut” and a janggu drum dance. A one-act changgeuk excerpt from “Simcheongga,” titled “The Road to Hwangseong,” will feature National Changgeuk Company members Seo Jeong-geum and Choi Yong-seok, among others. In the second half, the center’s Creative Music Orchestra will perform “Sound of Hoofbeats,” filling the stage with driving rhythms. The orchestra will also team with Ssinggeut Arariga for a traditional Korean children’s song set aimed at young audience members. On the day of the performance, the center will run a Lunar New Year hands-on program, “Umyun Land Returns,” from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on its lawn. Activities include traditional folk games, clay dumpling-making and crafting lucky pouches. A center official said the Lunar New Year program “brings together tradition and new works, music and dance,” and will serve as “a place to welcome New Year’s blessings and start the year with hope.” The performance will be held at the Yeakdang Theater, with folk and craft activities for attendees on the lawn beginning two hours before curtain. Tickets are available through the National Gugak Center website or by phone. All seats cost 20,000 won* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-15 13:06:00