• 
  Auto capacity looms over Korea–Germany race for Canada's $41bn submarine project SEOUL, February 06 (AJP) - Auto-sector capacity — and Ottawa’s efforts to shield its car industry from U.S. tariffs — is emerging as a decisive variable in the two-horse race between South Korea and Germany for Canada’s Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), sources said after meetings this week with visiting Canadian officials. “Both South Korea and Germany are automotive manufacturing nations,” said Stephen Fuhr, Canada’s special envoy February 6, 2026
• 
  Hanwha Ocean to build Korea's largest wind turbine installation vessel SEOUL, February 06 (AJP) - Hanwha Ocean said on Friday it had secured a 768.7 billion won ($530 million) order to build a wind turbine installation vessel from affiliate Ocean Wind Power 1. Delivery of the vessel is scheduled for the first half of 2028. The company said deployment will initially be considered for domestic offshore wind projects. According to Hanwha Ocean, the vessel will be the first in South Korea capable of installing 15-megawatt-class offshore wind turbine February 6, 2026
• 
  SK Biopharm posts record profit on strong US sales of epilepsy drug SEOUL, February 06 (AJP) - SK Biopharmaceuticals said on Friday that its operating profit more than doubled last year to a record high, driven by strong U.S. sales of its epilepsy drug cenobamate. The drugmaker reported consolidated operating profit of 203.9 billion won for the year, up about 112 percent from a year earlier. Revenue rose 29.1 percent to 706.7 billion won, while net profit increased 11.6 percent to 253.3 billion won. Cenobamate, marketed in the United States u February 6, 2026
• 
  Korea's record C/A surplus pales by near-tripling capital outflows SEOUL, Feb. 06 (AJP) -The black figure in South Korea’s current account stretched to a monthly high in December and an annual high for 2025 thanks to red-hot chip sales, but the bulk of the gains went to defending the Korean currency against rapid depreciation and funding outbound investments, data showed. According to data released by the Bank of Korea on Friday, the current account in December recorded a surplus of $18.7 billion, an increase of more than $6 billion from t February 6, 2026
• 
  HD Hyundai Marine Solution wins power plant maintenance deal in Ecuador SEOUL, February 06 (AJP) - South Korea's HD Hyundai Marine Solution has signed a $56 million maintenance contract with Ecuador’s state power utility to support operations at thermal power plants amid the country’s ongoing energy shortages. Under the agreement, the company will supply engine and auxiliary equipment maintenance packages through early 2027 for eight thermal power plants operated by the utility, with combined generation capacity of about 400 megawatt February 6, 2026
• 
  Hanwha Aerospace, KAI sign pact to develop aircraft engines, drones SEOUL, February 06 (AJP) - Hanwha Aerospace and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) have agreed to cooperate on key future defense and aerospace projects, including development of aircraft engines and unmanned aircraft systems, the companies said on Friday. The companies signed a memorandum of understanding on Feb. 5 at Hanwha Building in central Seoul aimed at strengthening the global competitiveness of South Korea’s defense industry. The signing ceremony was attended by Han February 6, 2026
• 
  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, February 6, 2026
• 
  South Korea's Booyoung Group pays 3.6 billion won in birth incentives in 2025 SEOUL, February 05 (AJP) - South Korea's Booyoung Group paid 3.6 billion won ($2.46 million) in birth incentives last year to employees who had children, as part of a program offering 100 million won for each newborn. The company said payments were made for 36 children born to employees last year. Total payouts rose about 29 percent from 2.8 billion won a year earlier. Booyoung said that cases involving multiple births have increased since the program began in 2024. February 5, 2026
• 
  Overseas outlets of Korean dining brands jump 25 percent in 5 years SEOUL, February 05 (AJP) - South Korean dining brands have increased their overseas store count by nearly 25 percent over the past five years, a government survey showed on Thursday. According to the survey, released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. (aT), Korean dining companies operated 4,644 stores across 56 countries last year, up from 3,722 outlets in 48 countries in 2020. Over the same period, the February 5, 2026
• 
  Samsung's Lee Jae-yong heads to Winter Olympics for global business meetings SEOUL, February 05 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong has traveled to Italy to attend the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, where he is expected to combine Olympic engagements with meetings aimed at strengthening global business ties. Lee departed for Milan on Thursday, marking his first visit to an Olympic Games since attending the Paris Summer Olympics in 2024. Lee is expected to attend the opening ceremony and hold meetings with political and business le February 5, 2026