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 b February 16, 2026

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, February 16, 2026

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. February 15, 2026

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 bot February 15, 2026

OPINION: What Bangladesh's democratic transition means for Asia SEOUL, February 15 (AJP) - Asia is no longer on the margins of the global order. Population, production, technology, and culture are increasingly shifting east, with major trade and logistics networks centered on Asian ports. Digital innovation and cultural industries are also expanding rapidly across Asian cities. Yet political developments are still often judged through a Western lens, with democracy and market economies assessed by how closely they align with Western standards. T February 15, 2026

3.0-magnitude earthquake strikes Gyeonggi Province SEOUL, February 15 (AJP) - A 3.0-magnitude earthquake struck Yeoncheon in Gyeonggi Province early Sunday morning. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the quake occurred at around 4:13 a.m. Residents in nearby areas such as Gimpo, Paju, and Pocheon in the province, as well as Cheorwon in Gangwon Province, felt weak tremors. So far, there have been no reports of damage or injuries. It was the strongest earthquake recorded on the Korean Peninsula this year. February 15, 2026

Short-track speed skater Hwang Dae-heon wins silver at Winter Olympics in Italy SEOUL, February 15 (AJP) - Short-track speed skater Hwang Dae-heon on Saturday won silver in the men's 1,500 meters at the Winter Olympics underway in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. Hwang finished with a time of 2:12.30 to take silver, just behind Jens van't Wout of the Netherlands, who clocked 2:12.22. Latvia's Roberts Krūzbergs, who clocked 2:12.37, took bronze. In a chaotic final in Assago, northern Italy, nine skaters battled from the opening lap, but Hwang hung February 15, 2026

U.S. maritime plan allows initial ship construction in Korea SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - The White House on Friday unveiled the “America’s Maritime Action Plan” (MAP), a sweeping strategy to revive the U.S. shipbuilding industry that explicitly signals cooperation with South Korea and Japan. It is widely seen as laying out the blueprint for the so-called MASGA (Make American Shipbuilding Great Again) initiative discussed during Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations. The U.S. government states in the report published on the White February 14, 2026

Book-style foldables to dominate global market in 2026 amid memory shortages SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - The global foldable smartphone market is expected to shift from clamshell-style devices to book-type models in 2026, according to market research firm Counterpoint Research. According to Counterpoint on Saturday, book-type devices are projected to increase their share of the total foldable smartphone market from 52 percent in 2025 to around 65 percent in 2026, accounting for the majority of global foldable shipments. The shift reflects continued improvemen February 14, 2026

Olive Young draws crowds at Milano Olympics Korea House with K-beauty booth SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - CJ Olive Young has opened a promotional booth at the Korea House during the 2026 Milano–Cortina Winter Olympics, showcasing K-beauty products and supporting South Korea’s national team. According to the company on Saturday, Olive Young has been operating a “Lip Touch-Up Bar” since Feb. 6 at the Korea House in Milan, allowing visitors to experience K-beauty products firsthand. The booth, featuring color cosmetics from Olive Young& February 14, 2026