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  Knock, knock, spring is here SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) -“May every household be filled with joy and good fortune throughout the year.” On a quiet Tuesday morning, as winter loosened its final grip, the words of blessing were once again pinned to wooden gates at Namsangol Hanok Village in central Seoul. To mark Ipchun — the first seasonal division of spring — a demonstration of the traditional posting of ipchuncheop unfolded at the village’s main gate. A family born in 1990, th February 4, 2026
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  South Korea eyes top-10 finish at Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics SEOUL, February 4 (AJP) - South Korea aims for a top 10 finish with at least three gold medals at this year's Winter Olympics which kick off in Cortina d'Ampezzo and Milan later this week. At the previous Olympics in Beijing four years ago, the country finished 14th, winning two gold, five silver, and two bronze medals. Its most recent top-10 finish came at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, where it placed seventh overall with five gold, eight silver, and four bronze medals. Th February 4, 2026
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  Korean tire makers weather US tariff headwinds, turn focus to high-end segment SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - South Korean tire manufacturers reported higher sales last year despite the impact of U.S. tariffs on auto parts, supported by solid replacement-tire demand and price increases. Hankook Tire & Technology said Wednesday its tire business recorded sales of 10.32 trillion won ($7.7 billion) last year, up 9.6 percent from a year earlier and surpassing the 10 trillion won mark for the first time. Operating profit, however, fell 4.4 percent to 1.68 trill February 4, 2026
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  Seoul, Washington likely to set 2028 target for wartime command handover SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - South Korea and the U.S. are expected to set 2028 as the target year for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) at their annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) in Washington this October, reflecting growing confidence in Seoul’s ability to lead combined defense operations. According to government sources on Wednesday, the allies are considering 2028 as the most realistic timeline, aiming to complete the handover during the respective February 4, 2026
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  South Korea's KakaoBank posts record profit in 2025, eyes overseas expansion SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - South Korean internet-only lender KakaoBank reported record annual earnings on Wednesday with pledges to pursue overseas expansion and mergers and acquisitions to secure future growth. In a regulatory filing, KakaoBank said net profit last year rose 9.1 percent to a record 480.3 billion won ($360 million), compared with 440.1 billion won a year earlier. The bank said declining market interest rates weighed on interest income, but noninterest income pos February 4, 2026
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  Lee honors war veterans, others with Lunar New Year gifts SEOUL, February 4 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung has extended Lunar New Year greetings through gifts to war veterans, the underprivileged, and other vulnerable groups, with the country's biggest holiday just around the corner, Cheong Wa Dae said on Wednesday. The gift package contains a bowl-and-spoon set and ingredients for hearty meals consisting of grains, vegetables, and other local staples selected from across the country, as part of efforts to promote regional develop February 4, 2026
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  Price war at home as K-beauty expands overseas SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - The quality of K-beauty is no longer in question. With low entry barriers and easy access to standardized ingredients and manufacturing, producing cosmetics has become relatively simple. What now separates winners from losers is speed, packaging, branding and, increasingly, price. As Korean beauty brands continue to expand their global footprint — especially in the United States — competition at home is intensifying around affordability. Whil February 4, 2026
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  Hanwha Ocean's 2025 profit nearly quadruples on LNG carrier, naval ship demand SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - Hanwha Ocean's operating profit nearly quadrupled in 2025 from a year earlier, driven by strong sales of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers and special-purpose vessels. In a regulatory filing on Wednesday, the South Korean shipbuilder reported revenue of 12.69 trillion won ($9.5 billion) for 2025, up 18 percent from the previous year, while operating profit surged 366 percent to 1.11 trillion won. The company attributed the earnings improvemen February 4, 2026
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  Trade chief vows to find 'mutually beneficial' tariff solution with US SEOUL, February 4 (AJP) - Officials from South Korea and the United States have been working closely to come up with a "reasonable solution" to tariff-related issues after U.S. President Donald Trump's abrupt threat last week to raise tariffs, Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources Yeo Han-koo said on Wednesday. While wrapping up his weeklong trip to Washington, D.C., Yeo told reporters that he met with numerous U.S. government officials including representatives fr February 4, 2026
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  Songs and poems told by hands SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - Poetries were read and choir songs sung, but not aloud at Modu Art Theater in Seodaemun, western Seoul on Feb. 3. At 2 p.m., the 6th Korean Sign Language Day commemorative ceremony, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, began not with applause, but with raised hands, flowing gestures and attentive silence. Each movement carried rhythm. Each pause held meaning. Here, language was not spoken — it was performed. Korea February 4, 2026