KOSPI crashes over 8% at open as US chip rout hits Seoul SEOUL, June 8 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI plunged 8.4 percent at the open Monday, shedding 683.1 points to 7,477.5 within the first minutes of trade, as a Friday rout in US semiconductor shares spilled into Seoul and dragged the index to its steepest opening drop in years. The decline was led by Samsung Electronics, which opened down 9.3 percent at 298,500 won (US$192.2), and SK Hynix, down 8.0 percent at 1,904,000 won. The two memory-chip giants account for a substant June 8, 2026

Nvidia's Huang, SK's Chey solidify AI partnership over chicken and 'somaek' in Seoul SEOUL, June 07 (AJP) - Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won (Tony Chey) held a highly public, casual dinner meeting over fried chicken and beer in Seoul on Sunday, a gathering that highlighted the close ties between the AI chip giant and the world's leading high-bandwidth memory (HBM) maker. Arriving at a Kkanbu Chicken branch in southern Seoul's Gangnam district at 6:46 p.m., Huang wore a Doosan Bears baseball uniform—having just thrown the cer June 7, 2026

Nvidia CEO throws first pitch at baseball game before another 'Kkanbu' gathering SEOUL, June 7 (AJP) - Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang threw a ceremonial first pitch at a baseball game in Seoul on Sunday as part of his high-profile visit to South Korea, which also included meetings with top business leaders and tech experts. Huang, who has been busy with a packed schedule since arriving in Seoul last Friday, appeared at Jamsil Stadium in southern Seoul ahead of the game between the Doosan Bears and Kiwoom Heroes and met fans. He wore a Doosan Bears jersey with June 7, 2026

Former Naver CEO tapped as next PM SEOUL, June 7 (AJP) - Minister of SMEs and Startups Han Seong-sook was tapped to become the next prime minister, replacing incumbent Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, Cheong Wa Dae said on Sunday. At a press briefing in Seoul, presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik said President Lee Jae Myung has nominated Han as the next prime minister. Referring to the outgoing prime minister, Kang also thanked Kim for his service and said the government's policy achievements were largely d June 7, 2026

South Korean footballers hold 1st training session in Mexico ahead of World Cup opener SEOUL, June 7 (AJP) - With this year's World Cup set to kick off later this week, South Korean footballers held their first training session in Mexico on Saturday, drawing hundreds of fans there. They will play their first three group-stage matches in the expanded 48-team quadrennial tournament co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. The warm-up session took place in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, just a day after their arrival in Mexico, following three weeks of preparation in June 7, 2026

South Korea posts 2nd-fastest OECD growth on chip boom, but long-term risks mount SEOUL, June 7 (AJP) - South Korea posted the second-fastest economic growth among major economies in the first quarter, driven by a semiconductor boom. According to data released by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on Sunday, South Korea's real gross domestic product (GDP) grew 1.7 percent in the first three months of this year, ranking second among 35 member countries. Only Denmark grew faster at 1.9 percent, while the OECD average stood at 0 June 7, 2026

North Korean leader's sister rules out denuclearization as Xi prepares to visit Pyongyang SEOUL, June 7 (AJP) - Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, reiterated that North Korea would never give up its nuclear weapons, state media reported on Sunday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, she said in a statement the previous day that North Korea's status as a nuclear-armed state is "irreversible," regardless of whether others recognize it, and vowed that the country would "never tolerate any threat to or co June 7, 2026

Jensen Huang swaps AI chips for K-pop moves on Korean TV show SEOUL, June 06 (AJP) - Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was spotted dancing during a taping of tvN’s popular talk show “You Quiz on the Block,” drawing playful reactions from Korean fans online. On Saturday, the show’s official social media account released photos from the filming, along with a witty caption that read, “The third-round karaoke session we missed yesterday has come to You Quiz.” In the photos, Huang appeared in his signature black leather June 6, 2026

Seoul's triathlon festival lets participants go at their own pace SEOUL, June 06 (AJP) - Seoul’s “My Pace Hangang Triathlon Festival” kicked off its third edition on June 5 at Ttukseom and Jamsil Han River Parks, running through June 7. The sports festival challenges participants to complete swimming, cycling and running courses at their own pace, with no rankings or time pressure. This year's edition expanded its offerings with the addition of a new intermediate course alongside the existing beginne June 6, 2026

Korea Maritime and Ocean University opens guesthouse for BTS concertgoers in Busan SEOUL, June 06 (AJP) - Korea Maritime and Ocean University will open part of its campus guesthouse to visitors traveling to Busan for BTS’ upcoming concerts, joining the city’s campaign to provide fair and affordable accommodation during major events. The university said Saturday it will participate in Busan Metropolitan City’s “Fair Accommodation Challenge” ahead of BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’ in Busan, scheduled for June 12 and 13 at Busan As June 6, 2026