Samsung tests global appetite for pricier Galaxy foldables and wearables SEOUL, August 06 (AJP) -Samsung Electronics rolled out its latest Galaxy foldable smartphones and smartwatches worldwide on Thursday, betting strong pre-orders can overcome sticker shock as soaring memory and component costs push flagship handset prices to new highs and weigh on global smartphone demand. The world's largest smartphone maker said the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8, Galaxy Z Flip8, Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9 will go on sale from Aug. 7 in major markets before August 6, 2026

Won, Korean bonds rally as Middle East tensions ease SEOUL, August 05 (AJP) - South Korea’s won and government bonds rallied on Wednesday as optimism over a potential U.S.-Iran agreement pushed oil prices lower, easing inflation concerns and drawing investors back into local assets. The won closed the daytime session at 1,424.5 won to the dollar, strengthening by 8.0 won, or 0.56 percent, from Tuesday’s close of 1,432.5. The three-year Korean government bond yield fell 7.1 basis points to 3.669 percent, while the 10-year yield droppe August 5, 2026

KOSPI rebounds above 6,500 as foreign investors return amid global chip rally SEOUL, August 5 (AJP) - South Korean stocks extended their rally on Wednesday, with the benchmark KOSPI climbing back above 6,500 as foreign investors returned to the market as net buyers. The rally was further supported by strength in global semiconductor shares and easing Middle East tensions. The KOSPI closed 3.76 percent higher at 6,598.26 after rising as much as 6,674.66 intraday. The surge triggered a buy-side sidecar early in the session, while the junior KOSDAQ gained 2.42 percent to 79 August 5, 2026

Gold investment loses steam as investor sentiment cools SEOUL, August 5 (AJP) - Interest in gold investment in South Korea is rapidly losing steam after a record-breaking run that continued until earlier this year, with trading volume and value on the Korea Exchange (KRX) gold market falling to their lowest levels in recent months. According to data released by the Korea Exchange on Wednesday, the average daily trading volume of KRX gold spot products stood at 218,708 grams in July, down 51.6 percent from 451,831 grams in June. Average daily trading August 5, 2026

AI Summit Seoul & Expo 2026 returns this month SEOUL, August 05 (AJP) - South Korea's largest AI-focused exhibition and conference will return to Seoul later this month with a larger show floor and a sharper focus on how companies are putting artificial intelligence to work across industries, COEX said Wednesday. AI Summit Seoul & Expo 2026, or AISE 2026, will run from Aug. 19 to 21 at COEX in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul, jointly organized by COEX, DMK Global and the Korea International Trade Association (KITA). The exhibition wi August 5, 2026

FSC pushes back on Bloomberg's 'uninvestable' claim SEOUL, August 05 (AJP) — South Korea's financial regulator has rejected a Bloomberg column that described the country as becoming "uninvestable," saying the assessment relied on inaccurate data and overlooked the country's economic fundamentals. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) in a statement released late Tuesday said there was no basis for concerns that South Korea could be regarded as an uninvestable market, saying the country has emerged as an irreplaceable pa August 5, 2026

Korea eyes July 2027 start for Honam chip cluster utilities SEOUL, August 05 (AJP) - South Korea aims to break ground in July 2027 on the electricity and water supply facilities that will underpin its planned semiconductor cluster in the Honam region, the government said, as the timeline for the flagship project takes firmer shape. The government intends to select a project operator and formally designate the cluster site — a stretch of land around the Gwangju military airfield — before the end of this year, officials said Wednesday. Accord August 5, 2026

Hyundai Motor Group appoints former US official to head Washington office SEOUL, August 5 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Group has appointed a former U.S. State Department official as head of its Washington, D.C. office, the automaker said on Wednesday. Michael Kleine is expected to bring more than 25 years of diplomatic experience, having held senior positions at the U.S. Department of State and key posts across the Asia-Pacific region. He previously served as U.S. chargé d'affaires to Indonesia and as minister-counselor for economic affairs at the U.S. Embassy in August 5, 2026

Chip rebound lifts KOSPI and Nikkei more than 3% SEOUL, August 05 (AJP) - A 6-percent overnight surge in U.S. semiconductor shares and a looming index-weighting change at SK hynix drove the KOSPI, the main board of the Korea Exchange, up 3.8 percent on Wednesday, with Tokyo running the same trade. The main index in Seoul rose 240.20 points to 6,599.15 in the opening minutes. The specific catalyst is SK hynix's own share count. The company issued 17.79 million new shares in a 45.45 trillion won third-party allotment to Citibank, N.A. to August 5, 2026

HMM to open India-East Africa container route in September SEOUL, August 05 (AJP) - HMM, South Korea's largest container carrier, said it would launch a new service linking India and East Africa in September, extending the hub-and-spoke network that has become the centerpiece of its expansion strategy. The service announced Wednesday, branded Gulf-India-East Africa (GIA), will connect the Indian gateway ports of Nhava Sheva and Mundra — where cargo from India and Central Asia converges — with Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Mombasa in Ken August 5, 2026