World Cup 26: Korea falls to Mexico after second-half error SEOUL, June 19 (AJP) - South Korea lost 1-0 to Mexico in their second Group A match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday morning in Korea, leaving their knockout-stage fate to the final group match against South Africa. Mexico scored the only goal early in the second half, when Luis Romo reacted first after goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu failed to hold the ball inside the box. South Korea must beat South Africa in their final group match to guarantee a top-two finish in Group A, while a draw would l June 19, 2026

Media giant JoongAng Ilbo defaults on 22 bln won SEOUL, June 19 (AJP) - South Korean newspaper JoongAng Ilbo has suffered an initial default on 22 billion won in commercial paper after failing to meet a creditor's early repayment demand due to a lack of funds. The financial failure marks a shocking development in the local media industry, as JoongAng Ilbo stands as one of South Korea's most iconic and influential major media groups. The default publicly exposes the severity of an escalating liquidity crisis threatening the publisher a June 19, 2026

World Cup 26: Korea hold Mexico scoreless at halftime SEOUL, June 19 (AJP) - South Korea and Mexico were locked at 0-0 at halftime in their Group A match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday morning in Korea, with both sides pressing aggressively but struggling to create clear chances. The match kicked off at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, at 10 a.m. Friday in Korea, or 9 p.m. Thursday local time. South Korea started with Kim Seung-gyu in goal, with Lee Han-beom, Kim Min-jae, Kim Moon-hwan, Lee Gi-hyuk and Seol Young-woo across the defen June 19, 2026

Energy watchdog warns looming transit fees in Hormuz SEOUL, June 19 (AJP) - A temporary truce between the United States and Iran has reopened the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days, providing a critical lifeline to energy-dependent manufacturing hubs in South Korea and Southeast Asia. The International Energy Agency warned Thursday (local time) that despite the immediate relief, the crisis has permanently altered the global energy map. The unblocking of the maritime chokepoint eases a severe bottleneck for production-based Asian economies that rely hea June 19, 2026

KOSPI, Nikkei extend record-setting run SEOUL, June 19 (AJP) — Seoul's stock market pushed deeper into uncharted territory on Friday, with the KOSPI testing new highs and total market capitalization reaching a record $5.2 trillion, propelled by the extraordinary ascent of SK hynix, whose market value alone exceeded $1.3 trillion and helped Seoul outshine Tokyo's simultaneous record-setting rally. The KOSPI stood at 9,371.8, up 307.9 points, or 3.4 percent intraday while the Nikkei traded at 71,632.4, up 578.9 points, o June 19, 2026

KOSPI extends historic rally beyond 9,200 as chip giants lead charge SEOUL, June 19 (AJP) -South Korean stocks extended their record-breaking rally Friday, with the benchmark KOSPI surging further above the 9,000-point mark as a global semiconductor boom, aggressive foreign buying and renewed optimism over artificial intelligence demand continued to fuel gains. The benchmark KOSPI opened at 9,292.71, up 2.53 percent from the previous session, extending its record-breaking rally after closing above the 9,000-point mark for the first time a day earlier. The junior June 19, 2026

Intel taps former SK hynix CEO to ride on AI wave SEOUL, June 19 (AJP) - Intel, seeking to reverse years of decline in the AI era after losing its semiconductor crown, has appointed former SK hynix and SK On chief Lee Seok-hee to lead key foundry operations that the company views as its quickest route back to growth. Lee was named executive vice president of Intel Foundry and will report directly to CEO Lip-Bu Tan, overseeing advanced packaging, system integration, and back-end technology development and manufacturing. The appointment undersc June 19, 2026

World Cup 26: Mokoena penalty earns South Africa draw against Czechia SEOUL, June 19 (AJP) - Teboho Mokoena converted a late penalty to earn South Africa a 1-1 draw against Czechia in a Group A match at Atlanta Stadium on Thursday, denying the Czechs a win they had looked capable of holding for most of the game. Czechia took the lead in the sixth minute through Michal Sadílek and protected the lead for more than 75 minutes before a handball by substitute Pavel Šulc inside the area handed South Africa a way back into the match. Mokoena drove his spot June 19, 2026

Cash stays on its toes to ride stock rally and higher rates in Korea SEOUL, June 18 (AJP) -Cash set aside for stock investments has surged and money parked in instantly accessible accounts remains elevated, underscoring the depth of fear of missing out in a stock market whose benchmark index has more than doubled since the beginning of the year. Households and companies are moving cash in and out of bank accounts at the fastest pace in a decade, favoring flexible, short-term deposits over long-term savings as a record-breaking stock market rally reshapes how Kor June 18, 2026

KOSPI closes above 9,000 for first time as chip rally sweeps Asia SEOUL, June 18 (AJP) - South Korea's KOSPI closed above the 9,000 mark for the first time on Thursday as semiconductor stocks rallied across North Asia, lifting markets in Seoul and Tokyo while Chinese chipmakers outperformed a weaker broader market. The KOSPI gained 199.60 points, or 2.2 percent, to close at a record 9,063.8. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 1.6 percent to 71,053.4, while China's Shanghai Composite traded around 4,092, down about 0.4 percent. The surge was driven by semico June 18, 2026