Korea to open culture data for AI SEOUL, September 03 (AJP) - South Korea will open five sets of culture-sector public data in AI-ready formats, covering traditional music, tourism, policy information and cultural assets, the culture ministry said Thursday. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the data will come from four public institutions: the National Gugak Center, the National Library of Korea, the Korea Tourism Organization and the Korea Culture Information Service Agency. Project is part of the Ministry of t September 3, 2026

Korea's crypto access can strengthen stablecoin-FX link:BOK SEOUL, September 03 (AJP) - Wider corporate and foreign participation in South Korea's crypto market could allow dollar stablecoin demand shocks to pass more directly into foreign-exchange trading and the won, Bank of Korea researchers said Thursday. Kim Ji-hyun and Cho Sang-heum of the BOK's International Finance Research Team said in an Issue Note that the presence of global intermediaries can determine how closely stablecoin markets are linked with traditional FX markets. The resear September 3, 2026

Naver Cloud wins cybersecurity AI model project SEOUL, September 03 (AJP) - South Korea has selected a consortium led by Naver Cloud to develop an AI foundation model specialized for cybersecurity, the science ministry said Thursday. The Ministry of Science and ICT said the consortium was chosen following a presentation-based review of two bidders for the project. External experts in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity evaluated each consortium's business plan and presentation, covering technical capability, development experience September 3, 2026

Seoul rebounds as bond yields ease, chip tariffs loom SEOUL, September 03 (AJP) - The KOSPI rebounded at Thursday's open, clawing back part of the previous session's 4 percent slide after U.S. Treasury yields pulled back from a nearly three-year high and Wall Street snapped a two-day losing streak. The main index in Seoul was quoted at 6,661.27 in morning trade. The index added 98.55 points, or 1.5 percent. The recovery is narrow. The KOSPI 200 gained 1.4 percent, while the KOSDAQ, the junior board for smaller and technology companies, s September 3, 2026

T'way Air gears up for Trinity Airways debut with new livery SEOUL, September 3 (AJP) - Low-cost carrier T'way Air is in its final preparations for its transition into the new Trinity Airways, unveiling its first aircraft to feature the new livery ahead of the launch next week. The carrier said Thursday that it held an event at Gimpo International Airport on Monday to mark the delivery of a Boeing 737-8 featuring its new logo and design. Crew members wearing the airline's new uniforms also attended the event ahead of the aircraft's first flig September 3, 2026

Krafton commits to G-Star for 10th straight year SEOUL, September 03 (AJP) - Krafton announced that it will exhibit at G-Star 2026, the country's largest gaming expo, extending its unbroken run of appearances to a decade and offering the beleaguered show a marquee domestic name. The Battlegrounds maker has taken part in the Busan event every year since 2017, using the fair to unveil marquee titles and let visitors sample upcoming releases through hands-on demos and interactive programs. The company announced Thursday that it will again s September 3, 2026

KOSPI tumbles on rising oil prices, bond yields SEOUL, September 2 (AJP) - A surge in Middle East crude oil prices and a deepening global bond selloff drove South Korea's benchmark KOSPI down 4.0 percent on Wednesday, the steepest fall among Asia's major markets. The index shed 273.08 points to close at 6,562.72. South Korea was hit harder than Japan and China because it faced two shocks at the same time. Dubai crude, widely used by South Korean refiners, jumped US$7.78 to $98.60 a barrel Tuesday, putting it several dollars above Br September 2, 2026

BOK sees September inflation easing, core pressures persist SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - South Korea's consumer inflation is expected to ease in September as a telecom-related base effect fades, but underlying price pressures are likely to remain elevated, the Bank of Korea said Wednesday. The central bank made the assessment after an inflation review meeting chaired by Deputy Governor Lee Ji-ho earlier in the day. Consumer prices rose 3.1 percent in August from a year earlier, accelerating from 2.8 percent in July. "Consumer price inflation is September 2, 2026

BOK highlights demographic challenges in international forum SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - The Bank of Korea opened a two-day conference Wednesday on ageing and longevity, where Governor Hyun Song Shin urged early preparation for demographic pressures on growth, productivity and interest rates. The conference, titled “The Economics of Population Ageing and Longevity: From Challenges to Opportunities,” runs through Thursday in Seoul. It is jointly hosted by the BOK, the Centre for Economic Policy Research and the Organisation for Economic Co-op September 2, 2026

Oil and bond jitters send KOSPI, Nikkei 2% lower SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - The global runup in interest rates and oil shock on renewed tensions in the Middle East that knocked Wall Street lower on Tuesday landed hard on oil-dependent Korea and Japan. The KOSPI, the benchmark index of the Korea Exchange, shed 186.82 points or 2.7 percent to 6,648.98 in early trade on Wednesday. The selloff panned out on a similar scale in Tokyo, also weighed down by bond and oil market jitters. Chipmakers, carmakers and power equipment names took the wo September 2, 2026