South Korean banks post record earnings on FX gains

SEOUL, November 20 (AJP) - South Korea’s banking sector logged record profits in the first nine months of the year, buoyed by a sharp rise in non-interest income as a weakening dollar lifted foreign-exchange and derivatives gains, according to preliminary figures released Thursday by the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). Banks reported a combined net profit of 21.1 trillion won, up 12 percent — or 2.3 trillion won — from a year earlier. The FSS warned t

November 20, 2025

Asian shares rise as Nvidia's blowout earnings lift sentiment

SEOUL, November 20 (AJP) - Asian markets rebounded in early Thursday trading as another round of blockbuster Nvidia earnings effectively silenced the “AI bubble” narrative. South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI climbed 2.6 percent to 4,030 as of 10:30 a.m., reclaiming the 4,000 mark for the first time in three days. Foreign investors turned net buyers at 267 billion won ($182 million), while institutions purchased 299 billion won. Retail investors, however, sold 577.5 bi

November 20, 2025

Naver-Dunamu merger heads to board vote, poised to form fintech powerhouse

SEOUL, November 20 (AJP) - Naver’s planned merger with Dunamu, the operator of cryptocurrency exchange Upbit, is gaining traction amid a shifting regulatory climate — potentially clearing the way for one of the most significant tie-ups in Korea’s fintech history. According to industry officials, Naver Financial and Dunamu will convene board meetings on Nov. 26 to approve a proposed stock swap that would effectively combine the two companies under a single corpo

November 20, 2025

Samsung narrowly steals back No. 1 DRAM rank from SK hynix Q3- CFM

SEOUL, November 20 (AJP) - South Korea's Samsung Electronics has narrowly reclaimed its No. 1 rank in global DRAM sales in the third quarter after yielding the position to its home rival SK hynix in the first half for the first time amid the surge in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) demand. The shift underscores rapidly strengthening DRAM prices due to frantic stockpiling of memory chips that power servers and a wide range of electronic devices, driven by fears of supply shortages as manufac

November 20, 2025

AI becomes centerpiece of South Korea's military strategy

SEOUL, November 20 (AJP) - South Korea’s defense industry is increasingly positioning itself at the forefront of the global arms race, leaning heavily on artificial intelligence to offset shrinking troop numbers and to adapt to fast-changing warfare technologies. The shift has drawn in some of the country’s most powerful semiconductor companies, deepening ties between its tech and defense sectors. Industry officials say the military has begun widening its defense

November 20, 2025

Asian shares finish broadly lower as AI-bubble anxiety persist

SEOUL, November 19 (AJP) - Asian stocks edged lower for a second straight session on Wednesday, with investors remaining cautious ahead of Nvidia’s earnings and the growing “AI bubble” narrative that has weighed on sentiment across the region. South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI slipped 0.61 percent to 3,929.51, recovering part of its earlier plunge after falling as low as 3,854.95 in morning trade. Foreign investors sold a net 1.04 trillion won ($709 million)

November 19, 2025

HOT STOCK: Hyundai Autoever and Samsung Electro survive AI overvaluation scare

SEOUL, November 19 (AJP) - Hyundai AutoEver and Samsung Electro-Mechanics were among a selective KOSPI stocks that managed to survive this week’s sharp rout triggered by fears of an AI-driven bubble ahead of Nvidia’s earnings release scheduled for Thursday. Hyundai AutoEver — the Hyundai Motor Group affiliate responsible for software development and next-generation mobility strategy — gained 2.92 percent to close Wednesday at 186,500 won ($127.1). Its rally

November 19, 2025

Aju-sponsored Korea-Japan forum calls for bilateral FTA as a stepping stone toward economic bloc

SEOUL, November 19 (AJP) - South Korea and Japan — two of the largest economies in East Asia — are increasingly viewed as a single investment destination by foreign capital as their tech-driven manufacturing capabilities grow more interconnected. But the absence of a meaningful bilateral trade framework or policy coordination still constrains the growth potential that could be unlocked if the two nations were to combine their industrial strengths, lawmakers, scholars

November 19, 2025

Samsung takes laid-back stance in HBM catchup with SK hynix on DRAM strengthening

SEOUL, November 19 (AJP) - South Korea’s two dominant memory names Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are showing signs of divergence and avoiding a head-on clash in the red-hot high bandwidth memory (HBM) market, with strengthening DRAM prices reducing the pressure to take risks. Samsung Electronics, a long-time frontrunner in DRAM until the rise of HBM powering AI chips, appears to be in no hurry to ramp up its lagging HBM capacity, holding output at 150,000 wafers per month

November 19, 2025

South Korea's HD Hyundai celebrates 5,000th ship delivery

SEOUL, November 19 (AJP) - South Korea’s HD Hyundai has become the world's first shipbuilder in the world to deliver 5,000 vessels. The company commemorated the achievement with a ceremony at its flagship shipyard in Ulsan. HD Hyundai delivered its first vessel — the Atlantic Baron, a 260,000-ton very large crude carrier — in 1974. In the five decades since, it has supplied ships to more than 700 customers across 68 countries. The 5,000th vessel, the

November 19, 2025