Lip products lead charge in K-beauty innovation

Editor's Note: This is the third article in our series exploring the evolving landscape of the Korean beauty industry and the products that captivate international visitors. SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - In the ever-evolving world of Korean beauty, or K-beauty, few items command as much attention as lip products. From the glossy aisles of Olive Young — the nation’s ubiquitous health and beauty chain — to social media feeds around the globe, Korean lipsti

May 16, 2025

Forum highlights AI being pushed into daily life

SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - South Korea is rapidly integrating artificial intelligence into everyday life, marking a shift from early-stage development to practical applications, industry leaders said at a technology forum in Seoul on Thursday. At the 3rd Mega AI Forum, held at the Korea Exchange building in Yeouido, Seoul, government officials and corporate executives convened to examine the growing role of software robots and agent AI in society. The event was hosted by Aju Business Dai

May 15, 2025

Samsung Electronics collaborates on boy band RIIZE's debut album 'ODYSSEY'

SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics has joined forces with RIIZE, a rising K-pop group under SM Entertainment, to promote the band's debut album, “Odyssey." The partnership includes the production of a 40-minute premiere video — unveiled Wednesday on the international fan platform Weverse — that features all 10 tracks from the upcoming album, set for release on May 19. The video weaves together coming-of-age narratives with appearances by se

May 15, 2025

Hyundai Motor to build first Middle East factory, eyes Saudi as regional hub

SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor has begun construction on its first automobile manufacturing plant in the Middle East, part of a strategic push to establish Saudi Arabia as a central base for regional operations. The facility, named Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Middle East, is being built in King Abdullah City, within the King Salman Automotive Cluster. Groundbreaking took place Wednesday, with the start of production scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026. The plant is a jo

May 15, 2025

Hanwha finalizes $637 million acquisition of catering firm Ourhome

SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - Hanwha Group has completed its acquisition of catering firm Ourhome for 869.5 billion won (approximately $637 million), expanding its presence in the food services sector in one of the country’s most notable recent mergers. The deal, announced Thursday by Hanwha Hotel & Resort, gives the conglomerate a controlling 58.62 percent stake in Ourhome, marking the end of a seven-month negotiation and due diligence process that began in October. The acqu

May 15, 2025

Korea's agricultural giant balances tradition with global ambition

Editor's Note: This article is the 18th installment in our series on Asia's top 100 companies, exploring the strategies, challenges, and innovations driving the region's most influential corporations. SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - South Korea’s largest agricultural cooperative and financial group, NongHyup (NH), is navigating a volatile landscape in 2025, shaped by climate disruptions, demographic shifts, and rising global tensions. According to a recent report from t

May 15, 2025

Container ship orders surge, defying global shipping slowdown

SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - Global orders for container ships surged in early 2025, defying broader trends in the maritime industry and signaling a shift driven by environmental regulations and geopolitical trade tensions. As of the first week of May, new container ship orders reached approximately 1.65 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), nearly equaling the 20-year annual average of 1.71 million TEUs, according to industry data released Wednesday. That figure represents a 285 pe

May 14, 2025

LG Electronics expands global 'Life's Good' campaign with community initiatives

SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - LG Electronics is broadening the reach of its global brand campaign, “Life’s Good,” with a series of initiatives aimed at fostering environmental stewardship and social engagement across several continents. In the United States, LG’s North American headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., has taken a hands-on approach to urban ecology. Employees recently installed more than 150 handcrafted bird nests on company grounds and at their own

May 14, 2025

Presidential candidates embrace cryptocurrency as major campaign issue

SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - Cryptocurrency has emerged as a central campaign issue, with major presidential candidates pledging sweeping regulatory reforms — including the approval of spot cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs) — ahead of the June 3 election. Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party and Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party have each unveiled ambitious digital asset agendas aimed at expanding access to crypto markets and integrating the

May 14, 2025

SK hynix tops Korea's corporate rankings, surpassing Samsung, Hyundai

SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - SK hynix has emerged as South Korea’s top-performing company, overtaking Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor in a prominent annual corporate management evaluation. The memory chip manufacturer claimed the No. 1 position for the first time in six years, earning 622.9 out of a possible 800 points in the latest assessment by CEO Score, a firm that tracks corporate performance. The results were released on Wednesday. Samsung Electronics held steady in

May 14, 2025