Journalist
Joonha Yoo유준하
joonhayoo94@ajupress.com
ReporterCOEX Sejong Center for the Performing Arts & Music, Culture, Entertainment, Automotive
Joonha Yoo is a bilingual journalist at AJU Press (AJP), covering music, culture, entertainment and Korea’s automotive industry.
Raised in Fort Collins, Colorado, he often writes from the scene, bringing firsthand detail to stories ranging
from BTS comeback concerts to unique cultural events that catch the world's eye. "I write from the scene, not from the sidelines."
Raised in Fort Collins, Colorado, he often writes from the scene, bringing firsthand detail to stories ranging
from BTS comeback concerts to unique cultural events that catch the world's eye. "I write from the scene, not from the sidelines."
Latest by Joonha Yoo
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Boy band NEXZ's new album teased ahead of release later this month SEOUL, August 5 (AJP) - K-pop boy group NEXZ will release their fourth mini album later this month, returning four months after their single released last spring, their agency JYP Entertainment said on Wednesday. "SAUCIN'," set for release on Aug. 24, combines "sauce" with the suffix "-ing," reflecting the group's idea of bringing their own flavor and style wherever they go. The members then move through the arcade with their own sauce bottles before gathering around a hot dog topped with yellow, white and red sauces. The clip leans into a playful, offbeat energy that fits the group's reputation for throwing itself fully into everything it does. After the album release, NEXZ will perform at Rock in Rio in Brazil in September and appear at "STRAYCITY," a new festival set to take place across three Latin American locations. AJP Takeaways: - K-pop boy group NEXZ will release its fourth mini album, "SAUCIN'," at 6 p.m. on Aug. 24, 2026, marking its first release since the April single album "Mmchk." - JYP Entertainment said the album title combines "sauce" and "-ing," representing NEXZ's goal of bringing its own musical flavor and style wherever the group goes. - The second "SAUCIN'" trailer features all seven NEXZ members — Tomoya, Yu, Haru, So Geon, Seita, Hyui and Yuki — in a playful nighttime sequence centered on sauce bottles and a hot dog. - Following the album's release, NEXZ is scheduled to perform at Rock in Rio in Brazil in September and appear at "STRAYCITY," a new festival spanning three Latin American locations. 2026-08-05 14:36:31 -
Stray Kids to return with new EP 'THIS & THAT' SEOUL, August 05 (AJP) - K-pop boy group Stray Kids will release their new EP "THIS & THAT" on Aug. 7, an album meant to showcase the group's range, and the confidence that comes with it, JYP Entertainment said Wednesday. The eight-track EP, led by the title track "This & That," will be released at 1 p.m. KST, or midnight Eastern time in the United States. The release follows Stray Kids' SKZ IT TAPE "DO IT," which made the group the first act worldwide to debut eight consecutive releases at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, according to JYP. On Monday, JYP posted an intro video on the group's official social media channels in which all eight members discuss the new album. True to its title, "THIS & THAT" is meant to capture the group's ability to move between different sounds and styles, mixing lighter summer tracks with higher-energy songs. The title track "This & That" took the longest to complete among the album's eight songs, according to the members, who described it as combining a catchy, accessible sound with witty lyrics and choreography that still feel distinctly Stray Kids, while marking a departure from some of their previous title tracks. Changbin said the group spent time looking for words that could express the ideas of "this" and "that" in a sharper and more current way. Stray Kids' in-house production team 3RACHA — Bang Chan, Changbin and Han — contributed to all eight tracks. The members also discussed the title track's music video, which includes Korean visual elements, and choreography that went through multiple revisions before the final version was chosen. The track list includes the pre-release single "RUN IT," which the members described as one of the songs that best captures Stray Kids' identity, as well as "FARMING," inspired by the online phrase "aura farming"; the brighter "After You"; the 2000s pop-influenced "I Do"; "Way Out," which features lyrics in multiple languages; "The Day," which Han wrote after drawing inspiration from a television drama; and "This & That (Festival Version)," an upbeat version of the title track. Ahead of the album's release, Stray Kids opened their new world tour, "Stray Kids World Tour ," with five sold-out concerts at KSPO Dome in Seoul on July 25, 26 and 29 and Aug. 1 and 2. 2026-08-05 11:38:19 -
KISS OF LIFE teams up with I'm donut? for sweet collabo SEOUL, August 05 (AJP) - K-pop girl group KISS OF LIFE, known for the powerful music and performances that have taken past releases to No. 1 on Thailand's iTunes chart, has teamed up with doughnut brand I'm donut? for a limited collaboration tied to its new single album, "SWEAT." For the project, I'm donut? created four doughnuts and three merchandise items built around the album's desert-inspired concept, using images of blazing sun, sand, heat haze and hot air to match the single's summer mood. The doughnut lineup includes the "Sunset Yellow Cheese Doughnut," made with yellow and brown cheese; the "Sand Injeolmi Doughnut," topped with roasted soybean powder and cookie crumble; the "Heatwave Lemon Doughnut," finished with lemon chocolate and marbling; and the "Sunburn Peanut Butter Doughnut," made with white chocolate and peanut butter in a deep orange hue. The merchandise lineup includes a beach bag, a thermo bottle and a keycap, all featuring the "I'm KIOF?" logo and sun motif. The keycap will be sold exclusively on KREAM. KISS OF LIFE released "SWEAT," its third single album, under the slogan "Don't let them see you SWEAT." I'm donut? is a doughnut brand created by chef Ryota Hirako, who also runs the popular Fukuoka bakery Amam Dacotan. In South Korea, the brand is operated by Eight Ground. The brand has built a following in Seoul's dessert scene for doughnuts with a light, chewy texture achieved through a long fermentation process, often drawing lines before its stores open. The collaboration runs from Aug. 5 to 30 at I'm donut?'s Seongsu and Hongdae locations and its counter at Shinsegae Department Store's Gangnam branch, as well as on KREAM. 2026-08-05 11:38:08 -
Police raid Starbucks Korea, questioning internal audit on Tank Day SEOUL, August 05 (AJP) - Nearly three months after Starbucks Korea's "Tank Day" promotion ignited a national backlash, the controversy continues to haunt the coffee chain and its owner Shinsegae Group, as South Korean police on Wednesday raided the company's headquarters in an escalating criminal investigation. The search, at the Centerfield building in Seoul's Gangnam District, is the first compulsory investigative step since the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Public Crimes Investigation Unit took over the case 76 days ago. Investigators from the unit began searching the headquarters Tuesday morning, seeking documents and digital evidence related to the planning and approval of the promotion. The move follows police concluding that Shinsegae Group's internal probe had failed to determine whether the campaign intentionally insulted victims of the country's pro-democracy movement. Police listed alleged insult charges in the warrant, accusing Starbucks Korea of mocking victims of the May 18 Democratization Movement through the campaign. Investigators are also examining whether the phrase "Tak! on the desk" could constitute defamation of the family of the late student activist Park Jong-chul, whose 1987 torture death became a defining moment in South Korea's democracy movement. The raid follows a review of materials Shinsegae Group submitted as part of its internal investigation. Police said they identified shortcomings in that audit and sought a new search warrant after an earlier request, filed June 8, was rejected by prosecutors. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office had returned that initial request, instructing police to pursue voluntary investigation first on the grounds that Shinsegae was cooperating. In the interim, investigators questioned Yang Jong-hwan, head of Shinsegae Group's audit team, as a witness and concluded that the company's internal review had failed to fully examine the circumstances surrounding the campaign. When Shinsegae disclosed the results of its internal investigation in May, the company said it had found no evidence that employees deliberately coordinated politically sensitive messaging. Executives also acknowledged significant limitations to the probe. The audit covered company emails, work laptops and internal messenger records, along with interviews with employees, but only two of the five key staff members directly involved in the promotion voluntarily submitted their personal mobile phones for forensic examination. Three employees — including an executive — declined to provide their devices, with the company saying it had no legal authority to compel them. Shinsegae nevertheless concluded at the time that it had found no evidence of intentional political messaging or advance collusion, while acknowledging that internal review systems had failed and that historical awareness had been sacrificed for speed and sales performance. Police are now expected to use materials obtained in Tuesday's search to determine whether Starbucks executives intentionally planned or approved content mocking victims of the May 18 Democratization Movement — a key element in deciding whether criminal charges are warranted. The controversy erupted on May 18 after Starbucks Korea launched a promotion for tumblers branded "Tank" under the slogan "Tank Day," accompanied by the phrase "Tak! on the desk." Critics argued the campaign invoked two of South Korea's most painful chapters in modern history. The word "Tank," promoted on the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement, was seen as recalling the military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators. The phrase "Tak! on the desk" echoed the notorious explanation authorities initially offered to conceal the 1987 torture death of Seoul National University student activist Park Jong-chul — a cover story later exposed as false that helped fuel the nationwide June Democracy Movement. AJP Takeaway: Police searched Starbucks Korea's Seoul headquarters Tuesday, their first compulsory step since taking over the "Tank Day" case 76 days ago. The raid follows a rejected June 8 warrant bid and police concluding that Shinsegae Group's own internal audit — hampered by three staff refusing to hand over phones — fell short of resolving whether the campaign was intentional. At stake is whether Starbucks executives knowingly approved content referencing the 1980 Gwangju crackdown and the 1987 death of Park Jong-chul, which would determine if criminal charges follow. The case has already cost Starbucks Korea its CEO and drawn two public apologies from Shinsegae Chairman Chung Yong-jin amid consumer boycotts. 2026-08-05 10:52:21 -
Boy band WayV promote upcoming album with US debut performance in New York SEOUL, August 4 (AJP) - K-pop boy band WayV made their U.S. debut performance at SummerStage in New York's Central Park, using the outdoor set to preview choreography from their upcoming mini-album "Vision Wings" ahead of their release, their agency SM Entertainment said on Tuesday. The group performed at Central Park's Rumsey Playfield last Sunday as part of the free, annual SummerStage festival. The show also featured New York-based group THE EITHER and Chopstix as opening acts. WayV opened their set with "BIG BANDS," the English version of "Bad Alive" and the English version of "Phantom," before moving through tracks including "Nectar," "On My Youth," "Poppin' Love," "Give Me That" and "FREQUENCY." The group also leaned heavily on its English-language catalog, performing "Filthy Rich," "Love Talk," "Ice Tea" and "Low Low" for the New York audience. Members Kun and Xiaojun performed the English version of "Back To You," while Hendery and Yangyang took on the unit track "RODEO." The main preview came near the end of the show, when WayV revealed part of the choreography for "Vision Wings," the title track of its eighth mini-album. The performance incorporates martial arts-inspired movements, according to the agency. The seven-track album will include both Chinese- and English-language versions of the title song. It is scheduled for release through music platforms on Aug. 10. The release date is also listed by SMTOWN's official store. WayV members debuted in 2019 as the China-based unit of NCT and have built a multilingual catalog spanning Mandarin, Korean and English. SummerStage billed the show as a night of Chinese pop, highlighting the group's mix of hip-hop, dance and R&B. 2026-08-04 18:06:27 -
aespa set to kick off world tour after making Lollapalooza debut in Chicago SEOUL, August 4 (AJP) - K-pop girl band aespa made their Lollapalooza debut in Chicago on Tuesday, delivering a 14-song set that showed off the seven-year-old group's road-tested stage command, according to their agency SM Entertainment. The quartet took the Allianz Stage at Grant Park, opening with debut single "Black Mamba" and 2021 hit "Next Level" before moving through a run of fan favorites - "Armageddon," "Supernova" and "Whiplash" - backed by a live band that gave the set a festival-ready punch. American rapper Ty Dolla $ign, who features on "Switchblade," joined aespa onstage for a surprise performance of the track. The group also leaned on "LEMONADE," their second studio album, playing the title track alongside "WDA (Whole Different Animal)," "Can't Help Myself" and "SHAKIN'" for the U.S. crowd. Older cuts including "Rich Man," "Bubble," "To The Girls" and "Hold On Tight" rounded out the set. "It was an honor to stand on the Lollapalooza Chicago stage," aespa said afterward. "So many fans sang along and cheered us on, and that energy let us really enjoy the performance ourselves. We want to carry it straight into the world tour." Ty Dolla $ign called sharing the Lollapalooza stage with aespa again "meaningful," adding that watching how far the group has come was inspiring and that their command of a stage that size left an impression on him. The performance doubles as a lead-in to Wednesday's release: the music video for "Switchblade," featuring Ty Dolla $ign, drops at 1 p.m. on SMTOWN's YouTube channel, giving fans another look at the pairing right on the heels of the Lollapalooza set. Chicago marked aespa's last major stop before their "2026-27 aespa LIVE TOUR - SYNK: COMPLæXITY" begins. The tour opens with two nights at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Aug. 7-8, then travels to 25 cities across North America, South America and Europe. 2026-08-04 17:59:55 -
Young K tops Hanteo chart with second solo album 'YOUNGEST' SEOUL, August 04 (AJP) - DAY6’s Young K topped a weekly album chart with his second solo studio album, “YOUNGEST,” a 15-track record built around questions about his identity as a singer-songwriter. The album and its title track, “Shut The Door,” were released July 27, nearly two years and 10 months after his first full-length solo album, “Letters with notes.” “YOUNGEST” ranked first on Hanteo Chart’s weekly album chart for the July 27-Aug. 2 period, according to JYP Entertainment. Young K, whose real name is Kang Young-hyun, has written or co-written many of DAY6’s best-known songs since the band’s debut in 2015. In a behind-the-scenes video posted on DAY6’s official YouTube channel, he said the new album grew out of questions about his own tastes and identity. “I thought about what I like and what kind of person I am now,” he said. Young K said the title combines his stage name with the English superlative suffix “-est,” representing both the music that is most characteristic of him and who he is at the youngest point of his life. He also described the album’s unusually long track list as part of that identity. “A full-length album usually has 10 to 12 songs, but I think adding something extra is more like Young K,” he said. “I wanted it to contain different textures that might make people say, ‘He is changing again?’ or ‘He does this kind of music too?’” Young K also addressed recurring feedback that his music lacked a darker or more abrasive edge. “I’ve heard that I’m ‘nice’ or ‘good’ and that my music is missing some ‘badness,’” he said. “Rather than expressing bad as bad, I borrowed the concept of good and evil. Since evil is already clearly expressed, I thought it would be better to make good feel more clearly like good.” That approach is reflected in “Shut The Door,” which deals with exhaustion toward the world and the pain of being hurt by someone once trusted. Rather than expressing those emotions through outright anger, the song places them over an upbeat rhythm and incorporates Young K’s characteristic wit and humor. The 15 tracks run for about 44 minutes and move across a range of musical styles and emotional tones, reflecting what Young K described as an effort to include everything he wanted to explore musically. Young K will open his solo tour, “YOUNGEST,” with three sold-out concerts at INSPIRE Arena in Incheon from Aug. 14 to 16. The tour will continue in Bangkok, Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore, Manila and Kuala Lumpur 2026-08-04 17:24:29 -
Cheap currencies bring two neighbors closer than ever SEOUL, August 04 (AJP) - Cheap currencies, short flights and a growing fascination with each other's culture are bringing South Koreans and Japanese closer than at any time in decades, quietly reshaping one of Asia's most complicated relationships one weekend trip at a time. For 23-year-old South Korean college student Kim Yi-hyun, the favorite destination over the past year has been Japan. "As a student, I don't have much money," Kim said. "Japan is close, affordable and has so many things I like." Across the Korea Strait, 33-year-old Tokyo resident Takuya Emonato has been making the journey in the opposite direction. He has visited Seoul, Busan and Jeju and frequently travels to South Korea with his girlfriend for its nightlife, cosmetics and food. They are already planning another trip this winter for a ski holiday. "Korea is fun, joyful and very lively," Emonato said. "A lot of places stay open late, and the cosmetics scene is crazy. My girlfriend goes wild." Historical grievances have long defined relations between South Korea and Japan. Colonial-era disputes, wartime history and competing claims over the Dokdo islets still periodically inflame politics, while sporting contests often rekindle old rivalries. Yet those tensions are increasingly absent from the travel experiences of younger generations, who are crossing the Korea Strait in record numbers. Several forces have converged this year. Weak exchange rates have made travel more affordable on both sides, while higher fuel costs have pushed up long-haul airfares. At the same time, Japan's shopping, food and anime culture and South Korea's K-pop, beauty products and nightlife have given young travelers more reasons than ever to cross the narrow stretch of sea separating the two countries. To a growing share of younger people, the neighboring country is becoming less defined by politics and history than by restaurants, concerts, cosmetics, character stores and weekend getaways. A Korea-Japan public opinion survey released Aug. 3 by the East Asia Institute and the International House of Japan found that 54.3 percent of South Koreans held a favorable view of Japan, the highest level since the survey began in 2013 and up from 52.4 percent a year earlier. Japanese favorability toward South Korea remained lower but rose much more sharply, climbing 10.5 percentage points from 24.8 percent to 35.3 percent. The survey covered 3,099 adults in the two countries between July 17 and 21. The figures do not show equal levels of affection. Only about one in three Japanese respondents viewed South Korea favorably. What stands out is that sentiment improved simultaneously on both sides. A separate survey by Hankook Ilbo and Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun found that respondents aged 18 to 29 held the most favorable views of the other country in both nations, suggesting younger generations are driving much of the change. The same poll also found relatively unfavorable views of South Korea among supporters of Japan's emerging right-wing parties, underscoring that the improvement is neither universal nor immune to political tensions. The shift in sentiment has coincided with a tourism boom. South Koreans made 5.68 million visits to Japan in the first half of 2026, up 18.6 percent from a year earlier and the largest number among all foreign visitors, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. Travel in the opposite direction is also rising. South Korea welcomed about 940,000 Japanese visitors in the first quarter, up 20.2 percent from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Currency has helped fuel the trend, particularly for South Koreans. The cost of 100 yen briefly fell below 890 won in late July, reinforcing Japan's appeal as an inexpensive destination just a short flight away. But exchange rates alone cannot explain why travelers keep returning. Lee Hoon, a professor at Hanyang University's Graduate School of International Tourism, said travelers generally choose destinations in two stages. Affordability, safety and cleanliness determine whether a country is considered a realistic destination, while food, culture, entertainment and distinctive neighborhoods determine whether people actually want to visit. "Exchange rates and travel costs create the basis for choosing a country people can afford to visit," Lee said. "But a destination needs cultural content and tourism appeal to become somewhere people genuinely want to go." Geography reinforces both factors. Neighboring countries naturally generate large tourism flows because they are easier and cheaper to reach, Lee said, pointing to travel among the United States, Canada and Mexico. The recent acceleration between South Korea and Japan, however, is also being driven by younger travelers and growing Japanese interest in Korean culture. BTS is one part of that attraction, Lee said, but only one element of a broader ecosystem that includes Korean music, food, cosmetics, television dramas and digital entertainment. Both countries' reputations for safety, efficient public transportation and digital convenience have also made travel easier and more appealing for young visitors. Kim initially chose Japan because it was close and affordable, but she kept returning for its character stores, food and sense of safety. Although she had heard reports of Korean tourists facing hostility, she said she had never experienced it herself. Restaurant staff often handed her Korean-language menus after realizing where she was from, making her feel welcome. Emonato recalled a similar experience in South Korea. During one visit, his phone battery died while he was trying to find a railway station. A stranger walking in the opposite direction stopped, walked him to the station and recommended other places to visit along the way. "I don't think he helped me because I spoke English," Emonato said. "I think he was just genuinely kind." He also said he felt comfortable walking around Seoul late at night with his girlfriend because of the city's busy streets and visible police presence. For South Koreans, Japan's appeal extends beyond sightseeing to character goods, anime merchandise, model kits and the vast selection at retailers such as Don Quijote, which has no real equivalent in South Korea. For Japanese consumers, South Korea has become synonymous with beauty products and digital entertainment. Korean cosmetics accounted for 30.8 percent of Japan's imported cosmetics market in 2025, keeping South Korea in first place for a fourth consecutive year after overtaking France in 2022, according to the Japan Cosmetic Importers' Association. Korean brands captured 43.3 percent of Japan's imported skincare market. Japan is also South Korea's largest overseas market for webtoons, accounting for 49.5 percent of exports, ahead of North America at 21 percent and Greater China at 13 percent, according to the Korea Creative Content Agency. The numbers do not prove that tourism alone has improved public sentiment, nor do warmer opinion polls erase historical and territorial disputes that can quickly return to the center of bilateral relations. But they do point to a quieter transformation beneath official diplomacy. Increasingly, young South Koreans and Japanese are discovering each other not through history textbooks or political rhetoric, but through weekend flights, cosmetics counters, anime shops, K-pop concerts, neighborhood restaurants and ordinary acts of kindness. Sometimes the shortest distance between two countries is not measured in kilometers, but in curiosity. 2026-08-04 17:23:24 -
A Twosome Place gains ground as Starbucks struggles with 'Tank Day' controversy SEOUL, August 4 (AJP) - South Korea's oversaturated coffee market is showing signs of a potential seismic shift, as Starbucks, the long-dominant market leader, has taken a hit to sales and reputation following its so-called "Tank Day" controversy, while rivals such as A Twosome Place have gained ground in recent months. A Twosome Place recorded an estimated 117.05 billion won in card payment transactions in July, according to Mobile Index, a data platform operated by IGAWorks, while Starbucks Korea posted 110.06 billion won during the same period, a gap of about 7 billion won. The figures are based on estimates rather than audited sales, but they offer a snapshot of changing consumer spending patterns across South Korea's major coffee chains. A Twosome Place first overtook Starbucks Korea in monthly card payments in May, marking the first such reversal in the three years of available data, and has remained ahead every month since. From May to July, A Twosome Place saw cumulative estimated card payment transactions of 361.38 billion won, compared with 331.64 billion won for Starbucks Korea, a gap of roughly 30 billion won. The shift followed intense backlash over a May 18 promotion for Starbucks Korea's "Tank" tumbler line. The date marks the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising, when South Korea's military government violently suppressed demonstrations. Critics said the campaign's language and timing were insensitive to victims of state violence and to the family of Park Jong-chul, a student activist whose 1987 torture death helped galvanize the country's democracy movement. Starbucks Korea halted the promotion and issued an apology. Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin, whose E-Mart affiliate operates Starbucks Korea, dismissed SCK Company CEO Son Jung-hyun and ordered disciplinary measures against the executive who oversaw the campaign, as well as other staff involved. Chung later issued a public apology over the controversy. The gap narrowed in July. Starbucks Korea's estimated payments rose 9.6 percent from June, while A Twosome Place's fell 3 percent, suggesting the shift in consumer spending may not be settled. The data also suggest that the controversy may have accelerated a trend that was already building before May, as A Twosome Place and low-cost chains gained ground. A Twosome Place has topped 100 billion won in monthly estimated payments for 15 consecutive months as of July. Mega MGC Coffee, one of South Korea's fast-growing low-cost chains, reached 98.21 billion won in July, closing in on the 100 billion won mark, up 1.6 percent from June. Paik's Coffee recorded 24.5 billion won, roughly flat from the previous month. The numbers point to a more crowded coffee market, where Starbucks Korea is no longer competing only with premium rivals like A Twosome Place, but also with lower-priced chains that have expanded rapidly through smaller-format stores and cheaper drinks. For Starbucks, the question is whether July's rebound will continue. For its rivals, the past three months have offered a rare opening in a market long defined by Starbucks' brand power. 2026-08-04 11:27:07 -
KOSPI slips as chipmakers fall; KOSDAQ surges 5% SEOUL, August 04 (AJP) - Korean shares diverged sharply Tuesday morning, with the benchmark KOSPI slipping as heavyweight semiconductor and automobile stocks declined, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ surged 5 percent on institutional buying and gains in biotechnology and optical communications shares. As of 10:30 a.m., the KOSPI stood at 6,217.20, down 0.6 percent from the previous session. The index moved between an intraday high of 6,389.40 and a low of 6,080.30. Retail investors bought 426 billion won ($299 million) worth of shares, while foreign investors purchased 226.6 billion won. Institutions sold 706.2 billion won. Samsung Electronics fell 2.3 percent to 234,000 won, while SK hynix declined 2.7 percent to 1,524,000 won. SK hynix said it and U.S. storage company SanDisk had unveiled the first standard specifications for high-bandwidth flash, or HBF, at the Future of Memory and Storage 2026 conference in California. The standard supports eight- and 16-layer NAND structures with capacities of up to 512 gigabytes and data-transfer speeds ranging from about 0.4 terabytes to 3 terabytes per second. It uses the Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express interface to connect with processors including graphics and central processing units. Automobile stocks also weakened. Hyundai Motor fell 3.2 percent to 380,500 won, while Hyundai Mobis dropped 4.5 percent to 471,500 won. Naver surged 9.9 percent to 228,000 won amid reports that the company was preparing to establish a new operator for an artificial intelligence factory and had outlined the business structure for the first phase of a 200-megawatt project. SK Eternix jumped 22 percent to 56,800 won, while SK Telecom climbed 12.2 percent to 92,000 won. The KOSDAQ stood at 773.96 at 10:30 a.m., up 5 percent. The index traded between an intraday high of 774.93 and a low of 748.20. Institutions bought 254.4 billion won worth of KOSDAQ shares. Retail investors sold 85.5 billion won, while foreign investors offloaded 166.1 billion won. Internet and catalog retailing shares rose 10.21 percent. Silicon2 advanced 12.03 percent, while Gradient gained 3.59 percent. Biotechnology stocks climbed 9.4 percent. AbClon surged 23.23 percent and Rznomics rose 22.2 percent. Optical communications shares gained 9 percent, with Raicom jumping 28.6 percent and RF Materials advancing 20.8 percent. Immuno-oncology stocks rose 8.1 percent. Qriant surged 29.9 percent, while AbClon gained more than 23 percent. Among other KOSDAQ stocks, Taihan Fiberoptics rose 8.5 percent to 10,040 won and Winix gained 7 percent to 6,270 won. ICH dropped 9.7 percent to 906 won, while Deepnoid fell 3.3 percent to 1,546 won. U.S. stocks closed sharply higher overnight. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.32 percent to a record 53,178.41, while the S&P 500 gained 1.48 percent to 7,600.50. The Nasdaq Composite climbed 2.13 percent to 25,913.90. U.S. Treasury yields declined, with the two-year yield falling 5.4 basis points to 4.237 percent and the 10-year yield dropping 5.9 basis points to 4.676 percent. Oil prices rebounded modestly during Asian trading after sharp overnight losses triggered by renewed hopes for a diplomatic easing between the United States and Iran. Expectations that talks could lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz reduced concerns over disruptions to global crude shipments. Supply conditions also improved as Kazakhstan resumed exports through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium and Turkey and Iraq extended a major pipeline agreement. West Texas Intermediate crude had settled 5.11 percent lower at $80.34 a barrel, while Brent crude rose 0.7 percent to $84.36 in the previous session. WTI rose 0.7 percent to $80.90 during Asian trading Tuesday morning. The Korean won strengthened by 6.6 won, or 0.5 percent, to 1,424.2 won against the U.S. dollar. Moreover, Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.9 percent to 63,206.08. China’s Shanghai Composite edged up 0.04 percent to 3,811.30, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was nearly unchanged, rising 0.01 percent to 26,012.10. 2026-08-04 11:20:30