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K-pop anime wins two gongs at Critics Choice Awards SEOUL, January 5 (AJP) - Netflix's hit South Korean anime "KPop Demon Hunters" won two prizes at the annual Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California on Sunday. The 110-minute film by Korean-Canadian director Maggie Kang won an award for "Best Animated Feature" and also received a gong for "Best Song" with its main theme song, "Golden" at the 31st prestigious awards which "honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement." By beating competitors from traditional animation powerhouses like Disney and Pixar, the film has boosted its chances as a strong contender in the run-up to the Academy Awards in mid-March, as these awards are often considered the "most accurate predictor" of the Oscars. "KPop Demon Hunters" tells the story of fictional K-pop superstars who possess secret powers to protect their fans from supernatural threats. Its soundtrack has been hugely successful, spending several weeks in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 albums chart, with "Golden" reaching the top spot on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart. 2026-01-05 14:15:36
South Korea's Iljin Electric secures largest-ever power equipment deal, valued at $150 million SEOUL, January 05 (AJP) - South Korea's Iljin Electric said on Monday it has signed its largest-ever single supply contract in the United States, bolstering its presence in the North American power equipment market. The company said in a press release that it recently secured a transformer supply deal worth about 198 billion won ($150 million) for a new project by a major U.S. renewable energy developer. Under the contract, Iljin Electric will supply 24 transformers through the third quarter of 2029. The order represents its biggest single contract in the U.S. market and marks its first supply of 525-kilovolt extra-high-voltage transformers for a renewable energy project, the company said. The U.S.-based contractor, whose name was withheld due to confidentiality agreement, is pursuing multiple large-scale renewable energy and energy storage system projects across the country and has worked with Iljin Electric as a strategic partner on renewable projects over the past six years. Iljin Electric said the contract reflects growing confidence in the company’s technology and product quality. “Building on this order, we aim to further strengthen our position in the North American extra-high-voltage power equipment market and secure additional contracts focused on high value-added products,” the company said. 2026-01-05 14:05:41
SK hynix bets on HBM4 to maintain market lead in AI memory SEOUL, January 05 (AJP) - SK hynix vowed on Monday to extend its leadership in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market this year, as investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure accelerates globally. Citing industry data from the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics, the South Korean chipmaker said in a press release that the global semiconductor market will grow 26.3 percent from a year earlier to about $975 billion this year. The memory segment is expected to exceed $440 billion, accounting for 45.1 percent of the total market, SK hynix said. Bank of America has described 2026 as a semiconductor “supercycle” comparable to the boom of the 1990s, forecasting year-on-year growth of 51 percent in global DRAM revenue and 45 percent in NAND flash. Average selling prices are projected to rise 33 percent for DRAM and 26 percent for NAND, the bank said. Demand for AI-oriented memory, led by HBM, is expected to grow rapidly from 2025 through 2028. BOA estimates the global HBM market will reach $54.6 billion in 2026, up 58 percent from a year earlier, with some forecasts suggesting the HBM market in 2028 could surpass the size of the overall DRAM market in 2024. SK hynix said it plans to build on its fifth-generation HBM product, HBM3E, to maintain market leadership as the industry transitions to sixth-generation HBM4 in 2026. The company said HBM3E is increasingly being selected as an “optimal solution” as global technology companies expand custom chip development, citing Nvidia’s Blackwell Ultra AI accelerator series as well as projects by Google and Amazon Web Services. According to Counterpoint Research, SK hynix ranked first in the HBM market with a 62 percent share of shipments as of the second quarter of 2025 and a 57 percent share by revenue in the third quarter. Goldman Sachs has said SK hynix is likely to retain a dominant position in HBM3 and HBM3E through at least 2026 and maintain more than a 50 percent share of the overall HBM market. SK hynix said it secured the world’s first mass-production system for HBM4 in September and is strengthening cooperation with Taiwan's TSMC on advanced packaging technology. The company is also building its Cheongju M15X fabrication plant and establishing a dedicated HBM technology organisation, alongside new global AI research centres and production infrastructure, to meet rising AI memory demand. UBS has forecast that SK hynix could capture about 70 percent of the HBM4 market used in Nvidia’s next-generation “Rubin” platform in 2026. 2026-01-05 13:49:30
[[CES 2026]] China accelerates robotics push as Korea takes platform-focused approach LAS VEGAS, January 04 (AJP) - As the world’s largest technology exhibition CES 2026 opens on Jan. 6 in Las Vegas, competition around robotics and physical AI is expected to intensify. With artificial intelligence expanding beyond software into hardware, robotics has moved to the center of the show’s technology landscape, and Chinese companies are set to play a more visible role this year. According to the Korea Information and Communication Technology Association (KICTA), about 4,300 companies are participating in CES 2026. Of these, 942 are Chinese firms, accounting for roughly 22 percent of all exhibitors, the second-largest national presence after the United States. South Korea ranks third with 853 participating companies. While the overall numbers remain close, attention is increasingly shifting toward how heavily companies are concentrating on robotics-related exhibits. Chinese firms make up 149 of the 598 exhibitors participating in the robotics category, representing nearly one quarter of the total. Their displays span humanoid robots, embodied robots, and hybrid models that combine bipedal and wheeled mobility. Many Chinese companies are presenting products intended for commercialization rather than concept demonstrations, placing emphasis on practical deployment and near-term use cases. This momentum is closely tied to China’s industrial policy direction. The Chinese government has designated 2025 as the first year of humanoid robot commercialization and has supported the sector through national roadmaps, large-scale investment funds, tax incentives, and policy-based financial programs. CES 2026 provides a venue where these efforts are reflected through product launches and live demonstrations. Interest is also building around individual Chinese robotics companies participating in the show. CES 2026 features firms such as UBTECH and Fourier Intelligence, alongside Unitree, which has gained attention for advancing both quadruped and humanoid robots toward commercialization. Unitree has focused on relatively lower pricing and rapid development cycles, expanding its presence in research and industrial markets overseas. The company is expected to conduct live demonstrations during the exhibition. South Korean companies are approaching the robotics competition from a different angle. Although their overall participation level is comparable to China’s, fewer domestic firms are emphasizing complete robot hardware systems. Instead, strengths are concentrated in AI software, sensors, semiconductors, and key components. While many South Korean companies have received CES Innovation Awards, their robotics presence reflects a more selective and targeted focus. Among major exhibitors, Samsung Electronics is taking a measured approach. Rather than competing through large-scale public demonstrations, the company plans to engage clients and partners through private exhibitions, presenting an integrated technology stack spanning AI data centers, on-device AI, and physical AI. The emphasis is placed on platforms and ecosystems rather than individual robot products. 2026-01-05 12:59:54
[[CES 2026]] South Korea fields 853 companies, 3rd largest presence LAS VEGAS, January 05 (AJP) - South Korea is fielding 853 companies to the world’s largest technology showcase, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026, cementing its position as the third-largest national contingent despite a sharp decline from last year. The Korea Information & Communication Technology Industry Association (KICTA) said the figure marks a 17.2 percent drop from 1,031 Korean participants at CES 2025. The pullback was driven primarily by startups, which fell to 458 from 641 a year earlier, while general corporate exhibitors edged up to 395. "A single booth can cost at least 100 million won once accommodation, logistics, patent filings and rental fees are included. The amount can be quite burdening for startups," said Lee Han-bum, president of the KICTA. Major conglomerates are also scaling back their presence along CES’s main exhibition avenues. SK Group — which staged large, multi-affiliate pavilions from 2019 to 2025 — will send only SK hynix this year. HD Hyundai, a regular CES participant known for showcasing next-generation autonomous vessel technologies, will skip the show entirely. Hyundai Motor Group is also scaling down its exhibition footprint, pulling back software and autonomous-driving displays in areas where U.S. rivals currently dominate. Samsung Electronics, meanwhile, plans to host its showcase at a private hotel rather than its usual anchor space at the Las Vegas Convention Center’s Central Hall, which has increasingly been occupied by Chinese electronics giants such as TCL and Hisense. CES 2026, which opens Monday in Las Vegas, has drawn about 4,300 companies from roughly 160 countries, down from around 4,800 exhibitors in 2025. The decline reflects reduced participation from South Korea and China, which together accounted for much of the overall drop. The United States leads this year with 1,476 registered companies, followed by China with 942 and South Korea in third place. France and Taiwan round out the top five with 160 and 132 firms, respectively. Asian companies from South Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong comprise about 2,200 exhibitors, or 51 percent of the total, down from roughly 60 percent last year. China's participation tumbled 29.7 percent to 942 firms from 1,339, partly due to what industry experts say visa delays and reduced advance booth purchases by local agents. Still, Korean firms will dominate the startup-strong Eureka Park pavilion, with 411 companies accounting for the largest national presence among 1,100 global entrants. The United States trails with 195, followed by France at 145. About 80 percent of Korean participants, or 689 companies, will exhibit in group pavilions backed by government agencies, local authorities, universities and conglomerates. Some 164 firms secured independent booths at their own expense. This year's CES carries the theme "Innovators Show Up," with artificial intelligence, robotics, digital health, mobility and smart home technologies highlighted as key exhibition categories. 2026-01-05 12:58:22
Türkiye's Foreign Policy Vision and Türkiye–Korea Relations in 2026 2026-01-05 12:51:46
Korean and Japanese shares roar ahead into 2026's first full week SEOUL, January 05 (AJP) -South Korean and Japanese equities surged into the first full trading week of 2026, outpacing most Asian peers as investors rotated into large-cap exporters and technology stocks, while regional markets elsewhere remained cautious amid uncertainty stemming from recent upheaval in Venezuela. In Seoul, the benchmark KOSPI climbed 1.9 percent to 4,393.5 points as of 10:20 a.m. Monday. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ added 0.6 percent to 950.98. Overall market gains were measured rather than euphoric, but buying interest remained firm in heavyweight exporters and chipmakers. Samsung Electronics jumped 5.1 percent to 134,950 won ($93.3), while SK hynix rose 1.7 percent to 690,000 won, as expectations built ahead of Samsung’s fourth-quarter earnings guidance due later this week. Battery and industrial names also advanced. LG Energy Solution, the country’s third-largest company by market value, gained 1.8 percent to 367,500 won. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries edged up 0.79 percent to 508,000 won, while Hanwha Aerospace surged 4.1 percent to 985,000 won. Korea Zinc also added 0.7 percent to 1,295,000 won. By contrast, entertainment stocks slid amid speculation that Beijing’s de facto restrictions on Korean cultural content were unlikely to ease following the Korea–China summit. HYBE fell 2.6 percent to 336,000 won, JYP Entertainment dropped 5.7 percent to 73,200 won, SM Entertainment slid 9.2 percent to 120,200 won, and YG Entertainment lost 6.7 percent to 65,700 won. In Tokyo, Japanese stocks also opened the year strongly. The Nikkei 225 jumped 2.6 percent to 51,670, supported by gains in autos, financials and technology-linked shares. Among major heavyweights, Toyota Motor rose 1.9 percent to 3,420 yen ($21.8), Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group gained 2.1 percent to 2,544 yen, and SoftBank Group advanced 4.4 percent to 4,597 yen. Elsewhere in Asia, gains were more restrained as investors assessed broader geopolitical risks. In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite edged up 0.7 percent to 3,997.5, while Hang Seng Index added 0.2 percent to 26,381. 2026-01-05 11:41:49
Hyundai Motor chairman puts AI, software, robotics at core of future strategy SEOUL, January 05 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Group will place artificial intelligence, software-defined vehicles and robotics at the core of its future mobility strategy this year, Chairman Chung Eui-sun said in a New Year's message on Monday. Cautioning that rapid advances in AI are reshaping competition and driving a major transition in global manufacturing, Chung called for bold cooperation with a wide range of partners to respond to the AI-driven shift. “Even in the automotive market, we have entered an era in which a product’s core competitiveness is determined by AI capability,” Chung said. He added that global industry leaders have already secured an advantage through massive investments, while Hyundai Motor Group’s capabilities “are not yet sufficient.” Citing increasingly complex global trade conflicts that could weigh on business conditions and profitability, Chung warned that geopolitical disputes could disrupt operations or harm business in certain regions. To address these challenges, Chung outlined key priorities including customer-focused restructuring, clearer assessment of realities and faster decision-making, expanded support for supply-chain partners, broader ecosystems through cooperation with diverse partners, and leadership in setting new industry and product standards. “As competition intensifies, the strongest pillar that will protect us is restructuring born from deep reflection,” Chung said. He urged employees to question whether customer perspectives are fully reflected in planning and development and whether they can stand behind the quality of products. Hyundai Motor Group plans to invest 125.2 trillion won in South Korea from this year through 2030 to help foster the domestic and global automotive industry ecosystem. 2026-01-05 11:06:40
OPINION: The language power and the need to rebuild standards Reports describing a U.S. military operation in Venezuela, including the detention of President Nicolás Maduro, have sent shockwaves far beyond Latin America. Regardless of how final details are verified, the global response itself is revealing. Questions that once dominated international debate — legality, due process, sovereignty — have quickly given way to a more unsettling assumption: that such actions are now plausible. This shift marks a deeper transformation in the international system, from a rules-based vocabulary toward a language shaped increasingly by power. At the core of the controversy lies a familiar but dangerous logic. By denying the legitimacy of a government and reframing a political confrontation as a matter of crime, counterterrorism, or narcotics enforcement, military intervention can be recast as a form of law enforcement. Recognition is withdrawn, immunity is questioned, and coercion is presented as necessity. When this reasoning gains acceptance, international law risks losing its function as a universal constraint and becoming instead a discretionary instrument. This pattern is not confined to Venezuela. In Gaza, international courts and humanitarian institutions have repeatedly warned of civilian suffering and legal obligations under international humanitarian law. Yet enforcement remains uneven, filtered through alliance politics and strategic calculations. The result is an international order that appears strict toward some actors and flexible toward others. Such asymmetry erodes credibility and invites cynicism. Rules that apply selectively cease to function as rules at all. For Western democracies, this moment presents a particular challenge. The legitimacy of the postwar international order has rested not only on power, but on the claim that power is restrained by law. When legal norms are seen as contingent on alignment, the moral authority of that order weakens. This does not merely damage global trust; it undermines the very framework that smaller and middle powers rely upon for stability. The consequences extend directly to East Asia. In the Taiwan Strait and on the Korean Peninsula, the perception that the threshold for the use of force has lowered — even if no actor explicitly seeks conflict — accelerates military buildups and narrows diplomatic space. In such environments, miscalculation becomes more likely, and crisis management replaces long-term cooperation as the central task of diplomacy For countries without overwhelming power, survival depends neither on moral absolutism nor on unprincipled opportunism. It depends on principled pragmatism. Respect for international law, due process, and civilian protection is not rhetorical idealism; it is a strategic necessity. Norms provide predictability in a system otherwise governed by asymmetry. At the same time, realism cannot be ignored. Alliances matter, deterrence matters, and dialogue must be preserved even when values diverge. But realism that abandons standards altogether quickly turns into dependency. The challenge for responsible states is not to choose between principle and strategy, but to bind them together — using norms to anchor policy while diplomacy manages risk. There is also a responsibility beyond governments. In moments when legal language is used to justify force, journalists, scholars, and public intellectuals carry a heightened duty. Verification must precede amplification. Human consequences must not be reduced to abstractions. Silence, in such moments, can function less as neutrality than as quiet consent. As the international system drifts back toward the language of power, standards become more costly — and more valuable. Abandoning them may appear expedient. But history suggests the price of erosion is always paid later, and often by those least able to afford it. *The author is the President of Global Economic and Financial Research Institute (GEFRI) 2026-01-05 10:57:36
[[CES 2026]] Nvidia's Jensen Huang, AMD's Lisa Su to outline AI strategies LAS VEGAS, January 05 (AJP) - Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, AMD CEO Lisa Su and Lenovo Chairman Yang Yuanqing are set to take the stage at this year's CES, the world’s largest technology trade show, as artificial intelligence remains the event’s central theme. The three executives are expected to outline industry trends and showcase their companies’ strengths across AI infrastructure, physical AI and AI inference during keynote appearances at the show in Las Vegas. After last year’s heavy focus on AI agents and infrastructure, attention at CES 2026 is expected to shift toward inference, physical AI and industrial applications, industry officials said. Nvidia said on Monday that Huang will deliver a special address on Jan. 5 local time, a day before the official opening of CES, at the Fontainebleau hotel in Las Vegas. Huang is expected to present his outlook on the AI industry and Nvidia’s strategy, with market attention focused on the performance and competitiveness of the company’s next-generation graphics processing unit, known as Rubin. He is also scheduled to meet major global media outlets on Jan. 6, where he may discuss plans related to high-bandwidth memory supplies with South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. Nvidia has been expanding its supply chain amid surging demand for AI chips used in data centres, and details of potential partnerships could be disclosed. AMD said Su will deliver a CEO keynote on Jan. 5 local time, where she is expected to outline future AI solutions and the company’s strategy to compete with Nvidia. With AMD emerging as a leading challenger in the AI GPU market, attention is focused on whether it will unveil next-generation AI chips. AMD has also been targeting the AI personal computer market through updates to its Ryzen processor lineup, and new Ryzen products are expected to be announced at CES. Lenovo’s Yang is expected to focus on integrating AI features into IT devices such as personal computers and mobile products. The company plans to introduce new AI-enabled laptops and tablets aimed at improving productivity and user experience. Siemens Chairman Roland Busch is also scheduled to speak at the show. Busch will deliver a keynote on Jan. 6, highlighting industrial AI and automation solutions and how AI can drive innovation across manufacturing, energy and transportation. 2026-01-05 09:57:51