Journalist

Lee Hugh
  • Dormitory Cram Schools Gain Traction Among Repeat CSAT Test-Takers in South Korea
    Dormitory Cram Schools Gain Traction Among Repeat CSAT Test-Takers in South Korea As more students in South Korea try again for college admission, demand is rising for dormitory-style private academies that combine study support with day-to-day supervision. With repeat preparation requiring long-term focus, analysts say a controlled living-and-learning environment can become a key factor in test scores. According to the Education Ministry and the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, graduates have consistently made up about 20% of College Scholastic Ability Test takers in recent years. As competition intensifies and preference for top-tier universities continues, a steady number of students are choosing to repeat the exam or retake it after enrolling elsewhere. In that context, dormitory academies are drawing attention because they can reduce outside distractions compared with commuting programs. They typically restrict smartphone use, enforce regular wake-up and bedtime schedules, and require supervised self-study hours. Megastudy Boarding Academy’s comprehensive campus said it is recruiting additional students to fill openings in its regular program, which begins on the 27th. The program targets students preparing to retake the CSAT and is designed to maintain a consistent study routine alongside structured 생활 management. Admissions experts cite sustainable study routines, a distraction-free setting and systematic oversight as major factors in successful repeat preparation. They say maintaining a steady workload over a long period matters more for score gains than short bursts of performance. In many successful top-tier admissions cases, daily study time and adherence to a routine are cited as key variables. Study management is also shifting away from lecture-only formats toward more individualized support, including analysis of weak subjects, weekly and monthly progress checks, and counseling-based study planning. Some dormitory academies have introduced systems that review students’ study patterns using learning data analysis. Megastudy Boarding Academy’s comprehensive campus said it operates schedules that link regular classes with self-study while running a parallel 생활 management system to improve consistency. It said it focuses on maintaining study rhythm through daily schedule oversight beyond class hours and through counseling programs. To prevent common problems in repeat preparation — including slumps and disrupted daily rhythms — it also runs a management system that combines regular counseling with 생활 checkups. The academy said it applies close supervision that reflects each student’s study situation and psychological condition. An education industry official said, “In repeat preparation, not only study ability but also keeping a consistent daily pattern directly affects scores,” adding, “It is important to reduce the impact of the outside environment and create conditions that allow students to focus on studying.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 09:08:19
  • South Korea to Expand LPG Butane Fuel Tax Cut to 25% Starting Next Month
    South Korea to Expand LPG Butane Fuel Tax Cut to 25% Starting Next Month The government will expand fuel tax cuts on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) butane used mainly by lower-income households, anticipating that international LPG price swings tied to the Middle East war will be more fully reflected starting next month. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Ministry of Finance and Economy Koo Yun-cheol announced the plan on the 23rd at a meeting of the interagency task force on special management of cost-of-living prices, releasing a set of measures for items under special monitoring. The government has operated a public suggestion channel since February to gather views on price pressures. It received 117 proposals, with respondents citing food, energy and housing as the biggest burdens, in that order. Reflecting those suggestions, the government said it is implementing steps including tougher penalties for unfair pricing. Starting next month, it will widen fuel tax cuts for LPG expected to rise in price. The tax cut on butane, widely used by lower-income households for small trucks and other vehicles, will increase to 25% from 10%. The government expects savings of 31 won per liter. The cut will run from the first day of next month through June 30. After international oil prices rose following the Middle East war and gasoline prices topped 2,000 won per liter, the government said it has tempered price increases since last month’s 13th by introducing a maximum price system for petroleum products and expanding fuel tax cuts. A fourth maximum price, scheduled to be announced on the 24th, will be set by considering international oil trends along with market impact and the public’s burden, it said. The government also moved to stabilize prices for key food items. It will provide 32 billion won in discounts for agricultural, livestock and fisheries products through June, and will strengthen efforts to curb grocery costs through tariff-rate quotas and import diversification. It will apply tariff-rate quotas to 22 food inputs, including processed egg products, coffee and cocoa beans, and will encourage alternative packaging by easing packaging-material regulations. It plans to wrap up collusion cases involving eggs, flour and starch syrup in the first half of this year. For raw materials and consumer goods with supply concerns, including naphtha and urea and urea solution, the government said it is responding with measures such as bans on hoarding and emergency supply-demand adjustments. Naphtha prices remain elevated compared with levels before the Middle East war, it said. The government has secured 2.1 million tons of naphtha from Oman and Saudi Arabia and will begin bringing it in sequentially from the end of this month. Urea and urea-solution inventories remain relatively stable, but retail prices for vehicle urea solution have edged up, the government said. To address urea shortages at some companies, it will preemptively release public stockpiles and pursue a program to support the price gap for vehicle urea. The government also issued a notice banning hoarding of syringes after finished-product shipment prices jumped 20% due to supply concerns and higher raw material costs. It formed 35 inspection teams to check for hoarding and other violations and to stabilize distribution, it said. Measures were also announced for service items such as private academy fees and telecom bills. Authorities found 2,763 cases of overcharging, including excessive tuition and other fees, and imposed a total of 1.04 billion won in fines. The government said it will create a new penalty to recover unjust gains and raise whistleblower rewards tenfold. Household telecom burdens are easing overall, but some users limit usage due to concerns about extra charges after using up included data or voice minutes, the government said. It will include a bill-protection option in all data plans and provide additional voice and text allowances for those 65 and older. With jet fuel prices surging due to the Middle East war, fuel surcharges on domestic and international routes have risen at South Korean airlines, the government said. To prevent airline difficulties from being passed on to consumers, it will seek to defer financial-improvement measures and also pursue deferrals for airport facility-use fees and slot recoveries. 2026-04-23 09:07:22
  • LG Uplus Tops 1 Million USIM Updates and Free Replacements; Replacement Rate at 5.9%
    LG Uplus Tops 1 Million USIM Updates and Free Replacements; Replacement Rate at 5.9% LG Uplus said April 23 that the number of USIM updates and replacements provided to all customers has surpassed 1 million. The company has been rolling out USIM updates and free replacements in phases since April 13. From April 13 to 22, it recorded 427,385 USIM updates and 581,094 USIM replacements, for a total of 1,008,479 cases. The cumulative replacement rate stood at 5.9%. LG Uplus said it has combined online guidance through text messages and its U+one app, a reservation-based system and on-site support to reduce customer inconvenience. It is also expanding a “visiting service” for customers who have difficulty going to stores. On-site support is being provided at senior welfare centers in urban areas including Seoul’s Jung and Dobong districts, Busan and Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province. The company said it visited the Boeun County Senior and Disabled Welfare Center in North Chungcheong Province on April 21 and the Nowon Center for the Blind in Seoul on April 22 to help with USIM replacements. LG Uplus said customers eligible for a USIM update can complete the process online, while those who need a replacement can receive service at stores after making a reservation. “We will continue to provide responsible support through online guidance, stores and visiting services so customers can take the necessary steps without inconvenience,” said Lee Jae-won, vice president and head of LG Uplus’ consumer division.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 09:06:37
  • Naver to auto-disable comments on articles with high toxic content rates
    Naver to auto-disable comments on articles with high toxic content rates SEOUL, April 23 (AJP) - South Korea's dominant internet portal Naver announced it will automatically disable comment sections on news articles where its artificial intelligence moderation system detects an unusually high volume of malicious posts, in the latest effort by the company to clean up its online commentary environment. Starting Thursday, Naver's AI-based detection system will scan articles across all news sections — including politics and elections — and shut down commenting when abuse levels breach a set threshold. The AI detection system Naver introduced in 2019 was the first in the domestic internet industry, continuously upgraded to flag negative expressions such as profanity, sexual, and violent language. The company said a further upgrade to the AI model is planned for later in April. "Naver has been working to make the comments section a space for healthy communication, and we will continue to listen to diverse opinions to respond to rapidly evolving forms of malicious commentary," said Kim Su-hyang, a leader at Naver. The move builds on a restriction Naver imposed last month, suspending comments beneath articles in its politics and election sections ahead of the June local elections. The company has also separately rolled out a "memorial comment" feature since February, allowing users to post condolences with a single click on articles covering disasters, accidents and deaths. About 23 media organizations have adopted the memorial comment function to date, and articles featuring it have drawn about six times more comments relative to page views compared with other articles from the same outlets, Naver said. 2026-04-23 09:03:23
  • Column: Koo Kwang-mo’s OLED Bet at LG Display Signals a Strategic Shift
    Column: Koo Kwang-mo’s OLED Bet at LG Display Signals a Strategic Shift Corporate decisions are recorded in numbers, but their meaning is shaped by people. LG Display’s decision to make an additional investment of more than 1 trillion won in OLED infrastructure reflects a strategic call closely associated with LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo. The move is not simply an expansion of facilities, but a statement about what kind of competition LG intends to pursue. For years, the display industry’s winning formula was LCD: make more and sell cheaper. Companies raced to expand capacity, and scale itself was an advantage. That structure did not last. As Chinese firms entered with even larger output, prices fell quickly and the market became a contest of speed and volume. Companies with weaker cost structures struggled, and even the technology built up by South Korean firms proved less decisive when prices collapsed. That left two choices: stay in a price war to the end, or move to a different game. Koo chose the latter. The strategy of scaling back LCD and shifting the center of gravity to OLED was not just a business pivot, but an attempt to change the basis of competition. The more-than-1 trillion won investment underscores that direction. OLED operates under different rules. Where LCD competition centered on how cheaply panels could be produced, OLED competition centers on how reliably they can be made. The process is complex, defect rates can be high, and maintaining consistent quality is difficult. As a result, the key factors become technology, manufacturing capability and relationships with customers, rather than price alone. OLED, too, is likely to face intensifying competition over time, and Chinese rivals have already begun to close in. That makes the question reasonable: Will OLED eventually follow the same path as LCD? The difference, the column argues, lies in speed and structure. LCD was a technology that could be copied quickly. OLED competitiveness depends on accumulated experience and data; having similar equipment does not guarantee the same quality. Customer dynamics also differ. In premium TV and smartphone markets, suppliers are not easily replaced once they are in the supply chain, because quality and stability must be proven. Lower prices alone do not automatically trigger a switch. This so-called lock-in effect means OLED competition is closer to an ecosystem contest than a simple product race. Against that backdrop, the investment invites a familiar question: How is putting more than 1 trillion won into facilities different from the expansion-driven playbook of past conglomerates? The column says the distinction is purpose. Earlier investments aimed to produce more. This investment is framed as maintaining the conditions needed to avoid falling behind — not expanding market share, but protecting the standards of competition. The relationship between equipment and technology is central. Facility spending does not automatically create a technology gap, but without facilities, technology cannot be sustained. In OLED, production itself is a form of learning: the more that is made, the more stable the process becomes, defect rates fall and quality improves. The data and know-how accumulated through that cycle become competitiveness. In that sense, equipment investment is less about creating technology than about building the environment in which it can be maintained. The choice is not without risk. OLED demand is sensitive to economic swings and shifts in consumer appetite. If demand for premium products weakens, the burden of investment grows. Rival advances are another variable. Continuing large-scale investment under those conditions carries clear downside. Still, the column argues Koo’s rationale is straightforward: companies must choose between two risks — falling behind by changing nothing, or failing after choosing change. LG chose the latter, opting for an uncertain technology contest over the more predictable strain of price competition. The approach also reflects Koo’s emphasis since taking office on focus and prioritization: cutting back areas with weaker competitiveness and concentrating resources on fields with future potential. Rather than trying to lead in every category, the strategy is to concentrate on areas where the company can win. The OLED investment extends that strategy and serves as a test. The company must show it can maintain a technology edge, secure a stable customer base and keep improving production efficiency. The investment is an offensive move, but the underlying structure must also function defensively, the column says. The outcome will be decided over time. At this stage, the column concludes, it is not possible to declare success or predict failure. But it argues that choosing change is harder than standing still — and that taking the harder path can open new possibilities. Koo’s OLED bet, the column says, is an attempt not merely to expand capacity but to change how the company competes. If it succeeds, it could offer a broader example of where South Korean manufacturing should head.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 09:02:30
  • Column: KB Financial’s Yang Jong-hee and the debate over tougher rules for CEO renewals
    Column: KB Financial’s Yang Jong-hee and the debate over tougher rules for CEO renewals The simplest way to judge a financial company is its report card: how much it earned, how much it returned to shareholders and how much its value rose. By that measure, the debate over whether KB Financial Group Chairman Yang Jong-hee should get another term can look settled. KB has posted record results, its shareholder return rate is among the industry’s highest, and its market capitalization has nearly tripled from the roughly 20 trillion won level when he took office. In market terms, that is the case for a “proven manager.” Still, the argument has not ended because finance is not just another private business. Problems at a major bank can spread to companies, households and the broader economy. That is why the sector is judged by two yardsticks: markets focus on results, while policymakers focus on process, including whether risks were properly controlled. The dispute over Yang’s renewal sits at that collision point. One symbol of that clash is the so-called “67% rule,” a proposal to require a special resolution rather than a simple majority to approve a chairman’s renewal. A special resolution requires support from at least two-thirds of shareholders present and attendance by a minimum share of total outstanding stock. On its face, it raises the bar, leading many to assume renewals would become harder. In practice, the dynamic can cut the other way. The higher the voting threshold, the more cautious investors can become. Rather than back an untested alternative, they may concentrate votes on a known quantity. That can narrow choices and give an incumbent CEO a structural advantage. With performance as a clear argument, the incentive to pick a new option can weaken, making the “67% rule” a paradoxical tool. That pattern has already appeared in South Korea’s financial sector. Jin Ok-dong and Lim Jong-ryong won renewals with high approval rates, well above a special-resolution level. Even as rules tightened, outcomes did not change much: votes again clustered around incumbents with verified results. Yang now faces a similar landscape. So why would regulators push stricter standards? The answer lies in past experience. South Korea has seen the risks of chasing performance alone. The early-2000s credit card crisis showed how short-term competition for results can become systemic risk. Card companies expanded credit aggressively and grew quickly, but internal controls and risk management failed to keep pace. The numbers looked strong, but the structure was fragile. Large-scale bad loans followed, and the costs were borne broadly by society. Overseas examples are starker. Lehman Brothers grew on strong profits but collapsed under excessive leverage and risky assets. Wells Fargo posted steady results for years, but later faced a major scandal after practices emerged in which accounts were opened without customer consent. The lesson was that strong performance does not, by itself, validate how a company is run. Those cases help explain regulators’ view: not because KB has caused a problem, but because the goal is to block future risks. In finance, the cost of responding after a crisis is too high, so preventive controls are emphasized. Corporate governance is central to that approach, including who leads the company and how power is checked. Yang’s position is therefore more complex than a simple performance story. He has met the market’s demand for results, but he is also being tested against policy-driven standards. KB’s shareholder base includes a high proportion of foreign investors, a structure that can favor performance-based evaluation. But foreign investors are not a single bloc. Their goals and criteria differ, and voting advisory firms and policy signals can shift sentiment quickly. That is why it is difficult to say, “Good results guarantee renewal.” Ultimately, the issue goes beyond one chairman. It is about who controls financial companies, and by what standards: market judgment, or policy intervention. The answer is not one or the other. In finance, both must operate at the same time. Stability comes when market assessment and institutional checks reinforce each other. The way forward, then, is to connect performance and governance rather than set them against each other. That requires transparency in the selection process, with candidate pools and evaluation standards clearly disclosed. It also requires a board that is independent in practice, not just on paper, and a shared baseline between market expectations and policy signals to avoid distorted decision-making. If those conditions are met, Yang’s renewal could be seen as more than a personnel decision, a case that cleared both performance and governance tests. If not, the debate will persist, and questions about governance will remain regardless of the outcome. The lesson from past crises at home and abroad is clear: performance alone is not enough, but control alone is not an answer, either. Results are a starting point; governance is the verification. Leadership is complete only after passing both. That is the final test facing Yang now: whether he can move beyond market approval and also clear institutional scrutiny. The answer will be read as a signal not only about one renewal, but about the direction of South Korea’s financial sector.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 09:01:12
  • Hancom to Unveil ‘Twin Agentic OS’ Aimed at 24/7 AI-Assisted Work
    Hancom to Unveil ‘Twin Agentic OS’ Aimed at 24/7 AI-Assisted Work Hancom, formally known as Hancom Inc., said it will introduce what it described as South Korea’s first “twin agentic OS,” designed to reflect a user’s work patterns and support around-the-clock productivity. The company said AI agents would be able to carry out tasks autonomously even after users leave work. Hancom on the 23rd shared companywide results of its AI transformation, or AX, and outlined its strategy at an event called “Hancom AX Day.” CEO Kim Yeon-su said the company plans to reveal the “twin agentic OS” in the first half of the year and commercialize it within the year. At the core of the system is an AI agent that mirrors a user’s work style — a “digital twin,” the company said. By learning an individual’s work methods and patterns, the agent can continue handling tasks when the user is away. Hancom said the system is built on its document-structuring technology accumulated over 36 years and its AI capabilities, and is intended to serve as an “intelligent control tower” that links various AI models with existing workplace systems. Kim said the company will move beyond a business centered on packaged software and shift into building AX execution systems that let customers directly experience productivity gains in the field. Hancom also said it will pursue organizational culture changes alongside technology adoption. It plans to run an “AX Champion” program to select and reward employees who deliver measurable workplace improvements, and to promote AX through performance-based evaluations rather than whether employees use AI tools. “AX is a change that reshapes the overall way we work,” Kim said, adding that the company aims to establish itself as a trusted AX partner through the twin agentic OS. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 08:57:16
  • Hyundai Motor launches Top Eleven mobile game event, Hyundai Next Cup Tour
    Hyundai Motor launches Top Eleven mobile game event, Hyundai Next Cup Tour Hyundai Motor said Wednesday it is running a brand-specific event, the “Hyundai Next Cup Tour,” in the mobile soccer manager game “Top Eleven.” Top Eleven is a soccer management simulation in which players act as a coach, run their own club and develop tactics to build a team. The event runs from Wednesday through May 2 and features missions tied to 10 countries, including Indonesia, Germany and Brazil, selected based on Hyundai Motor’s key sales markets and Top Eleven’s major user countries. Players progress through country-by-country stages, each set as a mission, where they can view Hyundai Motor vehicles representing each country and their features while taking on tactical challenges against teams with different strategies and play styles. In the Germany stage, for example, the Ioniq 9 appears, and its roomy interior is reimagined in-game as an ability called “space creation,” linked to a mission that requires coordinated movement and tactical structure to generate more scoring chances. Players who win at each stage can receive limited-edition in-game items, including Hyundai Motor jerseys and emblems. Hyundai Motor said it expects the event to extend its soccer heritage through an immersive gaming experience and to integrate its brand and products naturally into the game’s story. “Hyundai Motor has communicated with fans worldwide through soccer for more than 25 years, and through the Hyundai Next Cup Tour event we aim to expand soccer’s energy and sense of being on site into the digital environment,” said Ji Seongwon, vice president and head of Hyundai Motor’s Brand Marketing Division.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 08:54:28
  • MachinaRacks, Hyundai Motor to expand AI predictive maintenance to 1,400 factory robots
    MachinaRacks, Hyundai Motor to expand AI predictive maintenance to 1,400 factory robots · Physical AI company MachinaRacks is working with Hyundai Motor to roll out an AI solution tailored to robots on global production lines. MachinaRacks said April 23 that it is supporting Hyundai Motor’s shift to a software-defined factory (SDF) by expanding a robot-focused predictive maintenance solution to production sites in South Korea and overseas. The system is being introduced sequentially starting at the Asan plant, followed by major sites including Ulsan, Jeonju and India, with deployment planned for about 1,400 robots by the end of this year. The companies built a predictive health monitoring (PHM) system that applies deep-learning algorithms to robot motion data to forecast failures in advance. MachinaRacks said the system can detect anomalies about five days before a breakdown with accuracy above 90%, significantly reducing production-line downtime. The project stems from an eight-year partnership that began in 2018 through Hyundai Motor Group’s open innovation platform, ZER01NE. Hyundai Motor made a strategic investment in MachinaRacks at the time and has continued technical collaboration, with the latest work translating AI use into measurable results on the factory floor. The jointly developed Robot Predictive Maintenance Solution (RPMS) provides functions including drive-unit condition diagnosis, setup anomaly detection and alerts on changes in operating status. The companies said they plan to expand diagnostic items to minimize unexpected stoppages and improve maintenance efficiency. MachinaRacks said the scope has recently widened to electrification lines, including the Ulsan EV plant and Kia’s Hwaseong EV plant. A Hyundai Motor official said the company will standardize AI-based predictive maintenance across global production sites to secure process flexibility and defect-free quality and to achieve “hyper-productivity.” MachinaRacks CEO Yoon Seong-ho said Hyundai Motor has been a strategic partner and key customer since the company’s early growth. He said MachinaRacks will deepen cooperation as a trusted partner helping address manufacturing complexity and advance the SDF transition. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 08:51:17
  • INTERVIEW: Malaysia has a key role in Koreas post-Gulf energy redesign: envoy
    INTERVIEW: Malaysia has a key role in Korea's post-Gulf energy redesign: envoy SEOUL, April 23 (AJP) - The Global South is moving to the center of South Korea’s strategic calculus, underscored by this week’s presidential visits to India and Vietnam, as Malaysia seeks to harness the momentum to leverage complementary strengths — not just to mitigate Gulf-driven disruptions, but also to redesign energy security, its top envoy to Seoul said. Energy security will serve as the starting point for deeper alignment, with Malaysia’s LNG exports and South Korea’s downstream industrial capacity forming “mutual dependability,” Malaysia’s ambassador to South Korea, Dato’ Mohd Zamruni Khalid, told AJP in an interview on Wednesday. “The carbon dioxide can be transported to Malaysia and injected into depleted reservoirs for long-term storage,” he said, pointing to cross-border carbon management as one of the most tangible new pillars of bilateral cooperation. The push comes as Seoul steps up engagement with emerging economies across Asia, with President Lee Jae Myung’s visits underscoring a strategic pivot toward Global South partners as geopolitical shocks reshape trade and energy flows. The urgency has intensified since the Feb. 28 outbreak of war and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which more than 20 percent of global oil and LNG shipments pass. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, vessel traffic plunged roughly 95 percent, from an average of 129 ships a day in February to about six in March. The shock has sharpened concerns over South Korea’s supply concentration risks while elevating Malaysia’s strategic relevance. Australia accounted for 31.4 percent of South Korea’s LNG imports last year, followed by Malaysia at 16.1 percent and Qatar at 14.9 percent, underscoring Kuala Lumpur’s position as a key energy supplier. Trade patterns suggest diversification is already underway. According to Korea International Trade Association data, South Korea’s imports of Malaysian crude surged 140 percent in March from a year earlier, while imports from seven Middle Eastern countries fell 18.3 percent, lowering their share to 62.9 percent from 73 percent a year earlier. Malaysia’s estimated 2.7 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, ranking around 29th globally, reinforce its positioning not only as an LNG supplier but as part of a broader hedging strategy against geopolitical concentration risk. Khalid said the relationship is already anchored on a broad foundation. Bilateral ties are “very strong, increasingly strategic,” extending beyond politics into economic, technological and defense cooperation, with supply chains, semiconductors and energy security at the core. Bilateral trade reached about $27.4 billion in 2025, remaining well above the $20 billion mark for several years — a level he said underscores the scale of progress already achieved. “At the first level of partnership, we had already achieved over US$20 billion more than five years ago. This is quite significant,” he said. That vision is increasingly reflected in policy and industrial strategy. Malaysia’s New Industrial Master Plan 2030 — aimed at shifting the economy toward high-value manufacturing — places advanced manufacturing, digitalization, Industry 4.0 and the green transition at the core of its growth agenda. The government’s semiconductor push further highlights its role in global packaging and testing. According to Malaysia’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, the country accounts for about 13 percent of the global semiconductor assembly, testing and packaging market and ranks as the world’s sixth-largest semiconductor exporter, offering Korean chipmakers a base for supply chain diversification in Southeast Asia. Khalid said these priorities align closely with Korea’s industrial strengths. He pointed to high-end semiconductor manufacturing, digital transformation, Industry 4.0 and the green energy transition, while also naming EV batteries, green hydrogen, CCUS, medical devices, machinery, automation, e-commerce, fintech and artificial intelligence as promising areas for collaboration. These sectors reflect both countries’ push to move up the value chain while responding to demand for resilient supply chains and low-carbon technologies. “Effectively aligning Korea's technology maturity and also Malaysia's aggressive net zero targets and resource availability,” he said. The envoy stressed Malaysia’s carbon capture initiatives under its broader CCUS framework. While South Korea primarily focuses on carbon capture and storage (CCS), Malaysia adopts a wider approach. “We use ‘CCUS’ — because we, after capturing the carbon, we want to reutilize, and then also to be used in the storage. So that’s why ‘U’ is quite important for us,” he said. CCUS — carbon capture, utilization and storage — incorporates reuse before permanent storage, reflecting Malaysia’s push to maximize economic value from decarbonization. Khalid said Malaysia’s regulatory framework has strengthened the case for cooperation. “When the Malaysian Parliament approved the CCUS Act, this landmark legislation, along with the establishment of the Malaysia CCUS Agency, provided a comprehensive framework covering capture, transportation and permanent storage,” he said. He added the legal clarity provides Korean investors with a clearer pathway to participate in cross-border CO₂ transport, allowing emitters in South Korea to capture carbon domestically and ship it to Malaysia for offshore storage. As of 2026, the primary gateway is Petronas. Khalid noted Petronas is already working with several South Korean firms, including Samsung Engineering and the Korea National Oil Corporation, on cross-border CCUS value chains. “These partnerships offer a unique opportunity to act both as technology providers and as end users of low-carbon molecules, securing long-term energy supplies for Korea’s domestic hydrogen economy goals,” he said. He added that last year’s legislation would enable further cooperation, noting South Korea’s strong interest in participating in the CCUS platform. Malaysia’s CCUS Act 2025 took effect on Oct. 1, 2025, providing the basis for the country’s first offshore assessment permit, with authorities positioning it as a key pillar of the low-carbon transition. Beyond energy, Malaysia is also seeking to combine Korea’s consumer strengths with its halal ecosystem. Anchored by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), which oversees halal certification, the country offers a “complete halal value chain,” positioning Malaysia as an ideal base for Korean companies seeking halal-certified production and regional distribution. He noted strong potential in halal beauty and derma products, combining Korea’s innovation with Malaysia’s certification credibility and market access. Malaysia has developed comprehensive infrastructure — including halal-certified restaurants, prayer facilities and accommodation — making it one of the top destinations for Muslim travelers and an ideal production and distribution base. With Malaysian visitor numbers to South Korea exceeding 300,000 in 2025, Khalid said both countries could deepen cooperation in catering to Muslim tourists. Improving Muslim-friendly infrastructure in South Korea — including better access to prayer facilities and halal food — would support further growth, he said. “Malaysia can help the ROK in this in the tourism sector, catering for Muslim tourists.” He added that “both Malaysia and South Korea can work together in the halal industry across food, cosmetics and tourism sector.” The tourism argument runs both ways. Malaysia is pushing its Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign after welcoming more than 25 million international visitors in 2024, leveraging food, culture and education-linked travel. Khalid said Korean visitors are particularly drawn to Malaysia’s culinary diversity, tied to its long-running “Malaysia Truly Asia” branding. He also pointed to strong cultural pull factors, with more Malaysians learning Korean through K-pop, dramas and food. According to the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange’s 2025 survey, about 70.2 percent of Malaysian respondents said their perception of Korea improved after consuming Korean cultural content, underscoring the strong influence of Korean media, particularly among younger audiences. 2026-04-23 08:49:30