KOSPI soars above 4,800 for first time while Nikkei tumbles SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - Asian stock markets opened mixed in early trading on Friday, with South Korea's KOSPI hitting a fresh record high, while Japanese shares retreated on profit-taking. In Seoul, the benchmark index rose 0.95 percent to 4,841.81, surpassing the 4,800 level for the first time on record, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ lagged, slipping 0.43 percent to 947.06 shortly after the day's trading began. Strong U.S. labor data kept the dollar firm, pushing the exchange rate for the South Korean currency to around 1,470 won per dollar. With the won under pressure, market attention is shifting to exporters in growth sectors like semiconductors and autos, while banks and insurers face potential volatility. Foreign investors offloaded shares in morning trading, while institutional and retail investors snapped them up. Among large-cap stocks, Samsung Electronics jumped 3.61 percent to 149,100 won ($101.2), buoyed by improved investor sentiment following TSMC's record earnings, which showed a sharp rise in revenue and strong profit growth, while SK Hynix rose 1.20 percent to 758,000 won. Samsung Life Insurance surged 6.64 percent to 171,800 won after hitting an intraday record high of 176,400 won, as expectations of additional legislative revisions to strengthen protections for retail investors boosted market sentiment. LG Energy Solution edged up 0.51 percent to 394,000 won, while Samsung Biologics fell 3.31 percent to 1.90 million won. Automakers showed mixed performance, with Hyundai Motor rising 0.12 percent to 422,500 won, while Kia gained 2.75 percent to 156,700 won. Defense and aerospace stocks traded near flat, with Hanwha Aerospace up 0.08 percent at 1.30 million won. Shipbuilding and heavy industry shares weakened, as HD Hyundai Heavy Industries fell 2.06 percent to 618,000 won and Hanwha Ocean declined 1.88 percent to 146,100 won. Japanese shares pulled back, with the Nikkei 225 Index down 0.69 percent at 53,738.18 in intraday trading, as profit-taking following a three-day rally combined with weakness in U.S. technology stocks and renewed yen strength. Elsewhere in Asia, China's Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.25 percent to 3,242.62. 2026-01-16 11:33:06

Korea moves fast on Grok as global deepfake backlash grows SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) — South Korea has taken its first regulatory steps targeting xAI’s chatbot Grok, as governments worldwide step up scrutiny of generative AI tools over deepfake abuse and illegal content. The Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) on Wednesday sent an official notice to X requesting stronger safety measures for Grok, including tighter controls on harmful content and stricter restrictions on minors’ access. The commission also demanded clarification on Grok’s training data sources, content-filtering standards and accountability structures for services provided to South Korean users. According to Shin Yoon-jae, a deputy director at the KMCC, the notice emphasized that any platform operating in South Korea must comply with the Information and Communications Network Act, including its legal obligation to protect minors. “We have asked X to put safeguards in place and to report what measures it is taking,” Shin said. “At the same time, we are preparing legislation to strengthen safety standards for generative AI. Until then, we are tightening regulatory monitoring and have requested concrete plans to prevent the spread of AI-generated images and videos.” Seoul’s move reflects growing concern that generative AI tools are lowering the barrier to producing illegal and abusive content, particularly non-consensual deepfake imagery. Regulators say conversational AI systems like Grok make it possible to generate realistic images or scripts using simple text prompts, expanding misuse beyond technically skilled actors. This ease of access has fueled the rapid spread of fabricated sexual images, impersonation scams and manipulated visuals, often outpacing platform takedown mechanisms. One of the most pressing risks involves non-consensual sexual deepfakes, including content involving minors. Digital safety groups and law enforcement agencies report that such material can be produced and circulated within minutes, causing lasting psychological harm, reputational damage and, in some cases, extortion of victims. Concerns have also grown over opaque moderation systems. Authorities argue that limited disclosure about training data, filtering thresholds and internal accountability makes it difficult to assign responsibility when harmful outputs occur — a potential violation in jurisdictions with strict child-protection and privacy laws. The backlash against Grok has triggered regulatory action beyond Korea. In the United Kingdom, online safety regulator Ofcom has opened a formal investigation into X under the Online Safety Act, following reports that Grok was used to create and share non-consensual sexual images and content involving children. The probe will assess X’s compliance with duties related to risk assessment, illegal content prevention, privacy protection and child safety. In Southeast Asia, regulators in Indonesia and Malaysia temporarily blocked access to X over the weekend, citing concerns over the misuse of generative AI to produce sexually explicit and non-consensual content. While the United States is unlikely to intervene directly in the near term, experts say international pressure could force platforms to tighten safeguards. “Countries with stronger online safety laws can shape global standards,” said Mary Anne Franks, a law professor at George Washington University. “When enforcement actions accumulate, platforms often respond by raising protections across markets.” In South Korea, officials say the urgency is practical rather than theoretical. Reports of AI-generated explicit content, impersonation scams and manipulated images affecting domestic users have risen, even when the platforms involved are based overseas. Regulators argue that reactive takedowns are no longer sufficient in an environment where AI-generated content can go viral before authorities or platforms become aware of it. 2026-01-15 17:26:46

Asian markets mixed; Nikkei retreats after record rally, KOSPI holds ground SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) — Asian equity markets were mixed on Wednesday, with Japanese stocks pulling back after a powerful start to the year, while Seoul shares held firm despite a more hawkish tilt from the Bank of Korea. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.77 percent to 53,923.94 as of 10:23 a.m. local time, as investors locked in profits following an uninterrupted January rally. The recent surge had been fueled by expectations of a snap election that could reinforce Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s stimulus-driven policy agenda. In Seoul, the benchmark KOSPI rose 0.67 percent to 4,754.66, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ edged down 0.03 percent to 941.90 in early trade. Markets were largely unfazed by the Bank of Korea’s first rate-setting meeting of the year, which kept the base rate unchanged at 2.5 percent for an eighth consecutive month. However, policymakers struck a firmer tone by removing references to “the possibility of a rate cut” in their post-meeting statement, signaling a pause in the easing cycle. Among large-cap stocks, Samsung Electronics rose 0.07 percent to 140,400 won ($96), while SK hynix slipped 0.81 percent to 736,000 won. Samsung Biologics climbed 2.39 percent to 1,973,000 won, while LG Energy Solution fell 0.39 percent to 388,000 won. Automakers outperformed, with Hyundai Motor gaining 2.55 percent to 422,000 won and Kia advancing 3.04 percent to 147,350 won. Shipbuilders and heavy industry shares extended recent gains, led by Hanwha Ocean, which surged 3.80 percent to 147,400 won. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries rose 2.44 percent to 630,000 won. The U.S. dollar strengthened 3.1 won to 1,469.60, despite rare interventionist rhetoric from the U.S. Treasury Department echoing Seoul’s concerns over excessive volatility while losing slightly against the Japanese yen. Elsewhere in Asia, China’s Shanghai Composite slipped 0.11 percent to around 4,121.5 in early trading. 2026-01-15 11:31:25

Hanwha restructuring lifts Korean stocks as Asian shares end mixed SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - Asian equities ended mixed on Wednesday, with South Korea's benchmark index closing at a record high, while markets elsewhere in the region showed divergent performances. South Korea’s KOSPI rose 0.65 percent to close at 4,723.10. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ fell 0.72 percent to 942.18, as investors rotated selectively between sectors. Market attention centered on Hanwha Group after it unveiled plans to split its businesses, separating defense, energy and financial units from its technology and lifestyle operations. The announcement triggered sharp moves across Hanwha affiliates. Hanwha Galleria jumped 30 percent to 1,622 won, hitting its daily upper limit, while Hanwha Life Insurance climbed 10.4 percent to 3,385 won. Among large-cap stocks, Samsung Electronics gained 1.96 percent to 140,300 won, while SK hynix rose 0.54 percent to 742,000 won. Hyundai Motor added 1.35 percent to 411,500 won, and Doosan Enerbility advanced 2.99 percent to 89,600 won. Losses were seen in LG Energy Solution, which fell 1.1 percent to 389,500 won, and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, which slid 4.7 percent to 615,000 won. In currency markets, the South Korean won weakened to around 1,475 per dollar. Elsewhere in Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.48 percent to end at 54,341.23, supported by speculation that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi could call a snap general election as early as next month, a move investors see as raising the likelihood of more expansionary fiscal policy. In China, the Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.3 percent to 4,125.94, retreating in afternoon trade after earlier gains. Hong Kong stocks were little changed, with the Hang Seng Index edging up about 0.1 percent. 2026-01-14 17:37:52

Korean payroll growth stagnates in 2025 amid weak domestic demand, youth job scarcity SEOUL, Jan. 14 (AJP) — South Korea’s labor market held up on the surface in 2025, with employment and participation rates reaching record highs, but stagnant payroll growth, manufacturing job losses and the highest youth unemployment in three years underscored lingering fragility, government data showed Wednesday. According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics, the number of employed people aged 15 and older reached 28.769 million in 2025, up 193,000, or 0.7 percent, from the previous year. Payroll gains have remained below 200,000 for a second consecutive year, reflecting sluggish economic growth of around 1 percent or less. The employment rate for those aged 15 to 64 rose to 69.8 percent, the highest on record under OECD standards. The overall employment rate stood at 61.5 percent, up 0.1 percentage point from a year earlier and the best level since data collection began in 1963. Despite the strong headline figures, conditions worsened for younger workers. The employment rate for those aged 15 to 29 fell to 45.0 percent in 2025 from 46.1 percent a year earlier, while the youth unemployment rate rose to 6.1 percent from 5.9 percent, the highest in three years. Job losses were concentrated in key industries. Employment in construction fell 6.1 percent year on year, reflecting a prolonged sectoral downturn, while manufacturing employment declined 1.6 percent. The number of “idled” people — those neither working nor actively seeking employment — continued to rise, increasing from 2.351 million in 2023 to 2.467 million in 2024 and further to 2.555 million in 2025. By age group, the idled population increased by 19,000 among those in their 20s and by 67,000 among those aged 60 and older, highlighting growing difficulties for young people entering the labor market. The share of discouraged job seekers — those who have given up looking for work — within the economically inactive population also climbed steadily, from 14.5 percent in 2023 to 15.3 percent in 2024 and 15.8 percent in 2025. December data were largely in line with the full-year trend. Employment rose by 168,000 from a year earlier to 28.2 million, slowing from a gain of 225,000 in November. The youth employment rate was unchanged from the previous month, extending a period of weakness. Construction and manufacturing — sectors that account for a large share of regular jobs — each shed about 63,300 positions in December, reinforcing concerns over the durability of job creation amid weak domestic demand. 2026-01-14 14:32:57

Rigorous Korean hair formula behind perfect K-drama hair fuels global sales SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) — Long, glossy black hair catching the light as it moves in the breeze has become a familiar image of Korean heroines in romantic dramas. The look has captivated global audiences — and it is translating into booming overseas sales of Korean hair-care products. According to South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), cosmetics exports reached a record $11.4 billion in 2025, up 12.3 percent from a year earlier. The United States and Japan ranked as the two largest destinations, accounting for $2.2 billion and $1.1 billion, respectively. That momentum is increasingly visible in hair care. Trade data based on HS Code 33.05 show that Korean hair-care exports totaled about $471 million in the 12 months through November 2025. The United States remained the largest market at roughly $103 million, and also the fastest-growing, with shipments rising by about $35 million between 2023 and 2024. Search data point to the same trend. Google Trends shows steady growth in global searches for “Korean hair care” throughout 2025, with notable spikes mid-year and particularly strong interest in countries such as Qatar, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, underscoring rising international curiosity. That curiosity is no accident. Industry research from Grand View Research indicates that global hair-care demand is shifting toward function-driven products, especially those focused on scalp health and damage repair — segments where premium formulations are growing fastest. Korean hair care closely follows the science-backed logic of K-beauty itself: prevent, treat and heal, with specialized products for each step rather than a single all-purpose solution. The shift is already showing up in company earnings. The Skin Factory Co., which operates the hair-care brand Kundal, posted estimated revenue of 124.1 billion won ($84.6 million) last year, up 6 percent from a year earlier. Overseas sales accounted for about 52 percent of total revenue, surpassing domestic sales for the first time. Wyatt Corp., owner of shampoo brand Dr.FORHAIR and hair-treatment label UNOVE, also reported record sales, crossing 100 billion won in annual revenue for the first time since its founding. “As K-beauty gained popularity in markets like the U.S. and Japan, hair products naturally followed,” said Kwon Kyu-seok, chief executive officer of Wyatt. “Rising overseas demand played a decisive role in pushing our sales beyond 100 billion won.” Once a supporting category, hair care is now emerging as a core export engine of K-beauty — powered as much by laboratory formulas as by the effortless shine seen on screen. 2026-01-13 17:58:31

Japan's snap election prospects lift Nikkei, boosting Asian markets SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) - Asian stock markets opened higher on Tuesday, led by a surge in Japan's Nikkei 225 amid speculations of a snap election in Tokyo. The vote is expected to strengthen Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's expansionary fiscal policies, boosting investor sentiment across the region. The Japanese index jumped about 3.4 percent to around 53,720 in early morning trade, buoyed by gains in exporters and technology shares. The rally helped lift broader Asian markets, as investors continued to favor stocks related to robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and other technologies even after this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) wrapped up last week. In Seoul, the KOSPI opened higher, hitting a fresh all-time high of 4,666 shortly after trading began, up about 0.9 percent from the previous session, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ slipped roughly 0.1 percent to around 949.1. Among blue-chip stocks, Samsung Electronics rose about 0.5 percent to around 139,500 won, while LG Energy Solution gained roughly 0.8 percent to about 382,000 won. Shares of automakers were among the top performers, with Hyundai Motor surging approximately 7.6 percent to around 395,000 won, extending its rally for three consecutive days after unveiling its physical AI and autonomous driving at the CES. Defense-related shares also remained strong, with Hanwha Aerospace rising about 1.7 percent to around 1,233,000 won. Lotte Innovate also moved higher after unveiling plans to integrate its proprietary "i.MEMBER" AI platform into humanoid robots developed by China's Unitree, also showcased at the CES. But the South Korean won weakened against the greenback, trading at around 1,472 per dollar. Elsewhere in Asia, most markets remained higher, with some mixed results in early trading, while China's Shanghai Composite slipped about 0.6 percent to around 4,141 as investors took profits following the recent rally. 2026-01-13 11:21:58

Sweet, stretchy, but Dubai's chewy cookie craze leaves a sticky mark on prices SEOUL, January 12, 2026 (AJP) — South Korea has a new dessert obsession, and it doesn’t crumble quietly. The Dubai Chewy Cookie, locally nicknamed dujjonku, is selling quite literally like hot cake — except hotter, thicker and far more Instagrammable. What began as a café novelty has now spilled across menus nationwide, with sushi joints and sandwich shops alike slipping the chewy chocolate slab into delivery apps, as if dessert were now a compulsory add-on to every meal. Search interest reflects the sugar rush. Google Trends data show queries for “dujjonku” surging over the past 90 days, with some regions hitting a peak index of 100 in early January — a level usually reserved for election nights or celebrity scandals. For the uninitiated: yes, the dessert traces its name to Dubai. But what Korea is eating today is less a faithful import than a full-scale reinterpretation. The craze took off last September after IVE’s Jang Won-young posted about the dessert on social media. As often happens in Korea’s tightly wired influencer ecosystem, one post was enough. Others followed. Cafés rushed to recreate it. Within weeks, the chewy cookie was no longer exotic — it was everywhere. The dessert borrows from Middle Eastern sweets, combining crisp kadaif pastry, pistachio cream and cocoa powder. But the Korean version leans into exaggeration. Wrapped in a marshmallow-like chew, the cookie favors thickness over delicacy, volume over restraint. If the original “Dubai chocolate” was elegant, the chewy cookie is maximalist. Its appeal is as visual as it is edible. The dramatic cross-section, the audible crack, the slow stretch — all play perfectly to short-form video platforms, where desserts are judged less by taste than by how spectacularly they break apart on camera. “Dessert trends in Korea consistently favor abundance,” said food critic Lee Yong-jae. “Visual overwhelmingness often matters more than balance or subtlety of flavor.” Food columnist Jeong Dong-hyun points to Korea’s unusually flexible food culture. “Unlike Europe, Korea does not cling strongly to the ‘original form’ of food,” he said. “That allows dishes to be endlessly reinterpreted to suit local tastes — and entirely new foods to be created.” The sugar rush is translating into real money. At Paris Baguette’s Louvre flagship near Gwanghwamun, staff say the chewy cookie has climbed rapidly into top-seller territory. “We sell around 4,000 to 5,000 units a day,” said Sandy Lim, a café employee in her 50s, noting that foreign customers account for a larger share on weekends. But sweetness has a price. The Dubai Chewy Cookie relies heavily on imported ingredients, particularly pistachios and specialty pastry components, whose costs fluctuate with global supply conditions. As these ingredients spread across café menus, their price tags are quietly filtering into everyday food costs. According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics, food and dining-out prices have been rising faster than overall inflation in recent months — a reminder that even viral desserts can leave a macroeconomic aftertaste. In that sense, dujjonku offers a bite-sized lesson in demand-driven inflation: when trends go viral, costs don’t stay contained. At 7,000 to 8,000 won per piece, the chewy cookie now costs more than a burger set — or a modest weekday lunch. Sweet, stretchy, and a little expensive, Korea’s favorite new dessert may be indulgent — but it is also, quietly, inflationary. 2026-01-12 17:54:26

Asian stocks start week buoyant, led by Seoul and Tokyo SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) — Asian equity markets opened the week on a strong note Monday, with Seoul and Tokyo leading gains as optimism over robotics and artificial intelligence continued to lift technology and industrial value chains across the region following last week’s CES showcase. Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.6 percent to 51,939.9 in early trading, supported by gains in exporters and technology shares amid a weaker yen and renewed optimism over global demand. In Seoul, the benchmark KOSPI rose 1.3 percent to 4,646.7 as of 10:17 a.m., extending last week’s rally after the index broke above the 4,500 mark for the first time. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ added 0.8 percent to 955.3. Investor flows were mixed. Individual investors were net buyers of about 311.8 billion won ($231 million), while foreign investors sold roughly 439.4 billion won and institutions added around 74.0 billion won, according to exchange data. Among large caps, Samsung Electronics gained 0.9 percent to 140,900 won, while SK hynix climbed 1.9 percent to 758,000 won, extending gains on expectations of sustained demand for high-performance memory used in artificial-intelligence servers. Defense-related stocks also moved higher. Hanwha Aerospace rose 0.7 percent to 1,229,000 won amid expectations of increased global defense spending and persistent geopolitical tensions. Hanwha Ocean stood out among gainers, surging 9.2 percent to 146,800 won, as investors priced in stronger earnings prospects driven by rising LNG carrier prices and potential offshore plant orders. Doosan Enerbility advanced 5.1 percent to 88,700 won. “LNG carrier prices are expected to rise further this year, while several offshore projects are scheduled for order decisions in the first half,” said Kim Dae-sung, an analyst at DS Investment & Securities. “These factors could significantly improve profitability.” In currency markets, the Korean won weakened past 1,460 per U.S. dollar, giving back year-end gains amid authorities’ efforts to stabilize the market and renewed dollar strength entering the new year. Elsewhere in Asia, China’s Shanghai Composite rose 0.9 percent to 4,120.4, as selective buying returned to industrial and state-owned enterprises. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was slightly lower in early trade, with financial shares under mild pressure. 2026-01-12 11:44:29

After a string of EV contract losses, LG Energy Solution reports Q4 loss SEOUL, January 9 (AJP) - LG Energy Solution, having endured multiple headwinds including a labor raid at its U.S. plant and the cancellation of major battery supply contracts, swung to an operating loss in the fourth quarter, even as full-year profit more than doubled on strong data-center-driven demand for energy storage systems. In preliminary earnings released Friday, the South Korean battery maker reported full-year operating profit of 1.35 trillion won ($1.0 billion) for 2025, more than doubling from 575.4 billion won in 2024. Full-year revenue came to 23.67 trillion won, down 7.6 percent from a year earlier. For the October–December quarter, the company posted an operating loss of 122.0 billion won, compared with a loss of 225.5 billion won a year earlier, while quarterly revenue slipped 4.8 percent year on year to 6.14 trillion won. Excluding tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act, the fourth-quarter operating loss widened to 454.8 billion won, translating into a negative margin of 7.4 percent. The figures are preliminary and may change following audits of overseas subsidiaries and affiliates. LG Energy Solution said it will release final results, including net profit and a detailed breakdown by business division, later this month. The poor quarterly results follow a string of setbacks in the company’s electric-vehicle battery business. LG Energy Solution last month terminated a 3.9 trillion won ($2.7 billion) battery supply contract with Freudenberg Battery Power Systems, marking the second major cancellation after it ended a 9.6 trillion won battery supply contract with Ford Motor Co. The two cancellations bring the total value of terminated contracts in December to 13.5 trillion won—equivalent to more than half of the company’s annual revenue of 25.6 trillion won recorded in 2024. The company also suffered a disruption at its battery plant construction site in Georgia in September, when U.S. authorities conducted a large-scale labor raid that led to the arrest of 475 workers and a temporary halt to construction. Shares ended Friday 0.8 percent down at 363,000 won. 2026-01-09 15:54:56