Journalist
Candice Kim, Lim Jaeho
candicekim1121@ajupress.com, ajupresswogh@ajupress.com
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Candidates blitz key battlegrounds as presidential race enters final stretch SEOUL, June 01 (AJP) - South Korea’s leading presidential contenders crisscrossed the country on Sunday in a final bid to rally voters ahead of Tuesday’s election, with both major candidates making strategic forays into regions outside their political comfort zones. Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party spent the day traversing the conservative stronghold of Yeongnam, seeking to peel away support from traditional bastions of right-wing dominance. Beginning in his hometown of Andong, in North Gyeongsang Province, Lee made stops in Daegu and Ulsan before concluding with a twilight rally at Busan Station Plaza. Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party, a former governor of Gyeonggi Province, concentrated his final Sunday push closer to the capital. Touring the greater Seoul metropolitan area, Kim emphasized his track record in infrastructure and regional development — notably the Great Train Express (GTX), a high-speed commuter rail project aimed at transforming transit across the capital region. His campaign stops included Gwanggyo, Seongnam, Guri, Namyangju, Uijeongbu and key districts in northern Seoul. Latest polling suggests a surprisingly competitive race, even in conservative strongholds such as the TK region (Daegu and North Gyeongsang) and the PK region (Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang). In some surveys of the PK region, Lee is polling within the margin of error against Kim. In a symbolic gesture aimed at consolidating conservative support, former President Park Geun-hye — still a revered figure among many in the TK region — made a rare public appearance on Friday at a traditional market in Daegu, urging voters to support Kim. Meanwhile, Lee Jun-seok of the minor New Reform Party campaigned in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, where he eked out a narrow victory in last year’s general election. Lee addressed supporters at Dongtan Lake Park in the afternoon, appealing to younger and independent voters in a last-ditch effort. Later in the evening, he appeared at Seoul Station to engage with travelers heading home after the weekend. The candidates are set to close their official campaigns on Monday with rallies in Seoul. Lee will hold his final event in Yeouido Park, directly facing the National Assembly building — a site he has framed as emblematic of democratic resistance, recalling the Assembly’s revocation of martial law on December 3. Kim, for his part, will conclude his campaign at Seoul City Hall Plaza. 2025-06-01 15:46:11 -
Public opinion manipulation allegations roil final days of election SEOUL, June 01 (AJP) - With just two days remaining before South Korea's presidential election, Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung on Sunday accused a far-right group of orchestrating an online campaign to manipulate public opinion in favor of his conservative rival, calling the alleged operation an “insurrection.” Lee urged law enforcement authorities to launch an immediate and thorough investigation into what he described as a "systematic attempt to distort the electoral process." “I firmly believe there is a connection to the People Power Party,” Lee said, referring to the group in question, Rhee Park School — a conservative organization known for promoting the legacies of former Presidents Syngman Rhee and Park Chung-hee. The allegations stem from an investigative report published on May 31 by Newstapa, a nonprofit journalism outlet. The report claimed that Rhee Park School assembled a dedicated team to post politically charged comments on news websites, lauding the People Power Party’s candidate, Kim Moon-soo, while disparaging Lee. According to the report, members of the group were allegedly recruited with promises of after-school instructor certifications, qualifying them to work with elementary school students. The report further alleged that some of those instructors have since been dispatched to schools nationwide, spreading what critics have called “distorted historical views” under the guise of extracurricular education — a program that began under the previous administration of Yoon Suk Yeol. The People Power Party has firmly denied any connection to Rhee Park School or the alleged campaign. “Kim Moon-soo, his campaign office, and the People Power Party have absolutely no relation to this matter,” the party said in a statement. “To suggest otherwise is baseless and irresponsible.” Jang Dong-hyuk, a senior strategist for the PPP, held an emergency news conference in Seoul, accusing the Democratic Party of attempting to sway the election through what he called “sinister schemes.” “The Democratic Party knows the election landscape is unfavorable for them, and so they’re once again resorting to negative campaigning and conspiracy,” Jang said. 2025-06-01 14:20:08 -
Korea's exports slip in May, undermined by US tariffs SEOUL, June 01 (AJP) - South Korea’s exports declined in May, snapping a three-month streak of gains, as shipments to key markets including the United States and China weakened, government data showed Sunday. Exports fell 1.3 percent from a year earlier to $57.3 billion, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The downturn was attributed largely to a sharp drop in shipments to the United States, where the Trump administration’s tariff policies have weighed on South Korean automotive exports. Imports also contracted, falling 5.3 percent year-on-year to $50.3 billion. The resulting trade surplus stood at $6.94 billion. Shipments to the United States slid 8.1 percent to $10 billion, with the automotive sector particularly affected by the administration’s 25 percent tariffs on imported vehicles. Exports to China, South Korea’s largest trading partner, also dropped 8.4 percent to $10.4 billion, amid waning demand for semiconductors and petrochemical products. Deliveries to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations declined 1.3 percent to $10 billion. In contrast, exports to the European Union rose for the third consecutive month, gaining 4 percent year-on-year to reach $6 billion, buoyed by strong demand for automobiles and chips. 2025-06-01 10:02:59 -
Calls grow for certified quality checks on exports amid global used car boom SEOUL, May 30 (AJP) - With the rapid expansion of secondhand vehicles in the global market, there are mounting calls for South Korea to implement quality-certification measures for its exports. In a report released by the Korea Automotive Technology Institute on Friday, the used car market is expected to continue growing, with South Korea having ample potential for exports. Trade volume for used cars in the global market increased by 88.9 percent over the last decade, rising from 5.4 million units in 2010 to 10.2 million units in 2022, driven by economic growth in emerging markets. The country's largest shipments went to Libya with 121,000 units, followed by Kyrgyzstan with 72,000 units, together accounting for 36.2 percent of total exports. By value, Kyrgyzstan ranked first with $1.49 billion, accounting for more than one third or 31.4 percent of the total revenues. The report cited Japan and China as benchmarking cases for quality control, with Japan's used car market valued at 1 trillion yen in 2023 and China seeing an average annual growth rate of 208 percent since 2019. The report stressed the need to secure certified quality assurance through authorized institutions, which also helps gauge demand in emerging markets. The report also proposed building integrated complexes that handle logistics alongside quality checks to improve efficiency and create synergy. 2025-05-30 14:56:42 -
Saltlux unveils new AI agent platform at annual forum SEOUL, May 29 (AJP) -South Korean artificial intelligence company Saltlux introduced its latest suite of AI technologies on Thursday, showcasing ambitions to gain a stronger foothold in the intensifying global AI race. At its 20th annual AI conference, held at GS Tower in Seoul, the company unveiled LUXIA 3, a next-generation AI model comprising three core components: LUXIA3 LLM for language generation and understanding, LUXIA3 Deep for advanced reasoning and decision-making, and LUXIA3 VLM for processing unstructured data. The system, according to company executives, represents a significant step toward autonomous AI capabilities beyond conventional chatbot functions. The centerpiece of the presentation was the official rollout of Goober, Saltlux’s AI agent platform. First previewed in 2024, the platform has since been refined with a faster interface and an expanded feature set, including automated podcast creation and customized content delivery through services like “Weekly Goober” and “Daily Goober,” which push updates to users via email and text. Saltlux highlighted Goober’s “deep research” function, which integrates reasoning and real-time data aggregation to generate analytical reports. The platform is capable of producing documents exceeding 20 pages by synthesizing insights from over 100 high-quality sources, including proprietary research and institutional databases. “AI agents will revolutionize not only how we interact with machines, but how value is created across entire industries,” said Lee Kyung-il, Saltlux’s chief executive, during the keynote address. He warned that automation was already reshaping labor markets, noting that more than 300,000 software developers had been laid off in the United States over the past 18 months due to advances in AI. The conference also featured demonstrations from Diquest, a Saltlux subsidiary, which presented applications of AI agents in content production, customer service, and even emotional communication. In the afternoon, industry partners including Samjong KPMG, translation company DeepL, and AI chipmaker Rebellions shared real-world case studies of Saltlux’s technology in use. Saltlux said full coverage of the event would be made available for streaming on its official YouTube channel. 2025-05-29 17:26:43 -
GM Korea to sell local facilities, reigniting withdrawal concerns SEOUL, May 29 (AJP) - General Motors plans to sell a number of its service centers and underused production facilities in South Korea in a bid to streamline operations, a move that has reignited concerns about the automaker’s long-term commitment to its Korean unit. This came just hours after GM’s U.S. headquarters unveiled a sweeping $888 million investment in its Tonawanda engine plant in Buffalo, N.Y., marking a renewed focus on internal combustion engine production in the United States — and underscoring a stark contrast in strategic priorities across the Pacific. GM Korea informed employees Wednesday that it would begin the sequential sale of nine company-operated service centers across the country. It also plans to dispose of idle assets and underutilized facilities at its sprawling Bupyeong plant, once a cornerstone of GM’s global manufacturing network. “The sale of these assets is intended to maximize the value of underused property and to rationalize loss-making service center operations,” said Hector Villarreal, president of GM’s Asia Pacific and Korea operations. “This is critical to ensuring the sustainability of our operations.” The Korean divestitures stand in sharp relief to the company’s expanding footprint in the U.S. GM’s latest investment will fund the production of its sixth-generation V-8 engines — destined for use in pickup trucks and SUVs — and is expected to create 870 jobs, including 177 roles that had been at risk due to the company’s prior shift toward electric vehicles, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement. GM had initially earmarked $300 million for EV-related production at the same Buffalo-area plant but has since abandoned those plans, signaling a broader pivot back toward gasoline-powered engines amid cooling demand for electric vehicles. Industry analysts say the asymmetry in GM’s global strategy mirrors the company’s track record of exiting less profitable markets. Over the past decade, GM has withdrawn from Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, India, and much of Europe, often shuttering factories or selling operations after profitability waned. In South Korea, the company closed its Gunsan plant in 2019, citing poor performance. More recently, GM sold its stake in Ultium Cells — a battery joint venture with LG Energy Solution — as electric vehicle demand softened. “GM Korea exports more than 90 percent of its output to the U.S., making it essentially a factory that exists for America,” said an industry official who spoke on condition of anonymity. “If U.S. tariff policies diminish its cost advantage, it wouldn’t be surprising if GM decided to withdraw sooner rather than later — despite public denials.” 2025-05-29 14:19:01 -
CJ's billion-dollar bet on culture, cuisine pays off Editor's Note: This article is the 20th installment in our series on Asia's top 100 companies, exploring the strategies, challenges, and innovations driving the region's most influential corporations. SEOUL, May 28 (AJP) - Long before it became a champion of Korean cinema and cuisine, CJ Group began life amid the rubble of war as a modest sugar producer. Today, the company stands as a cultural and economic heavyweight, with its fingerprints on everything from Oscar-winning films to frozen dumplings found in American grocery stores. Founded in 1955 as Cheil Jedang — meaning “first sugar manufacture” — the firm was the first manufacturing subsidiary of Samsung, launched by the conglomerate’s founder, Lee Byung-chul. In its early days, CJ provided critical staples for a country struggling to rebuild after the Korean War, opening South Korea’s first flour mill and a sugar refinery in Busan. Over the ensuing decades, it expanded into artificial seasonings and livestock feed, laying the groundwork for what would become a sprawling empire. The company's transformation took shape in the 1990s, when Cheil Jedang split from Samsung. Under the stewardship of Lee Jay-hyun, a grandson of the Samsung founder, the company formally rebranded as CJ Group in 2002 and began an aggressive diversification campaign. What followed was the birth of a modern Korean conglomerate that would place culture at the center of its global ambitions. “CJ doesn’t just make food or film,” said a company spokesperson. “We aim to export the Korean lifestyle.” Indeed, CJ was instrumental in constructing South Korea’s entertainment infrastructure. It launched CGV, the country’s first multiplex cinema, in 1998, and soon after established a home shopping network. But its most significant move came through a strategic $300 million investment in DreamWorks in the late 1990s. That bet — engineered by Lee Jay-hyun’s sister, Miky Lee — gave the company a front-row seat to Hollywood and the insights needed to bring Korean content to a global stage. That experience culminated in a watershed moment: the global triumph of Parasite, which CJ distributed. The 2019 film, directed by Bong Joon-ho, became the first non-English language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture — a symbol of Korea’s cultural ascent. Through CJ ENM, its entertainment and media arm, the conglomerate now drives much of the Korean Wave, or hallyu. Its Mnet Asian Music Awards — staged in cities like Macau, Singapore, and Hong Kong — claim over one billion global viewers, according to company data. At the same time, CJ CheilJedang, its food subsidiary, has orchestrated a parallel expansion of Korean cuisine. The company identified seven “Global Strategic Products” — mandu (dumplings), cooked rice, chicken, K-sauce, kimchi, dried seaweed, and gimbap rolls — as its culinary emissaries. Between 2017 and 2022, U.S. sales surged from 1.6 trillion won to 8.2 trillion won, with North America now accounting for roughly 80 percent of overseas revenue. CJ has also planted restaurant brands across major cities, including Bibigo, a fast-casual bibimbap concept, and the bakery chain Tous les Jours, which debuted in Los Angeles in 2004 and has since expanded to China and Vietnam. As of 2024, CJ Group reported annual revenue of 43.65 trillion won (approximately $32 billion), making it South Korea’s 13th-largest conglomerate. Its diversified revenue streams reflect the breadth of its business: CJ CheilJedang contributes 44 percent of group earnings, logistics unit CJ Korea Express 27.6 percent, entertainment via CJ ENM 10.4 percent, and health-and-beauty chain Olive Young 9.4 percent. The company’s biotech division, once a global leader in amino acid production for animal feed, is now up for sale — a 6 trillion won divestment that will refocus efforts on newer priorities. CJ’s future ambitions are captured in its “World Best CJ 2030” strategy — a plan to become a global leader in at least three business sectors. To this end, Lee Jay-hyun has pledged 20 trillion won in investments through 2025 across four key pillars: culture, platforms, wellness, and sustainability. That includes 4.3 trillion won allocated to intangible assets such as artificial intelligence and big data. CJ is positioning itself as a meritocratic outlier in a business culture often shaped by age and hierarchy. Lee has promoted a philosophy he calls hagojabi — advancement based on talent, not tenure. The result: roughly 75 percent of the company’s workforce is composed of Millennials and Gen Z, with employees born in the 1990s now making up more than a third of staff. From sugar to cinema, from soybean paste to social platforms, CJ Group’s evolution mirrors South Korea’s own: scrappy, ambitious, and global in outlook. 2025-05-29 09:53:23 -
Leferi's K-beauty pop-up blends influencer power with retail strategy SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - As beauty creator LeoJ looked out over the sleek new pop-up store in Seoul’s fashionable Seongsu neighborhood, he explained his approach to choosing products that balance accessibility with impact. “I tend to choose popular picks that are easy for beginners to use but show dramatic and immediate effects,” said LeoJ, who has 1.41 million subscribers on YouTube and served as one of the co-curators for the store. “We’re targeting people who might find beauty intimidating, or who want to get better at it.” The store — Select Store – THE BEAUTY UNIVERSE — opened on May 22 and marks the largest retail venture to date for Leferi, a Seoul-based beauty retail and creator management company. The 300-square-meter pop-up, which runs through June 1, brings together the influence of three top beauty creators to showcase a curated selection of skincare and makeup products aimed at demystifying the sprawling K-beauty landscape. Founded in 2013, Leferi manages around 800 online creators and has trained over 1,500. Now, with this physical retail concept, the company is attempting to translate the digital trust built by influencers into real-world consumer decisions — at a time when the K-beauty market has become both a global force and an increasingly crowded field. Company chairman Choi In-seok sees creator-driven curation as a necessary filter for an oversaturated industry. “We have 6,000 brands exporting with 150,000 different products,” he said. “Consumers are increasingly asking, ‘What should I buy?’ It’s very similar to wine — when you enter a wine store, everything is written in French and you ask the staff.” With beauty creators as de facto sommeliers, Leferi has developed evaluation tools, certification marks, and printed guidebooks to help consumers navigate. “What we need is for someone to create standards and provide evaluation,” Choi said. “I think creators should do this.” The company’s ambitions extend well beyond Seoul. In October, Leferi plans to open a 500-square-meter flagship store in Tokyo’s Omotesando, across from @cosme Tokyo, Japan’s largest beauty retailer. “We’re targeting the most expensive spot in Japan,” Choi said, noting the space is typically reserved for high-end luxury brands. Leferi’s international strategy reflects South Korea’s growing dominance in beauty exports, which hit $10 billion last year. But success abroad, Choi argues, requires more than just volume. “If K-beauty can’t reach France, it will eventually peak and decline or continue competing in the mid-to-low price market,” he said, identifying Europe as the ultimate proving ground for Korean brands’ premium potential. Leferi operates on a membership-based model, charging participating brands fees that cover store operations, influencer marketing, and promotions. Roughly 30 to 40 percent of visitors to the Seoul store are international customers, with Chinese tourists making up about half of that group. 2025-05-27 16:27:49 -
South Korea probes Chinese solar inverters amid security concerns SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - The South Korean government has launched a review of the nation’s solar inverter market as concerns mount globally over the security risks posed by Chinese-made energy equipment. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Tuesday that it convened a meeting last week with major domestic solar companies — including Hanwha Q Cells, Hyundai Energy Solutions, and Hyosung Heavy Industries — to assess the state of the country’s solar inverter sector. Solar inverters, which convert direct current electricity from solar panels into alternating current for homes, factories, and the grid, are often referred to as the “brains” of solar systems. Their remote connectivity makes them both essential and potentially vulnerable to cybersecurity threats. Alarm bells have been ringing in the United States and Europe after investigators uncovered unlisted communication modules embedded in Chinese-manufactured inverters — raising fears that such devices could be exploited for espionage or sabotage. U.S. officials have warned that compromised inverters could be used to disrupt power grids or leak sensitive operational data. Those concerns are especially acute in South Korea, where Chinese brands dominate the market. Industry sources estimate that 90 to 95 percent of inverters deployed in the country originate from Chinese manufacturers. “There is growing unease about potential vulnerabilities in our power grid,” said one industry source who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. In Europe, similar fears have surfaced following recent large-scale blackouts in Spain and Portugal. Though investigations are ongoing, some cybersecurity experts have pointed to possible links between foreign-made inverters and the outages. In a related move, South Korea’s trade ministry announced it would, for the first time, incorporate cybersecurity and domestic supply chain considerations into the evaluation process for offshore wind power projects. Under the new criteria, companies will receive higher scores for using domestically produced components and technologies — a shift aimed at reducing reliance on foreign equipment while bolstering grid resilience. The revised assessment will also weigh the stability of energy generation and supply, placing greater emphasis on national security in the country’s energy transition. 2025-05-27 16:10:54 -
LG unveils eco-friendly 'Marine Glass' to restore ocean ecosystems SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - LG Electronics announced Tuesday that it has developed a new functional glass material, dubbed “Marine Glass,” intended to foster the growth of marine organisms and aid in the restoration of ocean ecosystems. The firm has signed a partnership with the Blue Carbon Business Group at Seoul National University to launch pilot projects employing the innovative, water-soluble glass powder. According to LG, Marine Glass dissolves in seawater, gradually releasing mineral ions that act as nutrients for seaweed and microalgae — key players in blue carbon ecosystems. These ecosystems are considered highly effective in capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide, offering potential climate mitigation benefits that exceed those of terrestrial environments. The company said it has spent more than six years developing the technology, which allows precise control over the rate and concentration of mineral dissolution. The material can be produced in various forms, including dense spherical beads engineered to remain in place in fast-moving currents, as well as flat chips designed to cultivate concentrated underwater forests. “Marine Glass is a milestone in demonstrating how advanced materials can serve environmental restoration,” said Paek Seung-tae, head of LG’s Kitchen Solution Business Division. “This agreement marks the first step toward validating the technology’s capabilities and exploring its diverse applications.” Beyond its ecological promise, the technology presents commercial opportunities. Marine microalgae, which could benefit from Marine Glass, are used in pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, and biomass-based energy production. LG has filed more than 400 patents related to its glass powder technology and currently operates a facility with an annual production capacity of 4,500 tons at its Smart Park in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. The company has previously brought other functional materials to market, including an antibacterial product called PuroTec, launched in 2023 in countries such as Vietnam and India. 2025-05-27 15:28:42