Journalist
Kim Dong Young
davekim0807@ajupress.com
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US to cap tariffs on Korean pharmaceuticals at 15 percent SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - The United States has agreed to cap tariffs on South Korean pharmaceutical products at 15 percent, offering welcome relief to an industry that had faced threats of tariffs as high as 100 percent. The commitment was outlined in a joint fact sheet issued Friday (KST) by the White House and South Korea’s presidential office, following last month’s bilateral summit. The document states that Washington will ensure tariffs on Korean pharmaceutical goods do not exceed 15 percent. The agreement is tied to Seoul’s sweeping $350 billion investment plan in the U.S., with $200 billion earmarked for strategic industries and $150 billion for shipbuilding. In return, reciprocal U.S. tariffs on Korean automobiles, parts and other products will be lowered from 25 percent to 15 percent. “We view this as a very positive and fortunate outcome — pharmaceutical goods have been confirmed to receive most-favoured-nation treatment with a 15 percent tariff,” said the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association in a statement. The association noted that while generic drugs will maintain duty-free status, the fact sheet did not mention biosimilars, a gap it said will require monitoring. Likewise, the Korea Biotechnology Industry Organization welcomed the affirmation and said Korean firms were prepared for the worst. “Most domestic pharmaceutical and biotech companies expanding into the U.S. market — such as Celltrion — have taken steps to minimise tariff burdens by establishing contract-manufacturing facilities in the United States, so the impact is expected to be limited,” the organisation said. 2025-11-14 15:53:09 -
HMM's $2.8 billion value slide fuels talk of POSCO takeover SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - HMM's market value has fallen by more than 4 trillion won ($2.8 billion) in the past five months, sharpening speculation that POSCO Holdings could soon move to acquire South Korea's largest container line as the carrier struggles with collapsing freight rates and a steep drop in profits. POSCO signaled last month during its third-quarter earnings call that a potential deal remained in its "early review" phase and that no significant progress had been made. Still, people familiar with the matter say the steelmaker has assembled a heavyweight advisory team — including Samil PwC and Boston Consulting Group — to explore the feasibility of an acquisition. The renewed scrutiny comes as HMM on Thursday posted an earnings shock for the July-to-September period. Operating profit plummeted 80 percent from a year earlier to 296.8 billion won, deepening the decline from the second quarter, when income slipped 64 percent. The carrier blamed the rout on deteriorating global shipping conditions. The Shanghai Containerized Freight Index averaged 1,481 points in the third quarter, down 52 percent from a year earlier, as trade volumes weakened under escalating tariff disputes and a glut of Chinese capacity weighed on prices. HMM said its performance remained "relatively high' in a depressed market, but investors have been unconvinced. The company's shares have dropped 19 percent since mid-June to 19,420 won as of Thursday market closure, erasing roughly 4.5 trillion won in market capitalization and bringing its value to 18.35 trillion won. Analysts see little chance of a rebound as geopolitical tensions and pricing pressure persist. "Global container market rates remain fluid depending on carriers' supply adjustments, with structural limitations to fare increases," said Jung Yeon-seung, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities. "While HMM is diversifying its fleet led by bulk carriers, near-term operating profit recovery will be challenging as container rates stabilize downward." For POSCO, timing may be favorable. HMM's share price now sits nearly 30 percent below the 26,200 won price used in the company's 2.2 trillion won buyback completed in September. Attention is focused on whether the carrier's main shareholder, state-owned Korea Development Bank, will move to divest its stake. POSCO has acknowledged that it is reviewing potential synergies from an acquisition, though KDB has said all options remain open. The Korea Ocean Business Corporation, which holds a similar-sized stake, said it is working to identify a "private" owner for HMM but stressed that discussions remain preliminary. "We alone cannot make any decisions, and we are to cooperate with any decisions made with related government bodies," a KOBC spokesperson said. HMM — formerly Hyundai Merchant Marine — absorbed key assets and the trans-Pacific East Coast route of Hanjin Shipping after its collapse in 2017. KDB owns 35.42 percent of the company and KOBC 35.08 percent, with their combined stakes temporarily diluted during the share buyback before rising again after a retirement of roughly 8.1 percent of outstanding shares. POSCO faces mounting pressures of its own, including weak steel demand, high U.S. tariffs and persistent Chinese dumping. Its fast-growing battery materials division is also pushing forward with diversification amid sluggish electric vehicle sales. The group spends an estimated 3 trillion won annually on logistics to import coal, iron ore and battery materials, and it has argued that an HMM acquisition could lower freight costs while offering a hedge against global supply-chain disruptions. But the idea has met resistance from Korea's shipping industry. The Korea Shipowners' Association and several domestic operators have voiced strong opposition, warning that "if POSCO, whose main business is steel, acquires HMM, not only will professional shipping management become difficult, but the entire Korean shipping industry will face heightened risks should POSCO's business deteriorate." 2025-11-14 14:28:19 -
NCSoft unveils Horizon Steel Frontiers game based on Sony IP SEOUL, November 13 (AJP) - NCSoft unveiled a new multiplayer game based on Sony Interactive Entertainment's popular Horizon franchise at the G-Star 2025 gaming convention on Thursday, marking its first major collaboration on the globally acclaimed intellectual property. The South Korean game developer revealed "Horizon Steel Frontiers," a massively multiplayer online role-playing game that adapts the Horizon universe to mobile devices, at the BEXCO convention center in the southeastern port city. The game represents a departure from the original series' single-player focus, emphasizing teamwork and tactical combat instead. The trailer showcased combat sequences featuring the franchise's signature bows and melee weapons against mechanical creatures, as well as a system allowing dozens of players to ride ground and aerial mounts simultaneously. The game will support cross-platform play between mobile devices and PCs at launch. "This project started from the idea of playing in the attractive Horizon world not alone, but together with others," said Lee Sung-gu, the game's executive producer. The development period has spanned about four years, excluding initial planning, he said. Lee said the game would focus on player-versus-environment gameplay rather than the player-versus-player combat that has dominated NCSoft's previous MMORPGs. The company plans to adopt what he called a "good business model" aligned with global standards, without random loot box mechanics common in Korean MMORPGs. NCSoft is targeting a simultaneous global release in late 2026 or early 2027, Lee said. Further details will be released gradually through the game's official website. During the sidelines of the collaborative preview, NCSoft also showcased other games including "Aion 2," its sequel of the well-acclaimed Aion game from 2008. 2025-11-13 15:53:33 -
Korea's Hyundai Motor Group relies on hybrid relief until EV appetite returns SEOUL, November 13 (AJP) - South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group has largely weathered headwinds from a sluggish electric-vehicle market and unfavorable U.S. tariff conditions by leaning aggressively into hybrid offerings. The group's two marques – Hyundai and Kia – sold 831,933 hybrid vehicles globally in the first nine months of 2025, up 27.2 percent from 654,067 units a year earlier, according to available data. At this pace, annual hybrid sales are projected to surpass 1 million units for the first time. Mid-size sport utility vehicles led the surge. The Tucson Hybrid sold 132,991 units and the Sportage Hybrid 120,054 units through September, rapidly replacing their gasoline counterparts in key markets including the United States and Europe. In exports, Tucson Hybrid sales were more than triple those of its gasoline equivalent. Hyundai said in its third-quarter earnings that robust SUV hybrid demand helped lift its U.S. market share to a record high, with hybrid sales up 3.6 percent on-year in the July–September period. Kia posted a 4.8 percent gain. The shift reflects mounting pressures on automakers from shrinking EV subsidies, higher battery costs, and tariff uncertainty. In the United States, where federal EV tax credits of up to $7,500 were eliminated last month, a wider industry pullback is unfolding. General Motors is reportedly weighing 1,200 job cuts at its Detroit EV plant, Ford Motor is reassessing its plan to build 200,000 EVs next year, and Nissan Motor has postponed the 2028 launch of two EV models. Hyundai halted production of the Genesis GV70 electric model at its Alabama plant and sharply increased output of the Santa Fe Hybrid, whose production jumped more than 140 percent to roughly 62,000 units through September. The automaker also launched the Palisade Hybrid in the U.S. in September. Since debuting in South Korea in April, the model sold 26,930 units through September, outpacing the gasoline version's 18,005 units. Hybrids are typically priced 3 million to 5 million won ($2,038–$3,397) higher than conventional vehicles but command stronger profit margins and face far less consumer resistance than fully electric models. The hybrid Palisade costs more than 5 million won above the gasoline version, yet delivers about 1.45 times greater fuel efficiency. Industry experts view hybrids as a pragmatic bridge during the transition to full electrification. "The biggest reason people prefer hybrid vehicles over electric vehicles is safety concerns. While hybrid vehicles do have batteries, they are comparatively smaller than those in full electric vehicles," said Lee Jae-won, a professor of energy engineering at Dankook University. "Charging remains an issue, as it takes much more time to fully charge an EV than to refuel a gasoline car. Given time, improved infrastructure and institutional support, we still believe electric vehicles will become the new norm," he said. Responding to questions about its hybrid push, Hyundai Motor Group said consumer hesitation around EVs remains strong and that hybrids serve as a necessary intermediate step. "We have been taking incremental steps toward electrification through hybrid vehicles rather than radical changes, and our strategy has aligned well to drive these successful hybrid sales," a Hyundai Motor Group spokesperson said. 2025-11-13 15:02:46 -
Korea's G-Star 2025 loses earlier glow and star names as industry falls into doldrums SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - G-Star 2025, South Korea's annual expo once celebrated for showcasing the country's global gaming prowess, opens Thursday in Busan in a visibly downscaled form that reflects a stagnating blockbuster pipeline and weakening earnings across the industry. The event at Bexco will feature about 3,010 booths, down from 3,359 last year, and will notably miss major players such as Nexon, Pearl Abyss and Smilegate. The subdued tone follows the game industry's grim third-quarter results. Netmarble and Krafton were the only two of the five largest publishers to post modest revenue gains, as Korean companies that once dominated online and mobile gaming now struggle to fend off Chinese rivals amid a lack of major new releases. Korea failed to secure a single spot in the top 10 mobile games by revenue in October, according to Sensor Tower. China's Tencent ranked second, with domestic competitor Century Games taking fifth. NCSoft, which posted an operating loss of 109.2 billion won last year after years of declining users, is mounting an all-in wager on "Aion 2," the massively multiplayer online role-playing game launching Nov. 19. The company is operating 300 booths as the event's main sponsor. "We have considerable confidence internally in Aion 2," NCSoft CEO Park Byung-moo said in a recent earnings call. The game will preserve the original title's aerial combat while expanding player-versus-environment content. The company will also showcase looter-shooter "Cinder City" and three additional titles. Netmarble, last year's Grand Prize winner at the Korea Game Awards, will operate 112 booths with 145 demo stations for titles including "Solo Leveling: Karma" and "Project Evilbane," a cooperative action game receiving its first public demonstration. Krafton will unveil "Palworld Mobile" for the first time, developed by its PUBG Studios using Japanese studio Pocketpair's creature-collection franchise. The firm continues searching for a successor to its aging Battlegrounds franchise, which will have a separate booth run by Kakao Games. Smaller exhibitors will take up much of the remaining space. Webzen will feature its defense game "Gate of Gates" with cosplay models used in recent promotions. Neowiz will demonstrate a spin-off of "Sanabi," a dystopian action-platformer blending Korean cyberpunk aesthetics with narrative gameplay. Gravity plans to exhibit 18 titles, including a new Ragnarok Online project. Amid sour sentiment at home, several major publishers are shifting their focus overseas through the Tokyo Game Show and Gamescom. Pearl Abyss showcased "Crimson Desert" at both Tokyo and Cologne this year but is skipping Busan. Smilegate, which ran a large booth at Tokyo, is participating only in business-to-business meetings at G-Star. Nexon, last year's main sponsor, also attended the Tokyo Game Show but opted out of this year's Busan event. Foreign players are filling part of the void. Blizzard Entertainment is returning after a 12-year absence with an "Overwatch 2" experience zone and will participate in the expo's official esports tournament. Japan's Sega and Bandai Namco Entertainment will operate booths with existing franchises, and game engine developer Unity will also join. "The convention remains one of Korea's premier exhibitions, giving companies a platform to present new products to the public," said Kim Jung-sun, a professor of game content at ChungKang College of Cultural Industries, dismissing arguments about G-Star's decline. "With the proliferation of game festivals and viral marketing channels, participation has become a more strategic choice. G-Star is evolving beyond a platform for game companies — it now serves content creators and related industries as well." 2025-11-12 15:46:19 -
Japanese R-rated anime dominates Korean box office amid drought in Korean cinema SEOUL, November 11 (AJP) - KPop Demon Hunters may have ruled the global animation scene on the small screen, but it is R-rated Japanese anime films that are pulling South Koreans back to the big screen this year. Han Suk-hee, a 27-year-old web novel writer, returned for a second viewing of "Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc" after being "bewitched" by the immersive big-screen experience and its dark, kinetic storytelling. Adapted from Tatsuki Fujimoto's hit manga series, Han said the film captivates far beyond its core anime fanbase. "People come to experience the perfected mise en scène and the lingering aftertaste," he said. "It's not one of those day-to-day films. The beginning, climax, and finale are all stunning." Having read the original comic series and watched the Netflix adaptation, Han joins a wave of avid moviegoers driving the surge in so-called "otaku-genre" films in Korea, as the domestic film pipeline remains in the doldrums. Another Japanese anime sensation, "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle," recently became the highest-grossing Japanese film ever released in Korea. It drew a cumulative 5.63 million viewers as of Tuesday, coming within 30,000 viewers of the year's No. 2 Korean box office title, "My Daughter Is a Zombie." In revenue terms, the Japanese blockbuster has earned 60.4 billion won, more than 7 billion won above the Korean film. "Demon Slayer" also broke the previous Japanese box office record in Korea, surpassing the 5.58 million cumulative viewers set by "Suzume," until now the most successful Japanese release in the local market. Meanwhile, "Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc" recorded 2.97 million cumulative viewers over the Nov. 7 to 9 weekend, overtaking Park Chan-wook's festival-lauded "No Other Choice," which drew 2.93 million viewers. The anime has remained a top performer into its eighth week since opening on Sept. 24, buoyed by strong word-of-mouth and steady advanced ticket sales. Repeat viewings by both curious newcomers and longtime fans continue to fuel its resilience. Industry observers say the two anime films excelled at stoking repeat engagement through post-screening events, brisk sales of film merchandise, and an already solid fanbase built through original comics and globally accessible anime series. Domestic films, facing a thin and uninspired slate, have struggled to defend their home turf. The theatrical slump deepened through November and is extending into December, marking a stark reversal from last year. According to the Korean Film Council's first-half industry report published on July 31, total box office revenue fell 33.2 percent from a year earlier to 407.9 billion won, while total admissions declined 32.5 percent to 42.5 million. Korean films performed even worse. Revenue fell 43.1 percent year on year to 202.3 billion won, and admissions dropped 42.7 percent to 21.36 million. Domestic film revenue share slid 8.8 percentage points to 50 percent, and audience share dropped 9 percentage points to 50.3 percent. The absence of big hits—unlike last year's "Exhuma" and "The Roundup: Punishment," both of which surpassed 10 million admissions—left theaters without strong anchors. Japanese anime, which did not crack Korea's annual top 50 between 2015 and 2020, began gaining traction during the later pandemic years. Four anime titles entered the top 50 in 2021, including "Demon Slayer: Mugen Train" with 2.22 million viewers. By 2023, six titles made the list, led by "Suzume" with 5.58 million and "The First Slam Dunk" with 4.9 million. Many analysts link this shift toward fandom-driven and niche content to the explosive growth of global streaming platforms after the pandemic. Streaming fragmented viewer habits by exposing audiences to a far broader range of global content, enabling more refined personal tastes to emerge. Japanese anime fits neatly into this pattern. Once a subculture sustained by a small group of devoted fans willing to navigate illegal downloads, anime has now entered the mainstream as major titles became easily accessible on platforms like Netflix. Series such as "Demon Slayer" and "Chainsaw Man" are available on virtually every major streaming service operating in Korea. Critics argue Korean cinema fell into complacency, continuing to churn out broadly targeted films that worked before viewing patterns changed. "Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy," released in late July, is a striking example. Despite its source material—a web novel with 2 billion cumulative global views—the adaptation stripped away much of what energized core fans. Strongly rejected by loyal readers, the film attracted only one-sixth of its 6 million break-even target before exiting theaters. 2025-11-11 15:12:06 -
Korean tofu major ventures into Europe, riding on U.S. success and K-food wave SEOUL, November 10 (AJP) - After a decade of pushing its tofu onto American dinner tables, South Korea's leading tofu maker Pulmuone is preparing a full-scale entry into Europe, buoyed by the global rise of K-food and growing demand for plant-based diets across the region. The company said Monday it will establish a European subsidiary in Amsterdam as early as the end of this year and begin sales in France, Germany and Spain, marking its first major expansion into the bloc. "Both companies and consumers showed great interest in our products at SIAL Paris 2024 and the recently concluded ANUGA 2025 in Germany. We've held concrete discussions and even reached agreements with global warehouse discount chains," a company spokesperson said. The timing reflects Europe's accelerating shift toward greener diets. A survey released in May by the Good Food Institute Europe found that 60 percent of respondents in Germany and 56 percent in the UK consume plant-based products at least once a month. While the survey confirmed strong interest in meat alternatives, it also noted that product familiarity and improved taste remain critical for wider adoption. Tofu, already recognized as a protein-rich and versatile food, is expected to benefit from this trend as it makes a broader push into European grocery aisles. Pulmuone's expansion also coincides with a major upgrade of its Ayer, Massachusetts plant, scheduled for completion in the first quarter of next year. The Boston-area facility, buoyed by robust U.S. tofu sales, will more than double its output to 9,000 blocks per hour from 4,500 currently. Products from the expanded plant will supply both North American and European markets. The company is pushing ahead even as its overseas business remains in the red. Pulmuone plans to streamline operations by shedding unprofitable units, including its Chinese subsidiary. At home, tofu consumption has stagnated as the domestic market remains oversaturated. Tofu exports peaked in 2020 at 7,770 tons worth $11.92 million before plunging during the pandemic to less than one-third of that level by 2022. Exports have since recovered to pre-COVID levels, supported by renewed interest in plant-based protein and Korean cuisine. Although several Korean firms export tofu, Pulmuone far outpaces its rivals with dominant overseas sales and holds about 42 percent of the domestic market. Overseas revenue has steadily increased, rising from 11.9 percent of total sales in 2019 to 19.8 percent last year. The company generated 635.1 billion won in overseas sales in 2024. In the United States, Pulmuone controls roughly 75 percent of the tofu market and has maintained its No. 1 position for a decade. Its success has been driven by extensive product localization—eliminating the bean odor disliked by Western consumers while improving freshness through upgraded logistics and cold-chain systems. The company has set a long-term goal of achieving 1 trillion won in U.S. tofu sales, aiming to increase household penetration across the market. "Much of our U.S. tofu is drier and higher in protein, less silky than domestic varieties. We even sell cheese-like mini tofu cubes, as Western consumers tend to dislike the pudding-like texture of Korean tofu," the spokesperson said. Pulmuone plans to apply the same formula in Europe, with high-protein, extra-firm tofu leading its initial lineup. The company is regarded as a pioneer in exporting Korean food culture. It opened its first U.S. tofu plant in Los Angeles in 1995 and now operates factories in Fullerton, California; Tappan and Ayer in New York; two facilities in Beijing; and five plants across Japan. It is also accelerating expansion into Southeast Asia, including Vietnam. 2025-11-10 16:26:57 -
Korean robotics sector battles Chinese and Japanese competition as it bets on AI-driven revival SEOUL, November 07 (AJP) - South Korea's industrial robotics sector is struggling to find a breakthrough as it rapidly loses home ground to Chinese and Japanese rivals and faces the risk of new tariff barriers in the United States. Responding to appeals from domestic manufacturers, the Ministry of Economy and Finance on Thursday announced provisional anti-dumping tariffs of 21.17 percent to 43.6 percent on multi-jointed industrial robots with four or more axes from China and Japan. The duties will apply for four months from Nov. 21 through March 20. The measure marks South Korea's first anti-dumping action on industrial robots in 20 years as the government seeks to shield local producers from "predatory pricing by foreign competitors." Industrial robots account for about half of Korea's 6 trillion won (4 billion dollars) robotics market. Of the country's 2,525 robotics firms, 567 focus on industrial applications, according to late-2024 government data. The duties target major manufacturers including Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Fanuc and Yaskawa Electric, as well as China's Kuka Robotics. The Trade Commission will continue investigations through March 20 before determining final tariff rates. Domestic complaints say foreign companies have been undercutting Korean products by selling 28 percent to 44 percent below market rates. One Korean firm's complaint filed in March 2024 said China's Kuka and Japan's Fanuc sold robots at steep discounts to clear inventory. Chinese and Japanese incursions into Korea's market have intensified pressure on domestic suppliers. Korean industrial robotics makers, led by HD Hyundai Robotics and Yuil Robotics, now command only 30 percent of the home market. Their position is even weaker globally, where China dominates robot installations with 54.4 percent market share, supported by prices 20 percent to 30 percent lower than Korean models and extensive state backing. Even if finalized, the anti-dumping duties offer limited relief as local firms confront a new challenge abroad. Last month, the US Commerce Department launched a Section 232 investigation into whether imports of robots, industrial machinery and medical devices threaten national security. The probe includes industrial robots and other computer-controlled mechanical systems such as stamping, cutting, welding and metalworking equipment. The department will submit recommendations to the White House within 270 days, after which the president will decide on potential tariffs. As a US ally and major supplier of industrial robots, Korea's exports are already governed under the Wassenaar Arrangement, which regulates dual-use technologies among member states. While the agreement makes security threats or improper technology transfers highly unlikely, Korean companies fear that the investigation could delay investments and affect operations. According to industry insiders, LG Electronics, LG Chem and LG Energy Solution recently submitted an opinion paper to the US Commerce Department highlighting risks to their American facilities. The companies wrote: "Robots and industrial machines are core capital goods essential to production." They added: "Applying tariffs or other import restrictions to a wide range of robots and industrial machines could result in unintended negative consequences including cost increases and reduced productivity and efficiency." Other Korean companies have submitted similar filings, including Doosan Robotics, which acquired US robotics solutions firm ONExia last July. Despite mounting challenges, industry leaders see promise in the AI-driven robotics boom. During a visit to Seoul, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang said Korea is best qualified to spearhead the robotics era and pledged to supply 260,000 GPUs to accelerate automation. "Robots are bringing innovation across daily life through convergence with AI, going beyond manufacturing efficiency," said Kim Jin-ho, president of the Korea Association of AI Robot Industry, during opening remarks at Robot World 2025 on Wednesday. "With the expanding role of robots in physical AI and healthcare, the golden age of robotics has arrived." 2025-11-07 14:38:32 -
South Korea's AI and climate goals on collision course SEOUL, November 06 (AJP) - South Korea plans to invest $17 billion by 2030 to build an "AI expressway" and take the lead in the global AI race, a vision strengthened by NVIDIA's pledge to supply next-generation GPUs powerful enough to anchor five hyperscale AI data centers. Yet how the country intends to reconcile this ambition with its climate commitments is increasingly unclear. Under an energy rationalization strategy released this week, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment aims to cut national energy consumption to 211 million tons of oil equivalent (toe) by 2029 from 212 million toe in 2024. Climate Minister Kim Sung-hwan described the shift as the foundation for "a transformation toward a carbon-free green civilization." But the core drivers of Korea's AI goals demand the opposite direction. SK Group and Amazon Web Services are pushing ahead with more than $5 billion in hyperscale data center investments. Each server requires up to four times the power of a conventional unit, while cooling needs run four to ten times higher to sustain heavy GPU workloads. Hyperscale facilities—warehouse-sized sites with upward of 5,000 to over a million servers—consume electricity equivalent to at least 100,000 households. A new facility under construction in Ulsan could demand twenty times that amount, according to industry estimates. "The government's AI roadmap could derail on power shortages," Lee Young-tak, head of SK Telecom's growth support office, warned during a National Assembly forum in September. The numbers suggest a significant mismatch. Korea's total generation capacity is roughly 109 gigawatts. Yet government data show the country will need 732 new data centers by 2029, requiring nearly 49 gigawatts of electricity—almost half of today's available capacity. "That's equivalent to constructing 53 additional nuclear reactors," Lee said, arguing that such risks are absent in current policy planning. These projections do not include NVIDIA's more recent commitment to deliver an additional 260,000 GPUs to Korean customers. People Power Party lawmaker Na Kyung-won noted that each high-end NVIDIA GPU draws roughly 1.4 kilowatts. The total would require around 400 megawatts—demanding dense power racks, advanced liquid-cooling systems, and high-speed networking infrastructure. She estimated this load alone would match the entire annual output of the Shin-Kori Unit 1 or Saewool Unit 1 reactor for six to twelve months. The Yongin semiconductor cluster adds to the strain. Once fully operational, the cluster is expected to require 16 gigawatts, an amount equal to about 60 percent of the combined apparent capacity of the Seoul and Namseoul substations, according to the National Assembly Research Service. Yet Korea's current grid struggles even with existing facilities. Among 318 power system impact assessment requests submitted to Korea Electric Power Corporation since August, only 21 received final approval as of September—a 6.6 percent success rate—according to PPP lawmaker Kim Sung-won. Infrastructure projects face chronic delays as well. A major high-voltage direct current line designed to move surplus power from the East Coast to the Seoul metropolitan area is seven years behind schedule due to local opposition. Transmission bottlenecks have forced coal plants in the Yeongdong region to operate at just 20 to 30 percent capacity despite available supply. Layered onto these constraints is the government's reluctance to expand nuclear power. The energy ministry is pursuing a nuclear reduction policy focused on raising renewable capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2030. The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission has continued to postpone a restart decision for Kori Unit 2, despite the near-completed approval process. Ten large reactors will reach the end of their operating licenses by 2029. Failing to extend those reactors could leave a power gap larger than Seoul’s annual electricity consumption by 2030—just as AI, semiconductor fabrication, and hyperscale data centers place unprecedented stress on the grid. 2025-11-06 16:48:22 -
Korean battery makers seat ESS at the forefront of AI-age global drive SEOUL, November 05 (AJP) - South Korean battery manufacturers are pressing ahead with aggressive global expansion and investment plans despite multiple headwinds - overcapacity worries, rising trade barriers, stalled growth in electric vehicles and China's overwhelming dominance - as they bet on rechargeable batteries becoming the dominant clean-energy infrastructure of the AI age. Top three battery makers are doubling their U.S. production capacity to 600 gigawatt-hours (GWh) annually by end-2026 from about 300 GWh now, even as U.S. EV sales stagnate. Sales reached roughly 607,000 units in the first half of this year, up just 1.5 percent from 597,500 a year earlier, according to Cox Automotive, and the elimination of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit in September is expected to weaken demand further. The financial impact has already begun to show. LG Energy Solution posted third-quarter revenue of 5.7 trillion won ($3.93 billion) with operating profit of 601.3 billion won. Samsung SDI reported revenue of 3.05 trillion won but swung to an operating loss of 591.3 billion won. SK On logged revenue of 1.81 trillion won with an operating loss of 124.8 billion won. Amid the slowdown in EV demand, Korean battery makers are rapidly shifting focus to energy storage systems (ESS), which store electricity generated from solar and wind farms for release during peak demand. The pivot comes as AI data centers require unprecedented and highly stable power loads. According to SNE Research, the global ESS market is projected to expand sixfold from 185 GWh in 2023 to 1,232 GWh by 2035, with the U.S. market also expected to grow sharply as electricity demand surges. China dominates ESS as well, but narrowing access to Chinese batteries under the Trump administration's trade barriers could open opportunities for Korean firms. "The decoupling of the U.S. from China is expected to accelerate in areas with high Chinese dependency such as ESS batteries and graphite, which will serve as an opportunity for Korean battery companies," said Lee Jin-myung, an analyst at Shinhan Securities. LG Energy Solution has already begun converting EV battery lines to ESS production. The company started mass production at its Holland, Michigan plant in June after retooling the facility. The plant now has 16 GWh of capacity, which LG Energy aims to expand to 30 GWh by end-2025. "It could grow beyond 30 GWh," said Kim Dong-myung, president of LG Energy Solution, at an industry event on Oct. 30. The company is reviewing additional conversions. On Monday, LG Energy and Stellantis said their joint venture in Canada will convert some of its nickel manganese cobalt (NCM) battery lines to cheaper lithium iron phosphate (LFP) production for ESS. Samsung SDI has secured substantial ESS orders as well. The company plans to convert its Stellantis joint venture in the United States to ESS production with a target of 30 GWh annual capacity by end-2025. Samsung SDI will also supply Tesla with more than 3 trillion won worth of ESS batteries over three years, delivering about 10 GWh annually starting this year, according to industry sources on Nov. 3. SK On is joining the bandwagon. The company won a 1 GWh ESS supply contract in the United States in September and will convert part of its standalone Georgia plant to meet the order, with additional U.S. lines possibly repurposed depending on demand. Industry experts say Korean firms are preparing for strategies that go beyond ESS, as Chinese batteries remain difficult to beat on price and performance. "With the introduction of cell-to-pack technology, cheap LFP batteries have proven quite competitive against NCM batteries for lower-priced EV models like Tesla's Model 3 or Model Y," said Kim Ki-jae, professor of battery science and engineering at Sungkyunkwan University. He added that Korean manufacturers are working to improve nickel-based batteries to match their cheaper counterparts, with companies such as EcoPro continuing to focus on high-nickel cathodes. "Korean firms could also focus on developing batteries for urban air mobility and robotics. They could really capture significant portions of market share," said Kim. 2025-11-05 16:58:27