Journalist
Kim Dong Young
davekim0807@ajupress.com
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Game developer Krafton posts robust revenue in Q3 SEOUL, November 4 (AJP) - Game developer Krafton has posted a hefty 870.6 billion Korean won (US$605 million) in its third-quarter revenues, up 21 percent from a year earlier, driven by robust growth in its PC and mobile gaming operations. According to a regulatory filing released on Tuesday, the maker of "PUBG: Battlegrounds" saw its quarterly operating profit rise 7.5 percent year-on-year to 348.6 billion won. The strong quarterly performance pushed nine-month cumulative operating profit to a record 1.05 trillion won, the first time the company has surpassed the 1 trillion won milestone since its founding. Krafton attributed the surge to its PC platform, with revenue surging 29 percent year-on-year to hit a quarterly record of 353.9 billion won, fueled by the popularity of the PUBG franchise and various collaborations with popular artists and auto brands. Its mobile division also generated 488.5 billion won, largely due to record performance from the Battlegrounds series, exclusively available in India. To grow its popular battle royale game, the developer plans to expand ongoing IP collaborations and upgrade it into a next-generation platform with a new game engine and more diverse, user-engaging content. Krafton is also working on about a dozen new projects, with plans to unveil "Palworld Mobile" at the annual G-STAR gaming exhibition in Busan, slated for Nov. 13. "We will continue to strengthen our specialized capabilities while expanding our IP lineup across various genres," Krafton said. It added that it is building a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) cluster worth 100 billion won and developing a 500-billion-parameter foundation model in partnership with SK Telecom as part of its strategy to become a leading company in the AI-led era. Even with strong performance, Krafton's shares fell slightly, closing at 279,000 won, down 0.18 percent from the previous session. 2025-11-04 16:48:50 -
POST-APEC: Korea gains major traction in AI push with Nvidia backing SEOUL, November 04 (AJP) - South Korea — once considered a latecomer in the race to artificial intelligence — has rapidly gained global momentum by leading regional governance discussions and securing tens of billions of dollars in investment tied to next-generation chips, hyperscale data centers, and physical AI infrastructure. Its hosting of the APEC Summit and CEO meetings served as a global stage, pulling in top players such as OpenAI, Nvidia, Samsung Electronics, and SK hynix — collectively representing the supply chain powering the AI supercomputing era. South Korea has lined up high-profile commitments worth more than $20 billion across AI data centers, chip supply pipelines, AI agents, and robotics-related platforms over the past two weeks alone. Of that, Nvidia's promised supply of next-generation GPUs — up to 260,000 units — represents nearly $10 billion in hardware firepower, enough to build five to six massive supercomputing centers. During a 20-minute address at the APEC CEO Summit, Nvidia founder Jensen Huang said the reservation of Blackwell-generation GPUs for Korea reflects his "deep confidence" in the country's future in AI. "Korea has the software expertise, deep technical capability, and manufacturing capability to become a powerhouse in AI and robotics," Huang said. Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman also announced plans to invest over $5 billion in Korea by 2031 to expand AI-related cloud infrastructure. He held separate talks with the chiefs of Lotte Group, GS Group and LG Electronics to discuss enterprise cloud acceleration. Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT additionally signed an MoU with the United States on cooperation in AI, next-generation communications, biotechnology, quantum science and space. As host, South Korea secured a consensus among all 21 APEC member economies to adopt the APEC AI Initiative — the first collective AI framework proposed within the group. Member countries agreed to cooperate on safe AI transformation, with public, private and academic sectors jointly developing infrastructure and governance guidelines. The momentum is striking given that Korea only enacted its basic AI law last year. President Lee Jae Myung, who took office in June, has been aggressively positioning Korea at the forefront of AI governance and industrial adoption. In his budget pitch at the National Assembly Tuesday, he called next year's spending plan "Korea's first budget for the AI era," allocating 10.1 trillion won for AI — more than triple this year's level. Lee plans to invest 6 trillion won over five years in AI transformation across robotics, automobiles, shipbuilding, semiconductors, appliances and smart factories. The government will also expand AI use in public services, train 11,000 advanced AI specialists, and support nationwide adoption of AI skills for all citizens. Huang's commitment of 260,000 GPUs — a dramatic increase from Korea's current stock below 100,000 — could fundamentally reshape the country's AI compute landscape. The GPU, often described as the "crude oil of the AI age," is the primary power source for model training, inference and physical AI applications. The Nvidia supply alone, estimated at over $7 billion, gives Korean tech companies a rare opportunity to turbocharge domestic AI model development and platform competitiveness. OpenAI echoed that sentiment in an Oct. 23 report: "With its world-class technology ecosystem, strong industrial and digital infrastructure, and globally respected talent, Korea has all the foundations to become one of the next great AI powerhouses." Despite the optimism, Korea's AI trajectory faces potential geopolitical headwinds. In a CBS interview aired Nov. 2, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested he could restrict Nvidia's Blackwell chips from being exported outside the United States. "We don't give the Blackwell chip to other people," Trump said. The comment was directed at China, but experts warn the timing — coming just days after Nvidia's large-scale commitment to Korea — could raise uncertainty over future export rules or licensing conditions. 2025-11-04 15:35:31 -
SK brings global tech giants as well as Korean startups in AI agent ecosystem SEOUL, November 03 (AJP) - SK Group, chip-strong and central to South Korea's AI ambitions through alliances with global leaders such as Nvidia, OpenAI and Amazon Web Services, is positioning itself as a front-runner in the emerging field of AI agent services by leveraging its strengths in high-performance memory chips, wireless networks and hyperscale data-center technologies. "AI is no longer a competition of scale, but a competition of efficiency. This paradigm shift is essential," SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won said Monday at the opening of the conglomerate's annual AI summit for 2025. More than 30,000 attendees filled Seoul's COEX convention center, reflecting the intensity of AI investment and interest in Korea and signaling a broader shift toward autonomous Agent AI systems that require far more computing power than current AI applications. OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, appearing via video message, highlighted the expanding partnership with SK, under which the Korean group's chip unit will supply 900,000 high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips each month for the Stargate AI infrastructure project. Chey pointed to the maturation of inference models, accelerating business-to-business AI adoption, the rise of Agent AI, and intensifying sovereign AI competition as the four forces driving today's explosive computing demand. Global data-center investment reached $600 billion this year, he said, growing about 24 percent annually for the past five years. To ease chip supply bottlenecks, SK hynix is expanding production capacity at its Gwangju facility and pressing ahead with the Yongin semiconductor cluster, scheduled to begin operations in 2027. Each fab at Yongin will have roughly six times the capacity of the company's Cheongju M15X facility, Chey said. At the infrastructure layer, SK is building AI-optimized data centers in Ulsan with Amazon Web Services and in Korea's southwest region with OpenAI. "We are seeking the most efficient and ideal AI infrastructure structure," he said. Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy, in a video address, called SK a key partner in advancing global AI solutions, adding that performance improvements in semiconductors are becoming increasingly vital to building next-generation infrastructure. On the sidelines of the summit, universities and startups showcased Agent AI applications ranging from accessibility services to early childhood development. Chung-Ang University demonstrated an AI assistant that helps elderly and disabled users navigate restaurant kiosks by analyzing interfaces and presenting simplified choices. Yonsei University presented A-Eye, a walking-assistance service for the visually impaired that analyzes video input and provides real-time directions such as warning of obstacles or suggesting safe paths. Startup Todak Todac unveiled diagnostic tools that monitor muscle development, social interaction and cognitive patterns in young children, with plans to connect families to counselors for further support. SK stressed that it does not intend to compete with its partners but instead aims to create collaborative AI business opportunities. The group is already applying AI inside its manufacturing operations, including efforts to develop a fully autonomous memory-chip production system using Nvidia's Omniverse simulation platform. The summit also featured presentations from Nvidia's Tim Costa on next-generation semiconductor design, Kakao chief executive Chung Shin-a on sustainable AI agent development, and Anthropic co-founder Ben Mann on building safe and trustworthy AI systems. SK Group said it aims to contribute to building a Korean AI ecosystem that supports the government's goal of becoming one of the world's top three AI powers, with a focus on semiconductors, infrastructure and AI model development through partnerships with domestic and international companies. 2025-11-03 14:57:58 -
Nvidia to supply 260,000 GPUs to South Korea in sweeping AI partnership SEOUL, October 31 (AJP) - Nvidia has unveiled a sweeping initiative to deploy about 260,000 advanced graphics processing units to South Korea, partnering with the government and four major corporations in a deal valued at up to 14 trillion won ($10.5 billion), the company disclosed Friday. The chipmaker said it will work with Samsung Electronics, SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group and Naver Cloud to build what it terms "AI factories" across the Asian nation, marking one of its most ambitious sovereign AI infrastructure projects to date. "Korea's leadership in technology and manufacturing positions it at the heart of the AI industrial revolution — where accelerated computing infrastructure becomes as vital as power grids and broadband," said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, during the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit held in Gyeongju. "Just as Korea's physical factories have inspired the world with sophisticated ships, cars, chips and electronics, the nation can now produce intelligence as a new export that will drive global transformation." Under the arrangement, the South Korean government will secure up to 50,000 GPUs to support corporate AI development. Samsung, SK Group and Hyundai Motor will each receive up to 50,000 units, while Naver Cloud will obtain 60,000 processors. The deployment will expand South Korea's total AI GPU inventory from 65,000 to more than 300,000 units, the partnership extending beyond hardware supply to encompass platform collaboration. The Korean companies will leverage Nvidia's software ecosystem, including its Nemotron language models and CUDA-X computing platform, to develop digital twins that enhance semiconductor manufacturing speed and yields. Samsung plans to construct what Nvidia described as the industry's largest "semiconductor AI factory" equipped with 50,000 GPUs, while SK Group will focus on semiconductor research, cloud infrastructure and AI agent development. Hyundai Motor will build an AI factory for autonomous vehicles, smart manufacturing and robotics, with the Korean government co-investing $3 billion in physical AI expansion. The GPUs, primarily featuring Nvidia's latest GB200 Grace Blackwell architecture with some RTX 6000 series processors, face tight global supply constraints. Nvidia said it would prioritize allocation to ensure Korean entities receive priority access to the scarce chips. 2025-11-01 05:00:43 -
LG Chem posts 43% jump in Q3 operating profit on cost cuts, battery unit recovery SEOUL, October 31 (AJP) - South Korea's LG Chem reported a 42.6 percent quarter-on-quarter increase in operating profit for the third quarter on Friday, driven by its battery unit's improved performance and company-wide cost reduction efforts despite sluggish global demand. The chemical giant posted an operating profit of 679.7 billion won (around $476 million) for the July to September period, up 38.9 percent from a year earlier, while revenue fell 1.9 percent to 11.2 trillion won. LG Energy Solution, its battery-making subsidiary, contributed 601.3 billion won in operating profit with revenue of 5.7 trillion won. Operating profit grew by 34.1 percent year-on-year, while revenue fell 17.1 percent during the same period. "In the third quarter, we delivered improved earnings through growth across our diverse business portfolio, including the petrochemical division's return to profit, receipt of upfront payments from life sciences license-outs, and LG Energy Solution's performance improvement, as well as cost reduction activities along the entire value chain," Chief Financial Officer Cha Dong-seok said. "While challenging business conditions will persist due to weak global demand, we will overcome these difficult times by accelerating our shift toward a high-value, high-profit business portfolio and through new business development and operational optimization activities." Shares of LG Chem closed Friday 1.85 percent lower at 397,500 won. 2025-10-31 17:03:54 -
Korean tech giants vie to win attention with latest innovations at APEC GYEONGJU, October 30 (AJP) - A trifold handset stole the limelight as South Korean tech heavyweights vied to impress global visitors with next-generation technologies showcased across the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit venue in Gyeongju. All the familiar Korean corporate names — Samsung Group, SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group and LG Electronics — mounted large-scale exhibitions at the Expo Park on Thursday, effectively offering a preview of what they may unveil at next year’s CES. Samsung Electronics drew the biggest crowds. Visitors passing through the company’s hypnotic digital columns were led into a hall of new foldables — the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 — and teased with a prototype "Tri-fold Phone." Resembling the latest Fold7 when shut, the unnamed model measures roughly 1.2 to 1.5 centimeters in thickness and expands to around 10 inches when fully unfolded. A company official said the device was "fully operational and market-ready," but declined to specify its launch schedule or price. Samsung's "Art Cube" installation also showcased curated works displayed on premium micro-LED panels, created in collaboration with artists Lee Kun-yong, Aerosyn-Lex Mestrovic, Saya Woolfalk, and Marc Dennis, delivering a fully immersive digital experience. SK Group emphasized the hardware backbone of the AI era. Its pavilion featured next-generation liquid cooling systems for energy storage, capable of partial cooldown, alongside glass substrates for advanced chip packaging expected to boost data-processing speeds by up to 40 percent. Although drained of fluid for safety, drawer-like casings demonstrated how batteries and data servers would be submerged in non-conductive coolants beneath tempered glass layers. A magnified digital model of SK's HBM4 series stood beside the fingernail-sized actual chips. SK Telecom manager Kim Dong-young explained how 12 vertically stacked layers enable the chipset’s exceptional AI performance. Robotics dominated Hyundai Motor Group's exhibition. Compact robotic platforms for logistics and parking-assistance robots capable of maneuvering vehicles in tight spaces showed the group’s expanded ambitions beyond automobiles. An official said a nano-mobility device resembling a wheelchair had already been deployed this year to support patients with physical disabilities or in hospital settings. Hyundai also demonstrated through scaled models how magnetic couplings could enable modular rear units for its purpose-built vehicles (PBVs). Owners could switch between a passenger cabin, pickup-style cargo box or mobile workstation by attaching magnetized modules. The group further laid out its hydrogen roadmap — from production and distribution to mobility solutions spanning land, air and maritime applications. In a nearby pavilion, Hyundai displayed the latest Nexo hydrogen SUV, rolled out in June. LG Electronics constructed a towering chandelier made from 28 transparent "Signature OLED T" units. Arranged in a circular formation, the wireless OLED screens allowed 360-degree viewing. Periodically, panels unfolded to reveal the razor-thin displays, highlighting how high-resolution TVs can now be built into near-invisible structures. Global tech giant Meta also joined the Korean-led showcase, presenting its second-generation AI glasses developed with Ray-Ban. Slightly bulkier than standard eyewear, the frames supported full voice-controlled AI assistance. Commands beginning with "Hey Meta" — such as "Turn on Taylor Swift's Red" — triggered responses through open-ear speakers embedded in both temples. A high-resolution front-facing camera was positioned on the right side, paired with a light-emitting privacy indicator on the left to signal recording. Korean-language support, however, was still under development, a Meta staffer said, noting the need for updates such as Celsius-based temperature readings and integration with apps like KakaoTalk before domestic release. One section of the venue, the K-Business Square, displayed a compressed timeline of South Korea's industrial ascent — from war-torn recovery to manufacturing powerhouse — ending with today’s advanced automation where robotic arms now replace factory-line labor. Gyeongju-themed digital works dotted the venue. A tapering three-tier media pillar paid homage to Seokgatap, the city's iconic Buddhist pagoda, while a hexagonal kaleidoscope tunnel projected shifting Silla-era motifs, including the kingdom's signature smiling roof tiles. Tech startups also added their flair. One popular booth featured an AI sketching robot capable of holding a natural conversation while drawing a caricature in real time with its pen-gripping mechanical hand. 2025-10-30 17:05:51 -
APEC CEO Summit opens in Gyeongju with focus on AI, regional cooperation GYEONGJU, October 29 (AJP) - The CEO Summit as part of as part of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit kicked off on Wednesday in South Korea's southeastern city of Gyeongju, drawing top business leaders and political figures from across the Asia-Pacific region to discuss artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation and sustainable growth. President Lee Jae Myung delivered the opening address at the Gyeongju Arts Center, emphasizing the summit's themes of connectivity, prosperity and innovation as leaders from economies representing 61 percent of global GDP gathered for the two-day forum. "Korea is a cherished American friend and close ally." Trump highlighted plans to revive American shipbuilding through partnership with South Korea. "Today, we're not really building ships and we're going to start. We're going to have a very thriving shipbuilding industry and we're working with South Korea very much," he said. Regarding the Philadelphia Shipyard, Trump said it would become "one of the most successful yards in the world." The CEO summit, themed "Bridge, Business, Beyond," will focus on regional economic integration, AI and digital transformation, sustainability, finance and investment, and bio-health sectors. South Korea's major conglomerate heads attended the opening ceremony, including Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong, Hyundai Motor Group chairman Chung Eui-sun, and LG Group chairman Koo Kwang-mo. SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won, who leads business lobby Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, serves as the summit's chair. International participants include Deloitte CEO David Hill, Google APAC Vice President Simon Kahn, and Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is also among the participants, scheduled to give speech on Friday. 2025-10-29 16:48:59 -
VISUALS: Visitors enjoy taste of Korean culture on sidelines of APEC CEO Summit GYEONGJU, October 29 (AJP) - The APEC CEO Summit Korea 2025 officially launched on Wednesday, inviting esteemed business leaders not only from Korea but from across the globe to discuss pressing global agendas together. Outside the main hall stands a cultural ground dubbed "K-Wave Playground" for foreign delegates to catch a glimpse of Korean culture during the summit event. Standing right in front of the entrance, a skilled musician played the gayageum, a traditional zither with twelve strings. Meanwhile, visitors tried on outfits for Joseon court musicians at the musical instruments booth. "We're quite nervous for this event, but we hope the APEC CEO Summit visitors get to see how Joseon court musicians dressed up," said Shin Ye-won, a 23-year-old volunteer from Goyang. Colorful indigenous Korean paintings decorated walls of the 'K-Art' booth, pictures drawn both by professionals and amateurs alike. "It's the traditional 'Mi,' or beauty of our culture that we wish to share, our paintings drawn in modern-day times yet preserving the spirit of our ancestors," said Woo Sook-ja, a manager from the Korean Institute for Minhwa Research, as she pointed at the vibrant colors on the drawings. A full-spin photo and video station had staff helping guests change into hanbok, traditional Korean wear. "So many enjoyed hanbok, especially the ones we prepared that resemble those of Saja Boys from K-pop Demon Hunters," said Moon Yu-jin, a 25-year-old student participating as a volunteer. In hemisphere-shaped domes, other aspects of traditional Korean culture including hanji, traditional foods, and liquor were also on display. 2025-10-29 16:30:58 -
World Korean business leaders gather in Incheon for economic summit INCHEON, October 27 (AJP) - About 2,000 Korean business leaders from around the globe convened in Incheon for a four-day economic summit aimed at strengthening commercial ties between overseas Korean entrepreneurs and domestic firms. The 2025 Korea Business Expo Incheon opened Monday at Songdo, south of Incheon, drawing about 1,500 Korean businesspeople from abroad and 500 domestic participants including corporate executives and government officials. The four-day convention, running through Oct. 30, marks the largest international economic event since the World Federation of Overseas Korean Traders Associations (World-OKTA) established its headquarters in the port city. Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok welcomed the delegates, highlighting the city's strategic position as a hub for Korean business networks. "Incheon, equipped with world-class airport and port facilities along with cutting-edge industrial infrastructure, will serve as the epicenter of Korean economic activity and the launching pad for K-business globalization," Yoo said at the opening ceremony. The mayor called on participants, including officials from the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and several lawmakers, to forge sustainable partnerships that would enable small and medium-sized enterprises to expand overseas. The Incheon government is leveraging the event to bolster its image as an international business destination. Officials set up promotional booths showcasing the city's industrial capabilities and organized tours of advanced technology companies and global campus facilities for participants. A trade fair featuring 400 domestic companies, including 85 from Incheon, will run from Tuesday through Wednesday at the venue. The exhibitors will showcase products to overseas Korean business owners seeking new commercial opportunities. Inside Halls 1 and 2, Korean sellers were setting up booths, with items varying from cosmetics to heavy equipment for construction. "We already have buyers from ASEAN countries and the Middle East, but we hope to widen the spectrum even further," said Katherine Sung, CEO of foot care cosmetics firm Pedi:all. The convention's program also includes sessions on trade cooperation, investment briefings, a global startup competition and cultural performances. When asked how the convention may overlap with the APEC Summit during a private press conference on the sidelines by AJP, Park Jong-bum, chairman of the World-OKTA, acknowledged concerns but expressed optimism about potential synergies. "Many members live abroad, and several attendees are participating in both APEC and our convention. We expect a multiplier effect," Park said. 2025-10-27 20:30:12 -
Hyundai Motor steps on the gas in Indian foray as US and China turn inward SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) - South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group is accelerating its push into India following last year's landmark $3.3 billion initial public offering of its Indian unit, positioning the country as a central pillar of its global growth strategy amid rising protectionism in the United States and China. "India is a strategic priority in Hyundai's global growth vision. India isn't just important to Hyundai's global strategy — India is Hyundai's global strategy," said Jose Munoz, president of Hyundai Motor, at the 2025 CEO Investor Day held in Mumbai last week. The inclusion of Mumbai in the company's first overseas investor roadshow this year underscores its new focus. Munoz announced that Hyundai plans to invest about 7.2 trillion won — roughly $5 billion — over the next five years, matching its cumulative investment in India over the past three decades. The group plans to introduce 26 new models, including its first hybrid vehicle designed specifically for Indian road and lifestyle conditions, as well as premium models under the Genesis brand. The "India pivot" strategy comes as the world's two largest auto markets, the United States and China, grow increasingly protectionist with contrasting tariff regimes and local subsidy incentives. India, meanwhile, has taken a different course — slashing its goods and services tax (GST) in September to cushion potential shocks from the 50 percent U.S. tariffs. Consumption taxes on small cars were cut from 29 percent to 18 percent, and on large vehicles, including SUVs, from 50 percent to 40 percent. New Delhi has also pledged to reduce import tariffs to 15 percent from 100 percent for automakers investing more than $500 million and launching electric vehicle production within three years. Beyond policy incentives, India's vast population of 1.4 billion and low vehicle ownership rate — just 7.5 percent — make it a "blue ocean" for global automakers. The country now ranks third worldwide in vehicle sales behind China and the U.S., with its electric and hybrid markets expanding rapidly. The government's latest GST 2.0 reforms, which further trimmed small-car taxes by up to 13 percent, are expected to boost consumption even more. India's appeal also lies in its manufacturing competitiveness. According to the International Monetary Fund, India's per capita GDP stood at $2,396 last year — less than one-fifth of China's $13,306 — while its median age of 29.8 years makes it one of the youngest major economies. In contrast, Japan's median age is 49.9, South Korea's 45.5, China's 40.2, and the U.S.'s 38.9. This youthful demographic provides both abundant labor and long-term consumer potential. "Hyundai initially found success in India with compact cars — affordable pricing and reliable after-sales service built strong brand trust," said Lee Soon-cheul, professor at the Department of Indian Studies at Busan University of Foreign Studies. "As India's per capita income rises, car demand will expand further, particularly since public transport infrastructure remains underdeveloped and roads poorly maintained." Hyundai Motor India (HMI), which went public last year in India's largest IPO to date, boasts a net profit margin of 8 to 9 percent — the highest among Hyundai's overseas operations. In September, HMI sold 70,347 vehicles, up 10 percent from a year earlier. SUV sales reached a record 37,313 units, accounting for 72.4 percent of domestic sales, while exports of 18,800 units marked a 33-month high. Sister brand Kia India posted 22,700 sales during the same period, up 15.8 percent. Both Hyundai and Kia are projected to achieve record annual sales in India this year. Production capacity is expanding in step with sales. Hyundai, which currently operates two plants in Chennai, will open a new facility next year in the western city of Pune, adding 250,000 units of annual capacity and pushing its total Indian output above one million vehicles. Industry analysts expect Hyundai's local production to rival that of Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors. In January, the company appointed Tarun Garg as the first Indian chief executive of HMI in its 29-year history — a move credited with sustaining record sales and overseeing the successful IPO. But bumpy roads lie ahead. "India offers affordable yet skilled labor and a vast market for carmakers, but weak infrastructure and tensions between central and state governments may pose difficulties for Korean firms," said Kim Jai-june, professor emeritus at the College of Economics and Commerce at Kookmin University. "Hyundai will also need to navigate shifting environmental regulations, high tax rates, protectionist trade policies, and legal uncertainties in India," Kim added. Despite its rapid growth, India's modest GDP per capita, wide income disparity, and uneven consumer spending continue to limit purchasing power. Industry observers estimate that only about 280 million of India's 1.4 billion people earn more than $10,000 a year — a reminder that while the Indian market is vast, it is far from uniformly affluent. Still, with narrowing options as the U.S. and China turn increasingly inward, Hyundai Motor's best bet for mid-term growth may rest on India’s demographic vitality and reform-driven momentum — a gamble that could define the next chapter of its global expansion. 2025-10-23 15:19:31