TRAVEL: Putrajaya – where modern Malaysia's administrative heart beats KUALA LUMPUR, September 30 (AJP) - Rising from what were once rubber and oil palm plantations, Putrajaya stands as a testament to Malaysia's ambitious modernization. The 4,931-hectare garden city, transformed from former plantations, became Malaysia's federal administrative capital after officially established in 1999. Now just 26 years young, the city prepares to host ASEAN meetings throughout 2025 under Malaysia's chairmanship. Named after Malaysia's first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, Putrajaya derives from Sanskrit – "putra" meaning "son" and "jaya" meaning "victory." The Prime Minister's office moved here in 1999, and today all governmental organizations except the Defense and Public Amenities ministries operate from this meticulously planned district. From atop the hill, Perdana Putra, the Prime Minister's office complex, watches over ministerial buildings that stand just a sidewalk apart. Below Perdana Putra lies Dataran Putra (Putra Square), a 300-meter circular plaza featuring concentric star patterns. The national flag flies from a towering flagpole, surrounded by flags of all 14 Malaysian states. The square's 11 segments form pointed stars symbolizing the original states at independence, while the central fountain represents unity. Distinguished by its magnificent rose-tinted granite dome, Putra Mosque glows pink in the Malaysian sun and accommodates 15,000 worshippers. Its design draws from famous Islamic architecture – the basement wall echoes Casablanca's King Hassan Mosque, while the minaret recalls Baghdad's Sheikh Omar Mosque. Non-Muslim visitors must follow a separate entrance route, with women required to wear provided red robes that completely cover their clothing. Across the governmental landscape stands the revolutionary Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque, known as the "Iron Mosque." Built with 6,000 tons of reinforced steel comprising 70 percent of its structure, it accommodates 24,000 worshippers in an area twice that of Putra Mosque. Breaking from tradition, it features no minaret but employs cutting-edge Gas District Cooling technology and natural ventilation through steel lattice screens, eliminating the need for fans or air conditioning. 2025-09-30 13:50:36

Seoul to enshrine 'right to be forgotten' as AI deepfake crimes persist SEOUL, September 26 (AJP) - South Korea is moving to include the "right to be forgotten" as a core privacy protection for youths targeted by deepfake pornography as AI-generated sexual crimes proliferate. The Personal Information Protection Commission this week announced new measures to safeguard personal data in the AI era. These include giving minors the right to demand deletion of online posts made during adolescence and barring individuals with criminal records from sensitive roles such as CCTV monitoring. The initiative reflects widening gaps in victim protection as generative AI tools become increasingly accessible on platforms including Google's Gemini. A presidential committee is working to establish a legal basis for victims to demand removal of AI-synthesized content. Deepfakes—digitally altered images or videos that make a person appear to be someone else—are being weaponized in non-consensual sexual material and disinformation. Despite government crackdowns, takedown orders for deepfake sex crime videos continue to climb, according to data from the Korea Communications Standards Commission cited by ruling People Power Party lawmaker Park Chung-kwon. Public alarm spiked last year after explicit AI-generated images of women and girls flooded platforms such as Telegram, triggering rare police investigations. Yet enforcement remains weak: of 964 deepfake-related sex crime cases reported between January and October 2024, Seoul police made only 23 arrests. Lawmakers are advancing parallel bills. On Sept. 11, Democratic Party legislator Huh Young introduced an amendment to sexual assault laws, warning that "the rapid advancement of AI technology has made it possible for anyone to create human images indistinguishable from reality, but this technology is being misused to produce fake sexual content that causes shame and disgust, emerging as a serious social problem." His proposal would criminalize AI-generated sexual content regardless of whether it depicts a real individual, closing a major loophole. But AI developers warn the draft is overly broad and risks stifling legitimate innovation. Experts say cheap, user-friendly AI services are fueling abuse. "As AI services get cheaper through market competition, more users are piling in—and among them, malicious users are growing," said Park Un-il, professor of AI utilization and data science at Sungkyunkwan University. "Deepfake pornography is becoming disturbingly common nowadays." Recent incidents highlight that ease of access. Incheon police on Thursday reported investigating a high school student accused of using AI to superimpose sexual images onto photos of four classmates and sharing them online. Advocates say such cases underscore the need for enforceable "forgetting rights," since traditional policing cannot keep pace with the speed and scale of AI content. "It's not the technology that should be blamed—it's the people misusing it," Park added. "AI is still in its infancy, and most content lacks copyright protection because responsibility is hard to assign. Korea needs expert teams to craft precise regulations for generative AI." 2025-09-26 17:05:39

HMM races toward net-zero as privatization battle looms Editor's Note: This article is the 37th installment in our series on Asia's top 100 companies, exploring the strategies, challenges, and innovations driving the region's most influential corporations. SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - South Korea's state-run sea carrier HMM is betting big on clean fuel, digitalized fleet management, and business diversification as it navigates a turbulent freight cycle and an uncertain privatization push. On Sept. 12, HMM signed a 10-year transportation contract with Brazil's mining giant Vale worth 430 billion won ($310 million), its second major deal with the company this year. The agreement, running from 2026 to 2036, will deploy five vessels to ship iron ore, building on a 636 billion won deal inked in May. The back-to-back contracts highlight HMM's pivot beyond everyday container shipping toward bulk cargo, a strategy that has cushioned volatility in freight markets while making the company more attractive as an acquisition target. Shipping tailwinds, market headwinds South Korea's shipbuilding industry is bracing for an earlier-than-expected super cycle, driven by record orders for LNG carriers and floating production facilities. The government's proposed Korea-U.S. shipbuilding partnership, dubbed the "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again (MASGA)" initiative, is further boosting sentiment. But freight oversupply clouds the outlook. "Shipping fares had a brief spike in May after tariff suspensions between the U.S. and China, but rates are now trending downward," said Choi Ji-yun, analyst at Yuanta Securities Korea. "With backlogs now covering more than 30 percent of the global container fleet, supply is overwhelming demand. Freight rates will remain under pressure, and HMM cannot avoid the impact." Despite market headwinds, HMM is pressing ahead with its modernization program. The company is scheduled to take delivery of seven methanol-powered 9,000-TEU container ships between late 2025 and mid-2026. "Since 2020, all newly built vessels have been designed as smart ships," an HMM spokesperson said. "Roughly 10,000 sensors on each ship transmit real-time data to our integrated operations center, enabling safe voyage planning and big-data analysis for fuel and route optimization." Existing ships are also being retrofitted with digital systems as part of a broader push for efficiency and carbon reduction. HMM has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045 — five years ahead of the global maritime industry's 2050 goal. In September 2024, it announced a 14.4 trillion won ($10.4 billion) investment plan through 2030, with 60 percent earmarked for green initiatives such as alternative fuels and electrification. The company is exploring ammonia and hydrogen as next-generation fuel sources. It is also expanding its bulk fleet, with 13 new carriers entering service in stages — including seven car and truck carriers, four multipurpose ships, and two MR tankers. Strategic acquisitions of second-hand vessels are also under review. From state rescue to national champion Founded in 1976 as Asia Merchant Marine, the company began with just three crude carriers before rebranding as Hyundai Merchant Marine in 1983. After rapid expansion, HMM was hit hard by the global financial crisis and eventually fell under state control in 2016 when the Korea Development Bank (KDB) became the largest shareholder. In 2017, HMM absorbed assets from bankrupt rival Hanjin Shipping, cementing its position as Korea's flagship carrier. It rebranded as HMM in 2020. Ownership, however, remains unsettled. A 2023 privatization bid collapsed after food-to-shipping conglomerate Harim Group withdrew. Once HMM completes its 2.2 trillion won stock buyback this month, state shareholders KDB and the Korea Ocean Business Corporation will hold just over 30 percent, opening the door to a new auction. POSCO Group has emerged as a likely contender. Industry watchers say the steelmaker would benefit from a dedicated shipping arm to secure stable transport of iron ore and coal. "HMM's growing pivot toward bulk shipping aligns naturally with POSCO's raw material needs," said Jang Woon-jae, professor of maritime transportation science at Mokpo National University. "But private shareholders must recognize that HMM's large vessels are obliged to operate even when demand is weak — volatility is built into the business." As HMM pushes toward a green future while its ownership remains up for grabs, the company finds itself straddling two identities: a vital national strategic asset and a prize in Korea's evolving industrial landscape. 2025-09-25 15:13:26

BlackRock's Samsung stake surpasses Lee family as KOSPI soars SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics Co. remains a top pick for BlackRock Inc., which has reaped outsized gains from its bullish bet on the KOSPI — this year's best-performing major equity index globally. The world's largest asset manager now holds a larger stake in Korea's chip titan than the controlling Lee family. BlackRock owns 5.07 percent of Samsung Electronics, a position valued at 25.4 trillion won ($18.1 billion) based on Tuesday's closing price of 85,400 won per share. By comparison, the combined holdings of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and other Samsung family members are worth 24.6 trillion won. In its latest disclosure to the Financial Supervisory Service, BlackRock reported ownership of more than 5 percent in 10 listed companies, including Korea's four major financial holding groups, representing 1.1 percent of total KOSPI market capitalization. Crossing the 5 percent threshold grants the firm voting rights in shareholder decisions. During the 2024 to 2025 proxy season, BlackRock Fund Advisors supported about 89 percent of management proposals but backed only 90 percent of director appointments, signaling more assertive shareholder engagement, particularly on board independence. The U.S. asset manager has also drawn attention in Korea by signing a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Science and ICT on artificial intelligence investment — a move that could lead to multibillion-dollar projects in the country. 2025-09-25 11:36:19

South Korean shipbuilders surge on hopes of early industry super cycle SEOUL, September 24 (AJP) - South Korea’s shipbuilding companies are bracing for what could be an earlier-than-expected industry super cycle, as surging orders for high-margin vessels and prospects of collaboration with the United States fuel investor optimism. The combined market capitalization of HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, Hanwha Ocean and Samsung Heavy Industries has more than doubled this year, reaching 92.1 trillion won (about $66 billion) as of Sept. 24, up from 37.9 trillion won at the start of the year, according to data from the Korea Exchange. The 142 percent surge reflects mounting bets that the industry’s third super cycle could arrive well before the widely anticipated 2033 timeline. Shipbuilding cycles typically recur every three decades, driven by the replacement of aging fleets. This time, however, the acceleration is being propelled by a rush of orders for liquefied natural gas carriers and floating LNG production facilities — vessels that command significantly higher margins than conventional cargo ships. Backlogs at South Korea’s top yards already stretch at least three years. Samsung Heavy secured 2.1 trillion won in LNG carrier orders from an Oceania-based owner last month, while Hanwha Ocean signed a 350 billion won contract with a North American client in September. Adding to the momentum is a proposed Korea-U.S. partnership, dubbed the “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again” initiative, or MASGA, which envisions sweeping investments in new American shipyards, joint workforce training and maintenance contracts pairing South Korean companies with U.S. personnel to service Navy vessels. Hanwha Ocean has already announced $700 million in additional investment in its Philadelphia shipyard, aiming to boost annual production capacity from 1.5 vessels to more than 10 by 2035. HD Korea Shipbuilding is preparing to merge two subsidiaries by year’s end to strengthen its naval capabilities, while Samsung Heavy has forged a strategic partnership with U.S.-based Vigor Marine Group. Operating profits for the three builders surged 102 percent to 2.77 trillion won in the first half compared with a year earlier, underscoring the strength of the current upturn. Still, uncertainties loom. The MASGA plan faces hurdles, including stalled negotiations over a proposed $350 billion investment fund, questions about concrete U.S. vessel orders and potential shifts in American trade policy. Recent immigration enforcement actions against Korean workers in Georgia have also complicated labor deployment, adding another layer of risk to an otherwise bullish outlook. 2025-09-24 15:28:31

Kakao deploys ChatGPT to defend ubiquitous rank among Koreans SEOUL, September 24 (AJP) - Kakao Corp., South Korea's dominant messaging platform, announced the most sweeping overhaul in KakaoTalk's 15-year history on Tuesday, unveiling plans to embed OpenAI's ChatGPT directly into the app in a bid to restore public trust after a series of scandals and to sharpen its edge against both domestic and global competitors. The integration, revealed at the company's annual if(Kakao)25 conference in Yongin, will launch in October and represents the first direct collaboration of its kind worldwide. Users will be able to access OpenAI's latest GPT-5 model seamlessly within KakaoTalk without downloading a separate application, enabling AI-powered conversations alongside everyday messaging. "This magnitude of change is unprecedented in KakaoTalk's history," said Kakao CEO Chung Shin-a. "We are demonstrating our commitment to respond swiftly to user demands while embracing the transformative power of AI." The move underscores Kakao's urgency to reinvent itself as an AI-powered super app in South Korea's increasingly competitive digital arena, where rival Naver has steadily expanded its dominance across search, e-commerce, webtoons, and digital payments. "By bringing ChatGPT into KakaoTalk, an app that nearly all Koreans use daily, we are embedding world-class AI into the lives of people across the nation," said Oliver Jay, OpenAI's international managing director. KakaoTalk counts 49.1 million monthly active users, covering more than 90 percent of South Korea's population. AI Aid Across Kakao Services Beyond chatbot functionality, Kakao is building "agent AI" that connects ChatGPT with its ecosystem of services. For instance, users asking for driving music will receive curated playlists from Melon, its music streaming arm, without leaving KakaoTalk. The overhaul also brings Instagram-style feeds to the Friends tab, new organizational tools such as chat room folders, extended message editing up to 24 hours, and AI-powered voice call summaries. Complementing the OpenAI partnership, Kakao introduced Kanana, its own on-device AI model with 1.3 billion parameters, designed to grasp Korean conversational nuance and provide context-aware suggestions. The lightweight model can be downloaded in 18 seconds over Wi-Fi, enabling features to run directly on user devices without cloud reliance. Analysts welcomed the transformation. "KakaoTalk is expected to grow meaningfully as the world’s first messenger-based AI super app," said Choi Seung-ho of DS Investment & Securities. "Short-form content will be a key driver of user retention, while Kakao's AI service integration already outpaces global messenger peers." Kim Jin-gu of Kiwoom Securities added that ChatGPT subscriptions would strengthen data integration and accelerate the development of autonomous agents. Kakao's strategy comes as global tech giants race to bring AI deeper into consumer platforms. On the same day, Google Play introduced a new entertainment-dedicated space in South Korea with Gemini-powered gaming support, highlighting how major players are rushing to anchor user experiences in AI. Shares of Kakao closed Wednesday 0.79 percent lower at 62,800 won. 2025-09-24 12:42:45

Celltrion shares jump on deal to acquire Eli Lilly and fend off US tariff risks SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - South Korean biopharmaceutical company Celltrion's shares surged upon a major M&A deal in the United States, setting the contract-based drug maker better positioned against U.S. tariff exposure. The company said on Tuesday its U.S. operation signed a deal to acquire Eli Lilly's biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Branchburg, New Jersey for about 460 billion won ($330 million), with an aim to close the deal by the end of the year. Shares of Celltrion closed Tuesday 8.93 percent higher at 184,200 won. The facility operates as a ready-to-use biopharmaceutical drug substance current good manufacturing practice production site, allowing immediate operations and significantly reducing the five-year timeline and trillion-won costs typically required for new plant construction. The deal includes full employment transfer of experienced local staff. Celltrion also signed a contract manufacturing agreement with Lilly to supply drug substances from the facility, providing revenue growth and early investment recovery opportunities while establishing a complete local supply chain from production to sales in the U.S. market. 2025-09-23 15:35:11

Seoul's AI initiative gains BlackRock support SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - South Korea is making strides in the race for artificial intelligence (AI) supremacy as it brings on U.S. funding to back its initiative to become the Asia-Pacific hub of the big data economy. Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT signed a memorandum of understanding with BlackRock on a global partnership in the AI industry on the sidelines of President Lee Jae Myung's meeting with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink in New York on Monday (local time). The MOU calls for cooperation on building infrastructure to meet rising AI demand, renewable energy initiatives, and a comprehensive approach to expanding AI capabilities, underscoring the confidence of the world’s largest asset manager with $12.5 trillion under management in Korea's state initiative and potential to achieve AI leadership. Earlier this month, Seoul launched the National AI Strategy Committee commanded by the president with the ambition to become one of the world's top three AI powers. For the aim, the government is proposing to triple AI-related budget to 10.1 trillion won next year from this year's 3.3 trillion. "Since Korea has just begun pushing for AI, a broad range of investment for AI development should be considered positive," said Kong Duk-jo, professor of AI policy strategy at the graduate school of the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology. Korea falls far behind the front runners in the AI race. According to Stanford HAI's 2025 AI Index, Korea's AI investment reached $1.33 billion, meager versus U.S.'s $109 billion and China's $9.29 billion. The private sector is moving quickly to match the public push. SK Group is building what would be the country's largest AI data center in Ulsan with 60,000 GPUs and targeted capacity of 103MW by 2029, ultimately aiming for 1GW capacity, in a joint venture with Amazon Web Services (AWS). AWS is investing $4 billion and SK contributing sources plus $2.5 billion. The initiative is to establish "sovereign AI" infrastructure to position Korea as the hub for the Asia-Pacific region, SK Group and Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Chey Tae-won said in an interview with Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun on Monday. He proposed Korea and Japan to join hands to seek AI opportunities in overseas markets. Experts urge Korea to carve out its own AI specialty as it did with memory chips in semiconductors. “We'll always be number two or three if we keep chasing AI themes other nations coined like physical AI,” Kong of Gwangju Institute pointed out. 2025-09-23 13:47:15

Multinational interest revives Korea's dream of becoming gas producer SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) - A beleaguered deep-sea gas development campaign in the East Sea has been revived after BP plc. and a few unspecified foreign names submitted offers to tap reserves off the east coast of South Korea. State-run Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC) published on Sunday that several multinational energy firms filed letters of intent by the deadline on Sunday, resuscitating the campaign shunned by local companies due to association with former disgraced president Yoon Suk Yeol. BP did not respond to requests for comment. KNOC declined to disclose the names of the bidders. ExxonMobil, also seen as a potential candidate, could not be reached. A preferred bidder will be selected in October. The renewed interest comes after the much-hyped "Blue Whale" structure off Yeongil Bay in Pohang disappointed earlier this year. Analysis by Core Laboratories found gas saturation levels of just 6.3 percent in February, far below the 70 percent threshold for viable commercial recovery. The discovery was originally trumpeted by then-President Yoon Suk Yeol in June 2024, who claimed the reserves could be worth up to $29 billion. His successor, President Lee Jae-myung, denounced the project as a "scam," citing its lack of economic feasibility. But foreign interest has breathed new life into the project. KNOC relaunched its tender after relinquishing rights to exploration Blocks 6-1 and 8, extending the bidding deadline from June to September to attract more suitors. "Foreign big names like BP wouldn't have joined out of charity — they must have conducted their own research," said Jun Hyung-gu, geology professor at Kyungpook National University. The winning bidder could take up to a 49 percent stake in the venture, as debt-burdened KNOC seeks foreign capital and expertise to push ahead with Phase 2 exploration. Energy experts say BP's global experience in fast-tracking deep-sea oil and gas projects into production could prove critical in assessing whether hydrocarbons bypassed the Blue Whale structure and accumulated elsewhere in the basin. "KNOC must approach resource development with a long-term perspective, beyond political cycles," Jun added. Still, skepticism remains. "Foreign firms with long exploration histories will certainly add value, but the odds of striking commercially viable gas remain slim. It's premature to predict drilling outcomes," said Kim Do-hyun, analyst at Kiwoom Securities. 2025-09-22 13:46:52

NVIDIA–Intel tie-up to bring opportunities for Korean chipmakers SEOUL, September 19 (AJP) - A tie-up between U.S. chip-design giants NVIDIA and Intel is expected to accelerate artificial intelligence (AI) computing infrastructure — creating new opportunities for South Korea’s memory and packaging technologies that support advanced AI chips. The $5 billion partnership, under which NVIDIA will acquire a 4 percent stake in Intel, could unite the current and former leaders of global chip design, pending regulatory approval. The announcement comes as U.S. President Donald Trump threatens to raise tariffs on high-margin goods such as semiconductors, on top of existing 25 percent tariffs on automobiles. "We are still analyzing the situation, but for now, we believe we'll see increased HBM usage in the design process between the two companies," said Yim So-jung, analyst at Eugene Investment & Securities. "With the adoption of advanced packaging technologies, the importance of back-end processes is also likely to rise." For South Korean chipmakers, the collaboration could translate into greater demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and advanced packaging — both crucial to AI development. HBM enables processors to handle massive data workloads, while advanced packaging — which involves cutting wafer-produced chips and connecting them for specific applications — has emerged as a key technology to enhance performance in the AI era. Industry watchers say the deal could hurt Taiwanese foundry leader TSMC more than Korean firms. "If NVIDIA had placed foundry orders with Samsung, the deal could have had a negative impact," said Kwon Dae-woong, professor of semiconductor engineering at Hanyang University. "TSMC had been handling nearly all packaging for NVIDIA, so its partnership with Intel opens opportunities for diversification," added Park Jong-kyung, professor at Seoul National University of Science and Technology. Park noted that HBM demand could surge, with TSMC already near full capacity for interposers — the interface routers critical to HBM. "Prices may even fall if supply expands," he said. SK hynix currently supplies around 50 percent of the global HBM market and is a core supplier to NVIDIA. The NVIDIA–Intel tie-up could further boost demand for its solutions, with its U.S. operations already experiencing rapid growth. The firm also boasts proprietary packaging technology that stacks 32 NAND chips to produce ultra-high-capacity enterprise SSDs for AI servers, and is planning a $3.87 billion investment in Indiana for an AI-focused memory packaging facility. Samsung Electronics, while trailing SK hynix in direct HBM supply to NVIDIA, remains the world’s No. 2–3 player in the segment. The company is preparing to send its latest HBM4 samples for inspection in September, positioning itself to capture a larger share of AI-driven demand. Investors were not much worried. Samsung Electronics shares slipped only marginally from a 13-month high to 79,700 won (about $57) on Friday, while SK hynix ended with the same price as the day before, reflecting confidence that the NVIDIA–Intel deal will ultimately expand, not diminish, opportunities for Korean chipmakers 2025-09-19 16:41:26