Seoul mayor slams government housing curbs, demands regulatory relief SEOUL, December 14 (AJP) - Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on Sunday lambasted the government's Oct. 15 real estate regulations, accusing policymakers of crushing ordinary citizens' homeownership aspirations and urging an immediate rollback of lending restrictions and redevelopment controls. "The most ordinary yet desperate dream of owning a home is being trampled under the Oct. 15 measures," Oh said in a Facebook post. "The government must no longer turn a blind eye to the side effects of its real estate policy." The conservative mayor argued that tightened mortgage caps and expanded regulated zones have erected "abnormally high barriers" to property purchases, freezing transactions and funneling frustrated buyers into an already parched rental market. His rebuke comes as official data showed housing transactions surging ahead of the curbs. Apartment sales in Seoul jumped 62.5 percent month-on-month in October and soared 176 percent from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport — a rush analysts attribute to buyers scrambling to close deals before stricter rules took effect. The broader Seoul metropolitan area recorded 39,644 housing deals during the same month, up 26.7 percent from September and 58.5 percent higher than a year ago. By contrast, transactions outside the capital region declined 6.2 percent month-on-month, underscoring the outsized impact of the regulations on the country's economic heartland. The Oct. 15 package designated all 25 districts of Seoul and 12 surrounding Gyeonggi Province municipalities as regulated zones, triggering the most aggressive clampdown on the capital region's property market in years. Oh disclosed he recently met with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to convey his concerns but found little willingness to address the policy's fallout. He accused the central government of seeking municipal cooperation on housing supply while refusing to revisit market-distorting regulations. The mayor called for an immediate easing of restrictions on urban redevelopment projects and a reversal of lending policies that, in his view, treat genuine homebuyers as speculators. Invoking the previous Democratic Party's Moon Jae-in administration's income-led growth experiment, Oh warned that "policies begun with good intentions become misgovernment when their results prove harmful," and called on authorities to pivot before repeating past mistakes. 2025-12-14 11:23:14

Samsung C&T partners with Poland's Synthos to expand SMR business in Europe SEOUL, December 14 (AJP) - Samsung C&T has signed a memorandum of understanding with Polish small modular reactor (SMR) developer Synthos Green Energy to jointly pursue SMR projects across Central and Eastern Europe, the South Korean construction giant said Sunday. Under the agreement, the two companies will collaborate on expanding SMR business into the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Romania, while also working together on feasibility studies, site surveys and environmental impact assessments for Polish SMR projects. Synthos Green Energy aims to build up to 24 SMRs in Poland by the early 2030s, including the country's first SMR power plant, using BWRX-300 technology developed by GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GVH), a joint venture between General Electric and Japan's Hitachi. The BWRX-300 is a 300-megawatt SMR based on an advanced boiling water reactor design and is considered one of the leading technologies in the emerging SMR sector. Samsung C&T signed a separate agreement with GVH in October to expand SMR projects in Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. "This close partnership with Synthos Green Energy will serve as a milestone in establishing our foothold in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe," Samsung C&T CEO Oh Se-chul said. Synthos Green Energy CEO Rafał Kasprów said he hopes the combination of Samsung C&T's global nuclear project expertise and his company's SMR capabilities will enhance the prospects for Poland's SMR projects and deliver safe, sustainable energy solutions across Europe. The partnership comes as European nations increasingly turn to nuclear power to meet decarbonization targets, with SMRs gaining traction as a flexible, cost-effective alternative to conventional large-scale reactors. 2025-12-14 10:33:02

Coupang user numbers rebound slightly despite massive data breach affecting 33.7 million accounts SEOUL, December 14 (AJP) - South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang has seen its user base recover and expand modestly despite a colossal data breach that compromised 33.7 million accounts, underscoring the powerful grip the company maintains over the nation's online shoppers. Weekly active users on Coupang's main shopping app reached 29.9 million during the first week of December, up about 4.1 percent from 28.8 million a month earlier, according to data from retail analytics firm WiseApp Retail on Sunday. The company's affiliated services also posted gains. Coupang Play, the firm's video streaming platform, drew 3.9 million weekly users, a 4 percent increase that kept it in second place among over-the-top services behind Netflix. Coupang Eats, its food delivery arm, climbed 3 percent to nearly 8 million users. Industry analysts attribute the resilience to a so-called lock-in effect, where Coupang's integrated ecosystem spanning shopping, streaming, and delivery makes it difficult for customers to switch to rival platforms. A survey by research firm Embrain Trend Monitor found that 71.9 percent of 1,000 adult respondents said they would struggle to restore trust in the company even if it offered compensation. Yet more than half, at 55.3 percent, said they would likely continue using the service out of convenience. The rebound marks a stark reversal from the user exodus seen in the days following the initial confirmation of the breach, which had led several industry observers to forecast a gradual downfall for the Korean e-commerce giant. 2025-12-14 09:53:45

SK On–Ford breakup signals Korea's battery pivot to ESS amid EV fog SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - The dissolution of the $11.4 billion battery joint venture between SK On and Ford Motor stands as a stark symbol of the shifting center of gravity in the global battery business — away from electric vehicles and toward energy storage systems (ESS), where surging power demands from AI-driven data centers are rewriting the industry's growth map. The two companies will formally part ways in the first quarter of 2026, splitting control of three giga factories launched together in 2022. SK On will take full ownership of the 45-gigawatt-hour plant in Stanton, Tennessee, while Ford assumes the twin sites in Glendale, Kentucky, totaling 82 GWh. The breakup, while abrupt, offers SK On a strategic reset. Freed from exclusive commitments to Ford, it can now supply a broader pool of customers — particularly utilities, hyperscale data-center operators, and ESS integrators repositioning for the grid-scale storage boom. The shift also reflects Ford's own retreat: its EV unit has lost more than $5 billion this year, prompting the automaker to delay mass production of its next-generation electric pickup to 2028. Strategic Reset The restructuring sharply improves SK On's balance sheet. Nearly 10 trillion won ($6.7 billion) in BlueOval SK liabilities currently sit on SK On's consolidated financials. The separation will transfer roughly half of that debt off its books, reducing annual interest expenses by about 250 billion won while giving SK On full access to U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) production tax credits. The company has already set an aggressive ESS roadmap, targeting up to 10 GWh in orders next year by converting EV battery lines at its Tennessee and Georgia plants. Mass production of LFP-based ESS cells is slated for the second half of 2026. Korean battery makers LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, and SK On are all accelerating the conversion of underutilized EV battery lines into ESS production amid deteriorating visibility for global EV demand. At the same time, hyperscale data centers — driven by rising AI workloads — are consuming electricity at unprecedented levels, turning grid-scale batteries into a cornerstone of power-stability infrastructure. "EV batteries face strict weight and volume constraints that demand high energy density and output, but ESS units are stationary installations with relatively fewer space limitations," said Chung Won-suk, an analyst at iM Securities. SK On is separately converting its Stellantis joint venture plant in Indiana into an ESS-dedicated facility targeting 30 GWh of annual capacity by end-2025. Utilization at the plant has dropped below 50 percent amid Stellantis' EV pullback following the phaseout of U.S. federal purchase subsidies in September. ESS Momentum Samsung SDI is in advanced talks to supply Tesla with about 3 trillion won in ESS batteries over three years — roughly 10 GWh annually — marking what could be the company's first large-scale alliance with the world's dominant ESS integrator. LG Energy Solution, which already supplies Tesla with 20 GWh of LFP cells a year, is negotiating to raise that volume by 50 percent to 30 GWh. Combined, Korean suppliers would deliver 40 GWh annually to Tesla, substantially widening the EV maker's diversification away from Chinese giants CATL and BYD. SNE Research projects the global ESS market to expand more than sixfold from 185 GWh in 2023 to 1,232 GWh by 2035. Unlike EVs — where demand is vulnerable to consumer sentiment, macro cycles, subsidies, and policy swings — ESS growth is driven by structural factors: renewable-energy penetration, grid stability requirements, and escalating data-center loads. "ESS battery demand currently stands at about 20 to 25 percent of the EV market, but ESS offers relatively stable structural growth," said Chung. "That is why its sustainability is rated more highly than EVs." Korean players, however, still lag global leaders: they hold roughly 24 percent of the global EV battery market but less than 10 percent of ESS as of mid-2025. Chinese manufacturers CATL, Hithium, and EVE Energy dominate the ESS landscape, largely thanks to low-cost LFP production. U.S.–China tech rivalry is simultaneously creating an opening. The IRA grants significant tax credits for ESS made with U.S.-produced components, giving Korean manufacturers — already operating large-scale facilities across North America — an edge at a time when Chinese firms face steep trade barriers. Korean automakers themselves are shifting more of their product portfolios toward LFP. Though LFP offers lower energy density than nickel-based NCM batteries, it is roughly 30 percent cheaper and more durable under extreme temperatures and long operating cycles — characteristics ideal for storage systems and affordable EVs alike. LG Energy Solution began LFP production at its Michigan plant in June and plans to expand North American ESS capacity to 30 GWh by 2026. Its joint venture with Stellantis in Canada is also reallocating parts of its NCM lines toward ESS. Separately this week, LG Energy Solution announced a $1.4 billion EV battery contract with Mercedes-Benz, believed by analysts to involve LFP cells targeting mid-priced models — another sign of Europe's pivot away from high-cost chemistries. Samsung SDI also unveiled a multiyear, 2-trillion-won ESS contract with a U.S. energy developer, representing roughly 15 percent of its annual revenue and marking its first substantial move into the LFP segment long dominated by Chinese rivals. While LFP appears ascendant, Korean engineers are betting that NCM technology could reclaim market share once it further reduces costs and demonstrates superior safety and energy performance. "Provided that NCM batteries can prove technical sovereignty over LFP and cut prices, we believe the market will eventually sway back to safer and durable nickel variants in the long run," said Kim Sung-soo, head of smart batteries at Pai Chai University. 2025-12-12 15:57:05

Celltrion secures major U.S. formulary deal for biosimilar Avtozma SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - South Korean biopharmaceutical company Celltrion said Friday it has secured formulary inclusion for its autoimmune disease treatment Avtozma with Synergie Medication Collective, a major pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) formed by several Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies in the United States. The intravenous formulation of Avtozma, a biosimilar of Roche's tocilizumab, has been listed as a preferred drug across all public and private insurance formularies managed by Synergie Collective. Patient reimbursement coverage will take effect in January, paving the way for accelerated prescription growth in the world's largest pharmaceutical market. The agreement marks Celltrion's second major coverage win since launching Avtozma in October, following its earlier inclusion in Blue Cross and Blue Shield's Minnesota formulary. Celltrion's U.S. subsidiary has completed the deployment of specialized sales personnel for the rheumatoid arthritis segment, Avtozma's primary indication. A subcutaneous formulation of the drug is slated for release in the first half of next year, which the company expects will further strengthen its market position. "All products we launched in the U.S. market this year, including Avtozma, Stekima and Stoboclo-Osenvelt, have been smoothly listed on major PBM formularies, successfully laying the groundwork for accelerating patient prescriptions," said a Celltrion spokesperson. The top five PBMs control more than 90 percent of the U.S. prescription drug reimbursement market, making their formulary decisions a critical factor for commercial success in the country. 2025-12-12 09:33:09

Korea scales back corporate contenders for CES 2026, but books 60% of awards SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - South Korea's presence at the world's biggest consumer technology show will be notably slimmer next year, even as Korean innovators again dominate the event's coveted awards. CES 2026, slated for Jan. 6 to 9 in Las Vegas, is expected to host between 700 and 800 Korean companies, down sharply from about 1,031 firms in 2025, according to industry data. The retreat is driven largely by startups and sole proprietors pulling back, but major conglomerates are also rethinking their strategies. SK Group — which mounted large-scale, multi-company pavilions from 2019 to 2025 — will send only SK hynix. HD Hyundai, known for showcasing next-generation autonomous vessel technologies in recent years, will skip the show entirely. Hyundai Motor Group is scaling down its exhibition, dropping software and self-driving displays where U.S. rivals currently lead. Samsung Electronics, meanwhile, plans to host its showcase at a private hotel rather than its usual anchor space at the Las Vegas Convention Center's Central Hall, now increasingly dominated by Chinese giants such as TCL and Hisense. Fragmented 'Team Korea' weakens coordination The pullback underscores a long-running issue: Korea's lack of a unified national strategy at CES. "There is no central control tower," said Lee Han-bum, president of the Korea Information & Communication Technology Industry Association (KICTA). "KOTRA, the Seoul city government and dozens of local governments all come separately. There is confusion, and even now many participants have not received final approval." KOTRA will lead a unified Korea Pavilion next year that brings together multiple agencies including the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The pavilion will host 469 companies, up from 445 in 2025. But a large share of exhibitors will still go it alone. At CES 2025, 586 Korean companies participated outside the pavilion. If total Korean attendance falls to around 700, the pavilion's share would rise from 43 percent to roughly 67 percent, but it would still not function as an overarching command structure. KOTRA also directly manages only about 140 companies through its own selection process. Much of its role remains focused on booth design, branding and coordination — not comprehensive oversight. High costs, low returns The financial case for attending CES is becoming tougher. Korea is estimated to have spent around $500 million on CES 2025 but saw less than $20 million in tangible returns, Lee said. Samsung Electronics alone invested 20 billion won ($13.5 million) in last year's exhibition — a cost only the largest corporations can afford, leaving smaller companies heavily dependent on government subsidies. Korea sent the third-largest national delegation in early 2025, behind the United States (1,509 firms) and China (1,339). Yet the Startup Alliance noted that many CES Innovation Award winners from Korea struggled to secure investment or overseas partnerships, raising questions about whether the heavy spending is translating into actual commercial outcomes. Korean startups at Eureka Park, the exhibition's dedicated startup venue, accounted for nearly half of all exhibitors last year at 641 companies out of 1,400 total — a dominance that raised questions about sustainability. A single booth can cost at least 100 million won once accommodation, logistics, patent filings and rental fees are included. A sharply weaker won, higher operational costs and tougher U.S. visa conditions under the Trump administration are adding further pressure. Still, Korea dominates the awards Despite scaling back, Korea remains a standout in innovation accolades. KOTRA said Korean companies have secured 168 awards at CES 2026, accounting for 60 percent of all awards and marking the country's third consecutive year as the event's top winner. Korean firms swept all three Best of Innovation awards in the AI category, with honors going to Doosan Robotics, DeepFusion AI, and CityFive. The Seoul Business Agency will support 70 startups at next year's unified pavilion — down from 104 — but is expanding assistance programs, including investor matchmaking, global IR pitch competitions, and media outreach. "Korea needs to compete on technology, not headcount," Lee said. "That means fewer companies, but better-prepared ones." 2025-12-11 15:57:20

Naver launches digital warranty service to combat counterfeits in e-commerce SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Naver rolled out its digital warranty service "Naver Collection", aiming to bolster consumer confidence and curb counterfeit risks across its sprawling e-commerce platform. The service, launched Wednesday, replaces traditional paper warranties with tamper-proof digital certificates stored in the Naver app, featuring hologram badges to prevent forgery. More than 600 brands, including Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and global luxury names such as Coach, Vivienne Westwood and Marni, have adopted the system. The launch follows Naver's October expansion of its "High-End" service into home appliances and living categories, with over 30 premium brands now utilizing the digital warranty feature. "Naver Collection is a digital warranty that satisfies both sellers who value brand identity and buyers seeking authenticity," said a company spokesperson. "We will continue to innovate in the digital warranty market by diversifying templates for different product categories." The paperless approach also contributes to environmental sustainability by reducing carbon emissions associated with physical documentation, the company said. To mark the launch, Naver is running a promotional campaign worth about 20 million won until Jan. 20. 2025-12-11 15:26:58

Korean bio names expand footprint in Japan after cracking open the toughest market in Asia SEOUL, December 10 (AJP) - South Korea's biotechnology leaders are rapidly expanding their footprint in Japan, cashing in on bold pushes into a market long viewed as one of the world's most impenetrable pharmaceutical strongholds. A series of multibillion-won deals and soaring biosimilar penetration rates now signal that Korean firms are reshaping competitive dynamics in Asia's largest and most defensive drug market. Samsung Biologics, the world's largest CDMO by production capacity, has secured its biggest annual order volume to date and is now servicing nearly half of Japan's top 10 drugmakers. "We have already signed contracts with four of Japan's top 10 pharmaceutical and bio companies, and we are in final-stage discussions with one more," CEO John Rim said on the sidelines of Bio Japan 2025 in Yokohama on Oct. 8, adding that the company will continue strengthening its pipeline of Japanese clients on the back of its global competitiveness. Rim highlighted mass-production efficiency, broad modality capabilities, and high-quality manufacturing standards as core assets enabling the company to win contracts in Japan and across Asia. Samsung Biologics has also gained exceptional regulatory traction, securing 18 manufacturing approvals from Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency — 12 of them in the last three years — an achievement that has deepened confidence among Japanese innovators. The Incheon-based CDMO's orderbook has swelled in parallel, reaching 5.6 trillion won, up fivefold from 1.16 trillion won in 2021. Recent deals include a 275.9 billion won contract extension with a European pharmaceutical partner and a 76.5 billion won agreement with an Asian client announced in early November. With its biosimilar and drug-development arm spun off, the company is now positioned to focus squarely on contract-based drug production. Celltrion, meanwhile, has achieved one of the rarest feats in global pharmaceuticals: dominating Japan's biosimilar market against originators such as Roche, Sandoz, Pfizer, and Amgen. Its breast and gastric cancer biosimilar Herzuma commands more than 75 percent of Japan's market — surpassing the original product since 2021 — according to Iqvia. Vegzelma, a biosimilar for colorectal and lung cancer introduced as a late entrant, has secured roughly 53 percent market share. The growth trajectory is steep: Herzuma rose from 2 percent market share in 2019 to 30 percent in 2020 and 50 percent in 2021, while Vegzelma tripled from 15 percent last year to over 50 percent in 2024. In autoimmune disease treatments, spanning rheumatoid arthritis to ulcerative colitis, Celltrion's Remsima holds 43 percent share and Yuflyma 15 percent — both ranking first among biosimilars in Japan. "All products currently sold in Japan are delivering overwhelming results, demonstrating Celltrion's differentiated marketing capabilities and product competitiveness," said Senior Executive Vice President Kim Ho-ung. He added that the company plans to sequentially launch follow-up products, including Remsima SC, next year to further reinforce sales and profitability. Although Celltrion does not disclose Japan-specific revenues, its local unit Celltrion Healthcare Japan recorded 62.9 billion won in sales last year, making the group the largest Korean pharmaceutical exporter to Japan. Japan, the world's third-largest pharmaceutical market, has been notoriously difficult to penetrate due to strict regulations, conservative prescription patterns, and loyalty to domestic brands. Experts say Korean players succeeded by tailoring strategies to Japan's ecosystem — local subsidiaries, customized sales operations, and alignment with government policies encouraging wider biosimilar adoption. Other Korean biopharma firms are climbing the ladder as well. SK Biopharmaceuticals' partner Ono Pharmaceutical submitted a new drug application in September for epilepsy treatment Cenobamate to Japan's PMDA, targeting approval in the second half of 2026. Japan is the world's second-largest epilepsy market after the United States, with roughly one million patients. GC Biopharma also received PMDA approval in August 2024 for a Phase 1 clinical trial of GC1130A for Sanfilippo syndrome type A, following investigational new drug approvals in both Korea and the United States. The company has already secured Japanese approval for its Hunter syndrome therapy Hunterase, based on intracerebroventricular delivery. Despite strong overseas performance, Korean biopharma valuations are facing skepticism at home. Samsung Biologics' market capitalization — now above 84 trillion won — is being compared critically with Switzerland's Lonza, given Samsung's lower revenue base and more limited capabilities in emerging modalities such as antibody-drug conjugates. Celltrion, meanwhile, has grappled with governance noise over treasury stock management and repeated shortfalls in revenue guidance. Minority shareholders have even organized a committee to seek an extraordinary general meeting after autoimmune drug Zymfentra significantly underperformed sales expectations. 2025-12-10 15:41:51

Samsung SDI secures $1.36 billion U.S. deal, marking foray into LFP battery market SEOUL, December 10 (AJP) - Samsung SDI announced Wednesday its U.S. subsidiary has clinched a deal worth more than 2 trillion won ($1.36 billion) to supply lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries to an American energy infrastructure company, Samsung SDI America signed the multi-year contract with an undisclosed U.S. energy infrastructure developer and operator to supply LFP batteries for energy storage systems over three years starting in 2027. The deal represents about 15 percent of Samsung SDI's projected annual revenue of 13 trillion won. The batteries will be produced at Samsung SDI's Indiana plant, a joint venture with Stellantis that began operations in December 2024. The company said it is converting some electric vehicle battery production lines to ESS manufacturing in response to shifting market demand. The LFP cells will be installed in Samsung Battery Box 2.0, a 20-foot container integrating batteries with fire safety systems. "This large-scale, long-term ESS contract for LFP batteries is significant as it has enabled the company to secure a new market," a Samsung SDI spokesperson said. "We plan to expand supplies of ESS products with strong fire safety, performance and price competitiveness to global customers." The firm added that it is in talks with multiple global customers over additional LFP and nickel-cobalt-aluminum battery deals. U.S. demand for energy storage systems is projected to more than double to 142 gigawatt-hours in 2030 from 59 GWh this year, according to market research firm SNE Research, with growing preference for LFP chemistry due to its cost efficiency and safety. The deal comes two days after LG Energy Solution announced its contract with Mercedes-Benz to supply what industry analysts widely believe to be LFP cells, positioning the Korean battery makers to capitalize on American and U.S. efforts to reduce reliance on Chinese battery suppliers. 2025-12-10 13:51:24

Mercedes-Benz–LG deal marks latest harvest from Korea's high-stakes LFP bet SEOUL, December 09 (AJP) - Behind LG Energy Solution's latest $1.4 billion breakthrough with Mercedes-Benz lies a strategic gamble South Korea placed years ago: a belated but deliberate expansion into mid-to-lower-end rechargeable batteries even as China dominated the field. That pivot is now paying dividends as surging demand from AI data centers, along with Western efforts to diversify supply chains away from China, creates fresh openings for Korean players. The long-term supply agreement announced Monday covers batteries for Mercedes-Benz's North American and European production lines from March 2028 to June 2035. It follows CEO Ola Källenius's meeting with LG Group leaders in Seoul last month, where he signaled a more balanced supply-chain strategy to support Mercedes-Benz's plan to launch more than 40 new models by 2027 under a cost-conscious electrification drive. While both sides declined to disclose the battery chemistry, industry analysts widely believe the order targets affordable EV lineups and will likely involve lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells — a segment China has effectively controlled for nearly a decade. "This is a long-awaited order from Europe and a win against heavy Chinese presence such as CATL," said Yoo Ji-woong, an analyst at Daol Investment & Securities. LFP batteries, built with iron and phosphate instead of costly nickel or cobalt, cost roughly 30 percent less than nickel-based chemistries and offer advantages for mass-market EVs. China invested aggressively in LFP early, securing more than 80 percent of global production and relegating Korean makers to higher-end, nickel-rich cells. As of October 2025, Chinese producers controlled nearly 69 percent of global EV battery installations, according to SNE Research. CATL holds 38.1 percent alone — more than quadruple LG Energy Solution's 9.3 percent share — and Korea's battery trio of LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, and SK On has seen its combined market share slip from above 30 percent in 2021 to 23.8 percent in the first half of this year. Yet Korea's long-delayed reentry into the LFP segment has gained traction precisely where the chemistry is booming: in energy storage systems (ESS). LFP has become the preferred platform for storing solar and wind power due to its lower thermal-runaway risk and long cycle life. The rise of AI data centers, which require unprecedentedly stable and heavy power loads, is accelerating this shift. SNE Research forecasts the global ESS market to grow sixfold from 185 GWh in 2023 to 1,232 GWh by 2035. Korean battery companies are positioning themselves aggressively. LG Energy Solution began mass-producing LFP cells for ESS at its Michigan plant in June and plans to expand capacity there to 30 GWh by year-end. Its joint venture with Stellantis in Canada will also convert some nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) lines to LFP for ESS. Samsung SDI plans to convert its Stellantis JV factory in the United States to ESS production with a 30 GWh annual target by end-2025 and is expected to supply Tesla with more than 3 trillion won worth of ESS batteries over three years, delivering about 10 GWh annually. SK On, meanwhile, secured a 1 GWh ESS supply deal in the United States in September and will convert part of its Georgia plant to fulfill the order, with additional line conversions under review depending on demand. Geopolitical shifts are amplifying these opportunities. The United States now imposes more than 45 percent in combined tariffs on Chinese EV lithium-ion batteries — a 25 percent Section 301 duty plus two separate 10 percent levies tied to fentanyl enforcement and reciprocal trade measures following the Trump–Xi summit in Busan. The European Union has added tariffs of up to 35 percent on Chinese EVs, atop its preexisting 10 percent duty, and is reviewing whether to widen tariff coverage to lithium-ion battery imports. "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. To capture this opening, LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI plan to install LFP production lines at their U.S. plants co-owned with General Motors, marking the Korean battery makers' full-scale entry into a chemistry they long avoided. LG has also announced plans to begin domestic LFP production at its Ochang plant by 2027. Global EV battery installations outside China rose 28.5 percent year-on-year to 377.5 GWh in the first ten months of 2025, according to SNE Research — evidence that demand remains strong in markets where Korean suppliers compete on quality and tariff-free access. 2025-12-09 16:06:09