T1 wins historic third consecutive LoL World Championship SEOUL, November 10 (AJP) - South Korea's esports team T1 won this year's League of Legends (LoL) World Championship in Chengdu, China on Sunday, securing its third consecutive victory and sixth overall. By defeating its perennial rival KT Rolster 3-2, the team, led by iconic player and captain Lee Sang-hyeok, better known as Faker, solidified its dominance in the sport. Faker, who first won the championship at age of 17 in 2013, continues to be a pivotal figure for the team. Sponsor SK Telecom's consistent support has been crucial to T1's continuous success, with the company backing the team since its inception. In 2019, SK Telecom began co-managing T1 with American media giant Comcast, leading to significant growth in sponsorships and merchandise sales. In July, T1 renewed Faker's contract for four more years. In July, T1 also secured a major three-year sponsorship deal with Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Global, alongside partnerships and endorsements with Mercedes-Benz, Red Bull, Samsung Odyssey and Spotify. Capitalizing on its growing fanbase and popularity, T1 is actively expanding into new business ventures, recently hosting large-scale events and fan meets in Incheon and Busan. T1 is expected to achieve its first-ever operating profit this year, after a record revenue of 51 billion won last year, up 47 percent from the previous year, with projected growth of over 50 percent this year. SK Chairman Chey Tae-won praised the team, saying, "Their exceptional skill, teamwork, and perseverance have inspired fans worldwide, demonstrating their ability to overcome challenges." * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-10 10:41:51

South Korea's CJ ENM eyes one-stop platform for K-pop fans worldwide SEOUL, October 28 (AJP) - CJ ENM, one of South Korea’s largest entertainment companies, is betting that K-pop’s next wave of global expansion will happen not just on stage, but on screens. The company announced plans to turn its digital platform Mnet Plus into a global “fanteractive” hub — blending content, fandom, and commerce for the hyper-connected generations of Gen Z and Alpha. At a Culture TALK event in Seoul, Tuesday, CJ ENM said Mnet Plus had surpassed 40 million cumulative subscribers within three years of its launch. The platform now boasts up to 20 million monthly active users and 7.6 million daily users, with international audiences making up about 80 percent of its traffic. The company said much of that growth is being driven by younger fans who consume, create, and share K-pop content across borders and languages. Company officials said the platform’s strength lies in its interactive features. Users can vote for their favorite artists, participate in fan support campaigns, join live streams, and chat in real time. During the finale of Boys Planet 2, Mnet Plus recorded a staggering 70,000 votes per second and more than 130 million cumulative views. “Our goal is to create an ‘experience platform’ where fans can engage and immerse themselves beyond just watching,” said Kim Ji-won, head of Mnet Plus. CJ ENM plans to broaden Mnet Plus’s lineup of original K-pop content and expand its global streaming infrastructure. The company will introduce an ad-supported free viewing model alongside premium paid tiers designed to deepen fan experiences and connect audiences with artists and brands. Chae Woo-jin, head of the Entertainment Culture Research Institute, said, “The future of K-pop depends on what kind of value and experiences these platforms can offer. They must widen the cultural reach of K-pop for fans worldwide.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-28 14:09:19

Korea-France Space Forum highlights growing partnership in space exploration SEOUL, October 27 (AJP) - Government officials, scientists, and industry leaders from South Korea and France gathered in Seoul on Monday for the fifth Korea-France Space Forum, underscoring the two nations’ expanding collaboration in space exploration and technology. Held at the Four Seasons Hotel, the forum brought together representatives from the Korea Space Agency and France’s National Centre for Space Studies, known as CNES, as well as executives from major aerospace companies and research institutions. The event featured presentations on national space strategies and panel discussions on strategic autonomy, reusable launch vehicles, and the future of commercial space services. Discussions centered on how the two countries can strengthen cooperation in areas such as next-generation orbital systems, satellite operations, and space security. In the session on strategic space autonomy, experts from both sides explored developments in reusable launch vehicle technologies and examined how private companies could contribute to government-led space security efforts. France, a leading member of the European Space Agency, is regarded as a global leader in space transportation and satellite navigation. South Korea, which recently launched its national space agency, is accelerating its push to develop independent launch capabilities and expand international partnerships. “The Korea-France Space Forum offers an important platform for dialogue and collaboration,” said Lionel Suchet, chief operating officer of CNES. “Our two nations have complementary expertise, and this exchange helps us move forward together in the new era of space development.” Yoon Young-bin, head of the Korea Space Agency, said the forum would “help lay the groundwork for joint research, technology exchange, and innovative industrial partnerships.” The forum concluded with the signing of a comprehensive cooperation agreement between the two agencies, setting the stage for deeper collaboration in exploration, satellite technology, and the commercial space sector. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-27 14:02:58

South Korean institute to collaborate with University of Missouri on atomic energy SEOUL, October 27 (AJP) - The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute and the University of Missouri have signed a five-year agreement to deepen cooperation in nuclear research and development, South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT said Monday. The agreement, signed at the institute’s headquarters in Daejeon, establishes a framework for joint research, personnel exchanges, and shared use of facilities. The two institutions will collaborate in six key areas: reactor technology, measurement systems, radioisotopes, neutron beams, materials science, and advanced computing. The partnership will include joint training programs and international research planning, with both sides expected to expand cooperation through shared reactor design and operational expertise. “South Korea, once a recipient of U.S. nuclear technology aid, now stands as an equal partner in next-generation research development,” Ku Hyuk-chae, South Korea’s first vice minister of science and ICT. Joo Han-kyu, president of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, said, "The collaboration will establish a sustainable model for technological cooperation following our research reactor exports.” Mun Y. Choi, president of the University of Missouri, described the agreement as “a model for Korea–U.S. nuclear research collaboration,” expressing optimism about the long-term impact on scientific exchange between the two countries. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-27 10:36:32

Anthropic of Claude AI chatbot to open office in Seoul next year SEOUL, October 24 (AJP) - Anthropic, the U.S. artificial intelligence company behind the Claude chatbot, said it will open a Seoul office early next year. “South Korea is a leader in AI innovation in Asia, and Claude is already widely used here,” Anthropic’s chief executive, Dario Amodei, said in a statement. “We look forward to collaborating with partners in South Korea’s world-class tech ecosystem to realize AI’s potential.” Senior executives from Anthropic are expected to visit Seoul next week to meet with local clients and partners, the company said. According to Anthropic’s internal data, South Korea ranks among the top five countries globally in both total and per capita use of Claude. More than a quarter of all users of Claude Code, the company’s AI coding assistant, are based in the Asia-Pacific region. In South Korea, monthly active users have grown sixfold over the past four months, with South Korean software engineers now accounting for the largest share of Claude Code users worldwide. Anthropic has already established collaborations with major South Korean venture capital firms and startups through its “Claude for Startups” initiative, which provides access to technical resources. Local companies have begun integrating Claude into their workflows — Law & Company, a legal tech startup, reported a 70 percent increase in lawyer efficiency after adopting the tool, while SK Telecom is partnering with Anthropic to develop new AI service models. “South Korean companies already demonstrate world-class capabilities in complex coding and enterprise applications,” said Paul Smith, Anthropic’s chief operating officer. “Our Seoul office will allow us to work more closely with them and offer tailored support for their specialized needs.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-24 10:52:49

Korean AI company Upstage unveils Japan-focused LLM 'Shin Pro' SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) - South Korean artificial intelligence company Upstage announced Thursday the launch of “Shin Pro,” a large language model (LLM) designed specifically for the Japanese market and developed in partnership with Tokyo-based AI firm Karakuri. Built on Upstage’s proprietary Solar model, Shin Pro is a 31-billion-parameter system fine-tuned for Japanese language nuances and cultural context. The model is optimized for on-premise deployment, offering companies enhanced data security and cost efficiency by allowing them to run AI applications within their own infrastructure. Shin Pro has already drawn attention for its performance, topping the Weights & Biases Nezumi Leaderboard, a key benchmark for Japanese-language LLMs. It achieved the highest score among models with 31 billion parameters or fewer. Notably, Shin Pro is the only model developed and trained in Japan to rank among the top performers on the leaderboard — a space otherwise dominated by models from OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and DeepSeek. Its emphasis on local deployment and data privacy aligns with Japan’s growing preference for on-premise AI solutions over cloud-based alternatives from U.S. and Chinese providers. “This achievement shows that Upstage’s technology can compete head-to-head with globally trained AI models in Japan,” said Hiroyuki Matsushita, head of Upstage Japan. “With Shin Pro, we aim to help Japanese companies adopt AI that reflects their industry needs, security requirements, and cultural context.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-23 16:31:54

Singapore's VENA Group pledges $20 billion investment in Korea's green energy, AI sectors SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) - Singapore-based renewable energy company VENA Group plans to invest $20 billion in South Korea to advance projects in renewable energy and artificial intelligence data centers, officials here said Thursday. The announcement came after the company delivered a letter of intent at a ceremony held at the National Assembly in Seoul, attended by Environment Minister Kim Sung-hwan, Vice Minister of Science and ICT Ryu Jae-myung, Democratic Party lawmaker Cha Ji-ho, presidential secretary of national AI policy Kim Woo-chang, and VENA Group Chairman Nitin Apte. The investment pledge builds on a memorandum of understanding signed in September during President Lee Jae Myung’s meeting with BlackRock Chairman Larry Fink at the United Nations General Assembly. That agreement sought to position South Korea as the “AI capital of Asia” by attracting global investors to its energy and technology sectors. Environment Minister Kim hailed the announcement as “a tangible result of the president’s diplomatic and investment efforts,” adding that the partnership would help accelerate South Korea’s renewable energy transition and bolster its AI infrastructure competitiveness. The Ministry of Environment said it plans to channel part of the investment into offshore wind power projects and develop an “energy highway” linking wind farms, national power grids, and AI data centers. Vice Minister Ryu said the government would continue to encourage sustainable development through international partnerships. “This initiative reflects our vision to make South Korea a leading AI and green energy hub in the Asia-Pacific region,” he said. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-23 16:19:30

South Korean Air Force to work with science ministry to develop quantum-based weapons SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - The Ministry of Science and ICT and the South Korean Air Force signed an agreement Monday to collaborate on developing next-generation weapon systems powered by quantum technology. The signing took place at the KINTEX convention center in Ilsan, northwest of Seoul. Quantum technologies — long touted for their potential to revolutionize both civilian and military systems — could enable GPS-independent navigation, stealth detection, and even the disruption of encrypted communications. Under the agreement, the ministry will provide the Air Force with technical consulting and infrastructure support, while the Air Force plans to incorporate quantum applications into future weapons development requirements. “This agreement will promote the development of advanced weapon systems using quantum technology, strengthening national defense and achieving technological independence,” said Ryu Je-myung, the second vice minister of science. “It is also expected to enhance the competitiveness of K-defense.” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Son Seok-rak added that the military would “actively cooperate with the science ministry to secure innovative technologies such as quantum radar and hybrid combat systems.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-20 14:03:39

CJ ENM, Warner Bros. Discovery join hands for K-content production SEOUL, October 16 (AJP) - South Korea's CJ ENM and Warner Bros. Discovery announced a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening the global presence of Korean entertainment, Thursday, underscoring the growing influence of K-content on international audiences. Under the agreement, the two companies will jointly plan and produce original Korean programming while expanding distribution through Warner Bros. Discovery’s global platforms. The collaboration includes the launch of a dedicated TVING brand section on HBO Max in 17 Asia-Pacific regions, marking TVING’s first entry into the overseas streaming market. The rollout will begin with select content in November, followed by a full launch early next year. The section will feature TVING’s most popular dramas and variety shows, designed to attract both existing fans of Korean entertainment and new audiences across the region. “This partnership aligns perfectly with HBO Max’s strategy to showcase unique premium content,” JB Perrette, president and CEO of global streaming and games at Warner Bros. Discovery, said in a press release. “We are excited to work with CJ ENM, a leader in the K-content genre.” The two companies also plan to co-invest in global production projects, which will be distributed internationally through HBO Max. Lee Mi-kyung, vice chair of CJ Group, said the collaboration would “further elevate the global standing of K-content,” while David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, described it as “a milestone in bringing locally inspired stories to worldwide audiences.” Yoon Sang-hyun, CEO of CJ ENM, said the company would continue to expand its strategic partnerships in key global markets to ensure the sustainable growth of Korean culture. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-16 10:21:30

KT, Palantir CEOs meet in Seoul to deepen AI partnership SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - South Korean telecom company KT said Tuesday its chief executive, Kim Young-seop, met with Alex Karp, the CEO of U.S. data analytics firm Palantir Technologies, in Seoul to discuss ways to expand the use of Palantir’s artificial intelligence platforms across South Korean industries. The meeting, held at KT’s headquarters in Gwanghwamun, centered on how to implement Palantir’s technology for local businesses in sectors ranging from finance to manufacturing and public services. Karp’s visit coincided with KT’s AX Leader Summit, an AI-focused forum that brought together senior executives from major Korean companies, including Woo Ki-hong of Korean Air, Kim Yong-beom of Meritz Financial Group, Koo Ja-kyun of LS Electric, and Lee Joo-tae of POSCO Holdings. KT is currently piloting Palantir’s AI platform in its cloud-based systems to evaluate their effectiveness in analyzing complex corporate data and supporting management decisions. The company said it has gained consulting and technical know-how through these trials and plans to package them into integrated AI services for Korean clients, particularly in sectors where data security is critical. “Our collaboration with Palantir will become a model for AI-driven innovation across South Korea’s key industries,” Kim said. “We aim to enhance decision-making and operational efficiency through responsible AI use.” Karp described the partnership as “a significant step forward in secure cloud-based data utilization and industry-specific innovation,” according to KT. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-14 15:50:32