Korea showcases its chipmaking future at SEDEX 2025 SEOUL, October 22 (AJP) - South Korea opened its largest semiconductor exhibition on Wednesday, bringing together industry leaders, engineers, and policymakers. The Semiconductor Expo, or SEDEX 2025, runs through Friday at COEX in Seoul and features more than 280 companies — including Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, Jusung Engineering, Dongjin Semichem, PSK, and Wonik — across more than 700 booths. Organizers expect roughly 60,000 visitors over the three-day event. This year’s exhibition focuses on how the industry can push technological boundaries and strengthen collaboration across the semiconductor ecosystem in the age of artificial intelligence. Samsung Electronics is highlighting its newest high-bandwidth memory, the HBM4, along with the Exynos 2600 mobile application processor built with cutting-edge 2-nanometer technology. SK hynix is presenting its own lineup of AI memory solutions, including HBM4, high-capacity DDR5, Compute Express Link (CXL) modules, and high-performance enterprise solid-state drives. Keynote speakers include Song Jae-hyuk, Samsung’s chief technology officer and head of the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association, and Sung Yun-mo, a former industry and energy minister and now a professor at Chung-Ang University. “SEDEX 2025 showcases the relentless innovation of Korea’s semiconductor companies,” said Kim Jeong-hoi, vice chairman of the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association. “The collaboration and creativity on display here reflect the future direction of our industry.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-22 14:18:38

Epson unveils new 'Lifestudio' projectors to tap booming home entertainment market SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - Epson introduced a new line of home projectors on Tuesday, betting that South Korea’s growing appetite for streaming and large-screen entertainment will help sustain demand for high-end home viewing devices. At a press event in Seoul, Jun Morohoshi, head of Epson Korea, announced the launch of the Lifestudio Series, which features nine new projector models designed to blend functionality with lifestyle appeal. “South Korea is a key market with growing demand for OTT services and home entertainment,” Morohoshi said. “We aim to usher in a new era of home projectors with our latest products.” The Lifestudio brand, Epson’s latest push in the home entertainment sector, seeks to position projectors not merely as display tools but as central lifestyle devices. The domestic projector market — which surged during the pandemic as consumers spent more time at home — is regaining momentum with the expansion of streaming services and a renewed preference for cinematic viewing experiences. Epson currently holds a 51.7 percent share of the global projector market, maintaining the top spot for 24 consecutive years, and leads in South Korea with a 42 percent share, according to company data. The new Lifestudio Series includes both compact mini projectors and ultra-short-throw models, available in five colors with adjustable stands. A key feature of the lineup is Epson’s new Triple Core Engine technology, which provides enhanced brightness and color accuracy. The system broadens the visible color spectrum while minimizing brightness loss, producing vivid and realistic images even in well-lit environments. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-21 14:04:33

Posco International opens EV material plant in Poland SEOUL, October 02 (AJP) - Posco International has opened a new factory in Poland to produce drive motor cores, a critical component for electric vehicles. The plant, located on a 100,000-square-meter site, will begin trial production this month, with full-scale operations scheduled for December. Drive motor cores, often described as the “heart” of an electric vehicle, form the core of the motor that powers the car. Posco International’s version incorporates non-oriented electrical steel made by its parent, Posco Group, and the company’s own Emfree technology, designed to boost energy efficiency while reducing noise and vibration. The Polish plant will have capacity to produce 1.2 million drive motor cores annually, enabling the company to supply parts for Hyundai and Kia vehicles built in Europe, with plans to expand to automakers including Volkswagen. By 2030, Posco International expects its facilities in South Korea, Mexico, Poland and India to collectively supply cores for 7.5 million vehicles a year. The company has already secured contracts to provide drive motor cores for 35 million vehicles through 2033. It is targeting a 10 percent share of the global market for the component by the end of the decade. Revenue from the business is forecast to rise from 450 billion won this year to 1.5 trillion won by 2030. “The Polish plant is a key base for capturing the European EV market,” Lee Gye-in, president of Posco International, said in a statement. “Posco Group will lead the future mobility market with its integrated capabilities in EV steel, battery materials and components.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-02 10:13:41

Chipmaking Team Korea joins OpenAI's $500 Billion AI initiative SEOUL, October 01 (AJP) - South Korea’s chipmaking giants Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have signed a preliminary agreement with OpenAI to join the $500 billion “Stargate” initiative aimed at proliferating next-generation AI data centers worldwide. Under the letter of intent, Samsung and SK hynix are prepared to commit as much as 8 trillion won ($6 billion) a month to the project, which is co-led by SoftBank and Oracle. The partnership extends beyond memory supply to include affiliates Samsung SDS, Samsung C&T, Samsung Heavy Industries, and SK Telecom. The Korean suppliers will provide high-performance, low-power semiconductors such as high-bandwidth memory (HBM). Samsung Electronics, the world’s top memory maker, has the capacity to produce up to 650,000 wafers monthly, while SK hynix dominates the HBM market as the chief supplier to Nvidia. OpenAI has requested a monthly supply of up to 900,000 DRAM wafers—more than double the world’s current HBM output capacity. If finalized, the deal would mark the largest semiconductor contract in South Korean history. The agreement was signed by Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman at SK’s Seorin headquarters in central Seoul. Altman is expected to return later this month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, joining Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Apple CEO Tim Cook. President Lee Jae-myung also met with Altman on Wednesday to discuss bilateral cooperation in AI transformation and ecosystem development. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-01 21:38:58

Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong's stock wealth surges $2.7 billion SEOUL, October 01 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong added more than 3.7 trillion won ($2.7 billion) to his stock wealth in the third quarter, cementing his position as South Korea’s richest corporate leader by equity holdings, according to new data released Tuesday. The Korea CXO Institute reported that the market value of Lee’s shares rose 24.4 percent from 15.25 trillion won at the end of June to 18.98 trillion won by the end of September, driven by a rebound in Samsung Electronics’ share price. Lee tops a group of 16 South Korean executives whose individual stock holdings exceed 1 trillion won. He is followed by Seo Jung-jin, honorary chairman of Celltrion, with 11.13 trillion won, and Kim Beom-su, founder of Kakao, with 6.28 trillion won. Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun and HYBE’s Bang Si-hyuk round out the top five. Overall, the combined stock wealth of 45 major business leaders climbed from 74 trillion won at the end of June to 78.3 trillion won by September, an increase of more than 4.27 trillion won. Other notable gains included Cho Hyun-joon of Hyosung, whose holdings rose 23.4 percent to 2.25 trillion won, and Lee Yong-han of Wonik, who saw the largest percentage jump, with his stock value nearly doubling to 3.26 trillion won. Not all leaders benefited. Chung Mong-kyu of HDC saw his stock wealth fall 24.6 percent to 4.62 trillion won, while HYBE’s Bang Si-hyuk recorded the steepest monetary loss, with his holdings shrinking by 565.5 billion won to 3.5 trillion won. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-01 14:30:46

LG Elec eyes $1.8 bn Indian IPO, third largest in India for 2025 SEOUL, October 01 (AJP) - The Indian unit of South Korea’s household white-goods giant LG Electronics has set its initial public offering (IPO) price band at ₹1,108 to ₹1,140 per share, targeting up to $1.8 billion in proceeds. The listing, scheduled for Oct. 14, marks the third-largest IPO in India this year and second largest Korean IPO in the country following last year’s $3.3 billion Hyundai Motor India listing. Like Hyundai, LG’s IPO will be structured entirely as an offer for sale (OFS), with the Korean parent divesting a 15 percent stake—over 101 million shares—in its Indian subsidiary. Under the OFS format, no new equity will be issued, meaning the Indian unit itself will not receive funds from the flotation. If priced at the upper end of the band, LG Electronics India would command a valuation of over $12 billion. Proceeds will be channeled into future growth strategies at the group level, including equity investments, mergers and acquisitions, and B2B expansion aimed at bolstering long-term competitiveness. Some of the funds may also return to shareholders. India’s fast-growing home appliance market underpins LG’s confidence. Despite its 1.4 billion population, penetration of refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners remains relatively low, leaving substantial room for growth. Since its entry in 1997, LG has built an extensive local presence with two manufacturing bases, 51 regional offices, and more than 780 branded shops. A third factory at Sri City is underway to expand production capacity. Analysts expect LG to leverage IPO proceeds into strategic investments and partnerships, including backing promising startups and pursuing M&A opportunities, as it positions itself for the next decade of competition in India’s booming consumer market. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-01 11:07:52

American business chamber raises alarm over contentious union law SEOUL, September 19 (AJP) - The head of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea urged the South Korean government on Friday to take industry concerns into account as it prepares to implement the so-called Yellow Envelope Act, a contentious new labor law that has become a flashpoint in the country’s corporate sector. AMCHAM Korea Chairman James Kim said the chamber would soon present policy recommendations to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, which has formed a task force to review how the law should be applied. Speaking at the chamber's “Executive Roundtable Series” meeting at the Conrad Seoul Hotel in Yeouido, Kim was joined by Kwon Chang-jun, vice minister of employment and labor, along with senior executives from major Korean and multinational companies. The discussion centered on labor regulations and the broader challenges facing South Korea’s economy. The Yellow Envelope Act, passed by the National Assembly earlier this year, makes it harder for companies to seek damages from striking workers. Labor unions have long argued that South Korea’s corporations have abused damage claims and injunctions to weaken organized labor. Business groups, however, say the law erodes management rights, undermines legal deterrents against illegal strikes and complicates efforts to keep production running. At Friday's meeting, executives also called for stronger mediation and arbitration mechanisms to help resolve disputes before they escalate into prolonged strikes. Kim said, “To position South Korea as a key hub in the Asia-Pacific region, improving the overall business environment is essential, with labor flexibility at its core." Vice Minister Kwon, for his part, emphasized the importance of cooperation between labor and management, as well as between South Korean and foreign firms, to safeguard the country’s global competitiveness. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-19 14:18:10