3M turns to robotics to meet strict Korean standards for automated tapes HWASUNG, December 09 (AJP) - A multi-axis industrial robot sweeps deliberately across a component panel, its joints pivoting with an almost animal-like fluidity. From a needle-fine nozzle, it extrudes a glossy black ribbon of liquid-form tape that catches the overhead lights before settling into a perfect line. As the machine arcs over curved ridges and dips into semi-circular edges — surfaces that typically force human technicians to slow their breathing and reset their hands — bundles of cables trail from its arm like tendrils. Each pass lands with identical precision, as though the robot were tracing an invisible blueprint only it can see. Inside a restricted-access lab at 3M Korea’s research center in Hwaseong, the demonstration feels part workshop, part choreography. A 3M engineer stands at a console, tuning parameters and occasionally nudging the robot’s movement. “With flexible automation, the robot is now dispensing tape more precisely than a human can,” he said, watching the tape settle into flawless contours. The system — branded internally as RoboTape™ System— is built for unbroken consistency and speed, traits Korean manufacturers increasingly regard not as advantages but as survival requirements. U.S.-based materials giant 3M is now leaning on Korea’s demanding industrial environment to pressure-test and refine its next-generation automation technologies before deploying them globally. At a technology briefing Monday, company executives underscored how Korean manufacturers — known for unforgiving specifications, rapid development cycles and millimeter-level quality thresholds — are directly influencing the evolution of automated bonding, sealing and dispensing systems across appliances, displays and electric vehicles. “Korean customers require extremely detailed performance data before finalizing their product designs,” said Choi Bokyung, a senior application engineer at 3M Korea. “To complete their modeling, they need reliable simulation data for each material going into a component. We share that data actively so customers can raise the overall completeness of their designs.” That data-heavy collaboration has intensified as manufacturers race to automate tasks once handled manually, driven by rising labor costs, worker shortages and increasingly complex internal product architectures. According to 3M, robotic tape and adhesive systems not only reduce reliance on manual work but deliver uniformity that human operators cannot consistently match. Choi said labor costs — in a country known for powerful unions and high wages — are one of the strongest incentives behind automation. “When production depends heavily on manual work, quality can vary dramatically between operators,” she said. “Automation makes sure end users receive the same level of quality every time.” But the business case hinges on scale. Chung Sehoon, bonding project specialist leader at 3M Korea, noted that automation only becomes cost-effective when it replaces larger teams. “In our experience, automation doesn’t always make sense when a line has just two or three workers,” he said. “In those cases, costs may even rise. But when you’re running lines that need 10 or 20 workers, the labor savings far outweigh the automation investment.” As product designs grow more intricate, automated tape systems are entering areas once off-limits to manual work: curved appliance housings, the maze-like wiring harnesses inside refrigerators, large-format displays, and irregular surfaces beneath what appear to be flat exteriors. “Even products that look perfectly flat often contain extremely complex internal structures,” Choi said. “Automation allows tape to be applied precisely along wiring, curved edges and other irregular surfaces without relying on manual dispensing.” At the heart of 3M’s strategy is the goal of turning automated tape and adhesive solutions into a core platform technology. The company showcased two approaches: extrusion-based systems that dispense tape directly from specialized cartridges, and robotic tape systems co-developed with Canadian equipment maker Innovative Automation. “Not every tape can be automated,” Choi noted. “The material and equipment must be designed together — which is why we partner with high-quality equipment firms to ensure stable performance.” One of the clearest testing grounds is the automotive sector, where electrification has rewritten bonding requirements. Battery packs must be tightly sealed against water and contaminants yet be removable for repairs — a dual demand traditional adhesives struggle to meet. “That’s why we developed elastic sealants that preserve airtight performance while remaining removable when necessary,” said Joo Hyung Suk, director overseeing 3M’s automotive business. He said 3M’s elastic battery sealant is already used by major Korean automakers and overseas manufacturers. The material stays elastic for years, preventing moisture intrusion while allowing service teams to reopen the pack without damage. Automation is what makes these solutions viable at scale, Joo emphasized. “Automation is no longer optional. Without automated processes, achieving both price competitiveness and consistent quality is impossible.” 3M also highlighted high-strength structural adhesives — capable of bonding chassis and body components with strength approaching welding — but without the heat-induced distortion of traditional welding processes. Because the adhesives cure at room temperature, they lower energy consumption and are more compatible with lightweight materials such as aluminum and carbon-fiber composites. These decisions — from heat tolerance to load-bearing needs — are set through intensive collaboration with automakers, Joo said. Across the briefing, executives repeatedly pointed to Korea’s role as a fast-moving, high-specification market that has become a global testbed for 3M. Feedback from Korean customers is relayed to global R&D teams almost instantly, accelerating development cycles well beyond what is possible elsewhere. With automation demand rising across sectors, 3M expects its automated tape and adhesive systems not only to support Korea’s industrial competitiveness but also to anchor its next phase of global expansion. 2025-12-09 16:22:26

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

Naver's shopping app emerges as Korea's fastest-growing e-commerce platform SEOUL, December 09 (AJP) - Naver’s shopping app, Naver Plus Store, has emerged as the fastest-growing platform in South Korea’s e-commerce market this year, according to market data. Data from Sensor Tower released on Tuesday showed that Naver Plus Store ranked first in both downloads and growth in South Korea between January and October, underscoring the success of Naver’s strategy to launch a standalone, AI-focused commerce application. While Coupang continues to lead in monthly active users (MAU), the report said Naver Plus Store is rapidly narrowing the gap, posting the fastest MAU growth among major shopping apps. Upon its launch in March, the app topped popularity charts on Google Play and Apple App Store, and outpaced ChatGPT in downloads between March and May. By October, cumulative downloads approached 800,000. User data indicated that Naver’s AI-driven approach has been effective in appealing to key consumer segments. Women accounted for 58 percent of users, while 41 percent were aged between 35 and 44, highlighting strong traction among household decision-makers. Globally, the report showed China-based Temu leading in both downloads and MAU growth, while India’s Blinkit ranked first in download growth, reflecting rising potential in emerging markets. Sensor Tower said global e-commerce app downloads increased by 45 percent compared with 2019 levels, as online shopping habits became entrenched after the pandemic. “As user acquisition slows in mature markets, competition is shifting toward retaining existing users and improving service experiences,” Sensor Tower said in a press release, adding that emerging regions such as Latin America and Africa are becoming key growth engines. * This article, published by Economic Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-09 15:57:53

Golfer Kim Si-woo climbs in world rankings, eyes Masters return SEOUL, December 9 (AJP) - Golfer Kim Si-woo has improved his chances of qualifying for next year's Masters by moving up to 47th in the world golf rankings. In the latest rankings for professional male golfers released by the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) earlier this week, Kim moved up from 54th to 47th, marking his return to the top 50 for the first time since August of last year. The rise in the rankings comes after Kim earned a spot in the Open Championship, the oldest and most prestigious golf tournament in the world, by securing third place at the DP World Tour's Australian Open in Melbourne last weekend. Kim is now also qualified for an invitation to the Masters, the season's first major for men, scheduled for April next year in Augusta, Georgia, as the tournament is open to the top 50 players by year-end. Kim competed in the Masters for eight consecutive years until 2024 but missed out on the tournament this year. Meanwhile, the top of the world rankings remained unchanged, with American golfer Scottie Scheffler at No. 1, followed by Ireland's Rory McIlroy and England's Tommy Fleetwood. Among South Korean players, Im Sung-jae is the highest ranked at 42nd. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-09 15:40:54

TRAVEL: Six centuries of history anchor Salgoji Bridge in Seoul's urban sprawl SEOUL, December 09 (AJP) - The intersection of ancient history and modern city planning defines this crossing. As the bicycle path widens from the Cheonggyecheon Ecological School in Maja-dong, Seoul, and continues without a traffic signal toward the Han River, a sense of enduring history crosses the stream near Hanyang University. This is the Seoul Salgoji Bridge, designated a Treasure and nearly 600 years old. Among the bridges constructed over the Cheonggyecheon during the Joseon era, only the Gwangtonggyo, Supyo Bridge, and this structure remain standing today. Salgoji Bridge was, in its time, the largest stone bridge within Hanyang, the Joseon capital, and served as a critical gateway connecting the city to the southeastern provinces. The structure connects Sageun-dong and Seongsu-dong where the Cheonggyecheon converges with the Jungnangcheon. Measuring 75.75 meters in length and 6 meters wide, the construction utilized 64 stone pillars. The engineering employed specific techniques to ensure longevity. The structure was built with four main piers, but for stability, the central two were designed to be slightly lower than the outer two, subtly directing the bridge’s weight inward. Furthermore, the stone pillars adopted a diamond shape, an efficient design implemented to reduce hydrological resistance from the flowing water. Compared to the more ornate Gwangtonggyo or Supyo Bridge, the structure maintains a stoic, unadorned aesthetic, notably lacking railings. The bridge's form today carries the visible scars of time and intervention. A major flood in the 1920s washed away part of the original structure. While it was repaired and rebuilt in the 1970s, the restoration introduced a concrete line along the right side, somewhat diminishing its original architectural integrity. The very name of the crossing, Salgoji, is steeped in two royal legends. One account suggests King Taejo favored this field for hunting, the name marking where his arrows frequently landed. The other, more poignant legend, details the rift between King Taejo and his son, Taejong: King Taejo, estranged and angry, fired an arrow at his waiting son upon returning to Hanyang, the shaft lodging dramatically in a nearby shade structure's pillar. The placement of the bridge is directly tied to the reign of King Taejong. After relinquishing the throne to Sejong, Taejong settled at Nakcheonjeong pavilion on the Salgoji Plain east of Hanyang. King Sejong was obliged to pay respects daily, and officials constantly needed to cross the water to meet the former, yet still powerful, king. To alleviate this inconvenience, King Sejong initiated construction in 1420. However, the project halted upon Taejong’s death two years later. Driven by the persistent need of the common people using the route, construction was eventually resumed under King Seongjong and finally completed in 1483—63 years after the first stone was laid. Observing pedestrians cross as if walking on flat ground, King Seongjong ultimately christened the bridge Je-ban-gyo, the Bridge of Equal Crossing. 2025-12-09 15:30:44

Leverage rises in Korean stock market amid expectations of year-end rally SEOUL, December 09 (AJP) - South Korean retail investors have pushed margin loan balances above 27 trillion won for the first time, driven by growing expectations of a year-end “Santa rally." As of Dec. 5, outstanding margin loans stood at a record 27.076 trillion won. Margin loans — funds borrowed from securities firms to purchase stocks — are widely seen as a barometer of leveraged retail trading activity. Stock-backed loans also increased sharply, rising by roughly 600 billion won between Dec. 1 and Dec. 5. Bank lending to households has also accelerated. In November, unsecured credit loans at South Korea’s five largest banks rose by 1.14 trillion won, the largest monthly increase since July 2021, reflecting a shift of funds toward equity markets. Market optimism has been bolstered by anticipation of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on Dec. 10, with investors focusing on the possibility of an interest rate cut. Improved foreign investor flows have also supported share prices. Analysts warn that while a sustained rally would limit risks, any sharp market correction could trigger significant losses for highly leveraged investors. Signs of stress have already emerged. In November, forced liquidations by securities firms exceeded 30 billion won on Nov. 7, 18 and 25 as falling share prices eroded collateral values. Total forced sales for the month hit their highest level this year. Such liquidations occur when margin ratios fall below required thresholds, prompting brokerages to sell pledged shares. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-09 15:14:51

North Korean leader sends condolence message on Russian ambassador's death SEOUL, December 9 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a condolence message to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the death of Moscow's ambassador to Pyongyang, state media reported on Tuesday. According to North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim said, "The sudden demise of the ambassador at the present time when the development of relations between the people who devoted his whole life" to the development of bilateral relations between the two countries over the decades. Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui also sent a condolence message to her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, praising Matsegora as a "veteran diplomat of versatile talents." Russia's Foreign Ministry earlier said that Matsegora had died last Saturday at the age of 70, though the cause of his death has not been disclosed. Having started his career at the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang in 1999, he was appointed ambassador in December 2014, playing a key role in strengthening ties between the two traditional allies. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-09 14:46:54

South Korea finds some 'goose down' jackets sold online contain mostly duck feathers SEOUL, December 09 (AJP) - Several padded jackets marketed as "goose down" on major South Korean fashion platforms were found to contain little or no goose feathers, with some products made almost entirely of duck down, the country's consumer watchdog said on Tuesday. The Korea Consumer Agency examined 24 goose down jackets sold on four online fashion platforms — W Concept, Musinsa, Ably and Zigzag — and discovered that five products failed to meet the industry standard requiring at least 80 percent goose feather content. Two additional products labeled as goose down online were actually tagged as duck down on their physical quality labels. Among the worst offenders, a jacket from Hiply contained just 6.6 percent goose feathers, while other products from Vellia and Jan Aheure had goose content as low as 1.9 percent and 4.7 percent respectively, despite being advertised as premium goose down items. Ably showed the highest rate of non-compliance, with four of its five tested products failing to meet standards. Zigzag had two out of five products fall short, while W Concept had one of six. All eight products from Musinsa passed the goose feather ratio test. The investigation also uncovered broader labeling issues, with 12 products missing mandatory quality information such as fabric composition, manufacturer details or contact information, or displaying labels only in Chinese or English. "Down products are particularly vulnerable to misrepresentation because consumers cannot directly verify the filling material," the agency said. "Online descriptions and actual product labels may differ, so buyers should always check quality tags upon delivery." The seven implicated brands have halted sales or corrected product information and agreed to offer refunds, while the platforms pledged to strengthen monitoring and impose penalties to prevent future violations. 2025-12-09 14:28:45

South Korea's growth could fall to near zero by 2040s: BOK governor SEOUL, December 09 (AJP) - South Korea’s potential economic growth rate could fall to near zero by the 2040s without major structural reforms, Bank of Korea Governor Rhee Chang-yong warned on Tuesday. Speaking at a symposium co-hosted by the BOK and the Korean Finance Association, Rhee said the country’s potential growth rate has slowed sharply from around 5 percent in the early 2000s to below 2 percent in recent years. Rhee attributed the deceleration to a shrinking labor force driven by low birth rates and rapid population aging, as well as weak corporate investment and insufficient gains in productivity. He also pointed to inefficient resource allocation, with capital flowing into less productive sectors. “Finance plays a critical role in reallocating limited resources toward more efficient sectors, which in turn drives innovation and productivity,” Rhee said. Rhee cited an internal study by the central bank suggesting that redirecting credit toward more productive industries could raise South Korea’s long-term growth rate by around 0.2 percentage points. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-09 14:28:38

KAIST AI team wins top global paper award for group behavior prediction SEOUL, December 09 (AJP) - A research team from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has achieved a historic first for South Korean universities by winning the prestigious Best Paper Award at the International Conference on Data Mining (IEEE ICDM). This top honor, awarded to just one paper out of 785 global submissions, marks the first time a South Korean university research team has claimed the award in 23 years, underscoring KAIST's technology leadership on the world research stage. The award recognizes the team's development of a breakthrough AI technology capable of predicting complex social group behavior. The team is led by KAIST Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI Professor Shin Ki-jeong. On December 9, KAIST announced the development of the groundbreaking AI model, which predicts complex social group behavior by analyzing how individual characteristics, such as age and role, influence group relationships. Group interactions, spanning online communities, research collaborations, and large chat groups, are exploding in modern society. However, existing technology struggles to precisely explain the underlying structure of these group behaviors and how individual characteristics simultaneously influence them. To overcome this limitation, Professor Shin Ki-jeong's research team developed an AI model named "NoAH (Node Attribute-based Hypergraph Generator)." NoAH is a sophisticated artificial intelligence designed to accurately reproduce the dynamic interplay between individual characteristics and group structure. For example, it analyzes how people's specific attributes, like their interests or professional roles, combine to create collective group action, and then reproduces that behavior. By simultaneously reflecting human tendencies and relationships, NoAH creates remarkably "realistic group behavior." It was demonstrated to reproduce diverse real-world group behaviors, including purchase combinations in e-commerce, the spread of online discussions, and co-authorship networks among researchers, far more accurately than previous models. Professor Shin Ki-jeong said, "This research opens a new AI paradigm that allows for a three-dimensional understanding of complex interactions by considering not only the group's structure but also the characteristics of the individuals. This means the analysis of online communities, messengers, and social networks will become significantly more precise." The study was conducted by Professor Shin Ki-jeong and the research team from KAIST Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI, including Master's students Jeon Jae-wan and Yun Seok-beom, and Ph.D. students Choi Min-young and Lee Geon. The findings were presented at IEEE ICDM on November 18. The research received support from the AI Research Hub project, AI Graduate School Support (KAIST), and the Technology Development for Neural Network Variation and Intelligence Enhancement Based on AI Agent Collaboration. 2025-12-09 14:18:06